Hi guys! I’m Lucy the ladybird and while I’m very much of a lady, I’m not actually a bird but a glowing red bettle(甲蟲(chóng))with decorative black spots.
I’m a friendly little bug, to be honest, and simply like to be close with my pals as long as they handle me very gently. I don’t bite humans but I do sink my teeth into aphids (蚜蟲(chóng)) which, unlike me, are very harmful to all the plants. I milk the aphids just like people do with cows and I milk them dry of all the sap (汁) they have got from your poor plants. I’m a real gardeners’ friend and love helping out around the place by pollinating (授粉) flowers, tidying up plants’ fallen leaves and helping to turn them into nice rich fertilizer to feed everything both above and below the soil, and naturally, being so attractive to look at, we are perfect living garden decorations.
One thing I can not tolerate is all that poisonous pollution from vehicles, garbage burning and other environmentally unfriendly acts that occur in the cities every single minute of the day and night. Pollution of any kind really chokes me to death, so these days, I only live in clean countryside areas, particularly cool ones where it rains and everything grows fresh and green from spring right through to autumn. In winter, when the weather is too cold for me to bear, then I find a nice place to sleep until the snow has gone and I can come back out to play.
Oh! I almost forgot to tell you that although I am not a bird I do have wings and can fly for short distances. So if you pick me up and let me run up and down your hands and arms, then please don’t frighten me by screaming if I suddenly decide to take off!
【小題1】What makes Lucy the Ladybird suffer most?

A．Heavy rains.	B．Cold weather.
C．Air pollution.	D．Aphids.

【小題2】 Which aspects about the ladybird are talked about in the passage?
a. its appearance               b. its influence on plantsw8G
c. its habitat                  d. its food
e. the origin of its name

A．a(chǎn); c

B．a(chǎn); b; c

C．a(chǎn); b; d; e

D．a(chǎn); b; c; d

【小題3】What do we know about the ladybird?

A．It belongs to the insect family.

B．It does harm to all growing plants.

C．It lives on the liquid of plants.

D．It can fly a long distance.

【小題4】 This passage is probably _______.

A．a(chǎn) self –introduction by a lady named Lucy

B．description of a ladybird’life

C．letter of praise for a gardener

D．a(chǎn) speech made by a woman on ladybirds

Pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man, a study has claimed. Male teachers are more likely to improve pupils' self-esteem and are judged by pupils to be more fair, according to a study published by the Department for Education.                                                             
But there is a significant shortage of male teachers, especially in primary schools, with reports last month indicating that almost one in three primaries has an all-female teaching staff. The latest figures heightened fears that schools are becoming dominated (主宰) by women and children are being denied access to male role models in the classroom.                        
Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment in which each of 1,200 pupils in 29 schools was given £2. They could use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions at a cost of 20p each, which they then had to answer. If they were right they were given an extra 20p, but if they were wrong they lost 20p. Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women, indicating that they had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort, the the study said.                                            
Researchers wrote: "One of the most significant results featured in this experiment is the positive effect of male teachers on effort. The experiment suggests that higher ability pupils either believed that the teacher would reward them more favorably or had a preference for working hard to please the teacher."                                                     
According to the Good Teacher Training Guide, 86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female, along with 62 per cent of those entering secondary schools.                                             
Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, said: "This is an interesting and somewhat surprising finding, but it does underline the importance of having a good mix of male and female teachers in classes."
【小題1】Which of the following is true of the passage?  

A．Male teachers are more fair than female teachers.

B．Now most primary schools are in need of teachers.

C．Most people are afraid that their children can't get access to male teachers.

D．The author thinks that male teachers are better than female teachers.

【小題2】What is the author's attitude to the finding that pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man?   

A．He is for the finding.

B．He is against the finding.

C．He doesn't show his opinion about it.

D．He thinks it’s interesting and somewhat surprising.

【小題3】What does the author mainly tell us in the 3^rd paragraph?   

A．Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment.

B．Students could use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions and then had to answer them.

C．Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women.

D．The experiment shows that students taught by male teachers had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort.

【小題4】It can be inferred that         .  

A．one third of primaries has an all female staff

B．if a student is taught by a man teacher, he will think that if he works harder he will make greater progress

C．86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female

D．this finding is interesting and surprising

【小題5】Where can we find the passage?   

A．It is from a PE section on the Internet.

B．It is from an educational magazine.

C．It comes from the social section of a newspaper.

D．It comes from an English teaching book.

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.
【小題1】 This passage ______.

A．introduces some new websites and TV and radio programs

B．focuses on advantages and disadvantages of different medium forms

C．recommends technological help in learning English

D．a(chǎn)ims at advertising various English courses

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

A．www.in2english.com.cn.	B．www.21st.com.cn.
C．Modern English	D．Studio Classroom

【小題3】One can practise oral English in everyday situations in _____.

A．Studio Classroom	B．From Word to World
C．Study Abroad	D．Modern English

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

A．offer more English learning resources

B．cost you nothing

C．have better audio and visual effects

D．have English courses available whenever you need them

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

A．is difficult

B．is easy

C．is neither easy nor difficult

D．can be made much easier with a little help of modern technology

As you grow rapidly through your teenage years，you will experience a lot of changes.The changes may seem difficult and they may seem to happen quickly.Don't panic！You will deal successfully with them！You are a young adult now!
With more responsibility，you will find more freedom to make your own choices.This is a time to be well informed about your choices so that you can make healthy balanced decisions that will help shape your future.You may already know your career path or you may have no idea at all what you want to do.Both situations are fine！Work hard and the right opportunity will present itself to you.
Young adulthood means greater freedom and more choices.You will probably want to be independent.But try not to shut your family out of your life.You should learn to think of others even though you are old enough to look after yourself.Your family have been with you since you came into this world.
It is also perfectly natural in this time for you to spend more time with your friends than your family.Choose your friends wisely.A true friend will stand by you no matter what happens.
This period is part of the life cycle.There are some__people who will be with you throughout life's journey and there will be some people with whom you part and go separate ways.Leaving school can be hard.The reality is that you may not ever see all of your classmates again.
You are a young adult.It is your life.No one can live it for you.The choices that you make from now on will be your choices.So making the right choices will be important to you.Life is for living.Enjoy your life wisely!
【小題1】The best title for this passage would be   ________.

A．The Choices in Life	B．The Key to Success
C．Say Goodbye to the Past	D．Becoming a Young Adult

【小題2】Who do the underlined words“some people”(Paragraph 5)probably refer to?

A．your parents

B．your classmates

C．true friends

D．your relatives

【小題3】The author thinks teenage years are   ________.

A．a(chǎn) period of complete freedom

B．too hard for young people to get through

C．a(chǎn)n important time for the young to make the right choices

D．a(chǎn) very important period for young students to leave their parents

【小題4】Who is the passage mainly written for?

A．Teenagers

B．Teachers

C．Young parents

D．Adults

While reading a book in English, every few lines, you run across a word or two that you don't know. You look up every new word in the dictionary. Bad move. All that does is slow you down. Even electric or CD-ROM dictionaries can get in the way of your reading progress. A dictionary is like a road map. It can help you if you get lost and point you in the right direction. But if you stop to look at the "map" each time you take a step, you'll get nowhere fast.
On your English learning "journey", a dictionary can be a helpful "travel companion"—if it's not overused. To help you start thinking in English, use an English-to-English dictionary. Otherwise, you'll always depend on your native language and end up translating in your head.        
A good dictionary can help you do more than just find the meaning of a word. It can help you verify (test and check) spelling, check word forms and grammar usage, find example sentences and learn pronunciation. Some dictionaries even provide exercises to teach you how to use their resources.
Take time to get to know your dictionary. Learn the pronunciation symbols. Understand what the abbreviations(縮寫(xiě)字) mean. Become familiar with the grammar codes that explain the usage for each word. Look for charts, diagrams and lists that might be useful in the future. You'll discover how rewarding it can be to make friends with your dictionary. And as they say, "A friend in need is a friend indeed".
【小題1】 The underlined word "that" used in the last paragraph refers to ________.

A．chart, diagrams and lists

B．a(chǎn)bbreviations and the usage for each word

C．the meaning of a word, spelling and grammar usage

D．pronunciation symbols and grammar codes

【小題2】Why do you want to buy a good English-to-English dictionary?

A．Because it is a good friend if we use it often.
B．Because it can help us to find the right direction if we get lost.
C．Because it can help us to start thinking both in English and in Chinese.	D．Without it we'll depend on our native language and end up translating in our head.

【小題3】Which of the following statements does the writer lead you to believe? 

A．The more you use a dictionary, the better you can understand the article you read.

B．The more you use the resources in the dictionary, the more you can benefit from it.

C．The more you use a dictionary, the faster you may read.

D．The better a dictionary is, the more expensive it is.

【小題4】 The best title of the passage may be _______.

A．Dictionary is Like a Road Map While We Are Traveling

B．Use a Dictionary When Necessary

C．How Important a Good English-to-English Dictionary is

D．A Dictionary is a Friend Indeed

The Future of Education
David Kelly, founder of the Design School Stanford, said, “In the classroom of the future, education will be custom-made for each student. Every child will have a laptop programmed for his or her learning style and speed. At the same time, more students will go out into the community to learn from business owners. And you’ll see more retirees in the schools as teachers.”
A New Way to Pay
Turn your cell phone into a “mobile wallet” and speed through the checkout line. With a smart phone that uses the same technology as “tap and go” cards, you’ll be able to access your financial data fast. You can select a credit or debit card（借記卡）from the screen, and then tap the phone on the checkout console（操縱臺(tái)；控制臺(tái)）.
High-Tech Guitar
A 26-year-old Australian designer has invented a brand-new way to be a rock star. The Misa Digital Guitar’s fret board looks like a traditional six-string’s but with no strings attached. There’s a touch pad （墊）where the sound hole normally is, and instead of plucking strings,（彈弦） you tap, drag, or brush the pad to “play” the instrument electronically.
The Future of Phones
Jason Chen, editor of the website gizmodo.com, makes his prediction. “Data connections will get even faster, and you’ll be linked to your environment by cell phone. Fcr example, when you go on vacation, you can point your phone at a monument（紀(jì)念碑） and it will give you information about what you’re looking at.’
Needle-Free Vaccines（無(wú)針接種）
Boston University researchers are working on a new method of inoculation（接種）—no injection necessary. A mild electrical charge from a small device, shaped like a gun, is used to drive the particles（粒子） into the body. The new idea beats the old needle method.
【小題1】The passage mentions the following EXPECT        .

A．payment

B．medicine

C．education

D．music instrument

【小題2】What can we learn from the text?

A．Even a man with no music knowledge can be a rock star in the future.

B．Students should go out into the community to learn from business owners instead of staying at school to learn from books.

C．We can carry no cash while shopping in the future.

D．We can feel more pain with the method of inoculation.

【小題3】In which column can we read the passage?

A．Entertainment.	B．Production.
C．Technology.	D．Work.

Although there are no state controlled survival courses in Britain or the United States，there are various independent organizations offering similar activities．Students can participate(take part)in outdoor training courses through university clubs and societies．Anyone can register with such groups，which then organize courses，training and trips for all members．
One of the most popular outdoor training programmes in both the US and Britain is Outward Bound(戶(hù)外訓(xùn)練)．It was founded in 1941 in Wales and attracts hundreds of thousands of adventurous types every year. The courses are intended to broaden minds through experiences that build confidence, self-esteem(自尊)and character．As well as specialist courses such as canoeing，leadership skills and sailing，participants can take part in week long adventure training camps which include a host of sports and survival training education skills．
Michael Williams，an American student，took part in an Outward Bound course last year．He said：“We learned lots of first aid skills，lots of natural history ,lots of environmental facts, and participated in a wildlife preservation programme．Beyond that，my favorite skills learned were sailing and rock climbing.”Courses can last up to 40 days and are open to anyone over the age of 14．Students must be in general good health，but do not need to be experienced in outdoor-sports．There is no selection process；everyone is welcome，although new participants are advised to pick a course matching their physical capacity．Most of the British courses take place in the Brecon Beacons in Wales．Another similar organization is the UK Survival School，which includes courses on learning to 1ive with the environment， sailing and  winter survival．On a basic survival weekend students will learn how to get water and food, how to make fire and cook with it，to find and build a shelter，control survival life support，how to cross rivers．Send off a distress signal，and to use compasses(指南針)by day and night．
According to the leaders，such adventures are “an awakening, an exploration into the unknown.”O(jiān)utward Bound believes that participants will “use mind and body traveling some of the Earth’s roughest wilderness areas．”   
【小題1】In Britain and the United States，survival courses are popular with    ．

A．old people

B．young people

C．dangerous people

D．weak people

【小題2】The advantage of the training courses is that   .

A．participants can make friends with others

B．participants can visit some places of interest

C．participants can experience different adventures

D．participants can learn how wonderful nature is

【小題3】In an Outward Bound course last year，the most exciting experience Michael Williams had was   .

A．learning first aid skills	B．collecting facts of environment
C．rock climbing and sailing	D．preserving wildlife

The other day at a supermarket, I saw a naughty child of about six crying loudly, falling to the floor and refusing to move. All the while the troubled mother was trying to persuade him to behave well but failed. A little smack(打)on his bottom would have worked ,I thought.
Teenagers also cause discipline(紀(jì)律)problems. As a teacher I had a 16-year-old student who had fallen in love with a waiter at a fast-food restaurant. In fact, she had left home to stay with him. So we decided to put her in the school hostel .She refused. When she heard her mother begging her to stay in the school hostel, she turned around and said: “Why don’t you stay in the school hostel if you like it so much?”
My hands were going to slap her for being so rude but the poor mother continued to cajole her , hoping the gentle persuasion would work wonders. It did not. Later I heard that she had run away from home again.
The list goes on and on. Could it be that today’s parents are so softer and believe that they must not rod(棍棒懲罰)their children for fear of the bad results? Or do they really believe that the children will get rid of the bad habits and behave well as they grow older? I beg to disagree. I believe it is the parents’ duty to discipline the children even at a young age.
My children who are now adults will prove the fact that I used the rod when I thought it necessary. Later when they went abroad, they told their university friends how they were disciplined. Their friends were shocked and said that I could be charged with child abuse. However ,my daughter showed great respect for me when she told them that she would not be where she was today if not for my strict discipline.
【小題1】According to the passage, the author would probably________.

A．beat the children every day	B．treat the children in a soft way
C．leave the children as they are	D．punish the children when necessary

【小題2】 The underlined word cajole” (in para.3)means_______.

A．persuade

B．scold

C．forgive

D．punish

【小題3】In the author’s opinion, how should parents make their children grow up well?

A．rod their children	B．punish their children
C．discipline their children	D．discipline and punish their children if necessary

【小題4】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The naughty boy’s mother hit him

B．The teacher’s daughter lived with her mother

C．The daughter was thankful for her mother’ strict discipline

D．The author was charged with child abuse by the daughter’s friends

It is common to consider learning as something that takes place in school, but much of human learning occurs outside the classroom, even from birth and people continue to learn throughout their lives.
Even before they enter school, young children learn to walk, to talk, and to use their hands to use toys, food, and other objects. They use all of their senses to learn about the sights,sounds,tastes, and smells in their environments. They learn how to communicate with their parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and other people important to their world. When they enter school, children learn basic academic subjects such as reading, writing, and mathematics, They also continue to learn a great deal outside the classroom. They learn which behaviors are likely to be rewarded and which are likely to be punished. They learn social skills for communicating with other children. After they finish school, people must learn to deal with the many major changes that affect their lives, such as getting married, raising children, and finding and keeping a job.
Because learning continues throughout our lives and affects almost everything we do, the study of learning is important in many different fields. Teachers need to understand the best ways to educate children. Psychologists, social workers, criminologists, and other human-service workers need to understand how certain experiences change people’s behaviors. Employers, politicians, and advertisers make use of the principles of learning to affect the behavior of workers, voters, and consumers.
Learning is closely related to memory, which is the storage of information in the brain. Psychologists who study memory are interested in how the brain stores knowledge, where this storage takes place and how the brain later outputs knowledge when we need it. In contrast, psychologists who study learning are more interested in behavior and how behavior changes as a result of a person’s experiences.
【小題1】
The author thinks “Learning” in the passage most refers to       .

A．life-long learning	B．family learning
C．learning after graduation	D．behavior learning

【小題2】
The underlined “siblings” in the second paragraph probably means    

A．teachers

B．classmates

C．doctors

D．brothers or sisters

【小題3】
Which period of children’s life do they begin to learn how to behave well according to the passage?     .

A．After they go into society	B．Before they enter school
C．When they are at school	D．Before they are born

In only two decades Asian Americans have become the fastest-growing US minority. As their children began moving up through the nation’s schools, it became clear that a new class of academic achievers was forming. Their achievements are reflected in the nation’s best universities, where mathematics, science and engineering departments have taken on a decidedly Asian character. This special liking for mathematics and science is partly explained by the fact that Asian-American students who began their educations abroad arrived in the US with a solid grounding in mathematics but little or no knowledge of English.They are also influenced by the promises of a good job after college. Asians feel there will be less unfair treatment in areas like mathematics and science because they will be judged more objectively. And the return on the investment in education is more immediate in something like engineering than with an arts degree.
Most Asian-American students owe their success to the influence of parents who are determined that their children take full advantage of what the American educational system has to offer. An effective measure of parental attention is homework. Asian parents spend more time with their children than American parents do, and it helps. Many researchers also believe there is something in Asian culture that causes success, such as ideals that stress family values and emphasize education.
Both explanations for academic success worry Asian Americans because of fears that they feed a typical racial image. Many can remember when Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants were the victims of social separation. Indeed, it was not until 1952 that laws were laid down giving all Asian immigrants the right to citizenship.
【小題1】. While making great achievements at college, Asian-American students ________.

A．feel they are mistreated because of limited knowledge of English

B．a(chǎn)re afraid that their academic successes bear a strong Asian character

C．still worry about unfair treatment in academic areas

D．generally feel it a shame to have to depend on their parents

【小題2】. What are the major factors that determine the success of Asian Americans?

A．Solid foundation in basic mathematics and Asian culture.

B．Hard work and intelligence.

C．Hard work and a limited knowledge of English.

D．Asian culture and the American educational system.

【小題3】.Few Asian-American students major in human sciences mainly because_________.

A．their English is not good enough

B．they are afraid they might meet with unfair judgment in these areas

C．there is a wide difference between Asian and Western cultures

D．they know little about American culture and society

【小題4】. The author’s tone in this passage is __________.

A．sympathetic

B．doubtful

C．critical

D．objective