As a teen, you’re going through big changes physically and mentally. Your interests are expanding. And your desire to take control of your own life is growing.
Here is the challenge: Kids need to explore the world in new ways, and parents need to protect them from the dangers that are out in that world. These conflicts can easily set off fireworks in otherwise calm houses. Sometimes conflicts can’t be avoided. But by paying attention to the building blocks of successful relationships, you can work towards making home a happy and healthy place for you and your parents.
For instance, try to find a time to talk when your parents are not angry, tired, distracted, or hungry. A good time to talk is when you’re all relaxed . Timing is everything. If the conversation begins to turn into an argument, you’d better calmly and coolly ask to stop the conversation for now. You can pick it up again when everyone’s more relaxed. Listen to what your parents are saying, and repeat it back to them. This shows them that you’re listening. It also gives them a chance to clear things up if you’re not on the same page.
Respect is the building block of good communication. People who respect each other and care about each others’ feelings can disagree without things getting ugly.
You are more likely to get along with your parents and have more independence(独立) if your parents believe in you. How do you build trust? Trust comes by actually doing what you say you’re going to do. Some teens find that doing fun activities with their parents can improve their relationships. Sometimes we forget that parents are more than rule-makers---they’re interesting people who like to watch movies, and go shopping ---just like their teenagers!
What do you do if you are trying your best, but your relationship with your parents continues to be rocky(冷酷的)? You may consider seeking outside help. You can find supportive adults, such as a teacher or a coach, who can lend an ear.
Remember you can only change your own behavior; your parents are the only ones who can change theirs.
【小题1】What does the underlined part “lend an ear” in the passage mean?

       Although there are no state controlled survival courses in Britain or the United States, there are various independent organizations offering similar activities.

       Students can participate in outdoor training courses through university clubs and societies. Anyone can register with such groups, which then organize courses, training and trips for all members.

       One of the most popular outdoor training programmes in both the US and Britain, is Outward Bound. The courses are to broaden minds through experiences that build confidence, self-esteem and character. As well as specialist courses such as canoeing, leadership skills and sailing, participants can take part in week long adventure training camps which include sports and survival training education skills.

       Michael Williams, an American student, took part in an Outward Bound course last year. He said: “We learned lots of first aid skills, lots of natural history, lots of environmental facts, and participated in a wildlife preservation programme. Beyond that, my favorite skills learned were sailing and rock climbing.”

       Courses can last up to 40 days and are open to anyone over the age of 14. Students must be in general good health, but do not need to be experienced in outdoor-sports. There is no selection process; everyone is welcome, although new participants are advised to pick a course matching their physical capacity.

Another similar organization is the UK Survival School, which includes courses on learning to live with the environment, sailing and winter survival. On a basic survival weekend students will learn how to get water and food , how to make fire and cook with it , to find and build a shelter , control survival life support , how to cross rivers , to send off a distress（危急）signal , and to use compasses by day and night .

       Outward Bound believes that participants will “use mind and body traveling some of the Earth’s roughest wildness areas.”

1．Which of the following statements about joining in Outward Bound is correct?

       A．All members should be above 18.

       B．Suitable courses are advised.

       C．All members are strictly picked out.

       D．Experience is needed.

2．       is not what Outward Bound courses aim at.

       A．Building members’ character                 B．Broadening members’ horizon

       C．Building members’ confidence               D．Building up members’ health

3．What can be inferred from the passage?

       A．All the survival courses are controlled by the state.

       B．Learning natural history knowledge is an important part in the courses of Survival School.

       C．All the Outward Bound courses are limited to a month.

       D．Protecting ecosystem is one of the concerns of Outward Bound.

4．The most suitable title of the passage is       .

       A．Choose Outward Bound, the most popular survival courses

       B．Choose outdoor training programs, be eco-friendly

       C．Choose survival courses, choose new experiences

    D．Choose Survival School, what are you waiting for

 (西安交大附中2007—2008学年度下学期高三第四次模拟考试C篇)

Although there are no state controlled survival courses in Britain or the United States, there are various independent organizations offering similar activities.

       Students can participate in outdoor training courses through university clubs and societies. Anyone can register with such groups, which then organize courses, training and trips for all members.

       One of the most popular outdoor training programmes in both the US and Britain, is Outward Bound. The courses are to broaden minds through experiences that build confidence, self-esteem and character. As well as specialist courses such as canoeing, leadership skills and sailing, participants can take part in week long adventure training camps which include sports and survival training education skills.

       Michael Williams, an American student, took part in an Outward Bound course last year. He said: “We learned lots of first aid skills, lots of natural history, lots of environmental facts, and participated in a wildlife preservation programme. Beyond that, my favorite skills learned were sailing and rock climbing.”

       Courses can last up to 40 days and are open to anyone over the age of 14. Students must be in general good health, but do not need to be experienced in outdoor-sports. There is no selection process; everyone is welcome, although new participants are advised to pick a course matching their physical capacity.

Another similar organization is the UK Survival School, which includes courses on learning to live with the environment, sailing and winter survival. On a basic survival weekend students will learn how to get water and food , how to make fire and cook with it , to find and build a shelter , control survival life support , how to cross rivers , to send off a distress（危急）signal , and to use compasses by day and night .

       Outward Bound believes that participants will “use mind and body traveling some of the Earth’s roughest wildness areas.”

49．Which of the following statements about joining in Outward Bound is correct?

       A．All members should be above 18.

       B．Suitable courses are advised.

       C．All members are strictly picked out.

       D．Experience is needed.

50．       is not what Outward Bound courses aim at.

       A．Building members’ character                 B．Broadening members’ horizon

       C．Building members’ confidence               D．Building up members’ health

51．What can be inferred from the passage?

       A．All the survival courses are controlled by the state.

       B．Learning natural history knowledge is an important part in the courses of Survival School.

       C．All the Outward Bound courses are limited to a month.

       D．Protecting ecosystem is one of the concerns of Outward Bound.

52．The most suitable title of the passage is       .

       A．Choose Outward Bound ,the most popular survival courses

       B．Choose outdoor training programs , be eco-friendly

       C．Choose survival courses ,choose new experiences

       D．Choose Survival School ,what are you waiting for

When the lazy days of summer arrive and the schedule is filled with swimming，camp，and family vacations，it can be a challenge to find time for learning. But kids’ reading skills don’t have to grow cold once school’s out. Here are some ways to make reading a natural part of their summer fun：

Explore your library. Visit your local library to borrow books and magazines that your kids haven’t seen before. Many libraries have summer reading programs, book clubs, and reading contests(比赛) for even the youngest borrowers. With a new library card，a child will feel extra grown­up by borrowing books.

Read on the road. Going on a long car trip？Make sure there are some books at the back seat. When you stop driving，read the books aloud. Get some audio books in libraries and listen to them together during driving time.

Make your own books. Pick one of your family’s favorite parts of summer—whether it’s baseball，ice cream, or the pool—and have your child draw pictures of it or cut out pictures from magazines. Stick(粘贴) the pictures onto paper to make a booklet(小册子)and write text for it. When you’re done，read the book together. Reread it whenever you like!

Keep in touch. Kids don’t have to go away to write about summer vacation. Even if your family stays home，they can send postcards to tell friends and relatives about their adventures(冒险经历). Ask a relative to be your child’s pen pal and encourage them to write each week.

Keep up the reading habits. Even if everything else changes during the summer，keep up the reading habits around your house. Read with your kids every day—whether it’s just before bedtime or under a shady tree on a lazy afternoon. And don’t forget to take a book to the beach！Just brush the sand off the pages — it’s no sweat!

1. The purpose of the passage is to________.

A. encourage parents to read

B. give advice on raising kids

C. raise a good summer reader

D. suggest places for vacations

2.If you drive on a long trip in summer，you can________.

A. visit the local library and join book clubs

B. borrow some audio books to listen to

C. keep in touch with friends by sending postcards

D. read your own picture books with your son

3.By saying “Just brush the sand off the pages—it’s no sweat”，the author means________.

A. taking away the sand on the book is very difficult

B. a special book is needed when you’re reading on the beach

C. one can remove the sand on the book with a brush easily

D. there’s no trouble reading even on the beach

4.Who are the possible readers of the passage?

A. Parents.                         B. Students.                                 C. Teachers.                       D. Editors.

5.Which statement(阐述) is true according to the text?

A. During summer vocation, kids’ reading skills must grow cold.

B. Kids have to go away to write about summer vacation.

C. With a library card，a child will feel extra grown­up by borrowing books.

D. Because everything else changes during the summer，it is hard to keep up the reading habits.

If I ever end up in a police missing-persons report, it will be because I went out to run some errands （跑差事） for my wife and never returned．

My adventure begins when I announce that I am going out to get a haircut, or to pick up my suit at the cleaner’s, or to do something that shouldn’t take very long．

As I look for my car keys, my wife utters （说出） those terrible words: “While you’re out …” This is a signal for me to make sure the car has enough gas for a cross-country trip because God knows when I will come back．

Of course my wife runs 95 percent of the errands, or that she is the one who keeps the household running smoothly．If it were up to me, the whole family would come to an end．The simple reason is that I am not good at doing anything more complicated than going out to get a haircut．

Here is what often happens:

“I’m going out to get a haircut,” I announce．

“While you’re out,” my wife says, “can you drop off the movie we rented last week? It’s due back today and I don’t want to pay a late charge．” “Sure,” I say．

Then she adds, “And stop at the post office for a book of stamps．” At last, I become nervous．I can handle a haircut and two errands．One more errand and I’m finished．

“And stop at the vet’s to pick up a bag of dog food．”

It doesn’t matter if all of these places are in the same shopping center （they aren’t）．Three errands are more than my brain can process （处理）．So I write them down．

“You mean you can’t remember three little errands?” my wife asks unbelievably．

Sadly, I can’t．I can remember to return the movie because it will be in the car． But with no visible reminders of my other two errands, I will almost certainly forget one of them．

I have to figure out where to go first．Should I get a haircut and then run my errands?

Should I stop at the post office first, get a haircut and then go to the video store and the vet’s on my way home?

Later in the day, I return home．With no small amount of pride, I hand her the book of stamps and the bag of dog food．She holds up a small box and says, “You forgot to give the movie back．”

It’s the story of my life: In one ear and out of the other．

1．The use of the word “terrible” in paragraph 3 shows that the writer ______．

A．does not love his wife

B．has deep hatred for his wife

C．gets frightened by his wife’s voice

D．is anxious about his wife’s request

2．The wife asks her husband to do three things after his haircut because ______．

A．she thinks they are easy errands

B．she likes to do housework at home

C．she is not satisfied with her lazy husband

D．she does not want to do these things herself

3．Why does the husband write down the three things?

A．He is serious．                          B．He is joking．

C．He is forgetful．                        D．He is foolish．

4．When the husband returns home, he is ______．

    A．rather tired       B．very happy          C．rather proud               D．very nervous