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Why I Don’t Spare “Spare Change”
“Poor but honest. ” “The deserving poor.” These words always come to my mind when I think of “the poor”. But I also think of people who, perhaps through alcohol or drugs, have ruined not only their own lives but also the lives of others in order to give way to their own pleasure. Perhaps alcoholism and drug addiction really are “diseases”, as many people say, but my own feeling- based, of course, not on any serious study-is that most alcoholics and drug addicts belong to the “undeserving poor”. And that is largely why I don’t give spare change to beggars.
But surely among the street people there are also some who can rightly be called “deserving”. Deserving what? My spare change? Or simply the government’s assistance? It happens that I have been brought up to believe that it is proper to make contributions to charity(慈善机构), but if I give some change to a beggar, am I making a contribution to charity and thereby helping someone, or, am I perhaps simply encouraging someone not to get help? Or, maybe even worse, am I supporting a cheat?
If one believes in the value of private charity, one can either give to needy people or to charitable organizations. In giving to a beggar one may indeed be helping a person who badly needs help, but one cannot be certain that one is giving to a needy person. In giving to an organization, on the other hand, one can feel that one’s money is likely to be used wisely. True, facing a beggar one may feel that this particular unfortunate person needs help at this moment-a cup of coffee or a sandwich-and the need will not be met unless I put my hand in my pocket right now. But I have come to think that the beggars whom I meet can get along without my spare change, and indeed perhaps they are actually better off for not having money to buy alcohol or drugs.
I know nothing about these beggars, but it’s my impression that they simply prefer begging to working. I am not generalizing about street people. I am talking about the people whom I actually meet. That’s why I do not give “spare change”, and I don’t think I will in the future.
68. What does the author think of beggars who take drugs?
A. They should be given a check-up.            B. They really need money to live.
C. They have no pleasure in life.                D. They are not worth helping.
69. Why doesn’t the author give money to street people?
A. He doesn’t think they need help.                     B. He doesn’t have enough money to give.
C. He is not convinced they will use it rightly.    
D. He believes they can get help from the government.
70. In the second paragraph, the author presents his idea by_____.
A. asking questions for people to think about        B. giving examples to support his argument
C. raising questions and answering them                    D. expressing his opinions directly
71. Which of the following opinions does the author accept?
A. Drug addiction is a disease.                             B. Some street people are poor and needy.
C. Most beggars have received enough help.       
D. Charitable organizations handle money properly.

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In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord (房东) can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartment. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.
Some experts argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics hold the opinion that an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.
Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.
Economic theory predicts the results of economic decision, such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be corrected only if “other things are equal”. Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.
There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may________.

A.cause a shortage of apartments
B.worry those who rent apartments as homes.
C.increase the profits of landlords.
D.encourage landlords to invest in building apartments.

We can safely say that rent control_________.

A.will always benefit those who rent apartments.
B.is unnecessary.
C.will probably bring inactive effects in the long run.
D.is necessary under all conditions

There will be the problem of unemployment if ________________.

A.the minimum wage is set too high..
B.the minimum wage is set too early.
C.the workers are unskilled.
D.the maximum wage is set for poor workers.

The passage tells us about _______________.

A.the relationship between supply and demand.
B.the possible results of government controls.
C.the necessity of government control.
D.the urgency of getting rid of government control.

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A.The results of economic decisions cannot always be predicted.
B.Minimum wage cannot always protect employees.
C.Economic theory can help predict the results of economic decision if other factors are not changing.
D.Economists usually have the same prediction about an economic decision.

Why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there’s no doubt that Napoleon was a major influence. The French had used the right since at least the late 18th century. Some say that before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain, followed their left-hand tradition.
The U.S. has not always been a nation of right-hand rivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse traffic traveled on the left, as it did in England. But by the late 1700s, people driving large wagons pulled by several pairs of horses began promoting a shift to the right. A driver would sit on the rear (后面的) left horse in order to wave his whip with his right hand; to see opposite traffic clearly, they traveled on the right.
One of the final moves to firmly standardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20th century, when Henry Ford decided to mass-produce his cars with controls on the left (one reason, stated in 1908; the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge, especially… if there is a lady to be considered). Once these rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-hand standard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970. The U.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the western world’s few remaining holdouts. Several Asian countries, including Japan, use the left as well — thought many places use both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive cars.
Why did people in Switzerland travel on the right?

A.They had used the right-hand since the 18th century.
B.Rich people enjoyed driving their carriages on the right.
C.Napoleon introduced the right-hand traffic to this country.
D.Hitler ordered them to go to against their left-hand tradition.

Of all the countries below, the one that travels on the right is ______.

A.Austria B.England C.Japan D.Australia

Henry Ford produced cars with controls on the left _______.

A.in order to change traffic directions in the U.S.
B.so that passengers could get off conveniently
C.because rules at that time weren’t perfect
D.though many countries were strongly against that

According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A.Before the French Revolution, all the French people used the right.
B.People in Britain and the U.S. travel on the same side nowadays.
C.The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970.
D.All the Asian nations use the left at present.

What would be the best title for this passage?

A.Who made the great contributions to the shift of traffic directions?
B.How cars have become a popular means of transportation?
C.How Henry Ford produced his cars with controls on the left?
D.Why don’t people all drive on the same side of the road?

Given Australia’s size and the fact that early settlements were far apart, Australian society is remarkably homogeneous (同种的). Its citizens are fundamentally prosperous and the way of life in the major cities and towns is much the same however many miles divide them. It takes a sharp ear to identify regional accents. However, there is some difference in lifestyle between city dwellers and the country people. Almost 90 per cent of the population lives in the fast-paced cities along the coast and has little more than a passing familiarity with the desert. The major cities preserve pockets of colonial heritage, but the overall impression is modern, with new buildings reflecting the country’s youth. In contrast, the rural communities tend to be slow-moving and conservative. For many years, Australia was said to have “ridden on the sheep’s back”, a reference to wool being the country’s main money earner. However, the wool industry is no longer dominant. Much of Australia’s relatively sound economy is now achieved from natural coal and wheat, and by being the largest diamond producer in the world. Newer industries such as tourism and wine making are also increasingly important. Australians are generally friendly and relaxed, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. On the whole, Australia is a society without hierarchies (等级制度), an attitude generally held to stem from its prisoner beginnings.
Yet, contrary to widespread belief, very few Australians have true prisoner origins. Within only one generation of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Australia had become a nation of immigrants. Originally coming almost entirely from the British Isles, today one in three Australians comes from elsewhere. Australia’s liberal postwar immigration policies led to an influx of survivors from war-torn Europe, most notably Greeks, Italians, Poles and Germans.
The emphasis has shifted in recent years and today the majority of new immigrants are from Southeast Asia. Today Australia is a ‘blend of nations’ and although some racism exists, it has generally been a successful experiment and the country is justifiably proud to have one of the most harmonious multicultural communities in the world.
What does the writer mean by saying “It takes a sharp ear to identify regional accents.” in the first paragraph?

A.Australians speak Standard English with no local accents whatsoever.
B.You have to practice a lot to learn to understand the different accents.
C.The Australian regional accents are very difficult to understand indeed.
D.There is not much difference between the accents in different areas of Australia.

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A.Most Australians have ancestors who were prisoners.
B.The Australian economy is dependent on sheep exports.
C.The majority of people living in Australia come from Europe.
D.The pace of life is different in the city and in the country.

The underlined pronoun ‘it’ in the final paragraph refers to “_______”.

A.Community B.racism C.blend of Nations D.Southeast Asia

We can infer from the passage that _____.

A.there are no signs of Australia’s colonial past in its modern cities
B.Australia’s recent immigration policy encourages immigrants from Southeast Asia
C.immigrants from Southeast Asia have brought racial problems
D.“riding on sheep’s back” resulted in slow development in rural communities

This passage mainly focuses on Australia’s ______.

A.society B.economy C.racial problems D.history

Sometimes people come into your life and you know at once that they were sure to be there. They serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help find out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be: your classmate, neighbor, teacher, long-lost friend or even a real stranger. But you know that every moment they will affect your life in some serious way.
Sometimes things happen to you. At the time they may seem terrible, painful and unfair. But later you realize that without getting over those difficulties you would have never realized your further ability and strength. Everything happens for a reason and nothing happens by chance or with good or bad luck.
The people you meet affect your life, and the successes and failure you experience, create who you are. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.
Enjoy every day even every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people you have never talked to before, and really listen. You should set your sights high, hold your head up, tell yourself you are a great one and believe in yourself.
You can make your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it.
The people we meet.
A. all know where to find us
B. serve us on no purpose
C. will change us in some way
From the passage, we know that bad things can make us.
A. terribly meet bad luck
B. realize our further ability
C. find no serious success
The underlined word "poignant" in the passage means "".
A. 平淡的 B. 明显的 C. 深刻的
The writer's advice is that we should.
A. never talk to strange people
B. learn as much as we can each day
C. get over difficulties painfully
Which is the best title for the passage?
A. Create Your Own Life
B. Hold Your Head Up
C. People You Meet in Life

You probably know you should say “ please” and “thank you ” at restaurants. You probably know the rules of a library. You know you should respect and be nice to your classmates. But do you have music manners?
Keep It Down! You have to notice the volumeof your music. You should not play your music so loud that everyone around you can hear it. Some people might even get angry. Usually, when you play the music loud on an MP3 player, other people can’t hear the words of the song. They just hear a loud sound. Not one wants to listen to this. Very loud music can also be bad for your ears, so even if you are alone when listening to our MP3 player, you shouldn’t have it turned up too high.
Take Them off! You need to know when to turn your MP3 player off and put it away. Libraries and schools don’t allow MP3 players. There are other places, like museums, that don’t have rules, but it would be rude to have your MP3 player on. Sometimes, it just doesn’t make sense to listen to your MP3 player at event. Why would you listen to music at a play, a movie or a sporting event? You would miss what is going on and others would wonder why you even came.
Take One Out! Once in a while it’s okay just to take out one earphone and not other. Imagine you are listening to your MP3 player when someone asks you the way. It would not be rude to take out one earphone, tell him the way, and put back the earphone and continue listening. You can also do this when you order food at a fast-food restaurant or when you answer the telephone and it’s not for you.
It’s Your Choice! There are times when you need to decide what is the best. For example, some people can listen to music on their MP3 Players when reading books, while others think it is disturbing. In cases like this, you need to do what seems right for you.
The underlined word “volume” in Paragraph Two probably means.
A. the type of music
B. the amount of a sound
C. the length of a song
We should turn down the music when we are alone because loud music.
A. is not enjoyable
B. makes us tired
C. hurts our ears
If we listen to our MP3 player at a play,.
A. the theater won’t allow it
B. we will miss part of the play
C. others won’t hear the play well
We can take one earphone out when we.
A. show others the way
B. talk to fiends on the phone
C. watch a sporting event
What can be the best title of this passage?
A. Music Lovers B. Music Manners C.MP3 Players

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