Who are the top students in the world, do you know? Last week the Organization for Economic Co-operation Development (經(jīng)濟合作與發(fā)展組織) picked the best students in the world. They are Finnish (芬蘭的). The OECD gave a test to 280 000 15-year-old students from more than 40 coun­tries and regions (地區(qū)) last year. The OECD wan­ted to know how well students were doing at school.

Finnish students were No. 1 in the reading test and second in maths after Hong Kong students. Those from Japan and Finland were top in science. In the problem solving, Finnish students came sec­ond to those from South Korea. The test also showed Finland had more top students than the other countries.

Finns (芬蘭人) of your age have done a really good job but don't have a sense of envy. You can learn from them. Most Finnish students make good use of the Internet. Of course not for computer games, but for doing more exercises and finding out more information.

Libraries are also important. Finland spends a lot of money on them. Many students have a free card. They read for at least one or two hours a day.

What do you usually do on the Internet? How often do you go to libraries?

1.Students from which country or region did best in the reading test?

A．South Korea.

B．Hong Kong.

C．Finland.

D．Japan.

2.Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Hong Kong students were No. 1 in maths.

B．Finnish students were the first of all the tests.

C．Finnish students did well in the problem sol­ving.

D．Japanese students were top in science.

3.From this passage we know that_________.

A．the test can make the students lose their in­terest in learning

B．the test is designed to find out good ways to use the Internet

C．it's hard to tell who the best students in the world are

D．Finnish students make better use of the In­ternet and libraries

 

Are you the only child in the family? If so, you are the most important in your family. Parents are the closest people to you in the world. But most middle school students have a problem. They feel they're not as close to their parents as before.

Some students complain that their parents often say a lot to them, but never listen to them. Some say their parents ask them not to play computer games when other classmates are doing that. Others say when they’re making phone calls to friends, their parents like to ask if the children are speaking to a boy or a girl. These make them very unhappy. Some students even decide to leave home because they’re afraid to tell their parents when they have done something wrong. Then they usually think running away is the only choice. But they don’t know running away may bring them some more problems.

Problems are parts of life. Here are some suggestions for you to solve the problems.

·Find a good time to talk with your parents. Don’t be afraid to tell them your feelings.

·Get help from others like good friends or teachers.

·Keep a diary to help you understand more about yourself and your feelings.

·Show your parents you’re growing up. Then they’ll feel you’re not a small child.

If you follow the advice, you’ll have a happy life and never think of running away.

 

1.Who are the closest people to you if you are the only child in the family?

  ________________________

2.Do most students feel they are not as close to their parents as before?

  ________________________

3. What do some parents like to do while their children are making phone calls to friends?

  _________________________

4.What could you do to understand more about yourselves and your feelings?

  _________________________

5. How many suggestions does the writer give?

  _________________________

 

 

 

Your peers are people your age or close to it. Besides close friends, your peers include other children you know who are the same age------like people in your grade, sports team, or neighborhood. Peers may have a positive influence on each other and play important roles in each other’s lives:

Positive examples

Peers set plenty of good examples for each other. Having peers who do well in school or do their best in a sport can influence you to work hard to realize your dream, too. Peers who are kind and helpful can influence you to build these qualities in yourself. Even peers you’ve never met can be role models(模范). For example, watching someone your age compete in the Olympics or give a piano concert might inspire you to go after a dream of your own.

Feedback(反饋) and advice

Your peers listen and give you feedback as you try out new ideas. They can help you make decisions, too: what courses to take, whether to get your hair cut or let it grow, or how to solve a problem. Peers often give each other good advice. Your peers will be quick to tell you when they think you’re making a mistake or doing something dangerous.

Socializing（交際）

Being with your peers----such as classmates or teammates----gives you a chance to learn how to make friends and deal with disagreements with people.

New experiences

Your peers might get you involved(參與) in clubs, sports, or volunteer groups. Your world would be far less rich without peers encouraging you to try some new food for the first time, or listen to a CD you have never heard before.

1.The first paragraph is mainly about     .

A．who your peers are

B．how to find peers whose interests are similar to yours

C．the negative influence of peers on each other

D．the difference between your close friends and your peers

2.The author makes  points of how peers have a positive influence on each other.

A．three            B．four              C．five              D．six

3.With which of the following may the author agree?

A．Peers you have never met cannot influence you.

B．You can ask your friends to make a decision for you.

C．You should not play with peers you don’t like.

D．Your peers may cause you to experience new things.

4.The author mentions that good role models can influence you to      .

① work hard to realize your dream

② do something dangerous

③ build good qualities in yourself

④ have fewer friends

A．①③             B．②④             C．②③             D．③④

5.From the fourth paragraph, we can learn that being with your peers gives you a chance to       .

A．influence other people

B．play an important role

C．learn how to make more friends

D．improve your English skills

 

 

＃117: Some people like to have friends who are different from them. Others like to have friends who are similar to them. What kind of friends do you want for yourself?
Kate Join Date: March, 2010 Location: the United Kingdom	I like to have friends who are like me. Both my best friend Vades and I like traveling. We went to Italy last month and stayed there for a week. Next month we want to go to France. However, Vades is more athletic than me.
Ditlady Join Date: April, 2010 Location: Canada	I like to have friends who are like me. It can be very helpful. I’m a little quiet and my good friend Libby is quiet, too. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with my problems and she can tell me what I should do, because she knows about me better than people who are different from me.
Harbinger Join Date: May, 2010	Hi, everyone! I had a cold last week and just got here. In my opinion, it is important to have different kinds of friends. That makes your life more interesting.

1.Where is Kate going next month?

A. To the USA.          B. To the UK.        C. To Italy.       D. To France.

2.What’s Libby like?

A. She’s as beautiful as Ditlady.          B. She’s more outgoing than Ditlady.

C. She’s as quiet as Ditlady.             D. She’s more athletic than Ditlady.

3.What was the matter with Harbinger last week?

A. He had a cold.                      B. He had a headache.

C. He had a fever.                      D. He had a toothache.

4.What kind of friends does Harbinger like to have?

A. Those who are different from him.        B. Those who are the same as him.

C. He doesn’t like to make friends.          D. He likes to have different kinds of friends.

5.What does the underlined word “similar” mean?

A. 一致的          B. 相似的          C. 友好的           D. 簡單的

 

＃117: Some people like to have friends who are different from them. Others like to have friends who are similar to them. What kind of friends do you want for yourself?
Kate Join Date: March, 2011 Location: the United Kingdom	I like to have friends who are like me. Both my best friend Vades and I like traveling. We went to Italy last month and stayed there for a week. Next month we want to go to Paris. However, Vades is more athletic than me.
Ditlady Join Date: april, 2011 Location: Canada	I like to have friends who are like me. It can be very helpful. I’m a little quiet and my good friend Libby is quiet, too. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with my problems and she can tell me what I should do, because she knows about me better than people who are different from me.
Harbinger Join Date: May, 2011	Hi, everyone! I went to see the dentist last week and just got here. In my opinion, it is important to have both kinds of friends. That makes your life more interesting.

【小題1】Where is Kate going next month?
A. To the USA.        B. To the UK.    C. To Italy.           D. To France.
【小題2】What’s Libby like?

A．She’s as beautiful as Ditlady.	B．She’s more outgoing than Ditlady.
C．She’s as quiet as Ditlady.	D．She’s more athletic than Ditlady.

【小題3】What was the matter with Harbinger last week?

A．He had a cold.	B．He had a headache.
C．He had a fever.	D．He had a toothache.

【小題4】What kind of friends does Harbinger like to have?

A．Those who are different from him.	B．Those who are the same as him.
C．He doesn’t like to make friends.	D．He likes to have both kinds of friends.

【小題5】What does the underlined word “similar” mean?

A．一致的

B．相似的

C．友好的

D．簡單的