Learning English is a great challenge, but with a little help from technology it can be as easy as a piece of cake.

As well as the classroom, teachers and textbooks, the Internet, TV and radio programs can play an active role in helping learn English. The Internet is full of rich and up-to-date information. English learners might wish to try http://www.in2english.com.cn.  This website is co-established by the British Council, the BBC World Service and Central Radio and TV University. It provides cultural information about Britain and has an example of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) that students can use for practice. Different levels of grammar tests can also be found.

Make friends online

Another useful website for middle school students and teachers is: Besides reading 21st Century School Edition online, students are also invited to put their views on different topics up on the website.

Users have the opportunity to make friends with people who share their interests.

In the teaching and learning section, there are reading and vocabulary tips for students.

Compared with the Internet, TV programs have their own advantages: one does not have to sit at a computer and the audio and visual effects can even be relaxing.

One popular English-learning program is called "Modern English". This focuses on oral English in practical situations such as taking photos and shopping.

The short dialogues and useful phrases may help students to express themselves if they go abroad or meet foreigners in China. More than 50 TV stations in about 300 cities have aired the program.

Word to World

If you watch Beijing Television Channel 8, you might see a program titled "Study Abroad". On this show Professor Wang Qiang from New Oriental School hosts "From Word to World".

He selects words with a deep cultural background and teaches useful phrases related to that word. Cartoons are also used to explain how to use the word in daily life. Listening to the radio may not be a new way to learn English but it is easy.

China Radio International airs a program called "Studio Classroom" at 6:30 a.m. every day. This 25-minute program is aimed at middle school students and covers subjects from current news to travel and history, all in simple language.

1. This passage ______.

2. If you want to read an English newspaper and make comments on different topics, you try_____.

3.One can practise oral English in everyday situations in _____.

4.According to the author, one advantage of TV programs over the Internet is that they ____.

5.The author wants the readers to know that learning English ______.

 A California family drives a car that could help protect the environment. When Jon and Sandy go to the store or to their daughters’ soccer games, they drive in high-tech style. They drive a $1 million, fuel-cell-powered car. It may be the world’s most expensive car and one of the most environmentally friendly cars. The FCX is the first fuel-cell-powered car to be used by a family anywhere in the world. The FCX uses hydrogen and oxygen for fuel. Car makers have been working to develop vehicles that are better for the environment. They are developing cars that use fuel other than gasoline. And then what is fuel cell technology? Fuel cell technology works by changing the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water. This process produces electricity, and water vapor which comes out of the exhaust pipe. Most cars release dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Many scientists say these gases are major contributors to global warming. “The FCX is driven just like any other vehicle on the road, but without the gases which pollute the environment,” scientists say. Fuel cell technology has been around since the 1800s, but scientists have yet been to perfect it. They say it may take years before the technology is ready for widespread use. Another earth-friendly car is already on the market. Hybrid cars use both gasoline and an electric motor. They are becoming more popular with customers because they cut pollution and improve fuel efficiency.

1.Which of the following about the FCX is not true?

2.According to the passage, what is the major cause for global warming?

3.From the passage, we know that fuel cell technology ______.

4.We can infer from the passage that ______.

5.Hybrid cars are popular because ______.

Harry, Tony, Collins, Jesse和Jack 几位同学欲提高学习成绩，故针对自己的情况上网找寻适合自己学习方法与资料。

首先，请阅读下面网页上信息。

A. Study Skills Self-help Information - Virginia Tech - Articles and self-assessment tests covering scheduling and time management, memory techniques, note-taking, reading, and setting up a good studying environment.

B. Academic Tips - Helping students manage time, take better notes, study more effectively, improve memory, take tests and handle the stresses of senior life.

C. Neuromod - Online Memory Improvement Course - It is possible to improve one's memory performance in specific areas by applying memory techniques. This site explain a number of systems ranging from simple to sophisticated. The training steps are clearly laid out and in most cases online training software is provided.

D. Studying Revising Exams - One-page summary of studying, examination, and writing techniques. A collection of articles about good study habits with how-to suggestions.

E. Learning Skills - University of Victoria - Copyrighted e-books with tips on organizing notes, reading, time and study management, exam preparation and writing, writing assignments, and study strategies.

F. Study Guides  - Collection of academic study guides. Topics include classroom and study preparations; studying, writing and reading skills; math and science skills; evaluating and using web content; and preparing for tests. Authored, maintained, and revised by Joe Landsberger.

现在，请阅读下面的信息，根据他们的实际情况，进行信息匹配。请在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑。其中F用CD代表。

1. Tony wants to better himself by means of taking notes, time management and so on. He also feels like solving the problem of heavy pressure in study.

2. Harry wants to improve himself through the ways of time management, memory skills etc., especially he can check himself in time and can find himself better learning surroundings..

3. Jesse will find some suggestions on how to make notes and how to do his writing homework.

4. Collins focuses on his future exams, so he would like to get some instructions for his science study and use some materials on the Net.

5. Jack hopes to train himself systematically to keep what he learns in mind a longer time.

请写一篇计划参加环保活动的英语短文

1) 我和同学将一起参与学校组织的一次环保活动(be about to do)

2) 学校周边环境陷入了困境，到处都是垃圾(be caught in)

3) 我们将把学校周边大量的垃圾进行处理(deal with)

4) 尽管(even if)我们很努力，但还需要社会人士的支持

5) 有关当局也应该不允许乱丢垃圾，因为这样做对环境非常有好处。  (permit doing)

【写作要求】

1.短文必须使用5个句子介绍包括以上要点的全部内容，使内容连贯；

2. 将5个句子组织成连贯的短文；

阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求一篇150词左右的英语短文.

In the past 15 years, homework assignments(布置) have risen by 51% according to a 2006 study . That is an average（平均）of 12 extre hours of homework per week! Excessive homework often leaves no time for students to have fun or do something for themselves. Many parents spend at least three hours every night going through their chidren’s homework.

Sometimes parents ask for more work for their children! When teachers don’t give homework, some parents will go to the school and complain(抱怨). They want teachers to assign homework every day as a means sure teachers do their job and the children have work to do.

【写作内容】

你看了上面的文章，决定以 Homework or No Homework ? 为题就此现象在你校的学生英文刊物 Viewpoints 上发表文章谈自己的观点，具体内容如下：

1. 以约30个词概括上文所述现象；

2. 以约120个词谈你对 homework 的看法，并包括如下要点：

（1）你对家庭作业必要性的认识；

（2）你对过重的家庭作业负担的看法；

（3）概述你的观点。

One day, when I was in high school, I saw a kid named Kyle from my class walking home from school with all his books, I thought to myself, “__1___ would anyone bring home all his books for the weekend? He must really be    2___.”As I was walking, I saw several kids running toward him. They ran at him,   3  all his books out of his arms and he fell down in the dirt, His glasses went   4   and landed in the grass.

I ran over to him.  5  I handed him his glasses, he looked at me and said, “Hey, thanks!”

I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it   6    , he lived near me. We talked all the way home. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.

Kyle was the top student of our class, one of those guys that really found themselves during high school. Therefore he had the   7  to prepare a graduation speech. On the graduation day, I could see that he was   8   .So, I patted him on the back and said, “Hey, big guy, you’ll be   9  !” He looked at me and smiled.

He cleared his throat, and began. “Graduation is a time to   10   those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers… but mostly your friends, I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best   11    you can give him.”

I just looked at my friend with   12    as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend and was carrying his books home. “Thankfully, nothing happened. My friend   13     me from doing the unspeakable.”

Not until that moment did I realize that you should never underestimate(低估) the   14    of your actions. With one small gesture you can   15   a person’s life. For better or for worse.

Until recently daydreaming was viewed as a waste of time. Or it ___1._______（consider） an unhealthy escape from real life and its duties. But now some people are taking a fresh look at daydreaming. Some think it may be a very ______2.____ （health） thing to do. Some researchers are finding that daydreaming may be important to mental health. Daydreaming, they tell us ,____ 3.___（be） a good means of relaxation. But its benefits go beyond this. A number of psychologists have conducted experiments and have reached some    4.（surprise） conclusions.

Dr. Joan T. Freyberg has concluded that daydreaming contributes to intellectual growth. It also improves      5.   （concentrate）,attention span, and the ability _____6.____ (get) along with others. Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser believed that much of his success was due to the positive use of daydreaming. Florence Nightingale dreamed of becoming a nurse. The young Thomas Edison pictured      7.    as an inventor. For these notable persons, it appears    8.   their daydreams came true. Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick offered this advice: “Hold a picture of yourself… in your mind’s eye, ____9.______will drew you toward success. Picture yourself   10.    (vivid) as defeated and that alone will make victory impossible.

"S. H.E. is going to sing at the CCTV annual Spring Festival Evening Party, is that true?" cried out Peng Weiye, a Senior 2 girl in Shanghai and die-hard S. H.E. fan.

After checking it on the Internet, Peng quickly phoned friends to spread the news. For fans like her, S. H. E. ’s performance is perhaps the only part of the old fashioned evening to get excited about.

The Taiwanese band is made up of Selina, Hebe and Ella. Their name comes from the first letter of each of the singers' English names.

Last week S. H. E. announced they would perform in Las Vegas, US, over Christmas and then in Guangzhou on January 15.

At their Shanghai show on October 30, hundreds of parents waited outside the Hongkou Stadium. Inside, thousands of teenagers sang, cried and shouted as the band performed.

"I love their music, healthy image and everything related to them. Thank God that, although my parents don't understand why I love them so much, they still bought me a ticket for that show," said Peng about the Shanghai performance.

It is not just on the mainland that the three girls have made audiences much excited. In the past year the band has passed through Taiwan, Hong Kong and even Singapore and Malaysia.

When the three high school girls entered a singing contest in Taiwan in 2000, none of them ever dreamed of being a superstar. "We had never met before, and we didn't talk at all at the beginning," recalled Ella.

When asked about the secret of their success, she said, "Our average looks and not-so-expensive clothes keep us close to our fans. We are happy to be the girls next door, your singing sisters."

"It's really a magical journey, from day-dreaming high school girls to singers performing on the same stage as our idols(偶像). Nothing but magical," she said.

1. Why was Peng Weiye, a Senior 2 girl, so excited?

2.How did the Taiwanese band get the name?

3.What do you know about Peng Weiye?

4.Which is true about S. H. E. ?

5. Which do you think is NOT the reason for S. H. E’s popularity among their fans?

Scientists have created a “ human-like robot” that can dance and do the housework.

“ Mahru” has been developed to imitate humans and can move its lips, eyebrows and pupils(瞳孔). The machine can also move its upper and lower body freely and automatically stop itself when walking.

In addition, it has been programmed to give out two kinds of pleasant smells to match its emotions.

The 1.5 tall robot was produced by researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and is the first South Korean- developed machine of its kind.

“‘Mahru’ will open the way for the commercial use of humanoid robots doing housework,” You Bum-Jae, leader of the development research team ,said. “‘Mahru’ can dance while walking on its legs and is able to work in place of a human.”

Through an advanced motion capture (捕获) system, “Mahru” can follow a variety of human movements and move its hands freely enough to deal with any obstacles that may get in its way when walking.

State-funded KIST showed the robot during a presentation at its head office in Seoul.

People here were treated to an entertaining demonstration which saw the robot show off the full range of its skills, most notably s series of dance moves.

The research team added that they had designed another “ Mahru”, this time with sensors(传感器) allowing it to distinguish(分辨) between faces and objects.

The showing of “ Mahru” came a week after researcher in Japan said they had created the “most human-like” robot in the world. A team at robotics department of Osaka University in Japan claimed that “ robogirl”, Repliee R-1, “ looks, moves and interacts (相互作用) like a human, and has silicone(硅胶) skin that feels almost human to the touch.”

1. “Mahru” made by KIST can do the following things EXCEPT____________

2. According to what You Bum- Jae said in Paragraph 5, his research team wants to ________.

3. When Mahru” meets something in its way, it will be likely to________.

4.According to the last paragraph, Repliee R-1 __________.

5.The passage is probably a  __________.

Nick Santonastasso has one arm equipped with one finger. He has no legs. He also has no limitations(局限).

“ I know anything’s possible ,” the 12-year-old told TODAY ’s Ann Curry.

He can play baseball and football, play the keyboard and drums, and play video games with his brothers.

When Nick was born, he suffered a disease only found in 11 other people. The Santonastassos had three other children, and they decided to treat Nick the same as others, with love but without excuse

“ We’re supposed to be heroes to our children, but Nick is a hero to us,” his father Michael said. But heroes have heroes, too, and Nick’s is Tiki Barber, the former football superstar who retired last year and became a reporter for TODAY. Curry told Nick that for his birthday, the show wanted to give him a new skateboard. The person who presented it to him was Barber.

“ You’re an inspiration,” Barber said. “ There are a lot of kids who might be at a disadvantage.

You give them strength.”

Curry observed that most parents try to protect their kids from failure, but the Santonastassos didn’t do that with Nick.

“Absolutely not, “Nick’s mother Stacey said. “ If you do have a small failure, it just makes you stronger to succeed at the next stop.”

“ It builds self-confidence in yourself to try it again,” Nick added.

Recently, Nick entered a drawing in a statewide contest in New Jersey. His drawing was a tree with a spreading canopy (树冠) and deep toots. Above the tree were the words, “The roots of a family are…” Below the ground, the roots spelled out the final word for the message: “ Love.”

It won the contest. The judges didn’t know Nick’ physical condition. He won on merit (成绩), the same way he does everything else in life.

1.How did the Santonastassos treat Nick?

2.In the opinion of Barber, Nick__________.

3.What message did Nick’s drawing express?

4.According to the passage, ______ other people have the same disease as Nick’s.

5. What might be the most suitable title for the passage?