Some couples spend every waking minute together. Others fill their hours with personal hobbies,outside interests and even part-time jobs, just to keep their distance from each other! "There should be private time and couple time," suggests Dr. Stephen Treat at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia."You don't want your latter years to turn into a process where two people unite as one. If you hold too tightly to your partner, it's going to cause resentment and anger. If you're completely separate, you'll both be lonely and disconnected. You need balance. So you have to talk about how you'll achieve that."
The right balance? It's different for every couple. "Having a conversation about time can be difficult,but it's important for both partners to process those feelings out loud," Dr. Treat says. "You should not be accusing and act as a judge—ask the difficult questions, but do it in a loving way. You could say something like, 'How are we going to be as individuals and how are we going to be as a couple?' "
Barbara and Chris Christensen have achieved the balance that works for them. In addition to daily routines that keep them close—including about 10 minutes for a daily check-in and about a half hour of relaxation time—they each maintain separate interests and friendships.
"We have found that we need time apart," Barbara says. "I have a group of women friends that I have known for the last 30 years. We have dinner out once a month. We women also have parties and weekend or weeklong vacations as a group at a beach or somewhere. Chris, a former fighter pilot, has many aviation-oriented(航空的) groups and friends and also a poker-playing group of our friends. I may be with him during the poker night, but I don't play, and the wives usually watch a chick flick' DVD or something while the poker group has an evening of fun. We have found it important to have separate time as well as together time."
1.The author writes the passage to ______.
A. offer some suggestions on how to spend the time after retirement
B. advise couples to develop their separate hobbies
C. warn couples not to be accusing each other
D. give people some advice on how to entertain themselves after retirement
2. Dr. Stephen suggests that _________after retirement.
A. couples stay together all the time
B. couples express their feelings in a loving way
C. couples be separate
D. wives make many friends
3.It can be inferred that________.
A. many couples are faced with problems after retirement
B. America has a large population of retired people
C. most people join various social groups after retirement
D. playing poker is a popular activity among retired people
4.Barbara and her friends do the following EXCEPT_______.
A. having dinner regularly
B. holding parties
C. having weekly vacations at the beach
D. having fun playing poker
5.The second paragraph is mainly intended to_______.
A. warn the husband not to act as a judge
B. suggest couples have discussions about difficulties
C. suggest how to keep the correct balance
D. require couples to be considerate
I used to work in an office, which had a Iocust tree growing outside the window. It had grown into a tall tree and must have been there for a long time. The tree blocked the view and made the office seem dull. Unfortunately, this happened to be the room assigned to me, and l was depressed by it for quite some time.
When the first spring came, everything was green except the locust tree.I felt very happy because I had thought it had died!
One morning, when I opened the window for some fresh air, I unexpectedly smelt a familiar sweet scent floating into my office which I could not name. Suddenly,I realized it was the locust tree!The tree that I thought dead was in full bloom!
From then on, I usually came to the office very early to see dew forming on the locust tree blossoms, and was eager to see spring again every year.
During summer, the green leaves provided shade protecting me from the harsh sunlight, but allowing enough light in to make it pleasant. In autumn, the leaves turned many different colors. Its beauty touched my soul. Many times, I thought to take photos but never did. Then, I had to leave in a hurry. Later in life, it became a great regret that I had not done so.
Actually, many times in our lives we think we own something and thus do not value it. We don't feel regretful until we lose it one day! Moreover, sometimes, we have to accept the things we don't want and need to discover the hidden beauty to find unexpected joy!
1. The locust tree first attracted the author most by____.
A. the way it blocked the view B. its height
C. the smell of its flowers D. its green leaves
2.In which season do you think the author paid the least attention to the locust tree?
A. Spring. B. Summer C. Autumn. D. Winter.
3.Which of the following statements is true of the author according to the passage?
A. He would have regretted if the locust tree had died as he had thought it had.
B. The locust tree turned out to be a lovely memory for him.
C. He felt unhappy as he had forgotten to take the photos with him.
D. His work in the office changed with the seasons every year.
4.It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A. the locust tree died soon after the author left the office
B. the author worked in the office for at least a few years
C. it was summer when the author took his job in the office
D. the weather was dry when the author first saw the tree
5.What advice does the author intend to give us?
A. Treasure what we've owned. B. Look before you leap.
C. Treat everything calmly. D. Never forget the past.
Today I felt very uncomfortable studying English as usual.My eyes were 36 and my mind was confused.I buried my head deep in the great pile of books.Many vocabulary words 37 my mind.As more and more entered,I 38 focus,and my 39 became crazy.The clock hands were pointing at twelve. I always 40 the time when I study.Without any fruitful results,I felt more 41 and tired.I 42 up and walked to the living room just to take a little break. 43 that would make me feel better.The street lamps looked like stars outside the window.A few scattered(分散的)branches 44 shadows on the French window.Something seemed more 45 and quiet than before.I walked to the 46 slowly,and let my face press against it, 47 very carefully…oh my God!!…It’s snow! It was very bright and covered up the whole 48 while I was studying English painfully, so white and so quiet.At this moment, I was so 49 that I felt like I might burst into tears.The snow was like a spring 50 into my heart,and my eyes were shining with it.All my pain and tiredness 51 at this moment,as the snow dropped into my heart.
I quickly became calm again as the excitement went away.I sat on the bed silently,and drew the 52 to one side to let the white house and white tree stay just beside my bed.I thought this must be a(n) 53 from God,because I liked snow so much. 54 I was weakest and most helpless in this world,nothing could inspire me but 55 .I should inspire myself from such a beautiful scene.
1.A. closed |
B. tired |
C. shining |
D. weeping |
2.A. left |
B. confused |
C. filled |
D. impressed |
3.A. lost |
B. got |
C. realized |
D. changed |
4.A. thoughts |
B. feeling |
C. words |
D. concept |
5.A. waste |
B. limit |
C. remember |
D. forget |
6.A. flexible |
B. guilty |
C. unhappy |
D. curious |
7.A. stood |
B. turned |
C. checked |
D. hurried |
8.A. Sure |
B. Maybe |
C. Immediately |
D. Always |
9.A. shook |
B. cast |
C. like |
D. printed |
10.A.disappointing |
B. frightening |
C. bright |
D. light |
11.A. shadow |
B. lamp |
C. branch |
D. window |
12.A. looking |
B. thinking |
C. moving |
D. cleaning |
13.A. night |
B. house |
C. world |
D. mind |
14.A. disturbed |
B. excited |
C. surprised |
D. bored |
15.A. pouring |
B. delivering |
C. drilling |
D. rising |
16.A. occurred |
B. arose |
C. escaped |
D. disappeared |
17.A. bed |
B. curtain |
C. desk |
D. book |
18.A. anger |
B. smile |
C. gift |
D. punishment |
19.A. As usual |
B. As a result |
C. At last |
D. At a time |
20.A. snow |
B. God |
C. white |
D. beauty |
It was not until yesterday that I realized ____ silly mistakes I had made.
A.what B.that C.how D.which
With mum’s birthday around the corner, I have taken some money out of the bank _____ a present for her.
A.buy B.to be bought
C.buying D.to buy
—Everybody is going to climb the mountain. Can I go too, mum?
—______. Wait till you are old enough, dear.
A.Will you? B.Why not?
C.I hope so. D.I’m afraid not.