There are hundreds of things that your parents controlled for you when you were a child.And it’s a good thing, too — kids need this kind of protection and assistance, because they aren’t mature enough to take care of themselves and make careful decisions on their own.
But eventually, kids grow up and become teens.It’s totally normal for teens to create their own opinions, thoughts, and values about life; it’s what prepares them for adulthood.But as you change and grow into this new person who makes his or her own decisions, your parents may have a difficult time adjusting themselves to it.
In most families, it’s this adjustment that can cause a lot of fighting between teens and parents.Teens get angry because they feel parents don’t respect them and aren’t giving them space to do what they like, and parents get angry because they aren’t used to not being in control or they disagree with the teens’ decisions.
It’s easy for feelings to get very hurt when there are conflicts like these.And more complicated issues can cause even bigger arguments, because your parents will always be intent on protecting you and keeping you safe, no matter how old you are.
The good news about fighting with your parents is that in many families the arguing will lessen as parents get more comfortable with the idea that their teens have a right to certain opinions.It can take several years for parents and teens to adjust to their new roles, though.In the meantime, concentrate on communicating with your parents as best you can.
Sometimes this can feel impossible — like they just don’t see your point of view and never will.But talking and expressing your opinions can help you gain more respect from your parents, and you may be able to reach a compromise that makes everyone happy.Keep in mind, too, that your parents were teens once and that in most cases, they can relate to what you’re going through.Why do parents always want to control their children?
A.They are afraid to lose their children. |
B.They want to protect their children. |
C.They don’t believe the ability of their children. |
D.They can’t accept their children are growing. |
The author suggested that teenagers ________.
A.fight with their parents bravely for their rights |
B.obey their parents without any doubt |
C.communicate with their parents actively |
D.persuade their parents in as many ways as possible |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.most parents will give in while fighting with their children |
B.the conflict between parents and teenagers can be solved |
C.the only way for teens to get freedom is to leave home |
D.only few parents do well in facing the growth of their children |
The Taj Mahal (泰姬陵) is a love story, a sad and beautiful one. If it didn’t exist, we would easily imagine that the story of its construction was simply a fairy tale. Three hundred years ago, there lived an Indian emperor called Shah Jahan. His wife was a beautiful and bright woman whom he loved greatly. Her title was Mumtazl Mahan: its shortened form Taj Mahan, means “pride of the palace”. In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died. He was so brokenhearted that he thought of giving up his throne. He decided out of his love for his wife, to build her the most beautiful tomb that had ever been seen.
He summoned the best artists and architects from India, Turkey, Persia and Arabia and finally, the design was complete. It took more than twenty thousand men working over a period of 18 years to build the Taj Mahan, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
The building itself stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 6-7 meters high. Towers rise from each of the four corners. The Taj itself soars another 61 meters into the air. It is an eight-sided building made of white marble.
The emperor planned to build an identical tomb of black marble for himself on the other side of the river connected by a silver bridge. However his son put him into a prison in the palace before he could finish, and for the rest of his life, he could only gaze across river at the tomb of his beloved wife.The whole passage tells us about ______.
A.a beautiful fairy tale |
B.the story of the Taj Mahal |
C.white and black marble tombs made for two emperors |
D.the love story of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife |
Which of the following statements is NOT true about the Taj Mahal?
A.It was completed quickly owing to the efforts of the best artists and workers. |
B.A lot of people took part in the building work |
C.It is a magnificent building. |
D.It is a tomb for the emperor’s beloved wife. |
The emperor’s own tomb was designed to be ____________.
A.meters high |
B.eight-sided |
C.black-coloured |
D.white-colored |
The emperor _____________.
A.died soon after Taj Mahan died |
B.was killed by his son |
C.was beloved by his people |
D.died after 1648 |
I came to study in the United States a year ago .Yet I did not know the real American society until I was injured in a car accident because after the accident I had to see a doctor and go to court.
After the accident .my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and determined to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $200 for what he had done. I was astonished. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible for my injury, I’d have to have a good lawyer. And only a good doctor can help me get a good lawyer .Now that he had helped me find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him.
But every day I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time .The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215.
My lawyer was all smiles the first time we met. But after that he avoided seeing me at all. He knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided to dismiss him. And he made me pay him $770.
Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Due to my inexperience, I told the insurance company the date I was leaving America. Knowing that, they played for time…and I left without getting a cent.The author’s roommate offered to help him because________.
A.he felt sorry for the author |
B.he thought it was a chance to make some money |
C.he knew the doctor was a very good one |
D.he wanted the author to have a good lawyer |
The word“charge”in the third paragraph means_________ .
A.be responsible | B.accuse |
C.ask as a price | D.claim |
What conclusion can you draw from the story?
A.Going to court is something very common in America. |
B.One must be very careful while driving a car. |
C.There are more bad sides in America than good sides. |
D.Money is more important than other things in the US. |
Metro Pocket Guide
Metrorail(地铁)
Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out. Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer.
Farecard machines are in every station, Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the station and farecard machine only provide up to $ 5 in change.
Get one day of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass. Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations. Use it after 9:30 a.m. until closing on weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays.
Hours of Service
Open: 5 a.m Mon-Fri
7a.m. Sat—Sun .
Close: midnight Sun—Thur.
3a.m.Fri.-Sat.nights
Last train time vary. To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train time posted in stations.
Metrobus
When paying with exact change, the fare is $ 1.35 . when paying with a smatTripâ CARD the fare is $1.25
Fares for the Senior /disabled customers
Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare. On Metrorail and Metrobus, use a senior/disabled farecard or SmarTripâ card. For more information about buying senior/disabled farecards, SmarTripR cards and passes, please visit MetroOpenDoors.com or call 202-637-7000 and 202-637-8000.
Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorail services by calling 202-962-1100
Travel tips
. Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4 and 6 p.m.
. If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost & Found at 202-962-1195. what should you know about farecard machines?
A.They start selling tickets at 9:30 a.m. |
B.They are connected to change machines. |
C.They offer special service to the elderly. |
D.They make change for no more than $5. |
At what time does Metrorail stop service on Saturday?
A.At midnight |
B.at 3 a.m. |
C.at 5 am |
D.at 7 p.m. |
What is good about a SmarTripâ card?
A.It is convenient for old people |
B.It saves money for its users |
C.it can be bought at any time |
D.it is sold on the Internet. |
Which number should you call if you lose something on the Metro?
A.202-962-1195 |
B.202-962-1100 |
C.202-673-7000 |
D.202-673-8000 |
When something goes wrong,it can be very satisfying to say,”Well, it’s so-and-so’s fault.” or “I know I’m late,but it’s not my fault;the car broke down.”It is probably not your fault,but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation,you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner’s key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about—creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don’t have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on “whose fault it is.” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stone for success.According to the passage, winners .
A.blame themselves rather that others |
B.meet with fewer difficulties in their lives |
C.have responsible and able colleagues |
D.deal with problems rather than blame others |
The underlined word remedy in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to .
A.improve | B.accept |
C.avoid | D.consider |
When your colleague brings about a problem, you should .
A.blame him for his lack of responsibility |
B.find a better way to handle the problem |
C.tell him to find the cause of the problem |
D.ask a more able colleague for help |
When problems occur, winners take them as
A.excuses for their failures |
B.barriers to greater power |
C.chances for self-development |
D.challenges to their colleagues |
Using too much water or throwing rubbish into our rivers are clear ways that humans can put our water supply in danger, but we also affect our water supply in less obvious ways. You may wonder how paving (铺砌) a road can lead to less useable fresh water. A major part of the water we use every day is groundwater. Groundwater does not come from lakes or rivers. It comes from underground. The more roads and parking lots we pave, the less water can flow into the ground to become groundwater.
Human activity is not responsible for all water shortages (短缺).Drier climates are of course more likely to have droughts (干旱) than areas with more rainfall, but in any case, good management can help to make sure there is enough water to meet our basic needs.
Thinking about the way we use water every day can make a big difference, too. In the United States, a family of four can use 1.5 tons of water a day! This shows how much we depend on water to live, but there's a lot we can do to lower the number.
You can take steps to save water in your home. To start with, use the same glass for your drinking water all day. Wash it only once a day. Run your dishwasher (洗碗机) only when it is full. Help your parents fix any leaks in your home. You can even help to keep our water supply clean by recycling batteries instead of throwing them away.Which of the following is most likely to lead to less groundwater?
A.Using river water. | B.Paving parking lots. |
C.Throwing batteries away. | D.Throwing rubbish into lakes. |
What can be inferred from the text?
A.It takes a lot of effort to meet our water needs. |
B.All water shortages are due to human behavior. |
C.There is much we can do to reduce family size. |
D.The average family in America makes proper use of water. |
The last paragraph is intended to ________.
A.show us how to fix leaks at home |
B.tell us how to run a dishwasher |
C.suggest what we do to save water at home |
D.prove what drinking glass is best for us |
The text is mainly about ________.
A.why paving roads reduces our water |
B.how human activity affects our water supply |
C.why droughts occur more in dry climates |
D.how much we depend on water to live |