C
Why are so many coin banks shaped like pigs? Why not dogs or cats or elephants?
Coin banks weren't always made to look like pigs. In fact, the name "piggy bank" may have come from a kind of clay and not from the animal at all.
The history of the piggy bank goes back to the Middle ages. At that time in Western Europe, metals were expensive, so a cheap orange clay known as pygg was used for everyday items such as dishes and jars. In fact something made from pygg clay was often just called a pygg. The first piggy bank may well have been a pygg in which a person put a few extra pennies to buy a treat on market day.
People have always had a hobby of saving pennies, and using a pygg as a coin bank became common practice. Potters (陶工) began making jars specially for saving coins, and eventually these jars took a pig-like shape. Modeling a bank to look like a pig may have been influenced by the name of the clay. The earliest Roman coin bank ever found was decorated with a pig. Because it was considered as a valuable farm animal in many countries, the pig was an appropriate symbol of wealth and prosperity.
These early clay banks were fragile and easily broken. As time passed, mining became less expensive. Iron, copper, and silver gradually replaced pygg clay in the production of household items. Although pygg clay lost its popularity, the habit of saving pennies did not. Today piggy 'banks are made of every material imaginable.
The familiar saying "A penny saved is a penny earned" is as old as the clearly piggy banks. Marry a child received his or her first coin bank accompanied by this wise advice. The modern-day piggy bank may have changed in sine, shape, and spelling, but it saves our pennies just as well as the first pygg did countries ago.
64. In the Middle ages, people used pygg to make dishes because ________.
A. it was precious B. it stood for wealth
C. it had a beautiful color D. it was cheaper than other materials
65. What do we know about the pygg bank?
A. Its name might come from an animal. B. The first pygg bank looked like a pig.
C. It was designed for children at the beginning. D. The early piggy banks were easily damaged.
66. Why did pygg day lose its popularity?
A. Other cheap and solid materials appeared. B. It was inconvenient to carry it to the market.
C. It couldn't be made into other shapes. D. People had run out of this kind of material.
67. In the last paragraph, the author intends to tell us ________.
A. piggy banks nowadays are not practical B. piggy banks still play a part in our daily lives
C. piggy banks today are mainly made of iron
D. most children don' t have the habit of saving money
Do you sleep well? Some people get off to sleep as soon as the head hits the pillow, but many others are not so lucky．In fact，the lack of quality sleep has become a public health issue around the world．According to the World Association of Sleep Medicine，45 percent of the world’s population suffer from sleep problems．One in eight people don’t sleep well and are easily woken．7．6 percent sleep less than 3 hours each night．Some even can not fall asleep for several days in a row．
As a basic bodily and mental need，sleep is essential for our survival．It helps us to fight diseases，strengthen our memory, perform better in work and school and improve our quality of life．Lack of sleep is known to have a significant negative influence on health，both in the short and long term．Poor sleep has been associated with obesity, weakened immune systems and even some cancers，as well as depression and anxiety．
The World Sleep Day, held on the third Friday of March，is an annual celebration of sleep to lighten the burden of sleep problems through better prevention and management of sleep disorders．
Unhealthy lifestyle may be the first to blame for sleeplessness．More and more people use cellphones and computers in bed，with many staying up until midnight．Modern technology does make our life convenient，but abuse of it ruins our health．Environmental conditions，such as temperature，noise，light，bed comfort also play an important role in one’s ability to get proper sleep．Besides，improper evening diet，like a full or an empty stomach，coffee and alcohol all contribute to sleep problems．Of course，when it comes to causing poor sleep stress from finances，family or work should never be ignored．
However, those who suffer from sleep disorders don’t necessarily have to continue to do so—most sleep problems can be solved．What can be inferred from Paragraph 1 ？
| A．Nobody can stay awake for several days． |
| B．All people are going through sleep problems． |
| C．Sleep problems have become a worldwide concern． |
| D．The majority of the world’s population can’t sleep well． |
What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us?
| A．The influences of lack of sleep． |
| B．The possible causes of poor sleep． |
| C．Poor sleep is associated with illness． |
| D．Good sleep helps us to perform better. |
What will be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
| A．The harm of sleep problems． |
| B．Activities on the World Sleep Day． |
| C．Interviews of poor sleep sufferers． |
| D．Measures against sleep problems． |
American cities are similar to other cities around the world．In every country, cities reflect the values of the culture．American cities are changing，just as American society is changing．
After World War II，the population of most large American cities decreased；however, the population in many Sun Belt cities increased．In the late 1940s and early 1950s，city residents became wealthier．They had more children so they needed more space．They moved out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes．They bought houses in the suburbs(郊区)．
Now things are changing，the children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults．Many, unlike their parents，want to live in the cities．They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest．Many young professionals are moving back into the city．They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there；or they just enjoy the excitement and possibilities that the city offers．
This population shift(迁移)is bringing problems as well as benefits．Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent．In the 1950s，many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs；now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities．
Only a few years ago，people thought that the older American cities were dying．Some city residents now see a bright，new future．Others see only problems and conflicts．One thing is sure：many dying cities in America are alive again．What does the author think of cities all over the world?
| A．They are dying． | B．They are hopeless． |
| C．They are similar． | D．They are different． |
Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War II?
| A．Because older American cities were dying． |
| B．Because they were richer and needed more space． |
| C．Because cities contained the worst parts of society． |
| D．Because they could hardly afford to live in the city． |
According to the 4th paragraph，a great many poor people in American cities____．
| A．are faced with housing problems |
| B．are forced to move back to the suburbs |
| C．want to sell their buildings |
| D．need more money for daily expenses |
We can conclude from the text that_________________.
| A．American cities are changing for the worse |
| B．people have different views on American cities |
| C．older people prefer the city to the suburbs in America |
| D．the population is decreasing in older American cities |
Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers．But last summer，Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son：suddenly he seemed to be talking more to his friends than to his parents．“The door to his room is always shut，”Joanna noted．
Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter．“She used to cuddle up(蜷伏)with me on the sofa and talk，”said Mark．“Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something．Sometimes she wants to be treated like a 1ittle girl and sometimes like a young lady．The problem is figuring out which time is which．”
Before age 11，children like to tell their parents what’s on their minds．“In fact，parents are first on the list，”said Michael Riera，author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers．“This completely changes during the teen years，”Riera explained．“They talk to their friends first，then maybe their teachers，and their parents last．”
Parents who know what’s going on in their teenagers’ lives are in the best position to help them．To break down the wall of silence，parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say，and try to find ways to talk and write to them．And they must give their children a mental break，for children also need freedom，though young．Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend，not a manager，with their children is a better way to know them.“The door to his room is always shut”suggests that the son________.
| A．is always busy with his studies |
| B．is angry with his parents |
| C．keeps himself away from his parents |
| D．begins to dislike his parents |
What troubles Tina and Mark most is that_______.
| A．their daughter isn’t as lovely as before |
| B．they can’t read their daughter’s mind exactly |
| C．they don’t know what to say to their daughter |
| D．their daughter has grown up so quickly |
Which of the following best explains“the wall of silence”in the last paragraph?
| A．Teenagers do not talk much with their parents． |
| B．Teenagers do not want to understand their parents． |
| C．Teenagers talk a lot with their friends． |
| D．Teenagers talk much about their own lives． |
What can be learned from the passage?
| A．Parents are unhappy with their growing children． |
| B．Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers． |
| C．Parents should force their children to talk with them． |
| D．Parents should try to understand their teenagers． |
Every day, Daisy wakes up next to a man，who has to convince her they are married．When she expresses doubt，he takes out a photo album and shows her pictures of their wedding 13 years ago·
Only then does amnesiac Daisy accept that she has been married，and that everything he has told her is true．The lady’s condition was caused by brain injuries suffered in two road accidents，a motorbike crash in 1985 and a car accident in 1990.Since then everything that happens on one day is forgotten the next day.
She has no day-to-day memory after the car crash．And it is not just loved ones that Daisy struggles with．She uses hundreds of notes and reminders on her mobile phone’s calendar to keep her informed of appointments and everyday duties．And on the rare occasions when she takes the risk of going out of her home alone，she has to be armed with navigation(导航)programmed with her address.
There are some benefits，however．There is no such thing as a repeat on TV and every joke is funny, because it seemed she has heard it the first time．“It’s like I am living the same day, day after day,’’said Daisy, who does voluntary work at a charity for people with disabilities three days a week．
Dr Peter Nestor said Daisy was suffering from anterograde(顺行的)amnesia. He added，“It is reasonably rare，but it does exist．You are able to carry out day-to-day things，and don’t forget how to do certain things like speaking. But if someone was to ask you what you did yesterday, you wouldn’t have a clue.”What caused Daisy’s condition?
| A．Her disability since birth． |
| B．Brain injuries in accidents． |
| C．Her declining health． |
| D．Tiring working． |
How did Daisy’s family help remind her?
| A．By taking her to the hospital． |
| B．By telling her jokes． |
| C．By showing her old photos and pictures． |
| D．By persuading her to recall the car crash． |
The underlined word“amnesiac”in Paragraph 2 probably means
| A．strong | B．optimistic |
| C．warm-hearted | D．forgetful |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Daisy could still enjoy a lot in spite of her illness． |
| B．The only thing Daisy kept in mind was her home． |
| C．Daisy couldn’t do anything but stay at home． |
| D．Daisy didn’t want to trust anyone else． |
On Sept 18, they arrived before polling stations even opened, dressed in school uniforms, with book bags over their shoulders—and, for the first time in British history, ballot (选票) cards in hands.
More than 109,000 Scottish teenagers aged 16 to 17 took part in the Scottish independence referendum (公民投票), in which Scotland eventually decided not to become independent.
The age group only made up a small part of the 4.29 million total voters, but they have “demonstrated how the youngest voters can be some of the most enthusiastic in a mature democracy”, commented The Associated Press. Casting their ballots, they were “proud and passionate” to help their nation decide whether to break away from the UK after 307 years in union.
“You feel like you’ve got a say, because it is going to be you. You are going to decide what it is like when you’re older,” 16-year-old Erin Cheshire in Glasgow, who voted “yes”, told The Wall Street Journal.
At age 16, Scottish residents are allowed to join the military, get married, and work. Eighteen is the legal drinking age, as well as the UK’s voting age. But in 2013, Scottish law was changed to allow 16- and 17-year-olds in Scotland to vote in the referendum. The government pushed for the change because “younger voters are more likely to vote with their hearts, not their heads—and embrace fundamental change by voting for the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign”, NBC News said.
But when the decision was handed down, some worried that high school students might not be as informed as adult voters. However, many experts said that assumption was wrong.
Professor Jan Eichhorn of the University of Edinburgh insisted that Scottish teenagers were as likely to read newspaper articles and campaign materials as their parents. They would simply get these resources through social media.
“There’s no evidence to suggest that they’re less capable than adults of voting, from a research point of view,” Eichhorn told NPR.
Scotland’s move to let younger teenagers vote in the referendum has led to a discussion about whether the voting age ought to be lowered to 16, both in the UK and the US.
“By 16, most people have about as stable an ideology (思想意识) as they are going to get,” Professor Jason Brennan of Georgetown University wrote for CNN, arguing that the US should also think about allowing younger US citizens to vote. The Scottish independence referendum was held on Sept. 18 ______.
| A．to encourage youngsters to be concerned with politics |
| B．to lower the minimum voting age to 16 for the referendum |
| C．to elect who would be the new leader of Scotland |
| D．to decide whether Scotland would become independent from the UK |
According to the passage, we can learn ______.
| A．It is possible for the USA to lower the voting age to 16 in the future. |
| B．Scotland gained its independence from the UK eventually. |
| C．All the people in Scotland thought highly of the government’s decision to lower the voting age to 16. |
| D．Scottish teenagers aged 16 are allowed to join the military, get married, work and drink alcohol now. |
What doe the underlined word “embrace” (in para.5) probably mean?
| A．Approve of | B．Object to |
| C．Know about | D．Admit to |
What is Jan Eichhorn’s opinion of the Scottish teenagers aged 16 to 17?
| A．They are too enthusiastic to make informed decisions. |
| B．They make no difference to the voting result. |
| C．They are as informed and capable as adults of voting. |
| D．They are unwilling to be involved in the decision of the country’s future. |
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