In the past, American families tended to be quite large. Parents raising five or more children were common. Over the years, the size of the family has decreased. One reason for this is an increase in the cost of living. On the average, children attend schools for more years than they used to, making them financially dependent on their families longer. Moreover, children nowadays are better dressed and have more money to spend on entertainment. The parents usually take the responsibility for all the expenses. Meanwhile, families are less close than they used to be. More and more American mothers work away from home. The break up of the family occurs when the parents divorce. A lot of children in the U. S. live part of their young lives with only one parent. Broken families usually result in problems for children and parents alike. Children blame themselves when their parents separate. They grow up feeling unsettled as they are moved back and forth between parents. Usually one parent is responsible for raising the children. These single parents must care for the children’s emotional and psychological needs while also supporting them financially. This is very demanding and leaves very little time for the parent’s own personal interests. Single parents often marry other single parents. In this type of family, unrelated children are forced to develop brother or sister relationship. The situations of many American families today are not good. However, recent signs indicate that things are getting better. The divorce rate is declining. The rate of childbirth is rising. Perhaps Americans have learned how important families are.
1.In the past, American families tended to be ____.
A. quite small B. medium sized C. quite large D. small
2.To parents who take the responsibility for children’s expenses, the cost of living increases because ____.
A. children attend school for more years B. children are better dressed
C. children spend more money on entertainment D. all of the above
3.According to the author, the situations of American families in the future may ____.
A. become worse B. remain the same
C. get better D. keep unchanged
4.The title of the article might be ____.
A. American Children B. American Families
C. American Mother D. American Parents
I’ve always had strong opinions of how love should be expressed, but others had their own ways of showing care.
What I 36 most about visiting my boyfriend’s parents is the loud tick of the clock in the dining room as we 37 ate our meal. With so little conversation I was quick to 38 his family as cold. When we got into the 39 to go home, his father suddenly appeared 40 , he began to wash his son’s windscreen. I could feel he is a caring man through the glass.
I learned another lesson about love a few years later. My father often 41 me early in the morning. “Buy Xerox. It’s a good sharp price,” he might say when I answered the phone. No pleasant 42 or inquiry about my life ,just financial instructions. This manner of his 43 me and we often quarreled. But one day, I thought about my father’s success in business and realized that his concern for my financial security lay behind his 44 morning calls. The next time he called and told me to buy a stock, I
45 him.
When my social style has conflicted with that of my friends, I’ve often felt 46 . For example, I always return phone calls 47 and regularly contact with my friends. I expect the same from them. I had one friend who rarely called, answering my messages with short e-mails. I rushed to the 48 : She wasn’t a good friend! My anger 49 as the holidays approached. But then she came to a gathering I 50 and handed me a beautiful dress I had fallen in love with when we did some window-shopping the previous month. I was 51 at her thoughtfulness, and regretful for how I’d considered her to be 52 . Clearly I needed to change my expectations of friends.
Far too often, I ignored their 53 expressions, eagerly expecting them to do things in my 54 .Over the years, however, I’ve learned to 55 other persons’ love signs.
1.A. remember B. enjoy C. value D. admire
2.A. excitedly B. nervously C. silently D. instantly
3.A. regard B. treat C. take D. think
4.A. bus B. train C. car D. plane
5.A. punctually B. carefully C. proudly D. coldly
6.A. visited B. interrupted C. warned D. telephoned
7.A. greeting B. meeting C. apology D. explanation
8.A. interested B. angered C. encouraged D. surprised
9.A. long B. short C. warm D. polite
10.A. praised B. remembered C. blamed D. thanked
11.A. content B. guilty C. curious D. disappointed
12.A. in order B. in turn C. without delay D. without difficulty
13.A. feeling B. suggestion C. judgment D. belief
14.A. disappeared B. grew C. helped D. declined
15.A. opened B. refused C. hosted D. invited
16.A. depressed B. upset C. fascinated(对…着迷) D. shocked
17.A. uncaring B. dishonest C. unhappy D. uncooperative
18.A. unique B. common C. pleasant D. familiar
19.A. opinion B. way C. mind D. life
20.A. send B. read C. give D. express
—— Did you hand in your application for a league member?
——Not yet. If I _____to see my father, I would have.
A. didn’t go B. haven’t gone C. wouldn’t have gone D. hadn’t gone
Hua Jianhui was appointed vice-governor of Anhui province in place of the former, Wen Haiying.
A. /; / B. the; / C. /; the D. a; the
What ______ will it make whether he knows this or not?
A. sense B. difference C. mistake D. use
I recognized her as soon as I met her at the airport though we hadn’t seen each other for ages and she had changed _________.
A. a large amount B. a great many
C. a great deal D. a great deal of
