Because of the financial crisis in the US and UK, college students are beginning to struggle to find ways to pay their tuition fees and accommodations.
Recently, two major US student loan lenders — Citibank and JPMorgan Chase — announced they were leaving the student loan industry altogether. Because banks currently have a lack of credit, they are reluctant to offer students low-interest loans that need a several-year wait for any return of interest.
In the US, many undergraduates top up their financial needs with a private loan, although the majority can get government-funded loans. In the 2005-2006 academic year, $17 billion in private student loans was used to finance higher education. The shortfall in private funding has yet to be covered and will hit many US students hard.
Across the Atlantic, UK students have been less troubled by the crisis. Most undergraduates in the UK cover their university expenses with government-funded loans and grants (助学金). Their biggest concern is a sudden steep increase in student rent.
Most young professionals now rent houses, since 80 percent of UK mortgage schemes (住房抵押贷款计划) have disappeared — a direct result of the credit crisis. This has boosted the house rent market.
In large cities, UK students are paying almost 6.5 percent more in rent than the previous year. Figures from the UK organization Accommodation for Student show students in big cities such as London paying an average weekly rent of ￡103. Yet, despite students’ suffering, the number of this year’s university applications is expected to grow. During economic slumps (经济萧条时期), people regard further education as a way to survive tough job markets.According to the passage, banks are unwilling to offer students loans because ________.
| A．the students are poor and sometimes they can’t pay off the debt |
| B．banks prefer lending the money to the young professionals |
| C．banks don’t have enough money left at the present time |
| D．they think college students are not studying hard |
The underlined phrase “top up” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________.
| A．put up | B．make up | C．fill up | D．pick up |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．UK college students have to pay more if they want to rent houses. |
| B．More UK students want to further their study in college. |
| C．It is not so easy for US students to loan money now. |
| D．College students’ tuition fees have risen greatly. |
It can be inferred that ________.
| A．there are no private student loan lenders in the UK |
| B．loans for US college students will be increased next year |
| C．private funding falls a little because of higher-interest loans in the US |
| D．private loans play a very important role in financing US students’ education |
People say teenagers are no good. They make too much noise in shopping malls; they drive recklessly up and down America’s main streets; they carry chips on their shoulders as big as the Sears Tower. And at least some of the time those things are true. But we shouldn’t forget that there are hard moments in the life of a teenager too.
I watched such a moment not long ago at a woman’s funeral. I didn’t expect the event to affect me. Through much of the ceremony, in fact, I remained unmoved.
The teenage grandson stepped forward. With his very first deep breath, every heart in that church was achingly reminded of something we had all forgotten. Softly he began: “I want to share a few values that Nana taught me. She never failed to see light in any situation. When our family dog would truly attack her, what would Nana say? ‘oh, what beautiful barking that dog has!’ That was Nana. ”
“She was a strong woman who often lived in the shadow of my grandpa, who was a successful businessman in this city. But she was the one behind the scenes who provided the strength and support for my grandpa’s career,” he said, with a voice now trembling, “That was Nana’s way.”
Through a low sob, he continued, “Whenever she did anything worth recognition, you’d have to hear about it from a different source, because she was never one to show off.”
Finally, in a voice breaking free of sorrow, he looked up and said, “Nana taught me courage. She put up an incredible fight to the end, when she died peacefully, which is how she lived her life. That was Nana’s way, and I hope I can carry on in the same manner.”
There are no hearts as sensitive as those of teenagers, because everything is happening to them for the first time. The trouble with teenagers is that they haven’t learned to be controlled.
When that boy rose to speak about the woman who surely had been his truest and closest friend, his honest voice dragged each of us out into the open where we could no longer hide in the calm ceremony. He exposed us to the truth about this very real woman who believed in a boy who probably tried the patience of many adults. He reminded us that his grandmother was more than another dot on the chart of life and death.
All over again we felt those powerful losses crossing our own hearts, and we knew that when you say good-bye to something happy, something young in yourself. And that something never really returns, and the pain never really goes away.In the first paragraph, the writer gave some examples to________ .
| A．support his idea that young people are no good |
| B．introduce his point of view about young people |
| C．tell people every coin has its two sides |
| D．show young people often make mistakes |
From the boy’s speech, we know _______ .
| A．his grandmother had great influence on him |
| B．they had a dog which often attacked people |
| C．people had forgotten her until the boy appeared |
| D．his grandmother was so weak that she is always living in the shadow of his grandpa |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The boy ’s speech moved no one present at the funeral except the writer |
| B．The boy’s being good at expressing himself enabled him to draw everyone’s attention |
| C．The boy was too grieved to accept the fact that his grandmother had passed away |
| D．The writer didn’t expect the event would affect him |
What words can best describe grandmother’s quality?
| A．Weak, mild and modest |
| B．Easygoing, cautious and considerate |
| C．Sensitive and hard on others |
| D．Patient, optimistic, strong and helpful. |
The passage tells the readers_______ .
| A．facing certain bitter facts help young people to grow |
| B．young people have to control themselves |
| C．the adults should learn from the young |
| D．the adults should teach the young how to be brave |
British paychologists have found evidence of a link between excessive(过度的) Internet use and depression, a research has shown.
Leeds University researchers, writing in the Psychopathology journal, said a small part of Internet users were classed as Internet addicts and that people in this group were more likely to be depressed than non-addicted users.
The article on the relationship between excessive Internet use and depression is from a questionnaire-based study of 1,319 young people and adults.
The respondents answered questions about how much time they spent on the Internet and what they used it for; they also complete the Beck Depression Inventory---a series of questions designed to measure the seriousness of depression.
The six—page report, by the university’s Institute of Psychological Science, said 18 of the people who complete the questionnaire were Internet addict.“Our research indicates that excessive Internet use is associated with depression, but what we don’t know is which comes first—are depressed people drawn to the Internet or does the Internet cause depression?” the article’s lead author Dr Catriona Morrison said.”What is clear is that, for a small part of people, excessive use of the Internet could be warning signal for depressive tendencies.”
The age range of all respondents was between 16 and 51 years, with an average age of 21.24. The average age of the 18 Internet addicts was 18.3 years. By comparing the levels of depression within this group to that within a group of 18 non—addicted Internet users, researchers found the Internet addicts had a higher chance of developing depression than non-addicts. They also discovered that addicts spent more time visiting sexually pleasing website, online gaming sites and online communities.
“The public speculation（推测）was further proved by this study. That’s to say, over-engaging in websites which serve to replace normal social function might be linked to psychological disorders like depression and addiction,” Morrison said.”We now need to consider the wider social influence of this relationship and clearly prove the effects of excessive Internet use on mental health.”Internet addicts are people who ______ according to the passage.
| A．use the Internet more than enough |
| B．feel depressed when using the Internet |
| C．seldom connect to the Internet |
| D．feel depressed without the Internet |
What is confirmed by the study according to the passage?
| A．Depression leads to excessive use of Internet |
| B．Depression results from excessive use of Internet |
| C．Excessive use of internet usually accompanies depression |
| D．Excessive use of internet is usually earlier to depression |
It is thought by the public that online communities______.
| A．can never replace normal social function |
| B．are intended to replace normal social function |
| C．are associated with psychological disorders |
| D．shouldn’t take the blame for psychological disorders |
According to Dr Catriona Morrison, the public speculation________.
| A．lacks scientific evidence | B．helps clarify their study |
| C．finds a theoretical basis | D．has little scientific value |
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E-mail address required to access your account and member benefits online. We will not share your e-mail address with anyone. Click here: www.parents.com/privacy to view our privacy policy.The purpose of the passage is ______.
| A．to introduce a new magazine | B．to help parents with their daily life |
| C．to attract more subscribers | D．to collect more money for charity |
Which of the following is true according to the ad?
| A．Only $12 is to be paid for 24 issues of the magazine |
| B．Readers can get a free offer of the magazine any time of the year |
| C．Readers from all over the world can enjoy the free offer |
| D．Readers can communicate face to face with child experts on the Internet |
A reader subscribed PARENTS 3 months ago, but now he finds the magazine dissatisfying. What can he do?
| A．He can cancel without getting your money back. |
| B．He can cancel after answering a series of questions. |
| C．He can e-mail them to access your bank account to get all your money back. |
| D．He can cancel and get all money back without answering any questions. |
Jean—Francois Millet (October 4,1814----January 20, 1875) was a French painter and one of the founder of the Barbizon School in rural France. Born of a peasant family, Millet was encouraged by his father to study art in Cherbourg, France. He can be categorized as part of the movement called “naturalism”(自然主义). His understanding of the peasant’ hard life was perfectly expressed in his choice of subject and natural preference for powerful but simple drawing and coloring.
One of the most well—known of Millet’s paintings, The Gleaners(《拾穗者》)，first came in a vertical composition(垂直式构图) painted in 1854,and then there came the horizontal version in 1856, which is now preserved in the Musee d’Orsay. It depicts women bending over in the fields to collect the leftover’s from the harvest, and it is a monumental composition devoted to the working class.
Previously, servants were depicted in paintings as obedient to a noble or a king, and picking up what was left of the harvest was regarded as one of the lowest jobs in Millet;s times. However, Millet offered these women as the heroic focus of the picture. Besides, in the painting, light lights up the women’s shoulders as they carry out their work. Behind them, the field that stretches into the distance is bathed in golden light, under a wide , magnificent sky. The forms of the three figures, standing against the lighter field, show balance and harmony. According to the passage , we can know that Millet________.
| A．was born in rural France |
| B．belongs to neither naturalism nor realism |
| C．became famous for his love of the countryside |
| D．received his high school education in Barbizon |
As for the painting The Gleaners, ________.
| A．it is originally a horizontal composition |
| B．it is based on the effort of Musee d’Orsay |
| C．it presents women in the field as the chief focus |
| D．it shows how women are stopped from working in the field |
In the painting, the viewer can appreciate Millet’s_________..
| A．crazy interest in blue color |
| B．strong focus on the city life |
| C．absolute respect for the king |
| D．particular choice of main characters |
In which of the following books can we probably find this passage?
| A．Kings and Nobles in France |
| B．A Guide to French Painting |
| C．French Agricultural History |
| D．The Founder of Musee d’Orsay |
I learned about life from an ant farm．When I was seven years old, my family created one．First, we put clean sand in a thin glass box, and then we waited for the live ants to arrive．Shortly after the chilly ants were dropped into the glass structure, they got to work making tunnels．I was amazed that each one knew exactly what to do．After hours of staring, I realized that the ants had assigned jobs．With my mom ' s help, I kept a diary of what happened each day and named the ants．
One day a tragedy struck the ant farm．The pages of the diary, still wrinkled where tear drops fell, indicate the depth of the tragedy．'I had put my face so close to the structure that I accidentally tipped it over, caving in all the tunnels．Although the ants survived their earthquake, one by one they began to die．I was terrified as I watched them give up their tunnel-building to carry the bodies to a comer of the farm．My mother reported that the ants were dying of "frustration．" They simply could not stand the reality that their tunnels had been destroyed．
Although much time has passed, I still think of that ant farm．Mom had hoped it would teach me about the natural world, but it taught me much more．Over the years, I came to realize the ants were a study in the benefits of teamwork．Working together, they were able to create an amazing world for themselves．I also learned that they should be admired for their hard work．Day in and day out, each labored at their task．The ant farm showed that teamwork and perseverance are indeed two key ingredients to success．But there was an even larger lesson that I did not realize until recently: Adversity （不幸、灾祸） is a natural part of life,and must be accepted．Unlike the ants, humans cannot give up when they face disappointment．Unlike the ants, we have to realize that if a tunnel caves in, we just have to build another．Giving up, I say, is not a choice．The family created an ant farm in a glass box because it was easy _____.
| A．for the ants to live in | B．to get sun light in |
| C．to keep the sand clean | D．for the boy to observe |
What made the pages of the diary wrinkled?
| A．The tears． | B．The earthquake | C．The ants． | D．The tragedy． |
What did the writer finally realize?
| A．Perseverance is the only way to success． |
| B．Humans cannot give up when facing adversity． |
| C．People should admire anyone for their hard work． |
| D．His mother taught him much more． |
When did the writer draw a more important lesson from his experience?
| A．Before he was seven years old． |
| B．When he was seven years old． |
| C．Immediately after the tragedy． |
| D．Many years after the tragedy |