Q: In America, most people don't get enough sleep. Children aged 5 to 12 are advised to sleep 10 to 11 hours every night, but most of them can't sleep that long. A study found that about 41 million American workers got less than six hours of sleep every night. Scientists worry that parents are passing their bad sleeping habits down to their children. In the study, Reut Gruber and some other scientists either added or reduced on hour of sleep for healthy children aged 7 to 11. They watched the children for five nights. They wanted to know if the amount of sleep can affect a child's behavior. Before the study began, students were asked to sleep the same amount of hours as usual. Their teachers were asked to record their behavior. After five nights of the records, scientists found that those who slept one hour less behaved worse than those who slept one hour more. Students with less sleep were more likely to feel sad and had more problems paying attention. The scientists chose to study children in their homes instead of in a laboratory, because they wanted to find out how everyday changes might affect children's behavior at school. "In the study, nobody became a talent, and nobody became crazy. But small changes in children can really make a big difference," says Gruber. Scientists worry that  _   may cause children to sleep less. A) too much homework B) pressure from parents C) TV and computer games D) parents' bad sleeping habits
A: D


Q: long ago people made fires from lightning .  But they had to keep the fire burning, for they couldn't start it again if there was no lightning. Later, they found out hitting two piece of stone together could make a spark  . The spark could fire dry leaves. In this way they could make the fire again if it went out. Then people also learned to make a fire by rubbing. They made a hole on a big piece of wood and put a smaller stick into the hole. They turned the stick again and again. After a few minutes they got a fire. As years went by, people learned other ways to make a fire. Sometimes they used the heat from sun. they held a piece of glass in the right way and made a piece of paper on fire. About two centuries ago, people began to make matches  . Matches brought people a quick and easy way to make fire. Today matches are still being used, but people have more new ways to make fires. One of them is to use an electric fire starter. Of course an electric fire starter is much more expensive than a box of matches. But it is more useful. We can also get a fire by   _  . A) making a hole on a big piece of wood B) putting a smaller stick into the hole C) turning the stick hard for a while D) doing all the above together
A: D


Q: Most people want their children to be successful in school and a parent's role in that success must be very important. Parents should help children to build their confidence and achievements. Parents should also play the role of a friend as well as a teacher in children's education. Learning about math or reading isn't the only problem we face in school. Maybe we are having problems with teachers, classmates or other people. At this time we really need a person who is ready to hear what we are thinking. And the person should be you---my dear parents. If we have nobody to talk with, we will have more stress in our school life. Please listen to our worries. It's good for our study and health. On the other hand, parents can't leave all the problems to the teachers. Although it's their job, even the best and brightest teachers can not take care of every child. We still need personal attention, so the role the parents is to make sure we can get _ . Stay in touch with our homework and the tests. Connect with our teachers regularly to talk about how things are going in our classroom. If we need more help, be active in getting it and work with us. Nothing helps a child succeed more than a parent. A little willingness from a parent can play a very important role in the children's studies. The more attention parents pay, the more achievements children will make. When we are having problems with others, we really need a person who is ready to A) listen to our worries B) care for our health C) work out math problems D) help with our studies
A: A


Q: Every student in America likes popular music. Students carry small radios  with earphones  and listen to music before class, after class and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers  and play the music as they drive on the street. Adult  drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news  about sports, the weather, the life of American people. Most of the radio programmes  are music. Pop music singers make much money. Once the popular singer is famous all over the country, young people buy his or her tapes . Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. There are other kinds of music. They are important to Americans. One is folk music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is western  or country music. This kind of songs started by cowboys watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl we call western or country music. When do students in America listen to pop music? A) Only after class. B) Only at home. C) Only when they are driving. D) Before class, after class and at lunch.

A: D