"Hey, Dad," one of my kids asked the other day, "what was your favourite fast food when you were growing up?"
"We didn't have fast food when I was growing up," I informed him．"All the food was slow．" "Where did you eat?" "It was a place called 'at home'．" I explained．"Grandma cooked every day and when Grandpa got home from work, we sat down together at the dining table, and if I didn't like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I liked it．"
Some parents never owned their own houses, set foot on a golf course, travelled out of the country or had a credit card．
My parents have never driven me to soccer practice．This was mostly because we never had heard of soccer．I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed．We didn't have a television in our house until I was 11．I was 13 when I tasted my first pizza; it was called "pizza pie"．When I bit into it, I burned the roof of my mouth and the cheese slid off, swung down, plastered（粘贴）itself against my chin and burned that, too．It's still the best pizza I ever had．
I delivered newspapers, six days a week ．The paper cost 7 cents, of which I got to keep 2 cents．I had to get up at 4:00 a．m．every morning．On Saturday, I had to collect the 42 cents from my customers．My favourite customers were the ones who gave me 50 cents and told me to keep the change．
If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren．
Growing up isn't what it used to be, is it?
1.By saying "All the food was slow", the writer implies that ____．
A．when he was growing up, he never ate fast food
B．he didn't like fast food when he was growing up
C．his grandma made food slowly
D．he had to wait for a long time for the fast food
2.When the writer didn't like the food his grandma cooked when he was growing up, _______．
A．his grandma would make something he liked
B．his grandma would buy him fast food
C．he would sit there waiting for his favourite pizza pie
D．he had to eat it or go without
3.The writer's purpose of writing this passage is to _____.
A．tell his children there was no fast food in the past
B．tell us that life has been changing
C．tell us how hard it is to deliver newspapers
D．made us understand the meaning of life
On Sundays my father always wore that gray apron（围裙）?the one with the race cars all over it． 21 _breakfast Dad always announced: "Go ahead everyone．I'll 22 the dishes!"
I suppose it was 23 for a boy's father to wear an apron? even one with race cars? 24 I never thought much of it until the last Sunday in August．As we 25 home slowly from church together, my father seemed very 26 ．"Tommy," he said letting my name roll off his 27 ．"There comes a time in every boy's 28 when he must take on responsibilities．It's time you 29 a greater role in the family．From now on, I want you to__30__the dishes on Sunday morning, so your mother and I can work the crossword puzzle（纵横字谜）together．"
"The dishes!?" I 31 in surprise．
"Anything wrong with taking over the dishes, son?" father said．
I started to say something about a man's 32 or woman's work, but I knew immediately that my protests（抗议）would be 33 .
I didn't taste a bit of 34 that morning．Dad seemed joyful as he described an American game．
At the end of the meal, my father 35 : "Let's go read the paper, Honey．" "Aren't you doing the dishes?" my 36 asked surprisedly．Father smiled and said, "your oldest son has 37 to fill the position．"
"I want you to have this apron on, Tommy．It'll keep your clothes from getting 38 ．" And before I could go against it, he had put the thing on me．"Thanks, Son．Your mother and I 39 this．"
With that he disappeared into the Sunday paper．I looked 40 at the dishes．I could see my dad reaching for the dishes．He was always happy to help the family．My anger soon flew off and I began to sing．
1. A．Until B．During C．Before D．After
2. A．keep up B．take care of C．look for D．turn over
3. A．important B．natural C．strange D．exciting
4. A．but B．so C．because D．when
5. A．rushed B．hurried C．walked D．danced
6. A．happy B．angry C．sad D．mad
7. A．eyes B．tongue C．ears D．hands
8. A．death B．school C．work D．life
9. A．made B．played C．did D．carried
10. A．do B．buy C．break D．set
11. A．smiled B．laughed C．whispered D．screamed
12. A．game B．joy C．job D．feeling
13. A．turned down B．turned to C．turned up D．turned off
14. A．breakfast B．lunch C．supper D．juice
15. A．ordered B．announced C．demanded D．chatted
16. A．brother B．sister C．mother D．friend
17. A．started B．gone C．managed D．offered
18. A．cold B．warm C．dry D．wet
19. A．hate B．scold C．appreciate D．require
20. A．up B．down C．out D．on
--- What are you busy with?
---The exhibition ____ in the city next week．
A．held B．will be held C．to be held D．being held
---Jack can't concentrate on his study recently．
--- Yes, that might ____ why he did so badly in the last test．
A．answer for B．apply for C．call for D．account for
I can hardly remember any occasions ____ I get caught in a traffic jam in our town．
A．which B．that C．where D．when
Holiday shopping ___be a tiring experience．There are so many places to visit and choices to make．
A．can B．may C．shall D．will
