Family VS Friends
It is Saturday afternoon. You and your friends are planning to go to the movies and then have a dinner together. Just as you start to get ready, your dad reminds you that it is your aunt’s birthday and the whole family is going out to dinner to celebrate. How can this end without a quarrel?
The tension (紧张关系) between teenagers and their families mainly comes from how to balance what they want with family hopes. You once spent most of your free time with your parents. When you want to spend more and more time with your friends, your parents’ feelings may get hurt. They might feel that they are losing control of you during the period. You might feel angry that so many family requirements are placed on you. Here are a few things you can try to make it a little easier to ease(缓解) the tension between you and your family.
＊Tell your plan to your parents first and ask your parents whether there is anything else planned at that time.
＊When your buddy activities come with a family event, try to find out if there is any way you can do both. You can spend a little time with each group. You can go to the family even and ask to be with your friends next time. You can also invite your friends to the family event.
＊Suggest something you would really like to do with your family. When your parents know you want to spend time with them, they will feel better.
Sometimes the results cannot always make both satisfied. However, the tension can be eases if you consider the feelings of your family as well as those of yourself and your friends.(选自《初中英语读本》九上 Chapter 7)
Family VS Friends
Topic | The tension between teenagers and their family and ways to ease it | |
Where it is from | A scene | You are planning to see a film and have dinner together with your 1. while your family are going out to dinner to2. your aunt’s birthday. |
The causes | ◇Teenagers try to achieve a 3. between what they want and their family hopes. ◇You used to 4. your spare time with your parents. Your parents may feel hurt because you now want to spend more time with your friends. They might think you are out of control. ◇Your parents 5. you so much that you may feel angry. | |
6. we can ease it | ◇Tell your parents your plan first and ask them whether they have already 7. anything else. ◇Try to find out a way you can do both when you and your family have different activities at the same time. ◇Suggest 8. what you really want with your family. Your parents will feel better when they know you want to spend time with them. | |
Conclusion | The tension can be eased by 9. the feelings of both though sometimes both your family and your friends are not 10. with the results. | |
Three boys and three girls were going to Florida. When they got on the bus, they were carrying sandwiches and wine, dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the gray cold of New York disappeared behind them.
As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice Vingo, He sat in front of them, dressed in a common suit, never moving, his dusty face masking his age. He kept chewing(咀嚼) the inside of his lip a lot, frozen into complete silence.
Deep into the night, the bus pulled into Howard Johnson’s, and everybody got off except Vingo. He sat in his seat, and the young people began to wonder about him, perhaps he was a sea captain, a runaway from his wife, an old soldier going home. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
“We’re going to Florida,” she said brightly, “I hear it’s really beautiful.”
“It is, ”he said quietly, as if remembering something he had tried to forget.
“Want some wine?” she said. He smiled and took a swig. He thanked her and once again returned to his silence. After a while, she went back to the others, and Vingo nodded in his sleep.
In the morning, they awoke outside another cafe. And this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He seemed very shy, and ordered black coffee and smoked nervously as the young people talked about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, and after a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in jail in New York for the past four years, and now he was going home.
“Are you married?”
“I don’t know.
“You don’t know?” she said.
“Well, when I was in prison I wrote to my wife, ”he said. “I told her that I was going to be away a long time, and that if she couldn’t stand it, if the kids kept asking questions, she could just forget me, I’d understand. Get a new husband, I said-she’s a wonderful woman-and forget about me. I told her she didn’t have to write to me. And she didn’t. Not for three and a half years.”
“And you’re going home now, not knowing?”
“Yeah,” he said shyly. “Well, last week, I was set free, I wrote her again. We used to live in Brunswick, and there’s a big oak (橡树) tree just in front of the town. I told her that if she didn’t have a new family and she’d take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I’d get off and come home, If she didn’t want me, forget it, no handkerchief, and I’d go on through.”
She told the others, and noon all of them were in it. As the bus came near Brunswick, Vingo showed them a picture of his wife and three children-the woman was beautiful and the children were cute.
Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seats, waiting for the appearance of the great oak tree. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face
10 miles, 5 miles,…. Then, suddenly, all of the young people were up out of their seats, screaming and shouting and crying. All except Vingo. Vingo sat there nervously, looking at the oak tree. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs, 20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds, blowing in the wind. As the young people shouted, Vingo slowly rose from his seat and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.
1.According to the passage, which statement is TRUE?
A. The young people are traveling from Florida to New York.
B. At last, Vingo went home together the three boys and three girls.
C. Vingo was put in prison ten years ago, and now he was set free to go home.
D. The young people around Vingo were quite curious about his silence.
2.From the underlined sentence in Para 2, we can infer that
A. Vingo was very shy because he knew someone was watching him
B. Vingo was very disappointed because his wife didn’t answer his letter
C. Vingo was excited because he could go home and meet his wife and children
D. Vingo was nervous because he didn’t know whether his wife would accept him
3.Which word do you think can best describe Vingo’s wife according to the passage?
A. loyal B. bright C. generous D. helpful
4.After reading the whole story, we can probably make a conclusion that
A. Don’t laugh at a person who has no home
B. Home is always the first place a person wants to go
C. When others are in trouble, we should help them
D. Young people are always curious about everything new around them
5.What’s the best title for the passage?
A. The power of love B. Help from strangers
C. Going home D. A story of poor man
The Phones We Love Too Much
We have a close relationship with our phones. We sleep with them, eat with them and carry them in our pockets.
But phone love can go too far — so far that it can reduce human love — between parents and children, wives and husbands, teachers and students, our friends and us.
“A key to a healthy relationship is being present,” said James Roberts, a famous writer. He says that many people are addicted to their smartphones and as if they can’t live without phones. When one partner keeps checking his or her phone, it means that they find the phone (or what’s on it) more interesting than you.
A 2016 study investigated(调查) 200 people about the influence of phones on their relationship. The result showed that 70 percent of them said that smartphones affected their primary relationship. More than one-third saidtheir partner would notice their phones while talking, one out of four said their partner send messages during conversations.
They may not know what to do about it, but they are willing to change. People turn off their phones when they are in class or at a meeting.
Here are some suggestions to leave your phone long enough to connect with your family.
●Set “no phone” areas in your home. With your family, decide which areas of your home, such as the living room and the kitchen, should be technology-free. And consider stopping phone use in the car so that you can use that time to talk to your family about whatever is on your mind.
●Buy some old-fashioned alarm clocks for your bedside table. Put your phones in a basket in the kitchen.
●Keep phones off the table. When you’re eating at home or in a restaurant, keep phones off the table. When a phone was present during a conversation, the partners usually feel less satisfied with their conversation than when phones were absent.
●Practice phone manners. If you must look at your phone, announce that you are doing so. “I am just checking the score/weather/playlist for two minutes,” shows sorry to your partner that you are aware that your attention is away. It may also make you more aware of how often you pick up your phone when your partner is present.
1.What is the purpose for the author to write this passage?
A. To warn people not to use smartphones any more.
B. To suggest people using smartphones properly and politely.
C. To encourage more people to use smartphones at conversation.
D. To show us the importance of smartphones in the modern world.
2.According to a 2016 survey, about of the people being investigated said their partner would notice their phones while talking.
A. 200 B. 140 C. 70 D. 50
3.What does the author advise you to do if you must use your phone while talking to your partner?
A. Set “no phone” areas in your home B. Buy an old-fashioned alarm clock
C. Keep phones off the table. D. Practice phone manners.
4.What does the underlined word “are addicted to” in the third paragraph mean?
A. lose themselves in B. show interest in
C. pay attention to D. get along with
5.Which of the following sentences can be put at the beginning of the fifth paragraph?
A. Sadly, many people haven’t realized the problem.
B. However, the problem is more serious than we think.
C. Luckily, people are beginning to realize that something is wrong.
D. Anyway, many people have found different ways to solve the problem.
Last Friday, the largest virus attack ever affected more than 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries. The attack used a virus that locked the computers’ data. The attackers ask for payment to unlock the computers. Computers in organizations including the British healthcare system, the American company FedEx and Russia’s Interior Ministry have caught the virus, called WannaCry. |
As we all know, the future of a country lies in its youth. That’s why the Chinese government set a plan to guide its youth towards better development. The Middle and Long-term Youth Development Plan (2016-2025) came out on April 13, reported Xinhua News Agency. In the plan, “youth” refers to those aged from 14 to 35. The plan covers 10 areas such as education, healthcare, culture and so on. |
Meeting of world leaders
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With smartphones and e-readers becoming more common, some have worried that the days of paper books are numbered. But as a recent survey showed, traditional books are still popular among readers. According to a study in America, the main reasons were that when reading e-books, students are easily distracted. Some also ended up with headaches or painful eyes. In addition, print books can bring a very different reading experience. |
1.What is WannaCry?
A. a British healthcare system B. A Chinese youth development plan
C. A virus that spreads worldwide D. A meeting between two word leaders
2.Why did The Chinese government set The Middle-and Long-term Youth Development Plan?
A. To develop the China-US relations. B. To guide the youth towards better development
C. To encourage the youth to read more D. To help all the Chinese people live better.
3.What did Xi Jinping mean by saying “a thousand reasons to make the China-US relationship work, and no reason to break it”.
A. A good relationship are very necessary to both countries
B. Both countries should find more reasons to develop the China-US relations.
C. To make the China-US relationship work, the two countries should find a thousand reasons.
D. To make the China-US relationship work isn’t easy
4.Which of the following is NOT the reason why traditional books are still popular among readers according to a survey in America?
A. Students are easily distracted while reading e-books.
B. Smartphones and e-readers are becoming more common.
C. Print books can bring a very different reading experience.
D. Some students may get a headache or painful eyes after reading e-books.
5.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. The Middle-and Long-term Youth Development Plan covers 10 areas.
B. In the Chinese Youth Development Plan, the “Youth” refers those aged from 14-35.
C. Chinese President Xi Jinping stayed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for two days.
D. The virus WannaCry affected over 20,000 computers in more than 150 countries.
I know that there are times when friends are away from each other for a while-or even forever-and that your lives take different______. Yet, I always hope for a happy ending. I know that friends reconnect again if possible.
My friend Julie and I had a long period in our______. We used to see each other daily. I would eat brown rice in her kitchen while we______ our secrets.
Later, we celebrated each other’s______. My husband and I welcomed Julie’s first son (born on my birthday). By the time he was learning to walk, Julie and her family had moved to another ______. We spoke on the phone sometimes and exchanged Christmas cards.
After they welcomed their third son, they moved to Edmonton, which is a______ city. We haven’t seen each other since then. They changed their phone numbers. I received a______ from her, but I couldn’t find that envelope later. I e-mailed her a few times,______ didn’t get a reply.
It was______ not to be in touch with an old friend. I let it go. I knew that Julie and I would reconnect again if possible. So I______ it go.
Last year, Julie’s husband got in touch with me on Facebook. I felt______ bad, and soon my feeling______ true: Julie had passed away the month before. She died of cancer.
I______ that I had not been part of Julie’s support system, or the last years of her joyous, painful time on Earth. I cried. I’m so sorry, Julie, for______ on more chances.
Last week, I donated my hair in______ of Julie to make wigs (假发) for cancer patients. It was a small way of showing that I loved her and will never forget her. And that I look forward to us reconnecting again – if possible .
1.A. times B. paths C. methods D. actions
2.A. friendship B. conversation C. relationship D. direction
3.A. talked B. collected C. shared D. felt
4.A. birthdays B. successes C. victories D. weddings
5.A. village B. town C. city D. country
6.A. bigger B. farther C. smaller D. nearer
7.A. gift B. message C. letter D. call
8.A. but B. and C. or D. so
9.A. silly B. painful C. harmful D. impolite
10.A. make B. let C. hear D. watch
11.A. something B. anything C. everything D. nothing
12.A. sounded B. looked C. turned D. proved
13.A. thought B. forgot C. regretted D. believed
14.A. expecting B. refusing C. promising D. receiving
15.A. need B. fear C. front D. memory
—Can I learn English well if I work hard on it from now on?
—Sure. ___________ .
A. One tree doesn’t make a forest
B. Nothing is impossible to a willing heart
C. It’s not work that kills, but worry
D. Two heads are better than one
