1 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

When a grandchild comes along for the first time, it’s important to have the right help. In our case, a lovely young couple seems    1    (absolute) perfect in bringing up our grandson. The new baby appears to really like them,    2    certainly takes away the worry for us grandparents.

Here’s the deal: we get the young couple to do most of the difficult work, like    3    (feed) the baby and changing nappies. He even lives    4    their house, which makes things a lot    5    (easy). We arrive for the good times, such as when the grandson is available to lie in our arms and glancing up at the world as if to comprehend its wonder.

Why, you may ask, would a young couple be willing    6    (do) all the hard work, while the grandparents enjoy the good times? It’s a fair question. When we arrive,     7    couple has usually been up, all night with dark circles. The grandchild, though, is full of energy. We, the grandparents, take    8    (turn) to rock him and he wriggles (扭动)in our arms. An hour    9    two later,when things are about to turn tricky, we hand him back to them and disappear down the steps.

Could these different work conditions really    10    (consider) fair? The young couple seems happy enough. The grandchild looks like them both, which may have helped.

2 . I woke to the sound of birds outside my window and lay in bed, going over the busy day ahead of me. Finally, I got up and attempted to switch on the light — nothing happened. I checked my phone. No Wi-Fi, no data. With our unstable cell service, there was no way of knowing if we had received alerts fbr a power failure. I grabbed a sweater, went downstairs, found a flashlight and a match to light the gas stove, and then boiled water to brew coffee. Outside the window, the falling snow obscured (遮蔽) the sunrise. Deep piles of snow covered the road.

My work meetings and deadlines, my sons’ classes and tests, my husband’s plans — everything would have to wait. Why does this happen today of all days?“ I asked. Thankfully, the wood stove was still going strong. I took a deep breath. I supposed we had everything we needed.

The house was quiet as I sipped my coffee and cuddled (搂抱) our dog. One by one, my husband and sons came downstairs and complained about the turn the day had taken.

I opened the curtains to let light in. We gathered around the table and had cereal. After breakfast, my husband played a game of solitaire. Then my sons joined him in building a house of cards that reached three levels until our cat jumped up to investigate and knocked it down. We played a round of Scrabble and had my favorite snow day lunch: grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Then we took a long walk in the woods behind our house, walking along the stream. We spotted deer tracks and played in the snow that was coming down in big fluffy flakes. When we returned, all the clocks in the house were blinking. I started to make dinner, happy to have things back to normal — even better than normal.

It was a day that began without electricity, cut off from the rest of the world, and ended with hot chocolate and power restored. We were recharged by the unexpected gift of a day together.

1. What did the author find when she woke up?

A．Heavy snow trapped the family in the house.

B．The electricity supply had been cut off.

C．It was still early for breakfast.

D．Her phone wouldn’t be turned on.

2. What was the direct impact of the power cut on the author’s family?

A．Their arrangements were upset.

B．They had to serve themselves with simple meals.

C．The family encountered a shortage of supplies.

D．Everyone was angry about this unexpected event.

3. Why did the author describe their family activities on that day?

A．To pave the way for her insight.

B．To present the daily life of the family.

C．To show the close family relationship.

D．To create a lighthearted atmosphere.

4. What did that day mean to the author?

A．It was a temporary disaster.

B．It was a day full of exciting adventures.

C．It was a lovely day of family togetherness.

D．It was a rare moment of leisure and freedom.

3 . Cook in the kitchen

Earlier last month, my parents and I had a free day — a rare event for us.     1    

For our weekend menu, we decided to make smoked pork. I found this recipe online. It looked interesting and the steps were simple. So we decided to make it for dinner one weekend.

First, according to the recipe, the pork needed to be salted. The process would take a long time.     2     Mom first thawed (解冻) the pork and then spread salt, sugar and pepper or the surface, After that, she wrapped the pork in a plastic film (塑料薄膜) and refrigerated it for two days.

    3     To make smoked dishes indoors, we needed to use aluminum foil (铝箔). After searching for it for a long time, we finally found the foil in the cupboard.

After that, Dad was responsible for slicing (切片) the pork, Mother was responsible for preparing the ingredients (佐料). I was responsible for spreading the black tea and sugar for smoking on the aluminum foil and then a layer of baking paper.     4     After more than ten minutes of smoking and a few minutes of frying, the smoked pork was complete.

    5     When combined with an apple vinegar sauce, the meat was even more delicious.

A．It was easy for me to make the food.

B．Pork is the main meat source of our food.

C．We decided to cook together in the kitchen.

D．Finally, I put the pork on the smoking shelf.

E．So, Mom started working on it early the night before.

F．Two days later, the pork was ready for the next steps.

G．The pork was very delicious and contained the special smell of black tea.

4 . Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages. If it’s hard for you to communicate with your parents, don’t worry about it. Here is some advice for you.

Don’t argue with your parents. Don’t try to talk about something with your parents when you are angry. Your parents probably won’t listen to you if you are shouting at them. Go somewhere else to cool off. Then think about what you want to say to your parents. If you think you can’t speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter to them.

Try to understand your parents. Your parents may think differently from you. Tell your parents what you think, what you care about and why. Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. Put yourself in their shoes and you may find a better way out.

Michael’s mother didn’t agree with him about buying a motorcycle. They argued over it. But they finally came to an agreement. Michael bought the motorcycle, but only drove it on certain days.

It is also important to show your love to your parents. Try to do some small things at home, like making them a cup of tea, helping do some chores, and so on. It helps to keep your relationship closer. A good relationship with your parents can make you a better and happier person. It is worth having a try.

1. The passage mainly talks about the communication problem between ________.

A．parents and school teachers

B．school kids and their parents

C．teachers and their students

D．parents and children of all ages

2. Your parents probably won’t listen to you if you don’t ________.

A．show your love to them	B．often stay with them
C．speak to them politely	D．do chores for them

3. The story of Micheal shows that it’s important to ________.

A．understand each other

B．stay away from your parents

C．argue with each other

D．disagree with your parents

4. Doing some small things at home can make your parents feel that ________.

A．you are happy

B．you love them

C．you like chores

D．you are relaxed

5. Which of the following is NOT true?

A．It’s certainly necessary to show your love to your parents.

B．It’s hard for all the teenagers to communicate with their parents.

C．Think it over before you want to talk to your parents about something.

D．Put yourself in your parents’ shoes and you may find some good ways to communicate with your parents.

5 . Family meetings help your relationship with your teenagers

One good way to build cooperation among everyone in a family is to have a regular family meeting. Getting into the habit of family meetings takes time. Making the meetings work takes effort    1    

Meet at a regular time. A regular time might be once a week. Plan to have the meeting last from twenty minutes to an hour.

Make a list of topics. Some people call this list of topics an agenda. Post it on the refrigerator. Then people can add to it during the days before the meeting    2    

    3    The leader reads the meeting list and keeps things on track. Still, letting each person in the family have a chance to lead is important. Younger children will need help to do this.

Take notes. Write down the agreements and plans made in the meeting. These written notes are the minutes. Take turns doing the job of note-taking    4    Some families put them on the refrigerator near the next meeting’s agenda. Ask teens and older children to read the notes to younger children who don’t read yet.

Do what you agree to do. Stick to agreements until the next meeting. If people want to change the agreements, they can do it then. Children, teenagers and parents are expected to do what agree to do,

Take time for fun.   Meetings are a good way to solve problems    5     To add fun to meetings, talk about good things. Thank each person for some help given during the week. Ask each person to do the same. Ask people to talk about what is good for them right now, This sets a positive tone. It also teaches your children to encourage other people and themselves.

A．Some people wonder if a family meeting is worth the effort

B．Here are some ideas to help you.

C．Find a place to post the notes so that everyone can read them.

D．This rule applies to parents as well as teens and younger children.

E．This helps you deal with the things that are important to each person in the family.

F．But that’s not all they are for.

G．Take turns being the leader.

6 . Most American families are smaller than the families in other countries. Most American families have one or two parents and one or two children each.

Children in the US will leave their parents’ home when they grow up. They usually live far from their parents because they want to find good jobs. They often write to their parents or telephone them. And they often go to visit their parents on holiday.

Parents usually let their children choose their own jobs. Americans think it important for young people to decide on their lives by themselves.

Children are asked to do some work around their house. And in many families, children are paid for doing some housework so that they learn how to make money for their own use.

1. Size of most American families is ________ that of other countries.

A．larger than

B．smaller than

C．as big as

D．as small as

2. American children grow up, they leave their parents’ home to ________.

A．get married

B．be free

C．find good jobs

D．study

3. American children visit their parents ________.

A．on weekdays

B．on weekends

C．at any time

D．on holiday

4. Parents pay their children for doing housework because ________.

A．children can learn how to make money for themselves

B．their children required them to do so

C．they are rich

D．it is required by law

5. Which of the following statements is WRONG?

A．Children have the freedom to choose their own job.

B．Parents don’t ask their children to do the housework.

C．Parents think it important for children to make their own decision.

D．When children grow up, they usually live far away from their home.

7 . Twenty years ago, cable services (有线服务)were relatively expensive. When we requested our cable services be lowered to the basic package, we found the cable company had________ our service instead. After learning that we would have to pay for________, we decided to give it up altogether.

________they could no longer watch their favorite television shows, our daughter________into her bedroom, screaming about the injustice of it all. Our son looked upset while he________that the only shows he ever watched were cable-only stations.

I admit that the first week was the________. With so much time in hand, my children began________over little things. After a week of listening to my children constantly quarreling, I was almost________to re-order cable but gave up at the last minute. In the third week I was pleased to announce that no one had died of________. The children started enjoying more physical activities. We also organized________activities that requested the whole family's involvement. Besides, when I needed the children's help, I________heard, "Just a minute, Mom. I'll be there during the next________"

We found more time to talk with each other. We________the pleasure of reading, and board games had become a family affair. It truly was a________and a great way to reacquaint (重新熟悉) ourselves with one another. After all, shared activities and family affection________anything.

1.

A．put off

B．cut off

C．turned down

D．taken down

2.

A．reconnection

B．repair

C．improvement

D．change

3.

A．Wondering

B．Remembering

C．Assuming

D．Realizing

4.

A．slid

B．wandered

C．stormed

D．skipped

5.

A．complained

B．explained

C．admitted

D．described

6.

A．silliest

B．strangest

C．busiest

D．hardest

7.

A．arguing

B．worrying

C．thinking

D．watching

8.

A．able

B．ready

C．stressful

D．grateful

9.

A．illness

B．sadness

C．anger

D．boredom

10.

A．bonding

B．pleasant

C．complex

D．training

11.

A．accidentally

B．usually

C．hardly

D．eventually

12.

A．absence

B．commercial

C．activity

D．game

13.

A．reevaluated

B．rediscovered

C．reconsidered

D．redefined

14.

A．relief

B．reward

C．blessing

D．sacrifice

15.

A．deserve

B．show

C．outweigh

D．influence

8 . Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two children, Kevin and Jenny. The whole family are all busy, so they often leave notes to each other. Here are these four notes of today.

3:30 pm To Kevin, Mr. King rang, telling there is no football practice today, and he asked you to get ready for the football match tomorrow. Jenny	4:00 pm To Jenny, It’s your turn to walk our pet dog Teddy and play with him after school. Kevin
6:45 pm To all, Has anyone found my tennis shoes? I’m doing my homework in my bedroom. Kevin	9:00 pm To Kevin, I saw your shoes this morning.   They smelt terrible so I put them outside the back door. Good night, dear! Mum

1. _____________ was asked to walk the pet dog after school.

A．Mum

B．Kevin

C．Jenny

D．July

2. What will Kevin probably do tomorrow?

A．Play with Teddy.

B．Play tennis.

C．Play in a football match.

D．Go shopping

3. What can we learn from the notes?

A．Teddy doesn’t like to stay at home.	B．Mr.   King may be a coach.
C．Mum washed Kevin’s shoes.	D．Teddy doesn’t like to go shopping

9 . How to Exercise at Home

You’ve got home from work, planned and prepared a nutritious yet also delicious dinner and now it’s time to put on some sports clothes and head to the gym. No?     1    .

Take advantage of your stairs

Here is a question.     2    ? Bring the washing down, carry the ironing up, rush to the bathroom, remember what it was you went upstairs for in the first place. Take the opportunity to burn some calories just going about your normal routine, but do it in half the time; instead of just walking up them, try taking the stairs two at a time.

    3    

Make the most of the housework!     4    , set aside half an hour and get yourself on a mission to do the whole house. Even the modern, lightweight vacuum cleaners(吸尘器)do require a bit of effort to push around, go backwards and forwards, deep into the corners and, if you can sing along with the music, then so much the better!

Turn grocery delivery into a workout

    5    , but that doesn’t help with maintaining an active lifestye. So when your delivery driver drops your groceries off, why not build a little weights routine into the unpacking? Four packs of beans and noodles make great substitute(代替)weights, so strengthen your muscle with a pack in each hand.

A．Turn to a vacuum cleaner

B．Make housework your workout

C．How many steps are there in your house

D．Rather than just vacuuming one room at a time

E．In that case, here are some home workout suggestions

F．How many times a day do you go up and down the stairs

G．Many of us now use online shopping to make our busy lives a little easier

10 . Let’s face it: Nobody really likes doing chores (家务) around the house. But at a certain age, our kids are old enough to start lending a hand with the housework.     1     But what exactly are the benefits that young children and teenagers get from doing chores?

Chores help teach life skills. They’re young now, but they won’t be kids forever! Washing clothes, cooking and cleaning the room are just some of the skills kids will need once they finally move out.     2     So it is really important to make kids learn them at home.

Chores teach kids how to follow directions. Whether you are giving instructions to a small child or a teenager, describing what you are expecting them to do and then doing it will teach them how to follow directions.    3     Remember, only age-proper instructions can help them learn this important skill.

Chores teach responsibility and respect. Having your children clean up their own messes will give them a sense of responsibility. Task them with assisting in making the family’s meals.     4    These will help them understand all that their parents do to keep the home running smoothly and be more respectful of it.

    5    Everyone in our home has their own jobs to do in order to allow our house to function. It not only lessens our own stress level and to-do list, but it teaches our kids that we all must work together as a team. They may complain, but they’ve come to understand that the chores they are tasked with each day or week are all a bigger part of keeping the family functioning.

A．Chores encourage teamwork.

B．They can benefit from doing this.

C．Or let them sort their own clothes.

D．Speak to them at a level they'll understand.

E．These are also things that schools do not fully teach.

F．Encouraging kids to do chores will build their confidence.

G．Chores help improve planning and time management skills.