Man and Self人与自我 生活与学习

阅读理解

Passage 1

High School Math Competitions

American Mathematics Competition （AMC） 10/12

Eligibility （资格）： 10th graders—12th graders

Cash Prizes： No

AMC 10/12 is the first exam in a series of math exams that progress from the local， to the national， to the international level. Students who are top performers in the AMC 10/12 will be eligible for invitations to the next， more difficult exams in the AMC series.

Caribou Mathematics Competition （CMC）

Eligibility： 2nd graders—12th graders

Cash Prizes： Yes

Caribou Mathematics Competition is the only worldwide math competition that is held totally online. This contest is held six times throughout the school year， and students that complete all six tests can compete for the “Caribou Cup”. Not only is the Caribou Mathematics Competition open to international participants， it also offers contests for elementary through high school aged students.

Trig-Star

Eligibility： 9th graders—12th graders

Cash Prizes： Yes

Trig-Star is an annual， national competition for high school students， the purpose of which is to recognize students who are good at trigonometry （三角学）， to introduce students to practical applications of mathematics in professional environments， and to grow awareness of surveying as a profession among mathematically-skilled high school students.

TEAMS

Eligibility： 7th graders—12th graders

Cash Prizes： No

TEAMS is an annual， state and national mathematics， science， and engineering competition for middle and high school students. TEAMS is designed to help students develop their STEM skills by working in teams of four to eight students to solve real-world engineering challenges.

1. What can we learn about AMC 10/12 from the text？

A. It is a local competition. B. It is the start of a series of competitions.

C. It is the hardest in the AMC series. D. It invites participants to enter for its exam.

2. What is special about CMC？

A. It is completely conducted online. B. It is held six times every term.

C. There is no cash prize for its winner. D. Senior high students can’t take part in it.

3. Which competition involves different subjects？

A. TEAMS. B. Trig-Star. C. AMC 10/12. D. CMC.

Passage 2

As I walked into my new high school for the first time， I felt uncertain， nervous and lonely. I missed my old friends terribly. My head hurt with the thought of making new friends all over again.

What will my new friends be like？ Will we like each other？ Will I even make a friend？ These questions were on my mind， as I walked over to a group of girls.

I didn’t know anyone in my new school. It seemed like everyone was watching me， as if every head was turning towards me， waiting for me to make a wrong move.

I nervously said “hi” in a low voice， waving my hand at the group. Expecting them to start laughing and making fun of me， I was surprised when they waved back and asked me to sit with them.

As if a switch had been turned off， all the anxious thoughts that had been killing me were gone. A feeling of acceptance and excitement rushed over me as I happily chatted with the six girls， telling them more about myself.

Looking back at how anxious I was upon entering my new school for the first time， I now feel stupid for I had been losing my sleep over something so small. Being myself and being polite had worked out for me just fine. Being confident proved to be the key that fit perfectly into the lock on the door of friendship， the same door that I had been too scared to even knock on before.

I had never expected that by the end of the day I would have any friends at all， let alone six. What I learned from my experience was to welcome everyday surprises with open arms and to accept the good or bad feelings that fill our hearts， the same place where love lives and where new friends are welcomed.

1. Why did the author mention those questions in Paragraph 2？

A. To express her needs. B. To show her nervousness.

C. To show her hunger for knowledge. D. To express her doubts about friendship.

2. What was unexpected to the author？

A. Being accepted by all the students. B. The invitation from the six girls.

C. Being laughed at by the group of girls. D. The attention from all the students.

3. What advice might the author give to new high school students？

A. Get enough sleep. B. Keep in touch with old friends.

C. Believe in yourself. D. Avoid saying something stupid.

4. What is the best title for the text？

A. Everyone Has Good Days B. Everything Has Its Two Sides

C. Each New Day Holds a Surprise D. Each One Thinks in His Own Way

Passage 3

We all know that unpleasant feeling when we’re talking about something interesting and halfway through our sentence we’re interrupted. But was that really an interruption？ The answer depends on whom you ask， according to new research led by Katherine Hilton from Stanford University.