I really hadn’t meant to yell at them. But that grey afternoon saw it just as my son and daughter were making a terrible mess on the floor in the kitchen.
With a tiresome report to write, I felt bothered at my desk. Suddenly, it occurred to me that my kids were at fault. A voice inside me insisted that I do something quickly.
“Ok, you two here, but what an awful thing you are attempting!” I was shouting angrily. I made for them, while it became evident that the boy wanted no part of me. “Get away from us!” he shouted back, there being an expression of support from his sister.
All of a sudden, I found the fault in myself. Quickly I shaped my hands into pincers and crawled towards them, “Crabby Daddy is here. Ha, Ha, Ha, he likes to yell at children, and then eat them!” My son continued to keep me away, but now he was laughing and crying at the same time. My mission to repair the damage caused by my yelling seemed to work well. Still, I regretted not having controlled myself first in a right way.
Need I let them know how badly they were acting by blaming? This is a lesson that serves myself. It only shows just how to get rid of something (ill-feelings, responsibility…) by blaming others. It’s not my “best self”.
We have to search for our “best self” when with our children. They don’t need perfect parents, but they do need parents who are always trying to get better. Here, I am reminded of the words of a great thinker. “When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the book…” Then, in our lifetime, couldn’t we always speak to our kids in such a sweet voice since most of us consider them as the most precious in the world? And before we reach this level, what should we do when we come across various difficult cases with our children?
【小題1】The author couldn’t help yelling at his kids this time probably because________.

A．the weather was so unpleasant	B．he was tired of his boring work
C．the kids didn’t ask him to join them	D．a(chǎn) Daddy has his right to do so

【小題2】Which of the following made the author aware of his fault?

A．No obvious reason.

B．The boy’s yelling back.

C．His self-awareness.

D．The girl’s shouting back.

【小題3】According to the passage, the author will _____ in another similar situation.

A．play a crab again like this time

B．a(chǎn)pologize to kids in a sincere way

C．a(chǎn)void blaming kids in a hurry

D．beat them up about such things

【小題4】What will the writer go on to write about in the next paragraph(s)?

A．How to behave ourselves properly when kids are at fault.

B．How to play with our children in a more interesting way.

C．How to deal with the housework with children around us.

D．How to persuade children to do what they are told to.

【小題5】What does “the boy wanted no part of me” in the third paragraph mean?

A．The boy was happy because I loved them.

B．The boy was curious because I wanted to help them.

C．The boy was very happy for I was angry.

D．The boy didn’t want me to join them.

One evening in February 2007 . a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote in Wales . She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path . That's when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train.Her Renault Clio parked across a railway line. Second later,she watched  the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.
Ceely's near miss  made the news because she blamed it on her GPS device(導(dǎo)航儀).She had never driven the route before .It was dark and raining heavily . Ceely was relying on her GPS. But it made no mention of the crossing ."I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train ,"she told the BBC.
W ho is to blame here ? Rick Stevenson ,who tells Ceely's story in his book When Machines Fail US, finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital devices, he says,
but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small  problems. And it’s not just GPS devices: Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless key boards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it’s  not clear why he only focuses digital technology,while  there may be a number of other possible  causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention. perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor signaling system. Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the CPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn’t say.
It’s a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an accout of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it’s also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets. Or changing social circumstances. Or some combination of these factors .
The game between humans and their smart devices  is complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be  way a wiser use of technology.   
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just  an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands  of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long .
【小題1】
What did Paula Ceely think was the cause of her accident?           

A．Shewasnotfamiliarwiththeroad.

B．Itwasdarkandrainingheavilythen.

C．The railway works failed to give the signal.

D．Her GPS device didn’t tell her about the crossing

【小題2】
The phrase”near miss” (paragraph 2 ) can best be replaced by _______.    

A．closebit

B．heavyloss

C．narrow escape

D．bigmistake

【小題3】
Which of the following would Rick Stevenson most probably agree with?          

A．Moderntechnologyiswhatwe can’tlivewithout.

B．Digitaltechnologyoftenfalls shortofoutexpectation.

C．Digitaldevicesaremore reliablethantheyusedtobe.

D．GPSerrorisnottheonly causeforCelery’saccident.

【小題4】
In the writer’s opinion, Stevenson’s argument is________.

A．one-sided

B．reasonable

C．puzzling

D．well-based

【小題5】
What is the real concern of the writer of this article?

A．The major causes of traffic accidents and car thefts.

B．The relationship between humans and technology

C．Theshortcomingsofdigital devicesweuse.

D．Thehuman unawarenessoftechnicalproblems.

If you want to teach your children how to say sorry, you must be good at saying it yourself, especially to your own children. But how you say it can be quite tricky.

   If you say to your children “I’m sorry I got angry with you, but…”, what follows that “but” can make the apology ineffective: “I had a bad day” or “You noise was giving me a headache” leaves the child who has been injured feeling that he should be apologizing for this bad behavior.

   Another method by which people appear to apologize without actually doing so is to say “I’m sorry you’re upset”; this suggests that you are somehow at fault for allowing yourself to get upset by what the other person has done.

   These pseudo(虛假的) apologies are used by people who believe saying sorry shows weakness. Parents who wish to teach their children to apologize should see it as a sign of strength, and therefore not turn to these pseudo apologies.

   But even when presented with examples of true regret, children still need help to become aware of how difficult it is to say sorry. A three-year-old child might need help in understanding that other children feel pain just as he does, and that hitting a playmate over the head with a heavy toy requires an apology. A six-year-old child might need reminding that spoiling other children’s expectations can require an apology. A 12-year-old child might need to be shown that taking away the biscuit tin without asking permission is acceptable, but that borrowing a parent’s clothes without permission is not.

1.If a mother adds “but” to an apology, ________.

       A. the child may find the apology easier to accept       

       B. the child may feel that he should apologize to his mother 

       C. she does not realize that the child has been hurt       

       D. she doesn’t feel that she should have apologized

2. According to the author, saying “I’m sorry you’re upset.” most probably means “_____”

       A. You have good reason to get upset  B. I apologize for hurting your feelings 

       C. I’m wrong for making you upset     D. I know you’re upset, but I’m not to blame

3. We learn from the last paragraph that in teaching children to say sorry ____.

       A. their ages should be taken into consideration   

       B. parents should be patient and tolerant(寬容的)

       C. parents need to set them a good example      

       D. the difficulties involved should be taken no notice of

4. It can be inferred from the text that apologizing properly is ________.

       A. not necessary among family members     B. a sign of social progress 

       C. not as simple as it seems                      D. a matter calling for immediate attention

 

It is love that makes the world go round. And it is also love that has such power to overcome all difficulties. So we say: “Love will find a way.” As smile is a facial expression showing pleasure, affection, and friendliness, it is the commonest way to show our good will perfectly without saying anything. A Chinese saying runs: “never hit a person who is smiling at you.” It is a time-proven fact that the smile is a language all its own— a universal language—understood by the people of every nation in the world. We may not speak the same tongue as our foreign neighbors, but we smile in the same tongue. We need no interpreter for thus expressing love, happiness, or good will.

One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality contradicted mine. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store. My anger toward that grew with each step. Outside, standing at the corner, was a dark-complexion young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling smile covered his face. I gave in immediately. The magnetic power of that shining smile drove away all bitterness within me, and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” I remarked, in passing. The, suddenly something inside me sent me turning back. “I really owe you a debt of gratitude,” I said softly. His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman stepped forward and eyed me inquiringly. “Carlos, he no speak English,” she volunteered. “You want I should tell him something?” In that moment I felt transformed. Carlos’ smile had made a big person of me. My friendliness and good will to ward all mankind stood ten feet tall. “Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said ‘Thank you!’” “Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled. I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave. “Just tell him that,” I insisted. “He’ll understand. I am sure!” Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning.

    From that day on, I became smile – conscious, and I practice the diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody. When I got excited in traffic, taking the right – of – way (公路用地) from the other car with my stupid mistake, I’d smile and shrug my shoulders apologetically. This action on my part would always draw a good – natured smile in return. If the other fellow was at fault – and if I could remember my resolution in time! – he’d get a broad smile of understanding. This took a bit of doing at first. I’ll admit it wasn’t always easy, but it was fun. The results were sometimes amazing. Many times, a broad, friendly smile would completely turn aside ill – feeling and tension. I’m wondering now how many tragic add dents could be avoided on our overcrowded highways, if every driver remembered to smile!

1.The author got angry while shopping one day because         .

A. of the clerk’s unfriendliness and lack of concern

B. of her misfortune

C. she failed to purchase what she intended

D. a dark – complexion young man laughed at her

2.From the conversation between the author and the Mexican woman, we can infer that the woman         .

A. was well – educated but unwilling to help others

B. was able to speak English

C. knew some English and was ready to help others

D. was familiar with the young man

3. In the author’s opinion, if all people remembered to smile when driving,         .

A. many traffic accidents could be avoided

B. they would receive a good natural smile in return

C. they could get a broad smile of understanding

D. they wouldn’t feel any tension

4. The best title for this passage could be          .

A. The Art of Smiling          B. The Universal Language

C. The Power of Love        D. The Magic Power of Friendship

 

 

Parents should stop blaming themselves because there’s not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal.

I’ve seen friends deal with it in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself (懶散地躺) on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. “I don’t know what to do with him these days,” she said. “He’s forgotten all the manners we taught him.”

He hasn’t forgotten them. He’s just decided that he’s not going to use them. She confessed (坦白) that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor.

Another good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, “I don’t like your dress; it’s ugly.” One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home.

“Where did we go wrong?” her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents.

46. This text is most probably written by ______.

A. a specialist in teenager studies

B. a headmaster of a middle school

C. a parent with teenage children

D. a doctor for mental health problems

47. The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to ______.

A. the change from good to bad that’ s seen in a child

B. the way that parents often blame themselves

C. the opinion that a child has of his parents

D. the advice that parents want their children to follow

48. The boy on the sofa would most probably be described as ______.

A. lazy   B. quiet   C. unusual    D. rude

49. From the second example we can infer that the parents of the two daughters ______.

A. pay no attention to them

B. are too busy to look after them

C. have come to hate them

D. feel helpless to do much about them

50. What is the author’s opinion about the sudden change in teenage children?

A. Parents have no choice but to try to accept it.

B. Parents should pay still more attention to the change.

C. Parents should work more closely with school teachers.

D. Parents are at fault for the change in their children.