One of the most popular items(項目) in the school newspaper is the advice column. No one knows who writes it. The students think their teacher does, but it might be a student using a false name.
The students enjoy thinking up problems for the advice column. Here are some of them and their answers.
Ask the Wise Owl
Q: I’m always late for school. I try not to be, but I can’t help it. Please advise me what to do. Tommy.
A: You are probably late for school because you don’t really like school. My advice to you is to try and enjoy school more, then you won’t be late so often.
Q: I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara.
A: I can’t advise you until I know more about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be too bold(冒失). Write and tell me more about yourself.
Q: I’m always at the bottom(底部，末尾) of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly.
A: I advise you to concentrate on(全神貫注) improving your grades in one subject to start with. If you can do this, you should move a little way up from the bottom. Next, try to improve your grades in another subject, and so on. If you concentrate on one subject at a time, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your classes.
【小題1】What is Tommy’s problem?

One of the most popular items(項目) in the school newspaper is the advice column. No one knows who writes it. The students think their teacher does, but it might be a student using a false name.

The students enjoy thinking up problems for the advice column. Here are some of them and their answers.

Ask the Wise Owl

Q: I’m always late for school. I try not to be, but I can’t help it. Please advise me what to do. Tommy.

A: You are probably late for school because you don’t really like school. My advice to you is to try and enjoy school more, then you won’t be late so often.

Q: I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara.

A: I can’t advise you until I know more about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be too bold(冒失). Write and tell me more about yourself.

Q: I’m always at the bottom(底部，末尾) of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly.

A: I advise you to concentrate on(全神貫注) improving your grades in one subject to start with. If you can do this, you should move a little way up from the bottom. Next, try to improve your grades in another subject, and so on. If you concentrate on one subject at a time, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your classes.

1.What is Tommy’s problem?

2.What does Molly want to do?

3.What does the Wise Owl want Sara to do?

4.By the end of the year, where should Molly be in all her classes?

5.What is the main idea of this passage?

How would you like to study at an American university in China? With the news that New York University (NYU) is considering setting up a branch（分校）on Chinese mainland, the possibility of getting an American education becomes a reality. But how will Chinese students deal with a very different style of teaching? One that encourages debate（辯論）, discussion and critical thinking (批判思維)； one which puts little attention on rote learning.

You know how kids ask questions all the time? Asking questions shows they are curious (好奇). So when does that natural curiosity get weak? Not at kindergarten or nursery, nor at primary school. As you grow older perhaps refusing to draw attention to yourself by asking the teacher questions, you grow quiet. If so, that's a pity, because questioning your teachers should be encouraged. After all, they're the ones who've been educated, have a lot more experience than you and perhaps have a little wisdom. When I taught joumalim at college in Scotland I enjoyed answering students' questions. Some of them raised difficult questions. I didn't always know the answers. If I didn't, I'd accept it and try to find out later.

At university we were encouraged to challenge our classmates and teachers. There was often a regular meeting between teachers and some students. A student would prepare a paper on a subject and the other students would criticize it. It could be frightening. But it was a way of developing critical thinking.

We need to differentiate critical thinking with loudmouths. We've all come across loudmouths who speak out quickly as if they knew what they were talking about. I know one loudmouth who is paid a great deal of money by a British tabloid newspaper to entertain readers with his deeply-held prejudices(偏見). You might not agree with columnist(專欄作家) Richard Littlejohn, but you have to say that he is entertaining and there is an internal logic（內在的邏輯）to his statements. Having a logical mind can help develop critical thinking.

My wife doesn't have a logical mind, but she does have emotional intelligence（情商）. I can't say that I have anything like her emotional intelligence. but I'd like to think some of it rubbed off on me. If you can't at least try to put yourself in someone else's shoes, how can you understand their situation, their problems and issues?

So try to develop your powers of critical thinking. Start with books, films, music and newspapers. And don't believe everything you read or see. Think independently.

57. According to the passage, to develop your critical thinking, you can____________.

A. keep curious and follow your heart

B. think logically, not emotionally

C. do more reading and think actively

D. voice your opinion like a loudmouth

58. The underlined words 66rubbed off on mc" in Paragraph 5 probably mean " __________".

A. helped me solve the problem better

B. had some influence on me in a way

C. moved it backwards and forwards

D. advised me to wear others' shoes

59. What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Want to be different? Think critically

B. Want to be critical? Think for yourself

C. Choose NYU, choose critical thinking

D. Importance of improving critical thinking

　　閱讀提示：面對自己的困惑與不解，你會怎么辦？請走進下文：

　　One of the most popular items in the class newspaper is the advice column. No one knows who writes it. The students think their teacher does, but it might be a student using a false name.

　　The students enjoy thinking up problems for the advice column. Here are some of them and their answers.

　　Q: I'm always late for school. I try not to be, but I can't help it. Please advise me what to do. Tommy.

　　A: You are probably late for school because you don't really like school. My advice to you is to try and enjoy school more, then you won't be late so often.

　　Q: I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara.

　　A: I can't advise you until I know more about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be too bold. Write and tell me more about yourself.

　　Q: I'm always at the bottom of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly.

　　A: I advise you to concentrate on improving your grades in one subject to start with. If you can do this, you should move a little way up from the bottom (末位). Next try to improve your grades in another subject, and so on. If you concentrate on (傾全力于) one subject at a time, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your classes. The Wise Owl

(1) ________ writes the advice column.

[　　]

A．The teacher

B．A student using a false name

C．No one knows

D．Molly

(2) Tommy's problem is that ________.

[　　]

A．he is always late for school

B．he finds it hard to make friends

C．he is always at the bottom of the class

D．he needs help with his homework

(3) Wise Owl wants Sara to ________.

[　　]

A．stop being so shy

B．stop being so bold

C．make more friends

D．give more information about herself

(4) By the end of the year, Molly should be ________ in all her classes.

[　　]

A．at the bottom

B．a little way up from the bottom

C．quite a long way up from the bottom

D．at the top

(5) The main idea of the passage is ________.

[　　]

A．the school newspaper has an advice column.

B．Tommy wrote to the school newspaper to ask for advice

C．Sara finds it hard to make friends

D．the advice column in the school newspaper is very popular

閱讀理解

　　One of the most popular items in the class newspaper is the advice column(專欄). No one knows who writes it. The students think their teacher does, but it might be a student using a false name.

　　The students enjoy thinking up problems for the advice column. Here are some of them and their answers.

　　Q：I'm always late for school. I try not to be, but I can't help it. Please advise me what to do. Tommy.

　　A：You are probably late for school because you don't really like school. My advice to you is to try and enjoy school more, then you won't be late so often.

　　Q：I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara.

　　A：I can't advise you until I know more about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be too bold. Write and tell me more about yourself.

　　Q：I'm always at the bottom of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly.

　　A：I advise you to concentrate on improving your grades in one subject to start with. If you can do this, you should move a little way up from the bottom. Next, try to improve your grades in another subject, and so on. If you concentrate on one subject at a time, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your classes.

1．What is the main idea of this passage?

[　　]

A．The school newspaper has an advice column.

B．Tommy wrote to the school newspaper to ask for advice.

C．Sara finds it difficult to make friends.

D．The advice column in the school newspaper is very popular.

2．Who writes the advice column?

[　　]

A．The teacher.

B．A student using a false name.

C．No one knows.

D．Molly.

3．Who likes thinking up problems for the column?

[　　]

4．What is Tommy's problem?

[　　]

A．He is always late for school.

B．He finds it difficult to make friends.

C．He is always at the bottom of the class.

D．He needs help with his homework.

5．What does the Wise Owl want Sara to do?

[　　]

A．Stop being so shy.

B．Stop being so bold.

C．Make more friends.

D．Give more information about herself.

6．What does Molly want to do?

[　　]

A．Make more friends.

B．Improve her grades.

C．Stay at the bottom of her classes.

D．Concentrate on one subject at a time.

7．By the end of the year, where should Molly be in all her classes?

[　　]

A．At the bottom.

B．A little way up from the bottom.

C．Quite a long way up from the bottom.

D．At the top.

One of the most popular items(項目) in the school newspaper is the advice column. No one knows who writes it. The students think their teacher does, but it might be a student using a false name.
The students enjoy thinking up problems for the advice column. Here are some of them and their answers.
Ask the Wise Owl
Q: I’m always late for school. I try not to be, but I can’t help it. Please advise me what to do. Tommy.
A: You are probably late for school because you don’t really like school. My advice to you is to try and enjoy school more, then you won’t be late so often.
Q: I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara.
A: I can’t advise you until I know more about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be too bold(冒失). Write and tell me more about yourself.
Q: I’m always at the bottom(底部，末尾) of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly.
A: I advise you to concentrate on(全神貫注) improving your grades in one subject to start with. If you can do this, you should move a little way up from the bottom. Next, try to improve your grades in another subject, and so on. If you concentrate on one subject at a time, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your classes.

1. 1.

   What is Tommy’s problem?

   1. A.
      He needs help with his homework.
   2. B.
      He finds it difficult to make friends.
   3. C.
      He is always late for school.
   4. D.
      He is always at the bottom of his class.
2. 2.

   What does Molly want to do?

   1. A.
      To stay at the bottom of her classes.
   2. B.
      To make more friends.
   3. C.
      To concentrate on one subject at a time.
   4. D.
      To improve her grades.
3. 3.

   What does the Wise Owl want Sara to do?

   1. A.
      Give more information about herself.
   2. B.
      Stop being so shy.
   3. C.
      Make more friends.
   4. D.
      Stop being so bold.
4. 4.

   By the end of the year, where should Molly be in all her classes?

   1. A.
      At the top.
   2. B.
      Quite a long way up from the bottom.
   3. C.
      At the bottom.
   4. D.
      A little way up from the bottom.
5. 5.

   What is the main idea of this passage?

   1. A.
      Sara finds it difficult to make friends.
   2. B.
      Tommy wrote to the school newspaper to ask for advice.
   3. C.
      The advice column in the school newspaper is very popular.
   4. D.
      The school newspaper has an advice column.