I usually doubt about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago.While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, 1 was struck by a report which concluded that today’s children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children between 9 and 17 have a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
Why are America’s kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation (孤独) brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
Given that we can’t turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation to cope.
At the top of the list,nurturing (培育) is a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later.They will then have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
Limit the amount of virtual (虚拟的) violence your children are exposed to. It’s not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.
Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you deal with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable,but it doesn’t have to ruin your life.What does the author thinks of the conclusion that people in America are unhappier than 50 years ago?
| A．Surprising | B．Confusing | C．Illogical | D．Questionable |
What does the author mean by saying “ we can’t turn the clock back(Para. 3)?
| A．It’s impossible to slow down the pace of the change. |
| B．The social reality children are facing cannot be changed. |
| C．Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten. |
| D．It’s impossible to forget the past. |
According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children 50 years ago __________.
| A．were less isolated physically |
| B．were probably less self-centered |
| C．probably suffered less from anxiety |
| D．were considered less individualistic |
What is the first and most important thing parents should do to help their children?
| A．To provide them with a safer environment. |
| B．To lower their expectations for them. |
| C．To get them more involved socially. |
| D．To set a good model for them to follow. |
What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
| A．Anxiety, though always unavoidable, can be coped with. |
| B．Children’s anxiety has been enormously exaggerated(夸大). |
| C．Children’s anxiety can be removed with more parental care. |
| D．Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature. |
Have you ever thought, “I wish I could take a year off and just travel around the world”?
Well,three lucky American teenagers were able to do just that．The teens—two males and one female--got an all-expenses paid, yearlong hike to five continents.
This trip didn’t include any five-star hotels or shopping funs．Eighteen-year-old Jamie Fiel from Keller, Texas, 17-year-old Arsen Ewing from Canyon, California, and 16-year-old Tyler Robinson from Lincoln, Massachusetts, didn’t expect fancy treatment．They signed up for the experience of a lifetime, which included hard work, often uncomfortable accommodations, and encounters with（遭遇） some of nature’s most dangerous animals and environments.
Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler were among hundreds of high school kids nominated by their science teachers to take this trip．Earthwatch Institute sponsored this adventure．Each year, Earthwatch employs thousands of volunteers worldwide to help with scientific research projects．
The group went all around the world to get a close look at the most pressing environmental issues of our time．Their assignments were as varied as their locations, and included measuring and attending pink flamingos in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, and tracking giant sea turtles in Costa Rica.
As they worked with the Earthwatch scientists, Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler began to understand that we are at a critical moment in the life of our planet．Time for change is running out．As the teens went from country to country and witnessed different environmental dangers and challenges, they understood that solutions to important environmental issues start with the power of one person's actions．They realized that each of them can make a difference.These teenagers went on the journey around the world _____.
| A．to experience the most serous environmental problems on the earth |
| B．to bring the kindness of America to the other parts of the world |
| C．to go on sightseeing around the world |
| D．to call on more teenagers to join Earthwatch Institute |
What’s true about their journey?
| A．They had to pay for their journey at their own expense. |
| B．They often had to move from one hotel to another. |
| C．They had to take great pains to collect environmental information. |
| D．They received a warm welcome every time they arrived at a new place. |
It can be inferred that Earthwatch Institute could be _____．
| A．an international university that takes in students from all over the world |
| B．a TV station that makes programmes on the beautiful scenery of the earth |
| C．a travel agency that organizes adventure trips specially for school children |
| D．an organization that brings science to life for people concerned about the earth’s environment |
What did they these teenagers learn from the journey?
| A．It was high time that people protected the environment. |
| B．Long journey was not suitable for school children. |
| C．It should take the whole world to help the children. |
| D．Environmental problems can be solved if school children take part. |
You may have heard the term “the American Dream”．In 1848, James W．Marshall found gold in California and people began having golden dreams.That 19th century “American Dream" motivated(激发) the Gold Rush and gave California its nickname of the "Golden State".
The American Dream drove not only 1800s gold-rush prospectors（采矿者）but also waves of immigrants throughout that century and the next．People from Europe, and a large number of Chinese, arrived in the US in the 19th century hoping that in America they would find gold in the streets．But most．instead, worked as railroad laborers．They created the oldest Chinatown, in San Francisco, and gave the city a Chinese name "the old gold hill"．
In the 20th century, some critics said that it was no longer possible to become prosperous through determination and hard work． Unfair education for students from poor families and racial discrimination almost made the American Dream a nightmare(噩梦).
Then, in the 1990s, California saw a new wave of dreamers in Silicon Valley．People poured their energy into the Internet． This new chapter of the American Dream attracted many business people and young talents from China and India to form start-ups and seek fortune in America.
Better pay, a nice house, and a rising standard of living will always be attractive．However, the new American Dream .is no longer just about money．It encourages Americans to consume wisely to protect the environment, improve the quality of life, and promote social justice（正义，公正）.
The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has become the model of the new American Dream．After years of hard work, he grew from a poor young man from Austria into a super movie star and then a governor． Many people hope his story can save the American Dream and give California a brighter future.It can be inferred that_____________.
| A．America' s golden dream could never be realized |
| B．America's golden dream had bought great fortune to Chinese immigrants |
| C．different times have different themes of the American dream |
| D．determination and hard work are the best way to realize the American dream |
Why did most of the early immigrants work as railroad laborers?
| A．Because they could earn more money as railroad laborers? |
| B．Because they had to make a living by working as railroad laborers． |
| C．Because they thought railroad was the first step to find gold. |
| D．Because railroad laborers were greatly honored at that time. |
The underlined sentence “his story can save the American Dream” (in the last paragraph) indicates that_____________．
| A．the dream of seeking fortunate in America is easy to realize |
| B．most of the immigrants to America don’t reach their previous goals |
| C．the success of Arnold Schwarzenegger is among the common examples of the immigrants |
| D．the immigrants have made great contributions to California |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Wave of Immigrants to America |
| B．Make Fortunes Abroad |
| C．Hard Work Leads to Success |
| D．Changes of America’s Golden Dream |
Suppose you want to go abroad and learn about the foreign exchange in culture in different countries．Here is some information you may need．
| Name：Susan Lane Age：22 Place：Reykjavik, Iceland, 1994. Cost：$7,000 Organization：AFS Experience：“I think it was a turning point in my life．I began to understand more about my own culture by experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live.” |
| Name：Sara Small Age：23 Place：Crivitz, Germany, 1996. Cost：$8,000 Organization：EF Foundation Experience：“I love the traveling and I made a lot of friends．I found the European school system to be hard but I am fluent now in German so it was worth it．I did miss my family and friends in Australia but I would love to do it again.” |
| Name：David Links Age：16 Place：Stuttgart, Germany, 1996. Cost：$6,000 Organization：Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience：“I wanted to try something that was very different in culture．In Germany everything was different but I soon got settled．The family I was with was great and I really feel as though I have a second family.” |
| Name：Tom Jennings Age：21 Place：Conflans, France, 1995.. Cost：$7,000 Organization：Southern Cross cultural Exchange Experience：“There were times when it was difficult but I liked it, experiencing a different culture．You just have to play each situation as it comes．If there is one thing you learn when you are on a student-exchange program it is how to take care of yourself.” |
| Name：Linda Marks Age：19 Place：Chonburi Province, Thailand, 1994. Cost：$3,500 Organization：Rotary International Experience：“There are lots of ups and downs, but you always come back for more．I had a few problems but there was always someone to turn to and that was great.” |
According to the information, taking part in a foreign exchange program can cost _______．
| A．from $6,000 to $8,000 | B．from $3,500 to $8,000 |
| C．anything from $3,500 | D．no more than $7,000 |
Most of the students had their trips organized by ________．
| A．EF Foundation | B．AFS |
| C．Rotary International | D．SCCE |
The students who refer to both the good and bad times as an exchange student include ______．
| A．Susan Lane and Sara Small | B．Linda Marks and David Links |
| C．Tom Jennings and Linda Marks | D．Susan Lane and Tom Jennings |
UNICEF is appealing for more than one billion dollars in aid for women and children around the world．The United Nations Children's Fund has released its " Humanitarian Action Report" for two thousand ten． The report lists twenty -eight countries and territories with some of the world's most pressing crisis affecting women and children．
Haiti was considered to be in crisis long before the earthquake in January．The deputy executive director of UNICEF, Hilde Johnson, says the quake has only made the need for aid more immediate．But she says children all over the world have the right to the same assistance as children everywhere else．
The "Humanitarian Action Report" discusses several issues that UNICEF says increasingly threaten the basic rights of women and children．It says climate change has caused droughts and' food insecurity in many areas．High food prices and the global financial crisis of two thousand eight - two thousand nine have only added to poverty and malnutrition （营养不良）．And armed conflict continues to threaten the lives of millions．
Hilde Johnson says children are always the most affected by conflicts and disasters．They face an increased risk of abuse, including sexual violence and other serious rights violations （侵犯）．
UNICEF deals with about t
wo hundred emergencies around the world every year．The greatest need last year was in sub - Saharan Africa．The report says drought, food insecurity and civil unrest affected about twenty - four million people．
Violence and displacements（驱逐）of people were especially bad in Sudan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic．
In Asia, UNICEF expects its financial assistance needs to more than double this year．This is partly the result of adding Pakistan and the Philippines to the latest report．In Pakistan, it says, more than two million people have been forced from their homes by the conflict in the．Swat Valley and other areas of the northwest．And in the Philippines, more than two hundred thousand people are st
ill living in shelters after severe storms last year．
This years UNICEF report talks about the value of public and private partnerships in helping children and families in emergencies．
And thats the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms．For a link to the UNICEF report listing the twenty - eight countries and territories in crisis, go to www.unsv.com．I'm Steve Ember．According to Hilde Johnson, the most easily affected persons suffering from conflicts and disasters are __________．
| A．women | B．children | C．the old | D．the disabled |
From this passage we know that the most serious problems in Asia are __________．
| A．earthquakes and malnutrition |
| B．displacements and storms |
| C．sexual violence and other rights violations |
| D．droughts and food insecurity |
Which of the following might serve as a suitable title for this passage?
| A．Haiti was in crisis due to the earthquake in January |
| B．Violence in the twenty -eight countries and territories |
| C．UNICEF Appeals for Aid for Women and Children |
| D．the value of public and private partnerships in helping |
Here’ s an unusual story: a diamond ring
was recently found in an egg. The
magician, Liu Qian, discovered it, in front
of an audience of millions at CCTV’ s Spring
Festival Gala. Liu’ s magic tricks have made the centuries-old art of magic fashionable once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.
As a seasoned young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the U
nited States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.
Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people’ s love for magic.
“It’ s actually thinking rather than one’ s manipulation（操作）skills; that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively, to make them appear more interesting. ”Liu said. 
Liu Qian’ s success dated back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan’ s Youth Magic Contest, which was judged 
by the great American magician, David Copperfield.
Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur (业余的) magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a proper job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
To refine his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields for passers-by, policemen and farmers.
“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds, ” Liu said. What does the underlined word “seasoned ” in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．季节性的 | B．刚出道的 | C．老练的 | D．职业的 |
The story is about_____.
| A．how Liu Qian became China’ s hottest magician |
| B．why people love magic |
| C．what magic tricks are |
| D．how fashionable the magic is |
People love to watch magic because_____.
| A．they can’ t figure out the secret of magic |
| B．it arouses their curiosity |
| C．they love watching magicians make the impossible happen |
| D．it is a centuries-old art |
Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?
| A．He was interested in magic when he was little. |
| B．He had won Taiwan’ s Youth Magic Contest. |
| C．He became an amateur magician in his spare time. |
| D．He couldn’ t find an acceptable job after graduation |
