About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table. I couldn’t help overhearing parts of their conversation. At one point the woman asked: “So, how have you been?” And the boy, who could not have been more than seven or eight years old, replied, “Frankly, I’ve been a little depressed lately.”

This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed my growing belief that children are changing. As far as I can remember, my friends and I didn’t find out we were “depressed” until we were in high school.

The evidence of a change in children has increased steadily in recent years. Children don’t seem childlike anymore. Children speak more like adults, dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to.

Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say, but it certainly is different. Childhood as it once was no longer exists, why?

Human development is based not only on innate(天生) biological states, but also on patterns of access to social knowledge. Movement from one social rote(生搬硬套) to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new status. Children have always been taught adult secrets, but slowly and in stages: we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders.

In the last 30 years, however, a secret-revelation(揭示) machine has been brought in 98 percent of American homes. It is called television. Television passes information to all viewers alike, indiscriminately (不加区分地). Unable to resist the temptation, many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging, more vivid moving pictures.

Communication through print, as a matter of fact, allows for a great deal of control over the social information to which children have access. Reading and writing involve a complex code of symbol that must be memorized and practices. Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials.

Traditionally, a child is supposed to learn about the adult world______________.

A.through contact with society

B.naturally and by biological instinct (本能)

C.gradually and under guidance

D.through exposure to social information

The phenomenon that today’s children seem adult like is due to ____________.

A.the widespread influence of television

B.the poor arrangement of teaching content

C.the fast pace of human intellectual development

D.the constantly rising standard of living

Why is the author in favor of communication through print for children?

A.It enables children to gain more social information.

B.It develops children’s interest in reading and writing.

C.It helps children to memorize and practice more.

D.It can control what children are to learn.

What does the author think of the change in today’s children?

 A.He feels amused by their premature (早熟) behavior.

 B.He thinks it is a phenomenon worthy of note.

 C.He considers it a positive development.

 D.He seems to be upset about it.

The other day, I happened to meet someone I hadn’t seen for many years. I couldn’t believe the change in him. In fact, he didn’t even seem like the    36   person.

When I first knew Bill , back in   37 , he was one of the most carefree(无忧无虑)people I had ever    38  . He was always ready to have a party. He thought    39  of going out for beer at three o’clock in the morning or driving 15 miles to see an old   40    he really liked. Bill and I were in the same class in college, and    41   was never dull when he was    42  . With him there was one wild    43   after another. Sometimes I wonder how we    44   to study for our exams.

Last week I was in Houston on business and I ran into Bill in the bar at the hotel.   45  , I wasn’t even sure it was    46  . Was this short-haired businessman really the same person? I wasn’t really sure until I came near him but it indeed was Bill. Now he works for a bank. He   47    most of the evening about his job, his new car and his house. How he had changed! Back when we were in college, the    48   thing Bill cared about were possessions(财富). Now they seemed to be his main    49  . Although I have changed quite a bit myself, somehow I never    50   Bill changing so much. My image of him   51    the one I had formed     52  the time when we were college students together.

I suppose it’s   53    to expect people to remain the same, especially    54   I have changed so much myself. But I must say that I enjoyed the old Bill much more than the new Bill. Maybe he    55   the same way about me.

1.                A.proper         B.usual           C.same     D.right

 

2.                A.childhood       B.the army        C.his thirties D.college

 

3.                A.considered      B.met            C.supposed D.expected

 

4.                A.most           B.much           C.nothing   D.none

 

5.                A.movie          B.hospital         C.man D.country

 

6.                A.learning        B.life            C.work     D.fun

 

7.                A.in             B.out            C.around   D.away

 

8.                A.joke           B.mistake         C.chance   D.adventure

 

9.                A.managed        B.continued       C.decided D.hoped

 

10.               A.First of all       B.At first         C.Now and then   D.All the time

 

11.               A.that           B.he             C.there     D.us

 

12.               A.thought        B.spent          C.argued    D.talked

 

13.               A.first           B.next           C.last   D.only

 

14.               A.interest        B.event          C.subject    D.problem

 

15.               A.forgot          B.minded         C.imagined D.liked

 

16.               A.remained       B.reminded       C.suggested D.became

 

17.               A.since          B.from           C.at    D.till

 

18.               A.unnecessary     B.foolish         C.common   D.unusually

 

19.               A.because        B.that            C.how D.when

 

20.               A.discovered      B.acted          C.looked    D.felt

 

 

Sunday, October 5

Clear, 69°F

My wife, Eleanor , and I took the train from Paris to Strasbourg, where we were met by our driver and guide. And the minibus which goes along with the boat. We stopped off in Barn for an hour on the way. Then we were taken to Nancy where the boat was kept.

After the other passengers arrived, we had our first dinner on the boat. After dinner we walked into downtown Nancy, a village with a large square and wooden houses.

Monday, October 6

Rained last night, cloudy in the morning, 69°F

We spent about two hours in Nancy, then sailed on the Canal de la Marne au Rhine. Kind of a lazy day. Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, after dinner we watched a tape on Baccarat. Where we will visit tomorrow. It was pleasant to sit out on deck (甲板)and watch the scenery go by at about 3 mph.

Tuesday, October 7

Light rain, 64°F

This morning we drove over to Baccarat and toured its museum and the church, which has this unbelievable lamp that is going on a world tour the next day. We did lost of shopping , then walked across the bridge to see a very , very modern Catholic church with special Baccarat windows.

We drove to the top of the Voges Mountains and started down the eastern side. Later we drove to Sorrenbourg to see the 13th century church at the Cordeliers. It contains the largest window by Mar.

Wednesday, Ocrober8

Cloudy, 65 °F

Today we sailed from Schneckenbush to Saverne. We went though two caves, an extremely unusual part of the journey. This river scenery is very different. We were in a mountain valley with grassland on one side and a forest beginning to show some color on the other.

Thursday, Ocrober 9

Cloudy, 66°F

Our dependable minibus was waiting to load the luggage and take us to the hotel where everyone went their separate ways. Our boating days are over until next time.

1.Where did the author get off the train?

A.Paris             B.Strasbourg         C.Nancy            D.Barn

2.On which days did the tourists spend most of their time on the boat?

A.Monday and Tuesday                    B.Tuesday and Wednesday

C.Sunday and Wednesday                  D.Monday and Wednesday

3.What does the author think of the tour?

A.Tiring            B.Expensive         C.Enjoyable         D.Quick

 

I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.

We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile –warm and reassuring—and I returned her gift by smiling back.

“Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers,” she said.

 “Yes, she’s special,” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out.

“It’s only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s ‘the one’. Jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’t figure out why she’d want to date a guy like me.”

“Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said.” “My husband used to bring me flowers every week –even when times were tough and we didn’t have much money. Those were incredible days; he was very romantic and – of course – I miss him since he’s passed away.”

I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said, “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady.” I handed her the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.

It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased. “You have a wonderful evening,” I said. I left her with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.

I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A couple of years later, when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me, she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her –that was the night that I won her heart.

1.Why was the writer in a hurry that day?

A.He was to meet his girlfriend.          B.He had to go back to school soon.

C.He was delayed by an elderly lady.      D.He had to pick up some groceries.

2.What does the underlined phrase “her gift”(Paragraph 2) refer to?

A.Her words.       B.Her smile.      C.Her flowers.      D.her politeness.

3.Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?

A.She told him a nice story.              B.She allowed him to pay first.

C.She gave him encouragement.           D.She liked flowers very much.

4.What is the message conveyed in the story?

A.Flowers are important for a date.        B.Small talk is helpful.

C.Love and kindness are rewarding.       D.Elderly people deserve respecting.

 

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