"Oh, you must have been a spoiled(宠坏的) kid. You must be really bossy. I wonder what you're going to be like to deal with?" That's often the response Angela Hult gets when people find out she's an only child, she told ABC News, Despite such negative(消极的) remarks, Hult has decided to have only one child herself. And she's not alone.

  According to the US' Office for National Statistics, women approaching the end of their childbearing years had an average of l.9 children in 2004, compared with 3.1 for their counterparts in 1976. The percentage of one-child families in Britain had risen from 18 percent in 1972 to 26 percent in 2007.

  But even though only children are becoming increasingly common, the traditional view that they're selfish, spoilt and lack social skills holds strong. Even parents of only children, like Hult, are made to feel guilty about having only one child. Worried that they're being selfish and endangering their child's future, they flock to online discussion forums seeking advice. Soon, however, they ask themselves: is this social prejudice really reasonable?

  "There have been hundreds and hundreds of research studies that show that only children are no different from their peers(同龄人) ," Susan Newman, a social psychologist at Rutgers University in the US, told ABC News.

  This raises another question: why are only children still viewed with such suspicion?

  "There is a belief that's been around probably since humans first existed that to have just one child is somehow dangerous, both for you and for the continuation of your race," Toni Falbo, a professor of educational psychology, told the Guardian." In the past a lot of children died, You'd have had to be crazy to only have one. "

  Times, of course, have changed and infant mortality(婴儿死亡率) has largely reduced. So what do only children themselves say?

  Kayley Kravitz, a blogger for The Huffington Post, grew up as an only child and highly recommends the experience. "Being an only child taught me the most valuable skill of all: the ability to be alone," she said.

1.Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A. Are only children lonely?

B. Are only children common?

C. Are only children dangerous?

D. Are only children different?

2.What does Susan Newman mean?

A. Only children are as good as their peers.

B. Only children are more selfish and spoiled.

C. Parents feel guilty about having only one child.

D. Parents will endanger their only child's future.

3.What is the common belief since human existed?

A. The infant death rate always stays high.

B. People are crazy to have only one child.

C. It's easy for only children to earn their living.

D.It's hard to continue the family line with only one child.

4.An only child like Kayley _______.

A. must be difficult to persuade

B. can possibly learn to be alone

C. should value special skills

D. need ignore bad experience

5.What's the author's attitude towards having only one child?

A. Neutral.         B. Negative.         C. Positive.        D. Doubtful.

There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown． They probably came about just to give children something to do．
　　In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another． In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers． This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world．
　　What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same． The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology． It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing．In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic （北极的） peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared． Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate their surroundings． Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles．
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use． The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of ascent （进步）． The progress from a rattle used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness． Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials．
【小题1】Which is a major factor leading to the different variations of toys?

（三）

A

I recently spent two years in the Arctic filming the series Blue Planet. I love being in an environment that hasn't changed for 20,000 years. Of course it's freezing, but it must be a healthy place because you never catch colds.

When I'm filming, I like to really feel how lonely the environment is. Filming underwater involves cutting through thick ice and diving in tied to a line. The person at the other end has to be ready to pull you out fast if necessary.

Originally I was a research diver for the British Antarctic Survey project, but for me science lacked excitement. I'd always enjoyed photography, and whenever camera teams passed through, they encouraged me to watch and learn. I was then able to move into filming in 1985 and have concentrated on Arctic and Antarctic wildlife ever since.

I prefer to be faced with the animals I'm filming. I haven't got in the water with killer whales yet, but I plan to. Of course, it's dangerous if you choose the wrong moment. They're big animals and can move fast, so I'd be stupid to film them searching for food!

I've never had problems with polar bears, although once I was frightened when one tried to get into my tent. Polar bears are bold, clever and dangerous. But I made this one see I wasn't about to attack it - I'm sure it realised I wouldn't hurt it.

When I come home back from my trips, I work in the mornings and spend the afternoons swimming to keep fit. Now I'm fifty, filming is harder. The challenge for me is to continue to deliver high-quality work.

56. In this text, the writer is describing __________.

A. the challenges of the environment he works in       B. the beautiful scenery of the Arctic

C. the career opportunities in TV camera work.  　　D. the difficulties of having to work alone

57. What does the writer say about his early career?

A. He was bored by working only in Antarctic.

B. It taught him how to become a skilled diver.

C. He wasted the years he spent as a scientist.

D. It provided him with a chance to learn about filming.

58. When talking about killer whales, the writer says that __________.

A. he has always been careful when diving with them

B. he tries to avoid any danger by facing them

C. he will only film them from a safe distance

D. he believes there are safe opportunities to film them

59. How does the writer describe his experience with a polar bear?

A. The writer realized he was wrong to trust polar bears.

B. The writer felt nervous that the bear might come back.

C. The bear seemed to know the writer wasn’t a danger.

D. The animal was much more afraid than the writer was.

There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown． They probably came about just to give children something to do．

　　In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another． In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers． This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world．

　　What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same． The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology． It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing． In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic （北极的） peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared． Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate their surroundings． Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles．

Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use． The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of ascent （进步）． The progress from a rattle used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness． Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials．

1.Which is a major factor leading to the different variations of toys?

         A． Scientific advances and technological progress

         B． Different local customs and lifestyles of different peoples

         C． Craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology

         D． The artistic tastes of the times and the limitations of available materials

2.Why do boys and girls play with different kinds of toys?

         A． Because they are intended for different social roles and responsibilities．

         B． Because boys like to invent and girls imitate．

         C． Because boys play with their fathers while girls their mothers．

         D． Because they will take up different jobs when they grow up．

3.One amazing aspect about the “universality of toys” is______．

         A． They appeared all over the world almost at the same time in history．

         B． They have not changed except in craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology．

         C． Having existed for thousands of years, toys are still found all over the world today．

         D． They are a kind of art form, which has been promoted by inventiveness．

（三）

A

I recently spent two years in the Arctic filming the series Blue Planet. I love being in an environment that hasn't changed for 20,000 years. Of course it's freezing, but it must be a healthy place because you never catch colds.

When I'm filming, I like to really feel how lonely the environment is. Filming underwater involves cutting through thick ice and diving in tied to a line. The person at the other end has to be ready to pull you out fast if necessary.

Originally I was a research diver for the British Antarctic Survey project, but for me science lacked excitement. I'd always enjoyed photography, and whenever camera teams passed through, they encouraged me to watch and learn. I was then able to move into filming in 1985 and have concentrated on Arctic and Antarctic wildlife ever since.

I prefer to be faced with the animals I'm filming. I haven't got in the water with killer whales yet, but I plan to. Of course, it's dangerous if you choose the wrong moment. They're big animals and can move fast, so I'd be stupid to film them searching for food!

I've never had problems with polar bears, although once I was frightened when one tried to get into my tent. Polar bears are bold, clever and dangerous. But I made this one see I wasn't about to attack it - I'm sure it realised I wouldn't hurt it.

When I come home back from my trips, I work in the mornings and spend the afternoons swimming to keep fit. Now I'm fifty, filming is harder. The challenge for me is to continue to deliver high-quality work.

56. In this text, the writer is describing __________.

A. the challenges of the environment he works in       B. the beautiful scenery of the Arctic

C. the career opportunities in TV camera work.   　　D. the difficulties of having to work alone

57. What does the writer say about his early career?

A. He was bored by working only in Antarctic.

B. It taught him how to become a skilled diver.

C. He wasted the years he spent as a scientist.

D. It provided him with a chance to learn about filming.

58. When talking about killer whales, the writer says that __________.

A. he has always been careful when diving with them

B. he tries to avoid any danger by facing them

C. he will only film them from a safe distance

D. he believes there are safe opportunities to film them

59. How does the writer describe his experience with a polar bear?

A. The writer realized he was wrong to trust polar bears.

B. The writer felt nervous that the bear might come back.

C. The bear seemed to know the writer wasn’t a danger.

D. The animal was much more afraid than the writer was.