"Why do we have to learn all this dumb stuff?...

"Why do we have to learn all this dumb stuff?"

Of all the complaints and questions I have heard from my students during my years in the classroom, this was the one most frequently asked. I would answer it by telling the following legend.

One night a group of nomads(游牧民) were preparing to retire for the evening when suddenly they were surrounded by a great light. They knew they were in the presence of a godly being. With great expectation, they awaited a heavenly message of great importance that they knew must be especially for them.

Finally, the voice spoke, "Gather as many pebbles (鹅卵石) as you can. Put them in your bags. Travel a day's journey and tomorrow night will find you glad and it will find you sad."

The nomads shared their disappointment and anger with each other. They had expected the

inspiration of a great universal truth that would enable them to create wealth, health and purpose for the world. But instead they were given a silly task that made no sense to them at all. However, the memory of the brilliance of their visitor caused each one to pick up a few pebbles and store them in their bags while voicing their displeasure.

They traveled a day's journey and that night while making camp, they reached into their bags and discovered every pebble they had gathered had become a diamond. They were glad they had diamonds. They were sad they had not gathered more pebbles.

It was an experience I had with a student, whom I shall call Alan, early in my teaching career that illustrated the truth of that legend to me.

When Alan was in the eighth grade, he majored in "trouble" with a minor in "suspensions (停学)". He had studied how to be a bully and was getting his master's degree in "thievery".

Every day I had my students memorize a quotation from a great thinker. As I called roll, I would begin a quotation. To be counted present, the student would be expected to finish the thought.

"Alice Adams--- 'There is no failure except..."'

"'In no longer trying.' I'm present, Mr. Schlatter."

So, by the end of the year, my young pupils would have memorized 150 great thoughts.

"People nowadays know the price of everything and the value of nothing."

"No pains, no gains."

"If you can conceive it, and believe it, you can achieve it."

No one complained about this daily routine other than Alan - right up to the day he was expelled(开除) and I lost touch with him for five years. Then one day, he called. He was in a special program at one of the neighboring colleges and had just finished parole（假释）.

He told me that after being sent to juvenile hall (少管所) and finally being shipped off to the

California Youth Authority for his wrong doings, he had become so disgusted with himself that he had taken a razor blade and cut his wrists.

He said, "You know what, Mr. Schlatter, as I lay there with my life running out of my body, I

suddenly remembered that quote you made me write 20 times one day." There is no failure except in no longer trying." Then it suddenly made sense to me. As long as I was alive, I wasn't a failure, but if I allowed myself to die, I would most certainly die a failure. So with my remaining strength, I called for help and started a new life."

At the time he had heard the quotation, it was a pebble. When he needed guidance in a moment of crisis, it had become a diamond. And so it is to you I say, gather all the pebbles you can, and you can count on a future filled with diamonds.

1.What does the underlined sentence "it will find you sad" mean?

A.The God told the nomads to gather pebbles that made no sense to them.

B.The pebbles won't enable the nomads to create fortune.

C.The God didn't give the nomads the message they expected.

D.The nomads regretted not having gathered as many pebbles as possible.

2.Which of following sentences from the passage brings out the author's sense of humor?

A.They were given a silly task that made no sense to them at all. (Para. 5)

B.He majored in "trouble" with a minor in "suspensions. (Para. 8)

C.People nowadays know the price of everything and the value of nothing. (Para. 13)

D.You can count on a future filled with diamonds. (Para. 19)

3.Which of the following is FALSE according to the passage?

A.Not all the nomads gathered and stored some pebbles in their bags.

B.Students who finished the half-sentence quotation were counted present.

C.All students don't like the daily routine of finishing the half-sentence quotation.

D.It was the strong faith of never dying a failure that saved Alan's life.

4.Why did Alan commit suicide after being shipped off to the California Youth Authority?

A.He hated the hard life in the juvenile hall.

B.He was expelled by the school in the end.

C.He was badly treated at the California Youth Authority.

D.He felt so disappointed and hopeless about himself and his future.

5.According to the passage, we can conclude that Mr. Schlatter is an educator of _____.

A.sympathy and kindness B.wisdom and patience

C.generosity and creativity D.faith and devotion

6.Which of the following may probably be the best title?

A.A naughty trouble-marker. B.Pebbles and nomads.

C.The magic pebble. D.A quotation that saved life.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, we might all be braggarts(大话王) in this competitive society addicted to social networking.

Take a close look at your social­networking sites. Do you like to post photos of yourself in restaurants to show others what an exciting life you have? Or do you like to write about how happily in love you are? Or perhaps you are of the subtle type who constantly complain about jobs but really just want to impress others with your important position.

According to the results of a series of experiments conducted by Harvard University neuroscientists(神经科学家), the reward areas of our brain——the same areas that respond to “primary rewards” such as food ——are activated when we talk about ourselves. We devote between 30 to 40 percent of our conversation time to doing just that. Unfortunately, Bernstein says, some people can't tell the difference between sharing positive information that others might actually want to know and direct bragging. She suggests that bragging involves comparison, whether stated or implied.

“We are expected to be perfect all the time. The result is that more and more people are carefully managing their online images”. says Elizabeth Bernstein, a columnist with the Wall Street Journal.

But the issue is not limited to the Internet. In a fiercely competitive job market we must sell ourselves on multiple platforms and show that we are better than others. In fact, we have become so accustomed to bragging that we don't even realize we are doing it, says Bernstein. This is harmful to our relationships and puts people off.

Bernstein talked to some experts who said that people brag for all sorts of reasons: to appear worthy of attention; to prove to ourselves we are doing fine and that people who said we would fail are wrong; or simply because we're excited when good things happen to us.

“Feel sorry for them, because they're doing this unconscious, destructive thing that won't help them in the long run，” said Professor Simian Valier, a research psychologist at Washington University.

1.The underlined word “subtle” in Para.2 is closest in meaning to “________”．

A．hidden　     B．apparent

C．outstanding　     D．simple

2.Which of the following is one of the features of braggarts?

A．They control conversation and only talk about themselves.

B．They know well how to share positive information.

C．They self­promote to stand out in their career.

D．They don't pay much attention to their online image.

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A．Braggarts make a good first impression but the effect decreases over time.

B．People who like bragging know what they are doing.

C．Braggarts always adopt comparison directly to show they are excellent.

D．They care much about the feelings of others when talking.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Have you ever imagined your future？ I try to do this all the time． Most of us will follow in our _______footsteps， by this I mean our adult lives will _______resemble the lives we live as children， set by our parents' examples． Have you ever _______and thought about this？ What an awful job it must be to _______a child properly! But， what happens to the children that live _______drugs， alcohol and violence in their childhood？ Where can they find good examples for themselves？

I know of one place that is trying to_______all children． It is the McDowell County D．A．R．E． program in McDowell County North Carolina． Our teachers carry on their shoulders the great_______of teaching kids to just say NO to drugs， alcohol and violence． I am personally acquainted with _______of these things， not because I have ever_______them myself， but because of my dad． He drank， _______drugs and smoked pot （抽大麻）． When I was 7 my mom took me and my sister and ______． I wonder if my dad ever thought about the _______and what this bad decision would lead to when he first started experimenting with drugs and pot at 13． He has been in jail， he can't get a decent job， and he lost his ______． These bad choices also caused him to hurt his children in horrible ways．

I am _______that I have at least one parent to help me make wise decisions， and to teach me right from wrong． I am also _______that the D．A．R．E． program is taught in our schools． One of the most _______things I learned from D．A．R．E． is that a person that has a parent with an addiction problem is more than twice as likely to become addicted themselves， as compared to a person that has no family history of drug ______． I have learned many things through this ______， especially about the consequences of our trying drugs． You could get arrested， hurt yourself or someone else，_______ your life by becoming an addict， or even die． All of these things are terrible， but I can't think of anything _______as a parent than hurting our children and the people that love us． DRUGS DESTROY LIVES! I give the D．A．R．E． program two thumbs up， for all the good things being accomplished．

1.A. grandma's B. brother's C. parents' D. teachers'

2.A. closely B. loosely C. hardly D. physically

3.A. lived B. stopped C. started D. decided

4.A. praise B. understand C. appreciate D. raise

5.A. on B. over C. in D. for

6.A. treat B. represent C. reach D. persuade

7.A. pressure B. responsibility C. probability D. advantage

8.A. both B. all C. none D. neither

9.A. smoked B. accepted C. tried D. refused

10.A. ate B. sold C. took D. bought

11.A. went B. wept C. begged D. left

12.A. reasons B. possibilities C. program D. consequences

13.A. patience B. temper C. family D. position

14.A. lucky B. aware C. sure D. clear

15.A. concerned B. disappointed C. curious D. grateful

16.A. important B. exciting C. strange D. attractive

17.A. sales B. purchases C. abuse D. production

18.A. behavior B. program C. experience D. action

19.A. destroy B. build C. save D. lose

20.A. wiser B. easier C. worse D. better

高三英语完形填空困难题查看答案及解析

We all have times of insecurity in life, _____ there is nothing to do but bravely face the feelings of doubt.

A.which B.when C.where D.that

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Why do we have to ________ Joan’s selfish behavior? She should learn to care for others.

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Class 101

This class is intended for adolescents to learn social skills all of us need. We'll cover everything from how to begin conversations with strangers to ways of calming your nerves when you do. You'll learn what makes some people more popular than others and simple things you can do to feel more like you fit it.

Place: Karman Executive Center, Bellevue

Time: From 6:30 PM to 8:30PM, on Saturday in May Fee:＄135.00 includes workbooks Class 102

We design this class to help to get over fears. In this class, we'll cover the basics--- the origins of shyness, strategies for focusing on the kind of shyness your child experiences, social skills you can teach in your home, and tips for working with teachers to help your child fit in at school.

Place: Karman Executive Center, Bellevue

Time: From 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, on Sunday in May

Fee: $85.00

Class 103

Do you find yourself searching for something to say when you meet someone new in your work?

Then why not ,join us in learning the secret of successful conversation? In this fun-filled evening,

we'll demystify(深入浅出地解释)the art of conversation and practice some easy techniques to put

yourself and others at ease.

Place: North Campus, Bellevue

Time: 6:30PM to 9:30PM on Thursday, May 23rd

hee: $49.00

C1ass 104

1.If a student wants to be popular with others, he or she should choose　　　 ．

A. Class 101　 B. Class 104

C. Class 102　　 D. Class 103

2. The class that can help a child to improve their EQ costs　　　 ．

A.＄135,00　 B.85.00　 C.＄59.00　 D.$ 49.00

3.We can learn from the text that

A，most of the classes are given in the same building

B. all of the classes are given on weekends

C.all the classes are given in May

D. fees for most classes include workbooks

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

This site , all-birds. com, is about bird watching. Enjoy your browsing. There is much to learn and see.

Bird Watching Equipment

Some items that might make bird watching more enjoyable are binoculars （ 双目望远镜） , a camera, some kind of system for keeping notes, and maybe a back pack． Birders often keep lists of the birds they see along with notes about the habits． There is some great bird log software that will let you keep records on your computer． For more details on choosing binoculars see our Binocular -Optics page．

Clothes

If you are walking through a wooded area just wear clothes you would wear on any hike or field trip． You are best off wearing clothes with dull colors that mix into the background． Greens, browns, and grays are good． Avoid fabrics that rustle（沙沙响）easily． Depending on the birds you are watching you may want to get rain gear, rubber boots and warm clothing． For birds such as owls that you might look for in the evening a strong flashlight is also handy．

Choosing a Bird Field Guide

Take a good field guide to identify birds． Look for clear color pictures that make it easy to recognize one bird from another． Next to each picture should be detailed descriptions of each bird's anatomy, habits, and what it eats． The guide should have information about what habitat each species uses． Many guides have maps showing the range of different birds along with their migration patterns．

Where and When to see Birds

Learning the habitats of birds in your area will increase the number of birds you see, and make  your birding more enjoyable． If you know that Meadow larks are likely to be in open grassy areas, and  dippers are forage along stream beds, you may be looking for them if you are in those types of  habitats． Edge areas where different types of habitats meet will likely have more species in them． You  are more likely to see specific birds at certain times of the day． For example songbirds are easier to see  two to three hours after dawn, or just before sunset． This is when songbirds are most actively feeding．  Many small birds will be silent or even hidden during the rest of the day． After sunup is the best time to see eagles and hawks． Visibility is best for hunting at this time, and they can soar on the thermal currents from the warmed air． Birds like owls are more likely to be seen in the evening． Many  shorebirds and waders rest at high tide and feed when the water rises or falls．

Photographing Birds

Patience in Bird Photography

Most birds are afraid of people, and all species have their own comfort zone． With a little  time you can learn the comfort zone of the birds you are photographing． Once they know that you  are not a threat you may be able to get closer．

Type or Style

Your reason for photographing birds may determine your style and the kind of equipment you  use． If you are just recording the kinds of birds you see you don't need to get as close, and you  can use less expensive equipment, then you need for high quality prints.

Photographing Birds in Flight

Photographing birds in flight can be fun． Many digital cameras have a tracking function． With these you focus on the bird, and then as you track it the lens will keep focus．

Use Your Yard

Choose an open area where the birds will get direct sunlight, showing off their magnificent colors．

Try using props

Birds will often land on a stick or post near a seed feeder before going to the feeder． The background was just an out of focus fence but you can use anything you want for a background, and then wait for a bird to perch.

1.The main purpose of the passage is to _____.

A. attract more people to photograph birds

B. help birders learn how to identify and understand birds

C. call on people to set some comfort zones for birds

D. inform birders of the results of a scientific research on birds

2.Clothes in ______ are highly recommended when you are going bird watching．

A. red        B. yellow       C. brown           D. blue

3.________ are likely to be seen at 7 in the morning．

A. Owls     B. Shorebirds     C. Songbirds     D. Larks

4.Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the passage?

A. A stick in the yard may scares birds off when you are photographing them．

B. It will be wise for birders to hire a guide for themselves．

C. Birders have to bring some notebooks to keep records of birds' habits．

D. A flashlight will come in handy when you look for owls．

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

.—Why don’t you like the shirt?

—Its neck is not big for me at all. Have you got a shirt of this kind with _____ neck?

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

—— You seem to have learned all the English words by heart.

_____ .

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

What do we learn from this conversation?

A. The man went to a wrong check-in counter.

B. When the plane will take off remains unknown.

C. The man has just missed his flight.

高三英语短对话简单题查看答案及解析