A while ago my family and I went sledding（滑雪橇）and as I watched my children climbing up the slope I started thinking.

Many people are   1   that most of today’s social problems are because of the “me” generation. Youngsters are just out for themselves and pay no   2   to others or their needs. Indeed, a common belief is that today’s youngsters won’t do anything   3  there is something in it for them.

Yet, while sledding, I saw a   4   side. I watched my two oldest children （then five and four） take my youngest （then two years old） by the hand to help her up the slippery slope   5   they went up. They would have been   6  without her, but not once did they try to sneak by her without helping. And when the sled  7   my two daughters was aimed toward the edge, it was my five year old son who ran to them to   8   them falling and hurting themselves.

These children sometimes  9  among themselves and, on occasion, behave horribly. But I can   10   them shopping and know that they won’t ask for anything, I can talk to them about tsunami or hurricane victims and know that they will offer to   11   some of their own money to the cause, and I can ask them to play with those children   12   on the sideline （作为旁观者）and know that they will befriend them.

Perhaps, therefore, the “me” generation is to blame   13   much of society’s problems – not the youngsters who want everything,   14   the adults who have taught them to selfishly   15   only of themselves.

Most adults have been   16   at some time or another, sadly, many   17   that disappointment down to their children. Then the children learn to put themselves first!

Most young children want to help. We can   18  that feeling by teaching the lesson my children learned while sledding: Life is a slippery slope with   19   of bumps （撞伤） and bruises （擦伤）, but we can all make it to the   20  if we remember to help those who need it.

1．A．convinced             B．confirmed            C．informed             D．approved

2．A．thought                 B．attention              C．permission           D．pleasure

3．A．if                          B．as                       C．while                  D．unless

4．A．same                    B．different              C．strange                D．moral

5．A．some time             B．any time              C．each time            D．the time

6．A．faster                    B．slower                 C．easier                  D．lighter

7．A．containing             B．loading                C．driving                D．carrying

8．A．keep                     B．stop                    C．help                    D．warn

9．A．cry                       B．cooperate            C．assist                  D．fight

10．A．take                    B．drive                   C．accompany          D．guide

11．A．lend                    B．send                    C．collect                 D．pay

12．A．forgotten             B．missed                C．left                     D．ignored

13．A．of                       B．within                 C．on                      D．for

14．A．and                     B．but                      C．thus                    D．though

15．A．consider              B．speak                  C．sacrifice              D．think

16．A．depressed            B．awkward             C．disappointed        D．embarrassed

17．A．extend                 B．transfer               C．pass                    D．spread

18．A．encourage           B．prohibit               C．discourage           D．approach

19．A．opportunities        B．occasions            C．promises             D．fates

20．A．top                     B．bottom                C．middle                 D．tip

War, money and power are a few things that countries and people are concerned about．1  I agree that those things are important, I believe that everyone should start to  2  more on a growing problem—global warming．

       Global warming will not only  3  our country and our generation, but also the entire  4 and future generations．It is  5  because the weather has been a lot wanner over the past few years which  6  the melting（融化）of the ice in the Antarctic．This will soon cause water levels to  7  and flood parts of the world．

       Many people ignore this problem because they feel _8_  they can't do anything about it and have more  9  things to worry about．If we all  10  so, then our ozone layer （臭氧层） will be  11  and the planet will no longer be able to make life continue to exist．We should do our best to limit the use of our planet's  12  resources （资源） and keep our air clean．  13  , future generations will suffer from our  14  ．

       Some might feel that they can't stop global warming from  15  ．But if every single person does his or her part in keeping the air clean, then it will become a  16  effort．Sure, there are some things that cause pollution and that we won't be able to  17  change．This may include cars burning oil, but we can  18  adjust some of these things．People can start carpooling, taking the bus, riding their bikes, or  19   just walking．

       If everyone takes  20  now, I believe we can start seeing remarkable results within a few

years．

1．A．When                   B．As                      C．How                  D．Though

2．A．depend                 B．focus                  C．hang                  D．remark

3．A．annoy                  B．interrupt              C．affect                 D．confuse

4．A．world                   B．continent             C．industry              D．climate

5．A．failing                  B．completing           C．changing            D．occurring

6．A．lies in                   B．results in             C．suffers from       D．escapes from

7．A．reduce                 B．rise                     C．drop                   D．move

8．A．as if                      B．in case                C．even though         D．if only

9．A．popular                 B．suitable                C．important            D．difficult

10．A．do                      B．keep                    C．like                     D．find

11．A．protected             B．strengthened        C．destroyed            D．surrounded

12．A．unlimited             B．natural                 C．recycled              D．industrial

13．A．Therefore            B．Otherwise            C．However             D．Instead

14．A．illnesses              B．failures                C．decisions             D．mistakes

15．A．continuing           B．arriving               C．improving            D．disappearing

16．A．physical              B．mental                 C．national               D．worldwide

17．A．slightly                B．folly                    C．hardly                 D．slowly

18．A．at least                B．at most                C．at first                 D．at last

19．A．yet                      B．even                    C．still                     D．thus

20．A．time                  B．turns                   C．action                D．arms

He trained hard in puzzle-guessing, a sort of children's game, all year, _____ still failed to reach his best form in all the tests given to both adults and children.

The annual marathon usually occurred during a heat wave. My job was to  l  behind the runners in an ambulance   2   any of them needed medical attention. The driver and I were in an air-conditioned ambulance behind approximately one hundred athletes   3   to hear the sharp crack of the starting gun.

"We are supposed to stay behind the   4    runner，so take it slowly,” I said to the driver, Doug, as we began to creep forward.

"Let’s   5   hope all the runners are safe!” he laughed.

As they began to pace themselves，the front runners started to   6   . It was then that my  7    were drawn to the woman in blue silk running shorts and a baggy white T-shirt.

"Doug, look！”

We knew we were already watching our “last runner". Her feet were turned in，yet her left knee was turned out. Her legs were so crippled and    8   that it seemed impossible for her to be able to walk，let alone run a marathon.

Doug and I watched in    9   as she slowly moved forward．We didn’t say a thing. We would move forward a little bit，then stop and wait for her to   10    some distance. Then we'd slowly move forward a little bit more.

Finally，she was the  11    runner left in sight. Tears streamed down my face as I sat on the edge of my seat and watched with awe, amazement and even reverence（敬意）as she   12   forward with sheer determination through the last miles.

When the   13   line came into sight, trash（垃圾）lay everywhere and the  14  crowds had long gone home.   15   ，standing straight and ever so proud waited a man. He was   36    one end of a ribbon（带子）of crepe paper tied to a post.   17  slowly crossed through，leaving both ends of the paper fluttering behind her.

I do not   18   this woman’s name，but that day she became a part of my life---a part I often depend on. For her，it wasn't about   19    the other runners or winning a trophy（奖品），it was about finishing what she had set out to do, no matter   20   . When I think things are too difficult or too time-consuming，I get those "I-just-can't-do-it"，I think of the last runner. Then I realize how easy the task before me really is.

1．A．interview         B．watch           C．follow           D．fall

2．A．when            B．even if           C．because        D．in case

4．A．slow             B．last              C．wounded          D．helpless

5．A．Just             B．ever             C．still               D．however

6．A．run              B．miss             C．disappear          D．lose

7．A．attention          B．mind            C．sights           D．eyes

8．A．bent             B．hurt              C．soft           D．painful

9．A．happiness         B．silence            C．disappointment  D．hope

10．A．keep           B．make             C．gain           D．shorten

11．A．single           B．only             C．last             D．careful

12．A．pushed          B．fought            C．pulled            D．jumped

13．A．close            B．end              C．match         D．finish

14．A．seeing           B．cheering           C．standing          D．interesting

15．A．Yet              B．But               C．Thus          D．Therefore

16．A．catching          B．handing           C．holding            D．bringing

17．A．He              B．I                 C．They          D．She

18．A．remember        B．know             C．understand         D．forget

19．A．winning       B．competing        C．beating            D．fighting

20．A．what            B．where            C．when          D．why