Eight-year-old Bethany and seven-year-old Eliza are having a great time jumping around in the orchard of their home in a village near Penrith. They can play any time they like because they don't go to school. Instead, they are educated at home by their parents, Paul and Veronika Robinson. But they don't have lessons, have never used a timetable and learn only what and when they want to learn. .www..com

“I want my kids to have freedom in their childhood, not spend it in an institution," says 37-year-old Veronika, "School is all about control and following the rules." Veronika and her 56-year-old husband Paul have never experienced the daily rush to get dressed and out of the door that is common in most households with school-aged children. "We get up at our leisure - usually around 8:30," says Veronika. "We might visit a friend, or go to the library, and on Tuesdays we shop at the market. In summer, we spend most of our time outside and the girls entertain themselves a lot.” .www..com

New research due to be published this spring reveals a very different picture of Britain's home educators. "Out of 297 families, 184 said that they never use a timetable,” says Mike Fortune-Wood of Home Education UK. "Ninety per cent never or rarely use textbooks, and nearly all said that happiness, contentment and self-fulfillment were more important than academic achievement. Only 15% felt that planning what to learn was very important.” .www..com

So far, so good. But what, you might ask, are the children actually learning?

"It wasn't important to me that the girls could read by a certain age, but they both picked it up for themselves at around seven," says Robinson. "Weighing cooking ingredients uses maths, and making a shopping list teaches them to write. Observing five hens has taught the girls about survival of the fittest. "

But what about when the children grow up? Can they go to university? The home educators' answer is they can if they want to. There are a variety of routes into higher education, but probably the most common is to join a local college. This is what Gus Harris-Reid has done. "I was educated at home all my life. I'd never had a lesson or been inside a classroom until I started GCSEs," says the 18-year-old. "I'm now studying for 4 A-levels at Exeter Colle ge. I've had no problem with the work or with fitting in." When asked to reflect on his experience of home education, his considered response is, "Like a permanent holiday, really!" Not a bad start for someone who plans to take a mechanical engineering degree next year. .www..com

What is the topic of this article?

　　A. New ways of learning to read and write   B. Problems with UK schools

　　C. Home education in the UK                    D. Wild, undisciplined children

According to the article, in homes with school-going children, ______.

　　A. mornings are rushed and stressful.

　　B. the children hardly ever go outside.

　　C. the family wakes up around 8:30am.

　　D. the children must ask permission to go to the toilet.

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

　　A. Most home educators believe that happiness is more important than good grades.

　　B. Most home educators believe that planning is important.

　　C. Most home educators do not follow a timetable or use textbooks.

　　D. Most home educators are not worried about when their children learn to read and write.

What does the article say about home-educated children getting into university?

　　A. They learn so many useful skills at home that universities are happy to accept them.

　　B. They can get into university if they have 4 A-levels.

　　C. They can go to school later and get the qualifications they need in order to enter university.

D. Home education is so relaxed that they are likely to experience problems when faced with the pressures of a degree course.

College is a big deal for American students as well as for Chinese students．During the colle_36_, some parents become extremely worried．This may only _37_ the pressure．

Before I applied to the college, I told my parents I would get everything _38_ out．If I needed any help, I promised that I would ask them．

As it _39_ out, I had no problem putting everything together on my _40_, including my resume （履历） and a basic outline of my activities in high school．The _41_ part where I asked for my parents' advice was the essays．In writing and revising the essays, I needed feedback（反馈） from a（n） _42_．As my parents know me better than _43_ else, they were perfect for the job．

The essays are extremely important in college admissions．In a competitive pool of applicant; the test scores and activities, as well as the recommendations are all going to be very __44_．The essays are the one area in which students can make themselves stand _45_．Essays don't have to be big and complicated．I wrote three essays, all _46_ on small matters and using simple sentences.

The admission officers have to read hundreds of essays a day; they are already _47_ of SAT vocabularies and long sentences．_48_, a straightforward writing style is refreshing．to their eyes as well as their minds．Essays were the key to my success in the admission game．I just wrote about what I wanted to say, not ．what I thought the admission officers _49_ to hear．

In my main narrative-style _50_, I told the story of my American journey at the age of 14 During that time, I was not bogged down（陷入） by trying to fit into a new _51_; instead, I looked up to Mother Teresa for guidance and strength．I found my new _52_ and grew to love the name Teresa and the memories it held．

In my two minor essays, I _53_ the major events of my life, why I loved writing and why my dad is the person who has the greatest influence on me．Both provided details of my character．The essay about writing, which is titled, "I Shall Not Live in Vain" （_54_ by an Emily Dickinson poem）,

earned a lot of praise．

　　　 It is _55_ I really looked into my heart and thought deeply in order to reach my answers．

36．A．application B．admission C．competition 　 D．preparation 　

37．A．come about　　 B．bring about　　　　 C．lead to　　　　　 D．add to

38．A．straight　　　 　 B．direct　　　　　 　 C．correct　　　　 D．wrong

39．A．put　　　　 　 B．turned　　　　　　 C．found　　　　 　 D．went

40．A．own　　　　 　 B．timetable 　　　　　 C．schedule　　　　 D．way

41．A．next　　　　 B．first　　　　　 　　 C．only　　　　 　　　 D．exact

42．A．partner　　 　　 B．volunteer　　 　　　　 C．audience　　 　　　 D．friend

43．A．someone　　 　　 B．no one　　　　　　 C．everyone　　　　 D．anyone

44．A．similar　　　 　 B．difficult　　　 　　　 C．familiar　　　 　　 D．challenging

45．A．up　　　　　 B．by　　　　　　　 C．for　　　　　 　 D．out

46．A．writing　　　 B．turning　　　　　 　 C．focusing　　　　 D．working

47．A．fond　　　　 B．tired　　　　　　 C．proud　　　　　 D．afraid

48．A．However　　　 B．Yet　　　　　　　 C．Therefore　　　 D．Instead

49．A．had better　　 　 B．feel like　　　　 　　 C．would rather　　 D．would like

50．A．passage　　　 　 B．advice　　　　 　　　 C．essay　　　　 　 D．answer

51．A．environment　 　 B．family　　　　　　 C．party　　　　　 D．atmosphere

52．A．name　　　 　 B．self　　　　　　 　 C．sense　　　 　　　　 D．plan

53．A．conducted　 　 B．explained　　　 　　 C．remembered　　 D．experienced

54．A．read　　　　 　 B．inspired　　　　　 C．told　　　　　　 D．written

55．A．as　　　　　 　 B．since　　　　 　　　　 C．for　　　　　 　　 D．because

　　This week, we talk about the application process for American colleges and universi-ties. This is part eight in our Foreign Student Series. Earlier, we explained how to begin a search for schools by going to one of the American educational advising centers around the world. We also discussed the rules for entering the United States. And we talked about programs that can be completed on-line.

　　But if your goal is to come to the United States to study, then it is time to make a list of colleges or universities that interest you.Be sure to choose more than one. Directors of foreign students admissions say students should apply to at least three schools.

　　Some students want to attend a small college; others want to go to a big university.If a really big university appeals to you, then there are ones like Ohio State University.That university in Columbus, Ohio, in the Midwest, has almost 52 000 students. There are students this year from around one hun-dred fifty countries. Ohio State provides in-ternational students with an application on its website. You can pay the application charge online with a credit card. Or you can print the forms and mail them with the pay-ment.

　　Many colleges and universities have their applications and also their catalogs on-line. A catalog is the publication in which a school tells about its programs. You should start on your applications at least two years before you want to begin studies. Completing a college application can take some time. But answering all the questions is not enough.Another important step is taking admission tests. The SAT is the college entry test that American high school students most com-monly take. Another one is the ACT. Colle-ges and universities may also require interna-tional students discussing these tests next week.

(1) This passage mainly tells us about________.

[　　]

A．how to apply for American colleges and universities

B．how to begin a search for a school in the United States

C．a series of programs for foreign students into America

D．the rules for foreign students to enter the United States

(2) From this passage we can infer that_______

[　　]

A．many American students want to study abroad

B．Foreign Student Series has lasted for weeks

C．less and less American universities will admit foreign students

D．the process of applying to American big universities is more complicated

(3) The writer mentions the Ohio State Uni-versity so as to________.

[　　]

A．recommend foreign students to apply for the university

B．offer some steps for entering the uni-versity

C．explain how to apply for American big universities

D．explain how big the university really is

(4) If a Chinese student wants to study in the United States, he/she may take the fol-lowing tests EXCEPT________.

[　　]

A．SAT

B．ACT

C．TOEFL

D．HSK

Last year more than 13 Korean TV series were introduced in China. Turn on the TV, and Korean beauties are appearing during peak viewing times(黄金时段). Some of the dramas are being repeated, but audiences continue to watch them. Why are the South Korean TV series loved by so many Chinese people? Cheng Yiting, a student from East China Normal University, gives us her reasons. She thinks that the good-looking actors with cool clothes and the beautiful sight in the dramas are the selling points for South Korean TV dramas. But what attracted the young audiences most is the pure and moving love stories.

And it seems that South Korean TV series has also won the hearts of middle-aged people. They are touched by the morals(道德)in the shows. These include the importance of respecting elders and social order. Though some people think South Korean TV series are too slow and too long, most of the Chinese audiences like them. Maybe we are really tired of Western TV series. Compared with that, South Korean TV series are not bad.

What does the underlined word "repeated" in the third line mean?

A．大长今   B．流行 C．重播     D．垃圾时段

Which of the following is not mentioned（提及）about South Korean TV series in the passage?

    A．Love.        B．Morals.

C．Social order.        D．The youth self-respect.

What is the main reason why South Korean TV series are popular?

    A．The series are slow and long.   

B．The actors wear cool clothes.

    C．The stories with morals in them are pure and moving.

    D．The actors are cool.

What do you know about South Korean TV series from the passage?

    A．Thirteen more South Korean TV series will be introduced to China.       

B．Young audiences like South Korean TV series better than middle aged people.

    C．All the South Korean TV series will be repeated this year.

    D．Some Chinese think part of South Korean TV series are worth watching twice.

Whatever our differences as human beings are we all think we’re more like the rest of the animal world than we realize. It is said that we share 40 per cent of our genetic（遗传的）structure with the simple worm.

But that fact has helped Sir John Sulston win the 2002 Nobel Prize for Medicine. Sir John is the founder of the Sanger Institute in Cambridge, which was set up in 1992 to get further understanding of the human genome（染色体组）.

To help them do this, they turned to the worm. The nematode（线虫类的）worm is one of the earliest creatures on planet earth. It is less than one millimeter long, completely transparent and spends its entire life digging holes through sand. But it still has lots to say about human life, and what can be done to make it better.

What the worm told Sir John and his colleagues was that each of the cells in the human body is programmed like a computer. They grow, develop and die according to a set of instructions that are coded in our genetic make-up.

Many of the diseases that humans suffer from happen when these instructions go wrong or are not obeyed. When the cell refuses to die but carries on growing instead, this leads to cancer. Heart attacks and diseases like AIDS cause more cell deaths than normal, increasing the damage they do to the body. Sir John was the first scientist to prove the existence of programmed cell death.

Sir John Sulston got a Nobel Prize for Medicine because he has         .

A．found that human beings are similar to the worm

B．got the fact we share 40 per cent of our genetic structure with the simple worm

C．found the computer which controls each of the cells in the human body

D．proved that cell death is programmed

People might be seriously ill if the cells in their body        .

A．grow without being instructed B．die regularly

C．fail to follow people’s instructions  D．develop in the human body

The underlined word“they”（paragraph 5）refers to        .

A．cell deaths       B．diseases    C．instructions      D．cells

What is the subject discussed in the text?

A．The theory of programmed cell deaths.     B．A great scientist—Sir John Sulston.

C．The programmed human life.             D．Dangerous diseases.