A serious problem for today’s society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives. It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society. I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retried employees. To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose. But when a company must take life long responsibility for its employees, it may suffer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs.
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual. This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement. This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years. This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor.
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly. This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions. Furthermore, some institutions should be created for senior citizens, which can help provide a comfortable life for them. Unfortunately , as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer. The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some workplaces especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.
66. What is the passage mainly about?
The problem faced by the old in society.
Why we should take responsibility for the old.
How we can improve the lives of the old
Where the old can go to get their pensions.
According to the passage, how can the government help to improve the lives of retired people?
Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire
Increase saving levels of people during their working years
Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old
Make available pensions for those who have retired
The underlined word “viable” most probably means ____.
A. impossible B. practical C. usefull D. successful
69. What can be concluded from the passage?
A. Taking care of the old is mainly an issue of money
B. Employers should allow their workers to retire at a later age
C. Becoming independent should be the goal of most old people
D. There is no single solution to the problem of the old
70. What is the writer’s main purpose of writing this article?
A. To point out the need for government supporting for old people
B. To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people
C. To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem
D. To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life.
The old shopkeeper led me through to the back of the shop. The room was filled with boxes and photographs of people dressed in old-fashioned clothes, holding packages in their hands.
“Who are these people?” I asked.
“Satisfied customers,” answered young Mr. Hopkins. “We have a very wide choice of items for sale. Whenever I serve a new customer，I always take their picture.” Mr. Hopkins pointed to an ancient camera standing next to one wall. “Now, how can I serve you?” he added.
By this time, I had started to trust Mr. Hopkins and had begun to appreciate the lovely items on sale. I needed to buy Christmas presents for my family and friends, and this seemed to be the perfect place to purchase them. I spent a very pleasant hour being shown the articles in Mr. Hopkins’s shop. No matter what I asked for, Mr. Hopkins found it for me. Finally, I bought an antique jewellery box, a pair of riding boots, a leather-bound edition of the Complete Works of Mark Twain, and a sewing machine.
I was very excited that I had found such a good little shop. I promised Mr. Hopkins that I would come back soon. “I will tell all my friends about your lovely place,” I told the shopkeeper.
“Please do not do that, sir”, said Mr. Hopkins. “This is a special place for special people. You must keep this shop a secret.” Then he took my photograph, and handed me the picture straight away. “That was quick!” I exclaimed. I looked at the photograph. In the picture I looked proud and excited holding the presents I had bought in Mr. Hopkins’ dusty shop.
On Christmas Day, my friend and relatives were delighted with the presents I had bought for them. For weeks, my brother begged me to show him where to find this wonderful little shop. I finally agreed to take him to London to show him.
When we arrived in London, we walked along Oxford Street, passed the department store and found…nothing. The little shop was no longer there. In its place was an empty space being used as a car park. I checked the area, again. There was the music shop, and there was the department store. In between should have been Hopkins and Son, but it wasn’t there.
As I was staring at the place where the shop should have been, an old policeman came along. “Are you looking for something, sir?” he asked. I turned and said “I am looking for a little shop called Hopkins and Son. I thought it was here.”
“Oh yes,” said the policeman. “There was a shop here once called Hopkins and Son. It sold all sorts of things, but it was knocked down over 30 years ago.”
I looked again at the place where the shop had been. Then I reached into my pocket and took out the photograph that Mr. Hopkins had taken of me holding my presents in the little shop.
“How strange!” I exclaimed.
61. The photos in the back of the shop showed .
A．the items that Mr. Hopkins had sold B．Mr. Hopkins’ family members
C．Mr. Hopkins’ former customers D．the antique paintings.
62. How did the writer like the shop?
A. He found it a modern big shop.
B. He thought it a wonderful shop for old books.
C. He liked the ancient camera in the shop most.
D. He found it a dusty, old but friendly and lovely little shop.
63. Which of the following is true about shop?
A. It was a very famous little shop in London.
B. It was a popular bookshop in Oxford.
C. It was between a music shop and a department store.
D. It sold Christmas presents only.
64. The word “the articles” in the 4th paragraph means .
A．the goods in the shop B．the writer’s works
C．Mr. Hopkins’ writings D．some writings by old customers
65. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
A. Christmas Shopping B. Hopkins and Son
C. The articles D. A Little shop
三．阅读（共两节，满分40分）
第一节 ： 阅读理解 （共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
When Han Duan started her professional career at 16, China’s national women’s football team was defeated in the final of the World Cup by the US. While she was asked to play in her first World Cup in 2003, she largely remained on the bench after the first match.
But things have changed. Now, Han is one of the most important players in China’s team. “I can’t wait to play. Life is short. You must make the most out of it,” Han always says like that.
Han wants every possible honor that a football player can get — an Asian Cup, a World Cup and an Olympic medal. She has always been good at sports, especially swimming and horizontal bars. At school, she was the fastest in the 60m and 100m.
But the reason she picked football was that she wanted to get more compliments (称赞). “Football is for boys. But I feel more fulfilled when I can do better than them and win more compliments,” she said. Later, when she entered a football school, the coach always asked Han to show others what to do.
However, nobody can be good at everything. Han described her singing as “howling” and the only school subject she was good at was Chinese. “I was very happy every time my essay was posted on the wall for my schoolmates to read.” But Han still has some regrets about her school years. Her handwriting was terrible at school. She ever wanted to improve her handwriting but didn’t achieve much.
“My fans ask for my signature (签名), so I’d better practice and practice. It’s not too late,” she says.
56. In the World Cup in 2003, Han Duan was a(n) ______.
A. member of the audience
B. unimportant player
C. team captain
D. fan of a sports star
57. What does the underlined part in the second paragraph imply?
A. Han Duan siezes every chance to learn more to fulfill herself.
B. Han Duan never wastes any of her practicing time.
C. Han Duan seizes every chance to take part in matches.
D. Han Duan has become ill and she will die quite soon.
58. According to the passage, we know that Han Duan ________.
A. has won an Asian Cup, a World Cup and an Olympic medal
B. was good at sports when she was at school
C. did very well in singing and Chinese when she was at school
D. often gets compliments because of her beautiful handwriting
59. From the fourth paragraph, it can be inferred that Han Duan most probably ________.
A. felt sad as the boys laughed at her
B. felt proud as she got compliments from others
C. felt sad as she was too strong as a girl
D. hated herself as she couldn’t do anything else well
60. What’s the best title of this passage?
A. Growth of a sports star. B. The World Cup.
C. Honor of a football player. D. Star of tomorrow.
When I was young，I wished for a good car and a big house. That was my idea of success. I took all the advanced classes and tried to do well in the exams with my mind set on going to a key school. I just knew that I would somehow become famous and be able to afford the car and the dream house. All the way through junior years，my mind was planning this beautiful future.
Then in the eleventh grade, many losses changed my mind. First, one of my friends died at 16. Soon after， my great-grandmother passed away followed by my beloved fourth-grade teacher. These events left me not knowing what to do or where to go. Death had never touched me so closely.
After a long period of emptiness, it finally struck me: Life is not promised and neither is future success. Though I was attempting to achieve material success， I was not enjoying my daily life. I realized that finding inner peace， purpose and happiness will stick with me forever and that is real success.
Enjoying life's precious quirks (偶发事件) makes an ordinary person more successful than a wealthy person who isn't content and takes everything for granted. The summer before senior years, my attitude changed greatly. Instead of memorizing facts, I began learning skills. Instead of focusing on the future， I focused on today and the many blessings and successes that came with it.
I still get excellent grades， but now I devote weeks to studying instead of struggling for exams, and I think about the future with a deeper sense of meaning. For me, being successful means truly living life each day.
68.The reason why the author changed his idea of success is ____.
A.that he can't afford his house
B.that his beloved teacher was dead
C.that he didn't know what to do or where to go
D.that he lost a few beloved persons in a short time
69.What does the author want to tell the readers?
A.The true meaning of the life.
B.The true meaning of studying
C.How to achieve success.
D.His opinion about success.
70. According to the passage which of the following is TRUE?
A.The writer thinks the success is not promised.
B.His teacher died before the death of his grandpa.
C.The writer didn’t do well in all the exams.
D.He didn’t want to take all the exams.
The Official Theme for the 2005 World Exposition , Aichi，Japan is “Nature’s Wisdom”.
Name: The 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan
Theme: “Nature’s Wisdom”
Site: Steo City, Nagakute Town, Toyata City, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Period: March 25 to September 25, 2005
Projected number of visitors: 15 million
Nature has provided humanity with a means to develop into complex societies based on this very basic relationship.
A vast network of knowledge and wisdom has evolved from this basic relationship between humans and nature. Nature's wisdom，her mysteries, inspiring beauty and power，have been unlocked by minds and scientific processes. Humans have become masters of this knowledge and have developed incredible technologies to employ energy and other resources.
In an increasingly overcrowded world, it is sometimes hard to focus beyond everyday life and onto the long term effects of our technological progress. Surely then，we must be reminded of the true wisdom found in a continuous relationship with nature. After all，we are in a world seeing an increasing amount of media coverage of international debates concerned about damage to the environment. It is commonly accepted that as far as the environment is concerned，it is a time to re-think our relationship with nature before it is too late.
Model Community
Continuous development is what the Eco-communities project at Expo 2005 is all about. The Eco-communities project has been expected to reuse energy and to reduce and make use of existing waste. As well, the entire Expo 2005 site--expected to host 25 million people over a six-month period--has been designed with the conservation(保持)of nature and the local environment as the top priority(优先考虑的事).
Finding answers for today' s world must be done in the background of technology. Thus，the idea of eco-communities was developed. Yet, an understanding of the socio-historical background is just as important in today’s richly multi-cultural world of economically various states and unions. And so the "Art of Life" Expo 2005 sub-theme was expected to be a model of human participation on a global scale. Expo 2005 offers to the people of the world an opportunity to come together and discuss many global issues that face humankind. It is a place to bring together the world's talent to create a model community for the future where humans can live in harmony with nature.
64.What is the period of Expo 2005 Japan?
A.May 1-October 31. B.March 25-September 25.
C.May 1-October 30. D.October 9-0ctober 21.
65. Which of the following themes is Expo 2005 Japan's?
A.Better City，Better Life
B.Interactions between Urban and Rural Areas
C.Nature’s Wisdom
D.Environment, Resource and Technique
66.According to paragraph 3, nature has many features except ______.
A. danger B. power C. beauty D. wisdom
67. We can infer that______according the contents of the passage.
A.the relationship between nature and humans isn’t close
B.it is easier for us to find the true wisdom
C.it is important and necessary for human to protect environment
and nature
D.harmonious community and Art of life can’t realize
The unimaginable earthquake in Haiti has shocked the world. Thanks to modern communication technology, the world has seen the scale of destruction by the 7.0- magnitude quake. Images on TV and the Internet show the Haiti capital has been reduced to rubble and helpless survivors waiting for relief.
So far, at least 50,000 people are feared dead, and tens of thousands left injured or homeless in one of the poorest countries in the West. The number of dead is rising with each passing hour for a few days. Considering Haiti’s total population is only about 8.5 million, the extent of damage will reach every field of the country’s social structures.
Rescuers from countries such as China, the United States, France and Dominican Republic have already reached Haiti, carrying necessary things like food and medicines, life-detecting devices and other rescue equipment. Politicians，workers and Hollywood actors have opened their wallets and called for donations to help disaster relief. The whole world is ready to help them. The world is a village today where no one can remain indifferent when a neighbor falls in disaster.
The suffering of people anywhere in the world strikes the hearts of Chinese people. The death of eight Chinese peacekeepers in Haiti has little to do with it. Chinese people feel a special sympathy for Haitians because just less than 20 months ago they were struggling to rise from the earthquake.
Though Beijing and Port-au-Prince have no diplomatic relations, China was among the first nations to send a rescue team and to announce a donation. In the face of natural disasters, respect for human lives overtakes diplomacy and national boundaries. We share the pain of the Haitian people, and we believe China’s experience in rescue and operations and reconstructions will help reduce that pain.
The most pressing task after a quake is the golden-hour rescue operation. Many Haitians are buried under rubble, and relentless efforts must be made to save as many of them as possible. Yet there remains a question on how effectively the flows of aid from around the world be managed. It is here that the UN can play the leading role, for it should be responsible for common humanitarian efforts from across the globe to reach the benefits to the maximum number of people.
After the 2004 tsunami killed more than 200,000 people in Asia, some experts said the UN needed to build a well-equipped and trained force disaster rescue specialists and keep it on standby to help people after natural disasters such as the Haiti quake. It is time the UN gave the idea a serious thought, for a life-saving force could play as important as its peacekeeping soldiers.
60.According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A.The number of Haiti’s total population is about 8.5 billion
B.Rescuers from many countries have reached Haiti, carrying necessary things like food, water and medicines.
C.Chinese people feel a special sympathy for Haitians because we have the same experiences.
D.The flows of aid from the world has been managed well.
61.The word “indifferent” underlined in the third paragraph most probably means ______.
A.cruel B.friendly C.cold D.warm
62. We can infer that people around the world actively help the Haitians because ______.
A.people among countries have close relations
B.earthquake is a natural disaster, people respect human lives, and show common feelings to people in trouble
C.people should be responsible
D.people have ever been rescued by Haitians
63.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A.The UN plays an important role
B.We are with you, Haiti
C.People share the pain with the Haitian people
D.Modern communication technology is used widely
