It’s the place where smart people make smart machines work even smarter. It’s also in the heart of sunny California, a great place to start a family and raise kids. What could be better?
But something is happening to their children. Up until the age of two they develop normally. But then everything seems to go backwards. The children become locked into their own small world, unable to communicate at all.
They call it the “curse(诅咒)of Silicon Valley,” but the medical name for the condition is autism(自闭症). It used to be thought that autism was a kind of mental illness. Now doctors are sure that it is a neurological disease transmitted genetically. It seems that the people leading the communications revolution are having children who cannot communicate at all.
But even the parents have trouble communicating. Asperger’s Syndrome is a mild version of autism. People who have it are highly intelligent and often brilliant with numbers or system but have no social skill. This very combination of symptoms makes Asperger’s sufferers into ideal computer professionals.
The Asperger’s sufferer has always been a well—known figure in popular culture. He or she was the eccentric but dedicated scholar or the strange uncle or auntie who never married. But the high numbers of such people in Silicon Valley mean that they can meet others who understand them and share their interests. And while they might not be personally attractive, they can earn truly attractive amounts of money. They can get married and have kids. Unfortunately, many of the children of two Asperger’s parents seem to be developing serious autism.
There is little anyone can do. It takes hours of work just to make autistic child realize that anyone else exists. And there is no cure in sight. Some argue that no cure should be found. “It may be that autistics are essentially different from normal people, but that these differences make them invaluable for the evolution of the human race,” says Dr. Kirk Whilhelmsen of the University of California. “To eliminate the genes for autism could be disastrous. ”
It seems that the children of Silicon Valley are paying the price of genius.What does Dr Kirk Whilhelmsen think of autism?
| A．It is disastrous to society. |
| B．It is not completely a bad thing. |
| C．It is a punishment to those working in Silicon Valley. |
| D．People with autism should never marry. |
What can we learn about autism according to the passage?
| A．It is believed to be a king of mental illness that can be cured. |
| B．People with autism can’t find people sharing their interests. |
| C．They do not care about the presence of others. |
| D．They are a burden for the society. |
Why do people call autism “curse of Silicon Valley”？
| A．Because autistic people live in Silicon Valley. |
| B．Because many people working in Silicon Valley have autism children. |
| C．Because people with autism will be driven out of Silicon Valley. |
| D．Because people with autism are not personally attractive and not liked by others. |
What can we know about Asperger’s Syndrome according to the passage?
| A．Asperger’s sufferers are ideal computer professionals. |
| B．Asperger’s sufferers never get married and have children. |
| C．Asperger’s sufferers are ashamed of themselves and locked into their own world. |
| D．Asperger’s sufferers can be beneficial to society if they are cured. |
The other day I heard a few local musicians talking:
"I hat
e all the pianos in this town and I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They cannot even understand rhythm (韵律)."
"Nobody wants to pay musicians anything. I’m sick of all the people who want you to play without paying you."
One younger musician said, "There are several clubs who want me to play for a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also planning to join in several summer festivals this year."
I really liked what the younger musician said so I made friends with him.
Attitudes are important.
Whether they’re positive (积极的) or negative (消极的), they’re all rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who are always complaining or blaming (责备) others, it is possible that you will start doing the same as well. If you spend lots of time with people who don’t support (支持) your dreams, it is time to take a look at the people you call "friends".
There is an easy exercise you can try. Make a list of the people who you often stay with, and simply stop spending time with the negative ones on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard.
Of course, this exercise is entirely different from making friends only for the good of oneself. We really should try to help and spend time with those who are working towards a goal or dream.The musicians’ conversation at the beginning is there to show that ______.
| A．musicians’ living conditions are not good |
| B．people in that town have poor taste in music |
| C．young people are more likely to succeed |
| D．different people have different attitudes |
The underl
ined part "they’re all rubbing off on you" in Paragraph 6 means ______.
| A．they’ll push you ahead |
| B．they’ll help you realize your dreams |
| C．they’ll keep you from moving on |
| D．they’ll have an influence (影响) on you |
By doing the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 7, you can ______.
| A．improve your ability to make friends |
| B．make the right kind of friends |
| C．develop a better relationship with your friends |
| D．make some new friends with the same interests as you |
We can get the following information from the passage EXCEPT ______.
| A．the younger musician is a positive person and would be a good friend |
| B．one should avoid (避免) making friends with people who have lots of difficulties |
| C．the exercise can help you keep close to really helpful friends |
| D．one will start complaining if one spends too much time with negative people |
Until late in the 20th century most Americans spent time with people of different generations. Now middle-aged Americans may not keep in touch with old people until they are old themselves.
That's because we group people by age. We put our three-year-olds together in day-care centers, our 13-year-olds in schools and sport activities, and our 8
0-year-olds in senior citizen homes. Why?
We live far away from the old for many reasons. Young people sometimes avoid the old to get rid of fears of becoming old and dying. It is much harder to watch someone we love disappear before our eyes. Sometimes it’s got hard that we stay away from the people who need us the most.
Fortunately, some of us have found our way to the old. And we have discovered that they often save the young.
A reporter moved her family into a block filled with old people. At first her children were disappointed. But the reporter made banana bread for the neighbors and had her children send it and visit them. Soon the children had many new friends, with whom they shared food, stories and projects. "My children have never been lonely, "the reporter said.
The young, in turn, save the old. Once I was in a rest home (an organization where old people are cared for) when a visitor showed up with a baby, she was immediately surrounded. People who had
n't gotten out of bed in a week suddenly were ringing for a wheelchair. Even those who had seemed asleep woke up to watch the child. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.
Grandparents are a special case. They give their grandchildren a feeling of security and continuity. As my husband put it "My grandparents gave me a deep sense that things would turn out right in the end." Grandchildren speak of attention they don't get from worried parents. "My parents were always telling me to hurry up, and my grandparents told me to slow down," one friend said. A teacher told me she can tell which pupils have relationships with grandparents: they are quieter, calmer and more trusting.Now in an American family, people can find that___________.
| A．children never live with their parents |
| B．not all working people live with their parents |
| C．old people are supported by their grandchildren |
| D．grandchildren are supported by their grandparents |
Seeing a baby, the old people got excited because _______.
| A．they had never seen a baby before |
| B．the baby was clever and beautiful |
| C．the baby brought them the image of life |
| D．the baby's mother would take care of them |
Why are some children quieter, calmer and more trusting ?
| A．Because they have relationships with their grandparents. |
| B．Because their worried parents ask them to act like that. |
| C．Because they have nothing to worry about. |
| D．Because their teachers ask them to act like that. |
Which of the following can show the fact that the ol
d often save the young?
| A．The old can become friends of the children and the children may not feel lonely. |
| B．The old get excited when they see a baby. |
C．The old can cure the young  when they are sick. |
| D．Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure. |
Mexico City is truly one of the most amazing cities in the world with a mixture of both the old and new world. From the moment your plane starts to land in this vast city, you know that your trip will be quite an adventure.
Once in your taxi and the moment you leave the airport, you are amazed at the large amount of slow traffic. The volume of the traffic can be stressful to some.
The "Paseo de la Reforma (改革大道)", running southwest across the city, is one of the major tourist and business areas in Mexico City with many high quality hotels only walking distance from great restaurants and other tourist attr
actions. The only problem you will have is trying to see all of these sites during your vacation time.
One of the most popular attractions in this area is the National Museum of Anthropology along the northwest part of the street. There are thousands of artifacts on display showing the history of the area and numerous items found from the many Aztec sites in the area. Walking southwest from the museum, you will soon reach the Mexico City Zoo, which is a great place to spend an afternoon.
Across the street from the museum is the Chapultepec Castle, once an important site in the Mexican-American war. It's also a good idea to take the train up the hill to where the castle is located as the hill is steep (陡峭的). It's important to keep in mind that Mexico City is over 7,000 feet above sea level and some feel it difficult to breathe when walking.
You can take a taxi to the Coyoacan market during the evening on a weekend. It's a great place to get some cheap souvenirs （纪念品）to bring back home and to enjoy some traditional Mexican cuisine. However, you must be careful where you eat and that the meat is well cooked. The tourists in Mexico City may not be satisfied with______.
| A．the high speed of the traffic | B．the heavy traffic of the city |
| C．the polluted air in the city | D．their safety in the city |
Which of the following shows the correct positions of the following places?
P =" Paseo" de la ReformaM =" the" National Museum of Anthropology
C =" the" Chapultepec CastleZ =" the" Mexico City Zoo
Which of the following attractions may interest those who want to study the military (of the army) history of Mexico City?
| A．The National Museum of Anthropology. | B．The Coyoacan market. |
| C．The Chapultepec Castle. | D．The Aztec sites. |
My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation i
n Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen（牛） that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.
It was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation 
owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I’ve never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn’t want to work.
I was only six years old, but I was doing a man’s jo
b. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem(自尊心), one of the most important things a person can have.
When I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.
The more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb(番石榴树枝) and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field — except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.The word “tedious” in Paragraph 2 most probably means _______.
| A．difficult | B．boring | C．interesting | D．unusual |
The writer learned that_______ from his first job.
| A．he should work for those who he liked most |
| B．he should work longer than what he was expected |
| C．he should never fail to say hello to his owner |
| D．he should be respectful and faithful to the people he worked for |
_______ gave the writer self-esteem.
| A．Having a family of eight people |
| B．Owning his own golf course |
| C．Bringing money back home to help the family |
| D．Helping his father with the work on the plantation |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．He wanted to be a successful golfer. |
| B．He wanted to run a golf course near his house. |
| C．He was satisfied with the job he got on a plantation. |
D．He wanted to make money by guiding oxen with a brooms tick. |
While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states—at least in getting people off welfare．It's estimated that more than 2 million people have left the list since 1994．
In the past four years, welfare list in Athens County have been cut in half．But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $ 6 an hour．The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent —twice the national average．For advocates（代言人） for the poor, that's an indication that much more needs to be done．
"More people are getting jobs, but it's not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington．A center analysis of US Census data （户口普查资料） nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed families were earning money on their own, but that average income for these families actually went down．
But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory．"Welfare was a poison．It was a poisonous substance that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst．"The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities．It's beginning to rebuild the work ethic （道德观）, which is much more important．"
Mr．Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked," then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards．．From the passage, it can be seen that the author ____．
| A．believes the reform has reduced the government's burden |
| B．insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor |
| C．is not interested in the success of welfare reform |
| D．considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful |
．
Why aren't people enjoying better lives when they have jobs?
| A．Because many families end their marriage． |
| B．Because government aid is now rare． |
| C．Because their wages are still low． |
| D．Because the cost of living is rising． |
．From the passage we know that welfare reform aims at____．
A．saving welfare funds B, rebuilding the work ethic
C．providing more jobs D．cutting government expensesAccording to the passage,____ before the welfare reform was carried out．
| A．the poverty rate was lower |
| B．average living standards were higher |
| C．the average worker was paid higher-wages |
| D．the poor used to rely on government aid |