About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table. I couldn’t help overhearing parts of their conversation. At one point the woman asked: “So, how have you been?” And the boy—who could not have been more than seven or eight years old—replied, “Frankly, I’ve been feeling a little depressed lately.”

This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed my growing belief that children are changing. As far as I can remember, my friends and I didn’t find out we were “depressed”, that is, in low sprits, until we were in high school.

Undoubtedly a change in children has increased steadily in recent years. Children don’t seem childlike anymore. Children speak more like adults, dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to.

Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say, but it certainly is different. Childhood as it once was no longer exists. Why?

Human development is based not only on born biological states, but also on patterns of access to social knowledge. Movement from one social role to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new status. Children have always been taught adult secrets, but slowly and in stages: traditionally, we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders.

In the last 30 years, however, a secret-revelation（揭示）machine has been installed in 98 percent of American homes. It is called television. Television passes information to all viewers alike, whether they are children or adults. Unable to resist the temptation, many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging, more vivid moving pictures.

Communication through print, as a matter of fact, allows for a great deal of control over the social information to which children have access. Reading and writing involve a complex code of symbols that must be memorized and practiced. Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials.

1.According to the author, feeling depressed is________.

2.Traditionally, a child is supposed to learn about the adult world________.

3.According to the author, that today’s children seem adultlike results from ________.

4.What does the author think of communication through print for children?

5.What does the author think of the change in today’s children?

Directions: Read the following passage．Fill in the numbered blanks by using the information from the passage．Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer．

In a society such as the United States or Canada, which has many national, religious and cultural differences, people highly value individualism—the differences among people. Teachers place a lot of importance on the qualities that make each student special. The educational systems in these countries show these values. Students do not memorize information. Instead, they work on their own and find answers themselves. There is often a discussion in the classroom. At an early age, students learn to form their own ideas and opinions.

In most Asian societies, by contrast, people have the same language, history and culture. Perhaps for this reason, the educational system in these Asian countries reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan and Korea often work together and help one another on assignments.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these systems of education. For example, one advantage of the system in Japan is that students there learn much more maths and science than American students learn by the end of high school. They also study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The system is difficult, but it prepares students for a society that values discipline and self-control. There is, however, a disadvantage. Memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, but many students say that after an exam, they forget much of the information they have memorized.

The advantage of educational system in North America, on the other hand, is that students learn to think for themselves. The system prepares them for a society that values creative ideas. There is, however, a disadvantage. When students graduate from high school, they haven’t memorized as much basic rules as students in other countries have.

Title: A comparison of two different educational systems

Directions: Read the following passage．Answer the questions according to the information

given in the passage.

Why should you keep exercising even when cold temperatures make you want to hide under the covers? With the temperatures dropping at this time of year, many of us tend to hibernate (冬眠) inside our homes. But, hibernating is for bears. As humans it’s important to stay active through all four seasons. Yet, a poll of 5,000 people found that 30 percent get no exercise at all during the winter months.

Just because it is cold outside it is no excuse not to exercise. There are many exercise choices one can choose to take part in regardless of the cold weather. Depending on your location and likes, you can choose to exercise inside or outside.

All that is required for winter-time exercise is some planning and the following of some safety tips. If you prefer to exercise outside, keep the following tips in mind.

Get warm first. A proper warm-up is critical. Cold temperatures can make your muscles tight and therefore they are easier to be injured. So, it’s important to get them warm-up before intense (激烈的) physical activity.

No sweat. Don’t assume that you have to sweat in order to get a good workout. You should avoid sweating that causes the clothing layer closest to your skin to get wet and cause you to be cold.

Don’t undress when you get inside. While you may want to immediately remove your layers when returning inside, you should give your body time to adjust.

Drink up. It’s just as important to stay hydrated (含水的) when exercising in winter as it is in summer, even though you might not feel as thirsty.

Be seen. If possible, it’s best to exercise outdoors during daylight areas. If you exercise outdoors when it is dark, wear reflective (反光的) materials to ensure that you can be seen.

By staying fit during winter, you’ll be able to avoid gaining weight and losing strength caused from inactivity.

1. Why is it important to get your muscles warmed-up before intense physical activity? (no more than 16 words)

_____________________________________________________________________________

2.What are needed for exercising in winter? (no more than 6 words)

_____________________________________________________________________________

3.What are the advantages of staying fit during winter? (no more than 9 words)

_____________________________________________________________________________

4.What’s the main idea of the text? (no more than 4 words)

_____________________________________________________________________________

Directions: Write an English composition according to the instructions given below in Chinese．

在“三月学雷锋活动”中， 高二（3）班的学生志愿者们去阳光敬老院（Sunshine Nursing Home）开展志愿者活动。假如你是校英语报的记者李华，按下列要点用英语写一则不少于120个词的新闻报道。

要点：1、时间、地点、人物、活动； 2、老人们的反应； 3、简要评论。

注意：1、词数不少于120个；2、文中不得出现与本人及学校相关的任何真实信息。

Student Volunteers Brought Sunshine to the Elderly

_______________________________________________________________________________________

By Li Hua , School Newspaper

Getting _______ in the forest is very dangerous.

A. losing              B to lose              C. lost        D. being lost

Not only I but also Jane and Mary _______ tired of doing the same thing all the time.

I worked as hard as I could _______ for the final exam.

_______ entering the classroom, remember to take your seat and turn off your cell phone.

—Must we get everything ready before we go to the countryside this summer?

   —No, you _______.

A new bridge _______ across the river in Changsha and it is expected to open next year.

A. is built            B is being built       C. are built       D. has been built