Have you winterized your horse yet? Even though global warming may have made our climate more mild, many animals are still hibernating .It's too bad that humans can't hibernate. In fact, as a species, we almost did. Apparently, at times in the past , peasants in France liked a semi-state of human hibernation . So writes Graham Robb, a British scholar who has studied the sleeping habits of the French peasants. As soon as the weather turned cold people all over France shut themselves away and practiced the forgotten art of doing nothing at all for months on end. In line with this, Jeff Warren, a producer at CBC Radio's The Current, tells us that the way we sleep has changed fundamentally since the invention of artificial lighting and the electric bulb. When historians began studying texts of the Middle Ages, they noticed something referred to as "first sleep", which was not clarified, though. Now scientists are telling us our ancestors most likely slept in separate periods. The business of eight hours' uninterrupted sleep is a modern invention. In the past , without the artificial light of the city to bathe in, humans went to sleep when it became dark and then woke themselves around midnight. The late night period was known as "The Watch" It was when people actually kept watch against wild animals ,although many of them simply moved around or visited family and neighbours . According to some sleep researchers, a short period of insomnia at midnight is not a disorder .It is normal . Humans can experience another state of consciousness around their sleeping, which occurs in the brief period before we fall asleep or wake ourselves in the morning .This period can be an extraordinarily creative time for some people .The impressive inventor, Thomas Edison , used this state to hit upon many of his new ideas. Playing with your sleep rhythms can be adventurous ,as anxiety may set in. Medical science doesn't help much in this case. It offers us medicines for a full night's continuous sleep, which sounds natural ;... What is the author's purpose in writing the passage? A) To give a prescription for insomnia. B) To urge people to sleep less. C) To analyze the sleep pattern of modern people. D) To throw new light on human sleep.
D
Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance, The purpose is to let children learn from experience at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly ,The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs ,from family to family. At first, young children may spend all of their allowance in no time ,Lf they do this, they will learn the hard way that spending must be done within a budget ,which demands choices between spending and saving ,Older children may be responsible enough to save money for larger costs ,like clothing or electronics. But it is not a good idea to pay your child for work around the home ,These jobs are a normal part of family life , Paying children to do extra work around the house , however, can be useful .It can even provide an understanding of how a business works. Allowances give children a chance to experience the things they can do with money. They can share it in the form of gifts or giving to a good cause .They can spend it by buying things they want., Or they can save and maybe even invest it , Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice; you have to cut costs and plan for the future. Many banks offer services to help children and teenagers ,lean about personal finance .A savings account is an excellent way to lean about the power of compound interest. Compounding works by paying interest on interest .So, for example, one dollar invested at two percent interest for two years will earn two cents in the first year .The second year, the money will earn to percent of one dollar and two cents,, and so on ,That may not seem like a lot .But over time is adds ,up. Which of the following can be the main idea of the passage? A) Giving children allowances makes good lessons. B) Some different ways to give children allowance. C) How to help children learn to handle their money. D) The more children are paid, the better they will learn.
A
Q: Carmen Arace Middle School is situated in the town of Bloomfield,but four years ago it faced many of the same challenges as inner--city schools nearby:low scores in standardized tests and dropping enrollment of students.Then the hard-driving headmaster, Delore Bolton,persuaded her school to shake up the place by buying a laptop computer for each student and teacher to use in school and at home.For good measure,the board provided wireless Internet access at school.Total cost :$5 million. Now an hour before classes start,every seat in the library is taken by students eager to get online.The teacher talks about rocks as students view them at a colorful website,after school students on buses pull laptops from backpacks to get started on homework.Since the computers arrived,scores in state tests are up 35%and the enrollment increases by 20%. Indeed,school systems in rural areas are eager to follow Carmen Arace Middle School's example.Angus King,the state governor, has proposed using$50 million from an unexpected budget to supply computers for students. However, the school is seeking federal grant money to expand the laptop program.In the meantime,most of the problems have been worked out.Some students use computers to visit unauthorized websites,but teachers have the ability to track where students have been and restrict them."That is the worst when they disable you" says a boy.The habit is rubbing off on parents."I taught my mom to use e-mail."says the honorable girl."And now she is taking computer classes.I'm so proud of her!'' What is the passage mainly about? A) Middle schools are faced with challenges today. B) A school with high enrollment can do well. C) Computers are of importance in modern education. D) Laptops can help improve students' school performance.
A: D
*Question*
For many years there's been a debate about rewarding our children. Does it work? Is it effective? Some people think we should establish a standard with our kids and give them something for meeting this standard as a reward. Punishment is given out in much the same way, but it's used when certain standards of performance, behavior, etc. have not been met. Kids will often become more dutiful when threatened with punishment, and work harder when promised a valuable reward. The problem is what happens when you aren't around. To develop responsible, self-disciplined kids, parents need to promote certain ideas. One of these ideas is that everyone pitches in and helps in your family, even if someone is not crazy about helping. Another idea is that there can be enjoyment in doing any task if we choose to make it so. When a task is for a worthy cause (our family can enjoy the house more because I have helped clean it), and when parents are cheerful about their chores, this message can have a big impact. This is how we help our kids develop a sense of responsibility. When our children develop this responsibility, they'll be more disciplined, and they'll control their emotions better. When we give rewards to our kids, we reduce the sense of responsibility. We also create children who may temporarily perform to a certain standard, but who aren't likely to continue the performance without the carrot hanging in front of them. "Rewards and punishment can change behavior for a while, but they cannot change the person who engages in the behavior, at least in the way we want," said Alfie Kohn, author of Punished by Rewards. "Good values have to be grown from the inside out." Parents can help give their children a sense of shared responsibility and discipline which can last a lifetime. The real rewards that your children receive will be their readiness for the complex and demanding world that waits for them-- a world that rewards those who have learned the secrets of discipline and responsibility. So keep those shiny... What's the best title for the passage? A) Do You Often Reward Your Children? B) Should Parents Reward Their Children? C) When Should Parents Reward Their Children? D) What Can Parents Reward Their Children with?
**Answer**
B