"Hey, little boy, will you support me when I’m getting old?" Wang Wenshan, 35, asked his newborn baby as he picked him up at home．
The Chinese tradition of raising sons to support parents in their old age has been weakened by the rapidly growing economy and improving standard of living．As is the case with more and more developed countries, China faces an aging society．People are living longer and having fewer children．Therefore, many Chinese families are falling into a 4-2-1 family pattern: a couple raises one child and supports four elderly parents．But few realize that a problem is likely to happen ahead．
The aging of the population is a trend that now affects a growing number of countries．Not long ago, the Information Office of the State Council, China’s cabinet, issued a white paper on measures China is taking to help its elderly population．The paper said China s population entered the aging period at the end of the 20th century as the proportion rote） of people aged 60 and above accounted for over 10 percent of the entire population, By the end of 2005, China had nearly 144 million people over 60, accounting for 11 percent of the population, according to the white paper．
An expanding aged population inevitably means that many issues must be settled, as the problem concerns every aspect of society．It puts more pressure on each family, causing disturbing economic consequences and serious social problems．It also challenges the labor force supply and the pension system．
"I used to think that it’s not an issue for me to provide, for the aged," said Wang, whose parents and parents-in-law all enjoy pensions and medical insurance．But last year Wang s father suffered a serious illness and afterward Wang began to feel the pressure on his shoulders．
After his father recovered, Wang opened bank accounts for each parent and deposited some money into the account every month to prepare for future uncertainties．In addition, he has to save money every month to provide for his son s future education．"I m now breaking my back working to support my family: saving pensions for the parents, my son s education funds, and living costs．"
Wang also bought some commercial old-age insurance for himself．"We have to take precautions before it is too late, and many of my colleagues share the same view," he said．Which of the following is not caused by an aging society?
| A．Social problem． | B．The problem of the pension system． |
| C．More pressure on the family． | D．Unemployment． |
From the passage, we can infer___．
| A．the aging people problem is one of the concerns for the Chinese government |
| B．China will encourage young couples to have more than one child |
| C．many people have realized the problem of aging society |
| D．children will not support their parents in an aging society |
Which of the following can be used to replace the underlined word inevitably?
| A．Surprisingly． | B．Certainly． |
| C．Hopefully． | D．Unluckily |
From the text we can see that .
| A．China is the only country to face an aging society |
| B．most of the developing countries face an aging society |
| C．countries with a large population face an aging society |
| D．more and more developed countries face an aging society |
Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart. A new study used a computer model to predict how just t
hree grams less a day would af
fect heart disease in the United States.
The result: thirteen percent fewer heart attacks. Eight percent fewer strokes. Four percent fewer deaths. Eleven percent fewer new cases of heart disease. And two hundred forty billion dollars in health care savings.
Researchers found it could prevent one hundred thousand heart attacks and ninety-two thousand deaths every year.
The study is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Kirsten, at the University of California, was the lead author. She says people would not even notice a difference in taste with three grams, or one-half teaspoon, less salt per day. The team also included researchers at Stanford and Columbia University.
Each gram of salt contains four hundred milligrams of sodium, which is how foods may list their salt content.
The government says the average American man eats ten grams of salt a day. The American Heart Association advises no more than three grams for healthy people. It says salt in the American diet has increased fifty percent since the nineteen seventies, while blood pressures have also risen. Less salt can mean a lower blood pressure.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading an effort called the National Salt Reduction Initiative. The idea is to put pressure on food companies and restaurants.
Mayor Bloomberg has already succeeded in other areas, like requiring fast food places in the city to list calorie information. Now a study by the Seattle Children's Research Institute shows how that idea can influence what parents order for their children.
Ninety-nine parents of three to six year olds took part. Half had McDonald's menus clearly showing how many calories were in each food. The other half got menus without the calorie information. How many heart attacks will occur in the US every year？
| A．nearly 800,000. | B．24,000. |
| C．100,000. | D．92,000. |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A．Americans ate no more than 5 grams of salt per day in the 1970s |
| B．the American Heart Association suggest less than 3 grams of salt every day |
| C．a reduction in salt in the diet helps lower blood pressure |
| D．all the heart diseases result from eating more salt |
The National Salt Reduction Initiative aims to .
| A．advise Americans to eat less salt |
| B．put pressure on food companies and restaurants |
| C．require fast food places to list calorie information |
| D．attract the public attention to the problem |
All the following are related to the salt in diet except .
| A．strokes | B．heart attacks |
| C．blood pressures | D．stomach diseases |
The best title of the passage of the passage is .
| A．Less salt can mean more life |
| B．Prevent heart attacks and deaths |
| C．The National Salt Reduction Initiative |
| D．Americans should eat less salt |
Pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man, a study has claimed. Male teachers are more likely to improve pupils' self-esteem and are judged by pupils to be more fair, according to a study published by the Department for Education.
But there is a significant shortage of male teachers, especially in primary schools, with reports last month indicating that almost one in three primaries has an all-female teaching staff. The latest figures heightened fears that schools are becoming dominated (主宰) by women and children are being denied access to male role models in the classroom.
Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment in which each of 1,200 pupils in 29 schools was given £2. They could use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions at a cost of 20p each, which they then had to answer. If they were right they were given an extra 20p, but if they were wrong they lost 20p. Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women, indicating that they had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort, the the study said.
Researchers wrote: "One of the most significant results featured in this experiment is the positive effect of male teachers on effort. The experiment suggests that higher ability pupils either believed that the teacher would reward them more favorably or had a preference for working hard to please the teacher."
According to the Good Teacher Training Guide, 86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female, along with 62 per cent of those entering secondary schools.
Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, said: "This is an interesting and somewhat surprising finding, but it does underline the importance of having a good mix of male and female teachers in classes."Which of the following is true of the passage?
| A．Male teachers are more fair than female teachers. |
| B．Now most primary schools are in need of teachers. |
| C．Most people are afraid that their children can't get access to male teachers. |
| D．The author thinks that male teachers are better than female teachers. |
What is the author's attitude to the finding that pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man?
| A．He is for the finding. |
| B．He is against the finding. |
| C．He doesn't show his opinion about it. |
| D．He thinks it’s interesting and somewhat surprising. |
What does the author mainly tell us in the 3rd paragraph?
| A．Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment. |
B．Students co uld use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions and then had to answer them. |
| C．Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women. |
| D．The experiment shows that students taught by male teachers had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort. |
It can be inferred that .
| A．one third of primaries has an all female staff |
| B．if a student is taught by a man teacher, he will think that if he works harder he will make greater progress |
| C．86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female |
| D．this finding is interesting and surprising |
Where can we find the passage?
| A．It is from a PE section on the Internet. |
| B．It is from an educational magazine. |
| C．It comes from the social section of a newspaper. |
| D．It comes from an English teaching book. |
Museums
Skyscraper Museum
Wednesday - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Adults: $5
305-756-2385
Interested in tall buildings? Design? Then this museum is for you!!! Check the historical buildings and their special design right in lower Manhattan.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax(蜡像) Museum
Sunday - Thursday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Adults: $29 Students: $13
305-532-9623
The students in Manhattan had an exciting experience at Madame Tussaud’s! They met hundreds of famous people at a discounted (打折)price! This museum is your chance to meet your idols and have a picture taken with them.
Bass Museum of Art
Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Adults: $8 The old / Students: $6
305-673-7530http://www. bassmuseum.org
Enjoy European paintings, and sculptures. It also includes exhibitions of modern artists from different parts of the world. You will also enjoy visiting its beautiful museum shop and media center.
World Art Museum
Daily: 11:00 AM – Midnight (including holidays)
Cost: $15
305-532-9336http://www. weam.com
Located in the heart of the South Beach Art Deco district, this museum shouldn’t be missed! It is currently one of South Florida’s hottest new attractions.If you are interested in building a house, you may go to_______.
| A．Skyscraper Museum | B．Bass Museum of Art |
| C．World Art Museum | D．Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum |
If you want to go to a museum, but you are only free after 10 pm, you can phone_______.
| A．305-673-7530 | B．305-532-9336 | C．305-532-9623 | D．305-756-2385 |
If you go to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, you ______.
| A．are free to go at any time | B．will have a gift from them |
| C．can shake hands with your idols | D．will have the chance to take a picture |
If your classmate is going to Bass Museum of Art with his grandparents, how much will they pay?
| A．$22 | B．$24 | C．$18 | D．$20 |
Before a new type of airplane goes into service, every part of it is tested again and again. But there are two tests that are more important than all the others.
The first is called the " tank(贮水池) test". A modem airplane must fly very high in the sky. Air must be pumped into the plane so that the passengers can breathe. The metal structure (结构)of the plane has to be very strong for this reason. When the plane is filled with air, the air presses against the skin of the plane inside. The pressure (压力) on a small window is like a huge foot that is trying to get out. If a small part of the plane were to fail, the plane would explode (爆炸)in the sky. To test the structure of the plane, the plane is lowered into a huge tank or container of water. Then it is filled with air. The pressure inside the plane is greater than it ever will be when it is high up in the air. Finally, there is an explosion. This does not cause so much damage inside the water tank as it would anywhere else. Engineers can discover which part of the plane has broken. Then that part is made stronger.
The most dangerous test happens when the new plane is going through test flights in the air. The pilot must find out exactly what happens when the engines (发动机) are all shut off at once. The plane begins to fall like a stone. It is the pilot’s job to find out how he can get control of the plane again. These two tests are examples of how planes are made safe before they ever carry passengers.By doing the "tank test", the engineers can find out _______.
| A．the amount of air in the plane | B．the strength of the plane structure |
| C．the pressure inside and outside the plane | D．the power of the airplane engines |
What will happen to the plane under the "tank test"?
| A．It will be broken. | B．It will be made stronger. |
| C．It will be filled with water. | D．It will be tested by pilots, |
According to the text, why are test flights most dangerous?
| A．The plane may explode in the air. | B．The pilot may lose control of the plane. |
| C．The engines may be damaged. | D．Too much air may get into the plane. |
What might be the most suitable title for the text?
| A．Two Important Tests on Airplanes | B．The Importance of Flying Safely |
| C．The Danger of Testing Airplanes | D．How Airplanes Are Made and Tested |
There is an English saying that “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter can really improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their hearts, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has the same effects as physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works on several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effects of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated（忍耐）the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress(压力) and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics（诊所）, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.According to the passage, the following statements are true except.
| A．Laughter is good for health | B．Laughter can make you become old quickly |
| C．Laughter helps to reduce pain. | |
| D．Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good for our body. |
The underlined word “diminishes” in the third paragraph means “”.
| A．enjoys | B．permits | C．increases | D．reduces |
According to the author, we should .
| A．laugh as much as possible | B．watch more funny films |
| C．avoid smiling all the time | D．spend more time in laughter clinics |
The best title for this passage may be .
| A．Both laughter and physical exercise are good for health |
| B．Laughter clinics help patients improve their condition |
| C．Laughter can reduce the effects of pain |
| D．Laughter is the best medicine. |