D

    When I was a child，I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and go to the city．We lived on a farm，and especially in winter，we were quite out off from the outside world．As soon as I left school，I packed my bags and moved to the city．However，I soon discovered that my life has its disadvantages，too．

    One big disadvantage is money．It costs so much to go out，not to mention basics like food and housing．Another disadvantage is pollution．①空气是如此的脏以至于我害怕出去。 Then there is the problem of traveling round．Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams．One choice is to go by bike，but that can be dangerous

    Of course there are advantages．First，there is so much to do in the city．And there are wonderful jobs and more chances of moving to a more important job or position．Finally，if you like shopping，the kind of goods is very surprising．②What's more，there are many shops that are not far from your home．

    Is life better in the city then? Perhaps it is，when you are in your teens or twenties．However，as you get older，and especially if you have small children，the peace of the countryside may be a better choice．I certainly hope to move back there soon．

    If you have a brother or a sister, you already know you are different from each other. You live together in the same house and have the same parents. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}． Why is this? One possible reason is the way your parents treat you.

    First—born children receive all the attention from their parents. Most families have much more photos of a first—born than any other child. Parents give them more responsibility（责任）.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}． As a result, first—borns are often responsible, hard—working and serious. They often want to do well at school and work.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}． For example, Gorge Bush, George Washington, and Lyndon Baines Johnson are all first—born.

    When a second child arrives, parents are more relaxed. The second child is allowed to be more independent. But he also has to compete with the first—born for the parents' attention and love. These children often choose different sports and hobbies to show independence.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}． They are often adventurous（爱冒险的）, fun—loving, and outgoing, but can be jealous（好嫉妒的）and get angry easily.

    The youngest child is the happiest. He has fewer responsibilities and more freedom. These children do not feel pressure to do well at school and work, but have to be creative to get their family's attention.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}．So, many famous talk—show hosts and comedians were born last.

阅读短文，根据短文内容，选择适当的句子完成短文，使文章通顺。

A. There are more first-born American presidents than second or last-born children.

B. They are often friendly,humorous and calm.

C. But you have different personalities(个性）.…

D. And they develop different personalities.…

E. They depend on the first-borns to look after younger brothers and sisters?

    Please look at my family photo.

    Those are my grandparents. These are my parents. My mother is Mona. She likes red. She likes hamburgers for breakfast. And she often plays ping—pong. That is my brother. His name is Jack. He doesn't like red. He just likes yellow. He often has milk and bread for breakfast and then plays soccer. Now this is me. my name is Tony. I like blue very much. My sweaters, my T—shirts, my pants, my shoes are all blue. For my breakfast, I like eggs. I don't like soccer. It's so boring. I just like tennis. It's so fun. This is my family. I love my family.

    Many of us have ever loved the two toy bears-a brown Teddy bear and a yellow Winnie-the-Pooh bear. The two toy bears come froth real stories in life.

    In 1902, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the USA, went on hunting. The hunting dogs found an old bear in the forest near Washington D. C. and the guide asked the president to shoot（射杀）it. But President Roosevelt disagreed. A cartoonist（漫画家）drew a cartoon showing that the president refused to shoot the bear. Soon, the bear began to appear in other newspapers. People named the bear Teddy which was Theodore's nickname（昵称）.

    In 1913, a captain named Harry Colebourn paid 20dollars for a black bear which was born in the Canadian countryside. The captain's hometown, Winnipeg, was the origin（起源）of the bear's name. In Winnipeg, Winnie served as the mascot（吉祥物）. When World War I began, the captain went to France. Winnie was sent to London Zoo which many kids often visited. Because of its lovely look, the bear became popular with children.

    Improving Listening Skills in the Classroom

    Listening is a skill that needs to be learned and used well to be able to succeed in any environment. In the classroom, great listening skills mean the difference between a successful student and one who struggles(挣扎)in school.

    Come to class rested.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}When your body is well taken care of, your mental(精神的)focus will be much better. If you come to class sleepy or tired, it may be impossible for you to keep your eyes open and concentrate(集中)on what the teacher is saying.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Have everything you need at the start of the class. If you have homework, make sure you are ready to hand it in. Bring out your notebook and pen so you can start taking down notes. Also, try to read your textbooks before coming into class. It will help you understand more easily what your teacher is talking about.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When you're in the front of the class, you'll have an easier time hearing what the teacher has to say. You won't have a daydream when the teacher is near you.

    Take down notes.

    Write down what you hear in class. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It will also make you concentrate more on what is being said so you can properly take notes. Try to concentrate when you are in class so that you are able to get the key points during a lecture.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Once you learn techniques(技能) to help you with this skill, you should see an improvement in your listening.

    When you are in a group with good classmates, it can be very good for you. You should always be prepared when going to school, but there are days when you forget a pencil or a notebook. You can then borrow one from your classmate. If you're having trouble understanding a certain question, classmates can be quite helpful. Having a difficult math problem explained to you by a fellow student will be much easier than asking your teacher, because your teacher can't be always with you. Some teachers will not tell you homework if you've missed a class. Having a classmate who will let you review his note can help you a lot in a situation like this. If you happen to have a classmate who lives nearby, you might be able to carpool (拼车) to and from school. Not only will this save some money, but also it will help protect the environment as well. Students who enjoy their surroundings and get along well with their fellow classmates are usually much happier than those who are not.