Height is just one of the thousands of features your genes decide. In fact, because you have two parents, your genes provide you a height that usually lands somewhere between the height of each parent. If both your parents are tall, then most probably you will be tall, too, but if you have questions about how tall you're going to be, ask your doctor if he or she can help you find it out.

But genes don't decide everything. For example, eating an unhealthy diet can keep you from growing to your full potential(潜力). Getting plenty of sleep and enough exercise will help you grow to the expected height.

No doubt you're wondering how fast you should grow. It depends. There's no perfect or right answer. Generally speaking, kids grow about 2 inches (6 centimeters) a year between age 3 and the time when they start puberty (when your body starts changing and becoming more grown up).

Your doctor will know how your growth has been going over the years. Two centimeters here and 2 inches there are not nearly as important as the height you're at now, how you've been growing up to this point, and what other changes your body may be going through.

Don't be scared if you seem to have grown a lot in a very short time. Everyone has a growth spurt（高峰）during puberty. The age for starting puberty is about 10 for girls and about 11 for boys. But it can be earlier or later ----between 7 and 13 for girls and 9 and 15 for boys.

You'll usually begin to notice that you're growing faster about a year or so after your body starts to show the first changes of puberty. 

1.. The Chinese for the word “puberty” is 　　　　　　　　　.

   A. 童年时期          B.婴幼儿时期        C.习惯养成期        D. 生长发育期

2. If you want to know how fast and how tall you should grow, _____.

   A. you should have enough exercise   B. you can ask doctors for help

   C. you should save the environment   D. You can record your growth during puberty

3. This passage is mainly about 　　　　　　　　　.

   A. how the genes work in your body           B. when is the time you grow fast

   C. why you look like your parents                D. how you grow to a certain height 

4. After reading this passage, we can explain 　　　　　　　　　.

   A. how good it is to be a doctor             B. how much sleep time we need

   C. why genes can’t decide everything            D. what healthy diet is

5. Which is NOT mentioned in the passage?

   A. Your height most probably depends on how high your parents are.

   B. Girls’ age for starting puberty is usually earlier than that for boys’.

   C. The time showing the first changes of puberty is never noticed.

   D. You may be scared sometimes when you grow too fast.

1 

A reader read the letter from the magazine and here is his answer:

1.Xia Ming worried about __________.

A. his classmates           B. his life               C. his study      

2.Thumbelina gave __________ examples in the letter.

A. one                    B. two                 C. three         

3.Thumbelina wrote about those famous people to __________.

A. make Xia Ming feel better

B. make Xia Ming laugh

C. show how much she knows

4.Which is NOT true according to the letter?

A. Xia Ming has fun studying at school.

B. Edison is famous in the world.

C. Xia Ming’s father always helps him with his study.

5.“Tomorrow is another day” tells us __________.

A. it’s the weekend tomorrow

B. tomorrow is second day

C. there are hopes in our lives

Sitting on a chair all day in school can make anyone want to move around. So, more and more teachers are letting students have a ball. By sitting on exercise balls instead of chairs, teachers find students' posture (姿势) and attention improve.

Dottie Pownall, a fifth-grade teacher in West Virginia, USA, has been using balls as chairs since December 2008. "The students love them", she says. Pownall took a survey of her students. She found that 80% of the students thought sitting on the balls helped them pay more attention to what they were learning.

The teacher, Pisa Witt, felt so strongly about the use of balls as chairs, she started Witt Fitt. This company encourages the use of the balls. And the company educates not only teachers but also students on how to use them. "Our products are used in 24 states, three provinces in Canada, Puerto Rico ('波多黎各) and Japan," says Witt. "Research shows that sitting on the balls makes them sit up straighter. You can slouch (低头垂肩地坐) on a ball," says Witt, "but it feels awful." Because the students are moving, their blood (血液) increases. That carries more oxygen (氧气 to the brain (大脑), so the kids have more energy and can focus longer.

"Furthermore, they're fun." says Pownali.

1. What will happen if a student sits on a chair all day in school? The student will _________.

A. pay more attention to his lessons                B. be fun

C. like to move around                         D. sit up straighter

2. How long has Dottie Pownall used the balls?

A. About three years.                       B. Only one year.

C. In 2008.                                 D. Since he was a fifth-grade teacher.

3. In how many countries are the balls used as the students' chairs?

A. Four.        B. Three.           C. Two.         D. One.

4.Teachers choose balls instead of chairs because sitting on balls helps the kids___________.

A. improve the students' posture and attention         B. slouch on the chairs

C. have fun                                    D. Both A and C are correct answers.

5.Which is better for kids to study in class, sitting on a chair or sitting on a ball?

 A. Sitting on a chair.     B. Sitting on a ball.

C. They are the same.    D. We don't know.

I have made a time machine. It can take people to the past or the future for five hours. I thought that it would be fun to see what my father was like when he was 10 years old.

I got into my time machine and keyed in the words, “1981, 11 Niven Road, New York ” then pressed the button … In a moment, I was in front of a house, 11 Niven Road.

I saw four children looking for a lost dog. They were my father, my uncle Tom, my aunts Peek and Janet. I went up to them and helped them look for their dog, Jack.

We wanted to climb a hill and looked for Jack. When we reached the top, we heard a dog barking. “Jack!” my father shouted . Then we saw Jack was standing in front of a man.

We asked the man to return Jack to us. The man had to give Jack back to us.

Happily, We went back to 11 Niven Road and I said goodbye to them . My five hours were almost up. I ran to the machine and soon I was back in my time . What an unusual experience!

1. Which of the following is TRUE ?

A. The time machine can take people to the past or the future for five hours.

B. I wanted to see what my father was like ten years ago.

C. I couldn’t see what my father was like ten years ago.

2. When was my father born ?

A. In 1971.

B. In 1981.

C. In 1991.

3. Why did we climb to the top of the hill ?

A. Because we wanted to play games there .

B. Because we wanted to look for the dog .

C. Because we wanted to look for the man .

4. How long did I travel to the past ?

A. 10 hours

B. 5 hours

C. 2 hours

5. Which is the best title ?

A. An unusual experience

B. A lovely dog called Jack

C. An experience to the future

Mr. Brown was on his way home from the railway station. It was very late, and he was alone on the dark road. Suddenly he heard someone behind him. He began to walk faster. The man behind him walked faster, too. He walked more slowly, and the man moved more slowly, too. He began to run, and the man was following him and he was really scared.

There was a wall on one side of the road, and he quickly climbed up on it and jumped down on the other side. “If he passes and doesn’t stop,” Mr. Brown thought, “everything will be all right.” But the man didn’t pass. He climbed up on the wall and jumped down, too. Mr. Brown’s only thought was, “I’m in great danger!” He stood up and shouted, “What do you want? Why are you following me?”

The man was so tired that at first it was difficult for him to speak. “I didn’t know that you were a very good runner,” he said at last, “I have to go to Mr. White’s house, but I don’t know the way. A man at the station told me that you lived next to Mr. White’s and he told me to follow you. I’m too tired to go any farther （更远）.”

（  ） 1. Mr. Brown came home from _____.

A. the police station                   B. the railway station

C. the hospital                       D. Mr. White’s house

（  ） 2. Mr. Brown was really _____.

A. in great danger               B. a policeman

C. afraid of the man            D. too tired to move

（  ） 3. The man followed Mr. Brown because _____.

A. he wanted to scare Mr. Brown         

B. he wanted to get some money from Mr. Brown

C. Mr. Brown lived next to Mr. White

D. Mr. Brown was one of his good friends

（  ） 4. The man was _____.

A. a thief                      B. a good runner

C. too tired to speak            D. very angry with Mr. Brown

（  ） 5. Which is wrong?

A. There were few people on the road.

B. The man didn’t know where Mr. White lived.

C. Mr. Brown thought he was in great danger.

D. Mr. Brown didn’t know where Mr. White lived.