While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruiningg their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, certainly share their disappointment : my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we two are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old in the story is disappointed that he can’t afford to get a Ph. D in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be increasing, Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner.
This recession(经济衰退) will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful---for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day---than on longing for some kind of luxury life.
1.. What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
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A．They expect everything to be easy for them. |
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B．They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans. |
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C．They are unwilling to face all of the challenges. |
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D．They are burdened by student loans. |
2.. The underlined word “fertility” in paragraph 3 probably means“_____”.
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A．baby production |
B．pleasant |
C．baby comfort |
D．comfortable |
3.. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the complaints of the 20-somethings?
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A．They can’t have children for at least a decade a decade to buy a house. |
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B．They have only a one-bedroom apartment to live in. |
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C．They can’t buy a house until 40 and are burdened by student loans. |
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D．They despair at not being able to afford a PH. D in literature. |
4.. What’s the Kobliner’s attitude towards the 20-somethings with high expectations?
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A．Unbearable |
B．Opposite |
C．Doubtful |
D．Understanding |
5.What is the best title for this passage?
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A．Young people afford to continue their study |
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B．Young people can’t afford to buy a house |
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C．Young people’s high hopes create despair |
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D．The 20-somethings’ high expectations |
I’ve changed my mind. “ I wanted to have a telescope, but now I want my dad back.” Lucien Lawrence’s letter to father for Christmas written after his schoolteacher’s father had been knifed to death outside his school gate, must have touched everyone’s heart. Lucien went on to say that without his father he couldn’t see the stars in the sky. When those whom we love depart from us, we cannot see the stars for a while.
But Lucien, the stars are still there, and one day, when you are older and your tears have gone, you will see them again. And, in a strange way, I expect that you will find your father there too, either in your mind and heart. I find that my parents, who died years ago, still figure in many of my dreams and that I think of them perhaps more than I ever did when they were alive. I still live to please them and I’m still surprised by their reactions. I remember that when I became a professor, I was so proud, or rather so pleased with myself that I couldn’t wait to cable my parents. The reply was a long time in coming, but when it did, all my mother said was “ I hope this means that now you will have more time for the children!” I haven’t forgotten. The values of my parents still live on.
It makes me pause and think about how I will live on in the hearts and minds of my children and of those for whom I care. Would I have been as ready as Philip Lawrence have been to face the aggressors, and to lay down my life for those in my care? How many people would want me back for Christmas? It’s a serious thought, one to give me pause.
I pray silently, sometimes, in the dead of night, that ancient cry of a poet “Deliver my soul from the sword, and my darling from the power of the dog.” Yet I know the death comes to us all, and sometimes comes suddenly. We must therefore plan to live forever, but live as if we will die tomorrow. We live on, I’m sure, in the lives of those we loved, and therefore we ought to have a care for what they will remember and what they will treasure. If more parents knew this in their hearts to be true, there might be fewer knives on our streets today.
1.. According to the whole text we can see that the first paragraph ________.
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A．puts forward the subject of the text. |
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B．shows the author’s pity on the kid. |
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C．acts as an introduction to the discussion. |
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D．makes a clear statement of the author’ views |
2.. In the second paragraph the author mainly wants to explain to us _______.
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A．how much he misses his parents now |
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B．why his parents often appear in his dream |
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C．when Lucien will get over all his sadness |
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D．how proud he was when he succeeded in life |
3.. What feeling did the author’s mother express in her reply?
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A．Proud |
B．Happy |
C．Disappointed |
D．Worried |
4. In the author’s opinion, the value of a person’s life is ________.
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A．to leave a precious memory to the people related |
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B．to have a high sense of duty to the whole society |
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C．to care what others will remember and treasure |
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D．to share happiness and sadness with his family |
5.. What does the writer mean by the sentence taken from an old poem?
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A．Call on criminals and murderers to lay down their guns. |
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B．Advise parents stay with their children safely at home. |
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C．Spend every day meaningfully in memory of the death. |
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D．Try to keep violence and murder far away from society. |
Sir,
Just over six months ago, I saw an advertisement in the Morning Mail for a set of the complete works of William Shakespeare. Your company, Cosmo books Ltd., offered this set (eight books of plays and two books of poetry) at what was claimed to be a ‘remarkable’ price: fifteen pounds and fifty pence, including postage and packing. I had wanted a set of Shakespeare’s plays and poems for some time, and these books, in red imitation leather, looked particularly attractive; so I sent for them.
Two weeks later, the books arrived, together with a set of the complete works of Charles Dickens which I had not ordered. So I returned the Dickens books to you, with a cheque for fifteen pounds and fifty pence for the works of Shakespeare. Two more weeks passed. Then there arrived on my door step a second set of the works of Shakespeare, the same set of novels by Dickens and a six book set of the plays of Moliere, in French. Since I do not read French, these were of no use to me at all. However, I could not afford to post all these books back to you, so I wrote to you at the end of August of last year, instructing you to come and collect all the books that I did not want, and asking you not to send any other books until further notice.
You did not reply to that letter. Instead you sent me a bill for forty two pounds, and a set of the plays of Schiller, in German. Since then, a new set of books has arrived every two weeks, the works of Goethe, the poems of Milton, the plays of Strindberg; I hardly know what I have. The books are still all in their boxes, in the garage, and my car has to stand in the rain outside.
I have no room for any more books, and even if I read from now until the Last Judgment, I should not finish reading all the books that you have sent me.
Please send no more books, send no more bills, send no more angry letters demanding payment. Just send one large lorry and take all the books away, leaving me only with the one set of the complete works of Shakespeare for which I have paid.
Yours faithfully,
SIMON WALKER
1. Simon Walker wrote the letter to ________
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A．urge for the final solution to the problem with the unwanted books. |
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B．complain about getting books he didn’t want. |
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C．advise readers not to order books from Cosmo Books Ltd.. |
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D．show his anger to Cosmo Books Ltd.. |
2. The advertisement that Mr. Walker saw in the Morning Mail was for ________
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A．unlimited number of Cosmo Books. |
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B．fifteen pounds and fifty pence. |
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C．a set of 10 books of the works of Shakespeare. |
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D．a book containing all the plays and poems of Shakespeare. |
3.Mr. Walker answered the advertisement because ________
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A．he claimed that the books were being offered at a remarkable price. |
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B．he wanted a set of Shakespeare’s works which was a good bargain |
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C．he had ordered the set and had been waiting for them to come for some time. |
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D．the set he already had was not particularly attractive. |
4. It can be inferred that _______
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A．Cosmo Books have sent bills for books that they have not sent. |
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B．Several sets of books have been sent to Mr. Walker free of charge. |
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C．Mr. Walker hasn’t received the books that he ordered. |
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D．Mr. Walker took some action after receiving the books he did not order. |
5.. The tone of the letter is that of _______
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A．bitterness |
B．respect |
C．humor |
D．annoyance |
When I entered Berkeley. I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could 36 tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he 37 in class.
When I took the first exam, I was 38 to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper, 39 English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained 40 .
I decided to try harder, although I didn’t know what that 41 because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I 42 with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his 43 .
One more test before the final exam. One more 44 to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time, 45 the meaning of the word “thorough”. But my 46 did no good and everything 47 as before.
The last hurdle（障碍）was the final. No matter what 48 I got, it wouldn’t cancel C-pluses. I might as well kiss the 49 goodbye.
I stopped working hard. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even 50 myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I’d have 51 with a test.
A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into Professor Jayne’s office. He 52 to be expecting me. “If I gave you the A-pluses you 53 , you wouldn’t continue to work as hard.”
I stared at him, 54 that his analysis and strategy(策略) were correct. I had worked my head 55 , as I had never done before.
I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I’ve always remembered Professor Jayne’s lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.
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1. |
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2. |
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3..
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A．shocked |
B．worried |
C．scared |
D．anxious |
4..
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A．but |
B．so |
C．for |
D．or |
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5. |
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6. |
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7. |
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8. |
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9. |
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10..
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A．memorized |
B．considered |
C．accepted |
D．learned |
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11. |
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12..
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A．stayed |
B．went |
C．worked |
D．changed |
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13. |
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14..
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A．scholarship |
B．course |
C．degree |
D．subject |
15..
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A．helped |
B．favored |
C．treated |
D．relaxed |
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16. |
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17. |
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18. |
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19..
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A．remembering |
B．guessing |
C．supposing |
D．realizing |
20..
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A．out |
B．over |
C．on |
D．off |
--- Have you been spending too much money on clothes?
--- ________. I have been always persuading myself not to buy expensive ones and trying my best to save money.
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A．No way |
B．Not really |
C．I don’t agree |
D．I couldn’t agree more |
She was told to wear flat shoes her back problem.
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A．on account of |
B．regardless of |
C．in terms of |
D．in case of |
