Play is the basic business of childhood, and in recent years research has shown the great impor??tance of play in the development of a human being. From earliest infancy (婴儿), every child needs opportunity and the right materials for play, and the main tools of play are toys. The main function of toys is to suggest, encourage and play. To succeed in this, they must be good toys, which children will play with often, and will come back to again, and again. Therefore it is important to choose suit??able toys for different stages of a child’s development.

In recent years research on infant development has shown that the standard a child is likely to reach, within the range of his inherited (遗传的) abilities, is largely determined in the first three years of his life. So a baby’s ability to benefit from the right play materials should not be underestimated. A baby who is encouraged, talked to and shown things and played with, has the best chance of growing up successfully.

In the next stage, from three to five years old, curiosity knows no bounds. Every type of suitable toys should be made available to the child, for trying out, experimenting and learning, for discovering his own particular ability: Bricks and jigsaws (七巧板) and construction toys; painting, scribbling (涂鸦) and making things; sand and water play;toys for imaginative and pretending play — the first so??cial games for learning to play and get on with others.

But at the third stage of play development — from five to seven or eight years old — the child is at school. But for a few more years play is still the best way of learning, at home or at school. It is easier to see which type of toys the child most enjoys.

Until the age of seven or eight, play and work mean much the same to a child. But once reading has been mastered, then books become the main source of learning. Toys are still interesting and val??uable, which lead up to new hobbies, but their significance has changed — to a child of nine or ten years old, toys and games mean, as to adults, relaxation and fun.

according to the first passage we know that as a child grows up________.

A. he should be allowed to choose his own toys

B. he should be given the same toys

C. he should be given different toys

D. he should be given fewer and fewer toys

according to the passage, the abilities a child has inherited from his parents________.

A. determine his character

B. will not change after the age of three

C. partly determine the standard he is likely to reach

D. to a large extent determine the choice of toys

We learn from the passage that a child has boundless curiosity________.

A. when he is two                               B. when he is around four

C. when he is six                   D. when he is eight

The passage is mainly about________.

A. the importance of pre-school education   B. the importance of schooling

C. the role of play in a child’s development        D. the choice of toys for youngster

根据下列提示写一篇120词左右的短文。

假如你是某百货商场外事办的工作人员，请你用英语介绍该商场的经营情况。

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Ruben lived in a small village. There was no school there and he had to study in a school in the town. It was nearly five kilometres away from his village. His father couldn't buy a bike for him and he had to go to school on foot. He got up early in the morning. Usually he had to run there in order not to miss the first class. He kept running every day and it was helpful to him. He's strong and tall now and he ran faster than any other man in his village. He took part in several sports meetings and won some medals. The young man is proud of（以……自豪）it and always wants to have a race with others.

One day his mother was ill and his father told him to buy some medicine for headache in the town. The young man got there soon. There were many people in the chemist's shop while he was waiting there. And when his turn came, he could't find his money. An old woman hinted（暗示）a young man had stolen it. He saw the thief had already left the shop. He ran towards him quickly. The thief found it and began to run. He was happy and tried to catch up with him.

“Let's have a race and see who will run faster, ”Ruben called out behind.

Soon after that he caught up with the thief. But he didn't stop and went on running. At a crossing one of his friends asked, “What are you running for, Ruben? ”

“I'm running after（追）a thief. ”

“Where's the thief, then? ”

“He wants to show that he'll run faster than me, but he's fallen behind!”

Ruben had to run to school because ____.    [    ]

A. he had no bike

B. he hoped to win some medals

C. his village was a little far from the school

D. he was afraid to be late for class

____ , so he won some medals.     [    ]

A. Ruben is good at running

B. Ruben went to school on time

C. Ruben often took part in the sports meetings.

D. Ruben likes to have a race with others

The phrase “a chemist's shop”in the story means ____.  [    ]

A. 化工商店  B. 药店  C. 化工厂    D. 制药厂

Ruben's money was stolen ____.   [    ]

A. on his way to the town

B. before he went in the shop

C. when he was waiting in the shop

D. after he had left the shop

Ruben was happy because ____.   [    ]

A. he could easily catch the thief

B. he had a chance（机会）to have a race

C. he knew who had stolen his money

D. he would win another medal that day

Tests administered（实施）to most elementary and high-school students in the United States exert（发挥）an unfavorable influence on science and math teaching， according to a new ＄1 million study performed for the National Science Foundation．And because schools with high minority enrollments（入学）generally place a greater reliance（相信）on scores from these tests， the study finds，there tends to be “a gap in instructional emphases between high and low minority classrooms that differs from our national concern for the quality of education．”

George F．Madaus and his colleagues at Boston College analyzed not only the six most widely used national standardized tests， but also the tests designed to accompany（go with）the four most commonly used science and math texts in fourth-grade，eighth-grade，and high-school classrooms．Though curriculum（teaching program）experts argue that schools should place greater emphasis on problem solving and reasoning， the new study shows that the tests focus on lower-level skills—primarily mechanical memorization of routine formulas（公式）．

Researchers surveyed more than 2，200 math and science instructors，interviewing in depth some 300 teachers and administrators．Especially in schools with high minority enrollments，teachers reported feeling pressured to help students perform well on these tests．Some states judge schools and some schools determine teacher assignments（工作安排）based on students' test scores．

“With so much worry，”Madaus says，“teachers feel forced to focus their instruction on drilling what the tests will measure—at the expense of the more valuable，higher-level skills．”

The author of this article states that ____  _ ．

A．the tests don't affect teaching in most elementary and high schools

B．the science and math teaching is influenced by the present tests

C．no study is performed on tests for the National Science Foundation

D．the United States exerts a strong influence on science and math teaching

It can be inferred that in high minority classrooms ____  _ ．

A．the students can not get high score from the tests

B．scores from the tests are not important

C．instructional emphases are unfavourable

D．teaching doesn't focus on the quality of education

According to the second paragraph，the study has discovered that ____  _ ．

A．emphasis of teaching is on problem solving and reasoning

B．curriculum is good for national standardized tests

C．the tests mainly center around the memorization of some formulas

D．routine formulas are not useful for students to memorize

According to Madaus' opinion，teachers are forced to ____  _ ．

A．evaluate（评估）students' skills every year

B．suffer so much worry on the texts

C．teach what will be tested

D．focus their instruction on useful drillings

A black hole is created when a large star burns out. Like our sun, stars are unbelievably hot furnaces (熔炉) that burn their own matter as fuel. When most of the fuel is used up, the star begins to die.

The death of a star is not a quiet event. First there is a huge explosion. As its outer layer is blasted off into space, the dying star shines as brightly as a billion suns.

After the explosion gravity pulls in what’s left of the star. As the outside of the star sinks toward the center, the star gets smaller and smaller. The material the star is made of becomes tightly packed together. A star is so dense that a teaspoon of matter from it weighs billion of pounds.

The more the star shrinks, the stronger the gravity inside it becomes. Soon the star is very tiny, and the gravity pulling it in is unbelievably strong. In fact, the gravity is so strong that it even pulls light into the star! Since all the light is pulled in, none can go out. The star becomes black when there is no light. Then a black hole is born!

That’s what we know about black holes. What we don’t know is this: What happens inside a black hole after the star has been squeezed into a tiny ball? Does it keep getting smaller and smaller forever? Such a possibility is hard to imagine.

But if the black hole doesn’t keep shrinking, what happens to it? Some scientists think black holes are like doorways to another world. They say that as the star disappears from our universe, it goes into another universe. In other words a black hole in our universe could turn into a “white hole” in a different universe. As the black hole swallows light, the white hole shines brightly—somewhere else. But where? A different place, perhaps, or a different time — many years in the past or future.

Could you travel through a black hole? Right now, no. Nothing we know of could go into a black hole without being crushed. So far the time being, black hole must remain a mystery.

Black holes are a mystery—but that hasn’t stopped scientists from dreaming about them. One scientist suggested that in the future we might make use of the power of black holes. They would supply all of Earth’s energy needs, with plenty to spare. Another scientist wondered if a black hole could some day be used to swallow earthly waste—a sort of huge waste disposal(处理) in the sky!

When the star begins to die ______.

A. there is no fuel left in it                                B. its outer layer goes into space first

C. a huge explosion will happen                         D. it doesn’t give off light any longer

Which of the following doesn’t help produce a black hole?

A. The gravity inside the star is very strong.        B. The light can’t go out of the star.

C. The star becomes smaller and smaller             D. The dying star shines very brightly.

The black hole ______.

A. continues becoming smaller and smaller all the time

B. goes into another universe and becomes a white hole

C. can pull in everything we know of in the world

D. will appear at another place at a different time

What’s the best title for this passage?

A. A New Scientific Discovery: Black Holes

B. How Do Black Holes Come Into Being?

C. What Are Black Holes?

D. Travel Through A Black Hole

In recent years many countries of the world have been faced with the problem of how to make their workers more productive. Some experts say the ___1___ is to make jobs more varied(多样的). But do more varied jobs ___2___ greater productivity? There is evidence to suggest that ___3___variety certainly makes the worker’s life more enjoyable, it doesn’t ___4___ make him work harder. As far as increasing productivity is concerned, then, ___5___ is not an important factor.

Other experts feel that giving the worker___6___ to do his job in his own way is important, and there is no doubt that this is true. The ___7___ is that this kind of freedom can’t easily be given in the modern factory with its complicated(复杂的) machinery which must be used in a ___8___ way. Thus while freedom of choice may be important, there is usually very little that can be done to ___9___ it.

Another important ___10___ is how much each worker ___11___ to the product he is making. In most factories the worker ___12___ only one small part of the product. Some car factories are now ___13___ with having many small production lines rather than one large one, so that each worker contributes more to the production of the cars on his___14___. It would seem that not only is degree of worker contribution an important factor ___15___ it is one we can do something about.

To what___16___ does more money lead to greater productivity? The workers themselves certainly think this is ___17___. But perhaps they want more money only because the work they do is so boring. ___18___ just lets them enjoy their spare time more. A ___19___ argument may explain demands for shorter working hours. Perhaps if we ___20___ making their jobs more interesting, they will neither want more money, nor will shorter working hours be so important to them.

1. A. answer   B. course C. attempt      D. system

2. A. run across      B. lead to       C. result from D. pick up

3. A. because  B. as       C. while  D. as though

4. A. mentally B. physically   C. carefully    D. actually

5. A. variety   B. relaxation C. creativity    D. machinery

6. A. judgement     B. freedom     C. direction    D. comfort

7. A. secret     B. skill    C. problem     D. strength

8. A. amusing B. dull    C. changeable D. fixed

9. A. use  B. create  C. supply D. fear

10. A. measure       B. invention    C. consideration     D. work

11. A. lies       B. sticks  C. objects       D. contributes

12. A. likes     B. equips C. transports   D. sees

13. A. tired     B. pleased       C. worrying       D. experimenting

14. A. own     B. will    C. line     D. hand

15. A. but       B. and     C. so       D. however

16. A. extent   B. quality       C. store   D. difference

17. A. natural  B. important   C. worrying    D. unbelievable

18. A. Rest     B. Sports C. Money       D. Playing

19. A. complete      B. friendly      C. given  D. similar

20. A. advise   B. succeed in  C. object to     D. are tried of

When you are in another country, it is important to know the language, but it is equally important to know how to communicate nonverbally(非语言地), before saying anything by making gestures. According to a pioneer in nonverbal communication, only 30 to 35 percent of our communication is verbal. When people don't know the language, the most common way to communicate is through gestures. However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world.

In the United States, for example, nodding your head up and down means “yes”. In some parts of Greece and Turkey, however, this motion can mean “no”. In Southeast Asia, nodding your head is a polite way of saying “I've heard you”.

In ancient Rome, when the emperor wanted to spare someone's life, he would put his thumb up. Today in the United States, when someone puts his / her thumb up, it means “Everything is all right”. However, in Sardinia and Greece, the gesture is insulting and should not be used there.

In the United States, raising your clasped hands above your head means “I’m the champion” or “I’m the winner”. It is the sign prizefighters make when they win a fight. When a leading Russian statesman(政治家) made this gesture after a White House meeting, Americans misunderstood and thought he meant he was a winner. In Russia, however, it is a sign of friendship.

In the United States, holding your hand up with the thumb and index finger in a circle and the other three fingers spread out means “Everything is O.K.” and is frequently used by astronauts and politicians. In France and Belgium, it can mean “You’re worth nothing.”

There are other nonverbal signals that people should be aware of when they go to another country, such as the distance to maintain between speakers. Americans usually feel comfortable when speaking with someone if the distance between them is about eighteen inches to arm’s length. Anything closer makes them feel uncomfortable.

When talking to Americans, it is also important to make eye contact. If you look down when talking to an American, he / she may feel that you are embarrassed, afraid, or trying to hide something.

In addition to knowing how to communicate nonverbally in a country, it is important to know what you and he cannot discuss. In the United States, there are certain topics to avoid when you first meet someone, For example, don’t ask people their age, weight, religion, marital status(婚姻状况), how much money they earn, or how much something costs. You can talk about work, the weather, traffic problems, sports, food, news of the day, where one lives, consumer subjects (computers, car repairs, and so forth), and travel or vacation plans.

These few examples illustrate that your actions can speak louder than your words. In a particular cultural contest, what you say and what you don’t say are equally important.

Which of the following is true?

A. People all over the world only communicate verbally.

B. Most of our gestures have no meaning at all.

C. Some people think that 65 to 70 percent of our communication is nonverbal.

D. Gestures are the most common way to common way to communicate.

As we can see from the passage there are ______ kinds of nonverbal communication signals. 

A. four                B. five                  C. six                    D. seven

Please paraphrase the clause“…your actions can speak louder than your words. 

A. Your deeds are better than your words

B. What you do is better than what you say

C. You try to show your best manners

D. you are better understood by your gestures than through your words

The main idea of the passage is that when you are in another country, ______.

A. it is unimportant to know the language

B. it is important to know what you can talk about to a foreigner

C. to know how to communicate nonverbally is as important as to know the language

D. to communicate the rough gestures is more important than to know the language

Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening. 

One advantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own. 

Then, in the country one can rest from the noise and hurry of the town. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature. 

Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night. 

Which of the following statements is NOT true? 

A. People who like country things prefer to live outside the city. 

B. People who work in London prefer to live in the country. 

C. Because of certain disadvantages of living outside London, some people who work in London prefer to live inside London. 

D. Because of certain advantages of living outside London, many people who work in London prefer to live outside London. 

One can use the same money for ________ to buy a little house with a garden in the country.

A. getting a small flat with a garden     B. having a small flat with a garden

C. renting a small flat without a garden D. buying a small flat without a garden

When the flowers and vegetables in the garden come up, those _______ have the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature. 

A. who live in the country

B. who have spent time working in the garden

C. who have a garden of their own

D. who have been digging, planting and watering

People who think happiness lies in the town would feel that _______ if they had to live it outside London. 

A. their life was meaningless              B. their life was invaluable

C. they didn’t deserve a happy life              D. they were not worthy of their happy life

The underlined word rest in the last paragraph refers to ________.

A. the rest time                    B. the rest people

C. the rest of the country              D. the rest of the parks and of the sea

  While all my classmates seen to be crazy about a one-way ticket to Mars(火星), I’d rather say Mars is totally unsuitable for human existence. People won’t have enough food supplies there, and the terrible environment would make it impossible for them to live a long life. Besides, the journey won’t be safe. Can anybody explain to me just why people would go to Mars, never to return?

Steve Minear, UK

Here are the things you can think of: the desire to explore a foreign and unique environment, the excitement of being the first humans to open up a new world, the expectation of fame and glory…For scientists there is another reason. Their observations and research will probably lead to great scientific achievements.

Donal Trollop, Canada

There are already too many people on the Earth. I think that sometime before the end of the century, there will be a human colony(殖民地)on Mars. It will happen when people finally realize that tow-way trips to the red planet Mars are unnecessary. Most of the danger of space Flight is in the launches(发射) and landings. Cutting the trip home would therefore reduce the danger of accidents, save a lot of money, and open the way to building an everlasting human settlement on another world.

Enough supplies can be sent on ahead. And every two years more supplies and more people will needs, and Mars is far more pleasant than the other planets in the outer space.

Paul Davies. USA

The main purpose of Steve Minear’s writing is     .

   A. to report his classmates’ discussion   B. to invite an answer to his question

   C. to explain the natural state of Mars    D. to show his agreement on going to Mars

Which of the following best states Donal Trollop’s idea?

   A. There is a plan to send humans to Mars.

   B. There are many reasons for going to Mars.

  C. Scientists become famous by doing research on Mars.

  D. It is possible to build an Earth-like environment on Mars.

Paul Davies points out that      .

  A. humans need only a one-way ticket to Mars.

  B. two-way trips to Mars will be made safe soon

  C. it is easy to reduce the danger and cost of flights to Mars

  D. it is cheap to build an everlasting human settlement on Mars

What does Paul Davies think of human existence on Mars?

  A. Humans will have to bring all they need from the Earth.

  B. Humans will find Mars totally unsuitable for living.

  C. Humans can produce everything they need.

  D. Humans can live longer in the colony on Mars

E

Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world. In rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertiser, hoping to sell their products.

The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people’s lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shopper giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item(商品) that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.

It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with case into a shop and buy one thing; no choice, no anxiety.

What does the author try to argue in Paragraph 1?

  A. The exercise of rights is a luxury.       

  B. The practice of choice is difficult.

  C. The right of choice is given but at a price.

 D. Choice and right exist at the same time.

Why do more choices of goods give rise to anxiety?

  A. Professionals find it hard to decide on a suitable product.

  B. People are likely to find themselves overcome by business persuasion.

  C. Shoppers may find themselves lost in the broad range of items.

  D. Companies and advertisers are often misleading about the rage of choice.

By using computers as an example, the author wants to prove that    .

A. advanced products meet the needs of people

B. products of the latest design fold the market

C. competitions are fierce in high-tech industry

D. everyday goods need to be replaced often

What is this passage mainly about?

A. The variety of choices in modern society.

B. The opinions on people’s right in different countries

C. The Problems about the availability of everyday goods.

D. The helplessness in purchasing decisions