My grandfather is eighty years old now. He always complains about how fast things have changed, and he often says that life used to be better.
Families aren’t families they used to be. A lot of families have broken up. If husband and wife have problems with their marriage, they no longer stay together. And mothers used to stay at home and take care of their children, but now not any more. Everyone is busy working. Mother used to spend all day cooking in the kitchen. But now the family don’t eat home-cooked food any more.
And the cars! No one walks any more. More and more people drive. Students used to walk 5 miles to school every day, even in winter. But nowadays students don’t. And in school, children don’t have to think any more.. In math class, for example, they used to add, subtract, multiply and divide(加减乘除)in their heads. Instead, they use calculators.
And people today have TV and computers, and they don’t talk to each other any more. They are too busy to talk, too busy to eat, too busy to think.
Life used to be simple, but it isn’t any more.
【小题1】What does my grandfather think of the life now?

A．He thinks the life now is very good.

B．He thinks the life now is worse than it used to be.

C．He thinks the life now is better than it used to be.

D．He thinks the life is the same as it used to be.

【小题2】What does the underlined word “marriage” mean in Chinese?

A．生活

B．工作

C．婚姻

D．家庭

【小题3】What has happened these years according to the passage?

A．Children don’t have to think any more in school.

B．Students use calculators in math class.

C．Some used to walk to school, but now they don’t.

D．All of above.

【小题4】What changes have happened to some families?
a. People have TV.  
b. People like to eat home-cooked food.
c. Lots of families have computers.
d. Lots of couples(夫妇)live apart because of unhappy problems.

A．a, b, d

B．b, c, d

C．a, b, c

D．a, c, d

【小题5】Which is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Life now is much simpler.

B．People have too much time to talk with each other now.

C．The writer’s grandfather only complains and pays no attention to better life now.

D．Lots of mothers stay at home and look after their children.

1 

One day, Jack’s parents told him that his grandpa would retire (退休) after working for forty years. Jack said in surprise, “I’m only seven, so it means Grandpa has been … err… A really long time!”

His parents said, “Yes. That’s why we are going to have a surprise party for him.”

Jack loved his Grandpa and wanted to do something special for him. He remembered the business card his grandpa had given him two years before. He knew that his grandpa would no longer have the position (职位) on that card, so he decided to build a new one for his grandpa.

When the big day came, Jack was ready. But he didn’t want to put his gift together with others’. He carried it around with him the whole evening.

When all the other people left, he took his grandpa’s hand and brought him over to a chair and gave him the gift.

His grandpa smiled, “Well, it must be a beautiful gift. May I open it now?” “Sure!” Jack said excitedly.

As Grandpa opened the gift, tears came into his eyes. Jack gave him the greatest gift he had ever got! They were business cards with his new position: FULL-TIME GRANDPA! Jack said, “Now your full-time job is my grandpa!”

“Well, how much do I get paid?” his grandpa asked, smiling. “As many hugs (拥抱) as you want!” With these words, Jack gave Grandpa a hug. “Well, I guess that means I’m the richest man in the world!” said Grandpa.

1.What did Jack decide to do for his grandpa?

A. To build a new position for him.          B. To hold his hands warmly.

C. To give him a new business job.               D. To give him a warm hug.

2.Which of the following is TRUE?

A. Grandpa would be forty-one years old next year.

B. Jack was the last one to give the gift to his grandpa.

C. Others didn’t want to put his gifts together with Jack’s.

D. Jack’s parents give Grandpa some money for his job.

3.Why were there tears in Grandpa’s eyes?

A. Because he would lose his position.

B. Because others didn’t like him at all.

C. Because he was moved by Jack’s gift.

D. Because Jack wasn’t with him that evening.

 

An old man was fishing on the bank of a river. A child came to see him fishing. The old man was really good at fishing and it didn't take long for him to catch a full basket of fish. The old man saw that the child was very cute, and he wanted to give her a whole basket of fish. But the child shook her head. The old man was surprised and asked, "Why don't you want the fish? '
The child replied," I want the fishing rod(竿)in your hands. "
The old man asked," Why do you want the rod?"
"It doesn't take long to eat all the fish in a basket. But if I have the fishing rod, I can go fishing by myself and I won't be afraid of not having any more fish to eat.
I think you will certainly say that the child is very smart. Wrong! If she doesn't know how to fish, she cannot have fish to eat, even though she has the fishing rod. It's useless to only have a fishing rod. Fishing skills are the most important, not the fishing rod.
Too many people think that if they have a "fishing rod" in their life, they will no longer fear the wind and rain. They are just like the child, who thought that if she had a fishing rod, she would have fish to eat.
【小题1】The old man was fishing on the bank of________.
A. a river    B. a lake     C. a pool
【小题2】 Why did the child refuse the fish the old man gave her?
A. Because she didn't like fish.
B. Because she wanted his fishing rod.
C. Because the old man had few fish.
【小题3】The writer thought the child was_____ after she explained why she didn't want the fish.
A. smart        B. hardworking        C. silly
【小题4】The article mainly tells us______.
A. if you have a "fishing rod" in your life, you won't be afraid of anything
B. if you have a fishing rod, you'll have a lot of fish to eat
C. "fishing skills" are more important than "the fishing rod" in life
【小题5】 What is the best tide(标题)for the article?
A. The Fishing Rod  B. The Fishing Man  C. The Fishing Girl

How often one hears children wishing they were grown-ups, and old people wishing they were young again. Each age has its pleasures and its pains(痛苦), and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting his time in useless regrets(后悔).
Childhood is a time when there are few responsibilities(责任) to make life difficult. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after and loved, whatever he may do. It is impossible that he will ever again in his life be given so much without having to do anything in return. What’s more, life is always giving new things to the child--- things that have lost their interest for older people because they are too well-known. But a child has his pains: he is not so free to do what he wishes to do; he is repeatedly being told not do something or being punished for what he has wrongly done.
When a young man starts to earn his own living, he can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes, and his room, but has to work if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way he used to as a child, he will go hungry. And if he breaks the laws of society(社会) as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison. If, however, he worked hard, keeps out of trouble and has good health, he can have the greatest happiness of building up for himself his own position(地位) in society.
【小题1】What is the happiest person according to the passage?

A．A child who can do whatever he likes.

B．An old person who lives in a comfortable life.

C．A grown-up who no longer expects other to pay for him.

D．A person who never wastes his time in his whole life.

【小题2】Which of the following is true, according to the second paragraph?

A．Life for a child is fairly easy.

B．A child is always loved whatever he does.

C．If much is given to a child, he must do something in return.

D．Only children are interested in life.

【小题3】 What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Life is not enjoyable since each age had some pains.

B．Young men can have the greatest happiness if they work hard.

C．Childhood is the most enjoyable time in one’s life.

D．One is the happiest if he can make good use of each age in his life.

【小题4】 What will the fourth paragraph most probably discuss following this passage?

A．Examples of successful young men.

B．How to build up one’s position in society.

C．Joys and pains of old people.

D．What to do when one has problems in life.

You are  _______ twenty—two . You should have more test .

A. not ---any longer            B. no longer

C. not---any more              D. no more