Nowadays the problem of the generation gap is becoming more and more serious. Poor relationship between parents and their children are very common.
Whether we like it or not, our parents are responsible for us at least until we’re out of high school. So rather than get upset about that fact, maybe we should focus on some ways to make our relationship better. The best way, in my opinion, is to learn to really communicate with my parents.
When I find myself arguing with my mom and dad, I try to stop. If I can manage to stop myself from talking, I usually find that I can calm down quickly. I guess I’m usually acting out of emotion rather than logic(逻辑). But if I can stop arguing for a minute, it seems that my opinion changes and I start to realize that I’m a bit childish. Emotionally I may still be upset, but logically I understand that yelling(大叫大嚷) and fighting surely won’t make things better.
Once I’ve stopped arguing, I look at my parents in the eye. You’d be amazed at how much easier it is to communicate with your parents when you’ve actually looking at them. Looking away doesn’t do much of anything except for giving them the impression that I’m not listening or that I don’t care. It’s much easier to see things eye to eye when you’re physically seeing them eye to eye.
Finally, I listen to what they’re saying (or at least I try). Communication can’t happen unless both sides hear and listen to each other. There is nothing wrong with my hearing, but that doesn’t mean I always listen to the sounds that people are making. When I argue with my parents, I can physically hear what they’re saying without mentally listening to it.
Whether I admit it or not, my parents’ experience can actually help them give me some pretty sound advice at times. I don’t always agree with them, but I think it’s safe to say that it has truly helped our relationship in the long run.What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Listening is better than yelling and fighting. |
| B．It is impolite to see your parents eye to eye. |
| C．Be careful when you take your parents’ advice. |
| D．Parents are sometimes easy to get upset. |
Parents and children can communicate only when_______.
| A．both sides stop yelling and fighting |
| B．both sides start thinking what to say next |
| C．both sides agree with each other |
| D．both sides can listen to each other |
Which of the following advice is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Looking | B．Smiling warmly |
| C．Listening | D．Stopping arguing |
The author thinks we should first _______ when arguing with our parents.
| A．look at their eyes | B．fight for the truth |
| C．stop arguing | D．talk in a low voice |
If you are interested in studying at an American university, you have to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The test is widely known as the TOEFL. It is the most widely used language exam for American universities.
There are two major kinds of the TOEFL test. The first is the IBT, or Internet-based Test. It is offered in most of the world and accepted by nearly every university and scholarship program in the United States.The other kind of the test is called the Paper-based Test or PBT. The PBT is less costly to take and does not require use of the Internet.
But how to get started with TOEFL? Here are some tips.
1. Plan ahead ---It takes a long time to improve your TOEFL score. Do not expect a big lift in your test results after two weeks. You will have to spend a lot of time and energy.
2. Master the basics first ---You should have to be good at basic English before you take the test. If you score below 500 on the PBT or 70 on the IBT, study for a few months and come back to the TOEFL later.
3. Get a study guide --- It is easy to find study guides for the IBT. Pearson, Barron's, ETS, and Kaplan all produce quality materials. Take a practice test once or twice a month. The best study guides will have explanations in the answer key.
4. Use outside resources --- Remember, you are learning a language, not a test. You can improve your TOEFL score by making English part of your daily life. Some simple ways are listening to English speakers, watching movies and reading newspapers. Some others are reading English textbooks, sending and reading text messages in English, and writing online in English.
The best way to do well on the TOEFL is to know English well.The real goal of the test is to measure how well a student can communicate in English-speaking classroom.
If you want to know more, please click here.
If you want to study in an America university, you have to_________.
| A．be very rich and work hard |
| B．be well prepared to take the TOEFL test |
| C．ask an English teacher to help you |
| D．prepare for a month before taking the TOEFL test |
From the passage we can learn that___________.
| A．the IBT is more expensive to take and requires use of the Internet. |
| B．Pearson is a person who teaches quality materials. |
| C．If you score 500 on the PBT,you can pass the TOEFL test. |
| D．If you are good at reading ,you can pass the TOEFL test. |
The real purpose of the TOEFL is to, according to the passage.
| A．get more foreign students to study in American universities |
| B．let foreign students know more about American universities |
| C．measure one’s communicating ability in English. |
| D．improve foreign students’ skills of taking tests |
Where does the passage most probably come from?
| A．A website | B．A lesson |
| C．A science book | D．A novel |
Suppose you have everything: a good job, good health, good relationships and a lot of money to spend. But still there is something missing from your life. Guess what? The love. It is not something that you should ignore. Life without love is just like body without soul.
Love gives meaning to life as without love life is meaningless. Lucky is the person who gets love and keeps the flames of love burning for ever. It is not a matter of days or months. Love is for life and life is for love.
It is easy to fall in love but difficult to keep the flames of love burning. Before having serious long term love relationships, be sure that the person you love is also sincere with you. A selfish person can make your life terrible. If this is the case with you then try to get rid of that person as soon as possible.
Most people do not give importance to their love life as they give importance to their professional life. This is a bad choice which ruins the whole life. A balance between the two is necessary in order to enjoy life in its entirety. Do not lose the love you need.
In order to make your life more exciting and enjoyable, you need a loving and caring person with whom you can share your values, dreams, joys and jokes. In difficult times of failure, pain, or loss of dear ones, this person should stand firm beside you and comfort you in every possible manner.
Love your life and love the person who is in your life. Keep the flames of love burning to live a great, great life.What’s the meaning of the underlined sentence in the second paragraph?
| A．Love is only for life. |
| B．Life is designed only for love. |
| C．Life is not separated from love. |
| D．When you have a good life, you can own a real love. |
Which of the following do you think is the most difficult?
| A．To fall in love with a person. |
| B．To find a real person loving you. |
| C．To make the flames of love burning forever. |
| D．To keep good relations with friends. |
If you want to keep the flames of love burning, you should .
| A．try to get rid of your bad manners as soon as possible. |
| B．make certain that the person you love is also sincere |
| C．try to find out whether the person you love really loves you |
| D．make sure that you treat the person sincerely |
According to the passage, the writer wants to tell us .
| A．to value everything one has |
| B．to be sincere with the people around |
| C．to live a life full of love all one’s life |
| D．to avoid being a selfish person |
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is launching a new campaign called Hay Fever, which aims to teach rabbit owners how to correctly feed their rabbits.
Many rabbit owners wrongly take Bugs Bunny’s advice and feed their rabbits an incorrect diet, according to the British animal charity. Rabbits do not naturally eat root vegetables, such as carrots, nor do they naturally eat lettuce(莴苣), the charity said.
The charity said that people were using these foodstuffs as major parts of a rabbit’s diet, when in fact they can cause health problems. Just 8% of owners knew what to correctly feed their rabbits, according to statistics.
This might explain why 11% of rabbits are suffering from tooth decay and a further 11% from digestive problems, according to research at the University of Bristol, commissioned by the RSPCA.
“We want all pet rabbits to be eating hay as their main food,” said Rachel Roxburgh, an animal scientist for the charity. “People also think their rabbits should eat carrots because that’s what Bugs Bunny does. But he’s a cartoon, real rabbits don’t talk, and they shouldn’t be eating carrots too often either.”
The RSPCA suggests giving rabbits daily handfuls of hay, around the same size as the rabbits themselves. They can also feed on grass, but not lawn clippings (剪下的草).
To vary their diet and give them a treat, dark green vegetables are advised, including broccoli, kale and cabbage on a daily basis, as well as regular parts of commercial nuggets(小块食物).
What do you feed your rabbits? Are you guilty of giving them one too many carrots?The purpose of the “Hay Fever” campaign is to .
| A．suggest new types of healthy food for pet rabbits |
| B．teach rabbit owners what to do when their pets get tooth decay |
| C．instruct rabbit owners to make proper diet choice for their pets |
| D．clear up people’s misunderstandings about rabbits. |
The writer shows the problem is quite serious among the rabbit owners by .
| A．quoting(引述) Rachel Roxburgh | B．giving examples |
| C．making a comparison | D．using numbers |
Which of the following are healthy foods for pet rabbits on a daily basis?
| A．carrots and grass | B．hay and cabbage |
| C．lettuce and kale | D．broccoli and nuggets |
What is Rachel Roxburgh’s attitude toward rabbit owners?
| A．Understanding. | B．Disapproving. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
Worried about how many calories(卡(热)) you are going to get in that piece of pizza, chocolate cake or bag of chips? A new iPhone application that takes a picture of the meal with the phone and gives a calorie read-out almost at once, may help. The MealSnap was developed by DailyBurn, a fitness social network that has created several other fitness and diet-related iPhone applications.
Within minutes of taking a picture of a meal and matching it to the given information of some 500, 000 kinds of food, the application sends users a warning with a range of calories for the meal that was photographed.
To start with, we sent it something simple--a Braeburn apple. A couple of minutes later the application replied that it was between 64 and 96 calories.
Andy Smith, chief director at DailyBurn, said: “The database(数据库) can also quickly help recognize the food, how many calories there are, proteins, fat, carbs, vitamins, whatever you may want to know.”
Mr Smith added that it will take some time to complete calorie counting but the application makes it easier to record the calories in food. That is why it is so popular among those who are trying hard to lose weight.
“The pure act of recording something can cause a psychological(心理的) change that can help people on their health and fitness plan. Just the simple fact of recording it makes me more understand what I’m eating,” he said.
In addition, MealSnap can serve as a food diary, allowing users to keep a readable record of the meals they have eaten. Mr Smith said:“It’s like a food journal, but easier. All you do is take the picture.” MealSnap is available on the iTunes store for ￡1.79, or $2,99 in the US.Why did DailyBurn invent the MealSnap according to the passage?
| A．To help those who are not good at math to keep healthy. |
| B．To call on people to buy food with fewer calories. |
| C．To help people keep fit by giving scientific directions in eating. |
| D．To help people realize the importance of choosing food. |
Which of the following statements about MealSnap is TRUE?
| A．People have to link iPhone with the Internet to use it. |
| B．It has been put into the market. |
| C．People will have a physical change by using it. |
| D．It’s popular because it was developed by DailyBurn. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．iPhones Win Against Apples in Market |
| B．MealSnap iPhones Work as a Health Signal |
| C．MealSnap, a New iPhone Application |
| D．MealSnap Offers You Health Database |
Whether you’re up for a Crocodile Dundee adventure or you’d just like a taste of the Australian sun, the beaches in and around Sydney can offer you all that and more.
Sydney Beach
Sydney Beach is located at Sydney’s northernmost tip on an extension（延伸） of land ending at Palm Beach. Before checking out the golden sand, take a quick tour of the houses of millionaires from the art and film industries.
Palm Beach
Only about an hour from downtown Sydney, Palm Beach offers a long stretch(地段) of clean sand and water. With parking near the center of the beach, that leaves the rest of it as a sparse population and peaceful location from which you can surf or body board—but take care; without the huge crowds of other Sydney beaches, Palm Beach doesn’t afford quite the safety level to be found elsewhere; volunteer lifesavers are on duty only on weekends and holidays.
Bondi Beach
For the big name beach, Bondi Beach has to be your choice. Parking is difficult to find even on slow days, so consider taking public transport to this world-known beach in the eastern Sydney suburbs. Easily reachable by taxi, bus, and rail, Bondi Beach offers sun bathing, swimming, snorkeling, and all sorts of water sports fun. If you’re in the mood for a bit of exercise, two scenic coastal walks will afford you great views and sights along the shore. Take in views from Mackenzie’s Point. It starts at Bondi and heads south to Bronte Beach. But don’t try to swim in Mackenzie’s Bay—it holds dangers such as hidden rocks.
Bronte Beach
Your second choice for a scenic coastal walk covers a little under two miles and takes you from Bronte Beach to Waverly Cemetery, where many famous Australians are buried, including poets Henry Kendall, Doreothea Mackellar, and Henry Lawson.Which of the following shows the right order of the beaches listed from the south to the north?
| A．Palm Beach---Sydney Beach—Bronte Beach—Bondi Beach |
| B．Bronte Beach—Bondi Beach—Palm Beach---Sydney Beach |
| C．Sydney Beach—Palm Beach—Bondi Beach---Bronte Beach |
| D．Bondi Beach—Bronte Beach—Palm Beach---Sydney Beach |
The underlined word “sparse” probably means .
| A．large | B．thick | C．thin | D．crowded |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．If you want to enjoy a walk, you can choose Bondi Beach or Bronte Beach. |
| B．If you want to swim in Palm Beach, the safer time is on weekdays and holidays. |
| C．If you want to visit the famous people’s tombs, you can choose Sydney Beach. |
| D．If you want to visit Palm Beach, the airplane is your best choice. |
The author intends to in and around Sydney.
| A．show the scenery of the beaches |
| B．introduce the culture and customs |
| C．show the activities on the beaches |
| D．attract the visitors to the beaches |