In the past, American families tended to be quite large. Parents raising five or more children were common. Over the years, the size of the family has decreased.

One reason for this is an increase in the cost of living. On the average, children attend schools for more years than they used to, making them financially dependent on their families longer. Moreover, children nowadays are better dressed and have more money to spend on entertainment. The parents usually take the responsibility for all the expenses. Meanwhile, families are less close than they used to

be. More and more American mothers work away from home.

The break up of the family occurs when the parents divorce. A lot of children in the U. S. live part of their young lives with only one parent. Broken families usually result in problems for children and parents alike. Children blame themselves when their parents separate. They grow up feeling

unsettled as they are moved back and forth between parents. Usually one parent is responsible for raising the children. These single parents must care for the children’s emotional and psychological needs while also supporting them financially. This is very demanding and leaves very little time for the parent’s own personal interests. Single parents often marry other single parents. In this type of family, unrelated children are forced to develop brother or sister relationship.

The situations of many American families today are not good. However, recent signs indicate that things are getting better. The divorce rate is declining. The rate of childbirth is rising. Perhaps Americans have learned how important families are.

The worst thing is the headlines. I use the underground almost every day and watch the people travel, their heads　 1　 in the{r newspapers. The headlines today　 2　 suicide (自杀) bombers and of horrific attacks that they say　 3　 by members of our community.

Something on the journey is　 4 . I am not　 5　 anything that would indicate I am a Muslim. I normally do not 　6　 it is Friday and I am on my way to prayers. 7　 I sense an uneasiness in the carriage. People are　 8 . No one is speaking and it must be said that no one is being　 9　 unfriendly towards me. But I think the　 10 I get are different. I am being checked out, sized up. It is all a bit uncomfortable.

People are looking around for things and people　 11　 look suspicious (可疑的). I am doing it a bit 12 　and in the coming days, as more claims are made about the people who did this and their aims, that feeling is likely to get　 13 . As you look around the　 14 , it is difficult to know what people are thinking. Some are 　15　 thinking “those Muslims come here and look what they do" but they 16　 understand we condemn (谴责) this like everyone else.

Whoever did this didn't　 17　 about who was killed or whether they were Christian or Muslim. They just had no respect 18 　human life at all. We all travel around London and we use public transport. We have as much fear as anyone else about　 19　 in something. But in the coming days, everyone is going to have to work together and keep calm. We will look out for each other and that's how we. will 　20　 this difficulty.

1. A. buried　　 　 B. hung　　　　 　　　 C. hidden　　　　　　　 D. sunk

2. A. tell about　 　 　 B. talk over　　　 　 C. think out 　　 　 D. Speak of

3. A. to carry on　 　 　 B. were carried out 　 C. to carry out　 　 D. were carried on

4. A. different　 　 B. difficult　　　　 C. easy　　　　 　 　 D. interesting

5. A. putting on　 　 B. dressing　　　　 　 C. wearing　　　 D. having on

6. A. unless　　　 　 B. until　　　　　　 　 C. before　　　 　 　 D. after

7. A. However　 　 　 B. Thus　　　　　　 　 C. But　　　　 　 　 D. And

8. A. calm　　　 B. noisy　　　　　 　 C. quiet　　　　 　 　 D. cheerful

9. A. in a way　 　 　 B. in one way　　　 　 C. in no way　　 　 　 D. in any way

10. A. looks　　 　　　 B. opinions　　　　 　 C. ideas　　　　 　 　 D. experiences

11. A. which　　　 　 B. that　　　　　 C. who　　　　 　 　 D. whom

12. A. itself　　　　 B. himself　　　　　 　 C. myself　　　　　　　 D. oneself

13. A. better　　　 　 B. worse　　　　 C. more　　　　 　 　 D. less

14. A. carriage　 　　 B. bus　　　　 　　　 C. train　　　　 　 　 D. taxi

15. A. surely　　　 　 B. certainly　　　　 　 C. probably　　 　 　 D. hopefully

16. A. have to　　 B. might　　　　　 　 C. are able to　　 　 D. may

17. A. ask　　　　　 　 B. hear　　　 　　　　 C. know　　　　 　 　 D. care

18. A. with　　　 　 B. of　　　　　　 C. for　　　　　 　 　 D. to

19. A. keeping up　 　 B. being caught up　　 C. catching up　 　 D. being kept up with

20. A. get away　 　 B. get off　　　　 　 C. get out　　　　 　 D. get through

　　　 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意．然后从1—15各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

The New York Times published an article recently that shows great regret for the “death of conversation”. It 　1 that while technology such as cell phones, e-mails, and Internet posting makes us feel more 　2 than ever, they’re also driving us away from people around us.

　　　 Users get final connectivity at the price of 　3 face-to-face conversation. Sherry Turkle, author of the article in The New York Times says people are 　4 to a different way of being “alone together”.

　　　 Actually, 　5 text messages or writing micro-blogs allows us to 　6 thoughts. But bits and pieces of online cannot 　7 a “real conversation.” Lan Guo, 19, a freshman English major from Changsha University, said that she would like to hear people’s tone of voice and see their faces in a (n) 　8 . “The give and take of ideas in a conversation sharpens our minds.” she said. She also mentions that burying ourselves in mobile technology reduces our chance of starting conversations with strangers and 　9 people.

Turkle mentioned the popular 　10 of “I share, therefore I am” among this generation. Liu Xuan, a young writer from Taiwan and psychology graduate from Harvard University, thinks it’s a mindset adopted by most 　11 people. They are so busy creating or polishing their online persona (网络人格) that they forget how to live a (n) 　12 life.

However, experts remind us that it’s 　13 to blame mobile technology. Chen Chen, a sociology expert at China Youth & Children Research Center, 　14 out that it is still owners of gadgets, who’re avoiding personal contact. “Only by strengthening conversation can we understand each other. 　15 throwing away the mobile gadgets is not a solution.” she said.

1. A. talks　　　　　　　　　　 B. suggests　　　　　　　　 C. speaks　　　　　　　　　 D. advises

2. A. received 　　　　　　 B. shared　　　　　　　　　 C. connected　　　　　　 D. respected

3. A. having　　　　　　　　　 B. risking　　　　　　　　　 C. sacrificing　　　　　　 D. sharing

4. A. related　　　　　　　　　 B. committed　　　　　　 C. devoted　　　　　　　　 D. accustomed

5. A. sending 　　　　　　　 B. getting　　　　　　　　　 C. reading　　　　　　　　　 D. taking

6. A. change 　　　　　　　 B. exchange　　　　　　　 C. explain　　　　　　　　　 D. raise

7. A. indicate　　　　　　　　 B. replace　　　　　　　　　 C. cover　　　　　　　　　　 D. involve

8. A. conversation　　　　 B. computer　　　　　　　 C. party　　　　　　　　　　 D. Internet

9. A. interviewing　　　　　 B. introducing　　　　　　 C. knowing　　　　　　　　 D. meeting

10. A. feeling　　　　　　　　 B. concept　　　　　　　　 C. fact　　　　　　　　　　　 D. truth

11. A. shy　　　　　　　　　　 B. busy　　　　　　　　　　 C. old　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. young

12. A. real　　　　　　　　　　 B. interesting　　　　　　　 C. colorful　　　　　　　　 D. meaningful

13. A. important　　　 B. necessary　　　　 C. unfair　　　　　 D. uncomfortable

14. A. reaches 　　　　　　 B. thinks 　　　　　　　　 C. points 　　　　　　　　 D. watches

15. A. Eventually　　　　　 B. Hardly　　　　　　　　　 C. Finally　　　　　　　　　 D. Simply

Here is a picture where we can see grass growing in stones strongly. This picture 　 36　 me of my father, a most determined man. He was born in a very 　 37 black family in the country, and both of my grandparents were 　38　 . My father began to work in the cotton fields when he was seven years old. He had a strong desire to change his own fate ever since he was a little boy. He 　39 himself how to read and write in the evening. Later with his parents' help he 　 40　 to go to school where he studied computer science at Yale University. He later became a professor of Stanford University and was an expert in programming. He could 　41 large-scale programs for supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, parks and bookstores all by himself. I'm 　 42　 of my father, and who can deny that 　43　 from the determination and severance of a most strong person?

The best way to know a strong man, I think, is to let him 　44　 a severe test. Whenever we want to test a man's character, we should find out whether he can　 45　 adversity （逆境）, because adversity can always prove the 　46　 character of a man．Only when we make up our own mind can we overcome any 　 47　 . Some people would give up halfway. Such men can hardly expect to succeed. If we do not give up hope, nothing is impossible.

36．A．supposes　　　　　　 B．reminds　　　　　　　 C．warns　　　　　　　　 D．demands

37．A．poor　　　　　　　　　 B．old 　　　　　　　　　 C．large　　　　　　　　　 D．happy

38．A．teachers　　　　　　 B．workers　　　　　　 C．doctors　　　　　　　 D．farmers

39．A．respected　　　　　 B．forced　　　　　　　　 C．taught　　　　　　　　 D．prepared

40．A．happened　　　　　　 B．managed　　　　　　 C．wished　　　　　　　 D．expected

41．A．design　　　　　　　　 B．show　　　 　 C．learn 　　　　　　　　 D．indicate

42．A．fond　　　　　　　　　 B．confident　　　　　　 C．proud　　　　　　　　 D．certain

43．A．resulted　　　　　　　 B．differed　　　　　　　 C．suffered　　　　　　 D．dated

44．A．send for　　　　　　 B．try out　　　　　　　　 C．get up　　　　　　　　 D．go through

45．A．choose　　　　　　　 B．stand　　　　　　　　　 C．expect 　　　　　　　 D．tear

46．A．main　　　　　　　　　 B．lively　　　　　　　　　 C．true　　　　 　　 D．weak

47．A．danger　　　　　　　 B．mistake　　 　　 C．question 　　　　　 D．difficulty