Sixteen years ago, Eileen Doyle’s husband, an engineer, took his four children up for an early morning cup of tea, packed a small case and was never seen or heard from again. Eileen was astonished and in a state of despair. They had been a happy family and, as far as she knew, there had been nothing wrong with their marriage.
Every day of the year a small group of men and women quietly pack a few belongings and, without so much as a note or a good-bye, close the front door for the last time, leaving their debts, their worries and their confused families behind them. Last year, more than 1,200 men and nearly as many women were reported missing from home — the highest in 15 years. Many did return home within a year, but others rejected the past completely and are now living a new life somewhere under a different identity.
To those left behind this form of desertion is a terrible blow to their pride and self-confidence. Even the finality of death might be preferable. At least it does not imply rejection or failure. Worse than that, people can be left with an unfinished marriage, not knowing whether they will have to wait seven years before they are free to start a fresh life.
Clinical psychologist Paul Brown believes most departures of this kind to be well planned rather than impulsive. “It’s typical of the kind of personality which seems able to ignore other people’s pain and difficulties. Running away, like killing yourself, is a highly aggressive act. By creating an absence the people left behind feel guilty, upset and empty.”Eileen Doyle reacted that way after her husband’s leaving, because she__________.
| A．failed to hear from him for a long time |
| B．had no idea what was wrong with their family life |
| C．blamed herself for something wrong she did |
| D．wondered why her husband took up all their children |
According to the passage, those people left their families behind for the following reasons except_________.
| A．they couldn’t bear their spouse (配偶) |
| B．they were afraid of the burden of debts |
| C．they wanted to forget the past completely |
| D．they wanted to start a new life somewhere else |
The man or woman left behind with an unfinished marriage usually ________.
| A．admits their responsibility for the situation |
| B．feels embarrassed and useless |
| C．will have no legal marriage life for seven years |
| D．wishes the person who has left were dead |
Some people would even prefer the death to the running away of their spouse because ________.
| A．their spouse would feel greatly relieved |
| B．their spouse would feel no pain during the death |
| C．their spouse’s death would contribute to them starting a fresh life |
| D．their spouse’s death would not bring a feeling of rejection or failure |
What’s the author’s attitude towards the departures of this kind?
| A．Objective. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Negative. | D．Positive. |
.
Some couples spend every waking minute together. Others fill their hours with personal hobbies,outside interests and even part-time jobs, just to keep their distance from each other! "There should beprivate time and couple time," suggests Dr. Stephen Treat at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia."You don't want your latter years to turn into a process where two people unite as one. If you hold tootightly to your partner, it's going to cause resentment and anger. If you're completely separate, you'llboth be lonely and disconnected. You need balance. So you have to talk about how vou'll achieve that."
The right baiance? It's different for every couple. "Having a conversation about time can be difficult,but it's important for both partners to process those feelings out loud," Dr. Treat says. "You should notbe accusing and act as a judge - ask the difficult questions, but do it in a loving way. You could saysomething like, 'How are we going to be as individuals and how are we going to be as a couple?' "
Barbara and Chris Christensen have achieved the balance that works for them. In addition to daily
routines that keep them close - including about 10 minutes for a daily check-in and about a half hourof relaxation time - they each maintain separate interests and friendships.
"We have found that we need time apart," Barbara says. "I have a group of women friends that Ihave known for the last 30 years. We have dinner out once a month. We women also have parties and weekend or weeklong vacations as a group at a beach or somewhere. Chris, a former fighter pilot, has
many aviation-oriented(航空的) groups and friends and also a penny-ante poker-playing (玩扑克)
group of our friends. I may be with him during the poker night, but I don't play, and the wives usually
watch a cchick flick' DVD or something while the poker group has an evening of fun. We have found itimportant to have separate time as well as together time."
61. The author writes the passage to _ .
A. offer some suggestions on how to spend the time afier retirement
B. advise couples to develop their separate hobbies
C. warn couples not to be accusing of each other
D. give people some advice on how to entertain themselves after retirement
62. Dr. Stephen suggests that after retirement.
A. couples stay together all the time
B. couples express their feelings in a loving way
C. couples be separate
D. wives make many friends
63.1t can be inferred that
A, many couples are faced with problems after retirement
B. America has a large population of retired people
C,. most people join various sociai groups after retirement
D. playing poker is a popular activity among retired people
64. Barbara and lier friends do the following except
A. having dinner regularly
B. holding parties
C. having weekly vacations at the beach
D. having fun playing poker
65. The second paragraph is mainlv intended to
A. warn the husband not to act as ajudge
B. suggest couples have discussions about difficulties
C. suggest how to keep the correct balance
D. require couples to be considerate
.
第二部分阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A. B.C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I used to work in an office, which had a Iocust tree growing outside the window. It had grown into a tall tree and must have been there for a long time. The tree blocked the view and made the office seem dull. Unfortunately, this happened to be the room assigned(分配)to me, and l was depressed by it for quite some time.
When the first spring came, everything was green except the locust tree.I felt very happy because I had thought it had died!
One moming, when I opened the window for some some fresh air,I unexpectedly smelt a familiar
sweet scent floating into my office which I could not name. Suddenly,I realized it was the locust tree!
The tree that I thought dead was in full bloom!
From then on,I usually came to the office very early to see dew【露珠】forming on the locust treeblossoms, and was eager to see spring again every year.
During summer, the green leaves provided shade protecting me from the harsh sunlight, butallowing enough light in to make it pleasant. In autumn, the leaves turned many different colors. Its beauty touched my soul. Many times,I thought to take photos but never did. Then,I had to leave in a hurry. Later in life, it became a great regret that I had not done so.
Actually, many times in our livesj we think we own something and thus do not value it.We don't
feel regretful until we lose it one day! Moreover, sometimes, we have to accept the things we don'twant and need to discover the hidden beauty tofind unexpected joy!
56. The Jocust tree first attracted the author most by____.
A. the way it blocked the view B.its height
C. the smell ofits flowers D.its green leaves
57. In which season do you think the author paid the least attention to the locust tree?
A. Spring. B.Summer C.Autumn. D.Winter.
58. Which ofthe following statements is true of the author according to the passage?
A. He would have regretted ifthe locust tree had died as he had thought it had.
B. The locust tree turned out to be a lovely memory for him.
C. He felt unhappy as he had forgotten to take the photos with him.
D. Hls work in the office changed with the seasons every year.
59. It can be inferred from the passage that _
A. the locust tree died soon after the author left the office
B. the author worked in the office for at least a few years
C. it was summer when the author took his job in the office
D. the wPather was dry when the author first saw the tree
60. What advice does the author intend to give us?
A. Treasure what we've owned. B. Look before you leap.
C. Treat everything calmly.D. Never forget the past.
.
Some people can stay up all night and still get work done the next day. I’m not one of them. After a night without enough sleep, I feel sleepy. I have trouble remembering things. And all I want to do is to go back to bed and sleep.
How do you feel after you’ve stayed up late to finish schoolwork? Or the day after a slumber(睡眠) party? Scientists now say that your answers to these questions may depend on your genes, which tell our bodies and brains what to do. People have about 40,000 genes, and each gene can have different forms.
A new research suggests that a gene called period3 affects how well you function without sleep. The discovery adds to older evidence that period3 helps determine whether you like to stay up late or get up early.
The period3 gene comes in two forms: short and long. Everyone has two copies of the gene. So, you may have two longs, two shorts, or one of each. Your particular combination depends on what your parents passed on to you.
Scientists studied 24 people who had to stay awake for 40 hours straight. Then they took tests that measured how well they could remember lists of numbers.
Results showed that the people with the short form of period3 performed much better than those with the long form did. In both groups, people performed worst in the early morning. After the first round of experiments, participants were finally allowed to sleep. People in the group that performed well on the tests took about 18 minutes to nod off(瞌睡).
People with long period3 gene fell asleep in just 8 minutes. They also spent more time on deep sleep. That suggests that people with the long form of the gene need more and deeper sleep to keep their brains working in top form.
I think I must have the long form period3. What about you?
68. The purpose of the writer in the first paragraph is to ____________.
A. attract readers to the topic of the passage
B. show his /her poor memory for things
C. show his /her envy of those energetic people
D. prove his/her need for sleep
69. Whether you can stay up or not depends on___________.
A. the size of your brain B. the kind of genes you have
C. your health D. your will
70. The aim of the research is to _______.
A. find a new gene called period3 B. find out how genes affect a person’s need for sleep
C. test how long you can stay awake D. measure how good your memory is
.
Ellis Island is located in New York Harbor. Ellis Island is open daily all year round from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours during summer. It is closed on December 25. There is no admission fee to Ellis Island; but donations(捐赠) are gratefully accepted.
At Your Fingertips
Park information (212) 363-7620
Emergencies (212) 363-3260
Ferryboat information (212) 269-5755
Lost and found (212)363-7620
Dining, gifts & audio tour 344-0996
Transportation
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry; Boats leave from Battery Park, Manhattan, and from Liberty State Park, New Jersey. They run about every 30 to 45 minutes beginning at 9:15 a.m.
(The time for ferry is changeable)
Hours: May vary; call the number above
Closed: December 25
Ferry fees (includes Liberty and Islands) adults, $7; senior citizens, $6; Children (age 3~17), $5. (Group rates are available for 25 or more adults.)
64. In summer, visitors will have ______ to visit Ellis Island.
A. a limited time B. a wonderful time C. a longer time D. a shorter time
65. Which number would you call if our friend were suddenly ill?
A. (212)344-0996 B. (212)363-7620 C. (212) 269-5755 D. (212) 363-3260
66. Which of the following is NOT true？
A. People can visit Ellis Island free of charge.
B. The boats departure time from Battery Park is at 9:15 all the year round.
C. Ferry fees for children are cheaper than for adults.
D. Ferry fees for group visitors can be reduced.
67. We may infer from the passage that______.
A.boat is the only transportation to Ellis Island
B.visitors prefer to go to Ellis Island by boat
C.there are more visitors in winter
D.Ellis Island is open every day
.
Are you carrying too much on your back to school? Lots of kids of your age are. Not only are students in China suffering from the problem, but kids in the United States are puzzled by heavy school bags.
Experts are starting to worry that young students are having back and neck problems as a result of school bags being too heavy for them. It is hard for me to get up the stairs with my bag because it's so heavy, said Rick Hammond, an 11-year-old student in the US.
Rick is among the students who have regular backpacks(背包) with two straps (带子) to carry them, but a number of other students choose rolling backpacks. But even with rolling backpacks, getting up stairs and buses with them is still a problem for kids. Many of them have hurt their knees, backs or necks because of heavy school bags.
But how much is too much? Experts say students should carry no more than 10 to 15 percent of their own body weight. Scott Bautch, a Wisconsin back doctor, said kids under 4th grade should stay with 10 percent, but it’s also important that older kids don’t go beyond (超出) 15 percent, because their bones are still growing.
Bautch explained that there are other injuries caused by backpacks. Kids are losing their balance and falling down with these backpacks, he said.
Parents and teachers are starting to tell kids to only take home library books they will be reading in the evening. Some teachers are using worksheets (作业单 ) or thin workbooks for students to take home.
One of the best answers is, as some kids suggest, to have no homework at all!
60. According to experts, a primary student in Grade 6, who is 4
0 kilograms, should carry a bag weighing ______ kilograms at most.
A. 4 B.6 C.8 D.10
61. As school bags are too heavy for younger students to carry, they ______.
A. show no interest in studying at s
chool.
B. often fall ill
C. are having back and neck problems
D. usually ask their parents for help
62. The author wrote the passage to _____.
A. seek(寻找) ways to solve the problem of heavy bags
B. appeal (呼吁) to teachers for caring for the students
C. criticize(批评) the government for having done nothing to help students
D. tell us that heavy bags are bad for students’ health
63. Parents and teachers are starting to tell kids to take home only library books they will be reading in the evening to ______.
A. make students more interested in reading than watching TV
B. give them more free time to play
C. make their bags easier to carry
D. let them sleep early at night