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 to the individual.This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement.This does not seem 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 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 president situation in our country shows,this is nota 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 working places 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.What is the passage mainly talk about?
| A．The problems faced by the old in society. |
| B．Why we should take reponsibility for the old. |
| C．How we can improve the lives of the old. |
| D．Where the old can go to get their pensins. |
According to the passage,how can the government help to improve the lives of retired people?
| A．Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire. |
| B．Increase savings levels of people during their working years. |
| C．Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old. |
| D．Make available pensions for those who have retired. |
The underlined word “viable” most probably means____.
| A．impossible | B．practical | C．useful | D．successful |
What can be concluded from the passage?
| A．Taking care of the old is mainly an issue of money. |
| B．Empoyers 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 problems of the old. |
A man came home from work late, tired, to find his 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door.
“Daddy, how much money do you make each hour?”
“If you must know, I make ＄20 each hour.”
“Oh,” the little boy answered, with his head down. He thought for a moment, looked up and said, “Daddy, could you lend me ＄10?”
The father wasfurious, “If you asked f or the money to buy a toy or some other rubbish, the go straight to your room and think about why are you so selfish (自私)！”
The little boy went to his room no words and shut the door. After a short while, the father calmed (平静) down, and started to think, “Maybe he really needs to buy something and he didn’t really ask for money very often.” So he went to the little boy’s room.
“Sorry！Maybe I was too hard on your just now.” said the man, “Here’s ＄10.”
“Oh, thank you Daddy！” he said happily. Then the boy took out some coins. When the father found that the boy already had money, he got angry again.
“Why do you want more money since you already have some?” the father shouted angrily.
“Because I didn't have enough, but now I do.” The little boy replied, “Daddy, I have ＄20 now. Can I buy one hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you. ”In this passage, the underlined word “furious” means ______.
| A．veryangry |
| B．quite happy |
| C．too excited |
| D．a little nervous |
At first, the father refused to lend the money because ______.
| A．he thought the boy wanted to keep the money for himself. |
| B．he did not have enough money at thatmoment |
| C．the thought the boy would buy something of no use |
| D．the boy always borrowed the moneyfromhim |
The boy wanted tobuy ______ with twenty dollars.
| A．a new novel forhimself |
| B．a nice present for his father |
| C．a toy for his own birthday |
| D．one hour of his father’s time |
From the passage, we can infer that the boy’s father______ .
| A．often played with his son |
| B．spent little time with his son |
| C．didn’t lovehisson at all |
| D．often camehomeearly |
Across the United States, universities and colleges have been looking to become more sustainable (可持续发展的) and more than 600 schools have already planned to become eco-friendly. The EcoDorm, home to 36 students at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, was designed to be sustainable from top to bottom, or in this case, from its rainwater-collection system to its garden. The dormitory is bringing new meaning to the concept of living “green” at college.
At Warren Wilson College, a biological science school with fewer than 1,000 students, the sustainability drive came from the student body. The EcoDorm concept was presented ten years ago by two students; a planning committee firstly suggested using building materials like corncob. Although the architects disagreed with the idea, they came up with other creative solutions: Wood siding was taken from the trees grown in the school yard that were suffering from a disease, and rainwater was collected in an old railway car and pumped back into the house to clean the toilets.
All in all, the dorm uses nearly two-thirds less electricity than a similar-sized traditional building world. But even the most sustainable homes need continued efforts from its livers. And in the case of EcoDorm, students live by their words. Most also take advantage of the dorm’s bio-garden, planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables. “I didn’t have to worry about paper towels being wasted or feel bad about drying my clothes outside,” Jeremy Lekich, the dorm’s gardener, said. “Basically, it has made my life easier.”
We can learn from the text that the EcoDorm in the US .
| A．offers students the chances to have a natural living at college |
| B．was firstly built by two college students |
| C．was designed for saving building materials |
| D．is only applicable in few schools |
The second paragraph is mainly about .
| A．where the EcoDorm was built |
| B．when the EcoDorm got its name |
| C．what the EcoDorm is made of |
| D．how the concept of EcoDorm started |
What is the advantage of the EcoDorm?
| A．It helps students to enjoy life at college. |
| B．It saves a lot of money and energy for the college. |
| C．It makes students study harder. |
| D．It brings new energy to the college. |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．A long-term development calls for students’ efforts. |
| B．Students’ ideas should be encouraged at college. |
| C．Green living is a new trend at American colleges. |
| D．Students can learn to protect the environment through practice. |
In Eastern Europe, blue jeans symbolize (象征) American culture and “the good life”. In Spain they are known as “cowboys”. In China, jeans are known as “niuzaiku”, also, “cowboy trousers”, which means they are connected with the American West cowboy culture and outdoor work.
Jeans are usually made from denim (粗布), but may also be made from other materials. The earliest known cloth for jeans was a thick cotton cloth from the Indians. At first they were working clothes. They became popular among teenagers in the 1950s. Today jeans are a very popular form of casual wear around the world and come in many styles and colors.
Jeans were first made in Genoa in Italy. The trousers were made for the Genoese navy (海军) because they needed trousers which could be worn wet or dry, and whose legs could be easily rolled up while the men were cleaning the ships. These jeans would be washed by pulling them in large fishing nets behind the ship, and the sea water would make them white.
In the 1850s Levi Strauss, a business man living in San Francisco, was selling blue jeans under the “Levi’s” name to the coal workers of California.
During World War II, the coal workers liked jeans very much because they were strong and did not tear easily. In the 1950s, jeans became popular with young people in the United States. Wearing of blue jeans by teenagers was the symbol of rebels (反叛者) in TV programmes and movies. Some cinemas and restaurants refused to let people in if they wore blue jeans. In the 1980s, jeans finally became high fashion clothing, when famous designers started making their own styles of jeans, with their own labels on them. Sales of jeans went up and up.From the first paragraph we know that ________.
| A．cowboys wear jeans only |
| B．cowboys live a good life |
| C．American culture is cowboy culture |
| D．cowboy culture is usually related to the West of America |
Jeans were first made in ______.
| A．Italy | B．America | C．Spain | D．China |
From Paragraph 4 we know that “Levi’s” was ____.
| A．the name of a worker |
| B．the brand (名牌) of a kind of jeans |
| C．the name of a kind of cloth |
| D．the nickname of a businessman |
Why the people who wore blue jeans were refused to go into the cinema in the 1950s?
| A．Because jeans were made for workers. |
| B．Because jeans were made of denim. |
| C．Because it was during the time of war. |
| D．Because wearing jeans was the symbol of rebels. |
I went over my grandmother’s house today and she didn’t have time for me. You see, the lady’s husband downstairs died and my Grandmother wanted to make some cookies for her. My grandmother did not analyze (分析) how the lady treated her, or if the lady needed any cookies, or even if the lady would like the cookies. She didn’t think how much the lady has done for her. She simply began baking.
My Grandmother turned 94 last week and this I believe is her secret to life. My grandmother is generous and hard-working in a way that is rare for our time. She lives by a simple belief: if someone needs your help, you help. Never mind all the analyzing and thinking whether the person deserves or appreciates the help. My grandmother doesn’t sit around thinking about who might be making use of her: she simply does what is needed.
At 94, she is busy in life. She is making a blanket for a new great grandchild, and worried that I don’t have enough kitchen towels for my home. She is bringing soup to a sick neighbor, and teaching the new wife of her cousin (who is 88) how to cook Italian food.
My grandmother had every right to give up, but she didn’t — and amazingly life did bring her good things, like a husband with twinkling blue eyes who was much ahead of his time and believed that men should do an equal amount of cooking and cleaning in the home, three beautiful children (my father and two aunts), 22 grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. My grandmother is not afraid to give someone she barely knows a bowl of soup. She never keeps herself out of the world.The reason why my grandmother made cookies for the lady downstairs is that ________.
| A．she thought the lady was too busy |
| B．she would make them as thanks to her |
| C．they had had an agreement before |
| D．she thought she should do something for the lady at the special time |
In the writer’s opinion, ________.
| A．my grandmother will get something in return |
| B．my grandmother has a secret way of living |
| C．my grandmother does everything on careful consideration |
| D．few people are as generous as my grandmother now |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．My grandfather does not treat women in an unfair way |
| B．My grandmother cares for her children even some strangers. |
| C．This is a family in which there are nearly 30 people now. |
| D．My grandmother never keeps everything for herself. |
We may infer from the text that the writer ________.
| A．thinks his grandmother is living a tired life |
| B．thinks his grandmother is doing what she should do |
| C．thinks his grandmother should not be so kind |
| D．is proud of his grandmother |
I used to think education was the most important thing in my life. Recently my attitude has begun to change, although I still hold that it is essential for everyone in the world today. As a top junior student in my college, I was asked to make a speech on how to learn English well. Standing in front of the audience and facing so many freshmen, I was trembling. I didn’ t remember any word that I had prepared. I ran out of the conference room without finishing my speech, leaving everyone puzzled. I cried that night in my room, feeling that I was a loser. Studying takes up so much of my time that I feel unable to really develop myself. I am just storing knowledge, yet I fail to communicate with others. I have received many awards in school, but they don’t necessarily reflect anything about me. I don’t know how to socialize. When I leave school I fear I will be of no use to society.
I realize that everyone has his own way of living. I want to change my lifestyle. Of course I will keep studying. Yet I plan to look for a part-time job, which might turn out to be a good chance to get to know society. I still believe that working my hardest makes me happy. I will still stay on in college. But I will not allow it to shelter me from the real world.The author believes the awards she has received ____.
| A．show that she is a top student |
| B．show how much time she has spent in learning |
| C．only mean that she knows how to learn, but she doesn’t know how to socialize |
| D．don’t necessarily reflect her real self |
The underlined word “essential” in Paragraph 1 probably means _______.
| A．impossible | B．unnecessary |
| C．most important | D．most useful |
The author feels fearful that she will be of no use to society mainly because _______.
| A．she does not know how to communicate with others |
| B．she is unable to develop herself |
| C．studying takes too much of her time |
| D．she feels that she is a failure. |
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