Unemployment will certainly be in double-digits next year--and may remain there for some time. And for every person who __1_ as unemployed in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ household survey, you can bet there’s another either too __2__ to look for work or working part time who’d rather have a full-time job or else taking home less pay than before. And there’s yet another person who’s more fearful that he or she will be the __3__ to lose a job.
__4__, 10 percent unemployment really means 20 percent underemployment or anxious employment, all of which translates __5__ into late payments on mortgages, credit cards, auto and student loans, and loss of health insurance. It also means sleeplessness for tens of millions of Americans, and, of course, __6__ purchases.
Unemployment of this magnitude and duration also translates into ugly __7__, because fear and anxiety are __8__ grounds for the political resentment against immigrants, blacks, the poor, government leaders, business leaders, Jews and other easy _9__. It’s already started. Next year is a mid-term election. Be prepared for worse.
So why is unemployment and underemployment so high? And why is it _10__ to remain high for some time? Because, as noted, people who are worried about their jobs or have no jobs, and who are also trying to _11__ from under a pile of debt, are not going to do a lot of shopping. And businesses that don’t have customers aren’t going to do a lot of new _12__. And foreign nations also suffering high __13__ aren’t going to buy a lot of our goods and services. And without customers, companies won’t __14__. They’ll cut payrolls instead.
This brings us to the obvious question: Who’s going to buy the stuff we make or the services we provide, and therefore bring jobs back? There’s only one __15__ left: The government.
A.keeps to B.sticks to C.shows up D.attaches
A.discouraged B.timid C.sure D.upset
A.first B.next C.last D.only
A.On the other hand B.By contrast C.As a whole D.In other words
A.enormously B.definitely C.exactly D.directly
A.fewer B.more C.better D.worse
A.economics B.trades C.politics D.industries
A.necessary B.fertile C.scarce D.heated
A.opponents B.targets C.victims D.potentials
A.due B.able C.equal D.likely
A.get out B.get around C.get into D.get off
A.programming B.planning C.investing D.advertising
A.signature B.unemployment C.crisis D.inefficiency
A.rent B.run C.sell D.hire
A.manufacturer B.applicant C.buyer D.employer
My father was in the navy, which meant that my mother was married to both my father and the sea. As was often the case, we had to pack our belongings into boxes and those we had grown to love. We would arrive at our new home and find ourselves once again brother and me around before the ship was out of , wipe our tears, and take us back home to start the process of in with the new environment again.
Throughout the years of changing , schools and friends, there remained one constant in my childhood — my mother. For both my brother and me, she was the cook, maid and teacher. She played these roles while some type of part-time job. Leaving a career is just one of the sacrifices which my mother made for my family as we moved around the world with our father every three years or so. While she had to deal with only a small budget, my mother, somehow, managed to make each house to be the very home that is safe and comfortable.
This probably sounds like a depressing way to live, with two small children: “single” parenthood, short-term friendships, and the inability to a career or establish a home. But it was not for my mother. She turned this into adventure for us all! Each relocation (变换位置) was a chance to another part of the world. My mother greeted each new culture, climate and neighborhood. Each new house was a to rearrange furniture, make curtains and pictures. Every part-time job was an opportunity to learn something new and work with interesting people.
No matter how difficult the life was, she was always having a attitude. She always had strength in the face of struggle and change. My mother was so all those years during my childhood — she was my island in a sea of change. She is my heroine.
A.leave behind B.leave out C.leave off D.leave for
A.living B.staring C.standing D.going
A.range B.shape C.sight D.control
A.adapting B.suiting C.matching D.fitting
A.names B.jobs C.addresses D.directions
A.performing B.seeking C.waiting D.applying
A.pleasing B.boring C.depressing D.promising
A.generally B.actually C.especially D.unfairly
A.desert B.develop C.affect D.limit
A.lifestyle B.value C.journey D.opportunity
A.acquire B.explore C.occupy D.realize
A.load B.sadness C.result D.challenge
A.hang B.draw C.take D.sell
A.changeable B.cautious C.positive D.negative
A.experienced B.admirable C.patient D.respectful
The two teachers were sitting in the teacher’s room. For a moment there was . Then one of them, Miss Smith said “I’m afraid I’d have to him.”
“Now, Alice,” said her friend Mrs. Jackson, “is he such a terrible student?”
“That’s just the ,” the other woman replied. “Tom is my best student. The problem is that he’s now so lazy that he never gets done. He hasn’t handed me of his homework for three weeks and I’d be surprised he did now.”
before had Mrs. Jackson seen Miss Smith look so unhappy. “Have you with him about it?” she asked.
“Why should I? He knows he has to prepare his lessons and do his homework. I that clear the first day for class. When the course started , he did so that I considered asking the to give him a scholarship (奖学金). But now he even in class! I’ve never seen such a in a student.”
“You should have a with him. Give him a chance to tell his side of story.”
Miss Smith spoke to Tom and all about it. He was studying all day and most of the night in a factory to pay for his education. Of course he was tired in the and sometimes could hardly keep . Miss Smith soon arranged for him to have a and he was able to give up his and concentrate (集中精力) on his studies .
A.distance B.silence C.pleasure D.delight
A.fail B.teach C.beat D.tell
A.lesson B.thing C.trouble D.boy
A.homework B.housework C.cleaning D.washing
A.some B.plenty C.any D.lots
A.even B.if C.though D.when
A.Long B.Until C.Ever D.Never
A.quarreled B.talked C.dealt D.discussed
A.said B.thought C.required D.made
A.quickly B.often C.much D.well
A.school B.class C.others D.parents
A.talks B.sleeps C.laughs D.walks
A.matter B.change C.habit D.way
A.lesson B.look C.talk D.meeting
A.studied B.got C.learned D.understood
A.sleeping B.working C.spending D.staying
A.morning B.afternoon C.evening D.night
A.silent B.clean C.warm D.awake
A.scholarship B.room C.teacher D.position
A.education B.sleep C.job D.pay
Long ago there was a poor farmer in Russia. He had been very with everything he had. However, when he found his elder brother was than him, he felt disappointed. So he hard about how he could also be richer. Finally he got an idea. He started to spend less money on food and clothes to some money to buy more land. Once he had enough money, he started for land.
He that on the neighboring land, there were some nomads (游牧民) living there. He bought some gifts and went to their head. He presented the gifts to the head and told him the of his visit. The head welcomed him, accepted the gifts and agreed to his to get the land. The head told him that he could have the land giving him anything. He can take as much land as he could by walking through the land before sunset (日落). He should start in the morning and whatever distance he could travel during the , he could have it.
The farmer became very when he heard this offer. Now he could have lots of without paying anything. He came the next morning and started running, not walking, he could cover the largest area. To reach his goal, he neither ate food, nor drank water, nor had any rest. He just continued . Without eating, or drinking, or resting he just got very . When he came back to the head in the evening, he right on the spot. Sadly his son buried him in a piece of land about 6 x 4 feet.
Don’t be greedy (贪婪的) or you will everything finally.
A.careful B.pleased C.bored D.busy
A.healthier B.stronger C.richer D.cleverer
A.thought B.learned C.tried D.worked
A.borrow B.spend C.make D.save
A.waiting B.looking C.preparing D.caring
A.explained B.hoped C.noticed D.guessed
A.see B.follow C.help D.cheat
A.chance B.result C.condition D.purpose
A.promise B.request C.suggestion D.order
A.for B.by C.without D.before
A.cover B.farm C.buy D.have
A.year B.month C.week D.day
A.interested B.sad C.happy D.calm
A.land B.crop C.experience D.knowledge
A.quietly B.early C.finally D.suddenly
A.so that B.even if C.because D.whether
A.dreaming B.walking C.speaking D.running
A.nervous B.excited C.tired D.worried
A.refused B.died C.appeared D.rested
A.lose B.face C.change D.defeat
Once upon a time, there were two very good friends who lived together in the shade of a rock. Strange as it may seem, one was a and one was a tiger. They had met when they were too to know the difference between lions and tigers. So they did not think their was at all unusual. Besides, it was a peaceful part of the mountains, possibly the influence of a gentle forest monk who lived nearby. He was a hermit, one who far away from other people.
For some unknown reason, one day the two friends got into a silly . The tiger said, “Everyone knows the cold when the moon wanes from full to new! ” The lion said, “Where did you hear such nonsense? Everyone knows the comes when the moon waxes from to full! ”
The argument got stronger and stronger. Neither could the other. They could not any conclusion to resolve the growing dispute. They started calling each other names! Fearing for their friendship, they decided to go to ask the learned forest , who would surely know about such things.
Visiting the hermit, the lion and tiger bowed respectfully and put their question to him. The friendly monk thought for a while and then gave his . “It can be cold in any phase of the , from new to full and back to new again. It is the wind that brings the cold, from west or north or east. Therefore, in a way, you are both right! And neither of you is by the other. The most important thing is to live without conflict, to remain . Unity is best by all means. ”
The lion and tiger thanked the wise hermit. They were happy to be friends.
A.fox B.hen C.donkey D.lion
A.weak B.unforgettable C.young D.poor
A.friendship B.difference C.relationship D.connection
A.in turn B.due to C.according to D.as to
A.lived B.survived C.walked D.moved
A.argument B.decision C.activity D.conference
A.happens B.bears C.comes D.seems
A.clean B.cold C.cool D.good
A.wonderful B.fresh C.delicious D.new
A.solve B.compete C.convince D.remind
A.arrive B.reach C.cause D.paint
A.far B.ever C.yet D.even
A.monk B.teacher C.mother D.parent
A.kind B.different C.peaceful D.rich
A.answer B.speech C.comment D.remark
A.sun B.weather C.moon D.day
A.whether B.until C.if D.when
A.rewarded B.won C.defeated D.awarded
A.moved B.united C.interested D.amused
A.too B.quite C.also D.still
What seemed like an unplanned comment about Syria's chemical weapons (武器) had a major effect on world events this week. American Secretary of State John Kerry spoke last Monday at a press conference in London. He was reacting to questions about possible American action to answer a chemical weapons attack believed to be likely in Syria. One reporter asked the secretary whether there is anything Syria's president can do to avoid an American military (军事的) strike.
"Sure, he can turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international society in the next week."
Mr. Kerry made it clear that he was speaking theoretically, and did not expect anything like that to happen.
But Russia seized on the idea and persuaded Syria to do the same. That brought plans for American congressional (议会) votes on military action to a halt. President Obama has said he would accept a diplomatic settlement if it can be carried out. But that would likely take weeks, at least.
Mr. Obama has said the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be punished for breaking the nearly century old ban on the use of chemical weapons. He called for American action to prevent future use of chemical weapons in Syria. He suggested limited airstrikes on government targets. The airstrikes could happen quickly if Congress approves.
Joanna Kidd is a security expert with London's King's College. She says any move to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control would take a long time, if it could be done at all.
What does the author think of John Kerry’s statement at a press conference in London last Monday?
A.Theoretical B.Practical C.Unintended D.Planned
A.stop B.action C.attention D.debate
A.Russia thinks there was a chemical weapons attack in Syria. B.Russia is against the American military strike on Syria. C.Obama believes that a diplomatic settlement is on the way. D.American Congress will approve Obama’s limited airstrikes.
A.Bashar al-Assad’s administration should be punished for breaking the ban B.Obama’s government has to prevent future use of chemical weapons in Syria C.Syria's president can do nothing to avoid an American military strike D.placing Syria's chemical weapons under international control is hard to achieve