Scientists have determined it's not advisable to hurry marriage. But what’s the best age to wed?
When Avril Lavigne announced she was splitting from her husband, comments from her friends suggested that she was only 21 when she tied the knot and later she said that she realized she'd been too young to make such a life-altering decision. Could fellow young celebrity divorcées(离婚者) Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson, and Britney Spears have also hit the same age-related issue?
The Magic Number
There are practical reasons for the mid-20s dividing line, and most of them boil down to two biggies: education and money.
It turns out that the more years of higher education a woman has under her belt on her wedding day, the lower the chances that she'll get divorced ... and by 25, you're more likely to have earned a degree or two. Educated women tend to be more confident about who they are and less willing to settle for a man who doesn't meet their standards.
Odds(可能性) are that by 25 you're also supporting yourself, so there's less incentive（刺激; 鼓励）for you to rush into marriage because you're seeking financial security from him. But the marriage-related benefits of working and having money of your own go beyond feeling secure. Learning to budget your cash carefully when you're single will help you avoid financial problems—one of the main causes of couple fights—for the rest of your life.
Knowing the Real You
At 25, you've had time for some crucial life experiences, including a relationship or two that may have improved your Mr. Right radar. You've probably dated enough to have a better idea of what you don't want in a man, which makes it easier to know what you can live with and can't live without.
Perhaps the most important aspect of waiting is that you'll know what your goals and values really are. While you don't want to marry someone just like you, marriage is a lot easier if you two share a similar outlook on life.
Twenty-four and already married to the man of your dreams? Don't worry: Many young marriages survive. But given the choice, you might consider putting off the big day until your mid-20s or later.
1. What main factors influence the mid-20s dividing line? (No more than 3 words)
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2.According to the author, why does a couple probably fight？(No more than 4 words)
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3.How do you know what you don’t want in a man? (No more than 5 words)
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4.What suggestion does the passage mainly give? (No more than 10 words)
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Third-generation mobile phones, known as 3G, are the next big step for the telecom industry. Date speed in 3G networks is much quicker than that in present technology. This means users can have high-speed Internet access and enjoy video and CD-quality music on their phones.
“Mobile data is not a dream; it’s not an option but a requirement,” said Len Lauer, head of a US communications company, Sprint PCS, at a 3G conference in Bangkok earlier this month.
With 3G, you can forget about next messages telling you yesterday’s news; a 3G phone can receive video news programs, updated four times a day. Internet access will also be much quicker, making it easier to surf the Web on your phone than on your computer at home.
Face-to-face video calls
Don’t worry about getting lost, 3G phones offer map services so you can find a new restaurant just by pressing a few keys on your handset.
However, the most impressive part of 3G technology is video calling. With live two-video communication, you can have face-to –face talks with friends and family on your mobile phone.
Many European countries have already launched the service. In May 2000 the US Government issued five license to run 3G wireless services, while the first 3G phones arrived in Italy in March this year.
International telecom companies can’t wait to sell 3G in China, the world’s largest mobile telecommunications market. But they will have to be patient. At the moment, China is busy testing its 3G-based technologies, networks and services. This will be followed by a trial period before the phones can finally hit the shops.
“We need to create a pool of 3G customers before the large-scale commercial launch of the service,” said Fan Yunjun, marketing manager for Beijing Mobile. “ We expect that the 3G licenses will be issued late next year.”
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Third-generation mobile phones (3G mobile phones) |
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1.____________ |
a. Date speed: 2..________than present technology b. Video and 3._________ c. Video news programs: updated 4._____ a day d. Internet access: 5.________ |
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Impressive functions |
a. Offer 6.__________, helping you find your way b. Provide two-way video 7._________ |
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3G phones in China |
a. China is busy testing its 3G-based technologies, 8._______. b. 3G phones should go through a trial period before being 9._________. c. 3G phones are 10._________seen late next year. |
It’s a goal for millions and millions of families every year——keep the Christmas spending within a certain amount, but can still afford the gifts that your loved ones will enjoy. Never has this concern been greater in recent years than right now. Even so, there are several things that you can do to help.
Hit the sales.
No one wants to get up at four o’clock in the morning and fight to get the best deal on Black Friday, and it’s surely very tough to pick up the courage and get out there in the cold for a good deal, but sometimes——it can be well worth. Many retailers(零售商) offer specials all through the day——and some even offer online Black Friday specials, so you may still be able to get a great deal on Black Friday.
Pay close attention to advertisements.
Once the Christmas shopping season is coming, retailers hungry for business will do just about whatever to get you in the store. Pay very close attention to weekly advertisements of sales among the major retailers and you may be lucky enough to find different prices for the same thing in different shops.
Shop online.
Some of us don’t like running from store to store in order to get the best price on the perfect gift, and some of us don’t like to go out in the cold at all——thankfully for us, we can do online shopping.
The world of online shopping lets people visit all the major retailers as well as some specialty stores that could only be found on the Internet. Customers can find exactly what they are looking for, at the best possible price without ever having to leave the house. With traditional Christmas shopping consumers are sometimes limited to what’s left in stock if they wait too long to get to a particular store.
1. The first paragraph implies that ______.
A. nowadays not many people can afford expensive gifts
B. recently many people don’t want to spend money on gifts
C. Christmas is a time to make our loved ones enjoy their gifts
D. Christmas is a time to make us feel free to buy our loved ones gifts
2. In the writer’s opinion, it is rewarding on Black Friday _____.
A. if the weather is not very cold B. if we don’t have to fight for the best deals
C. if we don’t have to get up early D. If we get what we want at a good price
3.The underlined word “specials” means_______.
A. some experts in shopping B. certain things for especially low price
C. some kind of help for a certain customer D. things that can only be found on Friday
4. We can have more choices _____.
A. on Black Friday B. in a particular store
C. on the Internet D. from retailers
5.In this passage the writer means ______.
A. to tell us the best way to do shopping
B. to attract more readers to do wise shopping
C. to show us how hard it is to do Christmas shopping
D. to give us advice on how to get a good deal at Christmas time
Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of fifty. In fact, they say by the age of eighty-five, people are happier with their life than they were when they were eighteen years old.
The findings came from a survey of more than 340,000 adults in the United States. The Gallup(民意调查) Organization questioned them by telephone in 2008. At that time, the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five.
The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, sadness and worry. They also asked about mental or emotional stress.
Arthur Stone at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties. Happiness was highest among the youngest adults and those in their early seventies. The people least likely to report feeling negative emotions were those in their seventies and eighties.
Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older. One theory is that, as people grow older, they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions. They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences.
Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be linked to changes in how people see the world, or maybe even changes in brain chemistry.
The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being related to age.
The study also showed that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older. However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men.
1. What can be the best title of the text?
A. Happiness Varies with Ages
B. Experience More, Worry Less
C. The Older, the Wiser
D. Being Young, Being Happy
2.We can learn from the research that _________.
A. only when people get older will they feel happier
B. stress levels among the youngest are the highest
C. older people tend to be grateful
D. older people usually have no worries
3.According to the research, when people get older, _________.
A. they miss the old days
B. they are physically weak
C. they have better self-control
D. they are more emotional
4.What would the author probably talk about next?
A. What influences happiness.
B. How to live better.
C. How to keep happier.
D. Why women are less happier.
5.The author is intended to _________.
A. advise how to reduce stress
B. introduce a scientific finding
C. describe how to do research
D. talk about human emotions
SHANGHAI - Health experts in Shanghai are calling for more protection for young children as the latest research shows about half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.
About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in families, 50 percent in public places, and almost 6 percent on public transportation, shows a research released by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday.
"Not only adults but also children and newborn babies are at risk for the adverse effects of passive smoking," said Tang Jingyan, a doctor at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
"Actually, those young children whose bodies are still growing and developing are more sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke."
Research has shown that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke will suffer from more colds, coughs and sore throats, and they are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia and will have a higher risk of developing cancer.
Doctors even suggested that children suffering passive smoking are more likely to have behavioral problems and may not develop mentally as quickly as their peers.
Other research by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has found that more than 80 percent of child patients in the center live in a smoke-filled household, where one or both parents smoke.
"Though doctors have stressed the harm of passive smoking over and over, it is still hard to reach a totally 'smoke free' home," said a pediatrician named Zhang Yiwen, noting that parents are often tempted to smoke even though they have learned the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
China has 540 million people suffering from passive smoke, 180 million of them younger than 15. The age of smokers is also getting lower, earlier reports said.
"There are more young smokers than before. You can see young people wearing a school uniform and carrying a schoolbag light a cigarette on the street. Some of them are even female students," said Jing Xingming, a professor of children's developmental behavior at the center.
"Children like to imitate adults, especially their parents. If parents often smoke at home, it is very likely children will develop a smoking habit, which can cause a vicious circle," Jin said.
Reports from the Ministry of Health said China has about 350 million smokers, of whom 15 million are underage smokers. Also, around 40 million of the country's 130 million children aged between 13 and 18 had tried smoking, and 15 million had become addicted to tobacco.
1.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. About half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.
B. Experts are calling for more protection for youngsters from smoking.
C. More and more youngsters are picking up the habit of smoking.
D. Smoking does great harm to the health of the youngsters.
2.What kind of the youngsters most possibly develop a habit of smoking?
A. Children of non-smoking mothers. B. Children of non-smoking fathers.
C. Children of heavy smokers. D. Children from some smoking centers.
3. Which of the following disease may not be connected with secondhand smoking?
A. Cancer. B. Behavioral problems. C. Sore throats. D. Coughs.
4. The underlined word “vicious” in the last paragraph but one most probably means ___________.
A. complete B. simple C. great D. bad
5.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. About 80% of the children in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center smoke heavily.
B. About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
C. About 540 million people are heavy smokers in China.
D. Children aged between 13 to 18 are more likely addicted to smoking.
Gandhi, an Indian national hero, was honored 1. the father of the Indian nation. He has been respected and beloved by the Indians.
He was born in India in 1869. Following the local custom, he got 2. at the age of 13. In 1888 he sailed to England, 3. he studied law for three years and became a lawyer. On his return to India, he was sent to South Africa to work on a law case.
In South Africa he was surprised to find that the problem of racial discrimination(��������)was serious. There he formed an organization and started a magazine to fight 4. equal rights.
Gandhi returned to India in 1915, when India was controlled by the British. He led the Indians to fight for an end to the British rule and 5. for his country. In the political movement many Indians including Gandhi were put in prison. 6., the struggles never stopped. The British government had to give 7. and India became an independent country in 1947. 8. , Gandhi was shot by an Indian who opposed his views and died on January 30th,1948.
