Wouldn’t you want to travel more often without breaking the bank? If you are interested, read on to find out how you can do simple things to save money next time you go on vacation.

Airfares

Plan in advance and visit discount websites to see if there are better deals. If you are planning to stay in two countries and an airline makes you change planes on those countries anyway, you might be in luck. Check pricing on the flights to see if you can stay a few days at the country of the flight change instead of changing planes right away since airlines often let you do that for the same price.

Accommodations

Sometimes the smaller towns close to where you are going have hotels that are much less expensive. If you don’t mind the 15-minute ride, you might just save a large amount of money. Home exchanges are pretty cool and popular especially in Europe. If you are of the adventure type, this could be exciting and refreshing. Sometimes smaller hotel chains are willing to give you free upgrades or even free nights. If you are staying at a destination for at least a few days, consider a vacation home instead of hotels. They are often more comfortable and your cost will probably be cheaper.

Eating

Figure out where you will be and eat before you actually go out. Avoid breakfast from the hotels because chances are good that the breakfast from the hotel is expensive and isn’t great. It probably pays to walk out the front door in the morning and find a local cafe. You might just discover the local favorite unexpectedly. Want a breakfast that costs nothing? Ask for some bread to-go at the restaurant the night before. In addition, fancy lunches are often much less expensive than dinners. If you eat a big lunch and a light dinner, it’s also healthier.

21. The text is mainly about ______.

   A.trips in different countries           B. tips on economical travel

   C. dos and don’ts during a trip         D. budgets for a package holiday

22. What kind of travelers will choose a vocation home?

   A. Those who dislike small hotel chains.

   B. Those who want an adventure trip.

   C. Those who plan to live in one place for few days.

   D. Those who don’t mind long-distance trips.

23. To save money on eating, you are expected to ______.

   A. eat more for dinner than lunch

   B. have three meals in the hotels

   C. buy bread from restaurants

   D. try a local cafe for breakfast

An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only a very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money. When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, “Only a miracle(奇迹) can save him now,” the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.

She hurried to a drugstore with the money in her hand.

“And what do you want?” asked the salesman. “It’s for my little brother,” the girl answered. “He’s really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle.” “Pardon?” said the salesman.

“My brother Andrew has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?” “We don’t sell a miracle here, child. I’m sorry,” the salesman said with a smile.

“Listen, if it isn’t enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs.”

A well-dressed man heard it and asked, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?”

“I don’t know,” she answered with her eyes full of tears. “He’s really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I have brought all my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the man. “$ 1.11, but I can try and get some more,” she answered.

“Well, what luck,” smiled the man. “$ 1.11, the price of a miracle for your little brother.”

He took up the girl’s hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn’t long before Andrew was home again.

How much did the miracle cost?

24. In the eye of the little girl, a miracle might be_________.

A. something interesting     B. something beautiful

C. some good food            D. some wonderful medicine

25. The little girl said again and again “...I can try and get some more.” That shows ________.

A. she had still kept some money

B. she hoped not to be refused

C. There was no need to worry about money

D. she thought money was easy to get

26. What made the miracle happen?

A. The girl’s love for her brother. B. The girl’s money.

C. The medicine from the drugstore.  D. Nobody can tell.

27. From the passage we can infer(推断) that___________.

A. the doctor had great sympathy for the girl’s little brother

B. the little girl is lovely but not so clever

C. the doctor didn’t ask for any pay

D. a miracle is sure to happen if you keep on

INDEPENDENCE

Most people in the US believe that independence is very important. They do not think of themselves as

representatives of their families, communities, or social class. Students think those who depend on their family are dependent. Teachers expect students to be independent, to work alone, and to produce original work.

EQUALITY

The Declaration of Independence states, “All men are created equal." In many ways, people believe this; you can see equality in such common practices as waiting in line. When you go to the bank or to the post office, you will be asked to take a number and wait. No matter how important you are, you will be treated like anyone else; first come, first served. You can also see equality in the classroom. All students are the same in the eyes of the professors. Similarly, professors sometimes ask students to call them by their first names.

PUNCTUALITY （准时）

Many people in the US are very punctual and organize their activities around schedules. Being late is rude. If you cannot be on time， tell the people who are waiting for you. For business appointments, you should arrive a few minutes early. For social appointments, you should arrive 10-15 minutes after the appointed time.

MATERIALISM （物质主义）

Success in the US is often measured in dollars. Many people in the US think more about money and material possessions than people in other countries. As a result, you may think that people ignore those more important things in life, like love and friendship. This is not true: like people in every country, most people in the US still value friendship or love more than wealth.

28. Professors ask students to call them by their first names in order to _____.

A. show that they are all equal                 B show that they are respectable

C. prove that they love the students                D. give the students freedom.

29. If one earns lot f money in the US, he or she _____.

A. will never think of earning more money       B. will be regarded as a successful person

C. will consider wealth to be less important        D. will ignore love and friendship

30. According to the text, Americans _____.

A. are the most punctual people in the worldB. always arrive early for appointments

C. encourage students to cooperate with othersD. look down on those who rely on their parents

31. The text mainly tells readers _____.

A. that America is a very independent countryB. about the important characteristics of Americans

C. how Americans live, work and study      D. that Americans are all very punctual

As computers become all the more popular in China, Chinese people are increasingly depending on computer keyboards to input Chinese characters. But if they use the computer too much, they may end up forgetting the exact strokes (笔画) of each Chinese character when writing on paper. Experts suggest people, especially students, write by hand more.

Do you write by hand more or type more? In Beijing, students start using a computer as early as primary school. And computer dependence is more widely spread among university students. Almost all their assignment and essays are typed on a computer.

All the students interviewed say they usually use a computer.

It’s faster and easier to correct if using a computer. And that’s why computers are being applied more and more often to modern education. But when people are taking stock in computers increasingly, problems appear.

“When I’m writing with a pen, I find I often can’t remember how to write a character, though I feel I’m familiar with it.”

“I’m not in the mood to write when faced with a pen and paper.”

Many students don’t feel this is something to worry about. Now that it’s more convenient and efficient to write on a computer, why bother to handwrite?

Many educators think differently. Shi Liwei, headmaster of a famous primary school in the capital said, “ Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic (审美的) value. But those characters typed with computer keyboards only maintain their practical value. All the artistic beauty of the characters is lost. And handwriting contains the writer’s emotion. Through one’s handwriting, people can get to know one’s thinking and personality. Beautiful writing will give people a better first impression of them.”

To encourage students to handwrite more, many primary schools in Beijing have made writing classes compulsory（必修的）and in universities, some professors are asking students to turn in their homework and essays written by hand.

32. The underlined expression “taking stock in” in paragraph 4 probably means___.

A. getting bored with         B. getting dependent on

C. becoming crazy about       D. getting curious about

33. The students interviewed prefer to write using a computer mainly because____.

A. they can correct the mistakes they make quickly and conveniently

B. they are usually asked to e-mail their homework and essays

C. they find it not easy to remember how to write a character

D. computers have become a trend and fashion in China

34. Which of the following statement is NOT true of the advantage of handwriting?

A. Handwriting contains the writer’s emotions.

B. Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic value.

C. Handwriting can impress people well and build one’s self-confidence.

D. The writer’s thinking and personality are shown in his or her handwriting.

35. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?

A. To Type or to Handwrite.

B. The Importance of Handwriting and Typing.

C. Writing by Computer Will Replace Writing by Hand.

D. Practical and Aesthetic Value of Chinese Characters.

Building a Good Home Learning Environment

Home can be a great place for children to study. It's important to provide a workspace of their own where they can read books or just write a letter to their friends.

●Location (位置)

__36__Kitchen and dining room are not so well suited for regular study，since books and pens get in the way of the day­to­day uses of those areas. Set up a place where a child can settle in and leave papers and pens at hand without having to clear everything away each night. For a child that likes being alone，__37__，but keep it separate from things like games，music and other hobbies not related to studying.

●Keeping Things in Order

Parents should encourage their child to spread out，but to leave it neat and orderly when he isn't using his workspace. Ownership is very important for self­respect __38__ The workplace should be personal，but not another part of the playroom.

●__39__

Encourage the whole family to help build a supportive environment that children need for success in school. Give them a good example of how to deal with problems，how to manage time and get things done in the right way.__40__Study will be more enjoyable and effective when supported by the whole family.

A．Attitude Is Everything

B．Bring Organization into Your Home

C．Setting up a space in a common area of your home can be a good idea for children.

D．set aside a corner of his bedroom

E．A child who learns to organize his space will carry organization into every aspect of his life.

F．Here are several ways to choose a location.

G．Hold a can­do attitude and your child will follow your example.