Ireland now has one of the best education systems in the world. Class sizes are small, exam results are good and most children are happy to stay at school after the minimum(最低的) leaving age of sixteen. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    For years, Ireland had one of the most complicated(复杂的) education systems in the world. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Classes were large and the teaching was very traditional. As in many countries, teachers used to hit the children if they made mistakes. Fortunately, the punishment was not allowed in 1982.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} As a result, there were schools for the rich and schools for the poor. Boys and girls went to different schools. Nowadays, most schools are free and only about half the schools are either for girls or boys. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Girls do better than boys in their exams; more girls go to university and most teachers are women.

    At the end of secondary school, students take their final exams. Compulsory(必修的)subjects are maths, Irish and English. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Some of these, like business organization, help to prepare them for the world of work. This is very different from the past when Latin and Greek used to be the most important subjects.

A. In many ways, education is now a woman's world.

B. Parents used to pay for their children's education.

C. In addition, they must choose two or three extra subjects.

D. Public schools in Ireland are not run by the government.

E. It is easy to forget that the picture used to be very different.

F. Here, children do not learn any subjects but some basic skills.

G. There were many different kinds of school, but most of them had a lot in common.

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

    Injuries and deaths caused by driving after drinking are preventable. Sadly, actions by the police can only catch a small number of drunk drivers on the roads. It is up to each person to make the decisions. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So we should help guide our friends and persuade them to avoid driving after drinking. Here are some tips.

    Start talking to the person early. With every drink, judgment becomes increasingly uncontrolled. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So as soon as your friend starts drinking, you should try to persuade him to make a plan to get home safely. Remember, after he gets drunk, he may not listen to you.

    Help the person realize he is drunk. Talk to him and show him that he is increasingly clumsy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, ask who you can call to pick him up, or what public transport he would like to use. If he knows he is drunk, he may follow your advice.

    Make last efforts. If all else fails and a drunk person wants to drive home, threaten to call the police or take his keys. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When he is not concentrated, take his keys. This may make it easier to convince him to take a cab home. Remember, don't give him the keys even if he's angry.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you once drove home after you got drunk, your friend may not listen to you. So in order to succeed in persuading your friend to avoid driving after drinking, you should behave yourself first.

A. Ask him where his keys are.

B. Set a good role model.

C. Give him an alternative way to get home.

D. But it isn't easy to make the right decisions.

E. Make him realize drinking makes him look like a fool.

F. The police will come to help you out once you call them.

G. It means the more one drinks, the less likely that he will listen to you.

Participating (参与) in Class

    Class participation is a valuable part of learning. Many students are unwilling to participate in class. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Other students participate in class, but do so not correctly. Here is some advice that can help you become an effective class participant.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Do all tasks and readings and go over your notes from previous class periods. This will help to prevent you from making uninformed (无知的) comments or asking unsuitable questions. As you get ready for class, think about important questions and concerns that may appear in class. Be sure that you are prepared to deal with these.

    Try to sit close to the front of the class. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Besides, you can hear what the teachers say clearly.

    Listen to what the other students say. You can then build on their comments to make your own. Be active when you respond to something another student says. You can disagree, but don't go into an "attack mode".

    Don't be afraid to be wrong. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You can learn from being wrong. Don't be afraid to ask questions. This is a good learning skill. Also, the chances are that other students in the class have the same questions as you do, and they will appreciate your asking.

    Be sure that your questions and comments are closely connected with the class topic.

    Don't waste the time of the teacher and other students by going off way. Don't take it in person if others disagree with what you say. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Creating a personal connection helps you feel more comfortable about participating in class.

B. Be confident that your opinions will be valued by your teacher and other students.

C. It's hard to stay unconcerned when you are near to the teacher.

D. Be sure that you are well prepared before coming to class.

E. This may be because they are shy or fearful of being judged and criticized (批评).

F. Your class should be a good place for giving opinions and taking advice.

G. Learning is a change in behavior based on experience.

    For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a performer. But when it came time to go to college and decide what I wanted to be for the rest of my life, I didn't want to choose drama as my major. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So instead of studying drama, I went to law school like my two sisters did before me. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They worked about 80 hours a week, but they made good money and could afford expensive cars and apartments in the city.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I had great benefits, including four weeks of vacation a year, but I never got to use any of my vacation time because there was always too much work to do. I worked from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week, and when I finished, all I could do was get into my bed until I woke up to do it all over again the next day.

    After five years of this lifestyle, I thought I was going to go crazy. I was unhappy and exhausted, and I never saw my friends and my family. I thought that acting in a small community play might make me feel better, but rehearsals (排练) and performances all took place during my work hours. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    I got a small part in a local play, and then a bigger part, and then a lead role. Now I make my living from acting, and every now and then, I do some legal consulting (咨询) for a little extra money. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I had to give up my big apartment and expensive car, but I'm so much happier now.

A. They aren't good examples to me.

B. They seemed happy enough, I thought.

C. I don't get paid a lot for my acting jobs.

D. So I made a serious decision and quit my job.

E. I am certainly a better performer than lawyer.

F. Making a living as a performer seemed impractical to me.

G. After law school, I got a good job and worked as a lawyer for a big company.

    Most college students have their money from their parents, but college is the time for them to begin true responsibility. With the right information at hand and some practice, you can definitely get major financial assistance for college tuition(学费). {#blank#}1{#/blank#}The following is the ways you should know about.

    Play a sport{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I know it is obvious to the football player that sports will increase the possibility, but did you know you can get scholarships for less-known sports? Have a try on golf, sailboat and marathon! A senior year spent learning and perfecting a new sport can lead to a full ride in college.

    Do voluntary work. Most nonprofits have good scholarships for their volunteers Try volunteers. Try volunteering in your community or a community chapter of a major organization. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It can be best to work for an organization that you are familiar with or have a childhood history with.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Try building a personal connection with someone at a scholarship society. Building a relationship through visits, phone calls, and gifts can make you stand out of the crowd. Remember, these people chose the winners from hundreds of applications a day and a personal touch can really make a difference!

    Apply early. It can never be too early to apply for a scholarship. Applying early is another way to stand out of the crowd. You can definitely score a better scholarship earlier with much less competition. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Applying early can lead to more applications overall, and someone who applies to 100 scholarships against 10 has a much better chance of being awarded!

A. Bear in mind

B. Keep in touch.

C. It can also be a numbers game.

D. Living in a poor community may help you a lot.

E  Some of the highest scholarships are given to college athletes.

F. A high level of community service will give you a leg up in college.

G. Experience has proven that scholarships will be given to those who deserve it.

    Before visiting Stonehenge I didn't know much about it. I remember seeing photos in my textbooks and being interested in the large stone structure. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    My visit to Stonehenge made me understand more about it. Stonehenge is an important piece of prehistory that is just outside London, England, in Wiltshire. It is in the middle of a field. My arrival at Stonehenge was by car. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} When arriving at the museum you will not see the stones. They are about a mile away from the main museum building that you enter upon arrival. The museum exhibits(展览品) describing Stonehenge history are in this building as well. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Then you will have a background on the history of the stones.

Then you will take a bus. The bus will drop you off outside the stones where you will take the path around the stones. The path is for tourists to view and walk through. Visiting the stones is quite a magical experience as you are viewing a piece of history that is over 5, 000 years old. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It's hard to believe that the stones were brought from Wales —hundreds of miles away. It's interesting to imagine what the stones were used for. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And the structure that is kept now is only a piece of the original(最初的) structure.

A. I suggest going through it first

B. Tickets are also a necessity for your visit

C. As time has passed many stones have fallen

D. This was probably the easiest way to get there

E. Then you can board the bus back to the main building

F. Once you start viewing the stones you realize how big they are

G. What is more interesting about Stonehenge is how it was built.