America has been experiencing the longest economic increase in its history. Incomes have risen, unemployment has fallen, and cities such as New York are bursting with new office buildings.
But just a short walk from Manhattan’s skyscrapers, George Brown sits on the side-walk, cooking a lunch of rice and bits of fish over a can of cooking fuel.
Brown is homeless——one of the 2.3 million people in the US who end up on the street.
During the day, Brown collects aluminum cans and sells them for five cents a piece. At night, he sleeps on the street.
“I have been on the street about eight or nine years, something like that,” said the 62-year-old former construction worker.
Brown admits he had problems with alcohol and has smoked cocaine. But he said he still wants a more stable housing arrangement. He could afford it just with the money he earns by collecting cans and small pieces of metal, if only truly low-income housing were available.
However, he sees no hope of finding affordable housing in New York.
With the strong economy and unemployment down, beautiful housing is being built to meet demand.
A US report shows rents in New York City rose more than 27 per cent, from ＄549 to ＄700 a month.
One of the side effects of the strong economy is that rents have been going up.
The majority of people who experience homelessness really just need some affordable housing help.
But few housing companies are building for the poor. Many small apartments in the city now rent for ＄1,500 a month or more.
Brown, the homeless New Yorker, said he has a daughter who lives in the city but he rarely sees her. She is angry about his drinking and won’t allow it in her house.
Smiling, he said he also has seven grandchildren whom he’d like to see more often. “All I’ve got to do is clean up my act,” he said.
1.What kind of life does George Brown lead?
|
A．Stable. |
B．Dangerous. |
C．Hard. |
D．Comfortable. |
2. It can be inferred from this passage that .
|
A．America is short of housing companies |
|
B．the poor can’t benefit from the increasing economy |
|
C．poor people in America will become rich |
|
D．housing companies will build more houses for the poor |
3.The underlined part “clean up my act” in the last paragraph means “ ”.
A. remove my cans B kick my bad habits
C. make a lot of money D. see my grandchildren
4.Which part of a newspaper is the passage possibly taken from?
|
A．Society. |
B．Science. |
C．Arts. |
D．Business. |
Teresa was born in Yugoslavia on August 27,1910. Her parents were Albanians(阿尔巴尼亚人) and member of the Roman Catholic Church. When she was seven years old, her father was murdered. She decided not to be filled with hate because of this tragedy(悲剧). Instead, she would seek a life of love. This ambition led her to Ireland where she became a nun(修女) at the age of eighteen.
After only one year of training, she was sent to India to teach in a school called Loretto House, where the students were mostly from rich Indian families. After 15 years there, she left her duties as a teacher to “follow Christ into the slums(贫民窟).” Her heart led her away from the rich to the needs of the poor. She was then 36 years old.
Teresa no longer was affiliated(隶属) with the Irish nuns who sent her to Loreto House but worked independently. However, her work was recognised by the Pope in Rome for she still was a nun. He allowed her to set up her own group, which was called the Missionaries of Charity(仁爱传教修女会).
She no longer dressed as a nun in the European or Irish tradition. Instead, she put on a sari, the local dress of the Indian people. At first, people were sceptical(怀疑的) about her motives. Soon, they realised she was really interested in loving poor people, even those who were dying and had no chance of survival.
Soon, other Indian people began to spare time to help Mother Teresa. She had taught everyone that the poor and dying people need love most of all.
In 1979, she won the Nobel Peace Prize.
1.Why did Mother Teresa become a nun?
|
A．Her father was killed. |
B．The hate of her father’s death. |
|
C．She was looking for a life of love. |
D．The poor life of her childhood. |
2.Why did she leave her duties as a teacher after 15 years in Loretto House?
|
A．To be a teacher was too tired |
B．The students in Loretto House were rich. |
|
C．She was tired of teaching. |
D．The poor in the slums needed her care. |
3.Which of the following is WRONG?
|
A．Mother Teresa was a Catholic. |
|
B．“Sari” is an Indian word that means clothing. |
|
C．At first people didn’t believe her motives. |
|
D．She served poor people in the slums as a teacher. |
4.Perhaps the most important lesson the world has learned from Mother Teresa is .
|
A．regular assistance |
B．food and shelter |
|
C．to care for the poor of the earth |
D．protection |
完形填空：（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Mitchell once had a very serious car accident. More than 65 percent of his 36 was burnt. He was unable to 37 a knife at dinner, or go to the bathroom without 38 . But Mitchell never believed he was 39 . “I am in charge of my own spaceship,” he said. “It’s my up or my down. I could 40 to see this situation as a defeat 41 a starting point.” Six months later Mitchell bought himself a plane and he was piloting it 42 .
Later he 43 with two friends and founded a food company that 44 to be Vermont’s second largest food company. Then four years 45 the car accident, the plane Mitchell was piloting crashed. The accident made Mitchell unable to walk anymore. “I 46 what was happening to me. What did I do to get this?”
Mitchell worked 47 day and night to regain as much independence as possible. He was elected Mayor of Crested Butte, Colorado. He 48 the town from mineral mining that would 49 its beauty and environment.
Although he had 50 looks and physical difficulties, Mitchell 51 flying and speaking in public. “Before I 52 walk, there were 10,000 things I could do,” Mitchell says, “Now there are 9,000. I can 53 cry for the 1,000 I lost or focus on the 9,000 I have. I tell people that I have had two big bad lucks in my life. 54 you think you also have bad lucks, you can step back, take a 55 view and have a chance to say, ‘Maybe that isn’t such a big deal after all.’ It’s not what happens to you; it’s what you do about it,”
|
36. |
A. car |
B. hand |
C. head |
D. body |
|
37. |
A. put up |
B. take up |
C. pick up |
D. set up |
|
38. |
A. help |
B. strength |
C. spirit |
D. pain |
|
39. |
A. burnt |
B. defeated |
C. touched |
D. hurt |
|
40. |
A. choose |
B. learn |
C. come |
D. manage |
|
41. |
A. and |
B. but |
C. or |
D. so |
|
42. |
A. yet |
B. again |
C. ever |
D. too |
|
43. |
A. appeared |
B. cheered up |
C. practiced |
D. teamed up |
|
44. |
A. seemed |
B. grew |
C. happened |
D. hoped |
|
45. |
A. after |
B. before |
C. till |
D. from |
|
46. |
A. understand |
B. asked |
C. wondered |
D. realized |
|
47. |
A. sadly |
B. bravely |
C. proudly |
D. kindly |
|
48. |
A. took |
B. accepted |
C. changed |
D. saved |
|
49. |
A. ruin |
B. produce |
C. attract |
D. serve |
|
50. |
A. amusing |
B. charming |
C. shocking |
D. moving |
|
51. |
A. stopped |
B. continued |
C. began |
D. tried |
|
52. |
A. could |
B. couldn’t |
C. must |
D. mustn’t |
|
53. |
A. only |
B. still |
C. thus |
D. either |
|
54. |
A. Though |
B. Unless |
C. When |
D. Since |
|
55. |
A. bigger |
B. wider |
C. louder |
D. deeper |
— Could I ask you a rather difficult maths question?
— Sure, .
|
A．pardon me |
B．go ahead |
C．good idea |
D．forget it |
It’s believed that a man’s action should agree with he says.
|
A．that |
B．which |
C．how |
D．what |
Has Henry got used in Shanghai?
|
A．to living |
B．to live |
C．living |
D．live |
