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.

When I was growing up, I was embarrassed to be seen with my father. He was badly crippled (跛脚), and when we would walk together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would stare, I would be ashamed of the unwanted attention. If ever noticed or bothered, he never let on.

It was difficult to walk together—and because of that, we didn’t say much as we went along. But as we started out, he always said, “You set the pace. I will try to follow you.”

Our usual walk was to or from the subway, which was how he got to work. He went to work sick, and even in bad weather. He almost never missed a day, and would make it to the office even if others could not. It was a matter of pride for him.

When snow or ice was on the ground, it was impossible for him to walk, even with help... Such times my sister or I would pull him through the streets of Brooklyn, N.Y., on a child’s sleigh to the subway entrance. Once there, he would try to grasp handrail until he reached the lower steps that the warmer tunnel air kept ice free. In Manhattan the subway station was the basement of his office building, and he would not have to go outside again until we met him in Brooklyn on his way home. www.7caiedu.cn

When I think of it now, I am surprised at how much courage it must have taken for a grown man to suffer from shame and disability. And I am also surprised at how he did it—without bitterness or complaint.

He never talked about himself as an object of pity, not did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a “good heart”, and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him.

Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don’t know exactly what a “good heart” is. But I know the times I don’t have one myself.

He has been away for many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my reluctance to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about my troubles, when I am envious of another’s good fortune, when I don’t have a “good heart”.

1.How did the man treat his father when he was young?

2.As a disabled man, his father____.

3.What does the underlined word “reluctance” mean in the article? It means ____.

4.How did the father get to work usually?

I ran into a stranger as he passed by. “I'm so sorry!” was my reply. Then he said, “Excuseme too... I wasn't  36  watching for you.” We were very polite, this stranger and I. Then we went  37  our way after saying goodbye.

But at  38 , a different story is told. How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later in the kitchen, as I 39 our meal, my daughter walked up to me, very still. When I turned, I  40  knocked her down. “Get out of the way!” I shouted with a frown(皱眉). She stepped away silently, with her little heart 41_ . I didn't realize how harshly(苛刻地) I had spoken.

That night, when I lay   42  in bed, God's quiet voice spoke to me and said, “While  43  with a stranger, you are calm and polite, but with those you love, you are QUICK to excite... Go look around on the kitchen floor, you'll find some flowers there by the  44 . Those are the flowers she brought for you. She  45  them herself-- pink, yellow, and your favorite blue. She stood there quietly, and you never saw the  46 in her eyes.”

By this time, I felt sad and small and now my own tears had begun to fall. I quietly went and knelt by her 47 : “Wake up, my dear,” I said, “Are these the flowers you picked up for me?” She smiled, “I found them out by the tree. I  48 them in a napkin, just for you. I knew you'd like them, especially the  49 .” I said, “I am so sorry that I missed them today... And I  50  have fussed（慌乱）at you that way.”

And she whispered, “Mommy, that's okay... I still love you 51 .” I hugged her and said, “I love you, too and I LOVE the flowers.”

Do you know that: if you die tomorrow, the  52  you are working for could easily replace you in a matter of days. But the family you leave _53  will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into our  54  than into our families--an unwise investment indeed.

Remember that  55  =" (F)ATHER" -- (A)ND--(M)OTHER -- (I)--(L)OVE--(Y)OU.

1.                A．ever           B．just            C．even D．right

2.                A．to             B．on             C．in   D．for

3.                A．school         B．home          C．work D．office

4.                A．cooked         B．had            C．ate  D．took

5.                A．nearly          B．hardly          C．rudely    D．already

6.                A．lost            B．missed         C．beaten   D．broken

7.                A．awake          B．asleep          C．afraid    D．alive

8.                A．dealing         B．meeting        C．going D．talking

9.                A．floor           B．kitchen         C．door D．window

10.               A．grew          B．bought         C．picked    D．fetched

11.               A．joy            B．expressions     C．smiles D．tears

12.               A．desk           B．knees          C．body D．bed

13.               A．wrapped       B．covered        C．put   D．help

14.               A．pink           B．yellow         C．blue  D．black

15.               A．shouldn't       B．needn't        C．mustn't    D．can't

16.               A．indeed         B．anyway         C．anything   D．besides

17.               A．country        B．company       C．place D．state

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

19.               A．stranger        B．loss            C．meal  D．work

20.               A．RESPECT        B．WARMTH       C．FRIEND    D．FAMILY

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

I ran into a stranger as he passed by. “I’m so sorry!” was my reply. Then he said. “Excuse me too——I wasn’t    36  watching  for you.” We were very polite, this stranger and I. Then we went   37 our way after saying goodbye.

But at   38   , a different story is told. How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later in the kitchen, as I   39   our meal, my daughter walked up to me, very still. When I turned, I   40   knocked her down. “Get out of the way!” I shouted with a frown(皱眉头). She stepped away silently, with her little heart   41   . I didn’t realize how harshly I had spoken.

That night, when I lay   42   in bed, God’s quiet voice spoke to me, “While   43   with a stranger, you are calm and polite, but with those you love, you are QUICK to excite—Go look around on the kitchen floor, you will find some flowers there by the   44  . Those are the flowers she brought for you. She   45   them herself—pink, yellow, and your favorite blue. She stood there quietly, and you never saw the   46   in her eyes.”

By this time, I felt sad and small and now my own tears had begun to fall. I quietly went and knelt by her   47   , “Wake up, my dear,” I said. “Are these the flowers you picked up for me?” She smiled, “I found them out by the tree. I   48   them in a napkin, just for you. I knew you’d like them, especially the   49   .” I said, “I am so sorry that I missed them today—and I   50   have fussed（发牢骚）at you that way.”

And she whispered, “Mommy, that’s Ok—I still love you   51   .”I hugged her and said, “I love you too, and I love the flowers.”

Do you know that: if you die tomorrow, the   52   you are working for could easily replace you in a matter of days. But the family you leave   53   will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into our   54   than into our families—an unwise investment indeed.

Remember that   55   =（F）ATHER—（A）ND—（M）OTHER—（I）—（L）OVE—Y（OU）.

1.A．ever             B．even             C．just        D．right

2.A．to            B．in                C．on           D．for

3.A．school            B．work             C．home     D．office

4.A．cooked          B．had            C．ate         D．took

5.A．already        B．hardly             C．rudely         D．nearly

6.A．lost             B．missed           C．beaten       D．broken

7.A．asleep         B．awake            C．afraid              D．alive

8.A．standing       B．meeting          C．going     D．talking

9.A．floor            B．kitchen            C．window      D．door

10.A．grew         B．gave              C．picked         D．dropped

11.A．tears         B．expressions        C．smiles         D．joy

12.A．desk          B．bed            C．body      D．knees

13.A．wrapped           B．covered          C．put         D．help

14.A．pink           B．yellow             C．blue       D．black

15.A．needn’t     B．shouldn’t        C．mustn’t      D．can’t

16.A．however      B．besides            C．anything    D．anyway

17.A．company       B．country            C．place     D．state

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

19.A．stranger            B．loss             C．meal      D．work

20.A．RESPECT       B．WARMTH  C．FAMILY       D．FRIEND

When I was growing up, I was embarrassed to be seen with my father. He was badly crippled (跛脚), and when we would walk together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would stare, I would be ashamed of the unwanted attention. If ever noticed or bothered, he never let on.

It was difficult to walk together—and because of that, we didn’t say much as we went along. But as we started out, he always said, “You set the pace. I will try to follow you.”

Our usual walk was to or from the subway, which was how he got to work. He went to work sick, and even in bad weather. He almost never missed a day, and would make it to the office even if others could not. It was a matter of pride for him.

When snow or ice was on the ground, it was impossible for him to walk, even with help... Such times my sister or I would pull him through the streets of Brooklyn, N.Y., on a child’s sleigh to the subway entrance. Once there, he would try to grasp handrail until he reached the lower steps that the warmer tunnel air kept ice free. In Manhattan the subway station was the basement of his office building, and he would not have to go outside again until we met him in Brooklyn on his way home.  

When I think of it now, I am surprised at how much courage it must have taken for a grown man to suffer from shame and disability. And I am also surprised at how he did it—without bitterness or complaint.

He never talked about himself as an object of pity, not did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a “good heart”, and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him.

Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don’t know exactly what a “good heart” is. But I know the times I don’t have one myself.

He has been away for many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my reluctance to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about my troubles, when I am envious of another’s good fortune, when I don’t have a “good heart”.

How did the man treat his father when he was young?

A. He helped his father happily.

B. He never helped his father.

C. He helped his father, but not very happily.

D. He only helped his father take a walk after supper.

As a disabled man, his father____.

A. didn’t work very hard

B. didn’t go to work from time to time

C. hated those who had good fortune

D. was happy and satisfied, and never lost hope

What does the underlined word “reluctance” mean in the article? It means ____.

A. anger                     B. sadness            C. happiness                D. unwillingness

How did the father get to work usually?

A. By subway.              B. By bus.            C. By wheelchair.         D. By bike.