During the school year many parents take on the role of driver as they drive their children from one lesson to another .Understandably so. Many of us want our children to have a little taste of everything, from organized sports to music, dance and more. But we can overdo it, leaving our children feeling a little burnt out, and according to parent educator Diane Loisie ,it’s their school work which suffers the most. “After school, if they’re busy in a number of sporting events, besides they need to do their homework, then the time they’ll feel sleepy is in the classroom. Your child needs free time. So if you’re filling up that after school time, then it’s during the day that they’re going to be taking a break.”
Professor Claire McDermott agrees that there’s a lot to be gained from sometimes putting those scheduled lessons and activities away. “Relaxing time is important for children. It’s time just to do the things they want to do. A child can go up to their room, or they can play around. It doesn’t look like productive time; parents certainly wouldn’t be saying ‘Wow, are they ever learning things now?’ But this relaxing time gives both the body and the brain just a wonderful chance to relax after a day. It helps a child prepare for sleep, but it also helps to understand the learning that’s gone on that day.”
It’s hard to prevent signing our kids up for some activities and lessons. After all, many of us want our children to have a head start in life and the chance to join in great activities in the arts or sports is a part of that. However, Loisie feels that in the long run most children feel better with just a few key activities because it gives them an opportunity to master them. “When we get our children in too many activities because we want our children to experience everything, then what we’re doing is setting them up not to be good at one thing or gaining a skill.” So choose your children’s activities wisely. It may be one of the best things you’ve ever done for your kids… and for the family drivers!
【小題1】What is the biggest disadvantage for children to attend too many lessons after school?

A．They can get bored easily about everything.

B．They might have no time to do the homework.

C．They might not pay much attention to learning.

D．They cannot easily focus on learning during the day.

【小題2】What should we think of children’s playing around aimlessly?

A．It is productive.

B．It is helpful.

C．It is a bad habit.

D．It is a waste of time.

【小題3】Why should parents limit the activities our children attend?

A．Because children have no time.

B．Because children cannot learn many things.

C．Because children do not have enough sleep.

D．Because children cannot focus on too many activities.

【小題4】What is the main idea of this passage?

A．Don’t be children’s drivers after school.

B．Choose activities for your children wisely.

C．Make your children learn as much as possible.

D．Let children learn something from various subjects.

How to protect children Web fans from unsuitable material on-line while encouraging them to use the Internet has long been discussed in the U.S.
For some parents, the Internet can seem like a jungle, filled with danger for their children. But jungles contain wonders as well as dangers and with good guides, some education, and a few precautions(預(yù)防措施), the wilds of the Internet can be safely navigated(航行). “Kids have to be on-line. If we tell our kids they can’t have access(機會) to the Internet, we’re cutting them off from their future,” said an expert.
Most kids have started to use search engines. Many of them are great for finding tons of interesting Internet sites, and they can also locate places where you might not want your kids to go. There are search engines designed just for kids. A certain software contains only sites that have been selected as safe. The most popular way to limit access would be to use what is known as a “content screener(過濾器)”. But this can’t be wholly reliable(可靠), and the best thing parents can do is to talk to their kids and let them know what is OK or not OK to see or do on the Internet. Another way is that mum or dad is nearby when the child is surfing(瀏覽) the Internet.
A few other tips●Don’t put the PC in a child’s room but keep it in an area where mum or dad can keep an eye on things. That also makes the Internet more of a family activity.
●Ask your child what he or she has been doing and about any friends they make on-line.
●Tell your child not to give on-line strangers personal information, especially like address and phone number.
●And tell your children never to talk to anyone they meet on-line over the phone, send them anything, accept anything from them or agree to meet with them unless you go along.
【小題1】The passage is mainly about the subject of _______.

A．American children going on-line	B．Internet in America
C．a(chǎn)ppreciating Internet	D．opposing children’s on-line

【小題2】The best way to protect children from improper material is _______.

A．to install(安裝) a content screener on the computer

B．to buy some search engines for the children

C．to be nearby when they are surfing the Internet

D．to talk to the children and persuade them to tell right from wrong

【小題3】Which of the following is right according to the passage?

A．Surfing the Internet is the best method of educating children.

B．Children’s not having access to Internet may have effect on their progress.

C．Using a content screener is most reliable for keeping children having access to Internet.

D．Searching engines can help children to select materials fit for them.

【小題4】According to the passage, we can infer that _______.

A．soft wares fit for children want programming

B．a(chǎn) child who is on-line is in danger

C．Internet is a jungle full of danger

D．Internet contains a lot of harmful sites

Here are six steps to better studying.
Pay attention in class
Do you have trouble paying attention in class? Are you sitting next to a loud person? Tell your teacher or parents about any problem that is preventing you from paying attention.
Take good notes
Write down facts that your teacher mentions or writes on the board. Try to use good handwriting so you can read your notes later. It’s a good idea to keep your notes organized by subject.
Plan ahead for tests and projects
Waiting until Thursday night to study for Friday’s test will make it hard to do your best. One of the best ways to make sure that doesn’t happen is to plan ahead. Write down your test dates. You can then plan how much to do after school each day, and how much time to spend on each topic.
Break it up
When there’s a lot to study, it can help to break things into several parts. Let’s say you have a spelling test on 20 words. Instead of thinking about all of the words at once, try breaking them down into five-word groups and work on one or two different groups each night.
Ask for help
You can’t study effectively if you don’t understand the material. Be sure to ask your teacher for help. If you’re at home when the confusion occurs, your morn or dad might be able to help.
Sleep tight
So the test is tomorrow and you’ve followed your study plan—but suddenly you can’t remember anything! Don’t panic. Your brain needs time to digest all the information you’ve given it. Try to get a good night’s sleep and you’ll be surprised by what comes back to you in the morning.
【小題1】We know from the passage that a loud person is       .

A．a(chǎn) student who always answers questions loudly in class

B．someone who likes to talk with others in a loud voice

C．a(chǎn) student who likes speaking with others in class

D．a(chǎn) person who makes a lot of noise in public places

【小題2】According to the author, which of the following is an effective studying method?

A．Don’t try to review everything you have learned in one go.

B．Try to review what you’ve learned in one go.

C．To read all your notes the night before the test.

D．Try to remember everything on the first try.

【小題3】If you don’t understand what you have learnt, you can       .

A．read your notes over and over again

B．turn to people around you for help

C．put aside the material for later review

D．a(chǎn)sk your teacher to explain it the next day

【小題4】By saying “Sleep tight”, what does the author mean?

A．Sleep again after waking up.

B．Sleep holding your breath deep.

C．Get a good night’s sleep.

D．Go to sleep early every night.

Research shows that much of our predisposition （傾向） towards determination, sociability and self - control and sense of purpose is in our genes．In fact, our DNA plays a bigger role in influencing these traits （ characteristics）than our upbringing （兒童期的教養(yǎng)）and the company we keep．Taken together, these aspects of personality can make the difference between success and failure, say the Edinburgh University researchers．        
They questioned more than 800 pairs of twins about their attitudes to life to tease apart the influences of nature and nurture．Comparing identical twins, who share all their DNA and their up bringing, with non-identical twins, who have a shared background but are no more genetically alike than other brothers and sisters, is a technique often used by researchers to quantify the influence of genetics．
The results, published in the Journal of Personality, showed that genes play a much bigger role than lifestyle, with self-control particularly etched （銘刻） into our DNA．                   
Our genes a222so largely determine how determined and persistent we are．This is important in terms of success, as someone who refuses to give up is more likely to achieve their dreams than someone who throws in the towel at the first hiccough．
Researcher Professor Timothy Bates said, "Ever since the ancient Greeks, people Lave de hated the nature of a good life and the nature of a virtuous life．Why do some people seem to manage their lives, have good relationships and cooperate to achieve their goals while others do not? Previously,  the role of family and the environment around the home often controlled people' s ideas about what affected psychological well-being．However, this work emphasizes a much more powerful influence from genetics．"
However, those who haven' t been dealt a helpful hand of genes shouldn' t he too depressed．The professor says a sense of purpose is the key and advises those who are eager for success to focus their thoughts on making a difference．
【小題1】What does the result of the research indicate?

A．Our DNA is the only factor to decide our traits．

B．Our DNA plays a decisive role, in achieving success．

C．Education plays little part in the formation of our character．

D．Society has Little effect on us in our personality．

【小題2】The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to someone who                ．

A．is born successful	B．determines to make a difference
C．makes great effort	D．a(chǎn)dmits defeat easily

【小題3】Timothy Bates mentions the ancient Creeks in order to indicate that          ．

A．some people can live a good life because they can manage their lives

B．people haven't made it clear yet what is the key personality trait（持點,特征） to be a success

C．in ancient Greece the role of family and the environment was ignored

D．the relationship between personality and success has always been people's concern

【小題4】According to the passage, the key personality trait is            ．

A．determination

B．kindness

C．politeness

D．sociability

【小題5】What is the best title for the passage?

A．How do people work hard?	B．Why can some people succeed?
C．DNA determines success or failure	D．Several factors determine personality

Parents whose children show a special interest in a particular sport feel it very difficult to make a decision about their children’s careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sports men and women? For many children it means starting school work very young, and going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place. It’s very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing.
Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sportsmen and women. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child’s development—and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc. can all be very expensive.
Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young muscles may be damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training.
【小題1】 The underlined phrase“to take a second place”(para1 line4) means_________.

A．to repeat the activities at some other place?	B．to become less important
C．a(chǎn)ll things considered, they are of poor quality?	D．to happen again

【小題2】According to the passage, parents whose children show a special interest in a sport _______.

A．feel uncertain if they should let their children train to be sports men or women

B．try to get financial（財務(wù)的）support from the government for their children’s training

C．have to get medical advice from doctors about training methods

D．prefer their children to be trained as young as possible

【小題3】 Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．By starting young, you won't have much time for your school work.

B．Early training may damage your muscles.

C．Most children may become professional sports men after a long period of training.

D．It's very expensive for parents to support their child's development in sports

If we were asked exactly what we were doing a year ago，we should probably have to say that we could not remember. But if we had kept a book and had written in it an account of what we did each day，we should be able to give an answer to the question.
It is the same in history. Many things have been forgotten because we do not have any written account of them. Sometimes men did keep a record of the most important happenings in their country，but often it was destroyed by fire or in a war．Sometimes there was never any written record at all because the people of that time and place did not know how to write．For example，we know a good deal about the people who lived in China 4，000 years ago, because they could write and leave written records for those who lived after them．But we know almost nothing about the people who lived even 200 years ago in central Africa, because they had not learned to write．
Sometimes,of course，even if the people cannot write，they may know something of the past．They have heard about it from older people，and often songs and dances and stories have been made about the most important happenings，and these have been sung and acted and told for many generations .For most people are proud to tell what their fathers did in the past．This we may call ’remembered history’．Some of it has now been written down. It is not so exact or so valuable to us as written history is，because words are much more easily changed when used again and again in speech than when copied in writing．But where there are no written records，such spoken stories are often very helpful．
【小題1】．We know very little about the central Africa 200 years ago because ___

A．there was nothing worth being written down at that time

B．the people there ignored the importance of keeping a record

C．the written records were perhaps destroyed by a fire

D．the people there did not know how to write

【小題2】．“Remembered history”refers to ___．

A．history based on a person’s imagination

B．stories of important happenings passed down from mouth to mouth

C．songs and dances about the most important events

D．both B and C

【小題3】．“Remembered history”is regarded as valuable only when ____.

A．it is written down

B．no written account is available

C．it proves to be time

D．people are interested in it

【小題4】 .The passage suggests that we could have learned much more about our past than we do now if the ancient people had _____

A．kept a written record of every past event

B．not burnt their written records in wars

C．told exact stories of the most important happenings

D．made more songs and dances

Many people go to school for an education. They learn languages, history, geography, physics, chemistry and mathematics. Others go to school to learn a skill so that they can make a living. School education is very important and useful. Yet no one can learn everything they want to know. The teacher’s job is to show his students how to learn. He teaches them how to read and how to think. So, much more is to be learned outside school by the students themselves.
It is always more important to know how to study by oneself than to memorize some facts or a formula. It is usually quite easy to learn a certain fact in history or a formula in mathematics. But it is very difficult to use a formula in working out a maths problem. Great scientists, such as Einstein, Newton and Galileo didn’t get anything from school. But they were all so successful. They invented so many things for mankind.
The reason for their success is that they knew how to study. They read books that were not taught at school. They worked hard all their lives, wasting not a single moment. They would ask many questions as they read and they did thousands of experiments.
Above all, they knew how to use their brains.
【小題1】 Many people go to school for an education. But some others go to school for __________.

A．enjoying themselves	B．learning subjects
C．learning a skill	D．making a living

【小題2】. A teacher’s job is mainly to train his students to master the ability of __________.

A．learning by themselves	B．making a living
C．reading and thinking	D．studying all the subjects

【小題3】Using a formula in working out a maths problem is ______ memorizing it.

A．much easier than	B．more difficult than
C．a(chǎn)s easy as	D．a(chǎn)s difficult as

【小題4】 The scientists were successful because __________.

A．they read books that were not taught at school

B．they worked all their lives

C．they wasted not a single moment

D．they knew how to use their brains

Separate lives, similar dreams
As we know, some children live in the countryside, and some live in the city. Their lives are a little different, but they also have many of the same dreams.

	In the countryside	In the city
Travel to school	On foot	By bus or car
Classroom facilities（設(shè)施）	Recorders and radios.	Multimedia classrooms, VCD, DVD, TVs, recorders, radios, loud-speakers.
Ways of learning	Classes only, without many reference books.	Many extra classes, tutor, lots of reference books.
Eyesight	Less than 45% are near-sighted.	About 75% are near-sighted.
After-class activities	Playing with balls.	English corners and other school clubs.
Homework	Homework can usually be finished at school.	Homework never ends.
Chores to do	Washing, cleaning, farming, looking after younger sisters or brothers, cooking.	Usually no chores.
Family members	Big families with three generations.	Small families with three members.
Ideal jobs	Teachers, drivers, scientists, nurses, secretaries.	Scientists, professors, doctors, computer programmers, managers, university presidents, the UN chief.

【小題1】 The survey was done among the ______ between in the countryside and the city.

A．teachers.

B．students.

C．parents.

D．a(chǎn)dults.

【小題2】. About ______ of children in the countryside have good eyesight, but only ______ of children in the city have good eyesight.

A．45%,75%.

B．55%,75%.

C．55%,25%.

D．45%,25%.

【小題3】 Which of the following is not included in the survey?

A．Ideal jobs.	B．After-class activities.
C．Ways of learning.	D．Results of tests.

【小題4】. A classroom in the countryside often has ______ according to the survey.
A. records.            B. DVD.               C. TVs.                 D. loud-speakers.
【小題5】 Which of the following is WRONG according to the survey?

A．Children in the countryside often go to school on foot.

B．Children in the city often have too much homework to do.

C．Children in the countryside often have lots of chores to do.

D．Children in the city are difficult to find ideal jobs.

Let children learn to judge their own work. A child who learns 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 differences between the language he uses and the language those around him. Little by little, 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 without being taught-to walk, run, climb, whistle, ride a bicycle-compare their 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 and correct them himself. We do it all for his act as if we thought that he would never notice a mistake unless it was pointed out to him, or correct it unless he was made to. 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(daily) work? Our job should be to help the children when they tell us that they can’t find the way to get to measure their own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know.
【小題1】 According to the passage, the best way for children to learn things is by ______.

A．listening to the advice of grown-ups.

B．a(chǎn)sking adults many questions.

C．making mistakes and having them corrected.

D．doing as other people do by themselves.

【小題2】 Which of the following does the writer think teachers should NOT do?

A．Give children correct answers.

B．Allow children to make mistakes.

C．Tell the children what is wrong with their work as often as possible.

D．Let children judge their own work.

【小題3】 According to the writer, teachers in school should ______.

A．encourage children to learn from each other.

B．point out children’s mistakes whenever they are found.

C．correct children’s mistakes as much as possible.

D．teach children more knowledge from book.

【小題4】The passage suggests that learning to speak and learning to ride a bicycle are ______.

A．different from learning other skills.	B．the same as learning other skills.
C．more important than other skills.	D．unnecessary skills.

【小題5】. Which of the following may serve as the best title of this passage?

A．Let Us Teachers Stop Working.	B．Let Children Alone.
C．Let Children Correct Their Exercises.	D．Let Children Learn by Themselves.

India was once part of the British Empire, but thanks to modern technology and a booming economy, it has turned the tables on its former colonial master. Indian tutors are helping to teach math to British children over high-speed Internet connections. Early results suggest the idea is improving exam results. But not everyone is happy at this “outsourcing” of tutoring.
It’s 3:30, and pupils at Raynham Primary School in London are gathering for their after-school maths lessons.
Five time zones— thousands of kilometers away—their math tutors are also arriving for class. High-speed Internet has made it possible for Indian tutors to teach British pupils in real time. Each pupil gets a dedicated one-to-one online tutor. The students work with activities on their computer screen and wear a headset and microphone to talk to their tutor.
The class teacher, Altus Basson, says he has seen an improvement in results. “There are some children who’ve really rocketed in their results. Children who struggleto focus in class focus a lot better on the laptops. The real advantage is that each child gets a focused activity and a single tutor,” he said.
Such individualized teaching is the core idea of Brightspark Education, the company that provides the online tutoring, says founder Tom Hooper. “Children today feel very confident online; they feel very engaged; they feel very in control. And that's half the battle with education.Give them control, make them feel confident and enjoy their learning and you'll see them start to improve and embrace it," he said.
Raynham Primary School is among the first in Europe to try online tutoring. At between $20 and $25 an hour, it's about half the cost of face-to-face coaching. But some people say an Internet connection is not enough of a connection for teaching and learning. Kevin Courtney is deputy General Secretary of Britain's National Union of Teachers. "We think, there's a really important emotional connection between a teacher and a child whether it's a whole class or whether it's one-to-one. You need that immediacy of feedback and we're not convinced that that can happen across an Internet connection. In one of the wealthiest.countries in the world, we think that we can afford to have teachers with genuine emotional connection there with the children," he said.
Brightspark Education says the online tutoring is used only as an addition to supplement regular teaching. The company says its service does not represent a threat to teachers' jobs in Britain.
Parents say they're very satisfied with the results they've seen. And what about the children?Children: "I love it!"I love it!"I hate maths!" So math--or, as the British call it, maths—is still not everyone's favorite subject even with the latest technology to teach it.
【小題1】What do we know about the online tutoring?

A．Indian tutors are helping to teach math in Britain.

B．Tutors and students are in different places.

C．An online tutor helps several students at the same time.

D．Tutors and students communicate by telephone.

【小題2】What can we learn about Brightspark Education? 

A．It shows a threat to teachers’ jobs in Britain.

B．It can take place of the regular teaching.

C．It only pays attention to math teaching.

D．It emphasizes the individualized teaching.

【小題3】According to Kevin Courtne, _________.      .

A．online tutoring will represent a threat to teachers’ jobs in Britain

B．online tutoring has a great influence on British.

C．the emotional connection between a teacher and a child is important

D．immediacy of feedback can happen across an Internet connection

【小題4】What’s the best title for this passage ?

A．A New Teaching Pattern

B．Indian Teachers and British Students

C．To Learn Maths with the Latest Technology

D．Indian Tutors Teach British Kids Online