1 . For many parents, raising a teenager is like fighting a long war, but years go by without any clear winner. Like a border conflict between neighboring countries, the parent-teen war is about boundaries: Where is the line between what I control and what you do?
Both sides want peace, but neither feels it has any power to stop the conflict. In part, this is because neither is willing to admit any responsibility for starting it. From the parents’ point of view, the only cause of their fight is their adolescents’ complete unreasonableness. And of course, the teens see it in exactly the same way, except oppositely. Both feel trapped.
In this article, I’ll describe three no-win situations that commonly arise between teens and parents and then suggest some ways out of the trap. The first no-win situation is quarrels over unimportant things. Examples include the color of the teen’s hair, the cleanliness of the bedroom, the preferred style of clothing, the child’s failure to eat a good breakfast before school, or his tendency to sleep until noon on the weekends. Second, blaming. The goal of a blaming battle is to make the other admit that his bad attitude is the reason why everything goes wrong. Third, needing to be right. It doesn’t matter what the topic is—politics, the laws of physics, or the proper way to break an egg—the point of these arguments is to prove that you are right and the other person is wrong, for both wish to be considered an authority—someone who actually knows something—and therefore to command respect. Unfortunately, as long as parents and teens continue to assume that they know more than the other, they’ll continue to fight these battles forever and never make any real progress.
1. Why does the author compare the parent-teen war to a border conflict?| A．Both are about where to draw the line. |
| B．Both can continue for generations. |
| C．Neither has any clear winner. |
| D．Neither can be put to an end. |
| A．The teens tend to have a full understanding of their parents. |
| B．The teens agree with their parents on the cause of the conflict. |
| C．The teens cause their parents of misleading them. |
| D．The teens blame their parents for starting the conflict. |
| A．give orders to the other |
| B．know more than the other |
| C．gain respect from the other |
| D．get the other to behave properly |
| A．Solutions for the parent-teen problems. |
| B．Examples of the parent-teen war. |
| C．Causes for the parent-teen conflicts. |
| D．Future of the parent-teen relationship. |
| A．should not pull down | B．must not pull down |
| C．not be pulled down | D．would not be pulled down |
3 . On a September night almost anywhere in southern Europe, you might see beech trees rustle (发出沙沙声) with activity. If you shine a light into the branches，you may see animals with large eyes and bushy tails.
They are called fat dormice. Despite their name, all types of dormice are more closely related to squirrels than mice. That explains their bushy tails and why they hang out in trees and bushes. But most squirrels are active during the day. Like other dormice, fat dormice come out at night.
Once the sun sets, fat dormice go to work filling themselves with beech seeds until they grow fat. These animals add at least half their body weight in just a few weeks. They’re preparing for a winter sleep. Lots of animals hibernate (冬眠),but fat dormice do so for seven or eight months. After putting on plenty of eight, a fat dormouse makes a nest. There it will spend the winter. Its body uses the stored fat for energy while it hibernates. But seven months is a long time,so the dormouse needs to use its energy slowly.
Everything in a fat dormouse’s body slows down when it hibernates. That’s true of all hibernating animals. They breathe more slowly and their hearts beat less often. Those changes help the animals survive several months without eating. But in fat dormice, the bodies slow down even more than the bodies of other hibernating animals that live in similar environments. At temperatures well above freezing (15℃), hibernating fat dormice may breathe only once every 10 minutes. During a midwinter freeze, they breathe only once an hour. Hibernators such as little brown bats and squirrels breathe more often. Their hearts beat more often, too. But those animals hibernate for only five or six months. Fat dormice have to stretch their energy supply for two or three months longer.
Over seven or eight months, the fat dormouse slowly uses up the fat it stored in the fall. In May, it finally wakes up. It is much thinner, very hungry, and ready to make the most of its short summer before it is time to hibernate again.
1. What is a characteristic of fat dormice?| A．They feed on insects. | B．They look the same as mice. |
| C．They enjoy staying underground. | D．They are active during the night. |
| A．To fight against enemies. | B．To protect their families. |
| C．To survive during the winter. | D．To feed baby fat dormice. |
| A．Fat dormice are super energy savers. |
| B．Fat dormice are good food searchers. |
| C．Fat dormice store more energy than other hibernators. |
| D．Fat dormice breathe more quickly in midwinter than in summer. |
| A．To compare several kinds of animals. |
| B．To introduce a champion of hibernation. |
| C．To explain how fat dormice earned their name. |
| D．To show how hibernating animals spend the winter. |
4 . The American book “Who Moved My Cheese?”has been a bestseller all over the world. It tells a story which happened between mice and people.
The book tells us that when facing changes in our lives, like a new school or new friends, don’t be afraid.
The four are in a maze (迷宫) looking for the cheese. Here, cheese means something important in life, like moving to a new class or getting into college.
After Chris finishes the story, his friends understand one thing:
| A．I bought one last week and found it very interesting. |
| B．Instead, use these changes to make a better life. |
| C．However, some strange things happened in a school. |
| D．Its author Spencer Johnson has written the book just for teenagers. |
| E．to get more cheese, move in a new direction quickly. |
| F．But they find the cheese is gone. |
| G．They are afraid of the change so they find no cheese. |
| A．that | B．where |
| C．which | D．what |
6 . Decision hard
From the moment we wake up each day, we’re faced with a continuous stream of choices.
When decision fatigue kicks in, you may feel like you just don’t have the mental bandwidth to deal with more decisions.
Here’s how to minimize or manage this phenomenon:
Tune into how you’re feeling. Be watchful of signs of decision fatigue and act accordingly: If you’ve had a demanding day that was filled with lots of decisions, put off making another one if you can. If things that wouldn’t normally upset you start bothering you, consider that a sign that you may not be in the best state of mind to make a major decision. “People may not realize that they’re experiencing decision fatigue,” Baumeister, a professor of psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia, says. “
| A．Make some choices automatic |
| B．It’s something to watch out for |
| C．They should turn to the experts for advice |
| D．Put down what you have in hand and take a break from them |
| E．This can lead to decisional disfunction or decreased self-control |
| F．If you like having oatmeal for breakfast, stick with it on a daily basis |
| G．We tend to feel overwhelmed, anxious, stressed or otherwise out of sorts |
7 . When the one-year anniversary(周年) of my mother’s passing came around, I found myself in the kitchen preparing some of her favorite dishes. I hadn’t planned this,
As I was cooking, some of the deep sadness I was experiencing at this one-year mark moved through me. I loved working with mom in the kitchen but now thinking about her, I began to feel more
While the
“What else should we make?” I asked us both, wanting to keep the ritual from
“Irish Potato Pancakes” was the reply.
My mom knew how
I reached for the
That day, I made potato pancakes
| A．if | B．so | C．but | D．or |
| A．painful | B．cheerful | C．disappointed | D．grateful |
| A．coffee | B．soup | C．wine | D．tea |
| A．fruit | B．drink | C．vegetables | D．food |
| A．Without | B．After | C．By | D．For |
| A．serve | B．encourage | C．comfort | D．harm |
| A．clever | B．brave | C．lucky | D．excited |
| A．though | B．as soon as | C．while | D．as if |
| A．ending | B．existing | C．lasting | D．beginning |
| A．The first time | B．The last time | C．Every time | D．The moment |
| A．searched for | B．taken off | C．sold out | D．forgotten about |
| A．liked | B．realized | C．refused | D．remembered |
| A．mysterious | B．silly | C．worrying | D．serious |
| A．scared | B．curious | C．surprised | D．upset |
| A．except | B．including | C．besides | D．concerning |
| A．dough | B．pancakes | C．cookbook | D．soup |
| A．turned to | B．depended on | C．prepared for | D．talked about |
| A．the ring | B．words | C．something | D．everything |
| A．paid my attention | B．caught my eye | C．reminded me of | D．won me back |
| A．with | B．to | C．for | D．in |
8 . I was driving home with my son Giacomo, 15, on the A40 when I suddenly saw a small plane coining down. Out of nowhere, it
We were going 70 miles an hour and I managed to
Flames were coming out of the cockpit（驾驶舱）and I could hear screaming, so I climbed under the wing and tried to
I pulled a teenage girl and boy out.
The emergency services
| A．exploded | B．landed | C．disappeared | D．crashed |
| A．living | B．driving | C．standing | D．flying |
| A．roll | B．speed | C．stop | D．pass |
| A．leaving | B．saving | C．blaming | D．greeting |
| A．if | B．though | C．until | D．since |
| A．fix | B．kick | C．clean | D．shut |
| A．fire | B．steam | C．water | D．engine |
| A．expected | B．imagined | C．admitted | D．sensed |
| A．lasted | B．counted | C．worked | D．ended |
| A．afraid | B．lucky | C．cautious | D．brave |
| A．story | B．adventure | C．challenge | D．lesson |
| A．Yet | B．Thus | C．Then | D．Indeed |
| A．help | B．climb | C．explain | D．deliver |
| A．steward | B．driver | C．rescuer | D．pilot |
| A．Instead | B．However | C．Strangely | D．Secretly |
| A．argue | B．tell | C．describe | D．agree |
| A．return | B．room | C．distance | D．journey |
| A．went away | B．set out | C．shut down | D．turned up |
| A．car | B．house | C．plane | D．cinema |
| A．surprise | B．sorrow | C．relief | D．confusion |
9 . 4 Best Basketball Camps in the USA
PGC Basketball Camps
For the last few decades, PGC (point guard college) basketball camps have helped thousands of players improve a variety of skills. While the name may have you believe it's for point guards only, that's not the case.PGC basketball camps operate in a number of different states and they have over 100 camps all over the country.While many of the PGC basketball camps are aimed at youth in high school and college athletes,there are also the Skills Academy camps for those as young as the 4th grade.
Nike Basketball Camps
Nike offers introductory camps, shooting camps, overnight camps, day camps and many more. There are even camps that let you work with former or current NBA and WNBA players. One of the best things about Nike camps are the quality of coaching and instruction you will get. They also operate in nearly every state,so no matter where you are, there is likely a Nike basketball camp close. These Nike camps are also great for all ages.
NBC Basketball Camps
Since the early 1970s, NBC(Northwest Basketball Camp) has been among the world leaders in the space.Whether you are in elementary school, junior high or high school, there is an NBC basketball camp for you. These camps are offered across the USA,as well as in Canada and even the UK. The camps they offer include clinics.team camps, overnight camps, and college prep camps, just to name a few. They aim to provide you all of the tools you need to succeed in basketball and in life.
The National Basketball Academy
The National Basketball Academy (also known as TNBA) partners with NBA teams like the Bucks and Pacers to provide camps, clinics, and training for basketball players of all ages. TNBA operates in Milwaukee,Orlando. Houston. Indiana, and Cleveland. It also operates in many other nations around the world such as Brazil, France, Argentina, and Spain. These camps and clinics range from a single day to multiple weeks. They also host various tournaments(锦标赛) so you can show off the skills you have learned.
1. What do we know about PGC basketball camps?| A．They have the most camps | B．They are mainly aimed at little kids. |
| C．They hire some former NBA coaches. | D．Not only students of PGC can join them. |
| A．They focus on teamwork. | B．They hold various tournaments. |
| C．They only offer long-term camps. | D．They operate both at home and abroad. |
| A．A PGC basketball camp. | B．A Nike basketball camp. |
| C．A NBC basketball camp. | D．A TNBA basketball camp. |
10 . If you are taking vitamin supplements to reduce your risk of heart disease or cancer, a group of health experts want you to know that those vitamins may actually increase your risk of cancer.
The US Preventive Services Task Force came to this conclusion after reviewing dozens of studies.
Nearly half of adults in the US take at least one vitamin or mineral supplement on a regular basis. These pills are advertised as a way to promote general health. In some cases, manufacturers promote them as cancer fighters and heart protectors.
Studies in animals and in laboratory dishes suggest that oxidative (氧化性的) stress contributes to diseases like cancer and heart disease. If so, there is a reason to believe that antioxidants — including beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E — could be useful as preventive medicines.
But when the Task Force examined the medical evidence on vitamins, it found “inadequate (不充分的) evidence” to support the claims that vitamin and mineral supplements benefit healthy adults.
“Cardiovascular (心血管的) disease and cancer have a significant health impact in America, and we all want to find ways to prevent these diseases,” Dr. Virginia Moyer, who heads the Task Force, said in a statement. But so far, she added, the medical evidence does not show that taking vitamins is helpful in this regard.
However, the Task Force did find “adequate evidence” that people with a raised risk for lung cancer actually increase their risk further by taking beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.
The Task Force recommendations of taking vitamins regularly apply to healthy adults aged 50 and older who don’t have “special nutritional needs”. The advice does not apply to children, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, people with chronic illnesses, or people who have to take supplements because they can’t get all their essential nutrients from their diet.
1. Studies in animals and in laboratory dishes find out________.| A．ample evidence that taking vitamins are helpful for treating lung cancer |
| B．cardiovascular disease spreads very fast in America |
| C．oxidative stress can lead to heart disease and cancer |
| D．people must take vitamins on a regular basis |
| A．Scientists want to control cardiovascular disease. |
| B．In some regard, taking vitamins is not useful. |
| C．Manufacturers cannot produce medical-use vitamins. |
| D．Vitamins must be useful to prevent cancer and heart disease. |
| A．A 60-year-old healthy worker. |
| B．A 15-year-old boy with short-sightedness. |
| C．A 34-year-old pregnant lady. |
| D．A 40-year-old man who never eats vegetables or fruits. |
| A．An Inside Look at Vitamins |
| B．Task Force: Ending to Vitamins |
| C．Vitamins: To Live or to Kill |
| D．Taking Vitamins to Prevent Cancer May Fail |
