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Soon after you have your first child, the question of having a second one is raised by friends and family. However, as the pattern of having two children in a family is challenged by modern family units, there are a few reasons why it is not selfish to want only one child.
Today, the role of women has changed a lot. But nowadays, a wife has to help her husband earn the bread and butter as well as well as looking after her family. In demanding times like these, a woman has to put in more physical and emotional effort than any other member of the family.
Raising a child comes at a cost that remains only heard of, until you find yourself paying it. The good reality of double income with no kids suddenly comes crashing down when there is a child involved in the picture. When one parent (the mother) needs to take some time off to look after the newborn, only one person becomes the earning member. Of course, the expenses went up rapidly. According to Susan Newman, PhD, a social psychologist, the average cost of raising a child is $227,000 from birth to college.
Most young mothers also think that having one child would mean that there is more income for the child, and thus, better facilities can be provided. It is much easier to educate a single child at a good school, and give him/her better life with more resources at hand.
With several children in the house, it becomes increasingly difficult to find ways to spend time with all of them. Dividing your time with just one child means that you can devote a little more time to doing the things you want to. In a single child unit, there are less comparison and more chances for positive motivation to learn new things. A happy child, who deserves the rightful attention, love, care, and time from both the parents, always gets a meaningful childhood, for both the parents and the child.
1.What does the writer mainly want to tell us in the passage?
A.It is not selfish to have only one child in a family.
B.Raising a child costs a lot nowadays.
C.It is more difficult to raise several children in a family.
D.Women are playing a more important role in the family than before.
2.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A.A family with several children can give parents a meaningful life.
B.The only child in a family can more easily get a wonderful childhood.
C.A family with only one child is surely better than a family with several children.
D.You can be more relaxed with several children.
3.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage to support the writer’s opinion?
A.better education. B.meaningful childhood.
C.less generation gap. D.better care.
4.Which of the following is the right structure of the passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
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After entering high school, you must wonder how to study well. Here are some good skills for you, which will be helpful to you.
Go to class.
If you want to do well at school, going to class is the first step in studying well. If you miss (错过) classes, you will miss what the teacher thinks is important; as a result, you'll miss what is the most likely to end up on the test. 1.
Take good notes.
Try not to write down everything. 2.Write down unfamiliar terms. After class, review (复习) your notes as soon as possible. You can fill in details that you missed and review the material while it is still fresh on your mind. 3.
If you are struggling in class, talk to your teacher. He or she may be able to give you more help or tutor (指导) you before or after class. Most teachers have little sympathy (同情) for students who just become worried about failing during the last few weeks of the grading period.
Take part in class discussions.
In order to learn more in class, it is helpful to take part in class discussions. Asking questions and having eye contact (交流) with your teachers and classmates can increase your participation (参与) and your focus during the class discussion.4.This helps you make your point clear in class.
Form study groups.
5.Make sure that everyone is familiar with the material because you do not want to spend time re-teaching material to people who do not understand it. Be careful! Sometimes group sessions can become chatting sessions.
A.Talk to your teacher if you need help.
B.Don't be late for your class.
C.So if you want to study well, go to every class.
D.You should write down all the new terms.
E.All you need is to put the main points in your own words.
F.Get students together who want to do well in class.
G.If the material is difficult, you'd better read it before class.
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There’s nothing like having a child to remind you that you are no longer the center of your own universe. But every now and then, I need to relax with some“me”time.
I booked an overnight trip to Dover, Delaware. We arrived in Delaware right after sunset. Mom and I settled into our hotel room and went downstairs to the restaurant, and then I ordered myself a drink. I had just taken two sips when my husband called me.
“I’m so sorry to bother you,”Craig said.“The baby is burning up and we are on the way to the hospital.”I didn’t know how to reply. I was so desperate to get away to take a break. My baby was sick but I couldn’t do a thing for him. The situation made me feel so helpless.“I don’t know what to do,”I told him.“I’m five hours from home!”“I know,”my husband said.“You can’t help that. I’ll call you when I know what’s wrong.”My husband and my father took the baby to the emergency room. Meanwhile, I searched the restaurant for my mom. Once I found her, we went to our hotel room and waited for a phone call.
Over an hour later, Craig called to tell me that the baby had bronchitis(支气管炎). He seemed to be feeling better. The next morning, when I returned home, the baby was already back to his happy self.
Ever since this incident, I have really struggled with the concept of“me”time. I try to figure out why I need a break from the child who I love very much. However, sometimes I need to feel like a person and not just a mommy machine. In recent months, I have taken some“me”time. My mom helped keep the baby so I could go shopping, take a nap, and clean my house. On a couple of occasions, Craig and I went to dinner with friends. And this summer, I even managed to read an entire novel while the baby rested.
Now I’ve decided not to leave the baby overnight again or travel a long distance without him. I remember when I first announced my pregnancy(怀孕), a friend told me there was no ‘me’ in mommy. Maybe there’s not. But for me, I’m taking“me”time when I can.
1.After the author answered the first phone call, she .
A. took a taxi to the hospital
B. didn’t want to go home
C. was too concerned to have dinner
D. telephoned her father immediately
2.The author’s husband called her again to .
A. tell her to look after his mother
B. inform her of the baby’s condition
C. advise her to buy some medicine
D. complain about their child’s bad behavior
3. For the author, “me”time mainly refers to the time when she needn’t .
A. focus on taking care of her baby
B. read interesting stories to her baby
C. travel a long distance with her baby
D. spend time doing housework by herself
4.What’s the author’s attitude towards her friend’s words?
A. Interested. B. Satisfied.
C. Disappointed. D. Doubtful.
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The question was once asked of a highly 1.( success) businessman, “How have you done so much in your lifetime?” He replied, “I have dreamed.” I have turned my mind 2.(imagine) what I wanted to do. Then I have gone to bed and 3.(think) about my dreams. In the night I dreamed about my dreams. And when I awoke in the morning, I saw the way to make dreams real.”
While other people were saying, “ You can’t do that, and it is 4.(possible).” I was well on my way to 5.(achieve) what I wanted. As Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of 6. U.S., said, “We grow great by dreams.”
All big men are dreamers. Some of us let these dreams die, 7. others protect them and take care 8.them through bad days until they bring them to the sunshine and light which always comes to those who 9.(sincere) hope that their dreams will come true. So please, don’t let anyone steal your dreams, or try to tell you they are too impossible. “Sing your 10.(song), and dream your dreams, hope your hope.”
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You don’t expect your child to grow up to be a heroin addict．From the moment of her birth, you have hopes and dreams about the future，but they never include heroin addiction．That couldn’t happen to your child, because addiction is the result of a bad environment．bad parenting．There is most definitely someone or something to blame．
That’s what I used to believe．But after failed rehab and long periods of separation from my heroin-addicted daughter，after years of holding my breath，waiting for another relapse，I now believe there is no blame．
After Katie admitted her addiction．I struggled to understand how this could have happened to my daughter—a bright，beautiful，talented and most importantly，loved young woman．When the initial shock wore off,I analyzed and inventoried all the whys and hows of Katie’s addiction．I searched for someone or something to blame．I blamed her friends．I blamed her dad．I blamed our divorce．But mostly, I blamed myself．My desperate heart convinced me that I should have prevented Katie’s addiction．and that given another chance．I could correct my mistakes．
When Katie came home from rehab．I approached each day with the zeal of a drill sergeant. I championed the 12-step program and monitored her improvement daily as though curing heroin addiction was as simple as nursing a cold．I drove her to therapy sessions and AA meetings． I controlled everything and left nothing to chance. But in spite of my efforts，Katie didn’t get better．She left my home，lost again to the powerful grip of addiction．
In the long days，weeks and months that followed，I gathered bits and pieces of old beliefs and tried to assemble them into something whole．Sometimes I gave up．and sometimes I simply let go,Gradually, my search for blame changed to a longing for hope．I comforted myself with the only thing that still connected me to my daughter：love．
I thought about Katie every day，and I missed her．I cried．and worried about her safety and whereabouts. I wrote letters I knew she’d never see．Sometimes I woke up panicked in the middle of the night, certain that mother’s intuition(直觉)was preparing me for something bad．But through it all，I loved her.
I don’t know why or how my daughter became addicted to heroin：I do know that it doesn’t really matter．Life goes on and Katie is still my daughter．
Katie and I meet for breakfast on Friday mornings now．We drink coffee and talk．I don’t try to heal her. I just love her．Sometimes there is pain and sorrow，but there is no blame．I believe there is only love．
1.The reason why the daughter became a heroin addict was________．
A．found by her mother at last B．not mentioned in the passage
C．her friends’invitation D．her parents’divorce
2.The underlined sentence means ________．
A．the mother tried to keep her daughter from heroin
B．Katie succeeded in giving up heroin
C．after rehab Katie couldn’t do any work
D．the mother gave Katie no chance to correct mistakes
3.We can infer from the passage that________．
A．Katie was a bright，beautiful and talented woman
B．Katie and her mother didn’t love each other
C．the mother persuaded her daughter to give up heroin
D．the mother didn’t live with her daughter later
4.What’s the best title for the passage?
A．More love，less blame B．The reason of Katie’s heroin addiction
C．My daughter D．Katie’s life
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Effective Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher conference is a golden chance for parents to know their kids, school life and what is really going on at school. But only if they use the opportunity wisely.
1. .
●Do Your Homework
Parents need to speak with a number of teachers in a short period of time, making it difficult for them to get everything straight. 2. . Cyndy McDonald, a guidance consultant in California, suggests parents make good plans in mind, such as who they would like to meet, and what issue they need to address.
● 3.
Parents may only have a few minutes with your child's teacher to find out how things are going at school. McDonald suggests having a few questions ready, and she recommends asking these questions : Is my child raising his/her hand and participating in class? How is my child getting along with their classmates? Do you see any problems I should be aware of? What can I do as a parent to provide support at home?
●Be on the same team
Cyndy McDonald stresses, “ The most important thing is to go in with the attitude that we're all on the same team. 4. . ” If your child is missing homework, for example, be sure to talk with your child's teachers to find out. Tell them what works in other classes for your child and let them try this in their class.
With enough preparations, parents may get their problems solved more easily. “ 5. ," she says.
A.Help children in trouble
B.Prepare questions to ask
C.Here's how to make the most of this precious opportunity
D.Sometimes this approach doesn't lead to a positive result
E.Without a plan in advance, the time can pass quickly without getting anything
F.Teachers want to hear that parents will support them in educating the children
G.If a parent comes to me with good preparations, my job will be so much easier
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What if you could have your whole backpack at the touch of your fingertips? In the first month of the Apple iPads release, 25million were sold! People all over the world use iPads for all sorts of different things, but one of their finest qualities is the ability to be a textbook. ___1.____
To begin with, iPad are less expensive. Textbooks become outdated and schools have to buy new books, but with an iPad schools can update them for free. __2.___ Schools don’t have to spend $500 every year for iPads because they last a while and can be updated.
___3.__ Students usually have multiple classes, which results in multiple textbooks. Heavy backpacks filled with books can cause back problem. A solution to that is an iPad, which only weighs 1.33 pounds and can hold all of a student’s textbooks.
Third, schools should get rid of their textbooks and get iPads because they have more capabilities. Some might think all of the apps are distracting, but the apps actually make iPads more efficient. 4.___ Textbooks cannot do those tasks, but iPads can easily do them with just a tap of the fingertip.
Lastly, iPads are a better choice for schools instead of textbooks because these devices allow students to access their learning anywhere at any time. __5.____ With iPads, they find it easier to get their homework done.
In conclusion, schools should get rid of their clumsy textbooks and switch to iPads. iPads have allowed this generation to have their entire backpack in the palm of their hands.
A. These tablets are perfect for busy students.
B. Second, iPads cost less and are more popular.
C. Therefore, they can use the saved money for other programs.
D. iPads have already replaced textbooks in over 600 American counties.
E. Moreover, in high school, textbooks have an average of 4.8 pounds each.
F. Schools have every reason to do away with their school books and switch to iPads.
G. iPads absorb the need to buy calculators, dictionaries, and other items that are found within the device.
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Small talk is stressful for even the most easy-going people. 1. Below, small-talk experts share their best advice on developing good chatting skills.
Ask questions.
The key to good small talk is asking the other person a lot of questions. But avoid rapid-fire questions. 2. Be sure to express your own feelings in response to what they share.
Avoid conversation starters like “How have you been?”
You could not ask a more awkward question. A better way to produce meaningful conversation is to add “What is new in your life since the last time I saw you?
Avoid one-word answers.
3. When someone asks you a question, give them something to talk about with you, not a word or two. Fine said, if someone asks you, “How was your summer?”, you can answer, for instance. My summer was great. I’m excited about my vegetable garden. That will give the person something else to ask you about.
4.
Your facial expression and body language should let the other person know you’re truly listening to them. A recent study showed that people who used hand or head gestures received responses to their questions faster than those who didn’t.
Small talk may help you connect with someone new with whom you want to have a more serious talk. 5.
A.You don’t have to be a reporter.
B.Don’t worry about it too much, though.
C.You could not ask a more inconvenient question.
D.It’s the first step to any meaningful relationship.
E.Use your hands to keep the conversation flowing.
F.Don’t be a disappointing person in a conversation.
G.You should make a conversation with people you like.
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My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body. Through the years I would guess at what I thought was the correct answer.
When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, “My ears, Mommy.” She said, “No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon.”
Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated (仔细考虑) the correct answer. So this time I told her, “Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes.” She looked at me and told me, “You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind.”
Over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, “No, but you are getting smarter every year, my child.”
Then last year, my Grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, “Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?”
I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face and told me, “This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived your life.” I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, “My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder.”
I asked, “Is it because it holds up your head?”
She replied, “No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometimes in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.”
Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one. It is sympathetic to the pain of others.
1.Why did the writer first think “ears” were the most important part of body?
A.Because he thought that the sound was sweet to hear.
B.Because he thought that the sound was essential to humans.
C.Because he thought that the sound can be heard by people.
D.Because he thought that the sound can pass through quickly.
2.What happened to the writer’s family last year in the passage?
A.His house was burnt.
B.His mother left home.
C.His grandpa passed away.
D.His father was hurt in an accident.
3.Where did the writer get the correct answer from his mother?
A.At home. B.At the school.
C.At the station. D.At the funeral.
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A.We should learn to understand others’ pain.
B.We should listen to our mothers’ words.
C.We should hold up our head high.
D.We should often cry in life.
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear Jenny,
Welcome to my school! When you arrive, there will be a party for you holding by my classmates. You may attend to English classes to feel a differently learning style. After that, you can go to your host family that you can experience the Chinese way of life. You can have meals together chatting anything that interests us.The host family will also show you around some famous scenic spot. You can see people selling kites everywhere because our city was home to kites. There are many kinds of kites to choose from. So isn't it the good idea to buy some for your friends? Write to me unless you have any questions about the schedule.
Best wishes.
Yours,
Zhang Ming