People of older generations often complain about the selfishness and lack of respect they find among the younger generations. It is undeniable that some young people do need to be educated on mutual respect and concern for others, especially senior members of society. But we older people should have some understanding about the young, too.

Today' s society is rather different from what it was when we were young. The social，financial and psychological pressure today' s young people have to face is much higher than what we did back in the 1950s through the 1990s.

They are in the early stage of their career. They have to find proper jobs to support themselves and work diligently to rise. They have to live in smaller houses, because they are unable to afford the soaring housing prices. Considering these facts，we may find it understandable why young people

sometimes appear aloof(冷淡的) and disrespectful.

I don't mean that we should put up with it without reminding them of the need to mend their ways. What I mean is that we should be more patient, understanding and tolerant toward them.

For instance，when we get up on a bus or a subway train，we should not complain about not being offered a seat. A young person does not offer a senior citizen his/her seat probably because he/ she has to travel a long way to work or because the carriage is too crowded for one to move at all.

In fact,young people do offer their seats to the seniors. I seldom take a bus or a subway train, but more than a quarter of the times I have done so,I was offered a seat. That is fair enough, given that I do not look so senile(年老的)   .

But on occasions，I have seen old people not showing any sign of gratitude when offered a seat.

China has become an aging society since the end of the last century. According to a recent survey， people older than 60 accounted for 11.4 percent of the nation, s population. And the percentage is expected to rise，given the one-child family planning policy our country has practiced for more than three decades.

In other words，the younger generations will have to shoulder a heavier burden in looking after the parents and grandparents. Theoretically, there will come a day when one couple may have to support four parents and eight grandparents. What a burden it would be！

All this demands that we show more concern and understanding to our younger generations.

(   ) 8. What can be the best title for the text?

     A. Should the Young Show Respect for the Old?

    B. Young People Deserve More Understanding

    C. Who Should Be Blamed,the Young Or the Old?

    D. A Debate Between the Young and the Old

(   ) 9. The author，s attitude towards young people，s not giving up seats to the old is   .

A. unreasonable B. unacceptable C. understandable D. unusual 

(   ) 10. According to the passage, the underlined phrase "mend their ways" is closest in meaning to "          ”.

     A. give way to the old    B. stop behaving badly

    C. respect the old    D.take on more responsibilities

(   ) 11. Which of the following will the author agree with?

     A. It is the old rather than the young who are to blame for their misunderstanding.

    B. It is time that the society lightened the burden on the shoulder of the young.

    C. It is time to change China' s one-child family planning policy.

    D. The old and the young need mutual understanding. 

(   ) 12. How is the passage mainly developed?

A. By reasoning.     B. By comparing.

C. By listing examples.  D. By following the natural time order.

The British aren’t having as many children as they used to. One reason is that people are having children much older than before, meaning they have fewer years in which they can have them. After years at university, they need a few years of work experience before they can get the job they want. They might then get married, but it’s incredibly expensive to buy a house in the UK.
The above explains why young British people now don’t move out of their parents’ home until they are around 30 years old on average. It is not until they are 30 that they can afford their own home. Increasingly, it is not until that age that they can afford to get married and start a new life in a new home. It’s only after this age that many young people start thinking about having a child.
So a British person manages to get a job, get a home and get married. Why isn’t he or she then having at least two children on average? The main reason is that it is quite expensive to bring up a child in the UK. Why is it expensive? Well, these days, both parents need to work just to pay for their home and living expenses. Because both parents are at work, that means they then need to pay someone to look after their child during the day. Paying for this childcare is nearly always expensive.
The recent financial crisis is making things even harder for families, since unemployment is rising and even fewer people can afford to have children. With so much pressure on families, is it any surprise that the divorce rate is so high?
So what is Britain doing to try and save the British family? The government is trying to make it cheaper to have children. For example, there have been increases in money families can claim from the state each month. Also, there are increasing government subsidies for nursery schools, so that parents do not need to pay so much for child care.
The government is also trying to reduce the number of hours British parents have to work to earn enough money to pay their bills. If parents didn’t have to work so many hours, they’d have more time to spend with their children and wouldn’t need to spend so much on childcare. On average, a Briton works 49 hours a week, which is the most in Europe. The state is now considering introducing laws to encourage companies to improve their employees’ work-life balance. Let’s hope they’re not too late to save the British family. Otherwise, the British will always be too tired, and won’t have enough time and money, to have children.
【小題1】Young British people live in their parents’ home until around 30 because         .

The British aren’t having as many children as they used to. One reason is that people are having children much older than before, meaning they have fewer years in which they can have them. After years at university, they need a few years of work experience before they can get the job they want. They might then get married, but it’s incredibly expensive to buy a house in the UK.

The above explains why young British people now don’t move out of their parents’ home until they are around 30 years old on average. It is not until they are 30 that they can afford their own home. Increasingly, it is not until that age that they can afford to get married and start a new life in a new home. It’s only after this age that many young people start thinking about having a child.

So a British person manages to get a job, get a home and get married. Why isn’t he or she then having at least two children on average? The main reason is that it is quite expensive to bring up a child in the UK. Why is it expensive? Well, these days, both parents need to work just to pay for their home and living expenses. Because both parents are at work, that means they then need to pay someone to look after their child during the day. Paying for this childcare is nearly always expensive.

The recent financial crisis is making things even harder for families, since unemployment is rising and even fewer people can afford to have children. With so much pressure on families, is it any surprise that the divorce rate is so high?

So what is Britain doing to try and save the British family? The government is trying to make it cheaper to have children. For example, there have been increases in money families can claim from the state each month. Also, there are increasing government subsidies for nursery schools, so that parents do not need to pay so much for child care.

The government is also trying to reduce the number of hours British parents have to work to earn enough money to pay their bills. If parents didn’t have to work so many hours, they’d have more time to spend with their children and wouldn’t need to spend so much on childcare. On average, a Briton works 49 hours a week, which is the most in Europe. The state is now considering introducing laws to encourage companies to improve their employees’ work-life balance. Let’s hope they’re not too late to save the British family. Otherwise, the British will always be too tired, and won’t have enough time and money, to have children.

1.Young British people live in their parents’ home until around 30 because         .

A．They are allowed to get married at 30

B．they can’t find jobs to support themselves

C．they can’t afford a house of their own until then

D．they enjoy family life with their parents

2.The British are now having fewer children than before for all the following reasons EXCEPT that         .

A．they have fewer years to have children

B．they live much shorter lives than before

C．it is more expensive to bring up a child

D．people are losing their jobs because of the recent financial crisis

3.To make it cheaper to have children, the British government is         .

A．bringing down prices

B．raising the salaries of parents

C．reducing family income tax

D．increasing subsidies for families and nursery schools

4.It can be inferred from the text that         .

A．with long work hours, it is hard for British parents to balance life and work

B．more and more families in Britain are breaking up because they are having fewer children

C．a(chǎn)mong Europeans, British people work hardest and earn the least

D．childcare takes up too much energy and time for the British

5.The underlined word “subsidies” in Paragraph 5 means _________.

A．food paid by the government

B．school buildings for poor students

C．free transportation

D．money from the government to benefit the public

It would be pleasant to believe that all young girls in the past got married for romantic reasons; but the fact is that many of them regarded marriage as their only chance to gain independence from their parents, to have a provider, or to be assured of a good place in society. A couple of generations ago, an old maid of twenty-five did not have much to look forward to, she was more or less fated to remain with her parents or to live in some relative’s home where she would help with the chores and the children. Not so any more. In the first place, women remain young much longer than they used to, and an unmarried woman of twenty-eight or thirty does not feel that her life is over. Besides, since she is probably working and supporting herself, she is free to marry only when and if she chooses. As a result, today’s women tend(傾向) to marry later in life. They have fewer children-or none at all—if they prefer to devote themselves to their profession. The result is a decline in the birthrate.

The new role that women have developed for themselves has changed family life. Children are raised differently; they spend more time with adults who are not their parents: baby sitters, day-care center personnel, relatives, or neighbors. Whether they gain or lose in the process is a hotly debated question. Some child experts believe that young children must spend all their time with their mother if they are to grow sound in body and mind. Others think that children get more from a mother who spends with them “quality time” (a time of fun and relaxation set aside for them) rather than hours of forced and unhappy baby sitting. And many child psychologists point out that children kept in day-care centers every day are brighter than those raised at home. No matter what it is, one thing about child-raising to be certain of is that the longer the child is with the mother, the better.

1.It can be concluded from the passage that______.

A. women today have developed a new role in family life

B. the birthrate is declining as a result of women’s pursuit (追求) of careers

C. women have always been dependent on their parents even after marriage

D. children must spend all their time with their mother if they are to grow sound

2.The change in women’s attitude towards marriage results in all of the following EXCEPT _________.

A. more and more women quit (leave) jobs to take care of their children at home

B. women today tend to marry later than they did

C. women have less time to raise children

D. more and more families remain childless

3.People have different opinions over the question as to______.

A. how children should be raised

B. where children should be raised

C. whether children should stay with their parents

D. how long children should stay with their parents

4.The author suggests that______.

A. working women should not have children

B. children should be kept in day-care centers all the time

C. young children should stay with their mother as long as possible

D. women should leave their work to look after their children at home

The British aren’t having as many children as they used to. One reason is that people are having children much older than before, meaning they have fewer years in which they can have them. After years at university, they need a few years of work experience before they can get the job they want. They might then get married, but it’s incredibly expensive to buy a house in the UK.
The above explains why young British people now don’t move out of their parents’ home until they are around 30 years old on average. It is not until they are 30 that they can afford their own home. Increasingly, it is not until that age that they can afford to get married and start a new life in a new home. It’s only after this age that many young people start thinking about having a child.
So a British person manages to get a job, get a home and get married. Why isn’t he or she then having at least two children on average? The main reason is that it is quite expensive to bring up a child in the UK. Why is it expensive? Well, these days, both parents need to work just to pay for their home and living expenses. Because both parents are at work, that means they then need to pay someone to look after their child during the day. Paying for this childcare is nearly always expensive.
The recent financial crisis is making things even harder for families, since unemployment is rising and even fewer people can afford to have children. With so much pressure on families, is it any surprise that the divorce rate is so high?
So what is Britain doing to try and save the British family? The government is trying to make it cheaper to have children. For example, there have been increases in money families can claim from the state each month. Also, there are increasing government subsidies for nursery schools, so that parents do not need to pay so much for child care.
The government is also trying to reduce the number of hours British parents have to work to earn enough money to pay their bills. If parents didn’t have to work so many hours, they’d have more time to spend with their children and wouldn’t need to spend so much on childcare. On average, a Briton works 49 hours a week, which is the most in Europe. The state is now considering introducing laws to encourage companies to improve their employees’ work-life balance. Let’s hope they’re not too late to save the British family. Otherwise, the British will always be too tired, and won’t have enough time and money, to have children

1. 1.

   Young British people live in their parents’ home until around 30 because         

   1. A.
      They are allowed to get married at 30
   2. B.
      they can’t find jobs to support themselves
   3. C.
      they can’t afford a house of their own until then
   4. D.
      they enjoy family life with their parents
2. 2.

   The British are now having fewer children than before for all the following reasons EXCEPT that         

   1. A.
      they have fewer years to have children
   2. B.
      they live much shorter lives than before
   3. C.
      it is more expensive to bring up a child
   4. D.
      people are losing their jobs because of the recent financial crisis
3. 3.

   To make it cheaper to have children, the British government is         

   1. A.
      bringing down prices
   2. B.
      raising the salaries of parents
   3. C.
      reducing family income tax
   4. D.
      increasing subsidies for families and nursery schools
4. 4.

   It can be inferred from the text that         

   1. A.
      with long work hours, it is hard for British parents to balance life and work
   2. B.
      more and more families in Britain are breaking up because they are having fewer children
   3. C.
      among Europeans, British people work hardest and earn the least
   4. D.
      childcare takes up too much energy and time for the British
5. 5.

   The underlined word “subsidies” in Paragraph 5 means _________

   1. A.
      food paid by the government
   2. B.
      school buildings for poor students
   3. C.
      free transportation
   4. D.
      money from the government to benefit the public

The Come-back Coffeehouse The sign in the window read "Carl's Coffee Shoppe," spelled the old-fashioned way．Hallie shook her head and wondered how many times she had suggested an alternative．She entered the shop and saw only one person.

"I could help with the books, Dad", Hallie offered, "There's not much you could do." Her father signed．"How about if you clean the counters instead?" His statement made her feel like a little girl instead of a senior in high school．Hallie sprayed some cleanser and ran a cloth over the worn countertops．After she had washed a few of the old eggshell-colored cups, she began her homework．At closing time, Hallie's parents sat beside her．"You know the shop has not been profitable lately," Mr．Rhodes began．"We need to decide if it is even worth keeping it open." "We're going to visit Uncle Harold over spring vacation." Mrs．Rhodes continued．"He can look over the books and tell us what our options are．You and Aunt Tess will run the shop for the week."

By spring vacation Hallie was ready for an adventure．Hllie's parents gave some instructions, and said good-bye．Hallie stared absently out the window at the passersby: young people on their way to work, and kids on their school vacation．They were not the same people that her grandpa Carl had served．Suddenly Hallie had an idea．She confided in Aunt Tess, who approved．The two eagerly set to work.

At the end of the week, Hallie was coming out from the kitchen when she saw her parents standing in the shop, confused．She smiled as her parents stared at the teens around the counter and the young families seated at the tables.

"Welcome back!" Hallie swept her arms to present the restaurant's cheerful new decoration．Bright, attractive coverings spread over the tables, and modern posters hung on the walls, while, colorful mismatched dishes contributed to the pleasant atmosphere."

"I brought board games from home," Hallie added excitedly, "and the bookstore down the street donated the posters．When we talked to our friends about what we were doing, they were happy to give us some dishes." Hallie held her breath as she waited for her parents' reaction.

"Everyone certainly seems to like the changes," noted Mrs．Rhodes.

"Speaking of changes," Mr．Rhodes said, "I see our name has changed, too."

"Do you mind? I changed our name to 'Come-Back Coffeehouse' to make the shop sound welcoming, as in 'Please come back again'..."

A smile spread across her father's face．"The new name is fitting．Thanks to you, this place certainly has made a comeback!"

1.What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?

A．Hallie trusted Aunt Tess very much.

B．Hallie took charge of the books for her parents.

C．Hallie's parents didn't take her opinions seriously.

D．Hallie's parents didn't count on the shop for a living.

2.What do we learn about "Carl's Coffee Shoppe"?

A．It is behind the times．

B．It has regular customers.

C．It is located on a quiet street．

D．It follows family traditions well.

3.What did Hallie do after her parents left?

A．She advertised for the shop.

B．She made the shop more attractive.

C．She invited her friends to the shop.

D．She turned the shop into an activity center.

4.What kind of girl in Hallie?

A．Smart and helpful．

B．Modest and out-going.

C．Optimistic and generous．

D．Faithful and hardworking.

The Come-back Coffeehouse

The sign in the window read "Carl's Coffee Shoppe," spelled the old-fashioned way. Hallie shook her head and wondered how many times she had suggested an alternative. She entered the shop and saw only one person.

"I could help with the books, Dad"，Hallie offered, "There's not much you could do." Her father signed. "How about if you clean the counters instead?" His statement made her feel like a little girl instead of a senior in high school. Hallie sprayed some cleanser and ran a cloth over the worn countertops, After she had washed a few of the old eggshell-colored cups, she began her homework. At closing time， Hallie's parents sat beside her. "You know the shop has not been profitable lately," Mr. Rhodes began. "We need to decide if it is even worth keeping it open." "We're going to visit Uncle Harold over spring vacation." Mrs, Rhodes continued. "He can look over the books and tell us what our options are. You and Aunt Tess will run the shop for the week."

By spring vacation Hallie was ready for an adventure. Hllie's parents gave some instructions, and said good-bye. Hallie stared absently out the window at the passersby: young people on their way to work, and kids on their school vacation. They were not the same people that her grandpa Carl had served. Suddenly Hallie had an idea. She confided in Aunt Tess, who approved. The two eagerly set to work.

At the end of the week, Hallie was coming out from the kitchen when she saw her parents standing in the shop, confused. She smiled as her parents staredat the teens around the counter and the young families seated at the tables.

"Welcome back!" Hallie swept her arms to present the restaurant'scheerful new decoration. Bright, attractive coverings spread over the tables, and modern posters hung on the walls, while, colorful mismatched dishes contributed to the pleasant atmosphere."

I brought board games from home," Hallie added excitedly, "and the bookstore down the street donated the posters. When we talked to our friends about what we were doing, they were happy to give us some dishes." Hallieheld her breath as she waited for her parents' reaction.

"Everyone certainly seems to like the changes," noted Mrs. Rhodes.

"Speaking of changes," Mr. Rhodes said, "I see our name has changed, too."

"Do you mind? I changed our name to 'Come-Back Coffeehouse' to make the shop sound welcoming, as in 'Please come back again'..."

A smile spread across her father's face. “The new name is fitting.” Thanks to you, this place certainly has made a comeback!"

1.What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?

A. Hallie trusted Aunt Tess very much.

B. Hallie took charge of the books for her parents.

C. Hallie's parents didn't take her opinions seriously.

D. Hallie's parents didn't count on the shop for a living.

2.What do we learn about "Carl's Coffee Shoppe"?

A. It is behind the times.

B. It has regular customers.

C. It is located on a quiet street.

D. It follows family traditions well.

3.What did Hallie do after her parents left?

A. She advertised for the shop.

B. She made the shop more attractive.

C. She invited her friends to the shop.

D. She turned the shop into an activity center.

4.What kind of girl in Hallie?

A. Smart and helpful. B. Modest and out-going.

C. Optimistic and generous. D. Faithful and hardworking.

Mrs. Black is sixty-nine years old. She only has a daughter named Sandra. Mr. Black died twelve years ago. Mrs. Black was very sad and lived in her house alone. Two years ago her daughter had a baby. The young woman was busy all the time and had no time to look after her son James. She asked her mother to live with them.

The old woman had to sell her house and moved there. She was strong and could do all the housework. And the family liked her.

Last autumn Mrs. Black went to do some shopping. A car hit her and her leg was hurt. She had to be in hospital for three months. She couldn't do anything after she came back. At first her daughter was kind to her, but soon she began to be tired of (討厭) her. The old woman wanted to leave, but she had no money to buy a house and nobody could take care of her. She didn't know what to do.

One morning Mrs. Black broke a plate. It made her daughter angry. She told James to buy a wooden (木制的) plate for his grandma. That afternoon James came back with two wooden plates. She was surprised and asked, "Why did you buy two plates, son?"

"One is for grandma," answered the boy, "the other is for you! You will also have to use a wooden plate when you're old, I think."

The woman heard this and was sad. She cried for long. Now she is kind to her mother as she was before.

1.Sandra asked her mother to live with them because ______.

A. the old woman lived alone

B. she needed her help

C. the old woman couldn't look after herself

D. the old woman could give her much money

2.The family liked Mrs. Black at first because ______.

A. she was very rich

B. she could watch their door

C. she could do all the housework for them

D. she was friendly to them all

3. Mrs. Black couldn’t leave her daughter’s house because she ______ .

A. she had no house to live in

B. Her daughter’s family didn’t like her any longer

C. Sandra couldn't go to see her any more

D. She could help her daughter do all the housework

4.James bought a wooden plate for his mother because ______.

A. he didn't love her

B. he liked it

C. he hoped she would be kind to his grandma

D. she often broke the plates at home

5. Sandra is friendly to her mother again because ______.

A. she knows she did wrong B. she was afraid of her son

C. the old woman is poor D. it's her duty

Mrs. Black is sixty-nine years old. She only has a daughter named Sandra. Mr. Black died twelve years ago. Mrs. Black was very sad and lived in her house alone. Two years ago her daughter had a baby. The young woman was busy all the time and had no time to look after her son James. She asked her mother to live with them. The old woman had to sell her house and moved there. She was strong and could do all the housework. And the family liked her.

Last autumn Mrs. Black went to do some shopping. A car hit her and her leg was hurt. She had to be in hospital for three months. She couldn't do anything after she came back.

At first her daughter was kind to her, but soon she began to be tired of (厭) her. The old woman wanted to leave, but she had no money to buy a house and nobody could take care of her. She didn't know what to do.

One morning Mrs. Black broke a plate. It made her daughter angry. She told James to buy a wooden plate for his grandma. That afternoon James came back with two wooden plates. She was surprised and asked, "Why did you buy two plates, son ""One is for grandma," answered the boy, "the other is for you! You will also have to use a wooden plate when you're old, I think."

The woman heard this and was sad. She cried for long. Now she is kind to her mother as she was before.

1.Sandra asked her mother to live with them because ____ __.

A.the old woman lived alone

B.she needed her help

C.the old woman couldn't look after herself

D.the old woman could give her much money

2. The family liked Mrs. Black at first because __ ____.

A.she was very rich

B.she could watch their door

C.she could do all the housework for them

D.she was friendly to them all

3.Mrs. Black couldn’t leave her daughter’s house because ___ ___ .

A.she had no house to live in

B.Her daughter’s family didn’t like her any longer

C.Sandra couldn't go to see her anymore

D.She could help her daughter do all the housework

4.James bought a wooden plate for his mother because _____ _.

A.he didn't love her

B.he liked it

C.he hoped she would be kind to his grandma

D.she often broke the plates at home

5.Sandra is kind to her mother again because ____ __.

A.she knows she did wrong B.she was afraid of her son

C.the old woman is poor D.it's her duty

Mrs. Black is sixtynine years old. She only has a daughter named Sandra. Mr. Black died twelve years ago. Mrs. Black was very sad and lived in her house alone. Two years ago her daughter had a baby. The young woman was busy all the time and had no time to look after her son James. She asked her mother to live with them.

The old woman had to sell her house and moved there. She was strong and could do all the housework. And the family liked her.

Last autumn Mrs. Black went to do some shopping. A car hit her and her leg was hurt. She had to be in hospital for three months. She couldn't do anything after she came back. At first her daughter was kind to her,but soon she began to be tired of (討厭) her. The old woman wanted to leave,but she had no money to buy a house and nobody could take care of her. She didn't know what to do.

One morning Mrs. Black broke a plate. It made her daughter angry. She told James to buy a wooden (木制的) plate for his grandma. That afternoon James came back with two wooden plates. She was surprised and asked, "Why did you buy two plates,son?"

"One is for grandma," answered the boy, "the other is for you!You will also have to use a wooden plate when you're old,I think."

The woman heard this and was sad. She cried for long. Now she is kind to her mother as she was before.

(   ) 11. Sandra asked her mother to live with them because         .

   A. the old woman lived alone

   B. she needed her help

   C. the old woman couldn't look after herself

   D. the old woman could give her much money

(   ) 12. The family liked Mrs. Black at first because .

   A. she was very rich

   B. she could watch their door

   C. she could do all the housework for them

   D. she was friendly to them all

(   ) 13. Mrs. Black couldn't leave her daughter¹ s        house because she .

   A. she had no house to live in

   B. she couldn't look after herself

   C. Sandra couldn't go to see her any more

   D. A and B

(   ) 14. James bought a wooden plate for his mother because         .

   A. he didn't love her

   B. he liked it

   C. he hoped she would be kind to his grandma

   D. she often broke the plates at home

(   ) 15. Sandra is friendly to her mother again because       .

   A. she knows she did wrong

   B. she is afraid of her son

   C. the old woman is poor

   D. it's her duty

Mrs. Black is sixty-nine years old. She only has a daughter named Sandra. Mr. Black died twelve years ago. Mrs. Black was very sad and lived in her house alone. Two years ago her daughter had a baby. The young woman was busy all the time and had no time to look after her son James. She asked her mother to live with them. The old woman had to sell her house and moved there. She was strong and could do all the housework. And the family liked her.

Last autumn Mrs. Black went to do some shopping. A car hit her and her leg was hurt. She had to be in hospital for three months. She couldn't do anything after she came back.

At first her daughter was kind to her, but soon she began to be tired of (厭) her. The old woman wanted to leave, but she had no money to buy a house and nobody could take care of her. She didn't know what to do.

One morning Mrs. Black broke a plate. It made her daughter angry. She told James to buy a wooden plate for his grandma. That afternoon James came back with two wooden plates. She was surprised and asked, "Why did you buy two plates, son ""One is for grandma," answered the boy, "the other is for you! You will also have to use a wooden plate when you're old, I think."

The woman heard this and was sad. She cried for long. Now she is kind to her mother as she was before.

1.Sandra asked her mother to live with them because ____ __.

A.the old woman lived alone

B.she needed her help

C.the old woman couldn't look after herself

D.the old woman could give her much money

2. The family liked Mrs. Black at first because __ ____.

A.she was very rich

B.she could watch their door

C.she could do all the housework for them

D.she was friendly to them all

3.Mrs. Black couldn’t leave her daughter’s house because ___ ___ .

A.she had no house to live in

B.Her daughter’s family didn’t like her any longer

C.Sandra couldn't go to see her anymore

D.She could help her daughter do all the housework

4.James bought a wooden plate for his mother because _____ _.

A.he didn't love her

B.he liked it

C.he hoped she would be kind to his grandma

D.she often broke the plates at home

5.Sandra is kind to her mother again because ____ __.

A.she knows she did wrong B.she was afraid of her son

C.the old woman is poor D.it's her duty

I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard a young voice.“Mom，come here！There's this lady here my size！”
The mother rushed to her son；then she turned to me to say sorry to me.
I smiled and told her，“It's OK.”Then I talked to the boy，“Hi，I'm Dory Kramer. How are you？”
He studied me from head to toe，and asked，“Are you a little mommy？”
“Yes，I have a son,” I answered.
“Why are you so little?”he asked.
“It's the way I was born,” I said.“Some people are little. Some are tall. I'm just not going to grow any bigger.”After I answered his other questions，I shook the boy's hand and left.
My life as a little person is filled with stories like that. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents.
It takes only one glance( 一瞥) to see I’m different. I stand three feet nine inches tall(="1.14" metres).I was born a dwarf.In spite of this，I did all the things other kids did when I was growing up.
I didn't realize how short I was until I started school. Some kids called me names (辱罵).Then I knew. I began to hate the first day of school each year.
But I learned to smile and face the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life. What I lacked in height，I made up for in personality. When people are rude，I remind myself，“Look what else I have-a great family，nice friends.”

1. 1.

   Why did the mother say sorry to Dory Kramer?

   1. A.
      Because the boy ran into the author.
   2. B.
      Because the boy hit the author.
   3. C.
      Because the boy said the author was fatter than him.
   4. D.
      Because the mother thought the boy's words had hurt the author.
2. 2.

   What does a dwarf look like?

   1. A.
      Of medium height.
   2. B.
      Very tall.
   3. C.
      Very short.
   4. D.
      Very thin.
3. 3.

   When did the author realize that she was too short?

   1. A.
      When she grew up.
   2. B.
      When she was 47 years old.
   3. C.
      When she began to go to school.
   4. D.
      When she met the boy in the supermarket.
4. 4.

   What does the sentence “What I lacked in height，I made up for in personality”mean?

   1. A.
      Although I am not tall, I often dress up to make myself different.
   2. B.
      Although I am not tall, I can make myself tall by dressing up.
   3. C.
      Although I am not tall, I try to keep it as my personal secrets.
   4. D.
      Although I am not tall, I can make myself good with good personal qualities.

I looked at my beautiful Christmas tree and sighed. It was time. The New Year was a week old and my tree still stood in the corner of our room with its collection of memories proudly displayed in a shower of colorful lights. I’d procrastinated（拖延，耽擱）long enough.
I got up, went to the garage and dragged all the boxes into the room. The garland(花環(huán))was the first to come down. The tree looked naked(光禿禿的)already. I took the large ornament（裝飾物）off next. They made a large pile on our bed. An hour later, our bed was covered with Christmas memories. Each pile contained an ornament along with its matching brothers and sisters from sets purchased many years ago.
I prepared the boxes and carefully placed ornaments in their protective packaging, pausing every few minutes to admire a favorite. “Hey, little Santa!” I held the Santa from my childhood. “Thanks for being my friend for almost fifty years.” He was a little ragged but still gives me a flood of wonderful memories. “Until next year, my dear friend.”
There was a collection of handmade ones. My children made in the their first years of school, more than twenty years ago. Made by tiny hands, they are far from perfect in design, but every year they go on my memory tree－memories of young giggles(咯咯地笑)on Christmas morning and a smiling face when they handed them to me when I came home from work. “Look what we made, Daddy!”
“Oh! It is beautiful. Let’s find a special spot on the tree for it.” Every year since, they are displayed.
A few hours after I started, the filled boxes were back in the garage, the room was vacuumed(用吸塵器清掃)and I sat staring at a barren(空蕩蕩的)corner. The room seemed so empty. It took me two days of work to assemble(收集)and decorate my tree, but only a few hours to take it apart.
My tree is like a good marriage or a great friendship. Like the tree, they take a long time to assemble and decorate with memories, but can be torn down quickly.
Every year I have to put my tree away, but not my marriage or friendships. I take great care of those. They get to glow in the corner of my life for as long as I live. I get to analyze my tree and find memories for a few weeks every year. I can do the same with the loves in my life every day. Take great care of your friendships and your marriage. Once they come down, they aren’t as easy to put back together as a Christmas tree. Stand them in that special spot in the corner of your heart and admire their glow.
【小題1】In the author’s eyes, the Christmas tree      .

I looked at my beautiful Christmas tree and sighed. It was time. The New Year was a week old and my tree still stood in the corner of our room with its collection of memories proudly displayed in a shower of colorful lights. I’d procrastinated（拖延，耽擱）long enough.

I got up, went to the garage and dragged all the boxes into the room. The garland(花環(huán))was the first to come down. The tree looked naked(光禿禿的)already. I took the large ornament（裝飾物）off next. They made a large pile on our bed. An hour later, our bed was covered with Christmas memories. Each pile contained an ornament along with its matching brothers and sisters from sets purchased many years ago.

I prepared the boxes and carefully placed ornaments in their protective packaging, pausing every few minutes to admire a favorite. “Hey, little Santa!” I held the Santa from my childhood. “Thanks for being my friend for almost fifty years.” He was a little ragged but still gives me a flood of wonderful memories. “Until next year, my dear friend.”

There was a collection of handmade ones. My children made in the their first years of school, more than twenty years ago. Made by tiny hands, they are far from perfect in design, but every year they go on my memory tree－memories of young giggles(咯咯地笑)on Christmas morning and a smiling face when they handed them to me when I came home from work. “Look what we made, Daddy!”

“Oh! It is beautiful. Let’s find a special spot on the tree for it.” Every year since, they are displayed.

A few hours after I started, the filled boxes were back in the garage, the room was vacuumed(用吸塵器清掃)and I sat staring at a barren(空蕩蕩的)corner. The room seemed so empty. It took me two days of work to assemble(收集)and decorate my tree, but only a few hours to take it apart.

My tree is like a good marriage or a great friendship. Like the tree, they take a long time to assemble and decorate with memories, but can be torn down quickly.

Every year I have to put my tree away, but not my marriage or friendships. I take great care of those. They get to glow in the corner of my life for as long as I live. I get to analyze my tree and find memories for a few weeks every year. I can do the same with the loves in my life every day. Take great care of your friendships and your marriage. Once they come down, they aren’t as easy to put back together as a Christmas tree. Stand them in that special spot in the corner of your heart and admire their glow.

1.In the author’s eyes, the Christmas tree      .

A．is a collection of childhood memories

B．is a symbol of long-lasting relations

C．takes too much time to decorate

D．is full of out-of-date ornaments

2.To the author, a Christmas tree is similar to a good marriage in that      .

A．both take time to build but fall apart easily

B．both remind him of bittersweet memories

C．both need to be admired for some time

D．both get less attractive over the years

3.What is the main theme of the article?

A．We’d better put away Christmas decorations and recycle them each year.

B．Friendships and marriages should be valued and managed carefully.

C．Memories with friends and family should be cherished and relived.

D．We should decorate Christmas trees with personal stuff and recycle.