How often one hears children wishing they were grown-ups and old people wishing they were young again. Each age has its pleasures and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting his time in useless regrets(后悔).

Childhood is a time when there are few responsibilities to make life difficult. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after and loved, whatever he may do. It is impossible that he will ever again in his life be given so much without having to do anything in return. In addition, life is always presenting new things to the child — things that have lost their interest for older people because they are too well-known. But a child has his parents. He is not so free to do what he wishes to do; he is continually being told not to do things or being punished for what he has done wrong.

When the young man starts to earn his own living, he can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes, and his room, but has to work if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way that he used to as a child, he will go hungry. And if he breaks the laws of society(社会) as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison. If, however, he works hard, keeps out of trouble and has good health, he can have the great happiness of building up for himself his own position in society.

1.After a child grows up, he __________.

   A. will have little time playing

B. has to be successful in finding a job

   C. can still ask for help in time of trouble

D. should be able to take care of himself

2.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. People are often satisfied with their life.

B. Life is less interesting for old people.

C. Adults are free to do what they want to do.

D. Adults should no longer rely on others.

3.The underlined word "responsibilities" in the second paragraph means__________.

 A. duties          B. jobs             C. suggestions     D. desires(渴望)

4.The main idea of the passage is _________ .

A. life is not enjoyable since each age has some pains

B. young men can have the greatest happiness if they work hard

C. childhood is the most enjoyable time in one's life

D. one is the happiest if he can make good use of each age in his life

Over the few years, he________ much. He used to be quiet, and now he is still.

A. changed B. has changed

C. didn’t change D. hasn’t changed

This was not going to be a Mother’s Day as before. A lot of things had changed in the last few months. Usually we would give Mom flowers and take her out for a big meal. We couldn’t afford it this year.
Since I was born, Mom had been able to stay at home with me. We always had enough money to go out to eat two or three times a week if I had behaved well.
All that changed in January.
I could tell that Dad was getting a little angry. Mom would tell me to be quiet and let him rest at night. He’d work later and later.
Beginning in February, Dad tried hard to find another job. But it wasn’t easy for him to find something at the level he used to. He could not bring in as much money. That’s when he asked my mom to go back to work.
After a couple of weeks, Mom found a full-time job at a bank. The pay would be a big help to the family, but now Mom would not be around as much. I didn’t like it. I now had to stay in the after-school care program instead of going home and playing in my neighborhood. Too bad was, as soon as I did get home, I had to help get dinner ready, because Mom wouldn’t get home until after 6:00. I really missed the past time.
a)        This was not going to be a Mother’s Day as before because the writer’s father wasn’t in
b)       The writer’s home used to be rich. 
c)        His family changed because his father was mad.
d)       In February, the writer’s mother started to work at a bank.
e)        The writer really wanted his mother to stay with him

It's March, 2050.

Frank and Mary Smith wake up in their comfortable house in the morning and switch on the bedroom computer to get the latest news. They used to read the Times, but changed to electronic newspapers many years ago.
There is the usual news about space: another space flight has returned from Mars and scientists have discovered a new planet. Then they turn to business news: the US dollar has risen greatly in Shanghai, one of the world's leading business centres. Mary tells the computer to buy 5,000 dollars, and there is a quick response that it has been done.
As they watch the screen, Mary orders one of the household robots to make coffee for them.

Frank disappears into the study to join a video conference with his partners around the world. He is a computer engineer, working for several companies. This is his third job: he used to be in marketing and then television.
Mary has a quick look at the shopping channels - the usual selection of electric cars, household robots and cheap travel offers - before picking up the video phone to talk to her assistant. She also has a job and she is doing medical research. Both she and Frank used to have an office desk in London, but in 2014 they decided to move to the seaside and work from home.
Frank and Mary have one daughter, Louise, who also has her own workstation at home. She goes to school only one day a week, mainly to play with other students. Classrooms disappeared in 2030 because there was no longer any need for them: communications systems have made it much easier to learn at home.
Louise, now thirteen, is studying Chinese at present, which has become a world language as important as English. Louise has many Chinese friends. They communicate by computer.
According to the family doctor, Louise will live to at least 130. Her wish is to work for a few decades (十年) and then spend her time on music and painting.
【小题1】Why do Frank and Mary switch on the bedroom computer in the morning?
Because they _________________________________________________
【小题2】Does Mary read space news or business news?
__________________________________________________________
【小题3】Who makes coffee for Mary and Frank?
____________________________________________________________
【小题4】How does Frank work with others from home?
_____________________________________________________________
【小题5】What are the two world languages in 2050?
______________________________________________________________
【小题6】What do you think of Louise's life in 2050?
I think her life in 2050 is ____________ because ________________________