Being a mother is apparently not like it was in the good old days.
Today’s parents yearn for the golden age that their own mothers enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s, researchers found. Mothers have less time to themselves and feel under greater pressure to handle work and family life than the previous generation. As a result, 88 per cent said they felt guilty about the lack of time they spent with their children.
The survey of 1,000 mothers also found that more than a third said they had less time to themselves than their mothers did – just three hours a week or 26 minutes a day. And 64 per cent said this was because they felt they ‘had’ to go out to work, while nearly a third (29 per cent) said they were under constant pressure to be the ‘perfect mother’, the report found.
Other findings showed social networking and parenting websites, as well as technology such as Skype, were important in providing help and support among female communities. Kate Fox, a member of the Social Issues Rese
arch Centre, which conducted the survey for Procter & Gamble, said: ‘With increasing pressure on 
mothers to work a “double shift” — to be the perfect mother as well as a wage-earner — support networks are more important than ever.
It comes as a separate report examining childcare in the leading industrialised nations found that working mothers in Britain spend just 81 minutes a day caring for their children as a ‘primary activity’. Mothers who stay at home, on the other hand, manage twice as much time – more than two and a half hours – looking after their offspring, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Critics say the pressure on women to work long hours, and leave their offspring in the hands of nurseries or childminders, is putting the well-being of their children at risk.
The study also reveals that, despite the fact that more and more modern mothers go out to work, the burden of childcare still falls on them - even if their husband is not in work. A father who is not in work tends to spend just 63 minutes a day looking after his child - 18 minutes less than a mother who goes out to work. Working fathers spare less than three quarters of an hour with their children.. What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．The good old days of mothers in the 1970s and 1980s. |
| B．The great sufferings of today’s children. |
| C．The statistics of working mothers and full-time mothers. |
| D．The big problems that today’s working mothers face. |
. What does the underlined phrase “yearn for” probably means ___________.
| A．hate | B．miss | C．abandon | D．control |
Which of the following problems is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Today’s mothers have less time left for their children and themselves. |
| B．The working mothers can hardly strike the balance between work and family. |
| C．Most of the mothers can not control their husbands nowadays. |
| D．Modern fathers do not spend enough time with their children. |
From para. 4, we can infer that ___________.
| A．working mothers can seek help on line |
| B．Skype is a very famous expert in studying social issues |
| C．working mothers’ double shift is to be a wife and a mother |
| D．Kate Fox has opened a website offering help to working mothers |
. What critics say means that _____________.
| A．it is wise for working mothers to put their kids in nurseries or childminders |
| B．too much time in nurseries or childminders is bad for kids’ mental and physical health |
| C．nurseries or childminders are dangerous places for children |
| D．children do not like nurseries or childminders at all |
Our village carpenter(木匠), John Hill, came one day and made a dining table for my wife. He made it just the right size to fill the space between the two windows. When I got home that evening, John was drinking a cup of tea and writing out his bill for the job.
My wife said to me quietly, “It’s his ninth cup of tea today.” But she said in a loud voice, “It is a beautiful table, dear, isn’t it?”
“I will decide about that when I see the bill, ” I read:
One dining table, 10 November, 1989.
Cost of wood: ＄17.00
Paint: ＄1.50
Work: 8 hours (＄1 an hour) ＄8.00
Total: ＄36.50
When I was looking at the bill, John said, “It’s been a fine day, hasn’t it? Quite sunny.” “Yes,” I said, “I’m glad it is only the 10th of November.”
“Me, too,” said John. “You wait. It’ll be a lot colder by the end of the month.”
“Yes, colder…. And more expensive! Dining tables will be ＄20 more expensive on November 30th, won’t they, John?” John looked hard at me for half a minute. Was there a little smile in his two blue eyes? I gave his bill back to him.
“If it isn’t too much trouble, John,” I said, “Please add it up again and you can forget the date.”
I paid him ＄26.50and he was happy to get it.Why did John talk about the weather when the writer was looking at the bill?_______
| A．Because he didn’t want the writer to go through the bill carefully. |
| B．Because it was really a fine day. |
| C．Because he wanted the writer to check the bill carefully. |
| D．Because he wanted to tell the writer what the weather was like. |
Why did the writer say that dining table would be＄ 20 more expensive on November 30th ?__________
| A．Because it was difficult to make dining tables in cold weather. |
| B．Because paint would be more expensive. |
| C．Because the cost of wood would be more expensive. |
| D．Because he thought John would certainly add to the cost of the dining table. |
From the story we know that _____________
| A．John made a mistake in the bill. |
| B．John tried to fool the writer in order to get more money for his work |
| C．John had written out the bill before the writer got home. |
| D．John still wanted to get ＄36.50 for his work in the end. |
| GARDEN RESTAURANT Tel: 2706630 Add: 9020 Bridgeport Road Open: Mon. to Fri. 7:00a.m—2:30p.m. 5:00p.m.—9:00p.m. Sat. 7:00a.m—11:00a.m. 5:00p.m.—9:30p.m. Sun. 11:00a.m.—2:00p.m. 5:00p.m.—9:30p.m. |
SKYLINE HOTEL Tel: 2785161 Add: 3031 No.3 Road ( at Sea Island Way) The Hangar Den: Wed. to Sun. Lunch from 10:30a.m. Coffee Shop: Mon.—Fri. 6:00a.m. Sat. 6:00a.m. Sun. 7:00a.m. Mon.—Wed. to 10:00p.m. Thurs—Sun. to 11:00p.m. |
| LANSDOWNE PARK SHOPPING CENTER Tel: 3562367 Add: 5300 No.3 Road Open: Mon. Tues. Sat. 9:30a.m.—5:30p.m. Wed. Thurs. Fri. 9:30a.m.—9:30p.m. Sun. 11:00a.m.—5:00p.m. |
NEW YORK MUSEUM Tel: 364431 Add: Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut St. Open: Mon.to Fri. 9:00a.m.—5:00p.m. Sat. 9:00a.m.—1:00p.m. (Monday free) |
If you want to go out for lunch on Tuesday you can call up the number.
| A．2706630 | B．7364431 | C．3562367 | D．2785161 |
You do not have to pay on Monday if you go to.
| A．Skyline Hotel |
| B．Lansdowne Park Shopping Center |
| C．New York Museum |
| D．Garden Restaurant |
Suppose you want to enjoy yourself on Sunday mornings, you can go to.
| A．5300 No.3 Road |
| B．Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut St. |
| C．9020 Bridgeport Road |
| D．3031 No.3 Road |
What can you do after 9:30p.m. on Sunday?
| A．Visit New York Museum. |
| B．Do some shopping in Lansdowne Park shopping Center |
| C．Go to Garden Restaurant |
| D．Go to the Coffee Shop of Skyline Hotel |
According to the ad, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．At 6:00 am every day coffee is served at SKYLINE HOTEL. |
| B．You can have supper every day at GARDEN RESTAURANT |
| C．Tel 2785161 can give you some information about shopping. |
| D．NEW YORK MUSEUM is open from Monday to Sunday. |
Mom and Dad are two of the most important people in your life. You probably see at least one of them every day. If your dad worships(崇拜) the Pittsburgh Stealers, you are likely to grow up being a big fun of that football team. And if your mom loves to read you just might grow up carrying everywhere you go, just like she does.
Here are four ways you can stay close and build a strong relationship with your parents.
1.Spent time together. How much time do you spend just enjoying each other’s company? Instead of playing a computer game or watching TV, maybe you can ask your mom and dad to play with you. Go outside together, try a board game, or read a book out.
2.Share your feelings and ask for help. Your mom or dad may not know that you are having a problem. Tell a parent if you are sad or struggling with something.
3.Show your care. Some families are always kissing, hugging, and saying “I love you”. It’s important to show that you care for each other. In addition to kisses and hugs, kids and parents show their love by respecting each other, being caring, polite, and thoughtful.
4.Whatever you do, do your best! You don’t have to be perfect, but when you do your best, you make your parents proud. It makes them happy to see how you are turning into such a great kid. Why? Because it lets them know they’re doing a good job.The first paragraph mainly tells us___________.
| A．the Pittsburgh Stealers is a famous football team |
| B．the kid will like reading if his or her mother likes |
| C．parents influence(影响) their kids greatly. |
| D．we should follow our parents’ hobbies. |
In the third paragraph, the author suggests that ____________.
| A．you keep your parents company all the time |
| B．you stay at home with your parents |
| C．you do something together with your parents. |
| D．you enjoy games when your parents watch TV |
The underlined part “they’re doing a good job” means_____________.
| A．they have very good jobs |
| B．their jobs can bring the family much money |
| C．they make you become a great kid |
| D．they make you find a good job. |
The text intends to（旨在）tell us______________.
| A．parents are important to everyone |
| B．how we get along with our parents |
| C．to respect our parents |
| D．to share feelings with our parents |
If your recurring(经常性的)dreams are worrying you，you can rest assured and needn’t worry．Psychologists say in the vast majority of these cases，this is just the mind’s way of dealing with stress and conflicts，problems and concerns．It’s a good thing．
They call be surprisingly vivid and real，or fragmented and weird．They can be comforting or frightening．Our dreams can tell us a lot about what we are really thinking．Dreams give us an x-ray of our unconsciousness(潜意识)．They tell us，particularly when we are at life’s passages or turning points．
Lisa Oppenheim had the same dream whenever she was about to move to a new home or a new city．It’s always just a feeling of needing to stay safe．Experts say disturbing dreams often occur around major life events．For Lisa，it was moving．For others，it can be marriage or divorce，the death of a loved one or pressure at work．
Doctor Siegel has studied the meaning of dream for nearly 30 years．He believes stressful or upsetting dreams can be a sign of what’s buried deep inside our minds．
He said．“Dreams are important to survival．They are crucial to the balance of our psyche(心灵)．They help us work out problems that we’re having every single day．They go to the cutting edge of what’s stressful，what’s bothering us and what we’re working out in our lives．Dreams can guide us and in order to find that guidance，to find that deep source of wisdom that’s in our dreams every night，we need to pay attention to our dreams．”
But many dreams are scary and horrible．How can we understand these nightmares? Doctor Siegel says they are reflecting especially intense emotion or unresolved conflict．The stronger the emotion in the dream，whether it’s pleasure or fear，the likelier the dream is to be important．
Knowing what your recurring dreams or nightmares mean can be liberating．Some nightmares can be a sign of serious psychological problems，such as post-dramatic stress disorder．If they are extremely disturbing or violent or the cause of severe anxiety，you should see a professional therapist(治疗专家)．By saying “Dreams give US an x-ray of our unconsciousness,” the author means that dreams
| A．do harm to our mind | B．show us our real mind |
| C．solve our stress in mind | D．give us a turning point in mind |
People will have recurring dreams when they_______________．
| A．1ive with great pressure or have great events |
| B．do the same things all their lives |
| C．move to a new home or a new city |
| D．are comforted or frightened |
Which of the following is true according to Doctor Siegel?
| A．Dreams play a very important role in the world’s balance． |
| B．Dreams help us find out the problems we need to solve． |
| C．We should pay attention to every dream we have． |
| D．Only the dreams with pleasure are important to us． |
How should we deal with the recurring nightmares?
| A．We should remember them because they are important to us． |
| B．We can ignore them since they are just reflecting our emotions． |
| C．We need to take some sleeping pills to stop this serious problem． |
| D．We should see a psychological doctor if they are seriously disturbing |
The purpose of the passage is_________________．
| A．to introduce a variety of dreams |
| B．to offer some advice on avoiding nightmares |
| C．to compare recurring dreams with nightmares |
| D．to ease our anxiety on recurring dreams |
Until the 1980s, the American homeless population comprised (组成) mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient(变化无常的) and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems — both legal and educational — for already overburdened（负担过重的）urban school administrators and teachers.
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis, But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly.
One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the “throwaway” youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not counted as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education. It is implied in the first paragraph that ____.
| A．the writer himself is homeless, even in his eighties |
| B．many older homeless residents are going on strike in 25 cities |
| C．there is a serious shortage of academic facilities (设施). |
| D．homeless children are denied the opportunity of receiving free education |
The National Coalition for the homeless believes that the number of homeless children is _____.
| A．350,000 |
| B．1,500,000 |
| C．440,000 |
| D．110,000 |
One part of the homeless population is difficult to estimate. The reason might well be ____.
| A．the homeless children are too young to be counted as children |
| B．the homeless population is growing rapidly |
| C．the homeless children usually stay outside school |
| D．some homeless children are deserted by their families |
The McKinney Act is mentioned in this passage in order to show that ___.
| A．the educational problems of homeless children are being recognized |
| B．the estimates on homeless children are hard to determine |
| C．the address of grade-school children should be located |
| D．all homeless people are entitled（有权利的） to free education |
The passage mainly deals with ____.
| A．the legal problems of the homeless children |
| B．the educational problems of homeless children |
| C．the social status of older males |
| D．estimates on the homeless population |