Until late in the 20th century most Americans spent time with people of different generations. Now middle-aged Americans may not keep in touch with old people until they are old themselves.
That's because we group people by age. We put our three-year-olds together in day-care centers, our 13-year-olds in schools and sport activities, and our 80-year-olds in senior citizen homes. Why?
We live far away from the old for many reasons. Young people sometimes avoid the old to get rid of fears of aging and dying. It is much harder to watch someone we love disappear before our eyes. Sometimes it`s got hard that we stay away from the people who need us the most.
Fortunately, some of us have found our way to the old. And we have discovered that they often save the young.
A reporter moved her family into a block filled with old people. At first her children were disappointed. But the reporter baked banana bread for the neighbors and had her children deliver it and visit them. Soon the children had many new friends, with whom they shared food, stories and projects. "My children have never been lonely, "the reporter said.
The young, in turn, save the old. Once I was in a rest home (����Ժ)when a visitor showed up with a baby, she was immediately surrounded. People who hadn't gotten out of bed in a week suddenly were ringing for a wheelchair. Even those who had seemed asleep woke up to watch the child. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.
Grandparents are a special case. They give their grandchildren a feeling of security and continuity. As my husband put it "My grandparents gave me a deep sense that things would turn out right in the end." Grandchildren speak of attention they don't get from worried parents. "My parents were always telling me to hurry up, and my grandparents told me to slow down," one friend said. A teacher told me she can tell which pupils have relationships with grandparents: they are quieter, calmer and more trusting.
67. Now in an American family, people can find that___________.
A. children never live with their parents
B. not all working people live with their parents
C. aged people are supported by their grandchildren
D. grandchildren are supported by their grandparents
68. Seeing a baby, the old people got excited because _______.
A. they had never seen a baby before B. the baby was clever and beautiful
C. the baby brought them the image of life D. the baby's mother would take care of them
69. Why are some children quieter, calmer and more trusting ?
A. Because they have relationships with their grandparents.
B. Because their worried parents ask them to act like that.
C . Because they have nothing to worry about.
D. Because their teachers ask them to act like that.
70. Which of the following can show the fact that the old often save the young?
A. The old can become friends of the children and the children may not feel lonely.
B. The old get excited when they see a baby.
C. The old can cure the young when they are sick.
D. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.
BCAA
I will never forget what my old headmaster taught me. Normally when you are only 15 years of age you do not remember most of the things that are taught by your teachers. But this particular story is one such lesson that I will never forget. Every time I drift off course, I get reminded of this story.
It was a normal Monday morning, and he was making a speech to the students on important things in life and about devoting ourselves to what is important to us. This is how the story went:
An old man lived in a certain part of London, and he would wake up every morning and go to the subway. He would get the train right to Central London, and then sit at the street corner and beg. He would do this every single day of his life. He sat at the same street corner and begged for almost 20 years. His house was dirty, and a stench(恶臭)came out of the house and it smelled horrible. The neighbors could not stand the smell any more, so they asked the police officers to clear the place. The officers knocked down the door and cleaned the house. There were small bags of money all over the house that he had collected over the years.
The police counted the money, and they soon realized that the old man was a millionaire. They waited outside his house to tell the good news to him. When he arrived home that evening, he was met by one of the officers who told him that there was no need for him to beg any more as he was a rich man now, a millionaire. He said nothing at all; he went into his house and locked the door. The next morning he woke up as usual, went to the subway, got into the train, and sat at the street corner and continued to beg. Obviously, this old man had no great plans, dreams or anything important for his life. We learn nothing from this story other than staying focused on the things we enjoy doing.
59. The headmaster told the story to the students to__________.
A. make the students relaxed in the lesson B. remind the students to think deeply
C. show how poor the old man was D. encourage the students to become rich
60. After hearing what the officer said, the old man_________.
A. believed the officer was playing a joke on him. B. didn't know many people respected him a lot.
C. was very angry to find his house broken into. D. was not so excited as the officer had expected.
61. What did the author learn from the story?
A . One should devote himself to his dream. B. The old man was foolish not to stop begging.
C. What the headmaster taught was very important.
D. People must have a plan before taking action.
62. Which word can best describe the author's attitude towards the old man?
A. Pity. B. Disappointment. C. Respect. D. Anger.
63. We know from the passage that ___________________.
the author had a big dream at the age of 15.
B. the headmaster was popular with the students.
the old man begged every day without stopping.
D. the neighbors took great pity on the old man.
BDACC
Blue Collar
Graduates from China's " blue-collar " vocational schools have an employment rate of 95. 6 percent, but many lose their jobs because of unrealistic expectations, according to a senior official with the Ministry of Education(MOE).
MOE figures show a total of 3. 64 million students graduated from vocational schools last year, of whom 3. 48 million found jobs. The employment rate for these students was 95. 6 percent.
"The employment rate for blue-collar workers has stayed high since 1999 and above 90 percent since 2002," Wang Jiping, the MOE's deputy head of vocational education section, said on Wednesday. "However, the figure is not the cause for optimism because it only indicates that people get employed. "
He said many students find jobs, but are unable to stay in the posts for reasons such as overly high expectations for salaries or poor performance.
Wang said vocational school graduates needed more guidance to find jobs that could use their skills and meet "rational" demands for wages (工资), so that they can stay in the posts.
"The government is to set up a national information platform to better show market demand for blue collar talents", he said.
MOE figures show 73. 23 percent of the 3. 64 million graduates from vocational middle schools found jobs in companies and factories, 10 percent started their own businesses, and 16. 37 percent went on to further study.
Wang said the demand for highly skilled workers boosted the development of vocational education. _____________ , the MOE called for vocational schools to set up more market-oriented training courses with which students could easily find jobs.
55. Many vocational school graduates lose their jobs for the following reasons EXCEPT _________according to the text.
A. their high expectations for salaries B. their poor performance
C. their lack of working experience D. their unrealistic expectations
56. The underlined word boosted in the last paragraph can be replaced by _______.
A. improved B. prevented C. ended D. started
57. Among the vocational school graduates last year about ________took up their own business.
A.540,000 B360,000 C.150,000 D.70,000
58. Which of the following is the best sentence to be put into the blank of the last paragraph?
A. To develop vocational education B. To build up graduates' own business
C. To offer graduates more jobs D. To meet the demand
Most people think the first pies were made by early Romans. They may have learned about pie making from the Greeks. These pies were sometimes made in"reeds (芦苇叶)", which were used for the purpose of holding the filling (馅 ), and were not eaten.
The Romans spread the word about pies around Europe and the word"pie"became a popular word in the 14th century. The first pie recipe (食谱) was also published by the Romans.
Pies first appeared in England as early as the twelfth century. The early pies were mostly meat pies. There was actually more crust(皮)than filling. Often these pies were made from fowl ( 家禽) and the fowl's legs were left to hang over the side of the dish and used as handles. Fruit pies were probably first made in the 1500s. It is said that Queen Elizabeth I made the first cherry pie.
Pie came to America with the first English settlers. The early settlers cooked their pies in long narrow pans. As in the Roman times, the early American pie crusts were often not eaten, but simply used to hold the filling during baking(烘焙).
Over the years, pie has become what it is today --- "the most traditional American dessert". Pie has become so much a part of American culture that we now often use the phrase "as American as apple pie".
51. Which people might probably first grasp the skill to make pies?
A. The Romans. B. The Greeks. C. The Englishmen. D. The Americans.
52. Which of the following is NOT true about pies?
A. English settlers brought pies to America.
B. Early Romans ate not only pies but also the crusts.
C. The Romans first published pie recipe.
D. The word “pie ” became popular because of the Romans` efforts.
53. What can best show pies have become part of American culture?
A. Americans use long narrow pans to cook pies.
B. People use "as American as apple pie" to show something about American characteristics.
C. Americans don't eat crusts but use them to hold the filling during baking.
D. Pies are the most traditional American dessert.
54. The best title of this passage is "______________".
A . The History of Pies B. Pies, the Delicious Food
C. Pies, American Dessert D. How to Make Pies
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分） 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Once upon a time, there were two men. One was hard-working and had a lot of 31 and perseverance (坚定不移), while the other was 32 and never did any work. One night, they decided to have a competition between them. The contest was simple: the 33 person to see daylight would be the winner, and the winner would 34 a prize. Both men agree to do it, and the competition started.
The hard-working man immediately 35 and ran towards the west after the sun, while the lazy man just sat there and 36 . The hard-working man, looking at the competitor, 37 at his foolishness and kept going at his quick pace. Running through the jungles, swimming 38 the rivers and seas, and he kept running and running, 39 that he would reach his goal sooner or later. Meanwhile, the lazy man was still sleeping.
The hard-working man had been 40 for 6 hours already, and he was surprised that he still had not 41 daylight. Thinking it would be just around the corner, he 42 on running until he finally came back to where he started, 24 hours 43 . Upon arriving, he saw the lazy man seated there, smiling and waiting for him, holding the 44 he earned.
The hard-working man was 45 how this lazy man could earn it ---he hadn't done anything at all! Then the lazy man said," You are 46 a persevering and patient man, but you were running towards the 47 , running after the sun that kept moving away from your 48 whereas I just waited for the sun to come to me. You were lucky. If I had decided to 49 you and not to tell you, you would be continuing this pursuit (追赶) till your death." The hard-working man knew in his heart that the lazy man was right.
Sometimes, perseverance can 50 you from the truth that what you are doing is wrong.
31. A. hobbies B. ideas C. patience D. money
32. A. lazy B. patient C. kind-hearted D. hard-working
33. A. last B. first C. second D. only
34. A. accept B. keep C. win D. defeat
35. A. set in B. set aside C. set up D. set out
36. A. worked B. drank C. slept D. played
37. A. laughed B. glared C. stared D. looked
38. A. across B. through C. over D. past
39. A. representing B. believing C. emphasizing D. complaining
40. A. swimming B. jumping C. resting D. running
41. A. admired B. invented C. found D. realized
42. A. commented B. carried C. figured D. depended
43. A. before B. later C. next D. further
44. A. money B. medal C. prize D. gold
45. A. believing B. recognizing C. discussing D. wondering
46. A. true B. indeed C. certain D. hardly
47. A. west B. east C. north D. south
48. A. ears B. hands C. sight D. mind
49. A. hide from B. learn from C. keep from D. come from
50. A. make B. let C. blind D. protect
_____ I shouted at the top of my voice _____ turn his head.
|
A．Not until; did he |
B．Not until; he did |
|
C．Until; he did not |
D．Until; did he not |
