阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项 （A 、B 、C  和 D ）中，选出最佳选项。

    George Bernard Shaw，the greatest and funniest British dramatist(剧作家)of the first half of the 20th century，was born in Dublin，Ireland，on July 26,1856.His early life was not happy. His father was a selfish man who drank too much and could not support his family properly. His mother was a disappointed，unhappy woman who found more pleasure in studying music than in her children. Bernard and his two sisters received little love and attention from their mother while they were young. At the age of ten Shaw entered school. At first he was the best student，but soon he was at or near the bottom of his class.

    Although he did not like school，Bernard was a good，bright，curious student. His lifelong interest in everything from music and art to machines and medicine began from school life. The interests of this tireless schoolboy were literature and music. He often entertained(使快乐)his classmates with stories he read.

    Early at the age of fifteen，he went to work in an office. He did well as an office clerk，but after five years he decided that he wanted to be a writer. He left Ireland and went to London，where he began to write seriously. Seventy-four years later the great dramatist died.

    Does stress cause gray hair? Many people believe that tension and stress can cause your hair to lose its color. In fact, it is an old-wives' tale that being upset all the time can result in premature graying. Here is a closer look at this situation and why some believe that this old wives' tale could be true.

    As one ages, the hairs on the head also age. In fact, just about everything on the human body begins to show signs of wear and tear (磨损) after a while. The joints wear and become stiff and skin wears and becomes wrinkled. Hairs on the head grow and eventually die. They are replaced, but in the process something else happens.

    When new hairs are replacing the old ones, the color or pigment (色素) is also added to them. However, as one ages, this pigment becomes less and less available. At first, hairs will have a limited amount of pigment and they will appear to be grayish in color. In time, they will lose all of their pigment and will be white. Many things are known to cause graying, and genetics is a very powerful factor. If one of your parents turns gray at an early age, there is a good chance that you will too. Some people begin the graying process in high school, while others may be over the age of forty.

    Constant worry and tension can have many harmful effects on the human body. It is a known fact that stressful times can cause one to suffer hair loss. It would make sense that if it can cause these problems, perhaps it also may contribute to graying. However, there is no sound evidence to support this.

    On the other hand, many medical professionals believe that there may be a link between graying and a constant state of anxiety or tension. Does stress cause gray hair? There is no scientific evidence to support the theory, but it is best to avoid stressful situations.

    No rows of desks in this classroom, and no teacher lecturing at the front. In fact, that's something Barrie teacher Liz Collett rarely does. Instead, she's on the move, talking to students about their work, from the small group sitting on the floor playing games to others nearby figuring out a math problem.

    The children in this class do not take a spelling test all year－in fact, the school avoids all pencil-and-paper tests－nor do they get assigned homework. Instead, their teacher gives them immediate feedback（反馈）on their work throughout the day.

    Welcome to the school of the 21st century, a place where teachers and students cooperate all the time. Such advanced classrooms are trying things, which some might consider as coddling kids－letting students give a voice-recorded essay instead of a written one or even allowing teens to design their own courses.

    Though some people blame（谴责）schools for dumbing things down（降低教育标准）, others will say such changes are actually based on the newest research on how to attract today's youth and increase not only their interests, but also their achievements. Many of today's school are not holding kid's interests. And if they Ye not interested, they're not learning－and isn't that the point?

“Students today say they want their education to be useful and valuable, and don't want it to be simply repeating the facts. That's the kind of learning that be happening for many kids,” says Penny Milton, a researcher. “What we could argue is that to become good learners, they need to become thinkers.”

    Jan Olson, anther researcher, says schools have been operating the same way since the Industrial Revolution. But the digital age is bringing an education revolution. While using technology is a part of it, what's important for students is being able to use information and understand it, not just remembering it.

    Today's learner needs fewer traditional tests and more “effective” feedback, ongoing discussion with a teacher, which studies have found is the number one factor in improving achievement.

    A lady in a faded grey dress and her husband, walked into the Harvard University president's outer office.

    "We want to see the president,"the man said softly.

    The president met with the couple.

    The lady told him, "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He love Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. We would like to build a memorial（纪念物）to him, somewhere on campus."

    The president was not touched. "Madam, we can not put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died."

    "Oh, no," the lady explained. "We do not want a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."

    The president rolled his eyes, "A building! Do you have any idea how much a building costs?"

    For a moment the lady was silent. Then she turned to her husband and said quietly, "How much does it cost to start a university? Why do not we just start our own?"

    Her husband nodded.

    Mr. And Mrs. Stanford got up and walked away, travelling to California where they established Stanford   University's memorial to their son.

    When going out to dine with kids，you need to know the places where kids are not only welcomed，but really catered for. The following are some of the best family friendly restaurants and cafes.

    Billy Lids

    It is a unique environment where your child can play safely while you relax in the central cafe area. The indoor playground includes facilities for children up to 11 years old. There are plenty of food options for the kids，including homemade sausage rolls.

    Business Hours:

    Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tel: 9916 0350

    Gladesville Bistro (小餐馆)

    Welcome to our revolutionary kid-friendly family bistro—where your kids are welcome to play, draw, slip and slide. Our menu includes sandwiches and chips. Your children will receive a free cup of popcorn with every kid's meal purchased.

    Business Hours:

    Monday to Sunday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tel: 9816 4052

    MUMU Grill

    It offers the perfect family dinner. The children can eat and then play in the park opposite the restaurant. Children will be kept amused by the kids, menus, which feature coloring in activities. Children are able to color in a picture of a cow with crayons.

    Business Hours:

    Monday to Friday: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday to Sunday: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tel: 9460 6877

    Flying Fox Cafe

    It is located in a park in Mona Vale. Near the cafe is a fantastic fenced children's playground, famous for playground facilities including a bike track, walking tracks and a dog walking beach.

    Business Hours:

    Monday to Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    The weather can sometimes influence the closing time. If you are unsure, please call 9986 0980.

    2.26-meter-tall Yao Ming made his NBA debut (初次登台) on October 23, 2002 and got 6 points for the Houston Rockets in the game. The next day, he got 13 points in another game.

    Most people think that Yao Ming is a born basketball player. But Yao said, "When you watch it on TV, it looks very easy. But when you are playing in the NBA, it is really not so easy." He said that joining the Houston Rockets was a new start and a new challenge. "I hope that through very hard work I can make everyone happy and help the Rockets win more games," he said. Yao Ming speaks some English. Both he and his teammates can understand each other. They don't think there is a language problem. While Yao Ming faces this new challenge, the people of Houston have shown great interest in him and they hope Yao Ming will bring new energy to the Rockets. The team has started having lessons to learn more about China, and many people who work for the Rockets have learned to speak some Chinese.