D
A few years ago it was popular to speak of a generation gap, a disagreement between young people and their elders. Parents said that children did not show them proper respect and obedience (服从), while children complained (抱怨) that their parents did not understand them at all. What had gone wrong? Why had the generation gap suddenly appeared? Actually the generation gap has been around for a long time. Many people argue that a gap is built into the fabric (结构) of our society.
One important cause of the generation gap is the chance that young people have to choose their own ways of life. In more traditional societies, when children grow up, they are expected to live in the same area as their parents, to marry people that their parents know and agree to, and to continue the family occupation (职业). In our society, young people often travel great distances for their education, move out of the family home at an early age, marry or live with people whom their parents have never met, and choose occupations different from those of their parents.
In our easily changing society, parents often expect their children to do better than they did: to find better jobs, to make more money, and to do all the things that they were unable to do. Often, however, the strong desire that parents have for their children are another cause of the disagreement between them. Often, they discover that they have very little in common with each other.
Finally, the speed at which changes take place in our society is another cause of the gap b
etween the generations. In a traditional culture, elderly people are valued for their wisdom, but in our society the knowledge of a lifetime may become out of date overnight. The young and the old seem to live in two very different worlds, separated by different skills and abilities.
No
doubt, the generation gap will continue to be a feature (特点) of American life for some time to come. Its causes are rooted in the freedom and changes of our society, and in the rapid speed at which society changes.
69. The main idea of the first paragraph is that ____________.
A. the generation gap suddenly appeared
B. the generation gap is a feature of modern social life
C. people can reduce the generation gap
D. many critics argue over the nature of the generation gap
70. The word “around” in Paragraph 1 means ____________.
A. on all sides B. near C. in every direction D. in existence
71. In American society, young people often ____________.
A. depend on their parents to make a life
B. stay with their parents in order to get a chance for higher education
C. seek the best advice from their parents
D. have very little in common with their parents
72. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Parents should be strict with their children.
B. The younger generation should value the older generation for their wisdom.
C. The generation gap is partly caused by the older generation.
D. The generation gap does not exist in American society.
The increase in tuition fees(学费) has led to a “clear drop” in the number of English students applying for university places this autumn. There are 15,000 “missing” applicants this academic year, according to the Independent Commission on Fees. Chairman Will Hutton said: “We’re asking our young men and women to have more debt than any other country in the world — it’s higher than the average debt in the US. It’s not clear whether those lost students this year will return next year, or if it’s a storm warming of a worrying trend.”
But the commission’s report says there does not seem to be an impact on poorer communities. The commission found there was no significant change in the application rate to the key universities, such as Oxford or Cambridge. The decline （下降）in England has not been mirrored in other parts of the UK where fees have not been raised, and the drop can only partly be explained by falling numbers of young people in the population. Students from Scotland attending Scottish universities do not pay fees, while the Welsh Assembly says it will pay fees above ￡3,465 for Welsh students attending UK institutions.
The average tuition fee at English universities this year is ￡ 8,385, rising to ￡ 8,507 next year. UK and EU students have access to govemment-backed loans to pay the fees. And the survey of 1,000 pupils aged 15-18, carried out this April, found that the majority expected to go on to higher education as people continue to understand that university remains a good long term investment in their future.
A spokeswoman at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which is responsible for universities, said:“Students shouldn’t be forced to put off going to university for financial reasons. Most students will not have to pay in advance, and no one will have to start paying back their student loan until they start to earn at least ￡ 2l,000 per year.”From the first paragraph, we know that __________________ .
| A．it’s a trend that English students are dropping out of school |
| B．the rising tuition fees have a great effect on English students |
| C．the lost English students will find their way back |
| D．many English students are missing the final examinations |
Why is there still a drop of applicants though fees have not been raised?
| A．Because the students live in poor communities. |
| B．Because Welsh students will pay fees above￡3,465. |
| C．Because education is free for Scottish students. |
| D．Because there are less young students in the area. |
What’s the students’ attitude to universities in the survey?
| A．Most of them are willing to go to university. |
| B．They feel universities takes up too much time. |
| C．They will stop applying for university places this autumn. |
| D．They are anxious to go to a key university. |
The spokeswoman in the last paragraph advises students to ______________
| A．put off going to university |
| B．reduce the anxiety about the rising fees |
| C．pay for the fees in advance |
| D．pay back their loan soon after graduation |
Many parents take on the role of being their children’s preschool teacher and the responsibility of readying them for kindergarten. To achieve this goal, it is important for parents to introduce a variety of subjects in a positive and playful manner.
“Learning should not be forced,”says Marion Godwin, who has taught first grade in Moorestown, N. J. for more than 30 years.“ It should be taught according to what they know and do best—and that is‘ play’. When teaching them, play games and have fun with the subject. And parents should always be looking for‘teachable moments’.”
“You want a child to be a lifelong learner, so you want to show them learning is everywhere,”she says.“If parents take the time to lay a strong educational foundation, their children will keep building on it.”
Introduce children to science with hands-on activities that interest them, such as growing plants from seeds, discussing animals and how to care for pets, and observing the chemical changes that occur during cooking”, she says.
“Sorting activities, simple patterns and counting games are a great way to teach children the basics of math, and taking them on field trips, singing songs and reciting rhymes also are ways to prepare them for the first day of school”, she says.
“I think children are naturals when it comes to computers,” she says.“Let them play educational games on the computer and teach them how to type their first names using the keyboard. When they are more familiar with using the computer, let them find pictures of animals and places on the web. ”
“Don’t criticize the child,” she says. “You can’t force them to learn something. If they don’t get something right, so what? Smile and be happy and make the experience joyful. Parents need to understand that if a child gets something wrong, they may think something is wrong with them. Keep working with them and when they get the right answer make sure you tell them how hard they worked to get the correct answer. ”Marion Godwin tells us that we should teach the children according to their_____ .
| A．subjects and needs |
| B．level and interest |
| C．teachable moments |
| D．strong educational foundation |
According to Godwin, children should ____________________ .
| A．keep a pet each and care for it |
| B．do some cooking every day |
| C．learn science with interesting hand-on activities |
| D．learn from the farmers and grow plants from seeds |
In Godwin’s opinion, children should be encouraged to_________ .
| A．learn all by themselves |
| B．play more computer games |
| C．learn to type their first names |
| D．learn online under instructions |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．How to prepare your children for kindergarten |
| B．Learning should not be forced |
| C．How to be a lifelong learner |
| D．Learning is everywhere |
Thirty years ago not many people would have dreamed of doing the repairs and decorations in their own homes. In those days labor was fairly cheap and most people would have thought it worthwhile to employ a professional painter and decorator, unless of course they were either very hand up or were in the trade themselves.
Today, however, it is quite a different story. Men and women in all walks of life turn their hands to all sorts of jobs round the house including painting, papering, putting up shelves and wall units, and tiling walls and floors. Some people with no professional training of any kind have even successfully built their own houses. These jobs have been made easier today by the introduction of prepared materials, which require the minimum amount of skill to use. In every high street throughout Britain nowadays there is at least one “Do-It-Yourself” shop containing a vast range of timber, tiles, paints, wallpapers and floor coverings besides tools of every description including power drills and many accessories. “Do-It-Yourself” is a booming（繁荣的） business; all these shops do a roaring trade and look like continuing to do so. Probably the main reason for the craze is the high cost of present-day labor and the shortage of building firms willing to do small jobs.Why did people employ professional workers to decorate homes thirty years ago?
| A．Because they could not do it themselves. |
| B．Because professional workers could do much better. |
| C．Because they had no time. |
| D．Because professional workers were very cheap. |
Thirty years later what changes took place?
| A．People could do everything themselves. |
| B．People with no professional training successfully built their own houses. |
| C．Few people chose to be a professional worker. |
| D．New expensive materials required no skills at all. |
What caused the DIY craze?
| A．High cost of professional workers. |
| B．“Do-It-Yourself” is a booming business. |
| C．There were fewer building companies. |
| D．Young people liked to follow the fashion |
What is the speaker telling us ?
| A．Changes in housing.. |
| B．Changes in building. |
| C．How DIY comes into being |
| D．Great changes in these thirty |
After the examination, the doctor told my parents my sight would get worse and that I would lose my sight finally. On the way home from hospital, no one said a word. One day, would I only imagine the scenery beyond the glass rather than see it?
That September, I entered middle school. Most nights I had homework that included an armful of books to read. To keep up with other children, I took great trouble to finish the task. With my nose a couple of inches from the page, I was tired easily. What’s worse, after I had read several pages on my own, the words slipped off the page into inky pools.
However, then I did not have audio books and electronic devices like kids do now. Instead, Mom volunteered to read out loud. Mom worked part-time, cleaned the house, cooked and spent time with Grandma. In spite of being so busy, she showed up in my room like clockwork. She put on her reading glasses. Mom always thought those glasses made her look old. To me, she looked like a teacher.
In my room, Mom’s voice competed with the ticking of the clock. Being forced to focus on listening, I found a way to keep my marks up and compete with the other kids. When the teacher asked a question, I raised my hand with confidence. Teachers praised me for having a good memory. Reading removed my fear for my failing sight, reading also made me curious about other people’s challenges and how they managed. Though I could not use my eyes to fix on each passage, my mind lit up with every new book.
True to what the doctor said, the worst came, but thanks to Mom, my sense of hearing now allows me to “see”. This was the most precious gift from a mother to her child.Why did the author and his parents keep silent on their way back home from hospital?
| A．They all wanted to have a good rest. |
| B．What the doctor said made them worried. |
| C．The author didn’t do well in the exam. |
| D．They focused on the scenery along the road |
How did the author manage to get high marks?
| A．By listening carefully. |
| B．By being confident |
| C．By getting help from his classmates. |
| D．By reading as many books as possible. |
We can learn from the text that.
| A．the author’s sight recovered finally |
| B．reading made the author more sensitive |
| C．the author’s mother didn’t work to look after him |
| D．reading made the author not worry about his sight |
Which of the following could be the title of the text?
| A．My eyesight trouble |
| B．An unforgettable experience |
| C．About Mother’s love |
| D．With ears wide open |
There are many reasons that goals go unfulfilled. For many, goal setting is a never ending circle that starts, stops, and begins again. To help us succeed in reaching our goals, let’s examine the reasons why many people fail at reaching them. Here are 7 Reasons That You Won’t Reach Your Goals:
1. You Don’t Have Any Goals
Too many people are afraid to “set” their goals. Afraid of failing. Afraid of disappointment. Well, you definitely won’t complete them if you don’t try. Make a choice and set your goals. Otherwise you will end up wherever life takes you.
2. You Don’t Start
OK, so you have a goal. What have you done about it? Have you started it yet? What are you waiting for? Procrastination is responsible for the failure of many goals.
3. You Aren’t Willing to “Buy” Your Goals
Yes, you have to buy your goals. Why? Because every goal has a price. It has a cost. Time. Money. Sweat. Sacrifice. You will have to “pay” for your goals in some manner.
4. Your Goals Are Unrealistic.
Make sure that your goals are possible and that you set an adequate time frame for success.
5. You Won’t Stick With It
Over half of goals will be given up within 30 days. You set your goals .You started them. And then...you gave up. Are you using life’s daily happenings as excuses? Goals are not reached through one effort. Rather, they are made in small steps over time.
6. You Will Fail...And You Won’t Get Back Up!
No one succeeds immediately. Those who appear to have effortlessly succeeded have usually put in years of preparation and practice. You have to fall down many times before you will succeed. Skill is learned by doing.
7. You Quit Before The Finish Line
Too many people stop...right before the finish line. It’s almost like they are afraid of succeeding. Often a life event is used as the reason for not finishing. Something always comes up before you finish.
Are you reaching your goals? Which of these is keeping you from succeeding? Set your goals. Stay the course. Always get back up when you fail. And make sure you cross the finish line.What’s the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
| A．To remind people of the importance of setting life goals. |
| B．To convince people of keeping to their life goals. |
| C．To clarify the reasons leading to the failure of achieving goals. |
| D．To persuade people to have big life goals. |
What’s the probable meaning of the underlined word “procrastination” in the second tip?
| A．hesitation | B．delay | C．importance | D．contradiction |
According to the passage, you will not reach you goals, if you _______.
| A．are not willing to spend money seeking helping hands. |
| B．do not take time to make plans for them. |
| C．do not let life take you where it goes. |
| D．are not afraid of succeeding. |
What can be learned from the sixth tip?
| A．He who has hope has everything. |
| B．Two heads are better than one. |
| C．Practice makes perfect. |
| D．Keeping up contributes to success. |