【原创】“Will I be able to work until I’m 70?” Those were my first words when I learned in 2014, at the age of 50, that I had Parkinson’s disease. I had not planned for that question to pop out of my mouth, but it did. Perhaps I was worried about my money. The size of my retirement account makes early retirement seem impossible. But mainly I think I asked that question because work, for better or worse, has become central to my identity. The idea that my career as a historian would end soon felt truly disturbing.
As professors, we often complain about our jobs: we teach too much, we are paid too little, and the library needs more books. But I can’t imagine a better career. We teach young people, and we find the time to read and write about topics we love. We receive a degree of respect. Even my doctor calls me “Professor”.
And, most importantly, we have relative job security. When I received my diagnosis, my question about keeping my job was not ridiculous. In a market-based social system, the threat of job loss is terrifying. Imagine the pressure faced by a Parkinson’s sufferer with no job security. It could be disastrous for someone who needs manual dexterity at work, such as a construction worker.
In contrast, I am lucky: I have tenure(终身职位), which gives me a feeling of security that even popular entertainers may lack. Tenure does not guarantee me a job as long as I can perform y duties.
Will I be able to work until I’m 70? I think so. I know that my family and I will face new challenges, but I don’t expect a decline in my job performance. My students may find my appearance a bit odd, but if they do, then that will be a “teachable moment”.What did the author worry about first when he learned he was ill?
| A．He didn’t have enough money for an operation. |
| B．The disease would ruin his career. |
| C．He wouldn’t live until the age of 70. |
| D．He would be forced to retire early. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Professors always complain about their jobs. |
| B．Professors have no time to do anything else but teach. |
| C．The author doesn’t know what he would do if he were not a professor. |
| D．The author thinks he is respected by others because of his work. |
The underlined phrase in the third paragraph, “manual dexterity” probably means _____________.
| A．the ability to use one’s hands |
| B．the ability to see clearly |
| C．the ability to use one’s mind |
| D．the ability to solve problems |
The best title for this passage is _________________________.
| A．Losing My Career to Illness |
| B．The Threat of Job Loss |
| C．Keep Away from Disease |
| D．The Pressure of Parkinson’s |
From a very early age，some children exhibit better 
self-control than others.Now，a new study that began with about 1，000 children in New Zealand has tracked how a child’s low self-control can predict poor health，money troubles and even a criminal record in their adult years.
Researchers have been studying this group of children for decades now.They observed the level of self-control the youngsters displayed.Parents，teachers，even the kids themselves，scored the youngsters on measures like“acting before thinking”and “Persistence in reaching goals.”
The study led by Moffitt of Duke University and colleagues followed 1，000 children from birth to age 32 in Dunedin,New Zealand.
“The children who had the lowest self-control when they were age three to ten，later on had the most health problems in their 30s，” Moffitt said， “and they had the worst financial situation.They were more likely to have a criminal record and to be raising a child as a single parent on a very low income.”Moffitt explained that self-control problems were widely observed，and weren’t just a feature of a small group of misbehaving kids.
Moffitt said it’s still unclear 
why some children have better self-control than others，though she said other researchers have found that it’s mostly a learned behavior,with relatively little genetic influence.But good self-control can be set to run in familles because children with good self-control are more likely to grow up to be healthy and prosperous parents.But the good news，Moffitt said，is that self-control can be taught by parents，and through school curricula that have been shown to be effective.From the first two paragraphs we learn that .
| A．the research has been carried out for five years |
| B．self-control in kids tends to determine their future |
| C．self-control was assessed by children’s intelligence |
| D．children’s self-control is almost the same at early age |
Children with low self-control are more likely to .
| A．become wealthy in later life | B．get good school performance |
| C．have better financial planning | D．adopt negative behaviors |
According to Moffitt，.
| A．only good genetic factors can shape their lives in the future |
| B．scientists know well why some children have better self-control |
| C．self-control in childhood has nothing to do with criminal activity |
| D．willpower as a child really influences people’s chances of adulthood |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Self-control cannot be taught in schools. |
| B．The study is restricted within few participants. |
| C．It’s never too late to deal with self-control problems. |
| D．Good parenting can improve self-control and life success. |
.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage？
| A．Child’s self control predicts future health，success |
| B．Kids are encouraged to take risks at an early age |
| C．Children’s development cannot be changed by teachers |
| D．How to teach the kids a bit of self-control in schools |
This is a story that happened 15 years ago but it has always stayed with me since then.On the way back from work every evening,more often than not there would be a homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway.He always waved at every car,he was always happy and smiling and sometimes almost dancing.Every day after work when I got there，I would quickly roll down my window and give him the coins.Occasionally the red light would be on for a minute and we would ask each other about our day.His answer would always be the same，“I’m blessed！”.
It amazed me that even in his situation of being homeless he was so positive，and his answer would remind me of how blessed I was.A single mother of four amazing kids,with a place to call home and with a job to provide for my kids.Then one day I was called into my boss’s office and was told that I was being laid off due to the economy.Needless to say that on my was home that day I was very sad and upset.I didn’t remember to look for my spare change and keep it ready like I usually did.I wasn’t feeling the joy as I got off the ramp where the homeless man would be.Yet there he was as alway，as l turned the ramp.He set his eyes on me，while still smiling and waving at others.
While I was waiting for the red light to turn，he strolled over to my car.He had a big smile he looked me straight in the eyes and said “today I will give you a dollar”.He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill.I was blown away.I burst into tears.I wanted to jump out of my car and hug him！
You see that day he gave me more than a dollar bill，he taught me a valuable lesson.No matter what material things are taken from you，no one can take away your choice to be joyful.What is the passage mainly concerned？
| A．A dollar bill from a homeless person. |
| B．A blessing coming from a homeless person. |
| C．A woman who lost her job due to the economy. |
| D．A homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway. |
From the lst paragraph，we know the homeless man is .
| A．optimistic | B．brave | C．Iazy | D．kind-hearted |
After leaving the boss’s office，the author .
| A．felt relaxed to get rid of the tiring job |
| B．still felt joyful when coming off the ramp |
| C．took it for granted that she was fit for her job |
| D．didn’t put some change aside to give to the man |
The underlined phrase“blown away”in the 3rd paragraph most probably means
.
| A．completely defeated | B．wholly blown down |
| C．really amazed | D．murdered by gunfire |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．material things are the most important in life |
| B．people should be encouraged to beg by smiling |
| C．the author’s ride home that dog was smooth sailing |
| D．we should wait others’help when faced with challenges |
Tokyo - Drivers in China are no longer in a hurry to own Toyota Motor Corp's cars.
Neil Hu, a sales manager at a Toyota dealership in Beijing, said he has stopped charging a 5,000 yuan ($732) premium to customers who want to skip the waiting list for RAV4 sport- utility vehicles. He took the initiative after the Japanese carmaker recalled 75,552 of the SUVs in China last month to fix gas pedals that may stick.
"I heard the situation in the US is pretty bad for Toyota," Hu said. "The recall has impacted us as well."
Toyota, which grew more slowly than competitors in China in 2009, will likely lose more market share and see a decline in local profit margin this year, analysts say. The carmaker has relied on a reputation for quality and safety to sell high margin, mid- to large-size models even as the world's biggest auto market shifts to cheaper, smaller cars, encouraged by government incentives.
With Toyota's brand damaged by global recalls of millions of vehicles, profit margins for its SUVs and Camry and Crown sedans may shrink, said Ashvin Chotai, London-based managing director of Intelligence Automotive Asia Ltd, an industry consultant.
"With this recall saga, Toyota's premium pricing power in China is gone," Chotai said. "Toyota's cars don't have enough good value for money."
Toyota has lost $24.5 billion in market capitalization this year as it recalled over 8 million cars globally to fix defects linked to unintended acceleration. The company faces at least 118 class actions in the US and at least 36 individual lawsuits claiming deaths and injuries caused by sudden acceleration of Toyota or Lexus vehicles.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda flew directly to Beijing on March 2 to apologize for the vehicle defects, after attending US Congressional hearings about the recalls in Washington. He skipped Europe's Geneva auto show, underscoring the growing importance of the Chinese market.
Toyota rose for a fifth straight day in Tokyo, advancing 0.9 percent to 3,580 yen as of 9:44 am local time. The carmaker's shares have fallen 7.7 percent this year.
The company's February China sales rose 30 percent to 45,400 vehicles, underperforming the overall passenger-car. According to the passage, why did Toyota carmaker recall their cars in China last month? _____________
| A．Because it faced law suits in the US |
| B．Because there were problems with the cars. |
| C．Because of the importance of the Chinese market |
| D．Because the customers are not satisfied with the charging of a 5,000 Yuan premium. |
What does the underlined phrase“take the initiative” mean?
| A．took the advice | B．changed his mind | C．took the action | D．made the decision |
Why did Toyota president Akio Toyota skip Europe’s Geneva auto show?
| A．Because he did not think it important |
| B．Because he was not satisfied with the hearing in the US |
| C．Because he attached importance to the Chinese Market |
| D．Because he needed to make an apology to Chinese |
After the global recalls of millions vehicles, Toyota will be impacted in the following aspects, EXCEPT_________.
| A．Its brand will be damaged |
| B．Its profit margins will shrink |
| C．It will have to face law suits |
| D．The president will be fired |
Where can read the passage? __________
| A．newspaper |
| B．magazine |
| C．encyclopedia |
| D．a school book |
XIANGNING, Shanxi - The number of people trapped underground after a coal mine flooding in north China's Shanxi Province was revised -- for a second time -- to 153 from 123, rescuers said late Sunday night.
Investigations showed that 261 workers were in the pit of Wangjialing Coal Mine under construction when underground water gushed in at about 1:40 pm. Of them, 108 were lifted safely to the ground while 153 others trapped in the shaft, according to the rescue headquarters.
Most of the trapped are migrant workers from Shanxi, Hebei, Hunan and Guizhou provinces," a rescuer said.
The exact number of people trapped is still being checked.
Soon after the accident happened, the Shanxi Provincial Work Safety Administration and the Shanxi Provincial Emergency Affairs Office said 152 people were trapped underground, but officials later changed the figure to 123.
Rescuers are struggling to save the trapped people, and local authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.
President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao ordered local authorities to spare no effort to save the trapped while guarding against secondary accidents.
Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang rushed to the site late Sunday to oversee the search and rescue operation.
The mine, sitting astride Xiangning County of Linfen City and Hejin City of Yuncheng City, covers about 180 square kilometers.
The mining zone boasts more than 2.3 billion tonnes of coal reserves, including nearly 1.04 billion tonnes of proved reserves, according to the company's official website.It is now under infrastructure construction and is expected to produce 6 million tonnes of coal annually once put into operation.
The mine, affiliated to the state-owned Huajin Coking Coal Co. Ltd., is a major project approved by the provincial government.At least how many people were trapped underground according to the latest report?
| A．123 | B．153 | C．261 | D．152 |
Most of the worked trapped are from __________. Which of the following answers is WRONG?
| A．Shanxi | B．Hunan | C．Guizhou | D．Hefei |
What’s the cause of this accident?
| A．The underground water gushed |
| B．The coal mine was under construction |
| C．It is still being investigated by the local authorities |
| D．The passage does not mention it at all |
According to the passage, which of the following statement is right? _________
A. The local authorities fully support the rescue work
B. Vice premier Zhang Dejiang rushed to the site early Sunday to oversee the search
C. The Wangjialing Coal Mine can produce 6 million tonnes of coal each year now
D．The coal mine is a major project approved by the country.
40. What’s the best title of the passage?_________
A. Number of people trapped in China colliery(煤矿) flooding revised to 153
B．The Wangjiajing Coal Mine
C．Rescue work
D. Who are to blame?
NEW YORK - People who keep doing some work in their field after they retire may enjoy better physical and mental health than those who stop work completely or switch to another area of work, according to a U.S. study.
Researchers from the University of Maryland said the findings suggest that prospective retirees should consider moving into so-called "bridge employment" as a transition to full retirement.
"In essence, if someone is in a field where part-time work or self-employment is possible, he or she should consider it as they plan for retirement," researcher Dr. Mo Wang, an assistant professor of psychology, told Reuters Health.
For their study, Wang and his colleagues used data on more than 12,000 workers in a U.S. health study begun in 1992. Participants, who were between the ages of 51 and 61 at the outset, were surveyed every two years over a six-year period.
Overall, Wang's team found, people who went into some form of bridge employment reported lower rates of major diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis during the study period than their counterparts who went straight into full retirement.
The findings were not explained by older age or worse initial health among people who opted for full retirement, the investigators report in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
On top of their better physical health, "bridge" workers also tended to report fewer mental health problems, such as depression.
The same mental health benefits were not seen, however, when retirees took part-time work in other fields -- possibly, Wang said, because many of these people may have taken those jobs out of financial need rather than choice.
He noted that the lack of benefit could also stem from the fact that these retirees had to adjust to an unfamiliar job position or had to make lifestyle changes.
Bridge work, particularly in one's accustomed field, may benefit physical and mental health for a number of reasons, according to Wang.
In general, he explained, such work may help older adults maintain the active lifestyles they had during their careers and decrease any stress they might feel from the transition into retirement.wwwWang said when it comes to mental health, for instance, bridge work may help by allowing people to keep some of the "role identity" that they have formed over their careers.
Staying active in general, not only through work, can also benefit retirees' physical health, Wang noted. He added, however, that any mental health benefits are likely to depend on the type of activity -- whether it is something that the person truly enjoys, and that helps ease any stress of moving into retirement.
"These findings," Wang said, "suggest that for retirees and prospective retirees, carefully considering whether to engage in bridge employment -- and if so, what types of bridge employment -- is quite important." What does the underlined phrase “at the outset” mean?__________
| A．at least | B．at least | C．at the beginning | D．at last |
People who went into some form of bridge employment have less chances to get the following diseases, EXCEPT___________.
| A．arthritis | B．heart disease | C．diabetes | D．low blood pressure |
Which of the following statement is WRONG?_________
| A．As long as retirees move into “bridge employment”, they must be healthier than those who do not. |
| B．The participants in the study were between 51 and 61 years old. |
| C．The bridge workers are also less likely to get depression. |
| D．Staying active is beneficial to the retirees’ physical health. |
What can we infer from the passage?________
| A．The study was begun in 1992 and lasts for two 6-year periods |
| B．If a bridge worker is older than 61 years old, it does not mean that he will get a better health than others who enjoy full retirement. |
| C．Only by moving into “bridge employment” can the retirees enjoy better health both physically and psychologically. |
| D．Any activity can benefit the retirees’ mental health. |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．A US study |
| B．Bridge Work |
| C．Working after retiring can be good for your health |
| D．Stay active |