If you have a brother or sister, you already know you are different from each other. You live together in the same house and the same parents, but you have different personalities.
Why is this? One possible reason is the way your parent treat you. First –born children receive all the attention from their parents. Most families have twice as many photos of a first-born than any other child. Parents usually give first-born more responsibilityand depend on them to take care of younger brothers and sisters. As a result, first -born are often responsible, hard-working, and jealous. They often want to do well at school and work. There are more first-born American Presidents, for example, George Bush, George Washington, andLyndon Baines Johnson-than second or last-born children.
When a second child arrives, parents are more relaxed. The second child has to competewith the first-born for the parents, attention and love. Their children often choose different sports and hobbies to do well at school and work, but have to be creative to get their family’s attention. They are often friendly and cool. Many famous talk-show hosts were born last.
【小题1】The writer thinks that the second children are often ___.

I watched as my little brother was caught in the act. He was sitting in the corner of the living room, a _____in one hand and my father’s hymnbook(赞美诗集)in the other.

As my father walked into the room, my brother cowered slightly(轻微地畏缩). He sensed that he had done something _____. Form a distance I could see that he had  _____my father’s new hymnal and scribbled(乱涂)in it. Now looking at my father fearfully, we _____  waited for his punishment.

My father _____his book, looked at it, and then sat down without saying a word．He was a clergyman(神职人员) and for him, books were knowledge. And yet he _____ his children. What he did next was unbelievable. Instead of punishing my brother, he sat down, _____ the pen from my brother’s hand, and then wrote in the book himself, alongside the scribbles John had made:

“John’s work, 1959, _____ 2.” How many times have I looked into your beautiful face and into your warm eyes looking up at me and _____God for the one who has now scribbled in my new hymnal. You have made the book sacred(神圣的), as have your brother and sister.

“Wow,” I thought. “This is punishment?”

The years and the books came and went. Our family _____ what all families go through and perhaps a little bit more. But we _____ knew our parents loved us and that one of the proofs(证明)of their love was the hymnal by the piano.

Dad taught us about_____really matters in life: people, not objects; tolerance(宽容), not judgment; love, not anger. Now I, too, am a father. But unlike my father, I do not wait for daughters _____ to take books from my bookshelf and scribble in them. From time to time I take one down, and give it to one of my _____to scribble in. and as I look at their artwork, I think about my father and the_____he taught me.

1.A、book         B、pen     C、knife     D、toy

2.A、wrong      B、special         C、dangerous    D、different

3.A、dropped          B、read    C、borrowed   D、opened

4.A、all    B、both    C、either         D、each

5.A、picked up         B、put up          C、made up      D、wrapped up

6.A、hated       B、needed       C、loved          D、disliked

7.A、moved     B、took    C、brought       D、borrowed

8.A、old   B、birthday    C、aged   D、named

9.A、thanked   B、asked  C、respected D、pleased

10.A、spent     B、experienced        C、supported D、afforded

11.A、ever       B、sometimes  C、never         D、always

12.A、what       B、why     C、which D、who

13.A、quickly   B、secretly     C、carefully      D、suddenly

14.A、children          B、sisters C、brothers      D、parents

15.A、skills       B、rules   C、lessons      D、subjects

阅读短文，从文后所给A—F六个句子中选出填入文中空缺处，使短文完整正确。

If you have a brother or sister, you already know you are different from each other．You live together in the same house and have the same parents．1.________ Why is this? One possible reason is the way your parents treat you．

First-born children receive all the attention from their parents． Most families have twice as many photos of a first-born as any other child． Parents tend to give them more responsibility．2._______ As a result, first-borns are often responsible, hard-working and serious． They often want to do well at school and work3._______ For example, George W. Bush, George Washington, and Lyndon Baines Johnson are all first-borns．

When a second child arrives, parents are more relaxed． The second child is allowed to be more independent． But he also has to compete with the first-born for the parents’ attention and love． These children often choose different sports and hobbies to show independence．4.______ They are often adventurous, fun-loving, and outgoing, but can be jealous and get angry easily．

The youngest child tends to be the happiest． He has fewer responsibilities and more freedom． These children do not feel pressure to do well at school and work, but have to be creative to get their family’s attention．5._______ So, many famous talk-show hosts and comedians were born last．