填空题

　　Music is not air or water. But for many Senior High students, music is an important and enjoyable part of life. This conclusion can be made following 21st Century Teens' summer survey on readers' attitudes to music.

　　Nearly 10,000 readers responded(回答) to the survey in our summer special issue.

　　Over half, 52 percent, said that they listen to music whenever they are free. Just 0.5 percent of students said they never listen to music. Most listen to both English and Chinese songs in equal amounts.

　　But, the survey showed that students have very different tastes and enjoy a wide variety of styles. “Our generation is diverse(多样化), and that's reflected in our tastes,” said Liu Yujia, a Senior 3 from High School attached to Xi'an Jiaotong University. Liu is a pop fan but also likes the R&B of Jay Chow(周杰伦), a big favourite among students in the survey.

　　About 32 percent of students listen to pop music. Behind pop came R&B(28 percent), Country(14 percent), Rock(9 percent)and others.

　　Only about 10 percent are diehard rock ‘n’ roll fans. An Qi, from Rizhao No. 1 High School, Shandong Province is one. A．Senior 1 girl said that the exciting rhythm has the power that takes her mind off school work and exams.

　　It is the melody(旋律) rather than the words or fame of singers that students like. Over 60 percent said they choose a song mainly because they like the music.

　　“Good music makes me believe that it was written just for me－even if it is the first time I listen to it. I think that is why music is so important to young people－more than movies, more than TV,” An Qi said.

　　TV and movies are the main ways that students hear new songs or music. Forty－six percent of students said they are affected by music played on TV or in films. Friends (21 percent) and radio(19 percent) also play an important role in introducing music to teenagers.

　　Parents have the least effect on students' taste and do not enjoy the same music. Just 3 percent listen to music that their parents introduce them to. More than half the teens surveyed, 54 percent, see nothing wrong with downloading music from the Internet.

As I was leaving to meet Lynne，my roommate told me that I’d better take some money，but I didn’t listen to him. I thought that Lynne would pay because she had invited me.
I arrived at the restaurant exactly on time. I’d been told that Americans expect you to be on time. Lynne and I sat at a table in the corner of the restaurant and a waitress came and took our order. The dinner was a great success. I talked a lot about Saudi Arabia and Lynne told me all about herself. After two hours the waitress finally came and asked if we wanted one check or two. Lynne said two. We went to the cashier and Lynne paid her check. I was embarrassed (尴尬) when the cashier gave me my bill. I had no money to pay for my meal. Then I had an idea. I pretended to look for something in my pockets and said，“Oh！I forgot my money! Can I call my roommate，please？” The cashier showed me where the phone was and I quickly called my roommate.
In a few minutes he arrived with some money，but he couldn’t hide how he felt. He laughed all the way home.
Now，I think it’s funny too. But at the time I was terribly embarrassed. I thought that an invitation to have dinner meant the same thing in the United States as in my country. I guess you have to understand that your customs（习俗） are only your customs. When you visit a foreign country，you have to learn about their customs，too.
【小题1】Customs can be ________in different countries according to this passage.

School was over and I was both mentally and physically tired, I sat at the very front of the bus because of   1  to get home．Sitting at the front makes you   2  out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies． Janie, the driver, tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of   3 ．
I try to mind my manners and  4  listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day．On this day, however, her conversation was worth listening to．
"My father’s sick," she said to no one in  5 ．I could see the anxiety and fear in her eyes．With a sudden change of attitude and interest, I asked, "What’s wrong with him?"
With her eyes wet and her voice tight from   6  the tears, she responded, "Heart trouble．" Her eyes   7 as she continued．"I’ve already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can   8 losing him．”
I couldn’t respond．I was  9  ．My heart ached for her．I sat on the old, smelly seat thinking of the great   10 my own mother was thrown into when my father died．
I saw how hard it was, and still is, for her．I wouldn’t like anyone to go through that．Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver．That was just her job．She had a whole world of family and concerns too．I had never thought of her as anything but a  11  ．I suddenly felt very   12  ．I realized I had only thought of people as   13  as what their purposes were in my life．I paid no attention to Janie because she was a bus driver．1 had judged her by her job and regarded her as unimportant．
For all I know, I’m just another person in someone else’s world, and may not even be important．I should not have been so selfish and self-centered．Everyone   14 a place to go to, people to see and appointments to   15 ．Understanding people is an art．

My grandson, Daniel, and I have always been very close. When Daniel’s father remarried after a divorce, Daniel, who was eleven, and his little sister, Kristie, came to live with us. My husband and I were more than happy to have kids in the house again.

    Things were going along just fine until the diabetes (糖尿病) I’ve lived with most of my adult life started affecting my eyes, and then more seriously, my kidneys (肾). Then everything seemed to fall apart.

    Three times a week, I had to go to the hospital to be hooked up to a dialysis machine (透析机). I was living, but I couldn’t really call it a life — it was an existence. I had no energy. I dragged myself through daily chores and slept as much as I could. My sense of humor seemed to disappear.

    Daniel, seventeen by then, was really affected by the change in me. He tried as hard as he could to make me laugh, to bring back the grandma who loved to clown around (开玩笑) with him. Even in my sorry state, Daniel could still bring a smile to my face.

    But things were not improving. After a year on dialysis, my condition was deteriorating (恶化) and the doctors felt that if I didn’t receive a kidney transplant within six months, I would surely die. No one told Daniel this, but he knew — he said all he had to do was look after me. To top it off, as my condition worsened, there was a chance that I would become too weak to have the transplant surgery at all, and then there would be nothing they could do for me. So we started the tense and desperate wait for a kidney.

    I was adamant (坚决的) that I didn’t want a kidney from anyone I knew. I would wait until an appropriate kidney became available, or I would literally die waiting. But Daniel had other plans. The time that he took me to my dialysis appointments, he did a little secret research on his own. Then he announced his intention to me.

    “Grandma, I’m giving you one of my kidneys. I’m young and I’m healthy …” He paused. He could see I wasn’t at all happy with his offer. He continued, almost in whisper, “And most of all, I couldn’t stand it if you weren’t around.” His face wore an expression of appeal mixed with determination. He can be as stubborn as a mule (驴) once he decides on something — but I’ve been told many times that I can out-stubborn any mule!

    We argued. I couldn’t let him do it. We both knew that if he gave up his kidney, he would also give up his life’s dream; to play football. It was all he ever talked about. And he was good, too. Daniel was co-captain and star defensive tackle (防守阻截队员) of his high school team; he expected to apply for a football scholarship and was looking forward to playing college football. He just loved the sport.

    “How can I let you throw away the thing that means the most to you?” I pleaded with him.

    “Grandma,” he said softly, “compared to your life, football means nothing to me.”

    After that, I couldn’t argue anymore. So we agreed to see if he was a good donor (捐赠者) match, and then we’d discuss it further. When the tests came back, they showed Daniel was a perfect match. That was it. I knew I wasn’t going to win that argument, so we scheduled the transplant.

    Both surgeries went smoothly. As soon as I came out of the anesthesia (麻醉) , I could tell things were different. I felt great! The nurses in the intensive care unit had to keep telling me to lie back and be quiet — I wasn’t supposed to be that lively! I was afraid to go to sleep, for fear I would break the spell (魔法) and wake up the way I had been before. But the good feeling didn’t go away, and I spent the evening joking and laughing with anyone who would listen. It was so wonderful to feel alive again.

    The next day they moved me out of ICU and onto the floor where Daniel was recuperating (复原) three doors away. His grandfather helped him walk down to see me as soon as I was moved into my room. When we saw each other, we did not know what to say. Holding hands, we just sat there and looked at each other for a long time, overwhelmed by the deep feeling of love that connected us.

    Finally, he spoke, “Was it worthwhile, grandma?”

    I laughed a little ruefully (懊悔). “It was for me! But was it for you?” I asked him.

    He nodded and smiled at me. “I’ve got my grandma back.”

    And I have my life back. It still amazes me. Every morning, when I wake up, I thank God —and Daniel — for this miracle. A miracle born of the purest love.

1.Grandma’s diabetes brought about all the following EXCEPT that _______.

A. her eyes and her kidneys were affected

B. grandma became quite a different person

C. Daniel had to be sent back to his father

D. everything was thrown into confusion

2.When grandma was at her lowest, what did Daniel do to bring her back to her usual life?

A. He tried his best to make her laugh.     

B. He helped her with the daily chores.

C. He gave up his dream of going to college.     

D. He searched desperately for a good donor match.

3.How did grandma feel when Daniel announced his intention to give her one of his kidneys?

A. She was moved by his selfless decision.

B. She wasn’t at all happy with his offer.

C. She felt relieved that an appropriate kidney was available.

D. She was enthusiastic about having a kidney of someone she loved.

4.What would giving up a kidney mean to Daniel, according to the passage?

A. He wouldn’t be young and healthy thereafter.

B. He didn’t have to search for a good match any more.

C. He could apply for a full scholarship to a college he desired.

D. He would also give up his life’s dream: to play football.

5.How was grandma when she came out of the anesthesia after the surgery?

A. She was feeling low.                B. She was full of life.

C. She was exhausted.                D. She was the way she had been before.

6.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Grandma got her life back thanks to Daniel’s selfless donation.

B. Grandma thought her returning to life was a miracle of pure love.

C. Daniel agreed with grandma that the transplant was worthwhile for her, not for him.

D. Much as he loved football, grandma’s life meant the most to Daniel.

Dear Aunty,
I work at a supermarket, and another girl and I share tasks we must finish before leaving. But she takes half an hour to do something I can do in ten minutes. She always has a story to tell me and stops working when she does. My boss is angry at both of us, but It’s not my fault. I don’t want to rat on her, but what else can I do?
Flustered
Dear Flustered,
Let me propose a better way. Make a log of all the tasks you share, then suggest to your boss that for efficiency your duties could be divided into two separate checklists. If he’s reluctant, go to plan B: the next time this girl starts telling you a story, stop working to listen and call your boss over to hear what a great storyteller she is. I’m sure he’ll take it from here.
Aunty
Dear Aunty,
I’m a college student in the Philippines who wants to be wise with money. I’m not an economics or business major student and I don’t know anything about stocks. But I really want to buy assets and invest. I receive about 15,000 pesos（比索）every school term from my education plan. I don’t have any idea how I should spend it. I don’t want to just buy new clothes, or hang out with my friends because it would not be wise. I want my money to grow. Please enlighten me.
Fastbreakplay
Dear Fastbreakplay,
Being wise with money is the No. 1 thing to learn. Start with a disciplined and systematic savings plan. When your savings reach a sizeable amount, then you may start investing. In the meantime, invest in yourself by reading up on stock markets and capital markets. Follow the news. Before I started investing during my senior high school years, I had already studied stock market data of the past century as I believe markets tend to repeat themselves. If you master this skill, you will master your reading of the markets.
Aunty
【小题1】When Flustered’s boss isn’t willing to separate their work, Flustered can _____.