Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers.But last summer,Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son:suddenly he seemed to be talking more to his friends than to his parents."The door to his room is always shut,"Joanna noted. Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter."She used to cuddle up with me on the sofa and talk,"said Mark."Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something.Sometimes she wants to be treated like a 1ittle girl and sometimes like a young lady.The problem is figuring out which time is which." Before age 11,children like to tell their parents what's on their minds."In fact,parents are first on the list,"said Michael Riera,author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers."This completely changes during the teen years,"Riera explained."They talk to their friends first,then maybe their teachers,and their parents last." Parents who know what's going on in their teenagers' lives are in the best position to help them.To break down _ ,parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say,and try to find ways to talk and write to them.And they must give their children a mental break,for children also need freedom,though young.Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend,not a manager,with their children is a better way to know them. What can be learned from the passage? A) Parents are unhappy with their growing children. B) Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers. C) Parents should force their children to talk with them. D) Parents should try to understand their teenagers.
D
(Question)
Gabby Logan was a gymnast when she was young. She is now the 39-year-old mother of seven-year-old twins, Reuben and Lois. The other day on TV she was dressed in a new swimsuit, which was designed to show off her nice figure, which was admired by a great number of television viewers. Gabby, who won high praise for her television show of the Olympics, has asked the woman of the whole nation to go to the swimming pool, saying the secret of her figure is regular swimming. She is also making advertisements for the new Sculpture Swimwear of Speedo, an international swimsuit company, to help women find the perfect swimsuit. Gabby said, "We all felt uneasy about getting into our swimwear at first. But we should be excited by the sporting achievements we have seen at the Olympics this summer. To get ourselves a little healthier, have a try and go to the swimming pool. " Then she said," Swimming is the perfect exercise if you want to feel healthy or simply relax. I find that going for a swim always clears my mind and also gives me some valuable 6 my time'. I like the calm of swimming which I can't experience when I am not in the pool. " A study by Speedo, an International company, which sells swimsuits, reported the biggest reason why women were put off going to the pool was the way they looked in swimwear. More than half of the l,000 women surveyed have been reduced to tears when trying on swimwear. And 48 percent said they felt too self-conscious to go swimming with their children. Sally Polak, from Speedo, said, " We're hoping to give women the courage and confidence to get back into the water. " What is the author's purpose of writing the text? A) To introduce a famous woman. B) To discuss a TV show of the Olympics. C) To report a way of keeping a good figure. D) To encourage women to go swimming.
(Answer)
D
Ques: Tom was a poor boy. He made a living by cleaning leather shoes for others in the street. Tom was also a clever boy. One day, a very rich man with the name Miser appeared in front of Tom. He watched his dirty shoes for a while, and then looked at Tom. Tom knew this kind of people well: they love money very much and hate to spend it. Tom said, "Let me clean your shoes, sir." "For nothing?" the rich man asked. "Only two pence, sir." Mr Miser shook his head and walked away. Tom thought for a moment and then called out, "I'd like to clean it for nothing!" This time Mr Miser agreed. And soon one of his shoes was shining brightly. When the rich man put his other shoe on the stool , Tom said he wouldn't clean it for him unless he was paid two pence for his work. Mr Miser was very angry. He refused to pay anything and went away with a smile on his face. But to his surprise, the well-cleaned shoe was so bright that it made the other one look even dirtier. Mr Miser took a look around. People in the street were laughing at him. He couldn't walk on any further. Finally the rich man returned and gave Tom two pence. In a very short time his two shoes shone brightly. Mr Miser smiled because _ . A) he liked to walk with only one shoe cleaned B) He had one of his shoes cleaned without paying for it C) He thought his other shoe needn't be cleaned at all D) He thought he wouldn't be laughed at by the people in the street.
Ans: B
A recent survey found that the French are the second-most insecure people in Europe after Italy about their proficiency in English. Only 13 percent of the French respondents believed they are proficient in the language, according to the European data agency Eurostat. The situation is no better in business circles, where three-quarters of French executives feel unprepared to hold an interview in English and only 16 percent say they feel comfortable with the language, a separate survey showed. The survey results aren't surprising. The French seem to have always had this cold and gloomy attitude toward the English language. But what struck me is that, despite the French pessimism, living in Paris without being able to speak the language of Moliere is easier these days than in the past. New immigrants are part of the reason. I can have an easy chat with the owner of the laundry in my neighborhood. Buying the medicine I need at the local pharmacy is effortless. Ordering a meal in English at the restaurant two blocks away from my apartment does not make me feel awkward. It is all because the people who run these businesses are immigrants. Greater tolerance and acceptance of non-French speakers is a reflection of the fact that France, willingly or not, has begun to embrace globalization more comfortably. For instance, you will never get the same look you would have had 15 years ago if you ask for directions in English on the streets of Paris. I have also met many native French who are happy to communicate in English. They are usually the kind of people who are open-minded and are sensitive to the changes beyond their own territories. They are very interested in gaining insight into what is happening on the other side of the globe. In my hometown, English is also being hotly debated since Beijing education authorities decided to reduce the importance of English proficiency in college entrance exams and increase that of the Chinese language and literature. The Chinese and the French share similarities in attitudes... What can we infer from the passage? A) The immigrants in France speak English as their native language. B) In France people refuse to communicate with each other in English. C) Italians feel the most unconfident in speaking English in Europe. D) French people are happy to face the changes in their country.
C