When old people live with children and other relatives the relationship is not always a happy one. Even old parents and adult children who live separately can have difficulties. Here the generation gap becomes most visible as the needs and interests of the middle-aged and old diverge. Some middle-aged children are so annoyed by the demands of their parents that they make such comments as “Why don’t the old fools die?”
Although such ugly comments exist, a survey conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons reflects a positive attitude by American population towards the old. That survey showed that 69% adult children have weekly contact with their mothers and 20% have daily contact with their mothers. Other surveys have shown that 40% of adults have face-to face contact with their parents once a week.
The 2014 National Survey of Family and Household (NSFH) showed that 78% of adults view their relationship with their mother and father as excellent. Only 0.03% of those surveyed viewed that relationship as “bad”. The remainders were ambivalent in their perception of their parents. This finding is confirmed by much older studies of the same phenomenon also conducted by the National Survey of Families and Households.
Of those surveyed, 66% contacted their parents once a week or more and only 10% did not contact their parents at all. In part, this is a product of the distance at which adult children live from their parents. The 2014 survey showed that 67% of adult children live within 100 miles of their parents and that 38% live within ten miles of their parents. However, a full 20% of those surveyed live 1,000 miles or more away from their parents.
1.According to the passage, the relationship between most American old people and their adult children is
______.
A. terrible and distant B. annoying and difficult
C. great and close D. neither good nor bad
2.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “diverge” in paragraph 1?
A. differ B. meet C. exist D. transfer
3.From the passage, we learn that ______.
A. generation gap becomes invisible if old parents and adult children live separately
B. relationship between parents and children has become much better than before
C. some old parents would rather die because their children are annoyed at them
D. living far away may lead to people’s less or no contact with their parents
I was only three when my real mom passed away. The last thing I remember about my real mom was watching the ambulance taking her away from us. After my mom died, my dad started abusing my brothers and me. I was sent away to live with one relative after another but no one would ever want to keep me for long. I was miserable almost all of the time. Finally, when I was five, my mom’s sister, Aunt Bonnie, and her husband, Uncle Jesse, said that they would take me in, and they became my legal guardians.
From then on, they became my family. I called Aunt Bonnie Mom and Uncle Jesse Dad. When I was six, Uncle Jesse was diagnosed with cancer and finally died shortly after my seventh birthday. I cried for days after losing him and still clung to the present he gave me on my sixth birthday.
Shortly after Uncle Jesse passed away, we moved to a smaller house in a new town. I spent a lot of time alone because Mom was always working. One summer, the beginning of a miracle happened when my mom met a great and funny guy, David. They got married and now I gained two more brothers.
When I look back on it now, I have come a long way from being a sad and lonely girl to being the person I am today---part of a big, happy family. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like if Aunt Bonnie hadn’t taken me in. She promised to love me and take care of me---no matter what--- and she has done exactly that. I have learned about strength, dedication and love. She has been there to hold me when I’m sick, to help me with homework, to support me when I need her. In return, I love her more than she’ll ever know. Without her in my life, I would have been a motherless child, but because of her I have a great family and the best mom in the world.
1.Why was the author sent to live with her relatives?
A. Because her dad didn’t want to raise her.
B. Because her relatives offered to help her.
C. Because her dad treated her badly.
D. Because her family was too poor to keep her.
2.We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. Aunt Bonnie had been teaching the author at home
B. Aunt Bonnie was a strong, dedicated and loving mother
C. the family could hardly make ends meet after Uncle Jesse died
D. David, the new father, was wealthy enough to support the family
3.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A. My Unusual Childhood B. Thank You, My Mom!
C. My New Dad and Mom D. A Motherless Child
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What happened at First Republic Bank?
A. The man robbed the bank with a gun.
B. A young girl was robbed and killed.
C. The man used a cell phone to rob the bank.
2.How did the whales find their way back to the ocean?
A. The winds and the tides helped them.
B. Some local fishermen showed them the way.
C. They followed a school of fish back to the ocean.
3.What do we know about the motorcycle show on Friday night?
A. Riders won’t be allowed to perform dangerous tricks.
B. The show will be delayed until all the riders sign insurance forms.
C. Medical workers will be there in case of an emergency.
4.What made people concern about safety this time?
A. A rider was killed last month.
B. A rider was badly injured last month.
C. Some audience were involved in a violence.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Who had a heart attack?
A. The couple’s daughter. B. The couple’s dog. C. The couple’s neighbour
2.What did the first-aid workers do?
A. They gave the couple some advice.
B. They scolded the couple seriously.
C. They took the dog to a pet hospital.
3.What may the man’s former dog be like now?
A. Mean. B. Violent. C. Gentle
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What did the man do last night?
A. He wanted to the stadium to watch NBA game. B. He invited the woman to see a show.
C. He watched a sports program on TV.
2.How does the woman describe basketball game?
A. It’s a very competitive game. B. It’s a dull game. C. It’s too complicated.
3.Why does the man ask the woman the last question?
A. He wants to take her to a NBA game B. He wants to change the topic of their conversation.
C. He wants to take her to a movie.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Who are the speakers?
A. Teachers. B. Students. C. co-workers.
2.Who paid for the holiday?
A. The man. B. The woman. C. The man’s parents.
3.To whom should you say “mahalo”?
A. Someone who helped you. B. Someone who you just met. C. Someone you hurt.
