【推荐1】As I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart. We always had totally different opinions. He thought that college was a waste of time, but for me it was important to finish college. He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field, but I wanted a different life. There was a time when we did not talk with each other.
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health. When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado back to Tennessee to help him, I knew he was seriously ill. I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father’s requirement.
Two weeks after moving back, we bought a boat and started fishing again. Fishing was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed. It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before. Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart.
It is not important how many fish we catch. It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years. I’m 62 and he is 84. When we are on the lake fishing, it is like two kids enjoying life. It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind. I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years. Now my heart is filled with love. A smile always graces my lips.
1. The author and his father became further apart because       .

A．they lived very far from each other

B．they had different views on things

C．they only communicated by phone

D．they seldom went to see each other

2. Why did the author come back to Tennessee?

A．Because his father invited him to go fishing.

B．Because he decided to live in a different city.

C．Because his father is ill and needs caring.

D．Because he regretted being rude to his father.

3. For the author, fishing with his old father       .

A．helps cure his father’s disease

B．is a good way to get close to nature

C．makes him realize the importance of relaxation

D．provides a chance for them to communicate

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Fishing brings us together	B．Forgiving is difficult
C．Memories of old days	D．My beloved father

【推荐3】One school night this month I quietly approached Alexander, my 15-year-old son, and patted him on the cheek in a manner I hoped would seem casual. Alex knew better, sensing by my touch, which remained just a moment too long, that I was sneaking (偷偷地做) a touch of the beard that had begun to grow near his ears. Suddenly he went stormily to his computer screen. That, and an angry look of his eyes, told me more forcefully than words: Mom, you are seen through!

I realized I committed a silly behavior: not showing respect for my teenager’s personal space. “The average teenager has strong feelings about his privacy,” said two young women experts. Ms. Frankel and Ms. Fox, both 17, are the authors of Breaking the Code, a new book that seeks to bridge the generational divide between parents and adolescents. It is being promoted by its publisher as the first self-help guide by teenagers for their parents, a kind of Kids Are From Mars, Parents Are From Venus that explains the language and actions of teenagers.

Personally, I welcomed insights into teenagers from any qualified experts, and that included the authors. The most common missteps in interacting with teenagers, they instructed me, result from the conflict between parents maintaining their right to know what goes on under their roof and teenagers striving to guard their privacy. When a child is younger, they write, every decision centers around the parents. But now, as Ms. Fox told me, “often your teenager is in this circle that doesn’t include you.”

Ms. Fox and Ms. Frankel acknowledge that teenagers can be quick to interpret their parents’ remarks a s negative or authoritative and respond with aggressiveness that masks their defenselessness. “What we want above all is your approval,” they write. “Don’t forget, no matter how much we act as if we don’t care what you say, we believe the things you say about us.”

1. What does the underlined part “Kids Are From Mars, Parents Are From Venus” mean?

A．A book sharing the same theme with Breaking the Code

B．A book disapproving of opinions showed in Breaking the Code

C．A book employing the same language style as Breaking the Code

D．A book ranking right after Breaking the Code among self-help guides

2. With their book, Ms. Frankel and Ms. Fox ________.

A．declare teenagers’ rights	B．help parents know teenagers better
C．remind parents of teenagers’ missteps	D．arouse much disagreement from the public

3. What often leads to conflicts between parents and teenagers based on the passage?

A．Teenagers’ defense of their privacy.	B．Teenagers’ refusal to follow experts’ advice.
C．Parents’ striving to instruct teenagers.	D．Parents’ dislike in teenagers’ attitudes to life.

4. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Teenagers always rush to judgement on others.

B．Parents often seek to create an authoritative image.

C．Parents’ opinions about teenagers count a lot to them.

D．Teenagers have good comprehension and defenselessness.

【推荐1】Do you have a hobby? Something you look forward to spending your time with? Something you love to do?     1    Or making model airplanes. Or making useful things out of waste materials. It could be musical instrument that you love playing. Or singing and dancing.

There are many things that a hobby can give you, apart from an enjoyable time. Sashay was a shy boy but through his interest in model airplanes he learned the value of sticking to a task until it was finished.     2     His model airplane club brought him to get into touch with similar persons.

Having a hobby helps you relax and get away from the routines of school.     3     It gives you focus, self-dependence, confidence and builds your personality and this is an opportunity to lose yourself in an enjoyable activity, away from the pressure of school, so at the end of it, you feel relaxed and yet, mentally charged.

Your hobby defines (确定；解释) you.     4    And it also shows you what you are good at, and how far you can go, when you apply yourself.

    5    A hobby is: Happiness; something which you look forward to doing. Opportunity: to develop your special and unique skills and celebrate them. Belief in yourself: makes you understand your strong advantages and improves your confidence. Best in you: brings out your best-for in each one of us there is a best that is only ours. YOU! gives you a unique character, and makes you YOU!

A．So go ahead and develop a hobby.

B．It proves your ability.

C．It gives you a break.

D．It could be collecting something.

E．Hobbies show your character.

F．It shows your special skills.

G．He learned to make friends for the first time.

【推荐2】A hobby is a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one’s leisure (空闲) time. By continually taking part in a particular hobby, one can acquire practical skill and knowledge in that area. Is travel a good hobby? Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education and, in the elder, a part of experience. Some may think otherwise. To them, visiting churches, castles, libraries, etc. is an absolute waste of time. They may further say that one can read the account of these or see the films of the important places of the world. They forget that touch of actuality gives a different type of satisfaction.

Travelling may be an expensive hobby but it makes up for the financial loss. If a traveller has interest in life, one can find much to keep oneself absorbed and happy. A student of any stream can definitely find something of his own interest and studies. One can definitely find everything that satisfies his desire for knowledge and feelings.

As a hobby, travelling keeps us busy during leisure time; it is the best method to make use of time. Till a person breaks from dull routine, physically and mentally, one cannot find satisfaction. Travelling helps us to achieve this break. At a new place, one is curious to know and eager to gather all the unknown information about the place which he has neither read nor heard before and he gets thrills and surprises which keep the interest and enthusiasm alive and encourage us to keep our journey on.

While travelling, one comes across a number of people from varied backgrounds and places. By interacting with them, he also comes to know about their traditions. One increases one’s experience and power to understand others. Understanding human nature is, perhaps, the best part of education. Travelling satisfies all demands of a good hobby — it is absorbing education and fun to the mind, body and soul.

1. What is Paragraph 1 intended to do?

A．To introduce the topic of travel.

B．To encourage people to travel.

C．To compare a hobby with travelling.

D．To stress the importance of travelling.

2. What can be learnt from Paragraph 2?

A．Taking up a hobby is necessary.

B．Travelling costs too much money.

C．People can learn much by travelling.

D．Only travelling can make people happy.

3. What does the author think of travelling?

A．Interesting and cheap.

B．Beneficial but boring.

C．Interesting and educational.

D．Disappointing but encouraging.

4. How is the text developed?

A．By raising and answering questions.

B．By giving opinions and examples.

C．By sharing experiences and stories.

D．By making comparisons and definitions.

【推荐3】根据短文内容, 从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。有两项为多余选项。

In our work, hobbies are often considered to be a waste of time.    1    , consider these benefits. There are many cases where working on a hobby will help you improve your performance at your day job.

    2    . Fitting your hobby into your daily and weekly schedule is a challenge for many people. Making the most of limited time is a great skill to develop and it applies to the working world.

You will improve your mental health. How well you manage your mental health and stress levels has a major effect on your work performance. Fortunately, many hobbies offer health benefits to mind. Scientist Dr. Jeff Brown found that running improves your mental health—he shares his findings in the book, The Runner’s Brain.    3    , you will be able to solve more problems at work and get ahead.

You will have better physical health.    4    . Consider starting a hobby that will improve your health such as a sport or healthy cooking. As you improve your physical health, you will have more energy and that will help you at work.

You will be more creative. Developing creative ways to deal with problems at work is one of the best ways to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack.    5    . Creative hobbies such as photography and needlework improve performance at work. Simply occupying your mind with an activity beyond your regular work gives you a chance to ask new questions and new approaches to life.

A．You will manage your time better

B．You will understand what matters to you

C．When you have the ability to think clearly

D．As you experiment with different hobbies

E．If you struggle with the idea of putting time into a hobby

F．Actively forming a hobby is a great way to improve your creativity

G．Like it or not, your appearance and physical health directly improve your work results

【推荐2】As one comes to some crossroads, he or she sees a sign which says that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other crossroads, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road; and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they are themselves on the main road.
Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, was driving home from work one evening when he came to a crossroad. It had a “SLOW” sign. He slowed down when he came to the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming, and then drove across without stopping completely.
At once he heard a police whistle, so he pulled into the side of the road and stopped. A policeman walked over to him with a notebook and a pen in his hand and said, “You didn’t stop at that crossing.”
“But the sign there doesn't say ‘STOP’.” answered Mr. Williams, “It just says ‘SLOW’, and I did go slow.”
The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise came over his face. Then he put his notebook and pen away, scratch his head and said, “Well, I’m in the wrong street!”
1. When he was stopped by a policeman, he ____.

A．was driving at a high speed	B．was driving onto the main road
C．was going to stop his car	D．was pulled into the crossroad

2. Though slowly, Mr. Williams continued driving at the crossing because________ .

A．he saw a “STOP” sign in the opposite street

B．he paid no attention to the traffic rules

C．he didn't have to stop

D．he was eager to get home

3. Looking round Mr. Williams, the policeman was surprised because__________ .

A．he met a mad man

B．he realized that he himself was mistaken

C．Mr. Williams dared to speak to him like that

D．Mr. Williams would not apologize to him

4. What does “scratch” in the last paragraph mean?

A．to rub the skin of (the head) for uncertainty

B．to strike (the head ) for regret

C．to nodded for sure

D．to look back to search for something

【推荐3】As a young man, Ralph was a skilled artist, a potter. He had a wife and two fine sons. One night, his eldest son developed a severe stomachache. Thinking it was only some common intestinal (肠道的) disorder, neither Ralph nor his wife took the condition very seriously. But the disease was actually acute appendicitis (阑尾炎) and the boy died suddenly that night.

Knowing the death could have been prevented if he had only realized the seriousness of the situation, Ralph's emotional health declined under the enormous burden of his guilt. To make matters worse, his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two situations were more than Ralph could handle, and he turned to alcohol to help him as a way of reducing mental stress. As a result, Ralph became an alcoholic. As the alcoholism progressed, Ralph began to lose everything he possessed-his home, his land, his art objects, everything. Eventually Ralph died alone in a San Francisco motel room.

When I heard of Ralph's death, I reacted with the same contempt the world shows for one who ends his life with nothing material to show for it. "What a complete failure!" I thought, "What a totally wasted!"

As time went by, I began to reevaluate my earlier rash (草率的) judgment. You see, I knew Ralph's now adult son, Ernie. He is one of the kindest, most caring, most loving men I have ever known. I watched Ernie with my children and saw the free flow of love between them. I knew that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere.

I hadn't heard Ernie talk much about his father. It is so hard to defend an alcoholic. One day I worked up my courage and decided to ask him. "I'm really puzzled by something," I said. "I know your father was basically the only one to raise you. What on earth did he do so that you became such a special person?"

Ernie sat quietly and reflected for a few moments. Then he said, "From my earliest memories as a child until I left home at 18, Ralph came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, 'I love you, son.'"

Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to judge Ralph as a failure. He had not left any material possessions behind. But he had left behind one of the finest, most giving men I have ever known.

1. What mainly caused the death of Ralph's eldest son?

A．Alcoholism.

B．Mental stress.

C．Intestinal disorder.

D．Neglect of the seriousness of the disease.

2. What was the author's reaction on hearing the death of Ralph?

A．She was shocked.	B．She looked down upon Ralph.
C．She felt sad.	D．She pretended to be indifferent.

3. What caused the author to reevaluate Ralph?

A．That Ernie left home at 18.

B．That Ralph was the only person to raise Ernie.

C．That Ralph left nothing material behind for his son.

D．That Ernie turned out to be a loving and caring person.

4. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Ralph became an alcoholic just because of the death of his eldest son.

B．Ralph abandoned Ernie after his marriage ended in divorce.

C．Ernie left home at 18 due to Ralph's alcoholism.

D．Ernie has always held a reason to defend his father at heart.

5. Readers may find this story moving because ________.

A．it shows pity on the death of a young boy

B．it tells the story of a totally wasted life

C．it reveals a totally new interpretation of a father's deep love

D．it condemns an alcoholic father