Stepfamilies are commonplace in the United States and their number continues to grow. While stepfamilies differ widely in their make-up， they all consist of a parenting couple and children， one or more of whom is of a previous union. Such combinations of his kids， her kids， and then， possibly， kids of the new union make for complicated and often trying difficulties， more challenging than those of traditional families.
Since stepfamilies involve more people and， consequently， more potential problems from the start than do childless new marriage， it is wise for the couple to do some careful planning prior to (＝before) marriage. Not only do the prospective(预期的) marital partners need agreement about their own carriers， life goals， finance and special interests， they must also prepare for new relationship with their children and attempt to accommodate their individual needs and feelings. Furthermore， there are often the rights of other relatives to consider.
As for any family， the basic ingredient(成分) of a successful stepfamily are affection， kindness and mutual(相互的) respect. However， love alone is not enough. Certainly love is the cornerstone upon which the foundation of any family is built， but there are also many other important ingredients involved in building a successful stepfamily.
Surveys reveal that successful families regard the ability to communicate openly as the most important factor in their success. Communication is what keeps families on track and functioning as a unit. Although healthy communication is easier for some people than for others， this skill can be learned and improved. Healthy communication involves speaking clearly and listening carefully.
By their very nature， stepfamilies often are complicated by past events that give rise to ambivalent(矛盾的) loyalties， lingering(持久的) hurts， fears， feelings of guilt and unrealistic dreams. The difficulties that arise within the stepfamilies are human and understandable. However， there are ways to confront(面临) and resolve them. For example， support groups and professional counselors(法律顾问) are available in most communities to provide help and guidance when communications stopped and problems seem overwhelming(压倒性的).
Planning and building a stepfamily is not a responsibility to take lightly. It can be a very trying and， at times， seemingly impossible effort. Many potential troubles can arise and threaten to destroy the stepfamily. Nevertheless， meeting and mastering these special challenges can bring unexpected satisfactions and rewarding depths of family closeness and affection.
【小题1】According to the passage， there are 　　　　 in the United States.

A．no stepfamilies

B．more stepfamilies than ever before

C．fewer stepfamilies than ever before

D．fewer stepfamilies than traditional ones

【小题2】Which of the following can help avoid the potential problems arising in a stepfamily？

A．The pursuit of the same careers.

B．Professional interventions(干涉).

C．The development of special interests.

D．Careful planning before the marriage.

【小题3】 Many people believe that 　　　　 contributes most to the building of a successful stepfamily.

A．everlasting loyalties

B．open communication

C．kindness and mutual respect

D．persistent(持久稳固的) affection

【小题4】 It is natural for a stepfamily to be 　　　　.

A．unrealistic

B．complicated

C．ambivalent

D．guilty

【小题5】According to the author， planning and building a stepfamily is 　　　　.

A．impossible

B．satisfying and rewarding

C．discouraging and frustrating

D．a difficult and trying experience

 demand  

A．attempt           B．decoration　       C．cheque           D．reform

 

While I was in 9th grade, I built a circuit (电路装置) for the traffic system of our city. After getting the first prize, I got this valuable advice from my father: “Do whatever interests you, and don’t let the work challenge you, make sure you are challenging that work.” 

I have always preferred the projects which are challenging and related to real life problems. I clearly remember building a shipping program several years ago. I divided the whole project into several small sections. When I understood it clearly, I used my brainstorming skill on it, and gave some basic ideas. Then I asked my professor for help before jumping into coding (编码). At first, I did not know how to ask questions correctly and always asked the question “How do I do it?” As I kept working and discussed with my professor, I became more comfortable and those “how” questions soon turned into “what if I do this and that” types of questions.

     It took me four days to write the code. The desire to solve the problem kept me sleepless all nights brainstorming in even greater details. Every time I saw my program running smoothly, I exploded with joy. I still remember the last day of my work. I was getting some problem and didn’t know what to do. At that moment, a man came in to clean. He had headphones, and he was dancing while cleaning the room. Seeing this, I burst out laughing. That moment calmed me. I regained energy and interest and started to work again, and soon I fixed the problem.　

    My success in the project proved that breaking up a large problem into small parts could help find a possible solution. Discussing the problem with others was also very beneficial. Now I have gained the confidence to attempt any kind of project.　

 

1.According to the passage, the writer was interested in ______.

  A. developing traffic systems      B. doing challenging projects

C. winning great prizes               D. writing different codes

2. The writer asked the question “how do I do it” at first because ______.

A. he had no clear idea about his program   B. he was too shy to express himself

C. he wanted to be understood easily       D. he preferred this kind of question

3. We learn from the passage that the writer’s shipping program ______.

A. would benefit people a lot             B. was done together with others

C. was difficult and needed patience       D. cost much money and energy

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Do It Yourself                   B. No Pains, No Gains

C. Learning with Interest               D. Practice Makes Perfect

 

Every pet owner loves his pet. There is no argument here.

　　But when we asked our readers whether they would clone their beloved animals, the responses were split almost down the middle. Of the 228 readers who answered it, 108 would clone, 111 would not and nine weighed each side without offering an opinion.

　　Clearly, from readers’ response, this is an issue that reaches deeply into both the joy and eventual sadness of owning a pet. It speaks, as well, to people’s widely differing expectations over the developing scientific procedure.

　　Most of the respondents who favored the idea strongly believed it would produce at least a close copy of the original; many felt the process would actually return an exact copy. Those on the other side, however, held little hope a clone could never truly recreate a pet, many simply didn’t wish to go against the natural law of life and death.

　　Both sides expressed equal love for their animals. More than a few respondents owned “the best dog/cat in the world”. They thought of their pets as their “best friend”, “a member of the family,” “the light of my life.” They told moving stories of pets’ heroism, intelligence and selfless devotion.

　　Little wonders the loss is so disturbing—and the cloning so attractive. “People become very close to their animals, and the loss can be just as hard to bear as when a friend or family member dies,” says Gary Kowalski, author of Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet. “For me, cloning feels like an attempt to turn death away…It’s understandable. Death is always painful. It’s difficult to deal with. It’s hard to accept.”

 　But would cloning reduce the blow? This question seemed to be at the heart of this problem.

So far as the cloning of pets is concerned, a recent survey shows that, of all pet owners, __________.

A. a lot more of them are for it

B. a lot more of them are against it

C. very few of them are willing to tell their opinions

D. about half of them are for it and the other half against it

While talking about the respondents from the readers, the expression “eventual sadness of owning a pet” refers to _________.

A. the death of one’s pet

B. the high cost of owning a pet

C. the troubles one has to deal with in keeping a pet

D. the dangers involved in the cloning of a pet

In spite of their differences on the problem of cloning, it seems that ________.

A. all pet owners try to go against the natural law of life and death

B. all pet owners love their pets very much

C. people who support cloning love their pets more

D. people who dislike cloning love their pets more

From what Gary Kowalski says, we can know that he _________.

A. has never thought about the problem of cloning

B. is going to write another book on pets

C. is in favor of the idea of cloning pets

D. is all against the cloning of pets

What is the key question at the heart of the problem of cloning pets?

A. Can pet owners afford the cost of cloning?

B. Can cloning make the pain one suffers less when a pet dies?

C. Does cloning go against the law of nature?

D. How reliably does cloning produce an exact copy of one’s pet?

A water bearer in India had two large pots;  each hung on the ends of a pole. The water bearer often  carried the pole __36__ his neck. One of the pots had a crack(裂缝) in it, __37__ the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house,  the cracked pot __38__ only half full. For a full two years,  this went on __39__，  with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course,  the perfect pot was __40__ of its advantages. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection,  and __41__ that it was able to __42__ only half of what it had been made to do.  __43__ two years of what  sensed to be a bitter __44__，  it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself,  and I want to __45__ to you. I have been able to  __46__ only half my load because this crack  in my side __47__ water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my __48__，  you have to do a lot of this work,  and you don't get full value from your __49__，”  the pot said.

 The bearer said to the pot,  “Did you __50__ that there were flowers only on your side of the path,  __51__ not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always __52__ your fault,  and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path,  and every day while we walk back,  you've __53__ them.

For two years I have been able to __54__ these  beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the __55__ you are,  there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”

36．A.above　　  B．over　　　  C．across　　　  D．through

37．A.as                        B．while                  C．when                    D．so

38．A.arrived                 B．realized            C. made                 D．concluded

39．A.weekly          B．daily                        C．monthly                    D．yearly

40．A.ashamed                B．proud        C．happy              D．disappointed

41．A.sad                             B．pleased                   C．comfortable                D．safe

42．A.admit      B．achieve      C．reduce         D．attract

43．A.Before                  B. Since                      C．After                     D．By

44．A.failure                  B．success                 C．excitement            D．satisfaction

45．A.apologize                  B. talk                         C．admit                    D．apply

46．A.develop         B．permit     C．depend           D．deliver

47．A.takes                    B．causes                   C．makes                   D．reminds

48．A.fault              B．success                 C．kindness                D．sorrow

49．A.effects                 B．efforts                   C．operation                      D．attempt

50．A.look                            B．pay                       C．notice                   D．watch

51．A.but                             B．and                              C．since                     D．after

52. A．known about  B．told about C．worried about       D．come about

53．A.cared                   B．watered              C．planted                  D．pulled

54．A.pick     B．buy               C．sell         D．borrow

55．A.attitude                B．way                          C．measure            D．appearance