A few months ago as I wandered through my parents’ house, the same house I grew up in, I had a sudden, scary realization. When my parents bought the house, in 1982, they were only two years older than I am now. I tried to imagine myself in two years, ready to settle down and buy the house I’d still be living in almost 30 years later.

??? It seemed ridiculous. On a practical level, there’s no way I could afford to buy a house anytime soon. More importantly, I wouldn’t want to. I’m not sure where I’ll be living in two years, or what kind of job I’ll have. And I don’t think I’ll be ready to settle down and stay in one place.

??? So this is probably the generation gap that divides my friends and me from our parents. When our parents were our age, they’d gotten their education, chosen a career, and were starting to settle into responsible adult lives.

??? My friends and I – “Generation Y” – still aren’t sure what we want to do with our lives. Whatever we end up doing, we want to make sure we’re happy doing it. We’d rather take risks first, try out different jobs, and move from one city to another until we find our favorite place. We’d rather spend our money on travel than put it in a savings account.

??? This casual attitude towards responsibility has caused some critics to call my generation “arrogant”, “impatient”, and “overprotected”. Some of these complaints have a point. As children we were encouraged to succeed in school, but also to have fun. We grew up in a world full of technological innovation: cellphones, the Internet, instant messaging, and video games.

??? Our parents looked to rise vertically（垂直的）– starting at the bottom of the ladder and slowly making their way to the top, on the same track, often for the same company. That doesn’t apply to my generation.

??? Because of that, it may take us longer than our parents to arrive at responsible, stable adulthood. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In our desire to find satisfaction, we will work harder, struggle for ways to keep life interesting, and gain a broader set of experiences and knowledge than our parents’ generation did.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

1.What is the main “generation gap” between the author and her friends and their parents according to the article?

A. Their ways of gaining experience.

B. Their attitude towards responsibility.
C. Their attitude toward high technology.
D. Their ways of making their way to the top.

2.Which of the following might the author agree with?

A. It involves too much effort to rise vertically.
B. It’s better to take adult responsibility earlier.
C. It’s all right to try more before settling down.
D. It’s ridiculous to call her generation “arrogant”.

3. What can we conclude from the article?

A. The author is envious of her parents enjoying a big house at her age.

B. “Generation Y” people don’t want to grow up and rush into adulthood.

C. Growing up in a hi-tech world makes “Generation Y” feel insecure about relationships.

D. The author wrote this article so that others would be able to understand her generation better.

4.What is the main theme of the article?
A. Criticisms of the young generation.
B. The sudden realization of growing up.
C. A comparison between lifestyles of generations.
D. The factors that have changed the young generation.

During the twentieth century, cars, electric lights, space travel and amazing advances in medicine changed people’s lives. So what might this new century bring? There are hundreds of predictions flying around — let’s have a light-hearted look at some of them.
In a recent UK survey, teenagers were asked to make predictions about the year 2020. One of the most common predictions was that school uniforms won’t be around. They also predicted that both girls and boys will wear make-up more often, and more than 75% of men will wear skirts regularly. My dad is 65 next Saturday — I think I’ll buy him a skirt as a birthday present and tell him he’ll soon be in fashion!
Other predictions involve changing roles of men and women. By 2017, some people say that single men of working age will form more than 10% of all families. It is also predicted that washing powder advertisements will include more men because more of them will do housework. I’ll tell that to my husband when he gets home and see how keen he is to wash the dishes!
Many predictions are about crime and safety problems. Some people think that crime will improve and the world will become a more peaceful place. Others believe that crime is going to worsen and that people will stay at home becoming completely dependent on the Internet for shopping and work. It is also predicted that you will need an electronic card to get into parks as parents demand safe play areas for their children. This is old news for me --- our local government is going to introduce one this summer.
Technology is predicted to play an even more important role in our lives in the future. Some parents might have cameras at home so they can keep an eye on their children while they are out. Quick, kids, turn off the TV and do your homework!
Here’s another prediction. Researchers have concluded that cultural activity may add years to your life. The cinema, theatre and concerts may give us a longer life because they encourage strong feelings. Well, we’re watching Bridget Jones’ Diary this Friday night. Will that help us live longer?
Let’s finish up with my favourite prediction. In the future, elderly people are going to make up a larger proportion of the world’s population than ever before. In Britain, an estimated 100,000 people now in their thirties may live to be 100. And that includes me! I’ll have a big, big party, I promise!
【小题1】 The writer’s father ________ .

My son and I were trying to sell the house we had repaired but in the barn(谷仓)there were bats(蝙蝠)and they would not leave. The barn was their home. They told us so in their own way. They hung there in the barn and seemed determined to stay for the season. Don’t worry about it, Dad, " Patrick said. They keep down the mosquitoes(蚊子).”

Unfortunately they also kept the buyers away. when we had asked a person to sell　the house for us he had refused to show it because of the bats. Bats are popular, “Patrick comforted me. They’re ecological(生态学的).”Isn’t there a machine you can buy that produces high frequency sounds to keep bats away?” “I don’t know,” said Patrick. But I like bats, and whoever buys this house will probably like them too. “Probably?” I hated that word. “How many bats are　there ,anyway?” “I counted about 90 last night,” said Patrick. “They were dropping out from under the edge of the roof.” “You mean there are more — outside?” “They’re everywhere, Dad. But look at it this way. When the cold weather comes, they’ll be off to Mexico. Maybe in the spring we can keep them out. Don’t worry about it,” he said for the hundredth time. “It’s not a problem.”

The bat expert I called was even more active than Patrick. I think you’ve got a large number there,” he said in wonder, I’ve been trying to attract bats to our house for 25 years. A single bat eats up his weight in mosquitoes and black flies three times every night. You’re a very lucky man.” I offered to share my luck with him. He could take them away. Bats have a remarkable homing instinct(本能),”he said, “They’d fly straight back even if I transported them 100 miles. Once they have settled, you can’t stop them from coming back.” I was silent.

Finally we managed to rent “(出租)the house to a young family, who were also interested in buying it. What about the bats?” I said to Patrick.

“Oh, they love the bats,” he said. “No mosquitoes. No black flies. It’s one of the things that attracted them.”

“Do you think they will really buy the blouse?”

“Probably.”

“Probably? Well, if they do ,I suppose I’ll have to admit that I was wrong.”

“You mean you’re going to eat your words?”

“Yes, I am.”

36.  What was the problem the author had with his house?

A.?Bats were living in the barn and wouldn't go away.

B.?The author and his son couldn't sleep well because of the bats.

C.?The author and his son might be able to stay for the season.

D.?The house was still badly in need of repair.

37.?What did Patrick suggest the author should do to stop the bats living in the barn?

A.?He should buy a high frequency machine.

B.?He should move them one hundred miles away.

C.?He should reduce the number of mosquitoes.

D.?He should close the barn in the spring.

38.?Why did the author fall silent when he talked with the bat specialist?

A.?He felt sure about the situation.

B.?He found out that it would be impossible to remove the bats.

C.?He learned that he would be able to share his luck with the expert.

D.?He liked the advice given by the expert.

39?What happened regarding the house in the end?

A.?Some people agreed to rent the house.

B.?The author failed to find anybody who wanted to live in the house.

C.?The bat expert made the decision to buy the house.

D.?The bats left the house for Mexico in the spring.

40.?Why did the author think he might have to “eat his words”?

A.?He felt sorry for the bats.

B.?He might be mistaken about being unable to sell the house.

C.?He realized he might be wrong about the bats’ actions.

D.?He was happy about selling the house.

My son and I were trying to sell the house we had repaired but in the barn(谷仓)there were bats(蝙蝠)and they would not leave. The barn was their home. They told us so in their own way. They hung there in the barn and seemed determined to stay for the season. Don’t worry about it, Dad, " Patrick said. They keep down the mosquitoes(蚊子).”
Unfortunately they also kept the buyers away. when we had asked a person to sell　the house for us he had refused to show it because of the bats. Bats are popular, “Patrick comforted me. They’re ecological(生态学的).”Isn’t there a machine you can buy that produces high frequency sounds to keep bats away?” “I don’t know,” said Patrick. But I like bats, and whoever buys this house will probably like them too. “Probably?” I hated that word. “How many bats are　there ,anyway?” “I counted about 90 last night,” said Patrick. “They were dropping out from under the edge of the roof.” “You mean there are more — outside?” “They’re everywhere, Dad. But look at it this way. When the cold weather comes, they’ll be off to Mexico. Maybe in the spring we can keep them out. Don’t worry about it,” he said for the hundredth time. “It’s not a problem.”
The bat expert I called was even more active than Patrick. I think you’ve got a large number there,” he said in wonder, I’ve been trying to attract bats to our house for 25 years. A single bat eats up his weight in mosquitoes and black flies three times every night. You’re a very lucky man.” I offered to share my luck with him. He could take them away. Bats have a remarkable homing instinct(本能),”he said, “They’d fly straight back even if I transported them 100 miles. Once they have settled, you can’t stop them from coming back.” I was silent.
Finally we managed to rent “(出租)the house to a young family, who were also interested in buying it. What about the bats?” I said to Patrick.
“Oh, they love the bats,” he said. “No mosquitoes. No black flies. It’s one of the things that attracted them.”
“Do you think they will really buy the blouse?”
“Probably.”
“Probably? Well, if they do ,I suppose I’ll have to admit that I was wrong.”
“You mean you’re going to eat your words?”
“Yes, I am.”
36.  What was the problem the author had with his house?
A.?Bats were living in the barn and wouldn't go away.
B.?The author and his son couldn't sleep well because of the bats.
C.?The author and his son might be able to stay for the season.
D.?The house was still badly in need of repair.
37.?What did Patrick suggest the author should do to stop the bats living in the barn?
A.?He should buy a high frequency machine.
B.?He should move them one hundred miles away.
C.?He should reduce the number of mosquitoes.
D.?He should close the barn in the spring.
38.?Why did the author fall silent when he talked with the bat specialist?
A.?He felt sure about the situation.
B.?He found out that it would be impossible to remove the bats.
C.?He learned that he would be able to share his luck with the expert.
D.?He liked the advice given by the expert.
39?What happened regarding the house in the end?
A.?Some people agreed to rent the house.
B.?The author failed to find anybody who wanted to live in the house.
C.?The bat expert made the decision to buy the house.
D.?The bats left the house for Mexico in the spring.
40.?Why did the author think he might have to “eat his words”?
A.?He felt sorry for the bats.
B.?He might be mistaken about being unable to sell the house.
C.?He realized he might be wrong about the bats’ actions.
D.?He was happy about selling the house.

1 

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

              　　 2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

The winter holiday is coming, which made me excited. I have been looking forward at relaxing myself. I’d like to go skating, climb mountains and see several movie. I think I can play the basketball with my classmates. How a wonderful time I’ll have during the winter holiday! However, my parents think different. They don’t want me go out. They are afraid I’ll be knocked down by a truck, fallen off a tree, or fight with others. Besides, they are afraid I will lose my way. I hate being treated like a bird keeping in a cage. To get more freedom, so I will try to persuade them.

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