D

At the railway stations all across Britain next week, groups of students will gather with their backpacks to wait for the trains that will carry them home for Christmas. This is a large movement of human beings as before, but with more contradictory traffic flows, so that trains filled with the young pass each other travelling in every direction.

At first, I went home every weekend with my washing, but then those visits became less regular. How did I let my parents know I was coming? They had no phone. Perhaps I wrote to them (“Expect me with dirty shirts this Friday afternoon”), but more likely I didn’t let them know, and just turned up or didn’t turn up, not understanding that my parents’ hopes of seeing me were a greater disappointment of my carelessness than a spoiled tea.

And in all this I suspect I was typical (有代表性的), at least of young men. As for our fathers and mothers, none of them talked of “empty-nest syndrome (综合症)”, even though its possible effect that the main human duty is to protect and feed the young would have suited their generation better than ours. Then, the feeling of loss went without a name. Today, it’s a condition with remedies, which will make parents feel more enjoyable in their life, The Mayo Clinic, for example, suggests you try to maintain regular contact with your children through “visits, phone calls, emails, texts or video chats”. If you feel unhappy, lean on (depend on … for support) loved ones or your mental health providers. Above all, stay positive: “Thinking about the extra time and energy that you might have to devote to your marriage or personal interests after your last child leaves home, it might help you adapt to this major life change.”

What can’t be denied, however, is that children often leave home. In modern societies, this is what they do. Christmas is the very time they can be depended on to return. For the non-religious, that may be this season’s true comfort and significance.

1.The main reason for the busy traffic across Britain next week is that _______.

A．young students will travel home for Christmas.

B．young people will travel in every direction.

C．it is a large movement of human beings

D．the traffic flows will be more contradictory

2.From the second paragraph we can learn that the writer _______.

A．went home every week to wash dirty clothes

B．understood his parents’ desire of seeing him

C．didn’t understand his parents’ feelings

D．went home to see his parents regularly

3.The underlined word “remedies” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _______.

A．reasons           B．excuses           C．habits            D．solutions

4.From the last paragraph we know that _______.

A．in modern society, children should leave home

B．Christmas is likely a time for family reunion

C．the significance of Christmas is celebration

D．Christmas is not a comfort for the non-religious

5.From the passage we can infer that by writing the article the writer is to _______.

A．persuade the young to show concern for their parents

B．ask the young to go home regularly

C．make the young understand their parents’ interest

D．enable the young to be more independent

 

阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

 

When I smoked with my family, I would feel so   16   and good that nothing else in the world seemed so   17  . I thought that smoking weed (烟草) was okay since many of my family members and people at my school smoked.  18   ever happened to them.   19   I started smoking weed a lot more during lunch and after school. I never thought   20   of it. At that time I just wanted to smoke. Then I began to   21  in school. I would   22   classes, come home late and spend all my money. I would spend   23   8 to 18 dollars a day. I never thought   24   that marijuana (大麻) had a bad effect on those things. Maybe my coming to class high (神智恍惚) was the reason why I was failing or coming home late. As I continued to smoke marijuana, I began to notice that I would always have the strong desire to smoke and that I would get   25   cigarettes if I smoked those, but I don’t.   26   I have learned more about marijuana, I have   27   the amount of marijuana that I use. I don’t want marijuana to be the most important in my life. I’m not smoking every day, and not spending as much money. Since I have   28   on my habit, I am   29   more money. I’m ready to go back to school and do good, so that I can make myself  50  . Everyone is always saying how weed   31   your mind and how it solves problems. I think it only brings more   32  . Marijuana is not good for your body or your brain. I’m not trying to tell you not to smoke, I’m just letting you know that marijuana can be   33   to your health, and   34   it may cause some long term negative (负面的) effects. Help yourself now, before it is too late. I don’t want to lecture anyone, just   35   my experience with you.

 

1.

 A. worried         B. relaxed          C. disappointed         D. moved

2.

A. important    B. common           C. interesting          D. funny

3.

A. something    B. Everything       C. Nothing              D. Anything

4.

A. By the way   B. Now and then     C. In my opinion        D. For a time

5.

A. too much         B. a little         C. too often            D. any more

6.

A. get ahead    B. fall behind     C. come across         D. make up

7.

A. give             B. have                 C. attend           D. cut

8.

A. at least         B. at most          C. no more than         D. as little as

9.

A. once             B. twice            C. again                D. further

10.

A. used to      B. paid for             C. lost in          D. ready for

11.

 A. as if       B. Even if          C. Now that             D. As long as

12.

A. reduced      B. increased            C. bought           D. continued

13.

 A. broken down     B. cut down             C. turned off       D. cut off

14.

A. wasting      B. spending             C. making           D. saving

15.

A. less             B. more                 C. better           D. worse

16.

A. excites      B. fills                C. repairs          D. destroys

17.

A. problems         B. pleasure             C. convenience      D. excitements

18.

A. helpful      B. useful           C. dangerous            D. strange

19.

A. in the beginning     B. in the distance C. in the long run      D. in the past

20.

A. tell             B. explain          C. regret               D. share

 

 

Take Actions for a Better World: Volunteers Needed

Six months’ preparation in Denmark: Africa studies, team work combined with social work with risk group teenagers.

Six months’ community work in Malawi in People to People Projects: Child Aid, HIV/AIDS. Fights and Teacher Training.

Qualification(条件):18 years, hard working and social engagement.

Please contact us by e-mail: takeaction@betterworld.com

International Summer Job

Hi, I’m ESL student in China. I’m 20, quiet and polite, and I speak reasonable English. I’m looking for a summer job in an English-speaking country. I can teach Chinese or do house and garden work and cook Chinese dishes. Can anybody offer me a job? I don't need to earn much, just enough in 2 months (July-August) to pay my return ticket to China. My goal is to improve my English and see a bit more of the world.

My email is: ram3462@hotmail.com

Part-time Work with Exchange Students

YOUTH International is a non-profit high school foreign exchange students organization. We welcome teenagers from over 80 countries worldwide and provide host families. The Community Representative is a part-time position designed for people with a strong desire to do something rewarding (回报) in the community and earn some extra money.

Applicants(申请人) best suited for this work should enjoy teenagers, have a strong interest in cross-culture communication, and feel comfortable networking. Full training and support will be provided through branch offices throughout the U.S. Positions available in most states.

If interested, please email staff@youth.org or call 888-123-9872.

Call for Native Speaker of English

I am looking for native speakers of English to join in an experiment. This experiment is carried out over the Internet. You don't need any specific knowledge other than understanding and speaking English at a native level. The first task will take you around 15 minutes. After this task, you can decide whether you want to continue the experiment. The task involves reading texts and designing questions and answers.

If you are willing to help me, then please email me: club3564@hotmail.com

1.Who is suitable to work as a Community Representative in YOUTH International?

A. One who wants to earn some pocket money in the program.

B. One who hopes to take action in fighting against diseases.

C. One who has a strong desire to improve his or her English.

D. One who enjoys working with teenagers from different countries.

2.Where will Jack, a volunteer, receive the training before he is sent to work in Malawi?

A. In some local offices in the U.S.

B. In an ESL organization in China.

C. In a preparation program in Denmark.

D. In an exchange student center in Africa.

3.If Mrs. Black in the U.S. hopes to learn some Chinese at home, she may contact ___.

A. takeaction@betterworld.com              B. ram3462@hotmail.com

C. club3864@hotmail.com                     D. staff@youth.org

4.What are volunteers for an experiment over the Internet supposed to do?

A. To interview people online.                B. To do some housework.

C. To offer advice on Child Aid.               D. To provide language exercises.

 

E

When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom.  I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.

But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.

There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.

In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.

Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.

Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy no to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”

Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?

1.We can infer from the first paragraph that         .

A．Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was

B．getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens

C．16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license

D．teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes

2.What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens.

B．Getting a license costs much more than ever before.

C．Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens.

D．American teens are becoming more responsible than ever.

3.Michelle’s Wei’s example is used to explain ________.

A．why American teens are crazy about digital social life

B．what social networking websites are bringing to American teens

C．to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture

D．what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license

4.The last paragraph is reminding the readers that        .

A．the Internet h as a bad effect on the teen’s social life

B．teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle

C．actual contacts can be replaced by talking on line

D．face-to-face friendship is always the best choice

 

“I Went Skydiving at 84!”

As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2011,when my husband arranged for me me ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be very dull. Around that time ,I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement community（社区）announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream.

In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr. did it at age 80. Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just couldn’t believe it.

One june 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I headed up in the airplane. My instructor, Jay, guided me through the experience. The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn’t frightened—I was really just looking forward to the experience. When we reachen 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a second I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” But then everything got calmer. We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute（降落伞）, then we just floated downward fo zhout five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt—much better than the hot air ballon. I was just enjoying it.

Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don’t stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there’s something you want to experience, look into it. If it’s something that is possible, make it happen.

1.

What happened to the auther in 2001?

A. She flew an airplane

B. She entered a competition

C. She went on a hot air balloon ride

D. She moved into a retirement community

2.

 The author mentioned George Bush Sr. in her essay to       .

A. build up her own reputation

B. show her admiration for him

C. compare their health conditon

D. make her argument persuasive

3.

How did the authou feel immediately after she jumped out of the plane?

A. Excited    B. Scared    C. Nervous    D. Regretful

4.

 What did the author enjoy most when she was skydiving?

A.The beautiful clouds     B. The wonderful view

C. The company of Jay     D. The one-minute free fall