What is freedom? It seems like such a simple question. Freedom is being able to do what you want to do. Allow me to explain it.
I’m tired of working for a living. I’d rather collect taxes. So that’s what I’m going to do: collect a kind of tax. You are ordered to estimate your income from the past 12 months, and write me a check for 1%. I have provided a mailing address for this purpose on my contact page …
What? You have a problem with my plan? Oh, I see. If you have to send me a check for the tax, then I have hurt your freedom to spend that money as you see fit. We have a conflict! And our basic problem is: we cannot enjoy freedom at the same time; we must settle for a limit. But what limit?
Libertarians (自由论者) believe freedom should be based on self-control. They describe freedom as being able to do what you want to do as long as it doesn’t influence the equal right of others to do what they want to do. That is, freedom is being able to do what you like as long as you do not harm another person’s life, liberty or property.
You can build a set of legal and ethical (道德的) rules on the principle of self-control, and libertarians do. Their request for self-control often becomes more important than common sense, or even freedom itself.
The definition rules out the freedom to steal, murder, and so on. Otherwise, you can do whatever you want. There is no problem until you realize that taxation is theft, that war is murder, and that national service is a form of slavery. Since only the government has a legal right to use force, libertarians focus on making the government smaller, or even going without it. The libertarians’ definition of freedom is thus freedom from the government. Isn’t it ridiculous?According to the first three paragraphs, the author’s idea of collecting taxes is _________.
| A．reasonable | B．responsible | C．unacceptable | D．understandable |
The author takes tax-collecting as an example in the passage to prove that freedom is _________.
| A．unreal | B．unbelievable | C．achievable | D．limited |
In the opinion of libertarians, freedom is realized mainly by _________.
| A．the law | B．self-control | C．ethical rules | D．common sense |
Which of the following statements is supported by libertarians according to the passage?
| A．National service should be canceled. |
| B．People can do whatever they want. |
| C．The government should have more power. |
| D．They should be governed by the government. |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
E
The cost of medical care in the United States is very high. The time and money that doctors spend on their medical education is probably one reason for this problem.
A visit to a doctor's office costs from fifteen to fifty dollars. It is almost impossible for people to pay for medical care they need. Many people in the United States think that doctors are overpaid. Most doctors, however, disagree. They say that they have been required to study medicine for a long time. Tuition(学费)for many years of medical education costs lots of money. Doctors say that it is necessary for most medical students to borrow money from a bank to pay their tuition. Because this money must be repaid to the bank, young doctors need to receive a lot of money for their work. So they charge(收费)people high prices for medical care.
Therefore, it's possible that the high cost of medical care in America is unnecessary. Because high tuition is one cause of high costs, one way to lower costs would be to have medical schools that are free or have low tuition.Some people don't have their medical care they need because________.
| A．they are not willing to pay the doctors high tuition |
| B．they don't think it necessary to have medical care |
| C．they don't want to spend much money on it |
| D．they haven't got enough money to pay for it |
The reason for the high medical cost mentioned(提到)in the article is________.
| A．tuition in medical schools is high |
| B．the price of medicine is high |
| C．doctors are overpaid |
| D．doctors must pay money to banks |
One way to lower the cost of medical care would be________.
| A．not to see a doctor |
| B．to pay doctors less money |
| C．to let medical students have free or partly free medical education |
| D．to forbid(禁止)doctors to ask their patients for too much money |
The main idea of the article is that________.
| A．a visit to a doctor's office may cost as much as 15 to 50 in US |
| B．the cost of medical care is the main reason for the high costs in US |
| C．medical care in the United States costs a lot of money because doctors want to be rich |
| D．the high cost of tuition in medical schools is one reason for the high cost of medical care in America |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
D
Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers(青少年). But last summer, Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son: suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his firends than to his parents.“The door to his room is always shut，”Joanna noted.
Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14yearold daughter. “She used to cuddle up(蜷伏)with me on the sofa and talk，”said Mark. “Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something. Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is figuring out which time is which.”
Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what's on their minds. “In fact, parents are first on the list，”said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. “This completely changes during the teen years，”Riera explained. “They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents last.”
Parents who know what's going on in their teenagers' lives are in the best position to help them. To break down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental break, for children also need freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with their children is a better way to know them.“The door to his room is always shut”suggests that the son________.
| A．is always busy with his studies |
| B．doesn't want to be disturbed |
| C．keeps himself away from his parents |
| D．begins to dislike his parents |
What troubles Tina and Mark most is that________.
| A．their daughter isn't lovely as before |
| B．they can't read their daughter's mind exactly |
| C．they don't know what to say to their daughter |
| D．their daughter talks with them only when she needs help |
Which of the following best explains“the wall of silence”in the last paragraph?
| A．Teenagers talk a lot with their friends. |
| B．Teenagers do not want to understand their parents. |
| C．Teenagers do not talk much with their parents. |
| D．Teenagers talk little about their own lives. |
What can be learned from the passage?
| A．Parents are unhappy with their growing children. |
| B．Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers. |
| C．Parents should be patient with their silent teenagers. |
| D．Parents should try to understand their teenagers. |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
C
The World Horticulture Expo(园艺博览会)to be held in Kunming, Yunnan Province, between May and October will be a good chance for visitors to discover the picturesque natural scenery of China. This year will also witness the following festivals and tours and so on.
Fragrant Hills Autumn Leaves Festival(Beijing)
International Forest Protection Festival, Zhangjiajie(Hunan)
The Three Gorges International Tourism Festival(Chongqing)
International Giant Panda Festival, Chengdu(Sichuan)
A large variety of ecotourism activities will be introduced this year all across the country.
Wild Animal Observation
Bird Watching on Bird Island in Qinghai Lake(Qinghai)
Playing with Leaf Monkeys in Longrui Nature Reserve(Guangxi)
...
Oceans & Seas
Underwater tour, diving, boating and deep sea fishing, Zhuhai(Guangdong)
Shell collecting, bathing, volleyball and kite flying on the beach and a visit to an old fishing village, ZhujiajianWhich festival will happen in Zhangjiajie this year?
| A．International Forest Protection Festival. |
| B．International Giant Panda Festival. |
| C．The Three Gorges International Tourism Festival. |
| D．Fragrant Hills Autumn Leaves Festival. |
This year you'll go to________to observe leaf monkeys.
| A．Yunnan |
| B．Henan |
| C．Sichuan |
| D．Guangxi |
If you take part in the activity, you'd better go to Zhuhai for________.
| A．sailing |
| B．bathing |
| C．diving |
| D．water skiing |
This passage is most probably________.
| A．Travel News |
| B．Travel Tips |
| C．Holiday Plans |
| D．Holiday Exhibition |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
B
Reading to dogs is an unusual way to help children improve their literacy skills(读写能力). With their shining brown eyes, wagging tails, and unconditional love, dogs can provide the nonjudgemental listeners needed for a begining reader to gain confidence(自信心), according to Intermoutain Therapy Animals(ITA) in Salt Lake City. The group says it is the first program in the country to use dogs to help develop literacy in children, with the introduction of Reading Education Assistance Dogs(READ)．
The Salt Lake City Library is sold on the idea. “Literacy specialists admit that children who read below the level of their fellow pupils are often afraid of reading aloud in a group, often have lower selfrespect, and regard reading as a headache，”said Lisa Myron, manager of the children's department.
Last November the two groups started“Dog Day Afternoon”in the children's department of the main library. About 25 children attended each of the four Saturday—afternoon classes, reading for half an hour. Those who attended three of the four classes received a“pawgraphed”book at the last class.
The program was so successful that the library plans to repeat it in April, according to Dana Thumpowsky, public relations manager.What is mainly discussed in the text?
| A．Children's reading difficulties |
| B．Advantages of raising dogs |
| C．Service in a public library |
| D．A special reading program |
Specialists use dogs to listen to children reading because they think________.
| A．dogs are young children's best friends |
| B．children can play with dogs while reading |
| C．dogs can provide encouragement for shy children |
| D．children and dogs understand each other |
By saying“The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea”， the writer means the library________.
| A．use dogs to attract children |
| B．accepts the idea put forward by ITA |
| C．has opened a children's department |
| D．has decided to train some dogs |
A“pawgraphed”book is most probably________.
| A．a book used in Saturday classes |
| B．a book written by the children |
| C．a prize for the children |
| D．a gift from parents |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
A
A young girl and a man were recently found murdered in a parked car in a Boston suburb. The police found no sign in the car. Then they found a witness who had seen a car pass by the murdered couple's car. His description placed the car as a 1950 or 1951 Chevrolet.
Ordinarily, searching through the files for owners of elderly Chevrolets would have been an impossible difficult task because there were two and a half million such cars. In this case, however, the police had a powerful tool—the computer.
The Boston Registry of Motor Vehicles programmed its computer to screen all 1950 and 1951 Chevrolets within a fifteenmile radius(半径)of the suburb—the area in which the police believed the murderer was most likely to be found. Within minutes, the computer uncovered one thousand of wanted cars. A few hours of hand screening turned up a 1950 Chevrolet owner who lived close to the scene of the crime(犯罪)and who had received many traffic tickets. He was among the first suspects(嫌疑犯)to be investigated,_and signs connecting him with the murdered couple were found. He was arrested, and is now waiting for trial.It can be learned from the text that________.
| A．the murderer's car hit the couple's car but did not stop |
| B．the murderer was last found with the help of a Chevrolet owner |
| C．the police would not have found the suspect so soon but for the witness |
| D．searching through the files of Chevrolets owners was impossibly difficult |
The underlined word“investigated”is closest in meaning to“________”．
| A．questioned |
| B．supposed |
| C．determined |
| D．discovered |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The suspect had often broken the traffic rules before he was caught. |
| B．One of the police officers saw what the suspect did to the couple. |
| C．At least 1950 cars were searched in order to find the suspect. |
| D．The description of the witness turned out to be a lie. |
The best title for this passage would be________.
| A．Crime—A Problem in the West |
| B．Chevrolet—A Type of an Old Car |
| C．Police—A Force in Catching the Murderer |
| D．Computer—A Help in Fighting against Crime |