To be sure, only children experienced some things differently from those with sisters and brothers. Many feel more pressure to succeed. In the absence of brothers and sisters, only children also tend to look more exclusively to their parents as role models.
In India, 10-year-old Saviraj Sankpal founded a support group for the tiny minority of only children. Among other things, the group does volunteer work to counter the myth that they are not responsible. “People think we’re treated too kindly and ruined,” says Sankpal, a computer engineering student. “But I’d like to remind them how lonely it can get.”
Most only children, however, say they wish for sisters or brothers only when it comes to caring for aging, unhealthy parents. Britain’s David Emerson, coauthor of the book The Only Child, says that such a person bears a terrible burden in having to make all the decisions alone. Emerson knows from experience: After his father died, he chose to move his elderly mother from their family home, where she was vulnerable(易受攻击的) to house breakers, to a new one with more security. “The move was quite hard on her, and she might feel that I pushed her into it,” he says. “After all, I am left with that responsibility.”
In the future, more and more only children will likely face similar choices. With working mothers increasingly the rule, many families are finding they simply don’t have the time, money or energy to have more than one child. As only children become common, perhaps the world will realize that the charge made against them is unjust.
1.It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s attitude towards only children is .
A. critical B. objective C. hostile D. unjust
2.It can be inferred from the passage that only children’s parents should .
A. find a support group for their only children
B. do volunteer work to help their only children
C. let their only children make all the decision alone
D. set good examples for their only children
3.Emerson decided to move his elderly mother to a new house because he .
A. is the only one who cares about her
B. doesn’t want to leave her alone
C. wants to share the responsibility with her
D. is worried about her safety
4.It is quite usual now for a working mother to .
A. spend all her time and money on her only child
B. be responsible for bringing up her only child
C. have and bring up only one child
D. devote all her energy to her job
Norah has a cottage on a cliff above a big bay. In winter it could be very nasty because of strong winds and sea spray. In fact, when a gale was blowing, Norah and her husband got used to sleeping in a small room downstairs, because their bedroom upstairs, which faced the gales, had a very big window, and they were afraid that an extra violent gust might break it and blow pieces of broken glass over them.
Also, the salt spray from the sea put an end to many of the colorful plants Norah planted in the garden. She tried putting up a fence to protect them, but the wind just hit it, went up over the top and then down the other side, so in the end she filled the garden with trees and bushes that liked salt.
But most of the summer Norah enjoyed her cottage and garden very much. At weekends she could sit out-of-doors in the sun, looking at the beautiful view, with interesting ships and boats passing by, and she could very easily cycle down to the sea for a swim.
Now, Norah and her husband had plenty of friends and relations. In the summer most of them used to come to enjoy the beautiful place, and in the end it really became quite annoying for Norah and her husband. When they were at home, they found friends and relations arriving, expecting to be given unlimited drinks and meals, and to sit in the sun for hours, talking as if Norah and her husband had nothing else to do but entertain and listen to them.
This went on for several years. Norah did not wish to appear rude by refusing to let her friends and relations in, but on the other hand, she was getting tired every summer.
Then one day Norah was complaining about this to her hairdresser while she was doing her hair. “You’re disturbed by too many uninvited guests, are you?” said the hairdresser. “Why don’t you try my way of escaping?”
“What’s that?” asked Norah.
“Well,” the hairdresser answered, “when the bell rings, I put on my coat and take my shopping bag. If it’s someone I don’t want to see, I say innocently, ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go out. But…’”
1.In paragraph one the underlined word “spray” probably means .
A. wastes produced by some birds living near the sea
B. great waves caused by strong wind
C. plants floating on the surface of the sea
D. very small drops of sea water sent through the air by something
2.We can infer that .
A. a lot of friends came to visit them in winter
B. few friends came to visit them in winter.
C. Friends came to visit them only for drinks and meals
D. Norah was a good cook
3.The best title for the passage might be .
A. A Good Place of Enjoying the Sea
B. A Warm-hearted Couple
C. A Clever Way of Escaping
D. A Visit to Norah
4.What the hairdresser is likely to continue to say in the end is “ ”
A. If I am tired, I say, ‘Sorry, can you come next time?’
B. If it’s someone I like to see, I say, ‘How lucky! I’ve just come in!’
C. If it’s someone I like to see, I say, ‘How happy to see you! I was going shopping, but now I’ve changed my mind.’
D. If it is fine that day, I say, ‘I am tired, but I’ll show you around the place, anyhow.’
My ears are recently full of joyous remarks from my friends such as, “Oh, Beckham is so handsome, so cool, that I can’t help falling in love with him!” or “What perfect skills he has!” Yeah, I agree 16 some degree, though I sometimes do want to ask them how much they 17 Beckham, apart from his appearance and how much they know about football 18 scoring goals. It seems funny that we are crazy for things, with which we are unfamiliar or 19 we are uncertain, but we all, my friends 20 I, consider this 21 .
We need these pleasures to brighten up our lives. But that doesn’t amount to craziness 22 nonsense. As an old saying 23 :“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We should not 24 anything from its appearance. We should all know, it is one’s good character and great contribution that 25 one a star and unforgettable. Therefore we’d better say 26 about Beckham’s good looks.
If we close our eyes, 27 in deep thought, we can find that the things 28 us to be in truth happy, sad or moved 29 a clear meaning. If we don’t go deeper and just satisfied with superficial things, 30 we will find that we have not really gained anything 31 our first impression has blinded and misled us, and we’ll remain ignorant 32 we realize that and make some changes.
It is believed that thinking and going deeper than before is sign of great 33 .If one day we are willing to go deeper into everything, no matter how much it 34 us, we will finally prove how much we have grown up, how much more sensible, mature, and intelligent we have 35 .
1.A. to B. on C. in D. at
2.A. learn from B. learn C. know D. know about
3.A. rather than B. except for C. except D. apart from
4.A. with which B. about that C. about which D. which
5.A. not B. as well as C. rather than D. but
6.A. one of life’s pleasures B. pleasures of life
C. one of life’s sorrow D. one of life’s regrets
7.A. nor B. and C. or D. or else
8.A. speaks B. talks C. tells D. goes
9.A. take B. judge C. accept D. conclude
10.A. makes B. causes C. builds D. creates
11.A. more B. much C. worse D. less
12.A. fell B. fallen C. falling D. fall
13.A. that move B. that moves C. move D. moves
14.A. lack B. have C. include D. cover
15.A. in fact B. indeed C. in a while D. sooner or later
16.A. so B. even though C. because D. although
17.A. even if B. although C. unless D. if
18.A. joy B. progress C. effort D. work
19.A. cares B. pains C. worries D. minds
20.A. come B. made C. had D. become
— Shall we go to the coffee room and wait for Judy there?
— . I’m just a little bit thirsty.
A. With pleasure B. Good idea
C. That’s all right D. It’s a pleasure
Would you slow down a bit, please? I can’t you.
A. keep up with B. put up with
C. make up for D. hold on to
It would be impossible for him to leave hospital tomorrow if he first aid when the accident happened.
A. hadn’t been given B. wasn’t be given
C. shouldn’t be given D. wouldn’t be given
