“I’m seventy years old,” says the gray-haired lady proudly to the entertainer at her Community Club dinner.
“Did you hear that, everyone?” says the entertainer. “This lovely lady is just seventy years young! And she doesn’t look a day over fifty.” He has been careful not to use the word “old”. In a society where youth is so admired, old age is often seen as something sad, something to fight against. Americans prefer not to say “old” people. They use the expression “senior citizens”. They do not talk about “old people’s” homes, but “retirement” homes.
In fact, the entertainer is not so wrong. Seventy is not very old these days. People in the US are living longer and longer. In1980, 12 percent of Americans were over sixty-five years old. By 2030, 21 percent will be over sixty-five. One reason for this is that families are getting smaller. The average couple now has only 1.8 children. At the same time, improved medical care means that people are living longer.
This change in the age of Americans is going to have serious results. For one thing, medical costs are rising. The government is unable to pay the elderly people’s medical bills that have gone up very much. Some old people have to leave hospital “sicker and quicker” than they should, before they are really better.
More fortunate senior citizens, though, who still have good health, want new laws to be passed to allow them to stay at work. In the past, the retirement age was sixty-five, but that is changing now. Older people are stronger and more energetic than ever before. Many of them refuse to stop working just because they have reached a certain age.
There is a change, too, in the way in which elderly people see themselves. Many are no longer happy to accept the gray hair, bald heads, and boring clothes of their own parents. They like to wear younger-looking clothes and bright makeup（化妆品）.American women spend millions of dollars a year on operations to lift their faces and make those ugly wrinkles disappear. Men are prepared to spend even more on operations to plant new hair on their bald spots. It’s worth any money to look younger.
1.In America people try to avoid using the word “old” because ____.
A. the old age is seen as something that isn’t admired
B. it is now believed to bring bad luck to elderly people
C. the standard of getting old has changed
D. the change in the age has caused a healthy problem
2.According to the passage, which of the following does NOT describe the American society correctly?
A. People live longer because of improved medical care.
B. The government finds it difficult to afford the medical bills of the elderly.
C. People use polite expressions when talking about old age.
D. The old patients’ time in hospital is strictly limited.
3.Which of the following is not the result of the changing in the age of Americans?
A. Medical costs are rising.
B. The family becomes smaller.
C. The retirement age needs changing.
D. Elderly people spend a lot on keeping young.
4.This passage is most probably taken from .
A. a travel booklet B. a magazine
C. an advertisement D. a medical report
FOR many young people, having to attend school with a parent would be their worst nightmare. However, Senior 1 student Li Qinmei is happy taking her father with her as long as she can go to classes. He is disabled and unable to take care of himself.
The 16-year-old country girl in Zhucheng, Shandong Province has experienced one disaster after another in her short life. Li lost her mother at three. Four years later, her father became paralyzed after a tractor accident. At 12, her misfortune returned with the death of her grandma. Since then she has been forced to shoulder all the responsibility for her broken family.
Li learnt to cook and managed to live a life with an allowance of only 24 yuan per month. The most difficult thing she had to deal with was helping her father bathe, dress and use the toilet as he could hardly move.
"I felt embarrassed, and so did my dad. It was really hard at the beginning," she recalled.
During most of her junior school years, Li went to classes only once a month as her father was seriously ill at the time. "I taught myself at home and asked teachers for help on my school days," she explained. Li's hard work paid off this fall. She was admitted by Zhucheng No 1 High School, a local key school, based on her good performance in the entrance exams. The school offered Li and her father a room on campus to live in so she could look after him during breaks.
Once in a while, Li felt sad when she saw her classmates going shopping or hanging out with friends. "I envy them sometimes because they have both mum and dad to look after them. However, I soon feel relieved as I still have my dear dad with me," she said.
Li admitted that the difficulties in life had taught her to be strong. "I believe I will go on and continue my studies at a good university," she said, in a confident tone.
Her teacher Mr. Wang has the same belief. Li made great progress in the recent monthly exams. "She works hard and is always eager to excel (好强的). It's not easy for her never to be late for school, but she has managed to make it work," Wang said.
1.Li Qinmei has to shoulder the family because ________.
A. her father was badly injured in a car accident
B. her grandma died when she was 12
C. her mother passed away when she was 3
D. misfortune in her life forced her to do so
2.From the passage we can infer that _________.
A. Li Qinmei doesn’t like others talking about her father
B. many young students hate going to school with their parents
C. Li Qinmei has made great progress in her study
D. Li Qinmei has lost three relatives and has to take care of her father
3.What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “hanging out” in the passage?_________.
A. playing outside B. working hard
C. exchanging ideas D. talking happily
4.According to the passage, which statement is Not True? __________.
A. Li Qinmei was admitted to a local key school because of his good scores in the exams
B. Li Qinmei is very embarrassed when she helps her father bathe
C. Li Qinmei often goes to attend her father after class
D. Li Qinmei is able to go to class on time though she has to attend her father
Travel in most of Europe is easy. An agreement between the 15 European Union countries in 1995 means that citizens from most European countries can travel across borders without needing a visa.
Each of the 12 countries that has 1its own currency (货币) to accept the euro has its own 2. So how have these countries been able to 3? And how has each country prepared for the birth of this new currency? Firstly, many people in Europe, 4in west Europe, speak English. The European Convention on Human Rights says that all people have a 5to learn and use their traditional language.
But at the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany, the official language for all business is 6. And every European country requires students to study English for many years at 7. Other languages may be offered, too. But English is a 8.
"If I meet someone, I try Spanish. Then I try 9. And if it's not 10, I say "Hello". That' s the signal, and we communicate no matter what country we come from." Said Maria Ortega, a ski instructor in the Pyrenees, 11French and Spanish are mainly used.
Each country has its own 12culture. Though the French may be famous for their 1,000 types of cheese and the Greeks are known to 13olive oil on everything, most people in Europe like 14strong coffee on their breakfast table. Another drink is held 15throughout the continent. Europe's vineyards(葡萄园) may be famous, but the real drink of Europe is 16. Europeans consume tons of it.
Football, of course, also helps to 17all of Europe. Many fans are obsessed (着迷) with 18and with international stars. David Beckham, of England' s Manchester United, is a hero to Europeans in the same 19that Michael Jordan is to 20.
1.A. given up B. ended up C. agreed with D. started with
2.A. money B. right C. border D. culture
3.A. meet B. unite C. travel D. accept
4.A. specially B. generally C. particularly D. normally
5.A. chance B. right C. wish D. place
6.A. French B. German C. English D. Spanish
7.A. school B. work C. home D. table
8.A. subject B. tool C. need D. must
9.A. English B. French C. German D. Greek
10.A. listening B. spoken C. working D. heard
11.A. as B. where C. since D. whose
12.A. food B. art C. drink D. life
13.A. add B. spread C. spend D. put
14.A. a kind of B. a lot of C. a cup of D. a taste of
15.A. in common B. in general C. in need D. in special
16.A. beer B. wine C. coffee D. soup
17.A. attract B. tie C. play D. watch
18.A. opera B. bread C. music D. football
19.A. direction B. level C. way D. game
20.A. basketballers B. British C. athletes D. Americans
Fully ____________ looking after three children at home, she no longer has time to enjoy the various activities in the club.
A. attached B. occupied C. contributed D. devoted
—It’s so cold! Why not close the door? —Sorry. It _________. I’ll have it repaired soon.
A. won’t shut B. won’t be shut C. hasn’t shut D. isn’t shut
I am ashamed, sir, that I wasted the many hours __________ I should have studied in class.
A. while B. before C. which D. when
