Life for Cathy Taylor’s three children is very busy. Their school days are busy enough. After school, though, Cathy takes the two boys from football to basketball. Then she has to take her daughter to piano lessons. The tired children don’t get home until 7 pm. They have a quick supper, and it’s time for homework.
The Taylors are like many American and British parents. They take their children from activity to activity, and try to fit as much as possible into their kids’ lives. Doctors say many children are under too much pressure. Teachers complain(抱怨) about teaching tired kids in the classroom.
Most children take part in after-school clubs. Activities include sports, language learning, music and math classes. Pushy parents are nothing new, but now parents seem to push their children a lot more. Parents see other children doing a lot of things, and they feel their own children should do the same.
Linda Miller, a mother of three in London, knows all about such pressure. “In some families, competition starts from a very young age,” she says. “Mothers send their kids to all kinds of classes when they are very young. And they are always comparing them with other children. It’s crazy. People shouldn’t push their kids so hard.
Dr Alice Green agrees. She also says that these children may find it hard to think for themselves when they are older. “Parents are trying to plan their kids’ lives for them. When these kids are adults, they might find it difficult to plan things for themselves.” Parents should learn to give their kids a bit more time to themselves. On one hand, children need organized activities. On the other hand, they also need time and freedom to relax, and they need time to do things by themselves.
(   ) 8. Cathy Taylor sends her daughter to       .
A. math classes      B. language school B. sport club       D. piano lessons
(   ) 9. Why do teachers complain about teaching those children in the classroom?
A. Because they are very tired.     B. Because they know a lot of things.
C. Because they are under too much pressure. D. Because they can’t plan things for themselves.
(   ) 10. From the passage, we know children take part in after-school activities because       .
A. they have interest in them            B. their teachers tell them to do so
C. their parents push them to do so          D. they see other children doing these things
(  ) 11. The writer probably thinks that parents should       .
A. compare their children with others    B. plan their children’s lives for them
C. take their children to different classes  
D. give children time and let them do things by themselves

Life for Cathy Taylor’s three children is very busy. Their school days are busy enough. After school, though, Cathy takes the two boys from football to basketball. Then she has to take her daughter to piano lessons. The tired children don’t get home until 7 pm. They have a quick supper, and it’s time for homework.

The Taylors are like many American and British parents. They take their children from activity to activity, and try to fit as much as possible into their kids’ lives. Doctors say many children are under too much pressure. Teachers complain(抱怨) about teaching tired kids in the classroom.

Most children take part in after-school clubs. Activities include sports, language learning, music and math classes. Pushy parents are nothing new, but now parents seem to push their children a lot more. Parents see other children doing a lot of things, and they feel their own children should do the same.

Linda Miller, a mother of three in London, knows all about such pressure. “In some families, competition starts from a very young age,” she says. “Mothers send their kids to all kinds of classes when they are very young. And they are always comparing them with other children. It’s crazy. People shouldn’t push their kids so hard.

Dr Alice Green agrees. She also says that these children may find it hard to think for themselves when they are older. “Parents are trying to plan their kids’ lives for them. When these kids are adults, they might find it difficult to plan things for themselves.” Parents should learn to give their kids a bit more time to themselves. On one hand, children need organized activities. On the other hand, they also need time and freedom to relax, and they need time to do things by themselves.

(   ) 8. Cathy Taylor sends her daughter to       .

A. math classes     B. language school B. sport club      D. piano lessons

(   ) 9. Why do teachers complain about teaching those children in the classroom?

A. Because they are very tired.     B. Because they know a lot of things.

C. Because they are under too much pressure. D. Because they can’t plan things for themselves.

(   ) 10. From the passage, we know children take part in after-school activities because       .

A. they have interest in them           B. their teachers tell them to do so

C. their parents push them to do so         D. they see other children doing these things

(  ) 11. The writer probably thinks that parents should       .

A. compare their children with others    B. plan their children’s lives for them

C. take their children to different classes  

D. give children time and let them do things by themselves

One afternoon, my son came home from school and asked me, “Are all people the same even if their skin color is different?” I thought for a moment, then I said, “I’ll explain. Let’s go to a fruit store first. I have something interesting to show you.”

At the store, I told him that we needed to buy apples. And we bought some red apples, green apples and yellow apples.

After we got home, I told Adam, “It’s time to answer your question.” I put one of each type of apple on the table: first a red apple, followed by a green apple and then a yellow apple. Then I looked at Adam, who was sitting on the other side of the table.

“Adam, people are just like apples. They come in different colors, shapes and sizes. See, some may not even look as delicious as others.” As I was talking, Adam was examining each one carefully.

Then, I took each of the apples and peeled them, placing them back on the table, but in a different place.

“OK, Adam, tell me which one is the red apple, the green apple and the yellow apple.”

He said, “I can’t tell. They all look the same now.”

“Take a bite(一口) of each one. See if that helps you tell which one is which.”

He took big bites, and then a huge smile came across his face. “People are just like apples! They are all different, but if you take off the outside, they’re pretty much the same on the inside.”

“Right,” I agreed. “Just like everyone has their own features but they are nearly the same.”

He completely got it. I didn’t need to say or do anything else.

Now, when I eat an apple, it tastes a little sweeter than before. What perfect fruit it is!

1. I took Adam to buy apples for         .                    

   A. supper           B. his question          C. a party     D. a present

2. As soon as we got home, I put          on the table.

A. all the apples                    B. three apples of different colors

C. three red apples                  D. three peeled apples

3.After Adam took big bites, he found they         .

A. looked the same     B. tasted good           C. tasted the same    D. weren’t delicious

4.In the end, Adam understood that         .

A. people are much the same even if their skin color is different

B. people are different if their skin color is different

C. the apples look the same after they are peeled             

D. apples of different colors taste different

5. I feel that apples taste a little sweeter than before because         .

A. they are delicious enough           B. they are perfect fruit for thinking

C. they are safe fruit                D. my son falls in love with them