A few months ago as I wandered through my parents’ house, the same house I grew up in, I had a sudden, scary realization. When my parents bought the house, in 1982, they were only two years older than I am now. I tried to imagine myself in two years, ready to settle down and buy the house I’d still be living in almost 30 years later.
It seemed ridiculous. On a practical level, there’s no way I could afford to buy a house anytime soon. More importantly, I wouldn’t want to. I’m not sure where I’ll be living in two years, or what kind of job I’ll have. And I don’t think I’ll be ready to settle down and stay in one place.
So this is probably the generation gap that divides my friends and me from our parents. When our parents were our age, they’d gotten their education, chosen a career, and were starting to settle into responsible adult lives.
My friends and I – “Generation Y” – still aren’t sure what we want to do with our lives. Whatever we end up doing, we want to make sure we’re happy doing it. We’d rather take risks first, try out different jobs, and move from one city to another until we find our favorite place. We’d rather spend our money on travel than put it in a savings account.
This casual attitude toward responsibility has caused some critics to call my generation “arrogant”, “impatient”, and “overprotected”. Some of these complaints have a point. As children we were encouraged to succeed in school, but also to have fun. We grew up in a world full of technological innovation: cellphones, the Internet, instant messaging, and video games.
Our parents looked to rise vertically(垂直的)--starting at the bottom of the ladder and slowly making their way to the top, on the same track, often for the same company. That doesn’t apply to my generation.
Because of that, it may take us longer than our parents to arrive at responsible, stable adulthood. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In our desire to find satisfaction, we will work harder, strive for ways to keep life interesting, and gain a broader set of experiences and knowledge than our parents’ generation did.
【小题1】When the author walked through her parents’ house, she _______.

Dog walkers provide a 20 to 60-minute daily walk for a client’s（客户）dog, making sure the dog answers the call of nature and gets proper exercise. They often walk more than one dog at a time. Some walkers work for dog-walking services, especially when starting out. Others have their own businesses, and build by word of mouth and advertising. Dog walkers often work part-time, and some provide other services like pet sitting or transporting.
In N.Y.C., dog walkers usually earn about $25 an hour. If you work for a dog-walking business, you may earn less-if you are on your own dealing with several dogs at the same time, it may be more.
What do you have to do to be a dog walker?
First, have a real love of dogs, and have a good knowledge of how to get on with dogs. Try calling dog-walking services to find out about openings. If you’re on your own, you’ll need to network and market yourself. You might advertise your services in pet offices, grooming businesses, or neighborhood papers. You will need business cards and a mobile phone, and have good references and a clean background. You’ll also have to deal with taxes and insurance. You should be physically fit, friendly, neatly dressed and extremely dependable. Many dog walkers are bonded（被担保的）and insured, and this is a definite selling point to clients.
Of course, you will be cleaning up dog waste! You will also be outside in all kinds of weather. You may have to deal with dogs that don’t like each other ,and difficult owners. It’s also an up and down kind of business-clients can come and go.
For pet lovers, spending the workday with dogs instead of navigating office politics is its own reward! You are your own boss-you can dress casually, your doggy clients will love you unconditionally, and you’ll get some great exercise!
71. By writing the passage the writer tries to         .
A. introduce you to a job           B. enrich your knowledge about pets
C. advertise for a business         D. tell you more about life in New York
72. The passage offers no information about how to         as a dog walker.
A. find a client                    B. train a dog
C. get prepared                     D. make more money
73. One who wants to         may find the passage helpful.
A. take up a weekend job            B. keep a good pet dog
C. make money in his daily spare time  D. be a part-time office worker
74. The last paragraph but one (beginning with “Of course”) is meant to tell you         .
A. what dog-walking is like         B. why dog-walking is worth trying
C. the unknown part of dog-walking  D. the bad side of dog-walking
75. What does the underlined word casually in the last paragraph possibly mean?
A. as you like                      B. like a boss   
C. in a dog-friendly way            D. in nice clothes

My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word “shmily” in a surprise place for the other to find. They took turns leaving “shmily” around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more. They dragged “shmily” with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal. “Shmily” was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. There was no end to the places where “shmily” would pop up. Little notes with “shmily” were found on car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were put inside shoes and left under pillows. “Shmily” was written in the dust upon the mantel（壁炉架）and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents’ house as the furniture.

It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents’ game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love --- one that is pure and enduring (持久的). However, I never doubted my grandparents’ relationship. It was based on passionate（热情的）affection which not everyone is lucky enough to experience.

But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents’ life: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside. But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone.

“Shmily.” It was written in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother’s funeral bouquet (花束). As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother’s coffin and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came: S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You.

1.According to the passage, where may the word “shmily” be found?

a.in the flour containers

b.on the mirror

c.on the sheet of toilet paper

d.on pillows

e.on the furniture

A.a, b     B. b, c     C. a, d     D. b, e

2.The first paragraph is mainly about ________.

A.what the word “shmily” means

B.how the author’s grandparents played their special game

C.how the author appreciated her grandparents’ game

D.how the author’s grandparents cared for each other

3.The underlined phrase “pop up” in Paragraph 1 means ________.

A.appear    B. change    C. survive    D. work

4.According to the passage, the author _________.

A.thought the game was meaningless

B.believes everyone can experience true love

C.doubted the existence of true love at first

D.sometimes left “shmily” around the house

5.Grandpa tried to make Grandma comfortable by _______.

A.singing songs to her every day

B.painting the room yellow

C.encouraging her to go outside

D.helping her take a hot shower every day

TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010

Frequently Asked Questions

What is TEENSGIVING?

TEENSGIVING is an exciting event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service. This year, TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 participants will once again better New York City and impact thousands of lives!

When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010?

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010

Where is TEENSGIVING?

All over New York City. Everyone will meet at the 92nd Street Y (92nd and Lexington) at 9:00 AM for the event kick-off. Then, all TEENSGIVING volunteers will disperse across the city to work with our partnering agencies where they will make a HUGE difference (and have fun!).  

Who participates in TEENSGIVING?

Hundreds of teenagers from around the city. Teens come from the 92nd Street Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area. In addition, many adult volunteers (ages 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.

What projects do participants do at the agencies?

Sample projects include painting park benches, planting gardens, visiting and playing with underprivileged children, assembling craft kits for children in hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working at soup kitchens, delivering meals and celebrating with families at homeless shelters.

Do I get anything for participating in TEENSGIVING?

Yes! Everybody benefits! Teen volunteers will receive *6 hours* of community service credit, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements. Adult volunteers will be “thanked” with a light breakfast, a gift certificate for their troubles, and the satisfaction of helping our city’s youth contribute to their community. In addition, all teen and adult volunteers will receive a cool TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 T-shirt.

This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010?

Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org (subject: TEENSGIVING) to receive more information and to register for this fantastic event!   

**Teens can also contact their school’s Community Service Advisor

TEENSGIVING is sponsored by the 92nd Street Y.

TEENSGIVING is an event held ____________.

A. from time to time    B. every year   C. every two years  D. twice a year

Teenagers may do the following in the event EXCEPT ____________.

A. watering flowers   B. cooking        C. cleaning streets    D. taking care of animals

An adult volunteer may get ______ for his time devoted to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.

A. community service credit and a T-shirt

B. a high school certificate, a T-shirt and a light breakfast

C. a T-shirt, a light breakfast and a gift certificate

D. a gift certificate and community service credit

The writer’s purpose in writing the passage is to __________.

A. inform readers of some frequently asked questions

B. introduce TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 to readers

C. encourage readers to ask more questions about TEENSGIVING

D. call on readers to participate in TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010

The Adventure Guides Program

New Member Information for the Adventure Guides Program ( for children aged 4—12)

What Is the Adventure Guides Program All about?

The objectives of the program are:

● Fostering companionship and setting foundation for positive, lifelong relationships between parent and child

● Increased understanding of one another

● Expanded awareness of spirit, mind and body

● Great memories

● Fun!!!

Parent and Child Will Be Joining…

The nationwide affilicated(隶属的) program sponsored by local YMCA’s and part of the National Council of YMCA’s

A smaller group of families called a “circle”

What Is the Time Commitment?

● Program runs from October to May (ending with the Memorial Day Parade)

● One “circle” activity per month ( one circle decides on fees and dates)

Additional all participant activities (scheduled by Wilton Family Y) —additional fees and registration required.

Outing Dates: To Be Announced

What Do I Do Now?

● Registration is on-going. Registration forms are available online under “Registration”.

● You will be notified by the Wilton Family Y of which “circle” you and your child are in and who your “circle” leader is.

● You will be notified by your “circle” leader as to when your first parent/child “circle” meeting will take place.

Fees:

Participant: Full Child or Family member $110.00 / Program member $200.00

Sibling: Full child or Family member $75.00 / Program member $150.00

Adult: Family member FREE / Program member $125.00

Wilton Family Y Contact Information:

Geoff Malyszka Teen Director 762-8384 ext.224

E-mail: gmalyszka@wiltonymca. org

Kim Murphy Early Childhood Ed. Director762-8384 ext.214

E-mail: kmurphy@wiltonymca. org

1. Which of the following is true about “circle”?

2.What information can you get from the passage？

3.The passage is mainly written for _____.