阅读短文，按照题目要求用英语回答问题。
I have some gray hairs. Do l dare to count them？Just the fact that I have enough to count scares me，and turns getting old into a reality. I'm certainly getting older. We all are. But why does it have to happen so quickly？
We just celebrated my birthday. I say "celebrated" because we had cake and ice cream. For my kids，any excuse for ice cream and cake is a celebration. I'm not sure if to me it was a thing to celebrate，though. I like the special attention that birthday bring，but I don't wait for them 364 days of the year like my children do. For them，another number means more privileges and more things that they get to do. For an adult，another number means fewer things. that you can do，like “I can't run as fast as I used to…etc. ”
I went with my children to the old-age home near my apartment building. We walked inside the door. The contrast between my preschoolers full of energy and the old women siting in the wheelchair by the door made me lost in thought. Not so long ago，I was a bouncing preschool like my children. Not so long ago，there women were the mothers of small children. Fifty years ago，they were me，and in fifty years，I could be them，The visit，like my birthday，served as a reality check. “Life is so short and it goes by so quickly. Enjoy the moment that you are in，because you will never get it back，"I told myself.
This is also what I want to leave behind to my children. I decide to try to start just by not complaining. In any difficult situation，I will try to find the good things about it，no matter how small the good things might be.
1.What does the author like about birthdays？（no more than 10 words）
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2.Besides having an excuse for ice cream and cake，why do the author's children like birthday？（no more than 12 words. ）
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3.What does the underlined word “bouncing” in Paragraph 3 mean？（I word）
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4.What is the main idea of the last paragraph？（no more than 10 words）
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5.What does birthday mean to you？Please explain why. （no more than 2 words. ）
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In 2011，Amy Chua put out the book，Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother，which is her memoir（回忆录）about the challenges of being a parent and trying to keep to the strict upbringing（养）she knew as a child. Controversy over the book arose because many readers did not get the impression that Chua was trying to be humorous about her parenting methods. There was also miscommunication about the purpose of the book. Many received it as a guide for other parents on how to use strict methods to punish and motivate their children. However，Chua has always claimed the aim of her book was only to share her successes and failures as a parent in a culturally diverse world.
In the book，Chua compares Western and Chinese beliefs and methods of parenting. In general，Chinese parents believe a child's academic success is directly linked to parenting skills. It is common for such parents to take severe measures to make their children do exactly what they say. In contrast，Western parents worry more about their children's self-esteem（自尊），which drives their parenting methods. As a result，parenting methods have become less strict and children are not held to the high standards they were in the past.
Interestingly，in the West，many people agree that Western parenting methods could use improvement. Some even say that the laid-back Western methods can be just as damaging as the overly strict ones Chua connects with Chinese culture because more and more children are not learning how to face and overcome challenges. However，experts also say that being too strict with children can cause rebellion（反叛），low self-esteem and poor parent-child relationships.
What everyone can agree on is that there is no perfect way to parent. What's more a method that works with one child will not necessarily work with another. Parents are challenged with finding the best method that helps each child learn to be a responsible and confident person.
1.What do we know about Amy Chua's book?
A. It amused readers greatly.
B. It caused a serious debate.
C. It's about a tiger and its mother.
D. It's popular with both parents and kids.
2.Why did Amy Chua write the book?
A. To share her experience as a mom.
B. To tell interesting stories to children.
C. To introduce her research on parenting.
D. To help other parents educate their children.
3.What's the maid idea of Paragraph 2?
A. What is most important for children.
B. How to help children to succeed in school.
C. The importance of mastering parenting skills.
D. Differences between upbringing in China and the West.
4.What result might the Western parenting method bring about?
A. Children's academic success.
B. More positive attitudes toward life.
C. Bad relationships between parents and children.
D. Children's lack of experience in dealing with difficulties.
5.Which of the following may the author agree on?
A. One parenting method doesn't work with all children.
B. A perfect way to parent is easy to find as long as parents work hard.
C. Western parenting methods are better than those in China.
D. Chinese parents are more worried about their children's self-esteem.
While learning the science lessons， I used to get a doubt-why ears，nose，tongue and eyes should be called as special senses？The basic reason is that these are the channels through which we maintain contact with the surroundings. Though apparently it may feel like these are individual sensory organs，they do show some connectivity. Interestingly，our hearing is less sharp after we eat a heavy food. Isn't it good for a sound nap after a stomach-full meal？That does not mean we go deaf after a meal，but the hearing pitch（强度）does change after a heavy meal.
We usually give credit of the taste to our tongue，but do you know that unless saliva（唾液）dissolves something，our tongue cannot recognize the taste of the food eaten. Taste is nothing but the food chemicals dissolved in the saliva being sensed by the taste buds present on the tongue. Try to dry off your tongue and mouth with a tissue paper and then taste something.
Women are much better smellers than men. They are born with this characteristic ability and can correctly pinpoint the exact fragrance of the sample. We all can store almost 50，000 different scents（气味），which are strongly tied to the memories.
Pupils（瞳孔）do not respond to light alone，but to the slightest bit of noise around too. Thus surgeons，watchmakers and those professionals who have to perform a much delicate job do prefer to have a sound-free environment. Even a small noise can dilate（扩大）their pupils change the focus and blur（使模糊）their vision. If you do not wear glasses or contact lens due to having a 6/6 vision，you are just among the one third of the human population. It is now statistically proved that only one third of the population has perfect vision，rest all are either wearing glasses or are trying to read with a compromised vision.
Each and every one of us has a particular or individualistic or characteristic smell，which is unique to us，except for the identical twins. This smell is very subtle（微妙的）yet can be sensed even by a newborn. It may be due to this scent that the newborn recognizes the presence of his parents around. Many of us can pinpoint the smell of our significant friends and colleagues. A significant part of this phenomenon is guided by genetics but it is also modified by the environment，diet and personal hygiene. This all together creates the unique chemistry that is individualistic for each person.
1.We can learn from Paragraph I that ______________.
A. our hearing is as good as before we have a full meal
B. all sensory organs are connected and can be exchanged
C. sensory organs' functions can never be changed for their particular character
D. we feel and learn about the world around us through our sensory organs
2.What may happen after you have had a rich lunch?
A. Your eyes become dim.
B. You may feel energetic and fresh.
C. Your hearing pitch may decrease.
D. Your tongue may lose the function of taste.
3.What does the author mean by the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2?
A. Our tongues can't be dried while eating something.
B. If your tongue is dried without any saliva on it, it will not work.
C. A tissue paper is the only thing that can be used to dry our tongues.
D. If your tongue is dried with a tissue paper, it may work as well as before.
4.What makes each person different from anyone else except twins？
A. The number of sensory organs.
B. The sensitivity of sensory organs.
C. The particular smell of a person.
D. The style of one's behavior.
5.What is the text mainly about？
A. The functions of sensory organs.
B. The connectivity of sensory organs.
C. A newborn's senses of the sensory organs.
D. The differences of senses between women and men.
It was the summer of 2014 when I was asked whether I wanted to go to Malibu (an island in Canada) with my church to serve the military families. At first, I heard this and thought, "You are asking an eleven-year-old in his last weeks of summer if he wants to go on a trip with his mom to Canada to serve other people? " Of course, I responded with a kind refusal, but my mom found a way to convince me to go.
When we were on the ferry to the island, a thousand thoughts were running through my head, such as "What am I going to do here?" "Am I even going to be useful?" and "Why am I even here?" When we got to the island, I was assigned to the child care. I was actually somewhat excited because my friend said he would help me. The first time I met the kids, I got to know them pretty well. They were all between the ages of four and six. Some of them stayed behaved and a few of them started acting crazy and would even hit and push the other kids.
With those kids, I was very strict, but I still tried to be positive and maintain a smile. After all, they were just innocent kids. In most of the time, I needed to help them with things like laundry and setting tables. Even though it sounded dull, I enjoyed every second of it. One of the things I did in my free time was to play pool. I befriended a few kids there. They were really easy to talk to. Some of the things we talked about were sports, food, video games, and most of all pool.
Even though I was only at Malibu, Canada for one week, I feel like I made spiritual changes in some people's life. You don't have to go above and beyond to make a difference in someone's life. In the end, it all comes down to what way you changed them. It could have been in a spiritual way or a mental way as long as you had a positive effect. So go out and try to make a difference in this world.
1.How did the author react when asked if he liked to serve the military families?
A. He hardly believed it.
B. He was very confused about the decision.
C. He rejected the offer.
D. He was hesitant about the trip.
2.How did the author feel when he was on the way to Malibu?
A. He was eager for the coming challenge.
B. He enjoyed every second.
C. He felt somewhat excited.
D. He was actually unwilling.
3.As a volunteer, the author's main task on the island was.
A. to attend to kids there
B. to educate kids there
C. to befriend kids there
D. to share his experiences with kids there
4.What can we know about the author's stay in Malibu?
A. He found the kids very hard to deal with.
B. He didn't quite like the badly-behaved kids.
C. He managed to get along with most kids.
D. He shared common hobbies with some kids.
5.What does the author mainly tell us in the last paragraph?
A. The benefits of taking the trip.
B. His spiritual changes in Malibu.
C. What he has learnt from the experience.
D. What to do to make a greater difference.
Do you want to go out to eat with your kids？Here are some restaurants that are good for kids in downtown Los Angeles.
Grand Café
Tel:（213）356-4155
Do you need a place that opens as early as your kids wake up？Then go to Grand Cafe. Families can order breakfast off the menu or enjoy the buffet. Because of the variety，buffets seem to be an easy option for families with picky eaters. There are many options for the different moods of all family members.
Nickel Diner
Tel:（213）623-8301
Nickel Diner was listed in Los Angeles Magazine as one of" LA's Best New Restaurants”. The space is small，but the menu is wonderfully large. The atmosphere is quiet and relaxed，which makes it easy to bring the kids. One of the most attractive things about Nickel Diner is its unique menu of breakfast foods.
Lucky Strike Bowl
Tel:(213)542-4880
There's nothing like a good game of bowling to add some happiness to the family outing. Why not take the family to a place where you can bowl while eating? Try their homemade Belgium fries, the mini burgers, flatbread pizza, or crispy tacos. Downtown La's Lucky Strike Bowl will never make you and your kids disappointed.
Kula
Tel:(213)290-9631
Kula is an exciting sushi bar and is a big hit for little sushi eaters. Kula's concept includes providing "a high standard of natural organic foods" and they use 100% organic rice. If your child is not a sushi eater, there are also many other options.
1.Who would most probably go to eat at Grand Cafe?
A. People who love organic foods.
B. People who want to play while eating.
C. People who want to serve themselves in a restaurant.
D. People who love a quiet eating environment.
2.Why is Nickel Diner a good place to bring kids?
A. Because it offers a lot of options.
B. Because its atmosphere is suitable for kids.
C. Because it opens as early as kids wake up.
D. Because it serves special sandwiches
3.Which of the following aspects of Kula is most attractive to eaters?
A. It offers very healthy foods.
B. It has many other options.
C. It offers different kinds of rice.
D. It allows kids to run around.
4.If you want to play while eating, which number would you call. to reserve a place?
A. (213)356-4155
B. (213)290-9631
C. (213)623-8301
D. (213)542-4880
5.What is the text meant to?
A. To recommend some kid-friendly restaurants.
B. To recommend some nice foods in the city.
C. To encourage people to go to Los Angeles.
D. To compare some kid-friendly restaurants.
The story of how I got my new job，and came to be on such good terms with my boss is a funny one. It happened like this. I was cycling along a street on my way to the __________ A yellow car passed me and suddenly _________ right in front of me，as there was another car coming in the other direction. I had to brake hard and I hit another ______ We both fell，but fortunately ___________of us was hurt. I was extremely angry! I saw that a little further up the road the traffic lights had turned red. I cycled as fast as I could and saw that the driver in the yellow car was _________at the red light. 1 was still so angry that I went up to tell him what I________ him. I cycled in front of him, got off my bicycle and laid it down on the road in front of his car _________ he couldn't drive off. Then I told him what a bad driver I thought he was. I told him that he had knocked two people off their bicycles and had nearly __________ a bad accident. I told him that he was a __________to other people on the road. I went on shouting at him ___________ everyone was looking at him. His face became red. When the light turned green, I said to him," "Don't be so stupid __________ Drive carefully so that everyone can enjoy a long time. "Then I ______ my bicycle and rode on.
Fortunately, I was on time for the interview. It was an important job, and I wanted the job very much. I walked ___the room where three people were waiting to interview me. There was a woman who was the boss of the office in which I wanted to work. There was a man with whom I would have to work together and finally the manager of the company -the _________of the yellow car! We looked at each other for a moment in great surprise and total _______What should I do now? I decided to look on the whole matter as a great joke!
I laughed and said," Yes, we' ve already met, haven't we? I remember that the last time we met I did_________of the talking, so perhaps I should let you do the talking this time. "
For a moment I saw him thinking. Then he realized that I was not going to say __________ about his bad driving. The interview went very well. I told the company about my work experience and answered their questions as well as I could. Two days later I received a letter____________ me the job. I was pleased that the manger had decided not to be angry with me for having been so _________Now I ________ about it and say to everyone that I dare tell my manager exactly what I think of him.
1.A. company B. ceremony C. interview D. anniversary
2.A. cut in B. cut off C. cut down D. cut through
3.A. car B. cyclist C. driver D. tree
4.A. both B. either C. neither D. one
5.A. driving B. waiting C. apologizing D. denying
6.A. talked about B. insisted on C. ran after D. thought of
7.A. so that B. even though C. in case D. on account
8.A. met B. missed C. caused D. killed
9.A. manager · B. expert C. partner D. danger
10.A. because B. while C. but D. if
11.A. in the future B. all your life C. in the car D. in front of me
12.A. made up B. came up C. gave up D. picked up
13.A. around B. into C. across D. away
14.A. owner B. buyer C. passenger D. driver
15.A. anger B. forgiveness C. silence D. appreciation
16.A. most B. least C. best D. worst
17.A. anything B. nothing C. something D. everything
18.A. offering B. helping C. forcing D. donating
19.A. considerate B. patient C. rude D. forgetful
20.A. make promises B. learn lessons C. tell truths D. make jokes
