How often one hears children wishing they were grown up, 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. Childhood is a time when there are few responsibilities. If a child has good parents, he is well fed, looked after and loved. It is unlikely 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. A child finds pleasure in playing in the rain, or in the snow. His first visit to the seaside is a marvelous adventure. But a child has his pains: he is not so free to do as what he wishes to do; he is continually being told what to do and what not to do. Therefore, a child is not happy as he wishes to be. When the young man starts to earn his own living, he becomes free from the discipline of school and parents; but at the same time he is forced to accept responsibilities. With no one to pay for his food, his clothes, or his room, he 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 as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may get himself into trouble. If, however, he works hard, goes by the law and has good health, he may feel satisfied in seeing himself make steady progress in his job and in building up for himself his own position in society. Old age has always been thought of as the worst age to be, but it is not necessary for the old to be unhappy. With old age comes wisdom and the ability to help others with advice wisely given. The old can have the joy of seeing their children making progress in life, they can watch their grandchildren growing up around them; and, perhaps best of all, they can, if their life has been a useful one, feel the happiness of having come through the battle of life safely and of having reached a time when they can lie back and rest, leaving everything to others.

He said he would never be intimidated_________what he didn’t like by big names. do to do did into doing

I only work_________weekdays,not_________weekends. on;on at;at on;at at;on

Piano is a popular______ . machine instrument equipment tool

We are all_________at the way her husband treated her. disgusting disgusted disgustful disgust

Many youngsters_________pop songs to old songs.They think pop singers are very cool. suppose prefer suggest expect

She_________to book a seat on the next flight. pushed drew Crushed stroke

His favorite__________is playing drums. pastime action habit moment

He _________yesterday morning,and would stay for three days. checked up checked on checked out checked in

Why__________me to do it_________you can do it yourself? asking;though ask;when to ask;since asked;while

The fire soon_________the whole town. spread through spread down spreaded over spreaded out

Life really should be one long journey of joy for children who are born with a world of wealth at their tiny feet. But experts on psychological research now believe that silver spoons can leave a bitter taste. If suicide statistics are a sign of happiness, then the rich are a miserable lot. Figures show that it is the rich who most often do away with themselves. Dr.Robert Coles, an internationally famous doctor, is the world’s top expert on the influence of money on children. He has written a well-received book on the subject, The Privileged Ones, and his research shows that too much money in the family can cause as many problems as too little. “Obviously there are certain advantages to being rich,“ says the 53-year-old doctor, “such as better health, education and future work expectation, but most important is the quality of family life. Money can’t buy love.“ It can buy a lot of other things, though, and that’s where the trouble starts. Rich kids have so much to choose from that they often become confused. Their parents’ over favoring can make them spoiled. They tend to travel more than other children, from home to home and country to country, which often makes them feel restless. “But privileged children do have a better sense of their positions in the world,“ adds Mr. Coles, “and they are more self-assured.“ Today’s rich parents perhaps have realized that their riches can be more of a burden than a favor to their children. So their priority is to ensure that, their families are as rich in love as they are in money.

Both the blue pink and the blue dresses are pretty but I like the_________better. earlier beginner former first

He made a_________to let all children learn English,but he soon found it impossible without an online course. confinement commitment conception commission

He_________the old man with 10 pounds for bringing back the lost dog. rewarded prized gave paid

I’m sorry to have_________you with so many questions on such an occasion. interfered offended impressed disturbed

There is absolutely no need to_________.We will return to the airport very soon. panic terror fright rage

It is__________impossible to work with this noise around. especially absolutely G. unreasonably unusually

A__________person is extremely thin, in a way that you find unattractive. lonely mean brave skinny

I was too_________to ask him for help. embarrassed embarrassing thrilled thrilling

When I was studying English at a training center in Washington D.C.in 1998, I shared a house with two young Americans, Jim and Steve. Jim was studying French and Steve Chinese, both at the Foreign Service Institute. We shared many things in common, but we also thought and acted quite differently. Steve was interested in speaking Chinese. He always tried every opportunity to talk with me with his very English-like pronunciation. I was often touched by his diligence. However, I wanted to practice English with him, too. So we often spoke at the same time in the other’s mother tongue. Jim was fresh from college and the youngest of the three. He was going out all the time. The only time we met was at breakfast. There was a small round table in our kitchen, where we sat around to enjoy our food. Steve had Chinese fast food such as dumplings or noodles, and I ate bread and boiled eggs. But Jim often just drank a cup of tea because he had nothing in his fridge. He was too busy dating pretty French girls to do any shopping. I often offered him some of my food. But Steve told me in his poor Chinese that I didn’t need to do that. He said that it was Jim’s own fault and that it served him right. Although he was learning Chinese, he still held his American sense of values. Two years later, I returned to China. The three of us still keep in touch, Jim now works in a travel agency in Paris. He got married to one of the pretty girls. He wrote to tell us that he can now enjoy a delicious breakfast with his beautiful wife every morning in their comfortable living room. Steve wants to work in China. And I’m helping him with this. I have introduced him to the dean of the Oversea Section of our university. He is very interested in Steve. He wants to know if Steve can work here teaching the oversea students Chinese. I have sent the message to Steve. I’m sure he’d be very happy to accept the job. However, I hope he could try harder to improve himself .Otherwise, all the overseas students would speak with his terrible pronunciation!

The happiest people should be those who________.

The word “they“ underlined in Line 4,Para.2 refers to_________.

A child has his pains because________.

When a child becomes a grown-up,he is supposed to_________.

The best title of the passage might be________.