For some people, the prospect of starting college, especially going away to school, is scary. It’s probably the first time that you’ll be totally responsible for your own schedule. What if you intend to go to college but just don’t feel ready to start yet-for whatever reason-and you don’t want to take on a full-time job after graduation? You might want to take a year off to pause and regroup. This practice is common in some countries, like the United Kingdom, where it’s called a “gapyear”.
Taking time off doesn’t mean you should ignore the idea of applying to college. In fact, you may want to consider making your college plans before you become involved in other things, especially if you’ll be travelling. Apply to schools and make your choice, then ask for a deferred admission. Rachel took a year off and worked in New York City between college and medical school. She says that she had to be extremely well organized about planning for medical school so she didn’t miss any of her deadlines. “Not only did I have to apply to schools and make plans to take my MCAT exams, I also had to make all my living arrangements and other plans for my year off!”
Even if you decide not to apply to college, it can be a great idea to take a year to do something you may not have an opportunity to do again. Lots of volunteer organizations would welcome your time and energy and would provide you with a wonderful learning experience. If you take a year off you will learn some great life skills-like living on a tight budget! If you take a year off you’ll pay your way while you are traveling or doing volunteer work.
【小題1】What’s the best title of the passage?

A．Taking Time Off

B．Disadvantages of a “Gap Year”

C．Plans after Graduation

D．How to Apply to College

【小題2】Going on a “gap year” means _____.

A．a(chǎn)sking for a year’s leave to rest at home

B．taking a year off to pause and regroup

C．ignoring the idea of applying to college

D．travelling around the world before going to college

【小題3】The author takes Rachel for example in the second paragraph in order to show _____.

A．it’s not easy to take a year off

B．it’s interesting to take a “gap year”

C．what taking time off is like

D．how to apply to schools

【小題4】Which of the following is NOT the benefit of taking a year off?

A．You’ll learn some great life skills.

B．You’ll make full preparation for starting college.

C．You’ll earn much money by taking on a full-time job.

D．You’ll gain a wonderful learning experience by joining in a volunteer organization.

Kuss Middle School serves students in Fall River, Mass. , a former mill town that has struggled economically for decades. Students at Kuss have struggled, too, usually falling short of making the academic progress required under the No Child Left Behind law.
Then, last year, the school experimented with extending the school day. Teachers got paid at a higher hourly rate.
Students weren't thrilled at first with leaving school at 4:15 p.m. instead of at 2:20 p.m. But the added hours gave them more time for physical education and let them select special interest classes. By the end of the year, student scores had risen by enough to enable Kuss to make the progress required under the federal No Child Left Behind law.
The only surprise is that more districts haven't lengthened school schedules set decades ago to accommodate (適應(yīng)) a farm economy rather the information economy of today.

School days The USA ranks 36th of 40 industrialized nations in average weekly instructional time. Selected countries: 1) Thailand--30.5 hours  2) Korea--30.3 hours  7) China--26.5 hours 14) France--24.6 hours  15 ) UK--24.6 hours 16) Mexico--24.2 hours  23 ) Japan--23.8 hours 26)Canada--23.6 hours  36)USA--22.2 hours  40)Brazil--19 hours

New research suggests the time is ready for a change:
Matched against 39 other developed countries, the United States is near the bottom in the rankings of average weekly instructional time in school.  Measured over 12 years, students in the top-scoring countries spend the equivalent of a full extra year in school.
US students perform poorly on math and science tests compared to their international peers, according to a US Education Department comparison released earlier this month. In math, American 15-year-old scored near the bottom among the study's 30 developed countries.
Most countries that boost the number of minutes spent on math instruction find pay offs in improved math scores, according to a study released this month by the Brookings Institution. Small increases in the school day are more effective than a longer school year, the report concluded.
The most encouraging news about the benefits of extending the school day comes from Massachusetts, where an experiment with 10 schools, including Kuss, appears to be working. Those 10 schools lengthened their instructional days by 25% and boosted their state scores in math, English and science at all grades.
Perhaps the concept won't work everywhere. Certainly, it won't instantly be popular. But it's obvious that a problem exists or that adding class time seems to help.
【小題1】What is the main idea of the above passage?

A．Experiments with extended school hours produce academic gains.

B．Kuss Middle School sets a good example for US education.

C．Academic progress has achieved under the No Child Left Behind law.

D．Information age calls for more instructional lime at all schools.

【小題2】A longer school day is suggested for the following reasons except that _________.

A．students from many developed countries spend more time at school

B．American students do a bad job at science subjects

C．teachers are paid at a higher rate with time added

D．a(chǎn) longer school day works better than a longer school year

【小題3】Which statement is true of Kuss Middle School?

A．Kuss Middle School lies in where a farm economy is changing to an information one.

B．Kuss Middle school has joined the federal "No Child Left Behind" progrann

C．Neither teachers nor students are happy with the longer school day.

D．Adding class time functions at Kuss Middle School.

【小題4】The writer has expressed ____________.

A．a(chǎn) positive attitude towards adding school time

B．a(chǎn) negative attitude towards adding school time

C．a(chǎn) changing attitude towards adding school time

D．a(chǎn) right attitude towards adding school time

Are your children liked by their teachers? All parents want their children to impress(給...的印象) their teachers and succeed in school. You can get your children to impress their teachers by following these easy steps.
Make sure they’re prepared. Teachers are impressed by children coming to school prepared to learn. Make sure they have everything they need—pencils textbooks, erasers and so on.
Require them to be active in class. Teach them to ask teachers questions when they don’t understand something. Some children think teachers are bothered by questions, but most teachers are impressed when children take the initiative(采取主動) in asking questions. They should take part in class discussions, giving their opinions politely.
Keep your children healthy. If your children are tired and hungry, they won’t be ready to learn. Children need at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night. Feed your children a solid breakfast and prepare a healthy lunch. Provide them with fruit and other healthy foods—apples or bananas are better for them than cookies.
Make sure that your children do their homework. If they really don’t understand it, discuss it with them patiently. Don’t help them do their homework. Teachers can always tell who it is that does the work.
Teach your children good manners and habits. Children need to arrive at the school punctually, and be polite to their teachers and classmates. Parents need to teach these skills at home. Nothing is sweeter than children who say “please” and “thank you”, and these are children their teachers are certain to love.
【小題1】The first paragraph serves as ________.

A．a(chǎn)n explanation

B．a(chǎn)n introduction

C．a(chǎn) background

D．a(chǎn) guidance

【小題2】Which of the following statements is NOT true? 

A．Hungry and tired children can’t focus on their study.

B．Children should go to school on time and learn to behave well.

C．Teachers aren’t able to decide if parents do homework for their children.

D．Teachers are impressed when children take an active part in class.

【小題3】The passage mainly tells us that being parents, you should ________.

A．help your children to impress their teachers at school

B．a(chǎn)sk your children to get ready for classes before going to school

C．teach your children to be polite to both their teachers and classmates

D．remind your children to observe all the rules when at school

An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old son. Suddenly a crow (烏鴉) landed on their window.
The father asked his son, “What is that?”
The son replied, “That is a crow.”
After a few minutes, the father asked his son for the second time, “What is this?”
The son said, “Father, I told you just now. It’s a crow.”
After a little while, the father asked his son the same question for the third time, “What is this?”
This time, the son said to his father in a low and cold tone, “It’s a crow, a crow.”
After a moment, the father yet again asked his son for the fourth time, “What is this?”
This time his son shouted at his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? I have told you already, ‘IT IS A CROW’. Are you not able to understand this?”
A minute later the father went to his room and came back with a diary, which he had kept since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page.
Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa when a crow suddenly landed on the window edge. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied him 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question. I didn’t at all feel angry, but instead felt affection for my son.
If your parents reach old age, do not look at them as a burden, but speak to them gently, and be kind to them. From today say this aloud, “I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered me with love. I will take care of my old parents in the best way no matter how they behave.”
【小題1】The old man brought out the diary, which he had kept since his son was born, because ______.

A．he forgot what had happened

B．he would like his son to read it

C．it could remind himself of the past

D．he wanted to find what a crow was

【小題2】The underlined word “affection” (last but one Para.) probably means______.

A．puzzle

B．hatred(恨)

C．worry

D．love

【小題3】The writer mainly intends to ______ .

A．tell us the function (作用) of a diary

B．call on us to love our parents

C．teach us what a crow is

D．introduce a pair of son and father

For the most part, you are probably only exposed to the music that is played on your favorite radio stations and TV shows, music Web sites, or the music that your friends and family members enjoy. While you probably know a lot about your favorite type of music, it can be a rewarding experience to enlarge your horizons (眼界), discovering artists and types of music that you’re not familiar with. Who knows, you might discover you like certain types of music you never even considered.
Have you ever wondered about the history and influences of your favorite types of music? For example, did you know that rock ’n’ roll originated (起源) from the blues, and that the blues began as a form of musical expression for African Americans during slavery(奴隸制度)? Did you know that most hip-hop is heavily influenced by early rhythm blues and jazz?
There are many fun ways to learn about different musical styles and their historical roots. For example, if you like hip-hop, listen to some of your favorite CDs and take note of the samples the performers used to create the songs. There is a possibility that the artist used parts of older songs to create the music. You can go to the library or online to learn more about the artists and listen to more of their music by checking out CDs from the library or downloading songs online for a small fee.
You can learn so much about culture and history just by paying attention to different types of music and what is being expressed in the songs. There are so many different styles of music to learn about, and you owe (欠) it to your-self to make an effort to listen to and learn about them.
【小題1】The main topic of this passage is _______.

A．creating music

B．performing music

C．enjoying your favorite music

D．learning about music

【小題2】What music did African Americans use to express their feelings of being slaves?

A．Rock ’n’ roll.

B．The blues.

C．Hip-hop.

D．Jazz.

【小題3】How can you learn about culture and history through music?

A．By writing down the names of the music

B．By creating music from older songs yourself.

C．By caring about what is being expressed in music.

D．By keeping a record of fees after downloading songs online.

【小題4】By saying the underlined sentence in the last paragraph, the author probably means that _______.

A．you should try harder to learn about music

B．you should return something to music

C．you should borrow music CDs from others

D．you should buy music CDs yourself

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 nonprofit agency that offers a more secure（安全的）life.

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

D．A kind teacher who helps homeless young mothers.

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

A．provide homeless young mothers with a warm shelter

B．help homeless young mothers become good parents

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 thinks a crying baby should be picked up and hugged.

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

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．Britain

D．Mexico

A Book Review—The Snake-Stone by Berlie Doherty
The setting: Urban England (the cities), but also rural England (the countryside) including remote English villages．
The theme: The main theme is a teenage research of self-discovery, in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age．Its other concerns are love, getting on with others, being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts, troubles and worries．As the book moves to a close, James’ swimming coach says to him: “You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more．You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going．”
The characters: James is the hero of the story．He is a championship diver, and has a comfortable life with his foster parents (養(yǎng)父母)．Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother．The other characters in The Snake-Stone, James’ parents, his diving instructor, best friend, the villagers, people he meets on his journey, are pictured realistically．
The turning point: The turning point in the story comes while James’ foster parents are away in London, and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother．The only clue he has is a fossil, “the snake stone” which she left behind along with a note on which she had written: “Take good care of Sammie．It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there．
The journey: Instead of going to London, James decides to find his birth mother．With help from his geography teacher, James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found．James has painful, challenging, but also humorous and happy travels．The mother he finally meets, Anne, has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel．He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger’s door fifteen years before．Although the meeting is not long, it leaves him with a feeling of completeness．As a journey of self-discovery The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending．Its hero says, on returning to his foster parents, “I was home．”
【小題1】What is the main theme of the novel?

A．A journey of self-discovery．

B．Life in the world of diving．

C．Life with foster parents．

D．A travel around the country．

【小題2】What do the coach’s words in Paragraph 2 suggest?

A．James is a successful diver．

B．James is an independent young man．

C．James is an outgoing young man．

D．James is a hopeful swimmer．

【小題3】The snake stone in the novel is        ．

A．a(chǎn) stone with an address on it

B．a(chǎn) gift from the swimming coach

C．a(chǎn) clue left by the birth mother

D．a(chǎn) fossil left by the foster parents

【小題4】Which of the following is true about the novel?

A．The story has a sad ending．

B．The story takes place in the city of London．

C．The characters are vividly described．

D．The turning point comes after the hero meets his birth mother．

【小題5】It can be concluded that James’ journey is _________．

A．disappointing

B．boring

C．comfortable

D．worthwhile

For high school leavers starting out in the working world，it is very important to learn particular skills and practice how to behave in an interview or how to find all internship(實習(xí))．In some countries，schools have programs to help students onto the path to work．In the Unites States，however，such programs are still few and far between．
Research shows that if high schools provide career-related courses，students are likely to get higher earnings in later years．The students are more likely to stay in school，graduate and go on to higher education．
In Germany，students as young as 13 and 14 are expected to do internships．German companies work with schools to make sure that young people get the education they need for future employment．
But in America, education reform programs focus on how well students do in exams instead of bringing them into contact with the working world．Harvard Education school professor Robert Schwartz has criticized education reformers for trying to place all graduates directly on the four-year college track．Schwartz argued that this approach leaves the country’s most vulnerable(易受影響的)kids with no jobs and no skills．
Schwartz believed that the best career programs encourage kids to go for higher education while also teaching them valuable practical skills at high school．James Madison High School in New York，for example，encourages students to choose classes on career—based courses．The school then helps them gain on—the-job experience in those fields while they’re still at high school．
However，even for teens whose schools encourage them to connect with work，the job market is daunting．In the US，unemployment rates for 16-to 19-year-olds are above 20 percent for the third summer in a row．
“The risk is that if teenagers miss out on the Summer job experience，they become part of this generation of teens who had trouble in landing a job，”said Michael，a researcher in the US.
【小題1】In the author’s opinion, American high school leavers__________.

A．have enough career-related courses

B．need more career advice from their schools

C．perform better in exams than German students

D．can get higher earnings in later years

【小題2】According to Robert Schwartz，_________.

A．there is no need for kids to go for higher education in the US

B．students should get contact with the working world at high school

C．education reform should focus on students’ performance in exams

D．teenagers in the US can’t miss out on the summer job experience

【小題3】What can be inferred from the text?

A．Unemployment rates for US teenagers remain high at the moment.

B．Students with career—based courses never have problems finding a job.

C．US companies work with schools to prepare young people for future employment.

D．High school leavers with no practical skills can’t find a job absolutely

【小題4】What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Arguments about recent US education reform.

B．Tips on finding jobs for high school leavers.

C．The lack of career—based courses in US high schools.

D．Advice for American high school leavers.

【小題5】The underlined word “daunting” in Paragraph 6 most probably means___________.

A．discouraging	B．interesting
C．creative	D．unbearable

A lot of teachers hate doodlers(亂寫亂畫的人)during classes．“Pay attention!”Teachers will often warn doodling students，sure that they must be daydreaming．
However, according to a recent study, doodling while listening to a boring lecture helps  concentrate the attention：   
Andrade，a psychology professor in England asked participants(參加者)to listen to a boring lecture． Half the participants were told to color in squares and circles freely on a piece of paper while listening to the lecture．The other half weren’t given a task．After it was over, the participants were asked to retell the lecture．   
Those given the doodling task(color in squares and circles)remembered 29 percent more information than the non-doodlers．Andrade said．  
“If someone is doing a boring task，like listening to a dull conversation，they may start daydream，”said Professor Andrade．
“Daydreaming distracts(使分心)them from the task，resulting in poorer performance．A  simple task，like doodling，can stop them from daydreaming without affecting their performance at the task，”he said．   
So the next time you’re doodling during a class，and you hear“pay attention”，you can tell  the teacher with confidence that you’ve been paying attention to every word． 
【小題1】Teachers hate doodlers because they thought         ．

A．doodlers are not good at study

B．doodlers are doing no task

C．doodlers pay no attention in class

D．doodlers are not polite to them

【小題2】According to the text，it is helpful to doodle when    ．

A．a(chǎn) boring lecture is given

B．a(chǎn)n interesting story is told

C．watching a long TV programme

D．having a conversation with the teacher

【小題3】Professor Andrade thinks      ．

A．those given the doodling task can remember less information

B．if you have daydream during classes you’ll have a good memory

C．daydreaming is better than doodling

D．doodling can stop us from daydreaming

Testing has replaced teaching in most public schools. My own children's school week is framed by pretests, drills, tests, and retests. They know that the best way to read a textbook is to look at the questions at the end of the chapter and then skim the text for the answers. I believe that my daughter Erica, who gets excellent marks, has never read a chapter of any of her school textbooks all the way through. And teachers are often heard to state proudly and openly that they teach to the mandated (國家指定的) state test.
Teaching to the test is a curious phenomenon. Instead of deciding what skills students ought to learn, helping students learn them, and then using some reasonable methods of assessment to discover whether students have mastered the skills, teachers are encouraged to reverse the process. First, one looks at a commercially available test. Then, one distills (提取) the skills needed not to master reading, say, or math, but to do well on the test. Finally, the test skills are taught.
The ability to read or write or calculate might infer the ability to do reasonably well on standardized tests. However, neither reading nor writing develops simply through being taught to take tests. We must be careful to avoid mistaking preparation for a test of a skill with the acquisition of that skill. Too many discussions of the basics of skills make this fundamental confusion because people are test-centered rather than concerned with the nature and quality of what is taught.
Recently, many schools have faced what could be called the crisis of comprehension or, in simple terms, the phenomenon of students with phonic and grammar skills still being unable to understand what they read. These students are capable of taking tests and filling in workbooks. However, they have little or no experience reading or thinking, and talking about what they read. They know the details but can't see or understand the whole. They are taught to be so concerned with grade that they have' no time or ease of mind to think about meaning, and reread things if necessary.
【小題1】As is indicated in the second paragraph, the author finds it strange that __.

A．tests are used to assess students' skills

B．skills are determined before tests are set

C．teaching is aimed to prepare students for tests

D．teachers use some reasonable methods of assessment

【小題2】The crisis of comprehension most probably results from __.

A．students' poor phonic and grammar skills

B．teaching that takes up much of students' free time

C．teaching that emphasizes details rather than the whole

D．students' lack of ability to think about what they read

【小題3】According to the author, we can infer that __.

A．the basics of skills have been discussed too much

B．the nature and quality of what is taught are fully concerned

C．skills in general are not only useless but often mislead students

D．doing well in a test does not necessarily mean acquiring the skill