We’ve heard it before---we’ve heard it on the news, from teachers, from parents －children and teenagers today are growing up too fast. There are not too many people that will 13 with that statement. Teenagers are faced with serious problems and decisions at an early 14 . In fact most teenagers’ daily schedules are as 15 as those of an adult’s.
I have been working since I was thirteen, and always in 16 in which I was working with adults. I have had to learn to think and 17 like an adult to be taken seriously. So, I count myself as one who has grown up too fast. I just graduated from high school, and have recently spent some time reflecting on the 18 eighteen years－thinking about myself, what I have gained, and what 19 I have yet to achieve.
We are expected to work hard, get excellent 20 , be in a good relationship, and know what we want to do 21 . The list goes on and on. But the 22 is clear: We live in a society today that is 23 our childhood. We no longer have many years to be careless and fancy－free. We are expected to 24 the strict school rules and to excel （擅长）in everything we do.
I’ve known these things for a long time, and knew that they 25 me. But, I never really admitted it until last night, when I learned a 26 lesson, taught to me by my boss where I work. We had finished a job at a remote site. It was about 11:30 at night, and we had 27 to his house. We were talking about the 28 he had been making to his home. One of the things he said was “I 29 my basketball hoop（圈）. ”Then he threw a basketball to me.
I hadn’t 30 a basketball in five years.
We proceeded to shoot hoops for about 40 minutes. Both of us were terribly bad at it, but we spent the whole time 31 like children. Then I realized something: I am still a child. Oh, the law says I’m an adult. But, we are still really and truly children. We all need to have 32 once in a while.
13. A. argue B. disagree C. satisfy D. discuss
14. A. age B. stage C. year D. grade
15. A. certain B. busy C. careful D. perfect
16. A. companies B. places C. positions D. offices
17. A. study B. speak C. work D. act
18. A. last B. other C. rest D. coming
19. A. purposes B. success C. goals D. jobs
20. A. textbooks B. grades C. teachers D. schools
21. A. in life B. in time C. for ages D. for ever
22. A. information B. message C. notice D. idea
23. A. ruining B. correcting C. envying D. shortening
24. A. respect B. accept C. learn D. follow
25. A. inspired B. disappointed C. affected D. frightened
26. A. valuable B. serious C. important D. useful
27. A. walked B. flown back C. gone back D. driven
28. A. furniture B. improvements C. equipment D. arrangements
29. A. moved B. fixed C. sold D. broke
30. A. played B. caught C. kicked D. held
31. A. laughing B. shouting C. running D. shooting
32. A. a rest B. a talk C. fun D. sports