The evidence for harmony may not be obvious in some families. But it seems that four out of five young people now get on with their parents, which is the opposite of the popularly held image of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels.
An important new study into teenage attitudes (态度) surprisingly shows that their family life is happier than it has ever been in the past. “We were surprised by just how positive (积极的) today’s young people seem to be about their families,” said one member of the research team. “They’re expected to be rebellious（叛逆的）and selfish but actually they have other things on their minds; they want a car and material goods, and they worry about whether school is serving them well. There’s discussion between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decision-making process. They don’t want to rock the boat.”
So it seems that these parents are much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat their children as friends. “My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me,” says 17-year-old Daniel LaSalle. “I always tell them when I’m going out clubbing. When they know what I’m doing, they’re fine with it.” Susan Cromer, who is now 21, agrees. “Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call talk or discussion. For example, when I’d done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that.”
Maybe this positive view of family life should not be unexpected. It is possible that the idea of teenage rebellion（叛逆）is not based on real facts. A researcher explains, “Teenagers were thought to be different from others in a part of time in our social history. But to our surprise, they say they are getting on well with their parents. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled.”
1.The study shows that teenagers don’t want to ______________________.
A．share family duties B．cause trouble in their families
C．go boating with their family D．make family decisions
2.Compared with parents of 30 years ago, today’s parents ___________________.
A．go to clubs more often with their children B．are much stricter with their children
C．care less about their children’s life D．give their children more freedom
3.According to the writer, teenage rebellion ____________________.
A．may be a wrong opinion B．is common at present
C．lived only in the 1960s D．was caused by changes in families
4.Which title best gives the main idea of the passage?
A．Discussion in family. B．Teenage education in family.
C．Harmony in family. D．Teenage trouble in family.
“Sesame Street” has been called “the longest street in the world”. That is because the television program by that name can now be seen in many parts of the world. That program became one of American exports soon after it went on the air in New York in 1969.
In the United States more than six million children watch the program regularly. The viewers include more than half the country’s pre-school children, from every kind of economic, racial (种族的), and geographical group.
Although some educators object (反对) to some parts of the program, parents praise (赞扬) it highly. Many teachers also consider it a great help, though some teachers find that problems come out when first graders who have learnt from “Sesame Street” are in the same class with children who have not watched the program.
Tests have shown that children from all racial, geographical, and economic backgrounds have benefited (受益) from watching it. Those who watch it five times a week learn more than occasional (偶尔的) viewers. In the US the program is shown at different hours during the week in order to increase the number of children who can watch it regularly.
The programs all use songs, stories, jokes and pictures to give children a basic understanding of numbers, letters and human relationships. But there are some differences. For example, the Spanish program, produced in Mexico City, devotes more time to teaching whole words than to teaching separate (单独的) letters.
Why has “Sesame Street” been so much more successful than other children’s shows? Many reasons have been suggested. People mention the educational theories (理论) of its creators, the support by the government and private businesses, and the skillful use of various TV tricks. Perhaps an equally important reason is that mothers watch it along with their children. This is partly because famous adult stars often appear on it. But the best reason for the success of the program may be that it makes every child watching it feel able to learn. The child finds himself learning, and he wants to learn more.
1.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A．It is shown at different hours during the week.
B．Famous adult stars often appear on it.
C．This program has been on for less than forty years.
D．Children learn and enjoy themselves while watching it.
2.Why is “Sesame Street” so popular in the world?
A．Because it is supported by the government and businesses.
B．Because it uses different kinds of skillful tricks.
C．Because mothers watch it along with their children.
D．Because it makes every child watching it feel able to learn.
3.The best title for this passage can be _________.
A．Sesame Street B．Educating Children
C．TV Programs D．A Great Success
Bringing a giraffe into the world is a tall order. A baby giraffe is born 10 feet high and usually lands on its back. Within seconds it rolls over its legs under its body. Then the mother giraffe rudely introduces its children to the reality of life.
In his book, A View from the Zoo, Gary Richmond describes how a new-born giraffe learns its first lesson.
The mother giraffe lowers her head long enough to take a quick look. Then she puts herself directly over her child. She waits for about a minute, and then she does the most unreasonable thing. She throws her long leg and kicks her baby, so that it’s sent sprawling(四脚朝天).
When it doesn’t get up, the process is repeated again and again. The struggle to rise is important. As the baby giraffe grows tired, the mother kicks it again. Finally, it stands for the first time on its shaky legs. Then the mother giraffe kicks it off its feet again. Why? She wants it to remember how it got up. In the wild, a baby giraffe must be able to get up as quickly as possible to stay with its group, where there’s safety.
Another writer named Irving Stone understood this. He spent a lifetime studying greatness, writing stories about such men as Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh, Sigmund Freud, and Charles Darwin.
Stone was once asked if he had found something that runs through the lives of all these great people. He said, “I write about people who sometime in their life have a dream of something. They’re beaten over the head, knocked down and for years they get nowhere. But every time they stand up again. And at the end of their lives they’ve realized some small parts of what they set out to do .”
1.What does the underlined part “a tall order” in Paragraph 1 mean?
A．A happy thing. B．A difficult task.
C．A big dream. D．A beautiful scene.
2.Which of the following statements is True according to the passage?
A．This passage is a description of giraffes’ living habits.
B．Baby giraffes can’t stand up until three months old.
C．Irving Stone spent a lifetime studying and writing stories about great people.
D．The great people can’t stand up after they’re knocked down for years.
3.What would be the best title for the passage?
A．How to keep a baby giraffe.
B．Learning to Get Back Up.
C．Stories about the great people.
D．A mother giraffe and its baby giraffe.
James and Harry came to London and stayed in the same hotel.
James came in in a great hurry one evening．A friend had offered him a ticket for a play. He saw a 1etter on the hall table．“That will keep till I get back，”he thought，“no time to lose now．”And he went off．
Harry came in a minute after James．There was a letter for him，too，which he opened at once．It was from the secretary(秘书)of a company，offering him a post(职位)in their office. He Was told to be there at 10 a．m．the next morning，as there were others who wanted the job.
James got back from the play at midnight．He was sleepy．“That letter can be opened in the morning，”he thought．The next morning when he woke up，he at once jumped out of bed，tore(撕)it open-his face fell .It was a similar letter to the one Harry had received the night before. But James’ chance was gone .It was five to ten, and he could never be at the office in time.
1.One evening James came in in a great hurry because .
A．he knew there was a letter on the hall table
B．he had to tell someone to keep his letter until he got back
C．he was afraid he would be late for the play
D．his friend was waiting for him outside the hotel
2.As soon as he woke up，James .
A．wondered where Harry had gone
B．was eager(急切的)to know the time
C．knew he could never be at the office in time
D．remembered the letter from the company
3.The underlined sentence “his face fell” in the passage means“ ”.
A．he knew there was something wrong with his face
B．he felt very sorry for missing the chance
C．he fell down on his face
D．he realized that he had lost his face
The poor are very wonderful people. One evening we went out and picked up four people from the street. One of them was in a most 15 condition, and I told the others: You look after the other three. I take care of this one who looked 16 . So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was such a beautiful 17 on her face. She took hold of my __18__as she said “thank you” and she died. I asked myself what I would say if I was in her 19. And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little 20 to myself. I would have said I am hungry, that I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something else, but she gave me much more---she gave me her grateful love. And she 21 with a smile on her face. As did that man whom we picked up from the drain (下水道), half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home. “I have lived like an 22 in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for.” And it was so 23 to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without complaining, without cursing(诅咒) anybody, without comparing anything. Like an angel---this is the 24 of our people.
1. A．comfortable B．important C．difficult D．terrible
2. A．better B．happier C．worse D．different
3. A．smile B．tear C．laugh D．surprise
4. A．head B．face C．coat D．hand
5. A．place B．room C．home D．side
6. A．attraction B．ability C．advice D．attention
7. A．lived B．died C．came D．talked
8. A．ant B．angel C．animal D．actor
9. A．wonderful B．difficult C．grateful D．important
10. A．achievement B．greatness C．behavior D．unhappiness
―I think it’s too late to say sorry to Kate.
―Never mind. _______.
A．Good medicine tastes bitter B．Better late than never
C．All good things come to an end D．A man becomes learned by asking questions
