1、牛津高中英语模块12Reading课文School life in the UKGoing to a British high school for one year was a very enjoyable and exciting experience for me. I was very happy with the school hours in Britain because school hours starts around 9 am. and ends about 3:30 pm. This means I could get up an hour later than usu
2、al, as schools in China begin before 8 a.m.On the first day, all of the new students attended an assembly in the school hall. I sat next to a girl whose name was Dianna. We soon became best friends. During the assembly, the headmaster told us the rules of the school. He also told us that the best wa
3、y to earn respect was to devote ourselves to study and achieve high grades. This sounded like my school in China. I had many teachers in the past year. Mr Hevwood, my class teacher, was very helpful. My favorite teacher was miss Burke一I loved the lessons that she gave in English Literature. In our c
4、lass there were 28 students. This is about the average size for British schools. we had to move to different classrooms for different classes. we also had different students in some classes, so it was a struggle for me to remember all the faces and names.I found that the homework was not as heavy as
5、 what I used to get in my old school. However, it was a bit challenging for me at first, because all the homework was in English. I felt lucky, as all my teacher gave me much encouragement and I enjoy all my subjects: English, history, English literature, computer science, maths, science, PE, cookin
6、g and French. My English improved a lot, as I used English every day and spent an hour each day reading English books in the library. I usually went to the computer club during lunch break, so I could send emails to my family and friends back home for free. I also had an extra French class on Tuesda
7、y evening. Cooking was really fun as learnt how to buy, prepare and cook food. At the end of the class we held a class party and we all had to cook something. I was glad that all my classmates were fond of the cake that I made. Students at that school have to study maths, English and science, but ca
8、n stop studying some subjects if they do not like them. For example, history and French. They can choose other subjects such like art and computer science, or languages such as Spanish and German. In the art class that I took, I made a small sculpture. Though it did not look very beautiful when it w
9、as finished. I still like it very much. I missed Chinese food a lot at lunch. British food is very different. British people like eating dessert at the end of their main meal. After lunch, we usually played on the school field. Sometimes I played football with the boys. Sometimes I just relaxed unde
10、r a tree or sat on the grass.I was very lucky to experience this different way of life. I look back on my time in the UK with satisfaction. And I really hope to go back and study in Manchester again. Home alone Act one Mom and Dad arrive back from vacation a day earlier than expected. The curtains a
11、re closed and the living room is dark when Mom and Dad enter. Dad: It is so nice to be home! Mom: Yes, I can not wait to surprise the boys! Suddenly a door opens and a soccer ball flies through the room .Eric runs in after it. followed by a big dog, walking very slowly. Eric: Mom! Dad!You are back e
12、arly!(looking around room,sounding frightened) But ,butyou were not supposed to comehome until tomorrow! The dog slowly walks to Mom and Dad. Mom:(bending to touch dog)Eric, he is so tired and hungry!(looking at table)The money with which you were to buy dog food is gone, but Spot looks so hungry! W
13、hat did you do with the money we left?Dad: and look at this room garbage all over the place! Where is your brother?(shouting angrily)Daniel!Daniel: (running into room)Mom，dad，I can explain Dad open the curtains and light comes into the room. The room is in a mess. With pizza boxes on the floor and d
14、irty dishes in the sink. In the corner. In the corner there is a garbage can around which are pieces of garbage and waste paper.Mum and dad turn towards Daniel. Dad: (sound very angry) listen to me, young man we left you in charge! We thought you could act like a adult, but look at the mess! I dont
15、know why the house is so dirtyMom: Daniel, we thought you were an adult, a person who would make good decisions Dad: how can we trust you any more? We wont tolerate such behavior in our house!Daniel: (shouting) stop shouting at me, Im still a teenager! Why is everything always my fault?Daniel runs i
16、nto his bed room and shuts the door angrily. Mom and dad look at each other as lights go out.End of act one Act two scene one .Daniel and erics bedroom. Eric sits on his bed. Daniel has his arms crossed and looks upset.Daniel: they never ever gave me a chance to defend myself. I hate them!Eric : you
17、 dont hate them. I can tell them we had an emergency. Then they wont be mad any more. Daniel: no, dont tell them anything. Anyhow ,they dont trust me. They dont deserve and explanation. Let them think what they want .Eric: but daneil, if hey knew that spot was sick and we use the money to take him t
18、o the clinic Daniel : and that we spent all of yesterday waiting for him, and that is why we had no time to clean the house. But no ,eric , why didnt they ask me what happened instead of shouting at me ?Act two scene twoMon: do you think we were too hard on Daniel? Perhaps there is a reason why the
19、house is a mess.Dad: maybe, but now that he has been so rude to us. I feel that we had to punish his or he wont respect us.Mom: oh, why does this have to be so difficult?Mom sighs.Dying to be thinHi Zhou LingHow are you? I havent heard from you for weeks. Is everything OK with you?Do you still go to
20、 the gym every day? I used to go to the gym three times a week, but I dont work out any more. I know another way to stay slim. Looking good is important to women, isnt it? Most young women want a slim figure these days, especially here in Canada. Im trying to lose weight because Im so ashamed of my
21、body. Since Im preparing to act in a new TV show, Im taking weight-lose pills called Fat-Less, which are quite popular among young women here. I hope to lose at least 10 kilograms. I take two pills a day and dont need to exercise.The pills really work! Im becoming slimmer and slimmer. Ive lost 7 kil
22、ograms in the last two months. However, I dont feel so energetic. My mother, who you met last year, keeps telling me not to take them because they are dangerous. She says health is the most important thing, and I agree, but then I look so slim at the moment.Write soon!LoveAmyDear Zhou LingThings cha
23、nge so quickly! Im now in hospital recovering from liver failure. I regret taking these weight-lose pills. They contain a harmful chemical that caused my liver to fail. The pills were going to completely destroy my liver if I continued taking them. My mother insisted on sending me to the hospital, w
24、here I received good medical treatment.It was a really painful experience, but Im feeling better now. I follow my doctors advice and exercise for at least half an hour every day (but I seldom go to the gym!), and eat lots of fruit and vegetables. People should look after their bodies. My mother is r
25、ight: dont damage your health for a slim and attractive figure. It isnt worth it. We shouldnt be ashamed of the way we look, should we?I hope to hear from you soon.LoveAmyDear AmyMy computer was broken so I couldnt read your two e-mails until today. Im so sorry to hear about your problem, but Im gla
26、d youre feeling better and recovering.Youre right. We shouldnt be embarrassed about our weight. I think you look great as you are, and youre a wonderful person. I know that the pressure to stay slim is a problem, especially for an actress. However, your mother knows best: nothing is more important t
27、han health.Its the same in China-many people, some of whom are not overweight at all, are always going on a diet or take weight-loss pills, which are often dangerous. I hope they can learn from your story. LoveZhou Ling Boy missing, police puzzledPolice in America have stepped up their search for a
28、fifteen-year-old boy who went missing three days ago in Dover, New Hampshire. This interest has received great interest due to reports of alien visit around the time the boy disappointed.Justin Foster，a high school student，was last seen Friday night. That evening at 8p.m.，Justin went to play basebal
29、l with two friends，who both say Justin went home after the game。Witnesses also say they saw Justin walking towards his house at 10.45p.m.Justins sister,Kelly,aged nine, says she heard her brother return home at about 11p.m.I was getting ready for bed Kelly said. Justin went straight to his room. I d
30、idnt see him, but I heard him put on his favorite CD. I went to bed, and was woken up around midnight by a bright light outside my window.At first, the young girl thought it was the light of the full moon, but then she realized that it was moving and coming closer.I pulled back the curtains and saw
31、a large spaceship flying outside. It had blue lights all around it, and there were many windows. Standing inside were lots of strange creatures with white skin and large black eyes. I was frightened! Kelly said that the spaceship then moved around to the side of the house, towards her brothers bedro
32、om. There was a flash of light and I heard Justin shout, and then the UFO just disappeared. I havent seen Justin since. Im sure the aliens took him. Kelly then ran and woke up her mother.However,since Mrs. Foster thought that Justin was spending the night with a friend, she assumed that Kelly was having a bad dream, and sent her back to bed. Mr. Foster was working that night on his road construction job, and was not home when these events occurred. When Justin did not show up for lunch the ne
