When should people be made to retire? 55? 65? Should there be a compulsory age limit?
Many old people work well into their 70s and 80s, running families, countries or corporations. Other people, however, despite being fit and highly talented, are forced to retire in their fifties or even earlier because of the regulations of a company or the nation. This essay will examine whether people should be allowed to continue working as long as they want or whether they should be encouraged to retire at a particular stage.
Some people think there are several arguments for allowing older people to continue working as long as they are able. First of all, older employees have an immense amount of knowledge and experience which can be lost to a business or organization if they are made to retire. A second point is that older employees are often extremely loyal employees and are more willing to carry out company policies than younger less committed staff. However, a more important point is regarding the attitudes in society to old people. To force someone to resign or retire at 60 indicates that the society does not value the input of these people and that effectively their useful life is over. Age is irrelevant to a working life, surely if older employees are told they cannot work after 60, this is age discrimination. That they become old does not necessarily mean they are going to be sick. Old people could be more aware, experienced and committed than some youngsters.
Others, however, think that allowing older people to work indefinitely is not a good policy. Age alone is no guarantee of ability. Old people are only ambitious workaholics who are too selfish and self-centered to believe that a younger person could do better. Actually, many younger employees have more experience or skills than older staff, who may have been stuck in one area or unit for most of their working lives. Having compulsory retirement allows new ideas in an organization. In addition, without age limits, however, many people would continue to work purely because they did not have any other plans or roles. A third point of view is that older people should be rewarded by society for their life’s labor by being given generous pensions and the freedom to enjoy their leisure. We now have youngsters who can’t find jobs because old people are choosing not to retire. Old people are not retiring because this new generation of “old people” think they will never die due to modern advances in medicine.
With many young people unemployed or frustrated in low-level positions, there are often calls to compulsorily retire older workers. However, this can affect the older individual’s freedom and right to work and can deprive（剥夺）society of valuable experience and insights. I feel that giving workers more flexibility and choice over their retirement age will benefit society and the individual.What is the purpose of this passage?
| A．To explain the compulsory age limit. |
| B．To discuss the retirement age. |
| C．To examine people’s working life. |
| D．To introduce a particular stage. |
Which of the following is NOT a reason for allowing old people to continue working according to the passage?
| A．Their contribution should be valued. |
| B．Their experience should be made use of. |
| C．They can help the youngsters. |
| D．They are loyal employees. |
It can be inferred in the fourth passage that ______.
| A．the young people have more creative spirits |
| B．Modern advances in medicine make old people never die |
| C．Pensions and freedom are not given to the old now |
| D．old people believe that a younger person could do better |
The passage is arranged as follows:
What is the author’s opinion on the retirement age?
| A．The author thinks when to retire depends on the employees themselves. |
| B．The author is against lengthening the retirement age. |
| C．The author thinks that retirement age varies from country to country. |
| D．The author is in favor of allowing old people to continue working. |
C
I believe that animals possess greater intelligence than most people think. But plants? I've never considered the possibility of plant intelligence. The idea seems absurd.
Yet I've had friends argue that plant intelligence might exist. "What are the differences between plants and animals?" they ask, and then they argue about certain species that seem to share the intelligence of both plants and animals.
New research suggests that plants communicate via "networks". Plant communication is not idea, and cannot indicate that its is a kind of intelligence, but it is still interesting.
Recent research from Vidi researcher Josef Stuefer at the Radboud University Nijmegen shows that plants have their own chat systems that they can use to warn each other. Therefore plants are not boring and passive organisms that just stand there waiting to be cut down or eaten up. Many plants form internal communication networks and are able to exchange information networks and are able to exchange information efficiently.
Many herbal plants such as strawberries and clovers (三叶草)naturally form networks.
Individual plants remain connected with each other for a certain period of time by means of runners (plant stems that grow along the ground and put down roots to form new plants). These connections enable the plants to share information with each other via internal channels. They are therefore very similar to computer networks. But what do plants chat to each other about?
Recently Stuefer and his colleagues were the first to prove that clover plants warn each other via the network links if danger is nearby . If one of the plants is attacked by caterpillars (毛虫)，the other members of the network are warned via an internal signal. Once warned the intact (完好无损的)plants strengthen their chemical and mechanical (机体的)resistance so that they are less attractive to advancing caterpillars. Thanks to this early warning system, the plants can stay one step ahead of their attackers. The research has shown that this significantly limits the damage to the plants.
Again, I don't believe this reflects intelligence, but it's is certainly fascinating.
66.The author thinks that the plant communication .
A.is absolutely a new idea
B.is a sign of plant intelligence
C.is related to animal communication
D.is interesting and fascinating
67.Clover plants warn each other when danger is nearby by .
A.making sounds
B.releasing chemicals
C.strengthening mechanical resistance
D.sending internal signals
68.Which of the following statements about the research is NOT true?
A.Most plants have no chat system and are passive organisms.
B.Individual plants can also remain connected with each other.
C.The communication between clover plants can protect them from damage.
D.The research is the first to show how clover plants warn each other.
69.The author's attitude towards plant intelligence is
A. unconcerned B. doubtful C. positive D. hopeful
70" What's the best title for the passage?
A.Does Plant Communication Really Exist?
B.Some Discoveries About Clover Plant
C.Does Plant Communication Imply Intelligence?
D.A New Study on Plant Communication
B
Canadian scientists have found that the more emotional or mental challenges a person faces in a day, the less determined they become to work out physically.
However, the findings should not stop us from keeping fit. Experts believe that willpower (意志力)is like a muscle ， and needs to be exercised to help one avoid the temptation (诱惑)spending a night on the couch instead.
Kathleen Martin 一 Ginis, a professor of kinesiology 一 the science of movement 一 who led the study, says everyone has a limited amount of willpower, and that it will be reduced by stress. Miss Martin 一 Ginis, of Canada' s McMaster University, explains, "Cognitive (认知的)tasks, as well as tasks such as regulating (调整)one' s emotions, can reduce one' s capacity to force oneself to exercise."
Her team of scientists performed a so — called " Stroop" test on volunteers to reach their conclusions. The experiment involved showing participants words associated with colors but printed in different colors - for example ， the word " blue " written in red ink . ' Participants were divided into two groups. One group was asked to name the color of the ink ， instead to say the printed word ， while the other wasn't Martin ― Ginis says ， " After we used this cognitive task to use up their self 一 regulatory capacity, the participants didn't exercise as hard as those who had not performed the task. ，， The more people concentrated on the cognitive task ， the more likely they were to skip exercise sessions (活动时间)over the next eight week. You only have so much willpower .
However, there are ways to strengthen willpower. The study found the listening to music before going to the gym can help, as well as making a commitment to work out with friends. It also concluded that willpower can be stretched by constantly cake ， or forcing oneself to study an extra hour each night.
Martin - Ginis adds, "There are strategies people can use to help revitalize (使恢复活动) themselves after they’ve used up their self 一 regulation. Willpower is like a muscle ： it needs to be used to stay strong.
61.According to the experts, human willpower .
A.can be exercised through muscle movement
B.can regulate itself to resist temptations
C.is weakened by stressful cognitive or emotional tasks
D.is reduced by lack of physical exercise.
62.We learn from Paragraph 4 that the experiment .
A.made use of the Stroop test
B.asked one group of participants to name the words
C.required researchers to write the word "blue" in red ink to make it easily recognizable.
D.showed that those who hadn't performed the task were smarter than those who had
63.All the following are ways to strengthen one's willpower EXCEPT________
A.listening to music before doing exercise
B.promising to work out with friends
C.training oneself repeatedly to resist temptations
D.forcing oneself to do the same thing each day
64.Which of the following is in agreement with Miss Martin ― Ginis' idea?
A.Human's willpower is limited to a certain level
B.The cognitive tasks could make people ignore exercise
C.Challenging tasks could make people ignore exercise
D.Exercise is an important way to strengthen one's willpower.
65.What can we infer from the passage?
A.Willpower can be challenged to become powerful.
B.McMaster University is famous for its kinesiology.
C.Effective ways to resist temptations have been found.
D.the study has an impact on the science of movement.
PART THREE READING COMPREHENSION
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked with A, S, C and D, Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
Matt Scott, who was born with spina bifida (脊柱裂)，grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where he participated in a variety of sports alongside his healthy friends. Now as a member of University of Wisconsin -Whitewater wheelchair basketball team, Scott has won four national championships, and hats' recently been selected to the Paralympic team for the second time. The 23 ― year 一 old college senior owes his achievements to his hard work and the support of his friends and family, who never allowed him to use his disability as an excuse. "My mother was always great. Whenever I felt giving up, she had no sympathy. She really helped me build my independence by not babying me the way other mothers would have," Scott says.
It was Scott' s independent nature and strong will, along with his on - the - court skills, that attracted the attention of America's most influential sports apparel (衣服)company, Nike. Nike was searching for an athlete with a disability to represent its "Just Do It " trademark. A handful of superstar athletes with disabilities came to audition for the role, but the company picked Scott to star in the 30 一 second commercial.
"I think that they were looking for the prettiest face in America, and found me," Scott jokes about the selection process.
After being picked, Scott flew to California to film the commercial with Oscar - winning documentary director Errol Morris. The ad gave Scott celebrity (名人)status in the community of disabled athletes. He's been asked to speak at a number of disability - related events, and feels it's his duty to use the media to draw attention to those with disabilities. "I've been given a voice, and I want to do whatever I can to break down the social barriers that are still faced by disabled athletes, and make people realize that they have a very high athletic level," Scott says.
56.When Scott was young, •
A.he only played basketball with other disabled children
B.he became disabled during a basketball match
C.his friends looked down upon him during basketball matches
D.his mother didn't give him special treatment
57.Nike chose Scott to star in its commercial for his ________.
a. pretty appearance b. independent nature
c. strong will d. excellent basketball skills
e. status in the community of disabled athletes
A. bee B. ade C. abd D. bed
58.The underlined phrase "audition for " in the second paragraph means " ".
A. try out for B. look out for C. take on D. pick out
59.Which of the following about Scott is TRUE?
A.He has graduated from the University of Wisconsin ― Whitewater.
B.He thinks it's unwise for the disabled to use disability as an excuse.
C.He starred in a commercial together with Errol Morris.
D.He thinks it's important to have many goals.
60.To Scott, the most important result of the ad was that .
A.it made people realize the athletic talent of the disabled
B.it gave him a chance to show his basketball skills
C.he could do more for disabled athletes
D.he was selected to the Paralympic team again
D
Advertising gives useful information about which products to buy. But modern advertising does more than gives news about products and services. Today’s advertisements, or ads, try to get consumers to buy certain brands(品牌) . Writers of advertising are so skillful they can sometimes persuade a consumer to wear a certain kind of clothing,eat a special kind of cereal, or see a movie. Consumers might never even want a product if they did not see or hear advertisements for it. For example, you probably do not need the newest cereal in the supermarket. There are probably many cereal brands on your kitchen helves. You may not have extra-tasty and has a free prize in the box, you may want it. Advertising must get attention. To be effective, it must be exciting, entertaining, or provide some pleasure. The secret of writing good advertising copy is to offer a good idea as well as a product. The idea is what the ad is really selling. One example is an ad that says eating a certain cereal will make a person do well in sports. That cereal brand may sell better if consumers think it offers strength and energy.
68. What is discussed in this passage?
A. The content of modem advertising. B. The skills of modern advertising.
C. The results of modem advertising. D. The writing of modern advertising.
69. According to the passage, a good advertisement should_______.
A. be both persuasive and effective B. give people useful information
C. show people a product D. show people a new idea of a product
70. From the passage, we know that ____
A. modem advertising has less effect on customers.
B. once customers see ads about a new cereal, they are sure to buy it.
C. cereal can make people strong.
D. cereal is a kind of food which is popular among people.
C
On December 22, 1775, two of Washington’s soldiers brought a prisoner to his headquarters (司令部). Washington thanked the soliders, then gave an order that the prisoner was to be left alone and that the soldiers were to shoot if the man tried to escape. But when the door was closed, Washington smiled.
The man standing in front of him was John Honeyman, one of the general’s most trusted men. In early November, Washington had given Honeyman orders to travel with the British army as a servant and to stay with it until he had something to tell. Honeyman now had important information. He described the situation in Trenton, giving the exact number and position of the troops there.Trenton was held by several companies (连队) of Hessians(雇佣军). The Hessians were not English soldiers.They were Germans who had been hired by the British to fight in America. According to Honeyman, the Hessians fought only for money. They had done nothing to build up their defences in Trenton. Now they were busy planning a big Christmas celebration.
Washington immediately made a daring plan. He chose Christmas Day for an attack on Trenton. At ten o’clock next morning, the attack was over. The Americans won a great victory.
64. Why did Washington smile when the door was closed?
A .Because he was glad to catch the prisoner.
B. Because the man was one of his most trusted men.
C. Because he had caught the most dangerous spy.
D. Because he knew the man very well.
65. For what did Washington send Honeyman to stay with the British army?
A. Honeyman could make peace with the Brilhish soldiers .
B. He could let Honeyman have a pleasant trip.
C. He could catch more prisoners from the British army.
D. Honeyman could get important information for American .
66 .Which countries did the war break out between?
A. America and Britain.
B. America and Germany
C.Britain and Gennany
D.Arnerica, Britain and Germany
67. What’s the reason that Washington chose Christmas Day for an attack on Trenton?
A. It could be that it was a lucky day.
B. It might be that it was the best Christmas gift for Britain.
C. It must be that after the day the enemy was to escape.
D. It could be that the enemy would enjoy their holiday but not prepare to fight.