Parents and kids today dress alike, listen to the same music, and are friends. Is this a good thing? Sometimes, when Mr. Ballmer and his 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, listen to rock music together and talk about interests both enjoy, such as pop culture, he remembers his more distant relationship with his parents when he was a teenager.
“I would never have said to my mom, ‘Hey, the new Weezer album is really great. How do you like it?’” says Ballmer. “There was just a complete gap in taste.”
Music was not the only gulf. From clothing and hairstyles to activities and expectations, earlier generations of parents and children often appeared to move in separate orbits.
Today, the generation gap has not disappeared, but it is getting narrow in many families. Conversations on subjects such as sex and drugs would not have taken place a generation ago. Now they are comfortable and common. And parent—child activities, from shopping to sports, involve a feeling of trust and friendship that can continue int0 adulthood.
No wonder greeting cards today carry the message, “To my mother, my best friend.”
But family experts warn that the new equality can also result in less respect for parents. “There’s still a lot of strictness and authority on the part of parents out there, but there is a change happening,” says Kerrie, a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College. “In the middle of that change, there is a lot of confusion among parents.”
Family researchers offer a variety of reasons for these evolving roles and attitudes. They see the 1960s as a turning point. Great cultural changes led to more open communication and a more democratic process that encourages everyone to have a say.
“My parents were on the ‘before’ side of that change, but today’s parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the ‘after’ side,” explains Mr. Ballmer. “It’s not something easily accomplished by parents these days, because life is more difficult to understand or deal with, but sharing interests does make it more fun to be a parent now.”The underlined word gulf in Para.3 most probably means _________.
| A．interest | B．distance |
| C．difference | D．separation |
Which of the following shows that the generation gap is disappearing?
| A．Parents help their children develop interests in more activities. |
| B．Parents put more trust in their children’s abilities. |
| C．Parents and children talk more about sex and drugs. |
| D．Parents share more interests with their children. |
The change in today’s parent-child relationship is _________.
| A．more confusion among parents |
| B．new equality between parents and children |
| C．1ess respect for parents from children |
| D．more strictness and authority on the part of parents |
The purpose of the passage is to _________.
| A．describe the difficulties today’s parents have met with |
| B．discuss the development of the parent—child relationship |
| C．suggest the ways to handle the parent—child relationship |
| D．compare today’s parent—child relationship with that in the past |
The slavery drama “12 Years a Slave” won the Academy Award for best picture on Sunday, making history as the first movie from a black director to win the film industry’s highest honor in 86 years of the Oscars. Britis
h director Steve McQueen’s brave portrayal of pre-Civil War American slavery won two other Oscars, including best supporting actress for newcomer Lupita Nyong’o and best adapted screenplay based on the memoir of Solomon Northup, a free man tricked and sold into slavery in Louisiana. “Everyone deserves not just to survive but to live. This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup,” said McQueen in his acceptance speech.
“12 Years a Slave” was better over space thriller “Gravity” from Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, which nevertheless got the most Oscars of the night with seven, including the best director honor for Cuaron, a first for a Latin American director.The film starring Sandra Bullock as an astronaut lost in space swept the technical awards like visual effects and cinematography, a reward for its groundbreaking work on conveying space and weightlessness. Referring to the “transformative” experience he and others undertook in the four-plus years spent making “Gravity”, Cuaron, whose hair is graying, said, “For a lot of these people, that transformation was wisdom. For me, it was just the color of my hair.” In one of the strongest years for film in recent memory, the 6,000-plus voters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences scattered golden Oscar statuettes among the many acclaimed movies in contention.
It was a good night for the scrappy, low-budget film “Dallas Buyers Club”, directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, a biopic of an early AIDS activist two decades in the making that won three Oscars, including the two male acting awards.
Matthew McConaughey, in a validation of a remarkable career turnaround, won best actor for his portrayal of the homophobe who turned AIDS victim and then turned treatment crusader Ron Woodroof, a role for which he lost 50 pounds (23 kg). His co-star, Jared Leto, won best supporting actor for his role as Woodroof’s unlikely business partner, the transgender woman Rayon, for which he also slimmed down drastically.
Australia’s Cate Blanchett won the best actress Oscar for her acclaimed role as the socialite unhinged by her husband’s financial crimes in Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine.” “As random and subjective as this award is, it means a great deal in a year of, yet again, extraordinary performances by women,” said Blanchett, who beat out previous Oscar winners Bullock, Amy Adams, Judi Dench and Meryl Streep.The film which won the largest number of Oscar awards this year is ______.
| A．12 Years a Slave | B．Gravity |
| C．Dallas Buyers Club | D．Blue Jasmine |
Which director spent the least money in making the film?
| A．Steve McQueen. | B．Alfonso Cuaron. |
| C．Jean-Marc Vallee. | D．Woody Allen. |
How many Oscar best actresses are mentioned in this passage?
| A．One. | B．Three. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
Which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．12 Years a Slave won two Oscar awards altogether. |
| B．The director of Gravity is from Latin America. |
| C．The character Rayon is played by Jared Leto. |
| D．The woman film star Cate Blanchett comes from Oceania. |
| The following are the sculptures in the Underwater Museum, which are accessible in person by glass boat, or scuba diving. |
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The Archive of Lost Dreams The Visual: It describes an underwater archive of messages in bottles. The Meaning: The bottles contain messages of dreams for future generations. The Hope: The statue is placed with the purpose of helping draw visitors away from the healthy parts of the reef. The Location: The Archive of Lost Dreams was placed 8 meters deep at Manchones Reef, close to Isla Mujeres. Behind the Scenes: The collection of bottled messages were provided by various communities who wrote about today’s values and their dreams for the future generations. |
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The Gardener of Hope The Visual: Here a young Mexican girl lies in a garden surrounded by pots which will be grown with live coral. The Meaning: The young girl in the sculpture represents a model for hopeful future generations. The Hope: The base of the Gardener of Hope was built to attract various marine creatures. The coral in the pots is also expected to grow. The Location: The Gardener of Hope was placed 4 meters deep at Punta Nizuc near the coast of Cancun. Behind the Scenes: The pots here are filled with live coral cuttings that were saved from areas of the local reef system. |
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Man on Fire The Visual: Man on Fire describes a lone male figure covered in live fire coral to resemble fire. The Meaning: The sculpture symbolizes the unawareness of the “fire” our generation has started with the over use of limited natural resources. The Hope: Man on Fire has 75 holes planted with small live cuttings of fire coral which are expected to grow like fire. The Location: Man on Fire was installed 8 meters deep at the Manchones Reef nearby to Isla Mujeres. Behind the Scenes: The sculpture was cast from a local Mexican fisherman and it weighs over 1 ton. |
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The Silent Evolution The Visual: Here more than 400 sculptures depict the timeline of human nature. The Meaning: It is a documentation of how society and people have changed over time. It is also to remind us of how we are connected to nature. The Hope: The installation is designed for forming a complex reef structure that marine life will claim as its own and inhabit. The Location: The Silent Evolution will be installed 8 meters deep behind the Manchones Reef. Behind the Scenes: The total installation will expand over 150 square meters and will weigh over 120 tons. |
| Attention: Guided tours are a must. You can catch a tour from Aquaworld, which leaves every hour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．You can tour individually without a tourist guide by glass boat. |
| B．The Gardener of Hope will remind us of the relationship with nature. |
| C．Bottled messages are filled with live coral cuttings for future generations. |
| D．Man on Fire can educate us to protect the limited natural resources. |
Which sculptures are installed in the same area?
| A．Man on Fire & The Silent Evolution. |
| B．The Archive of Lost Dreams & Man on Fire. |
| C．The Gardener of Hope & The Silent Evolution. |
| D．The Archive of Lost Dreams & The Gardener of Hope. |
The writer introduces the sculptures to _______.
| A．defend Mexican Tourism Industry |
| B．call on us to go on a tour to Aquaworld |
| C．appeal to readers to protect Marine Life |
| D．attract tourists to the Underwater Museum |
Teaching your child to cook is not hard; the hard part could be getting them out of the kitchen. When you are teaching them, remember to stress safety and cleanliness, after all these are skills they will need for many years into the future.
Start by finding simple no-cook recipes. A salad or other no-cook recipe is an ideal way to start. Show your child how to hold, and cut with knives. Make sure they know how to wash everything in hot soapy water as they use it, so that it becomes a habit that is part of the process and not an extra chore to do after they have finished.
If possible, find one of the good children’s cookbooks that are available. Many of these have simple recipes that demonstrate the basic cooking terms such as chop, mix, and stir. When it is practical, you may as well have your child help you prepare meals. Even a small child can get bowls out, pour, and start learning to measure. A two- year -old child can stir a batter（面糊）, or taste the results.
Allow your older child to find a recipe that they think sounds nice. Go over the recipe with them as you discuss the steps needed, and how to adjust any ingredients to match your budget, and family preferences.
When you go shopping， have your child help find the necessary ingredients for their ‘special’ recipe. When it is time to make the recipe, allow them to do as much as possible, only helping out if asked or when they run into trouble. Be sure to praise their efforts even if they are not perfect. After the results are gone, talk about any problems, and see if there is a solution.
Most children like to cook, and if they are part of deciding what to cook, as well as the preparation they will be well on the way to being good cooks.The author wants to say in the passage that__________.
| A．it is a pleasure to cook with your children |
| B．children are eager to learn how to cook |
| C．parents should perform their duty |
| D．it is no good cooking with children |
Why should we tell children safety and cleanliness?
| A．Because children are often careless |
| B．Because we must keep them free of danger |
| C．Because they will develop good habits |
| D．Because they think cooing is hard |
What should you do when cooking is finished？
| A．Give praise in good time to your child. |
| B．Have a taste of what has been made. |
| C．Avoid mentioning any mistakes he/she made. |
| D．Help them out of any difficult situation. |
Dear Editor,
Recent reports have indicated an additional 1, 400 Marines（海军陆战队）are being sent to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. This means it costs over $1 million annually on the ground over there. I do place a higher level of blame on the policymakers who send soldiers off to kill and be killed in the field. I think the human race needs to think more about killing.
One needs to do the introspection: “Are these wars JUST?” I believe that all of our wars since 1945 have been illegal, under international law as well. I suggest that all your readers examine their conscience（良心）as it relates to the matter of making war. The fact that many soldiers are motivated by a strong sense of duty does not give them some unqualified moral right to support these wars or any other. It’s responsible for all the troops, and the entire population, to determine whether the Afghan or Iraq wars are in accordance with （符合）the development of the state.
I wish someone would give me one or more logical reasons why we are still fighting in Afghanistan and what our goals are. I certainly don’t understand it and neither do many who are more knowledgeable than I.
Outsiders have tried unsuccessfully for centuries to conquer Afghanistan, and we seem to be no more successful. We are trying to develop a stable central government, but the country is badly divided into ethnic and tribal groups, and the current government is corrupt（腐败的）. Moreover, we are apparently regarded as undesirable occupiers by many of its people, most notably the Taliban.（塔利班）
If we are to continue spending billions every year in Afghanistan and killing hundreds of our people and many of theirs, our government must provide us with a reasonable explanation of why we are doing so and what we can expect to accomplish.
George MyersWhat caused the author to write the letter?
| A．His conscience of being a citizen. |
| B．Reports about sending soldiers to Afghanistan. |
| C．His relatives being killed in the war. |
| D．Getting no reasonable explanation. |
The underlined word “introspection” in the passage means .
| A．self-awareness | B．self-confidence |
| C．self-examination | D．self-defence |
The soldiers go to Afghanistan because .
| A．they can contribute to the development of America |
| B．they have the moral right to do so |
| C．they are performing their duty as a resident |
| D．they want to become heroes in the war |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Most people can’t understand why the States makes wars. |
| B．The U.S.A has developed a stable central government. |
| C．The Afghan considered Americans as undesirable occupiers |
| D．American government should make an explanation to the public. |
The pounding（重击声） was driving Edward crazy. A new neighbor had just moved into the apartment below him. The newcomer was deaf, or seemed to be, because he played his stereo（立体声音响）loud enough for the whole building to hear.
On the first day he heard the stereo rocking over, Edward marched downstairs and politely told the newcomer that his stereo was too loud. He asked the new tenant to turn the volume down and keep it down as long as he lived in the building. The tenant appeared surprised and embarrassed, and said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was that loud.”
So, Edward returned upstairs, feeling good, because he had taken a stand and politely let the newcomer know that loud music was not going to be tolerated. The next day all was quiet, and Edward continued to be pleased with himself. The following day, Edward thought it must be Fourth of July, because a marching band was playing on his street. In fact, it was the new neighbor who was playing his music loud again.
Edward was not one to repeat himself, feeling that each time you repeated yourself, you diminished the value of your words. So, he did what he always did with rude neighbors－grin（露齿而笑）and bear it. Eventually, they would move away. What else are you going to do?
In Los Angeles a year ago, a woman had complained to her upstairs neighbor that he was playing his drums too loud and too often. The drummer repeatedly ignored her. One day the woman walked upstairs and shot the drummer in the head and his girlfriend in the chest. The woman was sentenced to prison for 20 years.
The dead drummer won’t bother anyone with his drums, but the woman might be wishing now that she had learned to grin and bear it. If she were still living in her apartment, she could always move. When you’re in prison, you don’t have that option.The man living below where Edward lived was .
| A．a deaf man | B．the owner of the house |
| C．a tenant | D．an old neighbor |
What did Edward always do with rude neighbors?
| A．Grinning and bearing it. |
| B．Persuading them to stop repeatedly. |
| C．Shouting them to dead. |
| D．Moving away from the rude neighbors. |
The author writes the last paragraph to prove that .
| A．being in prison means the loss of freedom |
| B．grinning and bearing it is the best policy |
| C．Edward should follow the example of the woman |
| D．the woman was right to kill her neighbor |
The woman killed her neighbor because .
| A．he ignored her advice repeatedly |
| B．she could not stand his playing the music too loud |
| C．she could not put up with him any longer |
| D．he played the drums too often |