A new report says African governments are ill prepared to handle the growing number of people over age 65. The population in Africa as in other parts of the world, is getting older. Currently, there are 36 million people on the continent 65 years and above. which is 3.6 percent of the population. up from 3.3 percent 10 years ago. That could rise to 4.5 percent by 2030 and 10 percent by 2050. The African development Bank is raising concerns over the shortage of health insurance and pensions (养老金).
The African Development Bank says. "Aging is highly linked with long-term physical and mental disability and a number of long-term chronic (慢性的) conditions."
"Africa is not well prepared to care for its aging population right now. And it needs to prepare for this fact." said Professor Mthuli Ncube. the African Development Bank's chief economist. African nations spend far less on healthcare than developed nations do___ about $26per person per year. Not so many countries have well developed medical aid plans for the elderly, whether they are privately provided plans or indeed government plans. If you look at the pension plans, you will find the pension industries are not well developed in some of the countries.
Professor Mthuli Ncube said African governments failed to take action on health insurance
and pensions because they were busy with economic reforms.
Another challenge for Africa is the worsening of informal systems of social protection. That is cash and support from both the extended family and community sources.
. The African Development Bank recommends governments help carry out health insurance and pension plans. Ncube said African governments didn't have to handle the health insurance burden alone. "It is not only a must but also an opportunity for private companies to add their bit in this regard", he said. The report also recommends that African governments consider providing ways of free health services. medications and long-term health care facilities for the elderly. From the first paragraph we know the facts except that ____
A.the speed of people aging is becoming quicker |
B.Africa has the largest aging population |
C.African governments are not well prepared to deal with the aging population |
D.the shortage of health insurance and pensions adds to African governments' difficulty in dealing With the aging population |
Which is not highly linked with the aging according to the passage?
A.Long-term physical disability. | B.Long-term mental disability. |
C.Long-term chronic illnesses. | D.Long-term shortage of care and love. |
What got in the way of developing health insurance and pensions in Africa?
A.The economic reforms. | B.Too many old people. |
C.The shortage of land. | D.The development of the economy. |
How can the aging problem be solved in Africa according to Ncube?
A.African governments should spend as much money on healthcare as developed countries |
B.African people should save enough money to insure their health. |
C.African governments should combine with private companies to finish health insurance and pension pains. |
D.Private sources should take the main responsibility to help the elderly. |
The article is most likely to be seen____
A.in a story book | B.in a newspaper | C.on a TV program | D.in a textbook |
Children have their own rules in playing games. They seldom need a referee(裁判) and rarely trouble to keep scores. They don’t care much about who wins or loses, and it doesn’t seem to worry them if the game is not finished. Yet, they like games that depend a lot on luck, so that their personal abilities cannot be directly compared. They also enjoy games that move in stages, in which each stage, the choosing of leaders, the picking-up of sides, or the determining of which side shall start, is almost a game in itself.
Grown-ups can hardly find children’s games exciting, and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple games again and again. However, it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons. He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person, and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinarily afraid. He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn. He can be confident, too, in particular games, that it is his place to give orders, to pretend to be dead, to throw a ball actually at someone, or to kiss someone he has caught.
It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control. Everyone knows the rules, and more importantly, everyone plays according to the rules. Those rules may be childish, but they make sure that every child has a chance to win.. What is true about children when they play games?
A.They can stop playing any time they like. |
B.They can test their personal abilities. |
C.They want to pick a better team. |
D.They don’t need rules. |
. To become a leader in a game the child has to .
A.play well |
B.wait for his turn |
C.be confident in himself |
D.be popular among his playmates |
. What do we know about grown-ups?
A.They are not interested in games. |
B.They find children’s games too easy. |
C.They don’t need a reason to play games. |
D.They don’t understand children’s games. |
Why does a child like playing games?
A.Because he can be someone other than himself. |
B.Because he can become popular among friends. |
C.Because he finds he is always lucky in games. |
D.Because he likes the place where he plays a game. |
. The writer believes that .
A.children should make better rules for their games |
B.children should invite grown-ups to play with them |
C.children’s games can do them a lot of good |
D.children play games without reasons |
Few Americans remain in one position or one place for a lifetime. They move from town to city to suburb, from high school to college in a different state, from a job in one region to a better job elsewhere, from the home where they raise their children to the home where they plan to live in retirement (退休). With each move they are forever making new friends, who become part of their new life at that time.
For many of them summer is a special time for forming new friendships. Today millions of Americans vacation abroad, and they go not only to see new sights but also with the hope of meeting new people. No one really expects a vacation trip to produce a close friend, but the beginning of a friendship is possible.
The word “friend ” can be applied to a wide range of relationships ---- to someone one has known for a few weeks in a new place, to a fellow worker, to a childhood playmate, to a man or woman, to a trusted confidant (知己).. Many Americans move from place to place for the following reasons except.
A.going to college |
B.getting a better job |
C.finding a place to live in retirement |
D.saving money |
. Summer is a special time when many Americans.
A.enjoy the sunlight | B.feel strange |
C.travel to other countries | D.get a new job |
When summer comes, many Americans .
A.hope to meet new people |
B.expect to find some close friends |
C.want to begin lasting friendships with new people |
D.Both A and B |
From the passage it can be seen that a “friend” can be .
A.a fellow worker | B.a football teammate |
C.a boy or a girl | D.all of the above |
. Which of the following is the topic sentence of Paragraph 2?
A.For many of us summer is a special time for forming new friendships. |
B.Today millions of Americans vacation abroad. |
C.No one really expects a vacation trip to produce a close friendship. |
D.But surely the beginning of friendship is possible. |
John Smith, an office worker, lives in Washington. He inherited (继承) a million dollars when he was 23, but he wasn’t happy at a11. When his college friends were looking for their jobs, he didn’t have to. Jack decided to living a simple life like everyone else. He gave $l0,000 of his money to a charity (慈善机构) to help poor children live a better life. Today he is 36. He still wears cheap shoes and clothes and drives a small car only, but he is very happy.
Up to now John has helped some children from poor countries all over the world, by sending them each $200 a month. The money was used for the children’s study, food, medicine and clothing. John receives a report each year on the children’s progress. They can write to each other. but usually the children do not speak English.
When John first heard about these children, he wanted to help them. “It was nothing special,” he said. “Until I went to these countries and met the children I was helping, I didn’t know anything about their life.” Once John went to meet a little girl in Africa. He said that the meeting was very exciting. “When I met her, I felt very happy.” he said. “And I saw that the money was used for a good cause. It brought me happiness. I want to do everything I can to go on helping those children.”. John didn’t need to look for a job .
A.before he went to college | B.after he went to Africa |
C.because he got a lot of money | D.before he received a report |
. John has sent them each $200 a month to help some poor children .
A.near Washington | B.in European countries |
C.only in Africa | D.throughout the world |
. John learned about the children’s progress by .
A.visiting them each year | B.getting a report every year |
C.staying with them | D.talking to them in English |
. The underlined words “for a good cause” means “” in Chinese.
A.施舍 | B.行善 |
C.优惠 | D.赏赐 |
. What’s the main idea of the story?
A.Help others, and you will feel happy. |
B.It’s necessary to write letters to poor children. |
C.Live a simple life, and you can give others help. |
D.It’s the most important to help the children in Africa. |
Walking round the large shop, Edith realized how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas for her father.
She that he were as easy to please as her mother, who was satisfied with perfume (香水). , shopping at this time of the year was a most job. People on your feet, pushed you with their shoulders and almost you over in their hurry in order to something cheap ahead of you.
Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter (柜台), where some beautiful ties were on . "They are silk," the shop assistant told her with a smile trying to her to buy one. But Edith knew from past that her choice of ties never pleased her father.
She moved on slowly and where a small crowd of men had gathered round a counter. She found some fine pipes on sale and the were very beautiful. Edith did not hesitate for long, although her father smoked a pipe once in a while, she believed this was to please him.
When she got home, with her small but present hidden in her handbag, it was time for supper and her parents were already table. Her mother was in great . "Your father has at last decided to stop smoking," she told her daughter happily. Edith was so that she could not say a single word.
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In 2006, a large number of new Internet sites became popular around the world. Some of these are for communication, others for entertainment(娱乐).
The blog is one form of communication that increased in popularity. Through these personal websites(网址), people can share their lives, ideas and opinions on the Internet. People of all ages have their own blogs. For young people, they are a way to show their writing and other forms of self-expression. Blogs also connect people with other people who have the same interests. For example, teachers use blogs to share ideas with other teachers’, as well as experiences and concerns about their work.
YouTube is another Internet site that became more popular last year. This website lets anyone create, share and watch short videos. These include videos of people singing or dancing, or animals doing funny things. Three young men created YouTube almost two years ago as a personal video sharing service. They recently sold it to Google for more than one and a half billion dollars.
Games and entertainment also became a larger part of the Internet last year. One Internet social site is called Second Life. It is an online world in which computer users create a new self and live a different life. They get married, build homes, operate businesses, buy and sell goods, work, play and attend school.
People also take part in fantasy sports leagues with the help of the Internet. A fantasy sport is a game in which each member of a group acts as the owner of a team. Each owner creates a team of real-life professional players to compete against other teams in the league. More than fifteen million American adults play fantasy sports. The industry earns more than one billion(十亿) dollars each year from publications, memberships and other costs.The passage is mainly about __________.
A.the most popular Internet technology in 2006 |
B.some new ways for people to communicate or have fun on the Internet |
C.one online game called Second Life |
D.the high price of playing online |
Who is the owner of YouTube now?
A.Three young men. | B.Google. |
C.Computer users. | D.Yahoo. |
Whom does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A.The people who are interested in blogs. |
B.The people who play games on YouTube. |
C.The people who play Second Life. |
D.The people who are created in Second Life. |
What do we know from the passage?
A.Teachers can share ideas, experiences and concerns about their work with other teachers on any website. |
B.More than fifteen million American teenagers play fantasy sports. |
C.Second Life helps people get married, buy and sell goods, work, play and attend school in real life. |
D.Fantasy sports, a game in which each member of a group acts as the owner of a team, is very popular around the world. |