Many Americans are turning to Japan, they think, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one survey, 300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents (答问卷者) listed “to give children a good start academically” as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese preschools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as determination, concentration, and the ability to work as a member of a group. The huge majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.

Like in America, there is diversity (多样性) in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools. Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children’s chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated（一流的） schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing (智能化) in some Japanese kindergartens.

We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe     .

       A. Japanese parents are more involved in preschool education than American parents

       B. Japan’s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements

       C. Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction

       D. Japan’s higher education is superior to theirs

In Japan’s preschool education, the focus is on     .

       A. preparing children academically      B. developing children’s artistic interests

       C. developing children’s potential       D. shaping children’s character

Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens?

       A. They can do better in their future studies.

       B. They can make more group experience grow there.

       C. They can be self-centered when they grow up.

       D. They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.

Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to      .

       A. broaden children’s knowledge        B. train children’s creativity

       C. lighten children’s study load    D. enrich children’s experience

Many Americans have been leaving their cars at home and riding to work on bicycles. Andy Clark is the leader of the League of American Bicyclists. His group supports bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation.

Clark says this is good news for the environment. He says riding a bicycle to work does not burn fossil fuel or creates dangerous pollutions. Experts say the effects are the most important on short trips. The Department of Transportation says fifty percent of Americans drive eight kilometers or fewer to work. Shorter car trips set out more pollution into the air for each kilometer drive. This is because the car engine will set out the harmful air when it warms up before it can work well.

James, a members of Congress (国会), is a strong supporter of bicycle use. He says cities, counties, state governments and state highway transportation agencies are planning the roadways of the future. They are creating roads and paths for bicycles in cities and between communities.

Last year, Portland, the Pacific Northwest city in the state of Oregon, had the highest percentage of bicycle users in the United States. Portland has been doing progressive city planning for many years to create special paths for bike riders.

1. What happened in America now according to the news?

2. Where is Portland?

A. One  of the cities in the USA.    B. One of the counties in the USA.

C. One of the states in the USA.    D. A country in the northwest of the USA.

3.What does the underlined word “harmful” mean in the second paragraph? The closest meaning is “_______”.

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

                        The gray-haired lady can’t wait to leave the building to search for her dad. Unless watched, she will walk in the streets in an effort to find her father, who died 30 years ago.

   Not all cases of Alzheimer’s disease look like this, but Alzheimer’s is a serious disease that is said to be the fourth or fifth leading cause of death for people over age 75.

   It is said that about three percent of the U.S. population over age 65 have Alzheimer’s. In the early stages, people may show short term memory loss. Some may experience changes in personality, easy to be angry. As the disease progresses, patients might lose the ability to move and may be unable to speak or move at all. This progressive disease generally lasts 8 to 10 years before death occurs.

   While no one is certain what causes these changes in the brain’s nerve fibers (神经纤维),their effect is certain. Alzheimer’s destroys not only the patients, but also spouses（配偶）, friends and families.

   What should you do if you notice progressive memory loss in yourself or a loved one? Have the person examined by a doctor who is a specialist in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Though many reasons other than Alzheimer’s disease may cause memory loss, its early symptoms and treatment may delay some of the most serious effects.

   What feeling will you likely experience should a loved one suffer from Alzheimer’s disease? A person will often go through the various stages of sadness, shock, anger, and so on. If the spouse develops the disease, you may experience hurt and disappointment when he or she doesn’ t remember you are married.

   Life for the Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones will never be the same as the disease progresses, bringing a deep sorrow, loss and even anger towards God. No matter what feelings are present, facing them honestly will serve one better than burying them.

64. What can be inferred from the passage about the gray-haired lady?

  A. She has been living with her father.

  B. She was sad about the death of her father.

  C. She can’t search for her father without being watched.

  D. She suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

65. When people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, _______.

  A. their families and friends will suffer from the same disease

  B. their families and friends will experience mental sufferings

  C. they will certainly die in 8 to 10 years

  D. they will forget everybody but their spouses

66. Memory loss occurs _______.

  A. from Alzheimer’s disease and nothing else

  B. from sadness, shock, anger, and so on

  C. for a number of reasons

  D. with changes in personality

67. From the passage we know that _______.

  A. early treatment may stop Alzheimer’s disease occurring

  B. it is still unknown what causes the changes in the brain’s nerve fibers

  C. nerve fibers in the brain will cause Alzheimer’s disease

  D. when one suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, he will be buried

Many Americans have been leaving their cars at home and riding to work on bicycles. Andy Clark is the leader of the League of American Bicyclists. His group supports bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation.
Clark says this is good news for the environment. He says riding a bicycle to work does not burn fossil fuel or creates dangerous pollutions. Experts say the effects are the most important on short trips. The Department of Transportation says fifty percent of Americans drive eight kilometers or fewer to work. Shorter car trips set out more pollution into the air for each kilometer drive. This is because the car engine will set out the harmful air when it warms up before it can work well.
James, a members of Congress (国会), is a strong supporter of bicycle use. He says cities, counties, state governments and state highway transportation agencies are planning the roadways of the future. They are creating roads and paths for bicycles in cities and between communities.
Last year, Portland, the Pacific Northwest city in the state of Oregon, had the highest percentage of bicycle users in the United States. Portland has been doing progressive city planning for many years to create special paths for bike riders.
【小题1】 What happened in America now according to the news?

During a state of deep relaxation, several physiological changes take place in the body: the body’s oxygen consumption is reduced; the heart beat decreases; muscle tension and sweating ease, and there is decreased sympathetic （交感的） nervous system activity．This restful state not only allows the body to repair and restore itself, but it has a calming effect on the consciousness．
How to achieve this state of relaxation, however, is a matter of opinion, and in some medical circles, a matter of controversy．A recent report by Dr．David Holmes of the University of Kansas in the journal “American psychologist” said that simply sitting in an armchair has just as many beneficial characteristics for the body as meditation （冥想） does．Researchers of other relaxation techniques disagree．These experts believe that more structured techniques, such as meditation, lead to a condition of deep relaxation．
The debate goes on, but one thing appears to be clear: the relaxation response can be reached by a number of methods, and the methods themselves are not as important as getting there．One day, one method may work best; on another day, an alternative method may be more appropriate．Once you are aware of all the methods, you can find the one that works best on you．
Some of the relaxation techniques are meditation, auto analysis and progressive muscle relaxation response．More than just sitting quietly in a chair, they have the added benefit of structure and discipline, and for these reasons appear to be more effective for most individuals．
【小题1】According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true when a person is in a state of deep relaxation?