Human wants seem endless. When a starving man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat; when a manager gets a new sports car, he dreams of country clubs and pleasure boats dance into view.
The many wants of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. When there is money enough to satisfy one level of wants, another level appears.
The first and most basic level of wants is food. Once this want is satisfied, a second level of wants appears: clothing and some sort of shelter. By the end of World War II these wants were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. Then a third level appeared. It included such items as cars and new houses.
By 1957 or 1958 this third level of wants was fairly well satisfied. Then in the late 1950s a fourth level of wants appeared: the “life-enriching” level. While the other levels mean physical satisfaction—the feeding, comfort, safety and transportation of the human body—this level means mental needs for recognition, achievement and happiness. It includes a variety of goods and services many of which could be called “luxury” items. Among them are vacation trips, the best medical care and entertainment. Also included here are fancy foods and the latest styles in clothing.
On the fourth level, a greater percentage of consumers spending goes to services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of wants as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level?
A fifth level probably would be wants that can be achieved by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes and crime. After filling our stomachs, our garages, and our minds, we now may seek to ensure the health and safety to enjoy more fully the good things on the first three levels.According to the passage, man will begin to think about such needs as housing and clothing only when _______
| A．he has saved up enough money |
| B．he has grown dissatisfied with his simple shelter |
| C．he has satisfied his hunger |
| D．he has learned to build houses |
It can be inferred from the passage that by the end of World War II most Americans ______
| A．were very rich |
| B．were very poor |
| C．Had the good things on the first three levels |
| D．didn’t own cars |
Which of the following is NOT related to “physical satisfaction”?
| A．A successful career | B．A comfortable house |
| C．A good service | D．A family car |
The author thinks that a fifth level______
| A．would be a little better than the fourth level |
| B．may be a lot more desirable than the first four |
| C．can be the last and most satisfying level |
| D．will come true if the government takes actions |
In the U.S. Mother’s Day is a holiday celebrated on second Sunday in May. It is a day when children honor their mothers with cards, gifts and flowers. First observance in Philadelphia in 1907,it is based on suggestions by Julia Ward Howe in 1872 and by Anna Jarvis in 1907.
Although it wasn’t celebrated in the U.S. until 1907,there were days honoring mothers even in the days of ancient Greece. In those days, however, it was Rhea, the Mother of the gods that was given honor. Later,in the 1600’s,in England there was an annual celebration called “Mothering Sunday.” It was celebrated during June, on the fourth Sunday ,the servants, who generally lived with their employers, were encouraged to return home and honor their mothers. It was traditional for them to bring a special cake along to celebrate the occasion.
In the U.S., in 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother’s Day. Jarvis persuaded her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother’s Day on the second anniversary of her mother’s death, the 2ed Sunday of May. The next day Mother’s Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia, Jarvis and others began a letter-writing campaign to ministers, businessmen, and politicians asking to establish a national Mother’s Day. They were successful. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914,made the official announcement recognizing Mother’s Day as a national celebration that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.
Many other countries of the world celebrate their own Mother’s Day at different times throughout the year. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, as in the U.S. .Mother’s Day in the U.S. was first celebrated.
| A．in 1872 | B．in 1907 | C．in the 1600’s | D．in 1914 |
The underlined word “observance” in the first paragraph probably means “”.
| A．celebration | B．principle | C．holiday | D．campaign |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．All the mothers were given honor in the days of ancient Greece. |
| B．Only the servants’ mothers were given honor on Mothering Sunday in England. |
| C．President Woodrow Wilson announced Mother’s Day as a national celebration. |
| D．Ana Javis’s mother probably died on the 2nd Sunday of May in 1907. |
What could be the best title for this passage?
| A．Mother’s Day of the U.S | B．Mother’s Day of the world |
| C．Ana Jarvis and Mother’s Day | D．Styles of Mother’s Day |
Americans have always been interested in their Presidents' wives. Many First Ladies have been remembered because of the ways they have influenced their husbands. Other First Ladies have made the history books on their own.
At least two First Ladies, Bess Truman and Lady Bird Johnson, made it their business to send signals during their husbands speeches. When Lady Bird Johnson thought her husband was talking too long, she wrote a note and sent it up to the platform. It read, "It's time to stop ! " And he did. Once Bess Truman didn't like what her husband was saying on television, so she phoned him and said, "If you can't talk more politely than that in public, you come right home. "
It was First Lady Helen Taft's idea to plant the famous cherry trees in Washington, D. C. Each spring these blossoming trees attract thousands of visitors to the nation's capital Mrs. Taft also influenced the male members of her family and the White House staff in a strange way: she convinced(说服)them to shave off their beards(胡须) !
Shortly after President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke (中风), Edith Wilson unofficially took over most of the duties of the Presidency until the end of her husband's term Earlier, during World War I, Mrs. Wilson had sheep brought onto the White House lawn to eat t e grass. The sheep not only kept the lawn cut. but provided wool for an auction(拍卖) held by the First Lady. Almost$ 100,000 was raised for the Red Cross.
One of the most famous First Ladies was Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She was active in political and. social causes throughout her husband's term in office After his death, she became famous for her humanitarian(人道主义的) work in the United Nations. She made life better for thousands of needy people around the world.Why have First Ladies been remembered?
| A．They are the wives of the presidents. |
| B．They are made up of history books. |
| C．Americans are interested in them. |
| D．They have an effect on their husbands. |
The examples mentioned in Paragraph 2 show that
A. the two wives did business without their husbands
B. the two wives influenced the presidents' speeches
C. the two wives didn't like their husbands to make speeches
D the presidents' speeches were often interrupted by their wives.Who did the most meaningful work among the first ladies?
| A．Lady Bird Johnson. |
| B．Mrs. Wilson. |
| C．Eleanor Roosevelt. |
| D．Helen Taft |
Which of the following is considered a strange thing the First Lady did?
A. Raise sheep on the White House lawn to get money for the Red Cross.
B. Take over most of the duties throughout their husbands' Presidency.
C. Plant the cherry trees in Washington, D. C. to attract more visitors
D. Persuade the men staff in the White House to shave off their beards.How many First Ladies are mentioned in this passage?
| A．3 | B．4. |
| C．5 | D．6. |
The Galapagos Islands are in the Pacific Ocean, off the western coast of South America They are a rocky, lonely spot, but they are also one of the most unusual places in the world. One reason is that they are the home of some of the last giant tortoises（乌龟）left on earth.
Weighing hundreds of pounds, these tortoises go slowly around the rocks and sand of the islands. Strangely, each of these islands has its own particular kinds of tortoises. There are seven different kinds of tortoises on the eight islands, and each kind is slightly different from the other.
Hundreds of years ago, thousands of tortoises were around these islands. However, all that changed when people started landing there. When people first arrived in 1535, crews would seize as many tortoises as they could. They would roll the tortoises onto their backs when they were brought onto the ships. The tortoises were completely helpless once on their backs, so they could only lie there until used for soups and stews. Almost 100,000 tortoises were carried off in this way.
The tortoises faced other problems, too. Soon after the first ships, settlers arrived, bringing pigs, goats, donkeys, dogs and cats. A11 0f these animals ruined life for the tortoises. Donkeys and goats ate all the plants that the tortoises usually fed on, while the pigs, dogs and cats ate thousands of baby tortoises each year. Within a few years, it was hard to find any tortoise eggs-or even any baby tortoises.
Finally, in the 1950s, scientists decided that something must be done. The first part of their plan was to remove as many cats, dogs and other animals as they could from the islands. Next, they tried to make sure that more baby tortoises would be born; This slow, hard work continues today, and, thanks to it, the number of tortoises is now increasing every year. Perhaps these wonderful animals will not disappear after allWhat can we learn from Paragraph i?
| A．The Galapagos Islands are the biggest islands in the Pacific Ocean |
| B． The giant tortoises have all left the Galapagos Islands already. |
| C．The giant tortoises made the Galapagos Islands unusual places. |
| D．People have built many homes for the giant tortoises on the islands. |
What is special about the tortoises according to Paragraph 2?
| A．They weigh hundreds of pounds. |
| B．They move around very slowly. |
| C．There are different kinds of tortoises. |
| D．They are larger than the ones in other places. |
What happened first?
| A．Sailors took tortoises aboard the ships. |
| B．Scientists decided to take measures to protect the tortoises. |
| C．Pigs, dogs and cats ate many baby tortoises. |
| D．Settlers brought other as to the islands. |
What happened soon after people brought animals to the islands?
| A．Tortoise eggs were kept in safe containers. |
| B．The animals ate the tortoises' food and eggs. |
| C．The tortoises continued to wander freely. |
| D．The tortoises fought against the other animals. |
What's the result of the scientists' effort?
| A．The tortoises began to disappear gradually. |
| B．The number of tortoises began to decrease |
| C．Scientists took away other animals off the islands. |
| D．There are more and more giant tortoises on the islands. |
Robert is a boss who hires me as a helper. He has lost his home and now has to live back at home, with his mother, at 46.
We had a job in Fort Bending. Robert bought me breakfast there. As we were leaving ,a man walked to us asking if he could get some work from Roberts' company. Robert explained there was no work for the man and the man started to walk away. As I looked from the leaving man back to Robert, l saw Robert getting Out some money and went after the man to give it to him. I asked Robert, "Why did you do that?" Robert said "He really had bad luck-what does a few dollars mater?"
After a very long, hard day, we stopped at a Quick Trip for a soda. I got through the check out ahead of Robert and went back out to the work truck. Beside the truck was a woman in a car. She had 3 kids and asked me if I could help-she had been evicted-had now where to go with her children-they were living in the car. I told her I was also hurting in these times-sorry I could not. Robert came out. opened the work truck and we got in I told him about the lady I didn't even finish the story when Robert was out. his door- around the truck and giving the women money to help her and her kids out. When Robert returned I asked, "Why did you do that, she didn't even ask you". He said “I have an ex-wife(前妻)and a kid-if they need help and I am not able, someone will help them"Why did the man walk to the writer and Robert?
| A．To ask for a lift in Robert's truck. |
| B．To look for a job in Robert's company |
| C．To beg for some money to buy a ticket. |
| D．To expect Robert to buy him breakfast. |
What does the underlined sentence mean in the Second Paragraph?
A. Robert had a lot of dollars to give.
B Robert didn't value dollars at all.
C. Robert took a few dollars seriously.
D. Robert didn't care about money.The underlined word "evicted" in the last paragraph may mean______
| A．driven away | B．picked up | C．looked down | D．turned down |
Which word do you think can best describe Robert?
| A．Kind. | B．Proud. | C．Rich. | D．Cruel, |
Robert helped the woman because_______.
| A．he expected to get married to the woman |
| B．she made him think of his ex-wife and kid |
| C．she asked him whether he could give a hand |
| D．he felt sorry for being unable to support his family |
In most situations, light helps us see. But when it comes to looking at the night sky, light is actually a kind of pollution. It prevents our view of some of life’s most striking sights: stars, planets, and even galaxies(银河系).
“When I was a little boy, I loved the night sky. I remember looking up and the sky was filled with stars. I became an astronomer because I was amazed by their beauty,” says Robert Gent, “Now in most big cities kids can’t see the stars like I did.”
Normally, about 2,500 individual (单个的) stars are visible to the human eyes without using any special equipment. But because of light pollution, you actually see just 200 to 300 and fewer than a dozen from some cities. Only one in three Americans can see our own galaxy with the naked eyes. Those people live far away from the lights of big cities, office buildings, and shopping malls.
Fortunately, there’s an inexpensive and useful way. If we shine lights down at the ground instead of up into the sky, and use lower brightness levels, we can save big amounts of energy and keep the beauty of the night sky. Many cities and towns have passed laws limiting lights at night, making sure enough shine for safety without creating much light pollution.
Light pollution affects more than our view of the heavens and can harm wildlife. Migrating birds(候鸟) sometimes fly over cities and become confused by the brightness, flying in circles until they drop from exhaustion. Sea turtles need dark beaches for nesting and won’t approach bright lights. Too much light at night may even affect human health. For all these reasons, researchers are working on ways to use lights only when and where they are truly needed. Everyone deserves to look up at the sky.According to the text, using our naked eyes, ________.
| A．people in remote areas can see more stars than those in big cities |
| B．over one third Americans can see our own galaxy |
| C．about one in three Americans in big cities can see our own galaxy |
| D．Americans can only see 200 to 300 stars |
Many cities and towns have passed laws limiting lights at night mainly to ____________.
| A．save the electricity |
| B．make sure of migrating birds’ safety |
| C．let you count the number of stars |
| D．avoid much light pollution |
What does the fourth paragraph mainly talk about?
| A．The cause of light pollution. |
| B．The way to reduce light pollution. |
| C．The effect of light pollution. |
| D．People’s attitude towards light pollution. |
The underlined word “exhaustion” in the last paragraph means _______ .
| A．air pollution | B．tiredness | C．breath | D．brightness |
Which would be the best title for the text?
| A．Light Pollution | B．Seeking the Sky | C．Stars in the Sky | D．City Pollution |