More parents are looking to cellphones to help keep their children safe.  But mom and dad should be careful: Kids who talk on a cellphone may be more likely to step into traffic. Children should learn to end phone conversations before they prepare to step into traffic.
While research shows that older kids and more experienced users also don’t navigate(穿行于) streets as well while on a cellphone, younger children tends to find the small tools more distracting(令人分心的).
“Kids of this age are just learning to cross the street on their own, ”says David-Schwebel, a co-author of the study. “They’re beginners. ”
Kids don’t need to be stopped from chatting on the phone when outside,
however. Instead, parents simply should instruct them to finish their conversations before crossing the street.        
“I don’t think this means parents should take phones away from their kids, ”says Schwebel. “I encourage families to get cellphones for their children.  They’re more helpful than harmful,  if they’re used in a safe way. ”
Other distractions, such as conversations with friends, listening to music,  and text messaging, may also cause problems for children in this age group.  The researchers expect to study the effect of those types of distractions in the future.
Experts in child safety approved the cellphone study. “If you’re talking on a cellphone,  you’re not paying much attention to the environment around you, ” says Susan Baker, a professor.
Brooke Carlson, a 44-year-old mom, has noticed how riveted her 9-year-old son is when he’s talking on the cellphone. Although she’d never thought of the dangers of crossing traffic while on the phone, Carlson says, “Now that I know about it, it makes total sense. ”She plans to have a chat with her child about cellphones and street safety.
For younger kids, parents might consider purchasing a phone with a plan that only allows the child to call up his or her parents. That way the cellphone can be used for emergencies, but not for chatting with friends for hours.
【小題1】In Schwebel’s opinion, _____ .

A．kids are still too young to walk on the street alone

B．kids don’t know how to use cellphones appropriately

C．kids have little experience in crossing the street alone

D．kids are not experienced cellphone users

【小題2】 Which of the following is Schwebel in favor of?

A．Children shouldn’t be allowed to have a cellphone.

B．Children should be forbidden to chat on the phone when outside.

C．Cellphones do more harm to children than other distractions.

D．Parents should teach kids about cellphones and street safety.

【小題3】 The underlined word “riveted” may mean“_____”.

A．confused	B．a(chǎn)bsorbed
C．dangerous	D．excited

【小題4】 According to the passage, what does Mrs Carlson know?

A．There are dangers of crossing streets while on the phone.

B．Her 9-year-old son is not interested in talking on the phone.

C．Cellphones are more helpful than harmful to children.

D．Kids don’t pay attention to the environment when talking on the phone.

【小題5】 The purpose of writing this passage is to _____.

A．a(chǎn)dvise parents not to buy cellphones for children

B．introduce a phone that only allows kids to call up parents

C．expect kids not to talk on cellphones while on the street

D．expect people to use cellphones less in daily life

It is natural that children are curious (好奇的) about the world around them. For example, they want to know how their hearts beat. They want to know why the ocean water tastes salty.
　　As children grow up, they become curious about different kinds of things. When they are babies, they are interested in the parts of their bodies and in the smiles of their mothers. They become interested in the physical world around them: the plants, the animals, the sky. Later, they become interested in the things that people have made: wheels, bicycles, cars. And when they are adults, their curiosity continues. Sometimes this curiosity leads to a career (生涯、職業(yè)) in science.
　　Scientists spend their lives trying to find out about the world. Those who work with the earth sciences study the earth, the oceans, and the skies. Other scientists who study living things work with the biological sciences. A third group of scientists study the physical sciences, e. g. physics, chemistry .
　　These scientists have already discovered a lot about our world. For example, they tell us why your heart beats fast when you run. They say that when you are quiet, your heart normally beats sixty-five or seventy-five times a minute. Your heart is a pump (泵) that pumps blood to all parts of the body. The blood carries oxygen and nutrition. When you run, your muscles work very hard and use the nutrition that the blood carries to them. The muscles need oxygen, too . So your brain sends a signal to the heart. The signal means that the muscles need more nutrition and oxygen. Then the heart beats fast and sends blood quickly to the muscles. It may beat 90 to 140 times a minute.
　　Of course, scientists cannot answer all of our questions. If we ask, “Why does the ocean water taste salty” scientists will say that the salt comes from rocks. When a rock gets very hot or very cold, it cracks. Rain falls into cracks. The rain then carries the salt into the earth and into the rivers. The rivers carry the salt into the ocean. But then we ask , “What happens to the salt in the ocean? The ocean does not get saltier every year.” Scientists are not sure about the answer to this question.
　　We know a lot about our world, but there are still many answers that we do not have, and we are curious.
【小題1】According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A．People are curious in the same way.

B．People in different countries are interested in different things.

C．Men and women are curious about different things.

D．People of different ages are interested in different things

【小題2】Scientists who work with the biological sciences study____.

A．the earth , the oceans and the sky	B．man-made things
C．plants and animals	D．ocean water

【小題3】When you run, your muscles need ____.

A．more nutrition and oxygen	B．more signals
C．more salt	D．water

【小題4】A rock cracks _____.

A．in wet regions	B．in dry regions
C．a(chǎn)t very high or very low temperatures	D．when salty water falls in

【小題5】People are always curious because ____.

A．they cannot explain many things	B．they know nothing about the world
C．they know little about the world	D．they want to be scientists

Most Americans have great respect for their flag and every school day begins with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. Written in 1892, this pledge is recited in schools before classes begin and it serves as a sign of unity and identity for the various groups of people who have come from so many different lands and cultures.
Students stand at attention with their right hand over their heart, face the flag which is displayed in the classroom before them and begin, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.” Even the immigrants who come from distant lands must recite this pledge to the flag when they become eligible for citizenship.
The American flag is also known as “Old Glory” and over the years has evolved to its present form of fifty stars and thirteen stripes. The stars represent the fifty states and the stripes stand for the original thirteen colonies.
The first version of the flag with its stars and stripes appeared in 1777, but only had thirteen stars. As each new state joined the union, a new star was added. The last star to be added was in 1960 after Hawaii became the fiftieth state. In the future if another state joins the Union, another star will be added to the field of blue. The number of stripes, however, remains consistent and never changes.
The design of the flag may have altered over the years, but the colors, red, white and blue, have remained constant. In 1782 the Congress of the United States proclaimed that red stood for hardiness and courage, white stood for purity and innocence, and blue for justice and perseverance.
It was the flag which inspired the creation of the national anthem: “The Star Spangled Banner” in 1812. President Wilson in 1916 and later President Coolidge in 1927 suggested in proclamations to fellow countrymen that a special day be set aside to honor the flag. In 1949 the American Congress gave official recognition of June 14 as Flag Day.
【小題1】According to the passage which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892.

B．Another name of the American flag is “Old Glory” or “The Stars and Stripes”.

C．The design of the flag has stayed the same over the years.

D．June 14 was set aside as Flag Day to honor the flag from 1949 on.

【小題2】What is the purpose of the Pledge of Allegiance?

A．It opens the school day.	B．It is recited in all schools.
C．It is a sign of unity and nationalism.	D．It makes someone eligible for citizenship.

【小題3】What do the fifty stars on the flag represent?

A．Purity and innocence.	B．Truth and honesty
C．Bravery and courage	D．The fifty states.

【小題4】The colors of the American flag ________.

A．have changed from time to time.	B．have always been red, white and blue.
C．used to be only red and white.	D．used to be red and blue.

【小題5】The best title of the passage would be ________.

A．“Old Glory”: the American Flag	B．The Pledge of Allegiance
C．American National Anthem	D．Flag Day

As a professor at a large American university, there is a phrase that I often hear from students: “I’m only a 1,050.” The unlucky students are speaking of the score on the Schoolastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which is used to determine whether they will be admitted to the college or university of their choice, or even if they have a chance to get a higher education at all. The SAT score, whether it is 800, 1,100 or 1,550, has become the focus at his time of their life.
It is obvious that if students value highly their test scores, then a great amount of their self-respect is put in the number. Students who perform poorly in the exam are left feeling that it is all over.The low test score, they think, will make it impossible for them to get into a good college. And without a degree from a prestigious university, they fear that many of life’s doors will remain forever closed.
According to a study done in the 1990s, the SAT is only a reliable indicator of a student’s future performance in most cases. Interestingly, it becomes much more accurate when it is set together with other indicators--like a student’s academic proficiency(學業(yè)水平).They will never be able to test things like confidence, efforts and willpower, and are unable to give us the full picture of a student’s potentialities. This is not to suggest that we should stop using SAT scores in our college admission process. The SAT is an excellent test in many ways, and the score is still a useful means of testing students. However, it should be only one of the many methods used.
【小題1】 The purpose of the SAT is to test students’ _________.

A．strong will

B．a(chǎn)cademic ability

C．full potentialities

D．confidence in school work

【小題2】 Students’ self-respect is influenced by their_______.

A．scores in the SAT

B．a(chǎn)chievements in mathematics

C．job opportunities

D．money spent on education

【小題3】“ A prestigious university” in para.2 is most probably _______.

A．a(chǎn) famous school

B．a(chǎn) technical school

C．a(chǎn) traditional school

D．a(chǎn)n expensive school

【小題4】 The passage is mainly about_______________.

A．how to prepare for the SAT

B．stress caused by the SAT

C．American higher education

D．the SAT and its effects

【小題5】 What is the writer’s attitude towards the SAT?

A．Subjective

B．Objective

C．Critical

D．Approving

Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance (pocket money). The purpose is to let children learn from experiences at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly．
The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs from family to family. Timing is another consideration．Some children get a weekly allowance．Others get a monthly allowance．
In any case, parents should make clear what，if anything, the child is expected to pay for with the money．At first, young children may spend all of their allowance soon after they receive it. If they do this，they will learn the hard way that spending must be done within a budget．Parents are usually advised not to offer more money until the next allowance．
The object is to show young people that a budget demands a choice between spending and saving．Older children may be responsible enough to save money for larger costs，like clothing or electronics．Many people who have written on the subject of allowances say it is not a good idea to pay your child for work around the home．These jobs are a normal part of family life．
Paying children to do extra work around the house，however，can be useful．It can even provide an understanding of how a business works．
Allowances give children a chance to experience the three things they can do with money．They can share it in the form of gifts or giving to a good cause. They can spend it by buying things they want．Or they can save it.
Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice．You have to cut costs and plan for the future．Requiring children to save part of their allowances can also open the door to future saving and investing．Many banks offer services to help children and teenagers learn about personal finance.
A saving account is an excellent way to learn about the power of compound interest．
Compounding works by paying interest on interest．So，for example，one dollar invested at two per-cent interest for two years will earn two cents in the first year．The second years，the money will earn two percent of one dollar and two cents，and so on．That may not seem like a lot．But over time it adds up．
【小題1】Giving an allowance, parents should consider all the following EXCEPT_______.

A．how much the child should get each time	B．whether the child has made a budget
C．where the money really goes	D．how often a child can get it

【小題2】The author of the passage holds the opinion that________.

A．what children learn by handling allowances may be beneficial in the future

B．children can learn to set up their own business with their allowances

C．keeping allowances in the bank is the best choice for children

D．it is not a good idea to pay children for housework at home

【小題3】The underlined words “compound interest” in the passage probably mean ________.

A．increasing curiosity to learn how to make more money

B．stronger power to hold one’s attention to saving money

C．money paid by the bank on your original money and the gain from it

D．the sum of money that you earn from keeping your money in the bank

【小題4】What is the best title for the passage?

A．Be Generous to Pay Your Children．	B．Be Wise to Avoid Financical Mistakes．
C．Saving Allowances Does Good to Children.	D．Allowances Help Children Learn about Money．

WHAT happens to a teenage kid when the world he thought he knew suddenly changes? Find out in Little Brother by American author Cory Doctorow． It is a fascinating book for a new generation of sci-fi readers．
Marcus Yallow, 17, from San Francisco is much more comfortable in front of a computer than obeying the rules of society． Smart, fast and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting （騙過） his high school's monitoring system． This way he and his friends get to head off to play a popular online game in real life．
While they are playing, a bomb explodes on the Bay Bridge． Marcus stops a military vehicle to get help for his injured friend, but this simple act throws him into a Department of Homeland Security （DHS） secret prison． There he is treated as a possible terrorist． He is eventually let go after four days, but his injured friend disappears．
When he returns, Marcus discovers that there are many "security measures" in place and that now all citizens are treated like potential terrorists． While some consider this government action necessary for public safety, Marcus sees this as a complete destruction of the rights he is supposed to have as a citizen．
He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him with only one thing to do: to take down the DHS himself． He helps organize a large network called Xnet to spread the truth, anonymously （匿名地）．
The book presents a young man who is irresponsible, but learns about himself, and grows, in the course of the story． As part of this learning and growing he becomes aware of very serious issues about his society．
【小題1】 What kind of article does this passage belong to?     

A．A fascinating story．	B．A book review．
C．News report	D．A TV programme

【小題2】 The underlined word destruction in the passage means         ．     

A．damage

B．reward

C．ruin

D．protection

【小題3】 Marcus Yallow was sent to prison because         ．        

A．he killed his friend

B．he bombed a military vehicle

C．he did something that a possible terrorist could do

D．his injured friend disappeared

【小題4】 From the second paragraph we can infer that         ．     

A．Marcus Yallow is much more comfortable obeying the rules of society

B．Marcus Yallow is smart, fast and wise in real life

C．Marcus Yallow always plays online games in real life

D．Marcus Yallow is expert at the network world

【小題5】 In the end of the book, Marcus Yallow         ．      

A．is supposed to be more irresponsible

B．becomes aware of very serious issues about his society

C．presents a young man who is irresponsible

D．plays a popular online game in real life

Parents are a child’s first teachers. But some parents never learned from good examples. In New York City, a nonprofit agency called Covenant House tries to help homeless young mothers become good parents.
The twelve or so teenagers who live at the shelter attend parenting classes four days a week. The class is called Mommy and Me. Teacher Delores Clemens is a mother of five and a grandmother. She teaches basic skills, like how to give a baby a bath and how to dress a baby depending on the season.
She remembers one student who learned from her mother not to pick up a crying baby. The mother said that would only make the child needy and overly demanding. Delores Clemens says, “that's not true. You have to hold your baby! He is crying for a reason. If you never pick him up, he's going to keep crying. Pick your baby up. Cuddle your baby. Hug him! And she started to do that. They just want a little cuddling and a little love. And it works!”
Delores Clemens says her students also learn how to be good mothers by letting themselves be mothered. Around three hundred fifty teenage mothers graduate from Covenant House's Mommy and Me class every year.
In class, with her baby son is Natasha. She lived on the streets. She is glad not only for the warmth and shelter of Covenant House. As she told reporter Adam Phillips, she is also glad for the help they offer in seeking a more secure life.
The World Health Organization says the United States has forty-one births for every one thousand girls age fifteen to nineteen. That is higher than other developed countries, as well as some developing ones. By comparison, northern neighbor Canada has fourteen births and southern neighbor Mexico has eighty-two.
【小題1】What is the text mainly about?

A．Parents who are a child’s first teachers.

B．A class where teens learn mothering and are mothered.

C．A nonprofit agency that offers a more secure life.

D．A kind teacher who help homeless young mothers.

【小題2】Covenant Houses’ Mommy and Me class is intended to _____.

A．help homeless young mothers become good parents

B．provide homeless young mothers with a warm shelter

C．help mothers in New York be good parents

D．teach some parents how to love their children

【小題3】What can we know about Delores Clemens from the text?

A．She has a mother of five and a grandmother.

B．She thinks a crying baby should be picked up and hugged.

C．She teaches advanced skills on how to be good mothers.

D．She is very glad for the warmth and shelter of Covenant House.

【小題4】 According to the World Health Organization, which country has the highest births for girls age fifteen to nineteen?

A．Canada

B．the United States of America

C．Mexico

D．Britain

 閱讀理解（共15小題；每小題2分，滿分30分）
閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個選項（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該項涂黑。
Education for Japanese children is free for the first nine years and all children must go to school for six years of primary schooling and three years of secondary schooling. In the primary and secondary school, about 99.9% of school-age children are present. School usually begins at 8 o’clock in the morning and ends at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on weekdays and at noon on Saturdays. The school year begins in April and ends in March. There is a summer holiday in August and a winter holiday during the New Year season.
After nine years of schooling, students can enter the three-year high school by passing an examination and by paying a small charge each year. After high school, students can go on to study at different kinds of colleges, usually for four years. There are also two-year junior colleges.
【小題1】 The passage mainly discusses _____________.

A．colleges in Japan	B．free education in Japan
C．education in Japan	D．school time in Japan

【小題2】If you want to go to high school in Japan, you must ______________________.

A．pay a small amount of money

B．study at primary and secondary school for 9 years

C．take part in the exam and pay a little money

D．pass the exam and pay a little money

【小題3】 What is not mentioned in the passage?

A．Types of colleges.	B．Times for schooling
C．The teaching staff(教職員工)	D．The number of children attending schools

【小題4】How many days do the Japanese students have to go to school every week?

A．Two days

B．Four and a half days

C．Five days

D．Five and a half days

Let children learn to judge their own work. A child learning to talk does not learn by being corrected all the time: if corrected too much, he will stop talking. He notices a thousand times a day the difference between the language he uses and the language those around him use. Bit by bit, he makes the necessary changes to make his language like other people’s. In the same way, children learn to do all the other things they learn to do without being taught--- to walk , run, climb, whistle, ride a bicycle --- compare their own performances with those of more skilled people, and slowly make the needed changes. But in school we never give a child a chance to find out his mistakes for himself, let alone(更不用說) correct them. We do it all for him. We act as if we thought that he would never notice a mistake unless he was made to. Soon he becomes dependent on the teacher. Let him do it himself. Let him work out, with the help of other children if he wants it, what this word says, what the answer is to that problem, whether this is a good way of saying or doing this or not.
If it is a matter of right answers, as it may be in mathematics or science, give him the answer book. Let him correct his own papers. Why should we teachers waste time on such routine(常規(guī)的) work? Our job should be to help the child when he tells us that he can’t find the way to get the right answer. Let’s end all this nonsense of grades, exams and marks. Let us throw them all out, and let the children learn what all educated persons must some day learn: how to measure their own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know.
Let them get on with this job in the way that seems most sensible(合情理的) to them, with our help as school teachers if they ask for it. The idea that there is a body of knowledge to be learnt at school and used for the rest of one’s life is nonsense(無意義的) in a world as complicated and rapidly changing as ours. Anxious parents and teachers say, “But suppose they fail to learn something essential(基本的), something they will need to get on in the world?” Don’t worry! If it is essential, they will go out into the world and learnt it.
【小題1】What does the writer think is the best way for children to think?

A．By listening to their parents’ instructions.

B．By asking a great many questions.

C．By making mistakes and having them corrected.

D．By copying what other people do.

【小題2】What does the writer think teachers should not do?

A．Give children correct answers.

B．Point out children’s mistakes to them.

C．Allow children to mark their own work.

D．Encourage children to copy one another.

【小題3】According to the passage, learning to speak and learning to ride a bike are _____.

A．the most important skills	B．the basic skills children should master
C．a(chǎn)lmost the same as learning other skills	D．much different from learning other skills.

【小題4】The writer thinks that children’s progress should only be estimated(評估) by ______.

A．the children themselves	B．their parents
C．their teachers	D．education authorities(權(quán)威)

【小題5】The writer is afraid that children will grow up into adults who are ______.

A．too selfish	B．too independent
C．dependent and unable to use basic skills	D．a(chǎn)ble to think for themselves

In American schools there is something called Home-coming Day. Many high schools and colleges with a football team have a homecoming game. This can be the most important event of the year except graduation(畢業(yè)) or commencement(授獎典禮) day. Students plan homecoming day for many weeks in advance(預先).
Several days before Homecoming, students start to decorate(裝飾) the school. There are signs to wish luck to the team, and many other signs to welcome all the graduates. Many people still come to Homecoming twenty or thirty years after their graduation.
The members of school clubs build booths(攤位) and sell lemonade,apples and sandwiches. Some clubs help to welcome visitors.
During the day people like to look for teachers that they remember from long ago. Often they see old friends and they talk together about those happy years in school.
Everyone soon comes to watch the football game. When the game is half over, the bandcomes onto the field and plays school songs. Another important moment is when the Home-corning Queen or King appears. All the students vote a most popular student Homecoming Queen or King. It is a great honor to be chosen.
Homecoming is a happy day, but it is not perfect unless the football team wins the game. Even if the team loses, the students still enjoy Homecoming. Some stay at the school to dance, and others go to a party. For everyone it is a day worth remembering.
【小題1】The most important event of the year in high schools and colleges is ________.

A．homecoming

B．the football game

C．graduation

D．winning the game

【小題2】 When do students begin to arrange everything for Homecoming?

A．The day before Homecoming.	B．Many weeks before the day.
C．when the guests arrive.	D．In the days before Homecoming.

【小題3】 Which of the following is NOT done on Homecoming?

A．To see old friends.	B．To call on teachers they remember.
C．To watch the football game.	D．To go home to see their family.

【小題4】The underline words “vote” in the fifth paragraph means ________.

A．a(chǎn)ttend a meeting	B．elect or choose
C．hold a celebration(慶祝)	D．have a football match

【小題5】Who can probably become Homecoming Queen or King?

A．The students who is liked most by the others.

B．The guest who is most popular with the students.

C．The students who is most liked by the guests.

D．The player who plays best in the football game.