“Creativity is the key to a brighter future,” say education and business experts. Here is how schools and parents can encourage this important skill in children.
If Dick had listened to his boss in 1925, we might not have a product that we now think of as of great importance: a new type of tape. Dick worked for the Minnesota Mining Company. At work he developed a kind of material strong enough to hold things together. But his boss told him not to think more about the idea. Finally, using his own time, Dick improved the tape, which now is used everywhere by many people. And his former company learned from its mistake. Now it encourages people to spend 15 percent of their work time just thinking about and developing new ideas.
Creativity is not something one is just born with, nor is it necessarily a character of high intelligence. The fact that a person is highly intelligent does not mean that he uses it creatively. Creativity is the matter of using the resources one has to produce new ideas that are good for something.
Unfortunately, schools have not tried to encourage creativity. With strong attention to test results and the development of reading, writing and mathematical skills, many educators give up creativity for correct answers. The result is that children can give back information but can’t recognize ways to use it in new situation. They may know the rules correctly but they are unable to use them to Work out practical problems.
It is important to give children choices. From the earlier age, children should be allowed to make decisions and understand their results. Even if it’s choosing between two food items for lunch, decision-making helps thinking skills. As children grow older, parents should let their children decide how to use their time or spend their money. This is because the most important character of creative people is a very strong desire to find a way out of trouble.
【小題1】What did the company where Dick once worked learn from its mistake?

Fire fighting is a serous matter, knowing what to do during a fire can save people’s lives. It is important to know the ways you can use and show them to everyone else in the family, such as stairways and emergency exits, but not elevators.
From the lower floors of building, escape through windows is possible. Learn the best way to get out from a window with the least chance of serious injury.
The second floor window is usually not very high from the ground. An average person, hanging by the fingertips will have a drop of about 6 feet to the ground. It is about twice the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way down than to stay in a burning building.
Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed before opening the window. Otherwise, smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked into the room.
On the second or third floor, the best windows for escape are those which open onto a roof. From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely. Dropping onto cement might end in injury. Bushes and trees can help you to have a soft landing.
【小題1】Which of the following should not be used when trying to escape from a fire?

Advice to English learners
Learners of English, especially self-taught learners may have trouble in understanding speeches by native speakers. The following ways might help improve their ability.
First of all, do things step by step. It is not good to listen to something beyond your level. Better choose a suitable course and start with the first book. Go on to the second book only after you are sure you understand the first one.
Secondly, stick to one course of study. Don’t change books often. Never let your attention be attracted by another course just because it seems to be more “ fashionable”(時(shí)髦).
Thirdly, listen to the English news programme over the radio from time to time. Better go through the news stories in the Chinese-language newspaper first. That will make it easy for you to understand the English news on the radio.
Fourthly, if you have time, listen to some interesting stories in “special English” from the VOA or other listening materials of the same level as that of your textbook.
【小題1】This is a piece of advice to learners of English in how to_____.

If you don’t use a dictionary. What should you do instead? The first thing you can do is trying to guess what the word means. Often the surrounding context gives a very clear idea of the meaning of the word. Even if you can’t work out the meaning exactly, you may be able to get a vague idea, enough to enable you to continue reading.
Sometimes It is impossible to guess the meaning of a word from the context and then you will have to decide whether the word is important enough to make it worthwhile stopping and looking it up in a dictionary or whether you can just pass it by.
Many times in your reading, you will come across words which you don’t know, but which do not prevent you from understanding all the main points of the text. You can made your dictionary use much more efficient if you only look up the words which are necessary to understand the text. and this means that you must develop the skill to decide whether the words are worth looking up.
【小題1】The passage mainly tells us in our reading what we would do         .

Time spent in a bookshop can be most enjoyable, whether you are a book-lover or only there to buy a book as a present. You may even have entered the shop just to find a shelter from a sudden shower. Whatever the reason, you can soon totally unaware of your surroundings. You soon become interested in some books or others, and usually it is only much later that you realize you have spent too much time there and have to rush off to keep some forgotten appointment.
This chance to escape the realities of everyday life is the main attraction of a bookshop. A music shop is very much like a bookshop. You can walk around such a place to your heart's content. If it is a good shop, no assistant will come up to you with the greeting "Can I help you?" You needn't buy anything you don't want. In a bookshop an assistant should remain in the background until you have finished reading. Then, and only then, are his services necessary.
Once a medical student had to read a textbook which was far too expensive for him to buy. He couldn't borrow it from the library and the only copy he could find was in a certain bookshop. Every afternoon, therefore, he would go along to the shop and read a little of the book at a time. One day, however, he was disappointed to find the book missing from his usual place. He was about to leave, when he noticed the owner of the shop beckoning to him. Expecting to be told off, he went towards him. To his surprise, the owner pointed to the book which was tucked away in a corner. "I put it there in case anyone tries to buy it !"He said, and left the delighted student continuing his reading.
【小題1】According to the passage the main attraction of a bookshop is that ________.

To become a doctor in the United States, students usually attend four years of medical school after they complete college. Then these young doctors work in hospitals for several years to complete a training program called a residency(住院醫(yī)生實(shí)習(xí)期).
These medical residents provide hospitals with needed services in return for not much pay. They work under the supervision(管理) of medical professors and more experienced doctors. Medical residents treat patients . they carry out tests. They perform operations. They complete records. In hospitals with few nurses, residents also do work formerly done by nurses. Some medical residents work one-hundred or more hours in a single week. They often work for more than thirty-six hours at a time before they can rest.
Critics (批評家) of this system say medical residents work too long and do not get enough res. They say these young doctors may be too tired to perform their medical duties effectively. Now, the government will limit the number of hours of work that residents can work. Most doctors in training will be limited to eighty-four hours of work each week. They will have work periods of no more than twenty-four hours at one time. They will have ten hours of rest between work periods.
Medical residents will have one day each week when they do not have to work. Any work they accept outside their hospitals will be limited．Experienced doctors and medical professors will closely supervise the residents to make sure they are not too tired to work.
Many medical residents welcomed the work limits. Others, however, said the new policy may interfere with patient care and their own medical education.
【小題1】If a first –year college student in America wants to be a doctor, he has to wait for ___.

Almost every child is scared of something, from monsters in the cupboard to dogs in the park. But the fact that such fears are common and normal doesn’t mean they can be taken lightly. Kids experience fears and phobias(恐懼癥) much more strongly than adults. And the influence of the fear can be physical as well as psychological(心理的). It can build up so they almost seem scared of everything－a kind of childhood anxiety. Dr. Creswell says: “Your child may always seem to expect the worst to happen and lack confidence in his or her ability to deal with any challenge.” So don’t make the same old mistake of treating them as if they’re silly for being a “scaredy cat”. Handling the fears is essential.
Children can be born nervous and, if you have such a baby, you’ll tend to prevent them from getting worried. So if they fear dogs, you’ll keep them away from dogs, but in fact that can just confirm to the child that dogs are scary. What is worse, keeping your child away from what they fear can turn that feeling into a phobia. Instead, you should encourage them to get in touch with the thing they fear, in a safe and supportive environment. Dr. Andy Field, a researcher of childhood fears, says: “You shouldn’t force, for example, a dog anxious child to go up to a dog. But you can approach it yourself, show them there is nothing to be afraid of, stroke(撫摸) it, and talk about the dog being friendly. Once your child dares to stroke a dog－one that’s good with children, of course－then you should encourage them to carry on until they feel calmer, and reward them for ‘being brave’.”
【小題1】Children’s fears are usually taken lightly because __________.

A youngster’s social development has a deep effect on his academic(學(xué)術(shù)的)progress. Kids who have trouble getting along with their classmates can end up behind academically as well and have a high chance of stopping attending school. In the early grades especially, experts say youngsters should be encouraged to work in groups rather than alone so that teachers can spot children who may be having problems making friends. "When children work on a project", says Lillian Kate, an educational professor at the University &Illinois, "they learn to work together, to disagree, to think, to take turns and lighten tensions These skills can’t be learned through lecture. We all know people who have wonderful technical skills but don’t have any social skills.”
At certain age, children are also learning to judge themselves in relation to others. For most children, school marks the first time that their goals are not set by a home clock but by the outside world. Just as the 1-year-old struggles to walk, the 6-year-old is struggling to meet adult expectations. Young kids don’t know how to tell effort and ability apart, says Tynette Hills, coordinator(協(xié)調(diào)員)of early-childhood education for the state of New Jersey. If they try hard to do something and fail, they may conclude that they will never be able to finish a particular task. The effects of obvious methods of comparison such as posting grades, can be serious. Says Hills, “a child who has had his confidence really damaged needs a rescue operation.”
72．The writer seems to think that a kid’s poor relationship with his classmates would _______.
A．have a lot of side effects on his study 
B、develop his independence but limit his brains
C．certainly lead to his stopping attending school  
D．have nothing to do with his progress in a course
73．The underlined word “spot” means ____________.
A．teach      B．help    C．find   D．treat
74．For most children, school makes them understand_________.
A．that social needs and their own needs have nothing in common
B．how they can meet social needs
C．that one’s effort and ability can be two quite different matters
D．that it is society not they themselves that decides their future
75．Which of the following is most unlikely for the writer to do?_______.
A．To talk to students who have mental problems
B.  To help students develop a feeling of self-respect.
C．To announce a student’s scores in public
D．To keep a student from playing alone
76．Which of the following does a student most need according to the passage? __________.
A．Independence and co-operation.
B．Academic success and independent thought.
C．Ability and self-respect.  
D．Socialization and technical skills.

The story of "Who Moved My Cheese?" was created by Dr.  Spencer. Johnson to help him deal with a difficult change in his life.  It showed him how to take his changing situation seriously but not take himself so seriously.
When his friends noticed how much better life had become for him, and asked why, Dr. Johnson shared his  "Cheese"  story.  Many later said how greatly the story had helped them to keep their sense of humor, to change, and to gain something better, too.
Twenty years after the story was created,  "Who Moved My Cheese?" was finally published. It soon became a No.1 international best seller,  with one million hardcover copies in print within the first sixteen months and over ten million copies within the next two years.
Some critics (批評家)  do not understand why so many people find the book so valuable. They say the story is simple enough for a child to understand, and it insults (侮辱) their intelligence. Some even fear it suggests that people should mindlessly accept unnecessary changes forced upon them by others, although that is not in the story. 
The author said that both the fans and the critics are "right" in their own way. It is not what is in the story of "Who Moved My Cheese?" but how you understand it and apply it to your own situation that gives it value.
Hopefully the way you understand the story of "Who Moved My Cheese?" and the way you put it into action in your life will help you find and enjoy the "New Cheese" you deserve (應(yīng)得).
60. Why did the book "Who Moved My Cheese?" become a best seller as soon as it was published?
A. Because it is simple and easy to read.
B. Because readers can learn a lot from it.
C. Because the writer is quite famous.
D. Because it has many interesting stories~
【小題1】 Some people don't like the book because they think that__________.

閱讀文章后，從第54至58題所給A、B、C、D四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，選出最佳答案。
Most people call it "body language" —the clues（線索） to the meaning that we get from gesture, facial expressions, posture —everything that isn't spoken．Experts call it "nonverbal communication," but it means the same thing: a second source of human communication that is often more reliable to understanding what is really going on than the words themselves．
Understanding body language is important to success, whether in the business world or in our personal lives．However, most of our ideas about body language are wrong, according to modern communication research．
There is a belief that people with shifty （變化的） eyes are probably lying．As Paul Ekman says, "When we asked people how they could tell if someone was lying, too much blinking（眨眼） and shifty eyes were the winners．But sometimes people act like that because they are shy．Liars pretend to be calm in order not to be caught．
Ekman goes on to argue against such a wrong belief．Although this kind of body language is probably an expression of nervousness, it is not always because the person is lying．Shyness can, for example, make people shift their eyes．To understand what someone's behavior means, you have to watch them carefully．
There is also a belief that when meeting someone, the more eye contact, the better．As a result people would like to make initial （開始的） contact in formal situations, like a job interview, by staring fixedly at the other human．Yet Ekman points out that most of us are comfortable with eye contact lasting a few seconds, but any eye contact that is longer than that can make us nervous．
In short, you must carefully consider the speaker and the speaking environment．Experts suggest that unless you know about someone's basic communication style, you will have little hope in understanding their true feelings through body language．In other words, body language carries important but not always true messages．
【小題1】According to the passage, body language is _____．

A．body language is trustworthy in telling who is lying

B．body language helps us better understand other people

C．sometimes we can't judge a person by watching his body language

D．the speaker and the speaking environment are important to a person's body language