Nowadays more and more young athletes are taking part in the risky activities called “extreme sports” or “X-sports”.

In the past young athletes would play baseball. Today, they want risk and excitement — the closer to the edge, the better. They snowboard over cliff and hike deep mountains.

Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports such as golf. A city kid who couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment could get a skateboard and have fun. But now it has become a whole new area of sports, with specialized equipment and high levels of skill. There is even an Olympics for extreme sports, called the winter x-game, which includes snow mountain hiking and ice climbing.

What makes extreme sports so popular? Maybe it’s because people love the risk. City people want to be outdoors on the weekends and do something challenging. The new equipment is so much better that people can take more risks without getting hurt. Sure there’s a risk. Once you go mountain hiking or snowboarding, it’s impossible to go back to have riding or skiing. It’s just too boring.

Now even the older crowd is starting to join in. Every weekend, groups of friends in their early 30s get together. On weekdays they work as computer programmers in the same office. On weekends they hike mountains together.

Extreme sports are certainly not for everyone. Most people still prefer to play basketball or watch sports on TV. But it has been a fact that extreme sports are gaining popularity.

1.Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports because _______.

A．people didn’t like to play golf

B．some city kids couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment

C．there is an Olympics for extreme sports

D．extreme sports are gaining popularity

2.More and more young athletes are taking part in extreme sports because _______.

A．people want risk and excitement

B．it’s impossible to go back to have riding or skiing

C．people can take more risks without getting hurt

D．the older crowd is starting to join in

3.To have extreme sports, you should _______.

A．have specialized equipment and high levels of skill

B．be very young at age

C．do snow mountain hiking and ice climbing

D．afford expensive sports equipment

4.The author gives the example of the computer programmers in the same office to show _______.

A．young people love risks

B．they can’t afford golf

C．they don’t like to play basketball or watch sports on TV

D．extreme sports are gaining popularity

5.The main idea of this passage is _______.

A．extreme sports are certainly not for everyone

B．the benefits and costs of extreme sports

C．the development of extreme sports

D．what makes extreme sports so popular

How to Make a Budget

Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance (零花钱) would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike, money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be gone in no time.

Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn ----and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with your expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil --- and some self-control.

First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns (栏), list your sources (来源) of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.

The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget.

Sample Monthly Budget

Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be

realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in

that space simply because you wish you were spending less

If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!

Who is the passage written for?w

   A. Children.      B. Parents.        C. Breadwinners.       D. Bank managers.

The purpose of making a budget is to help people _________.

   A. learn to be realistic             B. increase their saving

   C. manage their money well        D. test their power-control

What should people do when planning a budget?w

   A. Fill in the expenses as they really are.

   B. Avoid spending money on expensive things.

   C. Set aside a fixed amount of money as savings.

   D. List income and expenses on two pieces of paper.

Which of the following budgets is effective?

   A.

B.

C.

D.

Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance(零花钱) would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike, money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be going in no time.
Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn — and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with your expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil — and some self-control.
First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns(栏), list your sources of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.
The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget.
Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in that space simply because you wish you were spending less.
If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!

Large wall posters for kids. Your kids will love these cool posters by artist Darla Daly—zebras boarding in the skateboard park, a group of jungle animals playing in the playground and two giraffes taking a drive in the city. Your kids will enjoy decorating their bedroom walls with these posters and their friends will think they are the coolest!
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My six-year-old granddaughter, Caitlyn, and I stopped at a Tim Horton’s shop for a blueberry cake. As we were going out of the door, a young teenage boy was coming in.
This young man had no hair on sides of his head with a set of blue spiked（竖起的）hair on top of it. One of his nostrils(鼻孔) was pierced （扎、穿）, and a ring ran through the hole and a chain went across his face and was attached to a ring he was wearing in his ear. He held a skateboard under one arm and a basketball under the other.
Caitlyn, who was walking ahead of me, stopped at once when she saw the teenager, I thought he’d scared her and she’d frozen on the spot.
I was wrong.
My granddaughter backed up against the door and opened it as wide as it would go. Now I was face to face with the young man. I stepped aside and let him pass. His response was a polite “Thank you very much”.
On our way to the car, I praised Caitlyn for her manners in holding open the door for the young man. She didn’t seem to be troubled by his appearance, but I wanted to make sure. If a grandmother’s talk about freedom of self-expression and allowing people their differences was in order, I wanted to be ready.
As it turned out, the person who needed the talk was me.
The only thing Caitlyn noticed about the teenager was the fact that his arms were full. “He would have a hard time to open the door. ”
I saw the partially shaved head, the set of spiked hair, the piercing and the chain. She saw a person carrying something under each arm and heading toward a closed door.
In the future, I hope to get down on her level and raise my sights.
【小题1】What did the author think of the young man?