On my first trip in the United States , I went to San Antonion . I was on foot . So I went to only three places there : the Alamo , the River Walk , and the Art Gallery . I especially enjoyed visiting the Alamo , a well- known building in America .
When I arrived at the Alamo , I was deeply impressed because it was well kept and in good shape . The Alamo was erected in about 1722, was later used as a fort(保垒) , and has been kept as a state monument(纪念馆) to the Texan War of Independence against Mexico . During the battle , all of the Texan defenders were killed . I was surprised at the exhibition of rifles , guns , cannons and swords .
I was especially attracted by the paintings of a war . The paintings expressed the feelings of a painter very well . Even thought about 160 years have passed since the Battle of the Alamo , the exhibit is well kept . When I came out after seeing the exhibition , I felt as if I had a victory . The outer wall of the Alamo was destroyed here and there . When I touched the wall , I could feel the damage . After the war , little remained of the Alamo . All of the windows and doors were destroyed . The top part of the gate way disappeared without a trace(遗迹) . I will remember the Alamo forever . It is one of the best places to visit in San Antonio . It can be inferred according to the passage that the author may be a____ .
| A．writer | B．Chinese |
| C．European | D．foreigner to Americans |
The underlined word “erected” (in Paragraph2) means ______ .
| A．found | B．invented | C．repaired | D．built |
People come to visit the Alamo now for ______ .
| A．its height and shape |
| B．its history and the story about it |
| C．the exhibits in it |
| D．its shape |
Which of the following may be the best title for this passage ?
| A．A Famous Building in America |
| B．My First Visit to America . |
| C．The Texan War of Independence against Mexico . |
| D．My Impressions of the Alamo in San Antonio , Texas . |
How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times”.
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule：almost all common troubles eventually go away！Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little！I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author get to know America?
| A．From her relatives. | B．From her mother. |
| C．From books and pictures. | D．From radio programs. |
Upon leaving for America the author felt ________.
| A．confused | B．excited | C．worried | D．amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author ________.
| A．often lost her way | B．did not think about her future |
| C．studied in three different schools | D．got on well with her stepfather |
Because of the financial crisis in the US and UK, college students are beginning to struggle to find ways to pay their tuition fees and accommodations. 
Recently, two major US student loan lenders—Citibank and JPMorgan Chase—announced they were leaving the student loan industry altogether. Because banks currently have a lack of credit(存款额), they are reluctant to offer students lowinterest loans(贷款) that need a severalyear wait for any return of interest.
In the US, many undergraduates top up their financial needs with a private loan, although the majority can get governmentfunded loans. In the 20052006 academic year, $17 billion in private student loans was used to finance higher education. The shortfall in private funding has yet to be covered and will hit many US students hard.
Across the Atlantic, UK students have been less troubled by the crisis. Most undergraduates in the UK cover their university expenses with governmentfunded loans and grants(助学金). Their biggest concern is a sudden steep increase in student rent.
Most young professionals now rent houses, since 80 percent of UK mortgage schemes(住房抵押贷款计划) have disappeared—a direct result of the credit crisis. This has boosted the house rent market.
In large cities, UK students are paying almost 6.5 percent more in rent than the previous year. Figures from the UK organization Accommodation for Student show students in big cities such as London paying an average weekly rent of $103.
Yet, despite students' suffering, the number of this year’s university applications is expected to grow. During economic slumps, people regard further education as a way to survive tough job markets.According to the passage, banks are unwilling to offer students loans because ________.
| A．the students are poor and sometimes they can’t pay off the debt |
| B．banks prefer lending the money to the young professionals |
| C．banks don’t have enough money left at the present time |
| D．they think college students are not studying hard |
The underlined phrase “top up” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________.
| A．put up | B．make up | C．fill up | D．pick up |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．UK college students have to pay more if they want to rent houses. |
| B．More UK students want to further their study in college. |
| C．It is not so easy for US students to loan money now. |
| D．College students' tuition fees have risen greatly. |
It can be inferred that ________.
| A．there are no private student loan lenders in the UK |
| B．loans for US college students will be increased next year |
| C．private funding falls a little because of higherinterest loans in the US |
| D．private loans play a very important role in financing US students’ education |
The passage mainly tells us ________.
| A．college students in the US and UK are faced with their financial crisis |
| B．it is the duty of the governments to solve college students' financial crisis |
| C．private student loan is a good way for college students to overcome the difficulties |
| D．further education is a good way for college students to survive tough job markets |
Computer programmer David Jones earns ￡35,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card(信用卡). Instead, he has been told to wait another two years, until he is 18. The 16yearold works for a small firm in Liverpool, where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David' s firm releases(推出) two new games for the fast growing computer market each month.
But David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot, he cannot drive a car, take out a mortgage(抵押贷款),or get credit cards. David got his job with the Liverpoolbased company four months ago, a year after leaving school with six Olevels and working for a time in a computer shop.“I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs,”he said. David spends some of his money on records and clothes, and gives his mother 50 pounds a week. But most of his spare time is spent working.
“Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school,”he said.“But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway.”David added：“I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement(退休) is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear.”In what way is David different from people of his age?
| A．He often goes out with friends. |
| B．He lives with his mother. |
| C．He has a handsome income. |
| D．He graduated with six Olevels. |
What is one of the problems that David is facing now?
| A．He is too young to get a credit card. |
| B．He has no time to learn driving. |
| C．He has very little spare time. |
| D．He will soon lose his job. |
Why was David able to get the job in the company?
| A．He had done well in all his exams. |
| B．He had written some computer programs. |
| C．He was good at playing computer games. |
| D．He had learnt to use computers at school. |
Why did David decide to leave school and start working?
| A．He received lots of job offers. |
| B．He was eager to help his mother. |
| C．He lost interest in school studies. |
| D．He wanted to earn his own living. |
Is it necessary for a young man to have an apartment as a prerequisite（先决条件） for marriage? Housing has become a major obstacle（障碍） for Chinese young men hoping to start a family. China may breed a new group of bachelors, men caught in the trap of unaffordable houses.
Since early 2009, the housing market has once again become a hot pot at boiling point. Even with allowance（津贴） and special government policies, home prices in China's first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are riding the crest（波峰）of a rising wave. According to the "2010 China Marital Status Report" released on Dec 15, 2010, about 70 percent of women interviewed said that housing, a stable income and some savings were the main requirements for marriage.
From the report, we can see that housing is given top priority（优先权） and that women see an apartment as essential(必不可少的) to show that the man is responsible and can provide for his family.
Personality and morals lay outside the top three matrimonial （婚姻的）requirements. Some women and their families hold the traditional position and take it for granted that the home issue should be the man's responsibility, which doesn’t agree with the contemporary independent spirit of women and gender equality. These marriage values reflect the fact that many women consider marriage another form of "social welfare".
Things may be different overseas. Social housing, provided by European authorities, offer the less wealthy people their own piece of real estate. Such housing is usually apartments in tall buildings with 10 or more floors on the outskirts of town, whose main advantage is the low rents.
For many Americans, houses don't pose an obstacle to getting married. They often buy a house after the wedding, because more and more people are reconsidering their real estate worship, and going back to a more rational(理性的) mode of consumption.
In Japan, renting is the custom for newly married young couples. Few young couples can afford to purchase property. Up to 67.1 percent of young couples choose to rent. Generally speaking, renters account for most people younger than 40 in Japan.
Young people should be free to enjoy being young, without the huge pressure of trying to buy property. Society should help create an environment for them to grow up. Don't let the poor bachelor group become a suffering layer（层） of our society.Which of the following is Not True according to the text?
| A．Home prices have been extremely high since early 2009. |
| B．In the modern society, women don’t want to be independent. |
| C．Chinese government has already done something to control home prices. |
| D．Lots of Chinese young men couldn’t get married because of their economic capability. |
What does the underlined word “outskirts” probably mean?
| A．urban areas | B．rural areas（乡下） |
| C．suburbs | D．downtown areas |
Why do many women take housing as one of the main requirements for marriage?
| A．Because they can’t afford a house. |
| B．Because they enjoy their social welfare. |
| C．Because their families want them to marry men with houses. |
| D．Because they think it’s a symbol of the men’s sense of responsibility. |
The author uses the examples of European countries, America and Japan to show that __________?
| A．new couples in those countries like to rent houses |
| B．the situation is different in some foreign countries |
| C．it’s better to live in those countries than live in China |
| D．their governments have done more than Chinese government |
The last paragraph is mainly about the author’s hope that __________?
| A．the society can develop rapidly |
| B．young people can lead a happy life |
| C．all the young people can afford houses |
| D．the poor bachelors can become rich and enjoy their life |
“When I grow up, I want to be...”
Almost all of us have thought about, or been asked to think about, our future careers. Our answers may differ greatly. Even now your aspirations(志向，抱负)may have changed from when you were in primary school.
However, it seems career options aren’t only based on personal taste. In a survey carried out by Teens, doctors, lawyers, and bankers were some of most popular careers that people said they hoped to follow. This is in line with a similar survey carried out in the UK in May 2011 by job website---Co.uk, in which medicine was the top choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17.
Medicine and law are two of the oldest and best known professions. Their prestige (威望) may come from the fact that doctors and lawyers are much-respected members of society, and they make good money. What’s more, these professions are often seen as a sign of upward social mobility.
It is equally unsurprising that banking is now one of the most common career choices. Youngsters worldwide think of banking and see the money rolling in. Wealth is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators(标志) of a successful career. British young men list the UK tycoon(巨头,大亨) Alan Sugar, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg as their top role models “for their wealth”. Just as Chinese teenagers see being a banker as a good and fun way to “wealth”.
However, not every child has the makings of doctor, lawyer, or banker. They are those who see achievement and happiness in other areas, and many teenagers dare to ink more individuality into their career options. As the Teens’ survey discovered, a variety of unconventional jobs---coffee shop owner, gourmet(美食家)，waiter at a fast food restaurant---are among teenagers’ career choices. They can be equally interesting and rewarding jobs.
With every choice comes responsibility and challenge, and all career paths require specific education and training, you have to learn to balance optimism(乐观主义)and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Careers in teenagers’ mind. |
| B．Choosing a good job is very important. |
| C．Teenagers in the UK like doctors. |
| D．The choice of career needs challenge. |
What is the top career choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17 according to the article?
| A．Medicine | B．Law | C．Bank | D．Education |
According to the article, all of the following are the benefits of being a doctor or a lawyer except _______.
| A．respect from others | B．the oldest profession |
| C．high pay | D．upward social mobility |
What do youngsters think is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators of a successful career?
| A．Prestige | B．Achievement | C．Happiness | D．Wealth |
According to the last two paragraphs, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Careers such as gourmets and waiters are not as rewarding as doctors and lawyers. |
| B．Specific education and training can help get a good job. |
| C．Responsibility is the most important when you choose a good job. |
| D．Optimism and confidence is more important than being realistic when |
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