In Western society, especially in the English-speaking world, the chance for young people to see the other countries and experience life is considered important. Many young people, when they finish school at the age of 18, take a gap year before they go to university.
Parents often want their children to grow up a little and see what the real world is like when they finish school. Although they are worried about their safety, many think that the advantages of independence and experience are worth the worries. Children are encouraged to be brave, independent and to explore the world on their own or with friends.
Young people also want to experience freedom and see what life is like on the other side. This other side could be the other side of the world or just the other side of life. For example, if they have a rich life, they may want to see how people in poor areas live.
A gap year after school is also an important chance for young people to spend time thinking about what they want to do with their lives. A little bit of growing up and experience will help them make their important career decisions, especially when they are unsure about what they want to study.
Another reason for going straight after school is to get a break from studying before they start the next few years of university. So anywhere you travel in the world, you will meet young European people exploring the world.
So much of the world has been travelled and explored. The young people are now looking for more worthy experiences. Some of them work as volunteers to do something for the country they are visiting. Many gap year volunteers are now spending a few months teaching English in Thailand, helping feed giant pandas in China or building a well(井) in a village in Africa.
These young people’s wish to explore the world is an expression of the values of the societies that they are part of. Both discovering the world and making a positive difference in it are important parts of the Western mind.
1.Which is NOT a reason for young people to take a gap year?
A. Young people want to take a break from studying.
B. Young people want to be sure about what to study.
C. Parents encourage them to be brave and independent.
D. Parents encourage them to live a free and wealthy life.
2.Now a gap year volunteer might do something more valuable like____.
A. experiencing different cultures
B. helping protect rainforests in Brazil
C. making friends with more people
D. enjoying traditional local food
3.By taking a gap year, young people may____.
A. stay with their parents all the time
B. make money for their further study
C. help change the world for the better
D. change the Western mind completely
4.The purpose of writing this article is to____.
A. show different opinions about gap year
B. offer readers information about gap year
C. discover new ways to take a gap year
D. tell young people when to take a gap year
German engineers Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz built the first successful gasoline engines in 1885.After 1900，however，the United States became a leader in automobile production.
The first cars were handmade and very expensive.Only people in rich cities could afford them.The first company to make gasoline cars in the U.S.was the Duryea Motor Wagon Company.Then，in 1901，Ransom E.Olds Began mass-producing his car，the Oldsmobile.In 1913Henry Ford made great strides in the mass production of cars by using an assembly line in his factory.Mass production meant that each car was less expensive to make.Now car ownership was affordable for the average person.By 1916there were more than one million cars in the United States.
The automobile gave people the freedom to travel anywhere there were passable roads.Families that lived great distance apart could travel by automobile to visit each other.People could visit places they had never seen before.
Before the mass production of cars，people lived close to work.Their means of transportation included walking，riding a bicycle，using a horse and carriage，or taking a train.The automobile gave people the ability to live farther away from work.The result was that gradually people moved out of the cities to the less crowded suburbs.
The automobile industry created millions of jobs.The jobs were not just in the auto factories，where the cars were assembled.Workers were needed to make auto parts，run gas stations and repair shops，and work at new motels and restaurants that served people who traveled by car.Jobs became available at car rental companies.People were needed to build roads.These jobs and many others still exist because of the automobile.
1.The first automobiles were made in .
A. Japan B. England C. America D. Germany
2.From paragraph 2,we know that mass production cars were than handmake ones.
A. more difficult to make B. more expensive
C. much cheaper D. easier to operate
3.From paragraph 4,we may learn that with existence of cars .
A. people’s living areas expanded B. people lived closer to their work
C. cities became more crowded D. people rushed to the suburbs
4.The automobiles industry .
A. added to working opportunities B. changed the ways of eating
C. improved the road conditions D. reduced the office hours
Many wealthy and welltraveled people want a completely new experience, but they don't necessarily want to give up luxury (奢华的) accommodations and service. The following vacations could be best choices.
Cruise down the Amazon River
Aqua Expeditions takes up to 32 passengers at a time on guided journeys of three, four, or seven days down the Amazon River. Those adventurers see forests and waterfalls, visit local fish markets, and take canoe trips. They also take in wildlife such as capuchin monkeys and river dolphins.
Go Glamping in Montana
The Resort at Paws Up located on a cattle ranch(牧场) is a standout in the type. The ranch rents homes with up to four bedrooms, but it's the luxury tents that offer closer communion with the outdoors. Tents are arranged into camps, each of which has a private chef and butler, the latter of whom helps build campfires and arrange daytime activities. Guests can participate in a cattle drive, go clay shooting, take a hot air balloon trip, or ride horses.
Climb inside a Volcano in Iceland
Iceland is famous for its volcanoes and has plenty of luxury hotel options. Thrillseekers can actually go down into the dormant (休眠的), 700footdeep Thrihnukagigur, by using an open elevator. Take a helicopter if you want to skip the 2mile hike to the volcano, and arrange a private tour to avoid crowds. And visitors traveling there can enjoy the luxury hotel such as the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel and the Hotel Rangá.
1.What can adventurers do when traveling down the Amazon River?
A. Enjoy individually guided tours.
B. Travel with hot air balloons.
C. Get a chance to see wildlife.
D. Ride horses along the trail.
2.At which place can guests enjoy food quite to their taste?
A. Aqua Expeditions.
B. The Resort at Paws Up.
C. Thrihnukagigur.
D. The Hotel Rangá.
3.What do the three vacations have in common?
A. They are adventurous.
B. They are animalcentered.
C. They have luxury hotel options.
D. They are intended for new travelers.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What is a major challenge that Stevie Wonder has had to face?
A. His unsuccessful records.
B. Pressure from other musicians.
C. Not being able to use his eyes.
2.When did Stevie Wonder start his professional career?
A. At the age of 6. B. At the age of 11. C. At the age of 19.
3.How many Grammy Awards did Stevie Wonder receive?
A. 10. B. 25. C. 30.
4.What kinds of songs did Stevie Wonder often record?
A. Rap songs about life.
B. Sad songs about death.
C. Happy songs about love.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Who got a new job?
A. Anna. B. Anna’s father. C. Anna’s mother.
2.What do we know about Anna’s new house?
A. It has small rooms.
B. It has few windows.
C. It has many trees around it.
3.How does Anna feel about the old house?
A. She misses it. B. She thinks it’s pretty. C. She loves it the most.
4.When is Dave coming over probably?
A. This weekend. B. This summer. C. Next weekend.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What will Millie’s mother receive for her birthday?
A. A shirt. B. A skirt. C. A small cake.
2.Who will cook the special dinner?
A. Millie’s mother. B. Millie’s friend. C. Millie.
3.Where will the speakers go this afternoon?
A. To a bakery. B. To a grocery store. C. To a gift shop.
