第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每篇短文后所给的四个选项（A、B、C 和 D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Steve Wayne, 16, who worked this summer as a lifeguard and swim teacher in Idaho Falls, was thrilled to see an extra $ 20 in his paycheck when the federal minimum wage increased in July.
“When you’re getting paid minimum wage, anything helps,” Wayne said.
Wayne is one of several hundred thousand American teenagers who earn the minimum wage. The last of three recent increases took the minimum from $5.15 an hour in 2007 to $7.25.
US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis says the minimum-wage increase will pump an extra $ 5.5 billion into the economy over the next year, which is helpful at a time when the economy is hurting.
“You’re giving people who spend money a raise,” said Kai Filion of the Economic Policy Institute. “Those people will go out and spend that money, and it will circulate through the economy.”
But other economists say raising the wage actually hurts the very people it’s designed to help. A higher hourly minimum, they say, could force businesses to cut workers’ hours, or even lay people off.
“What matters for people earning minimum wage is how much money they take home in total,” explained Rajeev of Georgia State University’s Economic Forecasting Center. “Their hourly rate may go up, but their number of hours may come down, so it’s not an overall increase.”
Business owners also say that raising the minimum wage exerts (施加) upward pressure on other wages. “If the minimum wage is $ 7 and I have to pay $ 8 or $ 9 to hire a dishwasher, then the cooks are going to say they want more,” said Cleveland restaurant owner Rick. “How much can I charge for that hamburger?”
Another argument is that it makes it more expensive for businesses to hire new workers. For many businesses already struggling to make ends meet in these tough times, it will be simply too expensive to keep them or to hire new people.
1. Steve Wayne was excited that ______.
A. his hard work had paid off
B. he had received a big wage increase
C. he has more money due to an increase in minimum wage
D. the wages of American teenage workers have been increased
2. According to the text, the US federal government has increased minimum wage with the aim of ______.
A. decreasing unemployment B. promoting economic recovery
C. increasing American teenagers’ wage D. narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor
3. What matters most to people in need of help is ______.
A. a higher hourly minimum B. more working hours
C. a minimum-wage increase D. an increase in total income
4. Some are against the increase in minimum wage because they say ______.
A. only very few workers will be helped
B. they have to cut down working hours
C. many business owners can’t afford to employ new workers
D. minimum wage workers will expect more pay rises in the future
第二节 完形填空 （共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和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。
Forty-three years seems like a long time to remember the name of a person. I have forgotten the name of an old lady who was a(n) 31 on my paper route (报童) when I was a twelve-year-old boy. Yet it seems like just yesterday that she taught me a lesson in 32 . One afternoon, a friend and I were 33 rocks onto the roof of the old lady’s house 34 her backyard. The object of our play was to observe how the rocks changed to missiles as they 35 to the roof’s edge and shot out into the 36 .
I found myself a perfectly smooth rock and sent it for a ride. The stone was too smooth, however, so it 37 from my hand as I let it go and headed 38 for a small window on the old lady’s back wall.
I was too scared about getting 39 that first night to be concerned about the old lady with the broken window. However, a few days later, 40 I was sure that I hadn’t been discovered, I started to feel 41 for her misfortune.
I made up my mind that I would 42 my paper delivery money, and in three weeks I had the seven dollars that I 43 would cover the cost of her window. I put the money in an envelope with a(n) 44 explaining that I was sorry for breaking her window and hoped that the seven dollars would cover the 45 for repairing it.
I waited until it was dark, and then put the envelope through the letter slot in her door.
The next day, I 46 the old lady her paper and was able to 47 the warm smile that I was 48 her. She thanked me for the paper and said, “Here, I have something for you.” It was a bag of cookies. I thanked her and ate the cookies as I 49 my route.
After several cookies, I 50 an envelope. When I opened the envelope, I was shocked. Inside were the seven dollars and a short note that said, “I’m proud of you.”
31. A. adviser B. customer C. assistant D. neighbor
32. A. carefulness B. cleverness C. selfishness D. forgiveness
33. A. throwing B. kicking C. picking D. striking
34. A. by B. under C. from D. around
35. A. dropped B. rolled C. flowed D. fell
36. A. room B. kitchen C. yard D. sky
37. A. skipped B. stopped C. stepped D. slipped
38. A. straight B. slow C. right D. fast
39. A. lost B. trapped C. caught D. hurt
40. A. before B. when C. but D. though
41. A. guilty B. safe C. anxious D. nervous
42. A. borrow B. move C. transfer D. save
43. A. used B. calculated C. chose D. earned
44. A. book B. article C. note D. notice
45. A. period B. cost C. size D. distance
46. A. handed B. sold C. left D. showed
47. A. witness B. wear C. return D. bring
48. A. comparing to B. playing with C. learning about D. receiving from
49. A. continued B. chose C. followed D. forgot
50. A. tore B. marked C. bought D. felt
. The farmers were more anxious for rain than the people in the city because they had more ______.
A. at length B. at last C. at stake D. at most
As is often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used ______ for good or evil.
A. similarly B. widely C. equally D. properly
Heavy drinking used to be acceptable, but as drunken driving has caused so many tragedies public opinion is no longer ______.
A. accurate B. tolerant C. appropriate D. reliable
Government should adopt laws that would ban advertising and other types of ______ of tobacco products.
A. delivery B. spread C. promotion D. discount
