Growing pains and gains
It’s not easy to grow up. Actually it’s far from easy. Growing up can be a real “pain” for some of us. We are always doing things that someone else makes us do and aren’t allowed to do all the things we like. Sometimes we feel trapped, sometimes we are fearful, and sometimes we just don’t understand why we can’t stay young forever. When we look back on all the hardships in life with a positive attitude (态度), we realize that all of our growing pains actually turn into growing gains!
As a young girl my parents forced my sisters and me to do so many things that I never liked. They made me learn to play the violin and then the piano. At that time I hated music, just because it was what they wanted me to do. But looking back now, I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take music lessons. Music has enriched my life in so many ways. I realize that my parents and teachers were always pushing me along, not because they wanted me to suffer but because they wanted me to succeed in life. They’ve always wanted me to have a better life than they did themselves.
Every moment of our lives we are either living or dying, so live life to its fullest! We are all going to experience growing pains, but they are just small pains in life. They might seem so huge at the time but we must be strong. Think about how we would feel if we had no fear and live life like that. The future is ours! A little hard work and sweat never hurt anyone! If we realize that these pains are just small bumps (凸块) on our road to success we will realize that our growing pains are actually growing gains!
1. What was the girl forced by her parents to do when she was young?| A．Take music lessons. |
| B．Turn gains into pains. |
| C．Take a look back on hardships. |
| D．Live a successful life by suffering a lot. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Thankful. | C．Passive. | D．Unfriendly. |
| A．Directly. | B．Terribly. | C．Carefully. | D．Completely. |
| A．Growing pains are necessary for us to grow up. |
| B．We all have to experience growing pains. |
| C．A little hard work and sweat are harmful to us. |
| D．Life without fear is a better choice for us. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A few years ago, my husband and I were on an island for a week with our two little daughters. As we talked about what to do next, our daughters jumped in and told us exactly what they wanted to do. We agreed.
As soon as we walked into the main area of Butterfly Museum, we saw thousands of beautiful butterflies. They all flew with their colorful wings. My girls were jumping up and down. And I knew we had made the right decision to come to the museum. They were having so much fun.
I turned to our guide and asked curiously，“How long do butterflies live?”she said, “About ten days.”
"What can butterflies do in ten days?”
The guide stopped, looked at me and said, “They make the world a more beautiful place.”
After we said goodbye, I couldn't stop thinking about what the guide had said. She was right. We all have something to offer the world. If we all spend time doing what we can do for others, we can make the world a better place.
1. What did the girls want to do？| A．Go to visit an island. | B．Visit Butterfly Museum. |
| C．Listen to the guide. | D．Make the world beautiful. |
| A．They were welcome in the museum. |
| B．She saw thousands of beautiful butterflies. |
| C．Her daughters were having a good time. |
| D．She knew how long butterflies lived. |
| A．害怕地 | B．自豪地 |
| C．好奇地 | D．愤怒地 |
| A．By visiting some museums. | B．By talking with a guide. |
| C．By living a happy and healthy life. | D．By doing what we can do for others. |
a. The girls enjoyed themselves in Butterfly Museum.
b. My husband and I talked about what to do next.
c. The guide told me how the butterflies spent their life.
d. I kept thinking about the guide’s words.
| A．b→a→c→d | B．a→b→d→c |
| C．a→d→b→c | D．a→b→c→d |
【推荐2】Once, Buddha was walking from one town to another with some of his followers. This was in the initial days. While they were traveling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his followers, “I am thirsty. Please get me some water from that lake there”.
The follower walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing the lake right at the edge of it. As a result, the water became very muddy, very dirty. The follower thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink?!” So he came back and told the Buddha, “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.”
So, the Buddha said, let us take a little rest here by the tree. After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same follower to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The follower obediently (顺从地) went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to the Buddha.
The Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the follower and said, “See, you let the water be and the mud settled down on its own. You got clear water. It didn’t require any effort”.
Our mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time and it will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. We can judge and best decisions of our life when we stay calm.
1. Why did Buddha asked his follower to collect water?| A．Because they were travelling. |
| B．Because they were passing a river. |
| C．Because Buddha was too tired to go on. |
| D．Because Buddha wanted a drink. |
| A．The tree. | B．The lake. |
| C．The mud. | D．The pot. |
| A．He is reliable and thoughtful. | B．He is humorous and intelligent. |
| C．He is hesitant and dependent. | D．He is picky and impatient. |
| A．Trial and Error. | B．Sometimes Just Let it Be. |
| C．Buddha and His Follower. | D．Efforts will Pay Off. |
When I was a little girl, I spent memorable holidays with my grandmother, who lived in a small village. She was a farmer with a stooped (弯曲的) back that made it seem like she was always leaning forward to examine something. Early in the morning, she would tie a cloth around her waist and set out to the farm. I would skip breathlessly alongside, trying to keep up. On our way, she would greet everyone we passed.
There was the standard greeting, “Did you wake up on the right foot this morning?” Then, the more personalized greetings. To Patriarch Kosi who sat under the mango tree, she would ask, “Are the grandchildren in good health?” To the Bean Stew Seller who was preparing to serve breakfast, she would inquire, “Are your boys well?”
Sometimes, the greetings were spoken soothingly (安慰地). When we walked past the widow, Dada Mawusi, many months after her husband’s death, Grandmother would say directly, “How is your grieving?” She didn’t like to beat around the bush. The greeting made more sense to her to acknowledge the woman’s suffering, and in doing so, empathize (理解) with her.
The people that Grandmother greeted would respond similarly. “I see you have your granddaughter with you today. How is her father?” or “I see you have woken up before the cock’s crow today. May it be a fruitful day at the farm.” As a young girl, I thought these greetings were unnecessarily time-consuming. What I now realize is that the greetings increased a sense of belonging. My grandmother taught me that there is always time to greet someone before getting down to business. You can always take a few extra seconds to say a greeting to a person. We enrich our society when we acknowledge the unique presence of one another.
1. Where did the writer spend holidays when she was young? (no more than 6 words)2. What made the writer feel breathless? (no more than 8 words)
3. How do you understand the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3? (no more than 10 words)
4. What did the writer think about greetings when she was young? (no more than 10 words)
5. Why do you think greeting neighbors is important? Give your reasons, (no more than 20 words)
【推荐1】A few years ago, my sister-in-law started to feel concerned about her teenage daughter. What was she doing after school? Where was she spending her time? My niece was an excellent student, and took part in all kinds of after-class activities. Even so, her mom decided to put a tracking app(跟踪应用程序)on the kid's phone.
At first, this made my sister-in-law “feel better”. Then the good situation suddenly ended. She recalled, “I found out that she was someplace that she said she wasn't. I went out in the middle of the night and found her walking without shoes in the middle of the street with some friends. " Things went quickly downhill for the mother and the daughter after that.
With 73 % of teens having their own smart phones now, according to a 2015 Pew study, more and more of their parents are facing the question: To watch or not ?
Ana Homayoun, founder of Green Ivy Educational Consulting, has advised many parents and their kids about this. "I've found teens are more acceptable to tracking apps when it is included as part of a family agreement to improve safety than when it is placed as a secret tool to watch them,“ she said.
Mark Bell, a father of a teenage girl, said, “We don't have tracking apps, but we have set some ground rules that my daughter must follow in exchange for us providing a smart phone,“ he said. For example, his daughter must “friend“ him on social media so that he can read posts, and must share all passwords.
When you're trying to build trust, you need to create an environment that encourages it. So, to win their trust, you always need to be straight with your children. "Parents must let children know how and when they'll be watching them,“ said Doctor Pauleh Weigle. If they're not open about it, he warns, it can “greatly damage the parent and child relationship”.
1. Why is the author's sister-in-law and her daughter referred to in the first two paragraphs?| A．The author wants to give an example of the failure use of the tracking app. |
| B．The author wants to introduce he had more communication with her daughter. |
| C．The author wants to say that she wasn't worried about her daughter any more. |
| D．The author wants to express he felt good with knowing more about her daughter's activities. |
| A．They doubt family agreements. |
| B．They dislike being watched secretly. |
| C．They are worried about online safety. |
| D．They welcome the use of tracking apps. |
| A．To show how to use smart phone safely. |
| B．To teach how to put tracking app on phones. |
| C．To give some suggestions on how to make children accept it. |
| D．To tell the importance of being children's friends instead of tracking. |
| A．Check the kid's phone. |
| B．Teach the kid how to use it. |
| C．Advise the kid to use his phone less. |
| D．Discuss with the kids and have an agreement with them. |
【推荐2】“You know, these cups bring to mind a tea quote I heard.” Mary’s aunt said.
She poured tea. There were four of them and there were four totally different cups on the table.
They took their tea cups.
“What quote?” Mary asked.
“Well, maybe I should rather say it is a story,” aunt said, “I heard that there was a wise teacher who took all his students for tea. They were surprised that all the cups on the table were different. Each of them took a cup and started drinking their tea, each looking at the cups of others. The teacher let them do that for a while and then said, ‘Do you notice your behavior? You are all looking at each other’s tea cup and I can see some of you with the broken ones are even envious(羡慕的) of the finer cups of others. Is this not so?’”
The students agreed, amused by their own behavior.
“You may have wondered why you all had different cups, but I put them here on purpose. You see they represent life itself. Life is like that tea and the cups are like the physical circumstances(状况) of your life. You all got the same thing in your cups — tea. And yet you can not truly enjoy it in your envy of another’s cup. It’s just the same with life. You forget to enjoy your own life when you concentrate on envying the circumstances of someone else’s life.
So now, close your eyes, and taste your own tea. Really taste it. And tell me — did it matter from which cup it came from?”
Aunt finished telling her short tea story and they all sat in silence for a while, tasting their tea. A sleepy fly buzzed(嗡嗡作响) past, a bird sang in the tree. And it really did not matter one bit from which tea cup they drank.
1. When the students found they had different tea cups, they_____________.| A．were satisfied with their own cup |
| B．were angry about the broken cups they had been given |
| C．asked the teacher to get new cups for them |
| D．were curious about the difference between the cups |
| A．should try different ways of life |
| B．shouldn’t focus on envy others’ physical circumstances |
| C．can never change their physical circumstances |
| D．should work hard for a better life |
| A．life is hard and boring for everyone |
| B．it is strange to be envious of the lives of others |
| C．everyone should learn to enjoy his own life |
| D．people act differently in different circumstances |
| A．More than tea in a cup | B．The value of tea |
| C．Tea vs cup | D．Enjoying tea with a broken cup |
【推荐3】After weeks of lockdown, the French are more eager than ever to get away from the breathless cities. But the busy traffic will also serve as a reminder of another annual summer trend here. The French have the unfortunate distinction of being the European champions for abandoning pets that have become too cumbersome for their summer trips. Animal shelters up and down the country are evidence of this unique and sad tradition.
Betty Loizeau has run a shelter just north of Toulouse for more than 20 years. “Owners call up to say where their pets can be found, or drop them off in boxes outside the shelter under the cover of darkness. The excuses they typically give are that they’re going on holiday, having a baby, moving house, or they have a new partner with allergies, ...”
For shelters like this one, it is the busiest time of the year. Between 100,000 and 200,000 pets are abandoned in France each year, with 60% of these incidents occurring over the summer. The figure is close to 16,000 in the UK.
“Pets are increasingly seen as an impulsive(冲动的) buy,” says Marina Chailland, a doctor who has studied the social relationship between the French and their pets.
“A certain breed(品种) of cat or dog is fashionable and owners want one, just like a new smartphone,” 
she says. “Of course, when it goes out of fashion they desert it for an upgrade a couple of years later, when a new breed is considered fashionable.” She also points to the issue of pets being given as gifts as a reason why so many are abandoned. “Often parents will get pets for their children and when they grow up and lose interest in them, out goes the pet.”
Over the summer, owners discover that hotels charge extra for animals or even ban them completely. This explains why you will often see frightened, lost, dogs wandering near freeway service stations or beach resorts.
1. What does the underlined the word “cumbersome” in para. 1 refer to?| A．Disturbing. | B．Enjoyable. |
| C．Disappointing. | D．Impressive. |
| A．In fact, the French don’t like pets at all. |
| B．There are various excuses for people abandoning pets. |
| C．Between 100,000 and 200,000 pets are abandoned in the UK each year. |
| D．Pets are admitted into the hotel for free in summer. |
| A．In spring. | B．In summer. |
| C．In fall. | D．In winter. |
| A．To explain why the French abandon the pets. |
| B．To explain how the French like a smartphone. |
| C．To explain why the French dislike pets. |
| D．To explain how costly a smartphone is in France. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Andy rode slowly on his way to school, day-dreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him. He was so busy dreaming about all the fish he would catch that he was unaware of everything else around him.
He rode along until a strange around drew him to the present. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the heavens. What he saw shocked him. A huge swarm of bees filled the sky like clack cloud and the buzzing mass towards him.
With no time to waste. Andy sped off in the opposite direction, riding furiously without knowing how to escape the swarm. With a rapidly beating heart and his legs pumping furiously, he sped down the rough road. As the bees came closer, his panic increased. Andy knew that he was sensitive to bee stings(蜇). The last sting had landed him in hospital—and that was only one bee sting! He had been forced to stay in bed for two whole days. Suddenly, his father’s words came to him. “When you are in a tight situation, don’t panic. Use your brain and think your ways out of it. ”
On a nearby hill, he could see smoke waving slowly skywards from the chimney of the Nelson family home. “Bees don’t like smoke,” he thought. “They couldn’t get into the house.”Andy raced towards the Nelson house, but the bees were gaining ground. Andy knew he could not reach the house in time. He estimated that the bees would catch up with him soon.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson to irrigate his vegetable garden. Off his bike and into the cool water he dived, disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects. After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy came up for air and noticed the bees have gone. Dragging himself out of the dam, he struggled up the hilly slope and rang the doorbell. Mr Nelson took his inside and rang his mother.
“You’ll really need that fishing break to help you recover,”laughed his mother with relief. “Thank goodness you didn’t panic! But Andy did not hear her. He was dreaming once again of the fish he would catch tomorrow. ”
1. Why did Andy fail to notice the swarm of bees earlier?| A．He was riding to school. |
| B．He was listening to a strange sound. |
| C．He was going fishing with his father. |
| D．He was lost in the thought of the fishing trip. |
| A．They crowded like a black cloud. |
| B．They shocked and terrified Andy. |
| C．They tried to attack Andy in a mass. |
| D．They made Andy stay in hospital for two days. |
| A．He asked Mr. Nelson in help. |
| B．He hid himself under the water. |
| C．He rushed into the Nelson house. |
| D．He rode off in the oppossnte ditcction. |
| A．No pain no gains. |
| B．Once bitten,twice shy |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| D．In time of danger, one’s mind works fast. |
【推荐2】Hi Singapore First Aid Training Center!
I am Nivashini Kaliaperumal, a research officer working at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IMCB). Under the coaching of both you and Mr Jason Sim, I was certified (证明) to be a first aider yesterday.
Coincidentally (恰巧), my first aid skills were put to test today. While returning to work with my workmates after lunch, we noticed a small crowd gathered around a 4D shop. Surprisingly, they weren’t buying lottery (彩票) tickets. Instead a pale looking aunty seated on the step of the shop had attracted a crowd around her. We immediately rushed to the scene.
I introduced myself as a certified first aider, which put her mind at rest. Though feeling weak, she refused to lie down. I realized that she was in a poorly ventilated (空气流通不好的) area as many were frequently walking past her. My workmates and I moved her to a well ventilated area. Some kind onlookers bought her mineral water. She felt better after resting and drinking some water.
A bleeding wound was noticed on her neck. She had been injured during her fall and was feeling weak. Thankfully a medical shop was nearby and necessary first aid items were bought. While dressing the wound, I collected necessary information (name, health problems, medicine, etc) about her. She is a patient with high blood pressure who takes her medicine regularly. A complete head to toe examination was performed. No further sign of bleeding was observed. We encouraged her to see a doctor before she left for home.
Being trained with proper first aid knowledge and skills allowed me to help Aunty Sally today. Thank you for taking the time to teach us these lifesaving skills. It has given me confidence to reach out to those in need and provide proper care. Special thanks to the First Aid Team for making a difference in our lives.
Best wishes,
Nivashini
1. After a brief examination of the aunty, the author _____.| A．bought her some food and drinks |
| B．moved her to a well ventilated area |
| C．kept talking to her to keep her awake |
| D．asked her to lie down and have a rest |
| A．dressed the wound at once |
| B．asked her to see a doctor immediately |
| C．directly rushed her to a nearby hospital |
| D．called her family to collect useful information |
| A．To express her thanks. |
| B．To describe an accident. |
| C．To share her knowledge about first aid. |
| D．To call on readers to learn first aid skills. |
【推荐3】Jessica Ramos suffered from a stillbirth and a miscarriage（流产）at her 30s. Not one to feel sorry for herself, and not working at the time, Jessica went to VolunteerMatch. org to find something to involve herself in, hoping it would take her away from her own sorrow.
But when she got a call from the volunteer services manager, Jessica had to Google hospice（临终关怀）. She wasn’t sure what it was. “But I’ve always been around the elderly and sick. " So she embraced the opportunity.
Jessica signed up to visit four patients three times a week. One patient, just a decade older than Jessica, was dying of cancer, angry and acting out. "I welcomed the challenge of this patient. When I got a call that he had died that night, I feel sorry, "Jessica says. So she concentrates on her remaining three patients, Sophie, Margaret and Wilson, all elderly. Sophie, in a wheelchair, is originally from Cuba. Margaret, who has children in the area, longs for more visitors.
But it was Wilson who taught Jessica about being of service. Wilson was bedridden. He was on medicine for pain, and he slept. Jessica would rouse him as best she could when she arrived. She’d heard that music can reach Alzheimer’s patients, so she asked him what his favorite music was, and Wilson mumbled, “Country music. ” So she brought in some Clint Black. But still Wilson remained mostly unresponsive. Jessica went to her volunteer manager to ask what she could do. Cathy assured her that just sitting together can be important to a patient like Wilson. Jessica was unconvinced.
But by the time Cathy called to say there was another patient Jessica could see who was more responsive, Jessica had come to terms with Wilson and herself. “I wanted Wilson to be a certain way, and I felt bad when he wasn’t. But I needed to appreciate Wilson for who he was. I was there to meet Wilson’s needs, not my own, " she says now.
1. Why did Jessica start volunteering?| A．To lift her spirits. | B．To seek a job. |
| C．To take care of the elderly. | D．To make her life meaningful. |
| A．They are all elderly with Alzheimer. | B．There are 3 of them in total now. |
| C．They are too weak to get out of bed. | D．They do not welcome visitors. |
| A．Angry. | B．Ungrateful. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Not clear. |
| A．ask volunteer managers for help |
| B．put herself in patients’ position |
| C．not feel bad about unresponsive patients |
| D．understand patients not appreciating her work |
