Life can ________ be difficult for teenagers.

Life is not easy, so I’d like to say “When anything happens, believe in yourself”
When I was a young boy, I was 36 shy to like talking to anyone. My classmates often  37 me. I was sad but could do nothing. Later, 38 happened, and it changed my life. It was an English contest. My mother encouraged me to 39 it.. What a terrible idea I thought! It meant I had to speak  40  all the teachers and students of my school!
“Come on, boy. Believe in yourself. You are sure to 41  ”Then mother and I talked  about many different topics. At last I 42  the topic “Believe in yourself”. I did the best to remember the whole speech and practiced it over 100 43  .With my mother ’s love, I did 44  in the contest. I could hardly believe my  45 when the news came that I had won the first place. I heard the cheers(赞美) 46 the teachers and students. Those classmates  47 once looked down on (瞧不起) me, now all said “Congratulations”  48  me. My mother hugged me tightly for a while and gave me a kiss on my forehead.
 49  then, everything has changed for me. When I do anything, I try to tell  50  to be confident and I will find myself. This is true not only for a person but also for a country.

【小题1】

A．too B．so C．quite D．very

【小题2】

A．made faces at B．smiled at C．caught up with D．laughed at

【小题3】

A．nothing B．something C．everything D．anything

【小题4】

A．took part in B．join C．get D．enter

【小题5】

A．with B．to C．among D．before

【小题6】

A．lose B．win C．pass D．beat

【小题7】

A．brought B．reached C．thought D．chose

【小题8】

A．words B．times C．topics D．sentences

【小题9】

A．well B．good C．bad D．interested

【小题10】

A．result B．speech C．eyes D．ears

【小题11】

A．from B．of C．for D．to

【小题12】

A．when B．what C．which D．who

【小题13】

A．to B．on C．in D．at

【小题14】

A．Except B．Since C．Before D．From

【小题15】

A．someone B．me C．everyone D．myself

  Life today has brought about new problem. One of the biggest problems of every nation is pollution. In America, there are laws ___66_____the air and water clean. These are new laws and it has taken much time __67____ a polluted river or lake. Now the fish are healthy again and people can enjoy __68_____in the clean water. 
When food is brought from the store to the home, it is packed in paper, glass, or plastic. Every day a newspaper comes to the home. Americans use __69_____all these materials in the garbage which was picked up by a large truck. The truck these materials to a garbage dump or a land-fill. The truck dumped the garbage into a large hole and then earth was pushed over the garbage until the hole was filled. Then, a new hole must be found.
As the years went by, the garbage increased as the population __70_______. Scientists suggested using some garbage again. They advised businessmen _____71____money by recycling or using paper, glass, and plastic again.
Now, a recycling truck comes to each home once a week __72_______ up materials. American families are told _____73_____their newspaper in boxes and clean all glass, and plastic. The truck takes them to factories for recycling.
Recycling is a way _____74_____the environment from pollution by __75_____ many materials again.

Life will be better _____ the 21^st century.

A．at

B．on

C．for

D．in

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