While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruiningg their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, certainly share their disappointment : my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we two are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old in the story is disappointed that he can’t afford to get a Ph. D in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be increasing, Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner.
This recession(经济衰退) will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful---for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day---than on longing for some kind of luxury life. . What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
| A．They expect everything to be easy for them. |
| B．They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans. |
| C．They are unwilling to face all of the challenges. |
| D．They are burdened by student loans. |
. The underlined word “fertility” in paragraph 3 probably means“_____”.
| A．baby production | B．pleasant | C．baby comfort | D．comfortable |
. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the complaints of the 20-somethings?
| A．They can’t have children for at least a decade a decade to buy a house. |
| B．They have only a one-bedroom apartment to live in. |
| C．They can’t buy a house until 40 and are burdened by student loans. |
| D．They despair at not being able to afford a PH. D in literature. |
. What’s the Kobliner’s attitude towards the 20-somethings with high expectations?
| A．Unbearable | B．Opposite | C．Doubtful | D．Understanding |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Young people afford to continue their study |
| B．Young people can’t afford to buy a house |
| C．Young people’s high hopes create despair |
| D．The 20-somethings’ high expectations |
Moods (心情), say the experts, are feelings that are likely to become fixed, having effects on one’s outlook(way of looking at things) for hours, days or even weeks. That’s great if your mood is a pleasant one, but a problem if you are sad, anxious, angry, or simply lonely.
Perhaps the best way to deal with such moods is to talk them out; sometimes, though, there is no one to listen. Scientists offers a lot of tranquilizers(镇静剂) and anti-anxiety drugs. What many people don’t realize, however, is that scientists have discovered the effectiveness of several non-drug methods to make you free from an unwanted mood. These can be just as useful as drugs, and have the added benefit of being nonpoisonous(无毒的). So next time you feel out of sorts, don’t head for the drug store―try the following method.
Of all the mood-changing self-help techniques, aerobic exercises (有氧运动) seem to be the best cure for a bad mood. “If you could keep the exercise, you’d be in high spirits,” says Kathryn Lance, author of Running for Health and Beauty.
Researchers have explained biochemical and various other changes that make exercises compare favorably to drugs as a mood-raiser. Physical work such as housework, however, does little. The key is aerobic exercises – running, cycling, walking, swimming, or other repetitive and sustained activities that increase the heart rate and circulation(循环), and improve the body’s use of oxygen. Do them for at least 20 minutes a time, three to five times a week.It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
| A．when one is in a bad mood, he or she must not work very well. |
| B．the best way to overcome a bad mood is to talk to oneself |
| C．some drugs are more effective than physical exercises |
| D．taking drugs is at risk of being poisonous |
The phrase "feel out of sorts", as is used in the second paragraph, could be best replaced by ____________.
| A．put things in order | B．are in a bad mood |
| C．search for tranquilizers | D．want a mood-raiser |
Which of the following best describes the organization of this passage?
| A．An exercise and its importance are explained |
| B．A problem is examined and solutions are given |
| C．Two different views of a problem are presented |
| D．Recent developments in medicine are described |
Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man, when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?
Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paper books (平装本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.
Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia (百科全书), though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books., science textbook, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems. Then from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．TV programs are a main provider of knowledge |
| B．cinemas are the best choice in getting information |
| C．reading is a cheap way of learning and having fun |
| D．newspapers are an expensive way to enjoy oneself |
What does the sentences “Television has not killed reading, however ” underlined in the second paragraph suggest?
| A．People only need reading, though. | B．Reading is still necessary today. |
| C．Reading is more fun than television. | D．Watching television doesn’t help reading. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Fewer and fewer people will buy books. |
| B．A good dictionary should be kept in every home. |
| C．Books with hard covers sell better than paperbooks. |
| D．More people like TV programs about famous men. |
People living in the UK take quite a few holidays abroad and in this country each year．Choices made about where to go, how to get there and what to do while there can either benefit or harm the environment．
While on holiday
Many of the things you can do to he greener on holiday will be the same things you can do at home—but there arc also sonic extra things too, like avoiding gifts made from endangered plants and animals．Here are some suggestions:
●Making the most of locally produced food and drink, and local activities and attractions will support people in the area you are visiting and reduce the need for further environmental influence from transport;
●Switching off any air conditioning, heating and lights will help reduce climate change effect;
●Save water—some countries suffer from water shortages and saving water can help avoid damage to our natural habitats （栖息地）.
Endangered species （物种）
Some gifts and foods available in some countries can be made from endangered plants or animals．Check before you buy, but if you doubt, avoid animal and plant gifts．More details of the types of products to avoid and illegal trade hotspots can be found on the Souvenir Alert webpage．
Making a positive contribution to the place you are visiting
There are ways in which your holiday can help support local people and the environment;
●There are many opportunities to volunteer and help with projects that conserve and improve natural habitats;
●When you are away, or if you are looking for somewhere to visit, you can support projects or attractions which protect wildlife, such as nature reserves and conservation projects．According to the passage, we can ____ to help reduce climate change effect.
| A．make good use of water | B．buy local food and drink |
| C．save electricity | D．go around on foot |
We can infer from the passage that ____．
| A．it is not easy for people to travel abroad |
| B．not everyone can tell an illegal souvenir |
| C．green holidays have been accepted by people |
| D．volunteer work is a must for protecting natural habitats |
The passage is mainly about _________
| A．travel dos and don'ts | B．the harm done to the environment |
| C．greener choices for holiday | D．tips on protecting endangered species |
Before I started school, people felt that I was not going to be successful．At the age of four I started speech lessons because basically I could not speak well enough for anyone to understand me．The story goes downhill from here．
The first grade was a struggle．I not only had difficulty speaking, but also felt nervous about the fact that I was expected to learn to read and I just couldn't do it．The second grade was not much better．I still struggled with the inability to read．It was in the third grade that the school district built a new school close to my home．I remember going there with my parents and helping to get the school ready so that we could move to the new one．However, things were still not much better as far as my schooling was concerned and did not get better for the next two years．
It was in the fifth grade．Mrs．Wakefield was my teacher, and if ever there was a teacher that deserved a gold star, it was her．She did not make me feel defeated．On the contrary, she did her best to let me know that I could be whatever I wanted to be．And that is just what I did．
For the past 22 years, I have been a fifth grade teacher．Because of Mrs．Wakefield's influence on my life, I am now encouraging students who have had difficulties in their lives to believe that they can overcome any difficulty and become someone．I have won numerous awards up to now, such as Teacher of the Year．I owe it all to one fifth grade teacher who believed in me and challenged me to be all that I could be．The writer ______ when he was in the third grade．
| A．did better in reading | B．began speech lessons |
| C．went to a new school | D．received a high award |
We can learn from the passage that the writer ______．
A. is a very successful teacher now
B. thinks teaching is a challenging job
C, has solved problems with his own effort
D. works in the same school with Mrs. WakefieldWhat is the writer's purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To express his devotion to his work． |
| B．To show his respect to a special teacher． |
| C．To share his leaching experience with us． |
| D．To tell us his story of overcoming difficulties． |
_____ Scientists and experts have proved the uniqueness of finger-prints and discovered that no exactly similar pattern is passed on from parents to children, though nobody knows why this is the case.
The ridge （隆起） structure on a person's fingers does not change with growth and is not affected by surface injuries. Burns, cuts and other damage to the outer part of the skin will be replaced in time by new one, which bears a reproduction of the original pattern.Some criminals make use of this fact to remove their own finger-prints but this is a dangerous and rare step to take.
Finger-prints can be made very easily with printer's ink. They can be recorded easily.
______ Because of the simplicity and economy of this system, finger-prints have often been used as a method of solving criminal case. A suspected man may deny a charge but this may be in vain.___
___ .
When a suspect leaves finger-prints behind at the scene of a crime, they are difficult to detect with the naked eye. ______ . Some of the marks found are incomplete but identification is possible if a print of a quarter of an inch square can be obtained.
| A．Special techniques are used to "develop" them. |
| B．A fingerprint is an impression of the friction ridges of all part of the finger. |
| C．It is only when the inner skin is injured that the arrangement will be destroyed. |
| D．With special methods, identification can be achieved successfully within a short time. |
E. A latent(隐约的)print is the chance reproduction of the friction ridges deposited on the surface of an item.
F. His finger-prints can prove who he is even if his appearance has been changed by age or accident.
G. Every human being has a unique arrangement of the skin on his fingers and this arrangement is unchangeable.