The principal technique in current use for teaching reading at the intermediate stage, a stage occurring between a beginning stage and an advanced stage, is that of graded readers. It is generally accepted that the achievement of fluency and that of a wider coverage of the language are desirable aims, and most teachers strive to obtain a large quantity of reading matter, often distinguishing between intensive and extensive reading. Two sources of difficulty exist: first, it is extremely difficult, in practice, for the teacher to meet the needs of each individual learner at the various different times that individuals actually become intermediate learners. Classwork presupposes that all learners progress from one stage to another at the same moment, which is not true. To try and get over this problem there is currently a wave of interest in individualization, that is, in providing within a common framework the opportunity for each individual learner to learn at least partly at his own rate; In reading, this is promoted by the provision of numbers of separate materials lots of small books ,or leaflets, or cards -- which become longer and more complex. (Reading kits are a case in point. ) This trend is certain to increase.
The second difficulty is that the grading of reading materials has often proved inadequate ,in two senses: (a) by being self-defeating, so that "simplified" texts have frequently been "simplified" out of all sensible meaning; and (b) by the fact that many learners find vocabulary graded materials unappetizing: not that they can't learn from them, but that they won't. What is now being realized is that the grading of reading materials, and above all the choice of texts, must reflect not only characteristics of the language (vocabulary, grammar, etc. ) but also characteristics of the learner. What he is willing to read and what he is interested to read are products of his sex, age-group, level of education, degree of intellectuality, personal interests, etc. Reading materials are increasingly being designed to fit both the learner's level of proficiency in English and his reading interests. In doing so, they are providing the learner with the means of developing further command of the linguistic meanings of writing, enabling him to grasp informational and logical meaning, and perhaps starting him on the understanding of rhetorical and implicational meanings.
The first paragraph mainly deals with the problem caused by ______.
A. intensive and extensive reading
B. supplementary reading materials
C. individual learners
D. the quantity of reading materials
听力原文:W: I hope you'll excuse me for coming to class late. My car broke down.
M: I' m sorry, I can' t hear you. There' s too much noise in this room.
Where does the conversation most probably take place?
At school.
B. In the office.
C. In a garage.
D. At a toy store.
听力原文: A team of three American high school students has won the National Geographic World Championship in Budapest, Hungary Thursday. The team from Russia came in second and Canada was third. They received their gold medals after a nerve-wracking hour, which included burning questions on the capital of Slovakia, an egg-laying mammal, and questionable election practices in Zimbabwe.
Fourteen-yeas old Jesse Weinberg from Coral Gables in Florida said he could not believe his team managed to win the championship. Like his two teammates, Jesse wants to start a career in geography, perhaps in politics.
It is the fifth time the U. S. has won the National Geographic World contest, despite a recent survey showing that American youngsters know less about geography than most of their foreign counterparts.
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
America has won the championship five times so far.
B. Canada won the second prize at this contest.
C. The questions asked at the contest are all about geography.
D. The three winners have different ideas about their future careers.
听力原文:W: Hello? May I speak to Bill Johns?
M: Hi, Amy. This is Bill.
W: Oh, hi, Bill. You weren't in engineering class today, were you?
M: No, I wasn't.(20)I have a flu. I was wondering if you could tell me what went on.
W: I'm sorry that you are ill. Actually we had an interesting class. (19)Dr, Collin talked about a new type of fuel,
M: Oh, yeah? Tell me more about it.
W: Uh-hum. It's called DME.
M: Oh. I remember reading something about DME.It's mostly used in spray cans, right?
W: Right. DME doesn't destroy the ozone, so it's been environmentally friendly.
M: But doesn't DME pollute the air if it's burned in an engine?
W: Dr. Collin says something about its exhausts being clear, that it doesn't release as much pollutants as diesel fuel. He mentioned something about DME being more efficient than other alternative fuels.
M: When will it replace diesel fuel?
W: Not for a while. It's not economical to mass-produce. But it may happen in the future. After all, time will tell.
M: Well, thanks for the information. (21)I guess I won't need to borrow your notes.
W: (21)Well, maybe you should look at them. We are having a test next week. You have to prepare for it.
M: Okay, could you give them to Mike Andrews? I think be is in your psychology class. He is my roommate.
W: Sure, I hope you're feeling better soon.
M: Thanks. Me too. Bye!
(20)
A more economical diesel fuel.
B. Characteristics of a new type of fuel.
C. Where a new energy source is located.
D. How to develop alternative energy sources.