For nearly thirty years I did parent programs in all of the fifty states, and regardless of the community, there was always a shortage of fathers attending, usually by a 10:1 (mothersfathers) ratio. Maybe they were all tending to business, and they obviously didn't think school was any of their business.
The world is now flat. How's that for a sea change? As Thomas Friedman described it in his book The World Is Flat twenty-five years ago, the power structure of the world consisted of highs and lows. The countries with the power and knowledge were at the top of the mountains and the rest were down in the valleys. A handful of countries (the United States, Britain, Germany, and Japan) ruled the world's economy because they monopolize (垄断)the information and power.
Then came the Internet. Suddenly the countries down in the valleys were connected to the information network and the work flow. These included India, Eastern Europe, South Korea, Brazil, and China. Don't believe it? Walk into a supermarket and pick up any ten toys, checking each for where it was made, My last count: China, ten out of ten. The world's workforce became “flattened”. No more disconnected valleys.
Since 2000, U.S. manufacturing has lost six million jobs, one-third of its workforce, most of them males. For the first time in history, women hold the majority of jobs in the U.S.
The only people who don't understand the sea change in business are the fathers and sons still clinging to the image of the male who doesn't need to play school—just play ball. It's been thirty years since that idea had any wings, but too many males are still trying to make it fly. Once the only thing that mattered for men was what they could get out of the ground with their hands. Now it's what they can get out of their heads that counts. And without classroom success, today's male faces an impossible challenge from both intelligent women on the home front and foreigners willing to do the same job for less while sitting in an office in Bangalore or Singapore.
【小题1】Based on Friedman's description, why is the world becoming flat?| A．US which is the most powerful country controls the information. |
| B．Knowledge is shared globally with the development of the Internet. |
| C．Goods made in China and other countries are increasingly popular. |
| D．The mountains and valleys are flooded by the sea water these days. |
| A．be positively involved in boys' schooling for academic success |
| B．focus mainly on the physical development of their boys |
| C．spend more time playing with their boys to get their belief fly |
| D．do more housework because the mothers are more intelligent |
| A．A news story. | B．A book review. |
| C．An educational book. | D．An economic report. |
Men and woman define（解释）“best friend”in the same way—a person who is always there when you need them. Your best friend is someone who shares your happiness and sadness.
Many things can help establish a best friendship，including the age of the people，the situation in which they meet，and how they satisfy each other’s needs.
A best friend makes you feel safe and comfortable. You never have to explain yourself to best friends because they understand you so well.
Best friends are loyal(忠诚) and reliable. A best friend is a person who you can tell your most embarrassing personal secrets to.
| A．You can be exactly who you are. |
| B．A best friend gives you unconditional love. |
| C．“Safety” is an important word among friends. |
| D．A best friend is somebody you call if you get a flat tire. |
| E．Finally, best friends are the family you choose. |
| F．She/He won’t repeat your secrets to anyone else. |
| G．But the main themes that define a best friend are similar for many people. |
One night I felt so powerless that I got down on my knees and pleaded for help. “
Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m giving the whole thing up to you.” I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” Before he could say another word, I choked up and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. “I love my son but I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands.” For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, “Thank you for your time”, and hung up.
Karl’s next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. Finally, he even made the honor roll. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were astonished at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?” I nodded. “That was me. I thought I’d play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”
【小题1】By saying “Karl became withdrawn”, the author means that the boy changed entirely and ________.
| A．preferred to stay alone at home | B．lost interest in his studies |
| C．refused to talk to others | D．began to dislike his mother |
| A．the speaker was too moved to say anything to the mother |
| B．the speaker waited for the mother to finish speaking |
| C．the speaker didn’t want the mother to recognize his voice |
| D．the speaker was unable to interrupt the mother |
| A．he was even on the list to be praised at the parent-teacher meeting |
| B．he was even on the list of students who made progress in grades |
| C．he was even on the list of students who had turned themselves around |
| D．he was even on the list of the best students at school |
| A．Children in single-parent families often have mental problems. |
| B．Mother’s love plays an important role in teenagers’ life. |
| C．Being understood by parents is very important to teenagers. |
| D．School education doesn’t work without full support from parents. |
Today we're sending Sally away for a week of summer camp. She never actually asked to go. It was all my idea to sign up（报名）.She's nearly 12，and I notice that I'm with my child nearly 24 hours a day.
Living on a farm without any neighbors，I've chosen a life that is quieter than a typical family's. But rather than longing for space away from me，Sally has become increasingly dependent on me.
What frightens me most is that she has become a "mini-me". She follows my hobbies，my dreams and my opinions. And that's why I pulled her to the summer camp，a nearby wilderness camp called Hawk Circle.
After we ate，we drove to Hawk Circle. Once there，we got a tour of the grounds and were introduced to Sally's fellow campers. Sally stood by the group of children，holding my hand and with fear in her eyes trying to pick up the courage to join in a game of soccer.
"I need you for a few more minutes，"she told me，holding my hand tightly（紧紧地）.
I pulled her away and walked up to one of the camp workers. "Excuse me，"I said loudly." I'd like to introduce my daughter to you. Maybe you could help her meet a few of these kids. "He came over to talk to Sally，and I kissed on her cheek and then my husband and I disappeared before Sally realized we were gone.
It was not until we drove home that I finally felt it. A piece of my soul had been taken from my body. I began to shake. Tears streamed down my face. It took every bit of my strength to keep driving forward.
When we arrived home，I calmed down and reminded myself why I chose this path. I want Sally to have a chance to find herself out of my shadow. I don't want to see only myself in my child. I want to learn who she is. After 12 years of constantly being together，I want to finally meet my daughter for the first time.
【小题1】Why did the author sign up for her daughter for the summer camp？| A．Camp training was something new to her daughter. |
| B．Her daughter had longed to go to the summer camp. |
| C．She expected her daughter to make some better friends. |
| D．She wanted to help build up her daughter's independence. |
| A．Sally enjoyed meeting her fellow campers very much. |
| B．Sally found the other campers were not easy to get along with. |
| C．Sally felt frightened but her parents left her with a camp worker. |
| D．Sally gathered the courage to join in a soccer game immediately. |
| A．She was worried about her daughter's health. |
| B．She was regretful for sending her daughter away. |
| C．She was worried but confident of her right decision. |
| D．She was afraid that she had done something wrong. |
| A．Kids should often be introduced to summer camps. |
| B．Sometimes parents need to let go of their children. |
| C．Parents shouldn't influence their children too much. |
| D．Children are usually a real reflection of their parents. |
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