1 . Two years ago, my 11-year-old son sat me down for a talk. “Mom, it’s time.” he said. “Hear me out: It’s time we got actual TV. And you need an iPhone.”
This funny conversation two years ago marked a shift in our relationship. Perhaps for the first time, I began to really listen to my son’s opinion about our home technology. Since his reasoning was sensible and his suggestions within budget, I took his advice and was pleasantly surprised with the results.
I’d known for a while that my son understands technology better than I do. On airplanes, he grabbed my phone to put it in airplane mode. He wired the speakers in our house. After something was stolen from our front yard, he picked out, set up, and now monitors our security camera. When my computer died, I took him shopping with me.
As a teenager now, he has a busy social life, with skateboarding, basketball, and online gaming with his friends. I see our time together decreasing and our shared interests shrinking. That’s why I jumped at the chance when a friend mentioned writing technology reviews. I’m a writer, but I’d need a partner who has more tech knowledge than me. When I presented the idea to my teen, he immediately accepted
It’s changed our relationship in surprising ways. Where he used to get annoyed quickly at my technical ignorance, he’s learned to be more patient and explain things to me in a way that I can convey to an unknowing audience. The parent-child dynamic is not only changed; it’s even slightly reversed — he’s leading me. I’m asking him for help and advice. My son has risen to the occasion. He’s taking it seriously, and to watch him mature in this way is an honor. As someone who’s not much of a reader, he now searches instruction book. Without any prompting, he’s even emailed and called, yes, made an actual phone call to customer service or tech support when sample products weren’t working as expected.
I never imagined being a tech reviewer, but it’s proved to be a valuable way to learn from, work with and enjoy time with my teen.
1. What did the writer think of her son’s advice?| A．It was unaffordable. | B．It was beyond reach. |
| C．It sounded reasonable. | D．It sounded surprising. |
| A．Prove her son’s better mastery of technology. |
| B．Describe their close parent-child relationship. |
| C．Give examples of her son’s interest in airplanes. |
| D．Express her satisfaction of her son’s timely help. |
| A．Unrealistic. | B．Opposite. | C．Negative. | D．Common. |
| A．Her son’s patience with their relationship. |
| B．Her son’s attitudes to some unknown audiences. |
| C．Her son’s growth and serious attitude to the work. |
| D．Her son’s desire to change the parent-child dynamic. |
2 . Sports play a large role in millions of lives. As parents, we want to find an activity that our children are passionate (热诚的) about. Let’s look at how to encourage kids to play sports.
Let them pick which sport they want to play. Don’t force kids to follow in your footsteps.
Praise effort and be supportive. Not all kids are gifted athletes and that’s OK.
Make sports fun and let kids be kids. Keep in mind how a child’s mind works. Let them find the fun in sports and support them as they try new activities and explore their interests.
Be present. The smallest action can have the largest impact (巨大影响).
will always remember.
| A．It’s important to teach them to set goals. |
| B．They might have different passions than you. |
| C．When they look over to the sideline, be there. |
| D．Let them experience the game at an advanced level. |
| E．Take advantage of a time they are excited to be outdoors. |
| F．Their enjoyment in the sport, the fun, should be the top focus. |
| G．As long as they enjoy the activity and try their best, that’s all you can ask for. |
3 . How to Make Friends
Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends. Good friendship has many benefits. It offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health. There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools. Such changes often leave us without a friend.
1. Associate with others.
The first step to making friends is associating with other people. You can go to public places to meet new people. Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of such places.
2. Start a conversation.
Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends.
3.
Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would always bring you and your friend together. Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.
4. Let it grow.
It is a good thing to stay in touch. However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend.
5. Enjoy your friendship.
The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves.
| A．Be cheerful. |
| B．Do things together. |
| C．Do not wait to be spoken to. |
| D．Try not to find fault with your friends. |
| E．Making new friends comes easy for some people. |
| F．For a friendship to develop you need to stay in touch. |
| G．So you will need to give your friend time to react to you. |
4 . Kilimanjaro Climb : a Rite of Passage (成人仪式) for Father and Son
Climbing Kilimanjaro is a transformational experience for many people. The things that make the mountain hard are the very things that make it so powerful. In the case of my son Josh and I, the walk up Kilimanjaro proved a powerful symbol of his transition into manhood, and a great change in our relationship.
Day three on the mountain, Josh was hit with massive headaches. He told me every step felt like a nail driving into his head. And then, on the night we climbed the crater (火山口) rim, less than 40 minutes from the summit, Josh fell. I was walking ahead, and did not even see it. He was so tired out that he could not get up. He recalled our guides, debating whether or not they should take him straight down. Josh snapped out of it. He forced himself to his feet, shook the guides off. He set his face towards the peak and just kept marching. Near the summit he caught up with me and we reached the peak together.
“I’ve never been in so much pain and so happy at the same time... he said, as we sat side by side on the frozen rock and looked down over Africa. “You know, in the past when we’d go on camping and rafting trips, you guided and took care of me through it all. But on Kilimanjaro it was different. From the bottom up, I climbed it. I never felt like a kid, even when 1 was in pain. You never acted like a parent.”
“That’s not quite true,” I replied. “When you told me that on the summit you fell and I did not even notice, my first thought was, ‘Oh my God! I’m such an awful parent!’ But then it hit me, ‘He got himself up. He walked to the peak on his own. He didn’t need me to help,”
I realized as I spoke that two people had died that night on Kilimanjaro. A child and a parent. It was just two friends who walked down the mountain together.
1. From the second paragraph we know that ______.| A．Josh had a slight headache. |
| B．Josh reached the top of the mountain with the help of the guides. |
| C．Josh overcame various difficulties on his way to the summit. |
| D．Climbing Kilimanjaro was too hard for such a child as Josh. |
| A．Cheered up. | B．Gave up. | C．Burst out. | D．Ran out. |
| A．Josh felt quite good about his independence. |
| B．Josh appreciated his parents’ company and care. |
| C．The father felt guilty all the time. |
| D．The father should have taken good care of Josh as usual. |
| A．Because two people had lost their lives while climbing Kilimanjaro. |
| B．Because the father and son had become friends. |
| C．Because they had witnessed an accident of a father and son. |
| D．Because two friends had misled him. |
5 . Who are your friends? Are they all similar in age to you?
Having older friends can change your attitude towards life because they have already gone through the challenges you are facing. They have been young parents, have survived a job loss, and can help you get through these changes in your own life.
When older people make friends with younger people, they get to share their experiences which can be very rewarding.
All in all making friends with people not your age can open your eyes to new ideas and new experiences that can be life-changing.
| A．For human beings, giving is good. |
| B．Where to find friends sharing a common interest? |
| C．Then how can you make intergenerational friends? |
| D．Having friends at your own age is natural, of course. |
| E．What’s more, younger friends can give you some fresh ideas. |
| F．It’s believed that joining in activities like volunteering is also an effective way. |
| G．An older friend also helps you “try on” certain life experiences before you get there. |
6 . Parents and kids today dress alike, listen to the same music, and are friends. Is this a good thing? Sometimes, when Mr. Ballmer and his 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, listen to rock music together and talk about interests both enjoy, such as pop culture, he remembers his more distant relationship with his parents when he was a teenager.
“I would never have said to my mom, ‘Hey, the new Weezer album is really great. How do you like it?” says Ballmer. “There was just a complete gap in taste.”
Music was not the only gulf. From clothing and hairstyles to activities and expectations, earlier generations of parents and children often appeared to move in separate orbits. (轨迹)
Today, the generation gap has not disappeared, but it is getting narrow in many families. Conversations on subjects such as sex and drugs would not have taken place a generation ago. Now they are comfortable and common. And parent-child activities, from shopping to sports, involve (包含) a feeling of trust and friendship that can continue into adulthood.
No wonder greeting cards today carry the message, “To my mother, my best friend.”
But family experts warn that the new equality (平等) can also result in less respect for parents. “There’s still a lot strictness and authority (权威) on the part of parents out there, but there is a change happening,” says Kerrie, a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College, “In the middle of that change, there is a lot of confusion among parents.”
Family researchers offer a variety of reasons for these changing roles and attitudes. They see the 1960s as a turning point. Great cultural changes led to more open communication and a more democratic (民主) process that encourages everyone to have a say.
“My parents were on the ‘before’ side of that change, but today’s parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the ‘after’ side,” explains Mr. Ballmer. “It’s not something easily accomplished by parents these days, because life is more difficult to understand or deal with, but sharing interests does make it more fun to be a parent now.”
1. The underlined word “gulf” in Para. 3 most probably means _________.| A．interest | B．problem | C．difference | D．separation |
| A．Parents help their children develop interests in more activities. |
| B．Parents put more trust in their children’s abilities. |
| C．Parents and children talk more about sex and drugs. |
| D．Parents share more interests with their children. |
| A．More confusion among parents |
| B．New equality between parents and children |
| C．Less respect for parents from children |
| D．More strictness and authority on the part of parents |
| A．describe the difficulties today’s parents have met with |
| B．discuss the change of the parent-child relationship |
| C．suggest the ways to handle the parent-child relationship |
| D．stress the importance of parent-child relationship |
7 . All children experience that moment—the moment when they open their mouth and their mother comes out. “Clean up after yourself, I’m your mother, not your maid.” And my personal favourite is what my mother said, “Eat your dinner. There are kids starving in Africa who would love to have this food.”
I can’t get away from it. For better or worse, my mother is the voice in my head, part of who l am and howl handle my day-to-day life. I almost feel as though the years of advice she poured into me have acquired a life of their own and are helping me make good decisions for my life.
“Grow your own food. It’ll taste better and be healthier. ”And, finally, the words I live by, “If you’re not sure you should, you shouldn’t.”
It’s been a good rule for my whole life. Generally, I know that I should do what’s important anyway. So, if I’m not sure, chances are, I shouldn’t. Once my mom was trying to make a decision and called to talk it over with me. “Well . . . you used to say,” I said, “If you are not sure, you shouldn’t. . . ” We laughed together. Mom is always happy when I quote her, maybe because it’s proof I am paying attention.
I have inherited a lot of things from my mother, but what I treasure most is her voice in my head, reminding me that wherever I go and whatever I do, a part of her will always be with me. And every now and then, the voice comes up with something special and something worth passing on.
1. What can we learn from the underlined sentences in Paragraph 1?| A．All people experience the same moment. |
| B．Children will be generally difficult to teach. |
| C．Mothers always try to teach their children some lessons. |
| D．Mothers’ demands on their children are beyond their power. |
| A．Bad-tempered. | B．Thoughtful. |
| C．Determined. | D．Narrow-minded. |
| A．They get along well. |
| B．The author is scared of his mother. |
| C．The author neglects his mother’s requirements. |
| D．The author’s mother wouldn’t like her child to resist her. |
| A．Parents should be looked up to by their children. |
| B．Parents’ instructions will affect their children greatly. |
| C．Parents ought to set good examples for their children. |
| D．Parents’ words are golden principles for their children. |
8 . Love your parents
Even if you think that your parents are mean-spirited at times, loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling （满意的）part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you, raised you, and are in part a source of who you are. Here are some ways to love your parents.
Respect them more and cherish（珍惜）these moments. You can use these moments to learn from them when you're off on your own. It's OK to get angry but angry actions don't help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, journal about your feelings, or talk to a friend.
Obey their requests. It will make your attitude better and earn you more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don't get what you want or you have to clean. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head when it's cold, raining, snowing, or too hot. Understand that parents are human beings and make mistakes.
Keep company with them. Do things with your parents like watching TV, or go somewhere with them.
Some people simply may not be able to love their parents. .
| A．There can be realistic reasons for this, family violence for example. |
| B．Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can. |
| C．Tell them you love them every morning. |
| D．Forgiveness is the key. |
| E．Parents will turn express their love to you. |
| F．After this, share your feelings with your parents. |
| G．Please remember parents are as important as friends. |
9 . I love training with my husband Chris. We do our own exercises separately, but then we really enjoy spending 30—40 minutes doing something we both like together. I also train with my family — my brother, his wife and our cousins will come to our house every now and then to train together. It's like family fun time! A little bit of competition also makes us work out harder.
Laziness, as you know, is contagious. But so is enthusiasm. If you can get your partner on board, you will be able to encourage each other on those days when the other doesn't feel like moving. If you set yourself a challenge and add competition to the mix, I promise you that the training will be much more fun. Time will fly by and you'll want to do it again.
This is why I wanted to learn Chris' favourite sport — surfing. Not only would we have more things to do together, but it would be a great challenge for me. In turn, I have introduced Chris to two of my favourite activities: horse riding and motorbiking. Now he also loves them, which means we have even more chances to have fun together. Encouraged by our example, my brother and his wife now train together too. This is what it's all about at the end of the day: quality time with your partner.
What if you don't have a partner? Well, I'm sure you have a friend who would love to train with you. Or, if you have young children, why not train in the backyard with another parent while they play? You just need some music. The important thing is to have a plan and to make the time to do it. It will be much more fun than doing it on your own.
1. How does the author train with her husband?| A．They train on a daily basis. | B．They start with separate training. |
| C．They train for half an hour each time. | D．They always try to do the same exercise. |
| A．Everyone gets more active. | B．Everyone relaxes after work. |
| C．Everyone is very competitive. | D．Everyone feels time is slowing down. |
| A．It's more for men than women. | B．It makes her feel discouraged. |
| C．It's not so hard as she expected. | D．It requires lots of hard work to learn. |
| A．To look for help. | B．To express thanks. |
| C．To make a promise. | D．To give encouragement. |
10 . About five years ago I started at a new school when my family moved to Iowa. I was just a little excited, but I worried I would never fit in with (适应) the other sixth graders.
Lucy, a girl in my class, who I thought was not ready for change, didn’t like me from the start. In fact, I was sure she hated me. I could tell she thought I was a fool.
My teacher made us sit by each other for the last term. Lucy was surprised that I didn’t wear makeup (化妆). I didn’t exactly look like the coolest girl. But, I kept smiling at her, though she rolled her eyes, and I kept telling her she looked beautiful, even when she was angry.
Finally, Lucy let me talk to her, even in sight of her “cool” friends. She started telling me how beautiful I looked. I still remember that first time when she smiled at me saying that, and I smiled right back, telling her thanks. Lucy invited me over to her house for a party, and talked to me all the time instead of her other friends.
I may move to Arizona after that, but I will never forget Lucy. She was a great friend. I still smiled at Lucy when she made fun of me. I’m not stupid, I didn’t think she was right in doing those things, but I still put up with (忍受) it. And we became great friends.
About two weeks ago, I read a sentence by Abraham Lincoln: “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?” Immediately, I smiled, thinking of Lucy.
1. When the author started at a new school in Iowa, she worried ________.| A．she couldn’t get along well with her classmates |
| B．she looked stupid when asking questions |
| C．she didn’t look like the coolest girl in her class |
| D．she was not ready for change at all |
| A．By wearing makeup. | B．By wearing beautiful clothes. |
| C．By keeping smiling at Lucy. | D．By sitting beside Lucy in class. |
| A．it was a waste of time to make friends with Lucy |
| B．it was right of her to suffer when making friends |
| C．it was foolish of her to smile at Lucy all the time |
| D．it was a shameful thing to put up with what Lucy did |
| A．Making friends means losing enemies. | B．Friendship needs to be cared for. |
| C．Kindness can beat any enemy. | D．Patience is important in making friends. |
