When 12-year-old Taylor Smith wrote a special letter to herself last spring, to be read in 10 years’ time, she didn’t know it would be opened before even a year had passed— and that it wouldn’t be her eyes reading the words.

“She had told me that she had written a letter to herself, and that she was excited that she was going to open it when she was older,”said Taylor’s  mother, Mary Ellen Smith.

Instead, it was opened by Taylor’s parents after she died last spring. They posted the letter to Facebook, hoping it would inspire others.

It has. “We’ve gotten letters from lots of parents who have said it has encouraged them to love their kids and love each other,” said Mary Ellen Smith.

In the letter, Taylor congratulated herself on graduating from high school and asked, “Are you in college?”

She also wanted to know if she had been on a plane yet and if the show “Doctor Who” was still on the air.

Taylor also had some words for her future kids. After considering the idea of selling her iPad and getting an iPad mini instead, she told her future self to mention to her kids that “We’re older than the tablet.” She included a drawing of an iPad for them to see.

Taylor died suddenly of pneumonia (肺炎), leaving behind both her parents and an older brother.

“I just want people to know just what an awesome, awesome person she was,” her father, Tim Smith said.

Her mother said, “I can’t bring her back, but I’m so grateful people have been inspired by her story.”

Taylor’s father read the closing g words of her letter, which said, “It’s been years since I wrote this. Stuff has happened, good and bad. That’s just how life works, and you have to go with it.”

21. Taylor Smith decided to open her letter when she was ________.

A. 18 years old     B. 20 years old    C. 22 years old    D. 24 years old

22. Why did Taylor’s parents post her letter to facebook?

A. To show Taylor Smith’s deep love for her parents.

B. To encourage parents and kids to love each other.

C. To make themselves well-known and make money.

D. To prove Taylor Smith was good at writing.

23. We can learn from the passage that Taylor Smith ________.

A. was a college student

B. had never got an iPad

C. had never taken a plane

D. wanted to join “Doctor Who”.

24. What is the message conveyed at the end of Taylor Smith’s letter?

A. We should develop the habit of keeping a diary.

B. We should accept everything that happens in life.

C. We should stop bad things from happening.

D. We should show our love for our parents in time.

Art Beat in January 2016

Beijing

Youth choir to perform

The youth choir of China National Symphony Orchestra will soon perform classics including the Mexican folk song, The Golden Nightingale, and the Blue Danube, adapted from a waltz by Johann Strauss II. Pianists Zhao Lin and Wang Tianyang will join in the show.

7:30 pm, Jan 23. Forbidden City Concert Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, west of Tian'anmen Square, Xicheng district. 010-6559-8285.

Orchestra recitals

The China National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra led by conductor Lyu Jia will give two recitals, featuring works including Beethoven's Coriolanus Overture and Mozart's Symphonies No 40 & No 41 Jupiter. Cellist Wang Jian will join in the performances, playing Schumann's Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 129 and Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op 33.

7:30 pm, Jan 15; 2:30 pm, Jan 16. China National Center for the Performing Arts, No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng District. 010-6655-0000.

Ballet from Paris

Paris Opera Ballet will present two gala performances in the city. Besides highlights of classical ballet, such as Swan Lake and Manon, the program will also include modern pieces from the company's repertoire. The leading etoiles are Ludmila Pagliero and Karl Paquette.

7:15 pm, Jan 15-16. Shanghai Oriental Art Center, 425 Dingxiang Road, Pudong district. 021-6854-1234.

Ensemble of swans

Shanghai Ballet will present two performances of Swan Lake. The production choreographed by British artist Derek Deane has just completed a tour in 26 cities of the Netherlands. The spectacular production features an ensemble of 48 dancers.

7:15 pm, Jan 22-23. Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu district. 400-106-8686.

25. If you only spare some time in the afternoon, you can enjoy ________.

A. Beethoven's Coriolanus Overture

B. Classical ballet Manon

C. The Golden Nightingale

D. Classical ballet Swan Lake

26. According to the text, we know that Ludmila Pagliero and Karl Paquette are ________.

A. Pianists       B. ballet performers      C. cellists    D. violinists

27. If you are interested in ballet performances, which of the following places can you go to enjoy yourself?

A. Forbidden City Concert Hall and China National Center

B. Forbidden City Concert Hall Shanghai Grand Theater

C. Shanghai Oriental Art Center and Shanghai Grand Theater

D. China National Center and Shanghai Oriental Art Center

Black History Month is also known as the African-American History Month. It is celebrated all over the United States of America and Canada in the month of February, while in the United Kingdom it is celebrated in October. Each and every school and university conducts various activities to make the generation aware of the importance that African-American history holds in the nation. The electronic media is filled with themes in relevance to the occasion, and many activities are carried out across the country to remember the contribution made by African-American citizens in the development of this nation.

Black History Month was first started by a famous African-American historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson in the year 1926. February was chosen as the month to celebrate the African-American history because it was the birth month of two of the most highly valued people among African-Americans. These were President Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves, and Frederick Douglass, who was also the first vice presidential nominee (被任命者) among African-Americans. Initially, Black History Month was known as the “Negro History Week”. This was Dr. Woodson’s attempt to encourage awareness among citizens about the contribution of African-Americans towards the building of the nation. It was only in the early 1970’s that the name “Negro History Week” changed to “Black History Month”. And later, in the year 1976, the entire month of February was declared to be the National African-American History Month, or the Black History Month.

Every year, National African-American History Month is celebrated by many activities with various ideas and themes for the younger generation. In 2013, Black History Month celebrates the 50^th anniversary of the March on Washington at which Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous speech “I have a dream”. It also marks the 150^th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation (解放黑奴宣言). The theme for Black History Month in 2014 is “Civil Rights in America” remembering the important milestones by African-Americans and others in the battle for civil rights and equal treatment under the law.

28. What is the purpose of Black History Month in America?

A. To remember African-Americans’ contribution to America.

B. To remember the history of African-Americans in America.

C. To encourage African-American children to study hard.

D. To increase African-American children’s confidence.

29. February was chosen as Black History Month because ________.

A. Dr. Carter G. Woodson liked February.

B. slavery was officially ended in February.

C. African-Americans contributed a lot in February.

D. two great American leaders was born in February.

30. How is the second paragraph developed?

A. By giving examples.

B. By following time order.

C. By making comparisons.

D. By making classifications.

31. What does Black History Month in 2014 celebrate in America?

A. The 50^th anniversary of the March of Washington.

B. Martin Luther King，Jr’s speech “I have a dream”.

C. The 150^th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.

D. Important people and occasion in the battle for civil rights.

Parents often assume that time spent with their kids will gradually decrease in adolescence. But a new study suggests that while teens try to avoid spending a lot of time together with their parents, private parent-child meetings may actually increase in their early adolescent years. And that may raise a teenager’s self-esteem (自尊) an social confidence, especially if it is time spent with Dad, the researchers added.

The researchers created a long-term study in which they invited families in 16 school districts in central Pennsylvania to participate. In each family, a teenager, a younger sibling, their mother and their father were interviewed at home and then asked about their activities and self-worth five times over a period of seven years.

The study authors were surprised to discover that when fathers spent more time alone with their teenagers, the kids reported they felt better about themselves. Something about the father’s role in the family seemed to improve self-esteem among the teenagers in the study, said study author Susan McHale, a professor of human development at Pennsylvania State University.

“Time spent with Dad often involves joking, teasing and other playful interactions. Fathers, as compared to mothers, were more involved in leisure activities and had more friend-like interactions with their children, which is crucial for youth social development,” the study showed.

But Marta Flaum, a psychologist in Chappaqua , New York, said, “How these findings reflect the real world is a real question. The sample in the study is so small and so unrepresentative of more families in the country today that I’m not sure how much we can generalizing from it. In my community, in Westchester County, I don’t see parents and teenagers spending much time together at all. Parents are often working so hard and have less time to be together with their kids.”

However, Flaum encourages parents tom make time for their kids no matter how much work they have to do. “Research like this reminds us of how important it is. The time we have with them is so short, ” she said.

32. According to the study, when teenagers spend more time alone with their fathers, ________.

A. their social skills will be improved

B. their fathers will better understand them

C. they will be willing to help their siblings

D. their family will spend more time together

33. What is Flaun’s attitude towards the findings of the study?

A. Unconcerned     B. Favorable      C. Puzzled     D. Skeptical

34. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph probably refer to?

A. The research by Susan McHale.

B. The work to be done.

C. Parents’ encouragement.

D. Parents’ making time for their kids.

35. Where is the passage more likely to have been taken from?

A. A science magazine   B. A news report   C. A research plan   D. an advertisement

How to Care for Your Ears?

Ears not only let us hear, but they also play a role in maintaining our balance, which is vital to our ability to function in daily life. Yet, we ignore them. We can’t even see our ears, except in a mirror. We take for granted what they do for us day in and day out－until we notice something’s wrong, such as when an earache strikes or when we start having to ask people to repeat what they say.   36 

◆ Clean your ear with a washcloth－covered finger only.

Never put anything inside your ear canal, including cotton swabs (药签).  37 

◆ Leave earwax(耳垢) alone.

Wax is your ear’s way of eliminating(消除) anything foreign that gets into the ear canal.  38  If you find you have too much earwax, use a few drops of earwax remover(去除剂) in the canal. After a few minutes, wash the ear with warm water.

◆ Avoid noisy places.

Rock concerts and construction sites are just a few places that frequently have noise levels that can damage hearing. Any place where you have to shout to be heard should be avoided.

◆  39   

Be careful not to play MP3 too loud, especially if using earphone.

◆Be careful with illness and medications.

Respiratory (呼吸的) illnesses should be treated to avoid their spread to the ears. Certain medications can damage hearing, so follow the directions carefully before taking them.

See your doctor if you suffer from sudden hearing loss or hear noises in your head.  40 

A. Most people don’t need to clean wax out of their ears.

B. In such case, go to see a doctor as soon as possible.

C. These can be symptoms of a serious illness which needs to be treated.

D. This article will show you how to care for your ears.

E. Turn the volume(音量)down

F. Avoid using earphones while listening to MP3.

G. Your ear canal is very narrow, and a swab can damage it.