Life for Cathy Taylor’s three children is very busy. Their school days are busy enough. After school, though, Cathy takes the two boys from football to basketball. Then she has to take her daughter to piano lessons. The tired children don’t get home until 7 pm. They have a quick supper, and it’s time for homework.
The Taylors are like many American and British parents. They take their children from activity to activity, and try to fit as much as possible into their kids’ lives. Doctors say many children are under too much pressure. Teachers complain(抱怨) about teaching tired kids in the classroom.
Most children take part in after-school clubs. Activities include sports, language learning, music and math classes. Pushy parents are nothing new, but now parents seem to push their children a lot more. Parents see other children doing a lot of things, and they feel their own children should do the same.
Linda Miller, a mother of three in London, knows all about such pressure. “In some families, competition starts from a very young age,” she says. “Mothers send their kids to all kinds of classes when they are very young. And they are always comparing them with other children. It’s crazy. People shouldn’t push their kids so hard.
Dr Alice Green agrees. She also says that these children may find it hard to think for themselves when they are older. “Parents are trying to plan their kids’ lives for them. When these kids are adults, they might find it difficult to plan things for themselves.” Parents should learn to give their kids a bit more time to themselves. On one hand, children need organized activities. On the other hand, they also need time and freedom to relax, and they need time to do things by themselves.
(   ) 8. Cathy Taylor sends her daughter to       .
A. math classes      B. language school B. sport club       D. piano lessons
(   ) 9. Why do teachers complain about teaching those children in the classroom?
A. Because they are very tired.     B. Because they know a lot of things.
C. Because they are under too much pressure. D. Because they can’t plan things for themselves.
(   ) 10. From the passage, we know children take part in after-school activities because       .
A. they have interest in them            B. their teachers tell them to do so
C. their parents push them to do so          D. they see other children doing these things
(  ) 11. The writer probably thinks that parents should       .
A. compare their children with others    B. plan their children’s lives for them
C. take their children to different classes  
D. give children time and let them do things by themselves

Life for Cathy Taylor’s three children is very busy. Their school days are busy enough. After school, though, Cathy takes the two boys from football to basketball. Then she has to take her daughter to piano lessons. The tired children don’t get home until 7 pm. They have a quick supper, and it’s time for homework.

The Taylors are like many American and British parents. They take their children from activity to activity, and try to fit as much as possible into their kids’ lives. Doctors say many children are under too much pressure. Teachers complain(抱怨) about teaching tired kids in the classroom.

Most children take part in after-school clubs. Activities include sports, language learning, music and math classes. Pushy parents are nothing new, but now parents seem to push their children a lot more. Parents see other children doing a lot of things, and they feel their own children should do the same.

Linda Miller, a mother of three in London, knows all about such pressure. “In some families, competition starts from a very young age,” she says. “Mothers send their kids to all kinds of classes when they are very young. And they are always comparing them with other children. It’s crazy. People shouldn’t push their kids so hard.

Dr Alice Green agrees. She also says that these children may find it hard to think for themselves when they are older. “Parents are trying to plan their kids’ lives for them. When these kids are adults, they might find it difficult to plan things for themselves.” Parents should learn to give their kids a bit more time to themselves. On one hand, children need organized activities. On the other hand, they also need time and freedom to relax, and they need time to do things by themselves.

(   ) 8. Cathy Taylor sends her daughter to       .

A. math classes     B. language school B. sport club      D. piano lessons

(   ) 9. Why do teachers complain about teaching those children in the classroom?

A. Because they are very tired.     B. Because they know a lot of things.

C. Because they are under too much pressure. D. Because they can’t plan things for themselves.

(   ) 10. From the passage, we know children take part in after-school activities because       .

A. they have interest in them           B. their teachers tell them to do so

C. their parents push them to do so         D. they see other children doing these things

(  ) 11. The writer probably thinks that parents should       .

A. compare their children with others    B. plan their children’s lives for them

C. take their children to different classes  

D. give children time and let them do things by themselves

Think of life as a game in which you are playing with five balls in the air. You name them work, family, health, friends and spirit (精神) and you keep all of them in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce (弹跳) back.

But the other four balls, family, health, friends and spirit, are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be broken. They will never be the same. You must understand that and try to have balance in your life. How?

Don’t look down on your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different and each of us is special.

Don’t let other people set goals for you. Only you know what is best for yourself.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don’t be afraid of difficulties. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible. The quickest way to receive love is to give it; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly (紧紧地); the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going.

Don’t be afraid to learn. Knowledge is a treasure (珍宝) you can always carry easily.

Don’t use time or words carelessly. You can’t get them back. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery (秘密), and today is a gift; that’s why we call it “the present”. Life is not a competition, but a trip, step by step.

(　 )61. The passage tells us not to _________ because everyone is special.

A. be afraid of difficulties　　　 B. be afraid to learn

C. run through life so fast　　　 D. compare yourself with others to look down on your worth

(　 )62. The sentence “Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.” means that _______.

A. Nothing is possible　　　　　 B. If we don’t give up, there is always hope

C. You should learn to give up　 D. Although you try, nothing will change.

(　 )63.Why can’t we use time carelessly? ___________

A. Because time is too expensive.　　　　　　　　 B. Because time never returns.

C. Because we are too poor.　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Because times will get back.

(　 )64. If you run through life so fast, you will ____________.

A. lose your own treasure that you can always carry easily

B. lose love by holding it too tightly

C. forget not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going.

D. not afraid of the difficulties

(　 )65.According to the passage, which is the best title? ___________

A. Nothing is impossible.　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Glass balls are easy to be broken.

C. Things you can’t do.　 　　　　　 D. Treat your life in a right way.

A father was sitting at his desk and looking at his bills when his young son rushed in and said, “Dad, because today is your birthday and you’re 40 years old, I’m going to give you 40 kisses, one for each year!” When the boy started kissing, the father shouted, “Oh, Andrew, don’t do it now. I’m too busy!”

The boy soon became silent as tears fell down from his big blue eyes. Feeling sorry, the father said, “You can finish the kisses later .”

The boy said nothing but quietly walked away. That evening the father said, “Come and finish the kisses now, Andrew!” But the boy didn’t.

Unfortunately, a few days later, the boy had an accident and died. His sad father wrote,“If only I could tell him how sorry I am for my thoughtless words, and how much my heart is hurting.”

Love is a two-way street. We must warmly accept any loving act, or others will take it as a “No” and it may leave a scar(伤痕). If we don’t receive love, our life will lose its true meaning.

Any loving act must be warmly accepted, or it will be taken as rejection and can leave a scar. If we are too busy to give and receive love, we are too silly! Nothing is more important than accepting love from those who are and dear to us.

根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。（共5小题，每小题2分，满分10分）

1.On his father’s birthday, the boy wanted to      .

A. help his father write the bills.

B. give kisses to his father.

C. buy a gift for his father.

D. talk with his father.

2.The boy felt      when his father refused him.

A. sad                B. puzzled                   C. excited                    D. happy

3.A few days later, the boy      .

A. went back to school.

B. was hurt in an accident

C. was killed in an accident

D. was angry with his father

4.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Andrew’s father was busy looking at his bills on his birthday.

B. Andrew was killed in an accident on his father’s birthday.

C. Andrew’s father asked him to give him the kisses later.

D. Andrew’s father felt sorry after the accident happened.

5.We can know from the passage that       .

A. love keeps one busy all the time.

B. love can make people happy and unhappy.

C. it is important to love people around us

D. we should learn to give and receive love