I had the meanest mother in the world． other kids ate candy, I had to have cereal（谷物食品），eggs or toast．While others had cakes and French fries，I had to eat a sandwich．But at least，I wasn’t in my suffering．My sisters and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did．
My mother knowing where we were at all times and who our friends were ．She insisted if we said we’d be gone an hour, then we be gone one hour or —not one hour and one minute．She made us wear the clothes made by herself，just to money．Now you can see how she was．
The is yet to come．We had to be in bed by 9：00 each night and at 7：45 the next morning．We had to wash dishes． beds，and learn to cook．I believe she lay at night thinking up mean things to do to us．
Through the years，things didn’t a bit．We could not lie in bed，pretending to be“ ”like our friends did to miss school．Our friends’ report cards had beautiful colors on them，black for passing，red for ．My mother, ，would only be content with black marks．
As the years by，we graduated from high school．Out of the four children，a couple of us higher education than university level．With our mother us pushing and demanding， of us was allowed to drop out of school．She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults．
Now I'm trying to my three children．I'm filled with when my children call me mean．Because，you see，I thank God，he gave me the meanest mother in the whole world．
A．While B．As C．Unless D．If
A．weak B．alone C．happy D．lucky
A．replied to B．went on C．insisted on D．took up
A．not B．more C．so D．less
A．make B．collect C．save D．get
A．funny B．mean C．kind D．interesting
A．worst B．best C．least D．last
A．off B．away C．up D．out
A．make B．arrange C．place D．fold
A．active B．asleep C．alive D．awake
A．develop B．improve C．happen D．assess
A．sick B．sad C．honest D．ambitious
A．success B．progress C．courage D．failure
A．however B．otherwise C．besides D．moreover
A．came B．pulled C．went D．filled
A．attended B．wanted C．attained D．approached
A．before B．in C．about D．behind
A．none B．all C．both D．neither
A．raise B．meet C．change D．bring
A．apology B．pride C．shame D．anger
Last night I entered a poetry competition. It was very rushed. It was the very last minute and I was . Yet I really wanted to do it. So without the of my family, I got up in front of a group of people and got ready to my poem. But I didn’t expect to .
Judges were chosen from the audience by a bouncy (有弹性的) ball thrown out into their midst (中间) to see would catch it. As it is with most , performers had 2 minutes to impress the who would then give a score from 0.0 to 10. There were five judges.
I was the person in the competition. I’m only 16 and everybody else was about 20-70. My poem really well. People liked it and I think many were impressed by my courage to on stage and perform my own work. In the end I third, but I was not disappointed. , it was only 0.3 points that separated me second place.
it was all over, I was waiting in the car park for my dad to pick me up. One of the judges came up to me and told me I had done a fantastic job. Even though many people had congratulated me, this was . The lady judge was very sincere. She said, “Here, have the , so you remember tonight”. I a smile card out for the woman thanking her for her words and the ball. She was impressed by the card but no words passed between us. It was a understanding. Words would ruin the moment.
My father beeped (鸣喇叭) from the car park so I my goodbye and got in the car, holding in my hand the bouncy ball that changed me.
A．unlucky B．uncomfortable C．unhappy D．unprepared
A．support B．suggestion C．idea D．advice
A．give B．begin C．write D．present
A．fail B．win C．cry D．lose
A．making B．dropping C．having D．leaving
A．whom B．who C．that D．whoever
A．competitions B．games C．meetings D．events
A．readers B．listeners C．audiences D．judges
A．youngest B．oldest C．tallest D．strongest
A．became B．went C．read D．sounded
A．get up B．go up C．keep up D．look up
A．chose B．wanted C．came D．had
A．Above all B．After all C．In all D．First of all
A．of B．from C．over D．with
A．While B．When C．Before D．Until
A．different B．wonderful C．surprised D．reasonable
A．prize B．poem C．experience D．ball
A．pushed B．carried C．looked D．pulled
A．good B．silent C．happy D．simple
A．nodded B．showed C．said D．expressed
Anyone who has been a parent knows that raising children is a tough job. It is filled with as many difficult and moments as with moments of joy. Children don’t come with an instruction manual(说明书). And each child is . So parents sometimes feel , not knowing what to do.
But in raising children—as in all of life—what we do is by our culture. Naturally then, American parents teach their children basic American . To Americans, the goal of parents is to help children become . From childhood, each child may get his or her own room. As children grow, they get more to make their own choices. Teenagers choose their own forms of entertainment, as well as the friends to share them with. When they reach young adulthood, they their own jobs and marriage partners. Of course, many young adults seek their parents’ advice and approval for the choice they make. But once they “ the nest ” at around 18 to 21 years old, they want to be on their own, not tied to their mother’s apron strings (围裙带).
The between parents and children in America is very informal. American parents try to treat their children as individuals—not as of themselves. They them to achieve their own dreams . Americans praise and encourage their children to give them the to succeed. When children become adults, their relationship with their parents becomes more like a among equals. But contrary to popular belief, most adult Americans don’t make their parents pay for room and board when they come to visit. Even as adults, they respect and honor their parents.
A．delightful B．meaningful C．hopeful D．painful
A．strange B．different C．new D．similar
A．excited B．frightened C．puzzled D．surprised
A．influenced B．made C．controlled D．changed
A．services B．standards C．languages D．values
A．brave B．active C．independent D．optimistic
A．freedom B．space C．time D．money
A．love B．change C．design D．choose
A．still B．then C．thus D．therefore
A．build B．get C．enter D．leave
A．conversation B．relationship C．competition D．gap
A．friends B．children C．teenagers D．extensions
A．allow B．force C．forbid D．persuade
A．dependence B．trust C．belief D．confidence
A．friendship B．citizenship C．membership D．leadership
Most people agree that a pet adds joy to a person’s life. Scientists are now finding that having a pet may keep its owner . And good health may add years to a person’s life.
Scientists have been the tie between pets and health for years. In 1990, a study was done with people aged 65 and older. It that pet owners went to the doctor less than people __ pets. Do pets make people ? Are people able to handle their everyday lives better? Alan Beck, who is a researcher, says that the answer to the questions is yes, then having pets may be a good idea.
Can pets also help people live longer? Rebecca Johnson did a study to . Johnson teaches nurses how to care for people. Her study shows that having pets may cause people to more slowly.
The human body makes many chemicals. Some of the chemicals make people feel . Others make people feel bad. In Johnson’s , levels of the “good” chemicals when people were around pets while levels of the “bad” chemicals went down. The good seemed to slow the aging of cells. If this is , maybe people should spend more time with their . Then people might feel better and longer.
You might be allergic（过敏的） to pets. Or you may not want to a pet. Never fear. A robotic, or computer pet may be just the thing for you.
Scientists are testing computer pets, like the robotic dog AIBO. They want to see if pets can help people the way dogs do.
Will a robotic pet the real pet sitting with you on the sofa? Something tells us that it will probably become a reality.
A．healthy B．excited C．mad D．hurried
A．carrying out B．making up C．looking at D．breaking down
A．warned B．showed C．reminded D．advised
A．through B．beyond C．against D．without
A．busier B．funnier C．happier D．angrier
A．though B．until C．if D．unless
A．find out B．put out C．turn out D．set out
A．sick B．friendly C．old D．lovely
A．age B．move C．walk D．grow
A．bored B．surprised C．sleepy D．good
A．study B．work C．story D．case
A．changed B．varied C．fell D．rose
A．sides B．chemicals C．studies D．dogs
A．important B．unusual C．true D．impossible
A．children B．pets C．friends D．neighbors
A．live B．wander C．stay D．travel
A．head for B．search for C．cheer for D．care for
A．family B．computer C．baby D．toy
A．brave B．quiet C．faithful D．real
A．destroy B．replace C．improve D．accompany
There was a boy in India who was sent by his parents to a boarding school．Before being sent away this boy was the _ _ student in his class．He was at the top in every __ _．He was a champion．
But the boy _ __ after leaving home and attending the boarding school．His __ _ started dropping．He hated being in a group．He was __ __all the time．And there were especially dark times when he felt like __ __ himself．All of this happened because he felt _ _ and that no one loved him．
His _ _ started worrying about the boy．But __ __ they did not know what was wrong with him._ _ ___ his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and talk with him．
They sat _ __ the bank of the lake near the school．The father started asking him __ __ questions about his classes, teachers and __ _．After some time his dad said, “Do you know, son, _ __ I am here today?”
The boy _ _, “to check my grades?”
“No, no” his dad replied, “I am here to tell you that you are the most important person for me．I want to see you happy．I don’t care about grades．I care about __ __．I care about your happiness．YOU ARE MY ___ __．”
These words caused the boy’s eyes to fill with tears．He __ _his dad．They didn’t say anything to each other for a long time．
Now the boy had everything he wanted．He knew there was someone on this __ __ who cared for him deeply．He __ __ the world to someone．And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him sad!
A．richest B．prettiest C．laziest D．brightest
A．game B．school C．Competition D．group
A．changed B．died C．arrived D．regretted
A．hair B．tears C．love D．grades
A．worried B．careless C．lonely D．busy
A．teaching B．killing C．helping D．enjoying
A．cold B．worthless C．well D．sick
A．parents B．classmates C．teachers D．companions
A．even B．now C．yet D．then
A．And B．But C．Or D．So
A．toward B．along C．opposite D．on
A．serious B．casual C．personal D．difficult
A．work B．study C．sports D．education
A．when B．where C．how D．why
A．turned away B．answered back C．whispered softly D．cried out
A．it B．you C．myself D．us
A．LIFE B．ANXIETY C．CARE D．NEED
A．forgave B．hit C．hugged D．begged
A．side B．earth C．trip D．day
A．meant B．owed C．moved D．left
It was raining. I went into a café and asked for a coffee. ______ I was waiting for my drink, I realized that there were other people in the place, but I sensed ______. I saw their bodies, but I couldn’t feel their souls (灵魂) ______ their souls belonged to the ______ .
I stood up and walked between the tables. When I came to the biggest computer, I saw a thin, small man ______ in front of it. “ I’m Steve”, he finally answered after I asked him a couple of times what his name was. “ I can’t talk with you. I’m ______”, he said. He was chatting online with somebody—probably someone he didn’t know---and, ______, he was playing a computer game--- a war game. I was _____ .
Why didn’t Steve want to talk with me? I tried _____ to speak to that computer geek(电脑玩家)，______ not a word came out of his mouth. I touched his shoulder, but no reaction. I was ______ . I put my hand in front of the monitor, and he started to shout, “ _____ !” I took a few steps back, wondering if all those people in the café were looking at me. I ______ , and saw nobody showed any interest.
______, I realized that the people there were having a nice conversation with their machines, not with people. They were more ______ having a relationship with the ______, particularly Steve. I wouldn’t want to _____ the future of human beings if they preferred sharing their lives with machines ______ with people.
I was worried and I sank in my thoughts. I didn’t even ______ that the coffee was bad, _____Steve didn’t notice there was a person next to him.
A．Before B．Since C．Although D．While
A．pain B．loneliness C．sadness D．fear
A．because B．when C．until D．unless
A．home B．world C．Net D．Café
A．sleeping B．laughing C．sitting D．learning
A．busy B．thirsty C．tired D．sick
A．first of all B．just then C．at the same time D．by that time
A．surprised B．delighted C．moved D．frightened
A．once B．again C．first D．even
A．but B．so C．if D．or
A．excited B．respected C．afraid D．unhappy
A．Shut up B．Enjoy yourself C．Leave me alone D．Help me out
A．walked about B．walked out C．raised my hand D．raised my head
A．From then on B．At that moment C．In all D．Above all
A．interested in B．tired of C．careful about D．troubled by
A．computer B．soul C．shop D．geek
A．tell B．plan C．imagine D．design
A．other than B．instead of C．except for D．as well as
A．pretend B．understand C．insist D．realize
A．as if B．just as C．just after D．even though
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