On the evening of 29th June,a day I shall never forget we landed at Durban.

It's an annual back-to-school routine. One morning you wave goodbye, and that (21) evening you're burning the mid-night oil in sympathy. In the race to improve educational standards, (22) are throwing the books at kids. (23) elementary school students are complaining of homework fatigue. What's a well-meaning parent to do？

As hard as (24) may be, sit back and chill experts advise. Though you've got to get them to do it, (25) helping too much, or even examining answers too carefully, you may keep them (26) doing it by themselves. "! wouldn't advise a parent to check every 27 assignment," says psychologist John Rosemond, author of Ending the Tough Homework, "There's a (28) of appreciation for trial and error. Let your children (29) the grade they deserve."

Many experts believe parents should gently look over the work of younger children and ask them to rethink their (30) . But "you don't want them to feel it has to be (31) ," she says.

That's not to say parents should (32) homework—first, they should monitor how much homework their kids have. Thirty minutes a day in the early elementary years and an hour in (33) four, five, and six is standard, says Rosemond. For junior-high students it should be" (34) more than a hour and a half," and two for high school students. If your child consistently has more homework than this, you may want to check (35) other parents and then talk to the teacher about reducing assignments.

21.

A. very

B. exact

C. right

D. usual

ho is 【21】______ only among those with whom he is acquainted. When a stranger is at present, he often seems nervous, 【22】______ embarrassed. You have to take a commuter train any morning or evening to 【23】______ the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or dozing in a comer; hardly anybody talks, since to do so would be considered quite offensive.

【24】______ , there is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior. which, 【25】______ broken, makes the offender immediately the object of 【26】______ .

It has been known as a fact that a British has a 【27】______ for the discussion of their weather and that, if given a chance, he will talk about it 【28】______ . Some people argue that it is because the British weather seldom 【29】______ forecast and hence becomes a source of interest and 【30】______ to everyone. This may be so. 【31】______ a British cannot have much 【32】______ in the weathermen, who, alter promising fine, sunny weather for the following day, are often proved wrong 【33】______ a cloud over the Atlantic brings rainy weather to all districts! The man in the street seems to be as accurate -- or as inaccurate -- as the weathermen in his 【34】______ .

Foreigners may be surprised at the number of references 【35】______ weather that the British make to each other in the course of a single day. Very often conversational greetings are 【36】______ by comments on the weather. "Nice day, isn't it？" "Beautiful day!" may well be heard instead of "Good morning, how are you？" 【37】______ the foreigner may consider this exaggerated and comic, it is worthwhile pointing out that it could be used to his advantage. 【38】______ he wants to start a conversation with a British but is 【39】______ to know where to begin, he could do well to mention the state of the weather. It is a sale subject which will 【40】______ an answer from even the most reserved of the British.

【21】

A．relaxed

B．frustrated

C．amused

D．exhausted

ry.I 21 all my other hobbies, such as collecting stamps, and spent all my spare time reading poetry and writing it.This habit of writing poetry 22 every possible occasion soon got me into trouble at school.23 a lesson did not interest me, I would take out my notebook and start writing poems in class.Of course I did this very cautiously, but it was not long 24 I got caught.One day while I was busy writing a poem during a geography lesson, I looked up to find the teacher standing over me, fuming with anger 25 I was not paying attention.He tore the poem up, with a warning 26 time in his class.All the same I was convinced that I had written a good poem, so that evening I wrote it out again 27 memory.Not long 28, I read about a poetry contest and I decided to send in my poem.Weeks later, long after I had given up hope, I got a letter 29 me I had won the first prize.Everyone at school was very impressed --- except the geography teacher, who watched me more carefully than ever.He was quite 30 that I was not going to write poetry in his lesson!

21.A gave up

B.developed

C.Followed

D.forgot

22.A.at

B.on

C.in

D.with

23.A.Unless

B.Since

C.If

D.Given

24.A.after

B.ago

C.when

D.before

25.A.as

B.because

C.therefore

D.but

26.A.not to waste

B.not wasting

C.not waste

D.is not wasting

27.A.with

B.at

C.from

D.on

28.A.before

B.after

C.ago

D.since

29.A.inform

B.informed

C.informs

D.informing

30.A.determined

B.expected

C.impressed

D.worried

Having lived for over twenty years in the same district , Albert Hall was forced to move to a new place. He surprised his landlord (21) telling him that he was leaving because he could not (22)to buy any more chocolate.

It all began a year ago when albert returned home one evening and found a large dog in front of his gate. He was very (23 )of animals and as he happened to have a small piece of chocolate in his pocket , he gave it to the dog. The next day the dog was there again. It held up its paws and received another piece of chocolate as a reward. Albert called his new friend ‘bingo'. He never (24) the dog' s real name, (25) who his owner was. However Bingo appeared regularly every afternoon and it was quite clear that he preferred

chocolate (26) bones. He soon grew (27 ) with small pieces

of chocolate and demanded much more a day. Whenever at any time Albert didn't do his duty , Bingo got very angry and (28) to let him open the gate. Albert could do nothing but let it get into his (29 ) house. He spent such a large part of his weekly wages to keep Bingo supplied with chocolate （30） in the end he had to move to a place when the dog could not find him.

21. A. by B.of C.about D. for

22. A. offer B. afford C. refuse D. agree

23. A. interested B. tired C. afraid D. fond

24. A. asked B.searched C. found D. found out

25. A. or B. nor C.and D.either

26. A. of B.than C. to D. rather

27. A. used to B. taller C. angry D. dissatisfied

28. A. prevented B. resisted C. offered D. refused

29. A. empty B. small C. big D.own

30. A. and B. that C. then D. but

A.fternoon

B.morning

C.tomorrow

Mother insisted that

A.they are to be back before nine in the evening

B.they ought to be back before nine in the evening

C.they be back before nine in the evening

D.they had to be back before nine in the evening

What are you going to do this evening？

I went there with some friends

A.right

B.wrong