The Best of Friends
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 (印象) of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels.
An important new study into teenage attitudes surprisingly shows that their family life is more harmonious than it has ever been in the past. “We were surprised by just how positive 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 more negotiation (商议) and 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 this generation of parents is 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-years-old Daniel Lazall. “I always tell them when I’m going out clubbing. As long as they know what I’m doing, they’re fine with it.” Susan Crome, who is now 21, agrees. “Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call negotiation. For example, as long as 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 is not rooted in real facts. A researcher comments, “Our surprise that teenagers say they get along well with their parents comes because of a brief period in our social history when teenagers were regarded as different beings. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled. The normal situation throughout history has been a smooth change from helping out with the family business to taking it over.”
1. What is the popular image of teenagers today?
A. They worry about school. B. They quarrel a lot with other family members
C. They have to be locked in to avoid troubles. . D. They dislike living with their parents.
2.The study shows that teenagers don’t want to ______.
A. share family responsibility B. make family decisions
C. go boating with their family D. cause trouble in their families
3. Compared with parents of 30 years ago, today’s parents______.
A. go to clubs more often with their children B. give their children more freedom
C. care less about their children’s life D. are much stricter with their children
4. According to the author, teenage rebellion ______.
A. existed only in the 1960s B. is common nowadays
C. may be a false belief D. resulted from changes in families
5. What is the passage mainly about?
A. Harmony in family. B. Education in family.
C. Negotiation in family. D. Teenage trouble in family.
Driving to a store after a busy day at work, I saw a man standing near the store holding a sign that said, “Will work for food.” I knew at that moment that I was going into the store and 36 him something to eat.
As I 37 the car park, I saw in my car mirror a lady come out from a hairdresser’s and 38 the man. I thought she must be going to give him some 39 or something to help him out. In the store I was 40 to get the things I needed and also the chicken dinner and a soda that I wanted to give the man outside. I hurried out to my car and 41 that I was going to be able to hopefully help this man.
When I drove out of the car park, I couldn’t see the 42 . As I turned the corner I saw the man sitting in a 43 area away from the hairdresser’s and still 44 up the sign. I immediately 45 over and gave the man the dinner and soda and said, “ 46 this will get you through today.” He looked at me and said, “Thank you so much!”
As I got back into my car, I looked in the 47 and saw the man swallowing the dinner like he hadn’t eaten for days.
I was so 48 that I was able to help him and at the same time I was so sad that the woman from the hairdresser’s, 49 , had asked the man 50 from her shop. It’s sad to say that 51 I live in a small city where homeless is not as 52 as in larger cities, people are uncomfortable with these people in 53 . All they need to do is lend a helping hand 54 and it could make a huge 55 in their lives
1.A. cook B. buy C. pay D. serve
2.A. turned into B. got over C. called at D. pointed out
3.A, interview B. comfort. C. blame D. approach
4.A. example B. space C. money D. comfort
5.A. preparing B. hurrying C. hesitating D. planning
6.A. explained B. wondered C. agreed D. felt
7.A. man B. food C. lady D. sign
8.A. different B. strange C. famous D. comfortable
9.A. making B. holding C. taking D. building
10.A. turned B. thought C. pulled D. looked
11.A. Hopefully B. Finally C. Luckily D. Naturally
12.A. store B. mirror C. square D. crowd
13.A. popular B. anxious C. pleased D. patient
14.A. immediately B. obviously C. carefully D. nervously
15.A. stop B. suffer C. move D. change
16.A. whether B. because C. though D. unless
17.A. poor B. visible C. selfish D. happy
18.A. danger B. action C. need D. moment
19.A. at times B. at the time C. at one time D. at a time
20.A. difference B. mistake C. decision D. living
But for the fact that China _________ also affected by the global economic crisis, we _________ fewer unemployed workers now.
A. is; would have B. were; would have C. was; would have had D. were; would have had
Chinese economy suffered a great loss from the May12 earthquake _____ the snow and ice storm in February, 2008. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. as well as B. in addition C. besides D. apart from
My son __________ his clock when I went to get a cup I __________ in his study.
A. was winding up; had left B. would up; had forgotten
C. had wounded; left D. was winding up; forgot
All those _____ about the poor children should be _____.
A. concerned; thanked B. are concerned; thanked
C. who are concerned; thanked for D. are concerned; thanked for
