For many parents, raising a teenager is like fighting a long war, but years go by without any clear winner. Like a border conflict between neighboring countries, the parent-teen war is about boundaries: Where is the line between what I control and what you do?
Both sides want peace, but neither feels it has any power to stop the conflict. In part, this is because neither is willing to admit any responsibility for starting it. From the parents’ point of view, the only cause of their fight is their teenagers’ complete unreasonableness. And of course, the teens see it in exactly the same way, except oppositely. Both feel trapped.
In this article, I’ll describe three no-win situations that commonly arise between teens and parents and then suggest some ways out of the trap. The first no-win situation is quarrels over unimportant things. Examples include the color of the teen’s hair, the cleanliness of the bedroom, the preferred style of clothing, the child’s failure to eat a good breakfast before school, or his tendency to sleep until noon on the weekends .Second, blaming, the goal of a blaming battle is to make the other admit that his bad attitude is the reason why everything goes wrong. Third, needing to be right, It doesn’t matter what the topic is –politics, the laws of physics, or the proper way to break an egg –the point of these arguments is to prove that you are right and the other person is wrong, for both wish to be considered an authority(权威) --- someone who actually knows something --- and therefore to win respect. Unfortunately, as long as parents and teens continue to think that they know more than the other, they’ll continue to fight these battles forever and never make any real progress.
1.Why does the author compare the parent—teen war to a border conflict?
A.both can continue for generations. B.Both are about where to draw the line.
C.Neither has any clear winner. D.Neither can be put to an end.
2.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.The teens blame their parents for starting the conflict.
B.The teens agree with their parents on the cause of the conflict.
C.The teens accuse their parents of misleading them.
D.The teens tend to have a full understanding of their parents.
3.Parents and teens want to be right because they want to ________.
A.give orders to the other B.know more than the other
C.gain respect from the other D.get the other to behave properly
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A.like eating in restaurants B.have little time
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2.What information CAN'T we get from the advertisement about Ouickeats?
A.Different kinds. B.High quality. C.Exact prices. D.Good taste.
3.Which of the following can be cooled in a refrigerator before eating according to the ads?
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4.The underlined word “hectic” in the passage means ____________.
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When I was a boy growing up in New Jersey in the 1960s, we had a milkman delivering milk to our doorstep. His name was Mr. Basille. He wore a white cap and drove a white truck. As a 5-year-old boy, I couldn’t take my eyes off the coin changer fixed to his belt. He noticed this one day during a delivery and gave me a quarter out of his coin changer.
Of course, he delivered more than milk. There was cheese, eggs and so on. If we needed to change our order, my mother would pen a note—“Please add a bottle of buttermilk next delivery”—and place it in the box along with the empty bottles. And then, the buttermilk would magically(魔术般)appear.
All of this was about more than convenience. There existed a close relationship between families and their milkmen. Mr. Basille even had a key to our house, for those times when it was so cold outside that we put the box indoors, so that the milk wouldn't freeze. And I remember Mr. Basille from time to time taking a break at our kitchen table, having a cup of tea and telling stories about his delivery.
There is sadly no home milk delivery today. Big companies allowed the production of cheaper milk thus making it difficult for milkmen to compete (竞争). Besides, milk is for sale everywhere, and it may just not have been practiced to have a delivery service.
Recently, an old milk box in the countryside I saw brought back my childhood memories. I took it home and planted it on the back porch (门廊). Every so often my son's friends will ask what it is. So I start telling stories of my boyhood, and of the milkman who brought us friendship along with his milk.
1.Mr. Basille gave the boy a quarter out of his coin changer .
A.to show his magical power B.to pay for the delivery
C.to satisfy his curiosity D.to please his mother
2.What can be inferred from the fact that the milkman had the key to the boy's house?
A.He wanted to have tea there. B.He was a respectable person.
C.He was treated as a family member. D.He was fully trusted by the family.
3.Why does home milk delivery no longer exist?
A.Nobody wants to be a milkman now. B.It has been driven out of the market.
C.Its service is getting poor. D.It is forbidden by law.
4.Why did the author bring back home an old milk box?
A.He missed the good old days. B.He wanted to tell interesting stories.
C.He needed it for his milk bottles. D.He planted flowers in it.
“Have a nice day” may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless expression. When my friend Maxie says “Have a nice day” with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and secure since another person cares about me and wishes me well.
“Have a nice day. Next!” The version of the expression is spoken by a salesgirl at supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words came out in the same tone ( 腔调 ) with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else’s is the management’s attempt to increase business.
The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting at an end. Sometimes the expression saves us when we don’t know what to say. “Oh, you just had a tooth out? I’m terribly sorry, but have a nice day”.
The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says “Have a nice day” to you, you may find it heart-warming because someone you don’t know has tried to be nice to you.
Although the use of the expression is insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it’s nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don’t care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like.
1.How does the author understand Maxie’s words?
A.Maxie shows her anxiety to the author.
B.Maxie really wishes the author a good day.
C.Maxie encourages the author to stay happy.
D.Maxie really worries about the author’s security.
2.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.The salesgirl is rude.
B.The salesgirl is bored.
C.The salesgirl cares about me.
D.The salesgirl says the words as nothing special.
3.According to the last paragraph, people say“Have a nice day”_______.
A.sincerely
B.as thanks
C.as a habit
D.encouragingly
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A.Have a Nice Day—a Social Custom
B.Have a Nice Day—a Pleasant Gesture
C.Have a Nice Day—a Heart-warming Greeting
D.Have a Nice Day—a Polite Ending of a Conversation
I was working on my usual Sunday afternoon shift at the bakery. The flow of 36 rushed to finish weekend shopping in order to return home 37 to prepare supper or watch the football game. I 38 on my job of stamping hundreds of bags for the coming holiday weekend 39 I heard a weak voice, “Excuse me, miss.” I 40 up to see an elderly man standing before me. He 41 asked if he could have a tart (果陷饼). I went to fetch the tart and placed it in a box.
“Three dollars, please.” I told him. The man looked 42 and began shaking his head. This is one of the most awkward 43 , because you want to give the dessert away, but cannot. He apologized, saying he would not 44 more than expected on a tart.
45___ I felt upset, I waited on (照顾) the customer behind him, a woman who asked for various breads and desserts 46 a dinner party she was hosting. After finishing her_ 47 , she asked if I would 48 adding a tart to her bill and placing it in a 49 box. My curiosity grew as I handed it to her. She paid, _ 50 me and walked away.
I 51 to stamping bags, but I couldn’t concentrate. I could not stop thinking about the little old man who could not, or _ 52 not, spend three dollars on a dessert. Just then, I saw the woman giving the man 53 _ much-desired tart. His face 54 , brilliant and appreciative. ___55 her kindness, he reached into his pocket and gave her the only thing he had: a piece of candy.
1. A.workers B.women C.housewives D.customers
2. A.whether B.either C.as D.while
3. A.made B.depended C.focused D.put
4. A.then B.that C.which D.when
5. A.came B.got C.looked D.covered
6. A.politely B.loudly C.proudly D.rudely
7. A.angry B.disappointed C.happy D.poor
8. A.moments B.persons C.manners D.ways
9. A.pay B.use C.spend D.waste
10. A.Because B.Since C.Before D.Although
11. A.for B.in C.from D.to
12. A.question B.order C.shopping D.need
13. A.mind B.like C.try D.consider
14. A.similar B.usual C.divided D.separate
15. A.greeted B.excused C.thanked D.left
16. A.ran B.turned C.returned D.walked
17. A.dared B.would C.should D.must
18. A.her B.his C.my D.their
19. A.showed up B.turned up C.lit up D.lifted up
20.A.In honor of BIn addition to C.In place of D. In return for
---- The government should think about the medical reform again, in my opinion.
---- ________________. The medical services and efficiency are not good at the moment.
A.You can’t be serious B.Go ahead, please
C.That’s all right D.I can’t agree more