The best way of learning a language is using it. The best way of learning English is talking in English as
much as possible. Sometimes you'll get your words mixed up (混合) and people will not understand you.
Sometimes people will say things too quickly and you can't understand them. But if you keep your sense of
humor (幽默感), you can always have a good laugh at the mistakes you make. Don't be unhappy if people
seem to be laughing at your mistakes. It's better for people to laugh at your mistakes than to be angry with
you, because they don't understand what you are saying. The most important thing for learning English is:
Don't be afraid of making mistakes because everyone makes mistakes.

1. The writer thinks that the best way for you to learn a language is _____.

A. writing
B. using it
C. listening
D. learning grammar

2. What should you do in learning English?

A. Be careful not to make any mistake.
B. Write as quickly as you can.
C. Speak English as much as you can.
D. Laugh more often.

3. When people laugh at your mistakes, you should _____.

A. not care 
B. be happy
C. feel worried
D. be unhappy

4. When you make a mistake, you should _____.

A. keep quiet
B. get angry
C. be kind
D. keep your sense of humor

5. The story tells us that _____.

A. only foolish people make mistakes
B. few people make mistakes
C. people never make mistakes
D. there is no one who doesn't make mistakes

                                                 How do I study English?
     I often hear some students say English is difficult, and it gives them a headache. So they can't learn
it well. But English is very easy for me. I'm good at it. I'm very glad to tell you something about how I
study English.
    First, I think an interest in English is very important. When I was in Grade One, we had a new
subject-English. It was fresh for me. I was interested in it, so I worked hard at it. Soon we had an English
exam and I got a very good mark. How happy I was! After that, I learned English harder and harder. Our
English teacher often teaches us English songs, which sound nice. I often think how interesting English
is!
     Second, I think English is a foreign language. I should learn it well in the following ways: Listen to the
teacher carefully, speak bravely, read aloud and have a good vocabulary. Then practice again and again,
never be tired. And I also have a good habit: Ask-whenever I have a question. I must make it clear by asking
our English teacher. How happy I am when I understand!
     Besides this, I often read English stories, jokes and easy novels. From these I know English is not only
interesting, but also useful. They help me understand a lot of things. So to do more reading is an important
way to learn English well.
     And I also do some exercises from our class magazines, and I often write English diaries. English has
become a close friend of mine.
     Now I have learned English for more than two years. I always keep the first position in our school. From
these words, I hope every student can learn English well.

1. Why do some students often "have a headache" ?

A. Because they are easy to catch cold.
B. Because it's often very cold.
C. Because they think English is easy.
D. Because they don't think English is easy.

2. The writer tells us that we should be _____ in English if we want to learn it well.

A. excited
B. interested
C. careful
D. strict

3. The sentence "I got a very good mark" means _____.

A. I got a good way
B. I had a good idea
C. I did badly in the exam
D. I did well in the exam

4. The writer thinks English is interesting because _____.

A. English is full of stories
B. English is full of jokes
C. he can learn nice English songs
D. of nothing

5. Which of the following is NOT the way the writer studies by?

A. Speaking bravely.
B. Writing to foreign friends.
C. Reading aloud.
D. Writing English diaries.

     People's appearance (外貌) depends on things called genes (基因). Genes are found in the cells (細(xì)胞)
of people's bodies, and they are passed on from parents to children. Here are some facts about eyes.
     Many Europeans and Americans can have blue, green or brown eyes. But a brown-eyed person, for
example, may also carry genes for another colour in his / her body. So two brown-eyed or green-eyed parents
may not have a child with eyes of the same colour. If a child's father and mother both have brown eyes, the
child will probably also have brown eyes, but this is not certain.
     If one parent has blue eyes and one has brown eyes, their children may have either blue eyes or brown
eyes, but most probably will have brown eyes. The gene for blue eyes is recessive (隱性的) and the gene for
brown eyes is dominant (顯性的). This means that if a child gets a gene for blue eyes and also a gene for
brown eyes from. its parents, brown will win, and the child's eyes' will be brown, not blue.

(      )1. Children look like their parents because they get genes from their parents.
(      )2. A brown-eyed person only carries the gene for brown eyes in his / her body.
(      )3. If a child has brown eyes, its parent may have eyes of other colours.
(      )4. If a child's father and mother both have green eyes, the child's eyes must be green.
(      )5. If one parent has blue eyes and one has brown eyes, their child mostly has brown eyes.

     What do Napoleon, Clinton and Wang Nan have in common? They are all left-handed. Today about 15%
of people are left-handed. But, why are people left-handed? The answer is the way the brain (腦子) works.
The brain has two halves-the right half and the left half. The right half controls (控制) the left side of the body,
and the left controls the right side of the body. So right-handed people have a strong left brain, and left-handed
people have a strong right brain.
     The two halves of the brain are about the same size. But each side controls different things. The left side
controls language, maths and logic (邏輯). When you remember new words, or when you put things in order,
you use your left side.
     The right side of the brain controls your love of art, colour and music. It is also good at recognizing (識(shí)別)
faces.
      This does not mean that all artists are left-handed and all accountants (會(huì)計(jì)) are right-handed. Some
right-handers have a strong right brain, and some left-handers have a strong left brain.

1. The phrase "in common" in the first sentence means _____.

A. the same
B. different
C. strange

2. Whether people are right-handed or left-handed is mostly decided by _____.

A. their parents
B. their minds
C. the way the brain works

3. Each side of the brain _____.

A. likes music and maths
B. controls different things
C. controls the same things

4. When you are singing, you are using your _____.

A. logic thinking
B. left brain
C. right brain

5. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. If a man has a strong right brain, he must be an accountant.
B. Not all the artists are left-handed.
C. If a man has a strong left brain, he must be a left-hander.

     Should calligraphy (書法) be taught at school?
     Although in an information age, most things can be found or done on the computer, we should go back
to handwriting by using a brush and ink. Some people think students should study calligraphy at school.
Calligraphy is part of our old culture. It dates back to early times. Traditional calligraphy is well worth
learning. The Chinese need to carry on with it. What's more, calligraphy is fine art, more than writing. Written
Chinese is well known for its beauty. For example, every stroke (筆畫) of a character shows richness, feeling,
energy and so on. Even foreigners enjoy looking at it for its beauty. If you are good at it, it is certainly a way
of self-cultivation (自我陶冶). It often helps build up one's personality. Are you going to learn it soon?

(     )1. Our time is called an information age.                        
(     )2. Calligraphy is part of Chinese culture.                       
(     )3. There is nothing in Chinese writing.                          
(     )4. Only foreigners enjoy the beauty of calligraphy.              
(     )5. The writer thinks that calligraphy should be taught at school.

     Some people believe that schools will no longer be necessary in the near future. They say that because
of the Internet and other new technology, there is no longer any need for school buildings, classes or teachers.
Perhaps this will be true one day, but if the world has no schools, I can't imagine how our society will be. In
fact, we should learn how to use new technology to make schools better. We should invent a new kind of
school that is linked (連接) to libraries, museums, science centres, labs and even companies. Technological
companies should create (創(chuàng)造) learning programs for schools. Scientists could give talks through the Internet.
TV networks and local (本地的) stations could develop programs about things students are studying in school.
Labs could set up websites to show technology so students could see it on the Internet.
     Is this a dream? No. There are already many cities where this is beginning to happen. Here the whole city is
linked to the Internet, and learning can take place at home, at school, and in the office. Businesses provide
programs for schools and society. The schools provide computer labs for people without their own computers
at home. Because everyone can go on the Internet, older people use it as much as younger ones, and everyone
can visit faraway libraries and museums easily. How will this new kind of school change the usual way of
learning? It is too early to be sure, but it is very exciting to think about it. Technology will change the way we
learn; schools will change as well; and we will all learn something from the Internet.

1. Who' thinks that students don't have to learn at school?

A. Everyone.
B. The writer.
C. Some people.
D. The teachers.

2. What does "a new kind of school" mean in the passage?

A. A school with many new computers.
B. A school with many new students.
C. A school with many new teachers.
D. A school which is linked to the Internet.

3. Older people _____.

A. never go on the Internet
B. go on the Internet more often than younger ones
C. go on the Internet as often as younger ones
D. go on the Internet less often than younger ones

4. The writer thinks that _____.

A. schools are still necessary
B. more schools should be built
C. there should be fewer schools
D. more computers are needed in schools

5. Which of the following sentences is NOT true?

A. Technology will change our way of learning.
B.  If you are a student, you can set up websites to show new technology.
C. The schools provide computer labs for those who have no personal computers.
D. On the Internet, you can visit another city's library easily.