Today is Sarah’s birthday. She is seventy-five. We asked a few old friends to dinner.
Like most elderly people, I suppose, we spent most of the evening talking about old times. Thirty years ago, the village used to be a quiet place. Now it has changed. Every Sunday hundreds of cars pass through the village at what I think a dangerous speed. They make the village almost as noisy as the streets of a large town. As a boy I enjoyed riding on the backs of the farm horses. Things are different now. Today there are very few horses working on the farms. The farm workers today drive tractors, not horses. A man is not of much use on a farm unless he knows all about machines. Now almost every house in the village has a TV set. Is it a good thing for children to spend the evening sitting in front of a TV set? When I was young I did not waste my time indoors. I would spend the long summer evenings outdoors. I would play with my friends, go fishing or walk by the river. When my grandchildren asked me the reason why I haven’t bought a TV set, I tell them there are many books I still want to read. I can’t find time for both reading and watching TV.
8. The old like to talk about _______.
A. themselves B. others C. the past D. nothing
9. When I was a boy, I _______ riding on farm horses.
A. used to see people B. disliked
C. was fond of D. saw some elderly people
10. Which is NOT right according to the passage?
A. In the past the village was a quiet place.
B. It is a good time for children to watch TV all evening.
C. On Sundays many cars pass through the village at a dangerous speed.
D. When I was young I didn’t waste my time indoors.
11. I would rather _______ than _______.
A. watch TV; do some reading B. play with friends; go fishing
C. do some reading; watch TV D. go fishing; play with friends