The protest movement called Occupy Wall Street has struck a nerve．The demonstrators' （示威者） goals may not be obvious but their complaints are very real．
The truth is that millions of Americans lost their jobs, their homes and their life savings because of the greed（贪欲） and illegal behavior of Wall Street．Even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bemanke also said the protesters hold the view that the financial institutions are responsible for "getting the US into this mess", and added, "I can't blame those protesters．"
Where do we go from this movement? How do we calm the protesters' anger?
For starters, we should break up the super financial institutions．Left to their own selfish will．Wall Street bankers will continue to gamble（赌博） with other people's money．There also is a sound economic argument against too few owning far too much．The idea that six super financial institutions （Bank of America, CitiGroup, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs） can take control over the economy frightens anyone who believes in a competitive free-market system．Good Republican presidents like William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt broke up Standard Oil, the Railroad Trusts ．and other huge companies a century ago．
Real unemployment is more than 16%．Average family income has declined by $3,600 over the last decade．A record 46 million Americans live in poverty．The gap between the very rich and everyone else, the widest of any major country, is growing wider．Now is the time for us to end the financial oligarchy（寡头） that has been so harmful to our economy．If a bank is too big, it is too big to exist．Millions of Americans lost their jobs as a result of _____．
| A．the decline of average family income |
| B．illegal behavior of Wall Street |
| C．wider gap between the very rich and everyone else |
| D．the protest movement called Occupy Wall Street |
Which of the following belongs to the super financial institutions?
| A．Standard Oil | B．Federal Reserve |
| C．JP Morgan Chase | D．Teddy Roosevelt |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The protest movement has very clear aims． |
| B．Wall Street bankers manage people's money well． |
| C．Super financial institutions should be broken up． |
| D．Average family income is always in decline． |
What is the attitude of the writer towards the financial institutions?
| A．critical | B．supportive |
| C．indifferent | D．enthusiastic |
My grandma whom we all called Nanny was a solid, first-generation, Italian immigrant. She came to this country with her family on a tiny ship during World War I when she was only 8 years old. During the trip she survived stormy seas，little food, and an attack by a German U-boat. After getting here，her large family worked hard to build a new life in America. They never had much money but were rich in love.
One day, when I was about 5 or 6 years old, my parents and brothers went on a trip. It was just me and Nanny in the house for the weekend. Nanny seemed so happy to be taking care of me all by herself. She made me a special breakfast that first morning. However, all I could do was to complain about how the food was not how Mom always made it. Nanny quietly put down the plate and went into the living room. I followed a minute later and saw that she had tears in her eyes. It was the first time I had ever seen my strong and proud grandmother cry and I was the one who had caused it.
I walked over to Nanny, climbed on her lap, and for the first time in my short life I did something else too. I apologized without being told to and asked Nanny to forgive me. She smiled, rubbed my head, and told me I was a good boy even though I didn't feel like one then.
That memory just like my Nanny's love will stay in my heart forever. It is a sign of both strength and wisdom. Asking for forgiveness helps us to learn, to grow, and to love.Nanny’s family immigrated to America mainly because _____.
| A．they suffered starvation in their homeland |
| B．they wanted to start a rich life in the new land |
| C．they tried to get away from the terrible climate |
| D．their country was in war and they needed peace |
The boy complained to Nanny that the food _____.
| A．wasn't cooked the way his mom did |
| B．was served a bit later than usual |
| C．was prepared in a special way |
| D．was just to his parents’ taste |
When seeing Nanny crying in the living room, the author felt _____.
| A．surprised | B．ashamed |
| C．shocked | D．annoyed |
The author mainly wants to tell us that _____.
| A．forgiveness can be beneficial to people asking for it |
| B．hardships can make children more indifferent |
| C．grandparents are more tolerant than their grandchildren |
| D．family ties can sometimes be misused |
Imagine a house that keeps itself warm in the wintertime. Think of the savings in terms of fuel bills and unfriendly emissions. Such houses in fact exist, called “passive houses”. The concept of these highly energy-efficient buildings took root in the 1990s, before slowly consolidating as a niche construction (生态位构建) concept in the 2000s. Are passive houses now actively moving into the mainstream as sustainable buildings?
For Brian McGarry, an economics lecturer who built a family house based on passive housing criteria in the Pyrenees this year, the arguments look convincing. As his first full winter in the low energy house draws in, we asked him to keep us informed. Do passive houses work?
I had never heard of a passive house in February 2012, when I purchased a plot of land. Nor did I expect that I would be persuaded to build a pre-constructed, custom-designed house based on energy-efficient passive house criteria. It promised to be easier and quicker to build, cheaper to run, and more comfortable to live in. The objective was to incorporate the fundamental concepts of passive energy management into my project: an airtight and highly insulated building envelope; large southfacing double or triple-glazed windows (if possible, filled with argon gas) that passively capture the energy of the sun; a heat recovery ventilation system to provide fresh air; and a simple, low-cost heating system consisting of a modern wood-burning stove, a bathroom heater and a portable radiator backup for when the sun doesn’t shine and temperatures decline. No significant limitations were placed on the design, and it had excellent environmental credentials. Moreover, the cost was no more than a conventional build.
After six months in use, the house is proving to be both cheap to run and remarkably comfortable–staying cool in the hot summer was effortless, as long as the windows were shuttered or shaded from the sun. Nowstaying warm in the cold, high-altitude December climate also seems easy, so far.
Winter arrived in force in the Pyrenees in November, with abundant snowfalls and temperatures as low as minus 8° Celsius. Though early days, the house has responded well: the stove is lit during cold evenings but the portable radiator has not yet been needed. This type of construction seems not only to make economic and environmental sense, but to enhance our quality of life, too.We can learn from Paragraph one that passive houses __________.
| A．consume extra energy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer |
| B．had been introduced for a decade before the birth of the theory |
| C．appeal to both the self-builders and those constructors |
| D．refer to a certain house comfortable, costly and also pleasing |
Regarding the passive energy management, the houses have characteristics EXCEPT _______
| A．using south-facing windows to take in solar energy |
| B．Providing energy for taking a shower when it’s rainy |
| C．supplying fresh air with a special heat recovery system |
| D．placing more demands and restrictions on the design |
How did Brian McGarry find his self-built passive house?
| A．very unaffordable | B．Energy-consuming |
| C．comfortable to live in | D．Awkward to use |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the passive housing?
| A．supportive | B．critical |
| C．oppositive | D．doubtful |
A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps; for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men.
A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today that it always was, and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of adversity or distress. It always receives us with the same kindness; amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting and consoling us in age.
Men often discover their affinity (密切关系) to each other by the mutual love they have for a book just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both entertain for a third. There is an old proverb, “Love me, love my dog.” But there is more wisdom in this: “Love me, love my book.” The book is a truer and higher bond of union. Men can think, feel, and sympathize with each other through their favorite author. They live in him together, and he in them.
A good book is often the best urn(瓮) of a life enshrining the best that life could think out; for the world of a man’s life is, for the most part, but the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words, the golden thoughts, which, if remembered and cherished, become our constant companions and comforters.
Books possess an essence of immortality. They are by far the most lasting products of human effort.
Temples and statues decay, but books survive. Time is of no account with great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author’s minds, ages ago. What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page. The only effects of time have been to filter out the bad products; for nothing in literature can long survive but what is really good.A good book may be among the best of friends because_____.
| A．it changes over the past of time |
| B．it contains all kinds of knowledge |
| C．it doesn’t betray us when we are in trouble |
| D．it comforts us in youth and instructs us in age |
“Love me, love my book” in paragraph 3 probably means _______?
| A．If you love me, you must reading books. |
| B．The book can be a bond between friends. |
| C．I love books as much I love friends. |
| D．If you love the author, you will love his books. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Time can tell whether a literature is good or bad. |
| B．All books are our constant companions and comforters. |
| C．Temples, statues and books cannot stand the test of time. |
| D．The world of a man’s thoughts is what his life is all about. |
The best title for this passage can be .
| A．Reading Books | B．A Good Book |
| C．Our Best Friend | D．Companionship of Books |
For high school leavers starting out in the working world, it is very important to learn particular skills and practice how to behave in an interview or how to find an internship (实习). In some countries, schools have programs to help students onto the path to work. In the United States, however, such programs are still few and far behind.
Research shows that if high schools provide career-related courses, students are likely to get higher earnings in later years. The students are more likely to stay in school, graduate and go on to higher education.
In Germany, students as young as 13 and 14 are expected to do internships. German companies work with schools to make sure that young people get the education they need for future employment.
But in America, education reform programs focus on how well students do in exams instead of bringing them into contact with the working world. Harvard Education school professor Robert Schwartz has criticized education reformers for trying to place all graduates directly on the four-year college track. Schwartz argued that this approach leaves the countrys most vulnerable(易受影响的)kids with no jobs and no skills.
Schwartz believed that the best career programs encourage kids to go for higher education while also teach them valuable practical skills at high school. James Madison High School in New York, for example ,encourages students to choose classes on career-based courses. The school then helps them gain on-the-job experience in those fields while theyre still at high school.
However, even for teens whose schools encourage them to connect with work, the job market is daunting. In the US, unemployment rates for 16-to-19-year-olds are above 20 percent for the third summer in a row.
“The risk is that if teenagers miss out on the summer job experience, they will become part of this generation of teens who had trouble in landing a job, said Michael, a researcher in the US. In the authors opinion, German high school leavers ______.
| A．enjoy more career-related courses than that of US |
| B．need more career advice from their schools |
| C．perform better in exams than American students |
| D．are less brought into contact with the working world |
According to Robert Schwartz, high school students should _________.
| A．directly carry on higher education |
| B．get contact with the working world |
| C．focus on their performance in exams |
| D．not miss out on the summer job experience |
The underlined word “daunting” in Paragraph 6 most probably mean “______”.
| A．incredible | B．motivating |
| C．impressive | D．discouraging |
What’s the main idea of the text?
| A．Remarks on recent US high school education reform |
| B．Tips on finding jobs for high school leavers in US. |
| C．The lack of career-based education in US high schools. |
| D．The severe situation of unemployment in US. |
Dyslexia is a learning disorder, it interferes with the ability to recognize words, and for some readers to understand what they have read. Experts say dyslexia affects about five to ten percent of the population of the United States. Researchers have long known that people with dyslexia write or read words and lettersbackwards in the wrong order.
But a new study shows that people with dyslexia may have trouble redirecting their attention between senses, from seeing something to hearing something. The study suggests something that might help dyslexicpeople learn more quickly - play video games.
Vanessa Harrar of Britain’s University of Oxford led the study. She reported the findings in the journalCurrent Biology. The study suggests that dyslexic people may have trouble moving quickly from what they read to what they hear.
In the study, Doctor Harrar tested 17 people with dyslexia, and 19 others without reading problems. The volunteers were asked to push a button as quickly as possible when they heard a sound, saw a light or experienced both together. Doctor Harrar compared the speed of their reactions. She found that people with dyslexia were just as fast as the others when they saw only a picture or heard only a sound. But the Dyslexicshad a slower reaction time when they heard a sound and saw a picture at the same time, this may have an effect on how dyslexic children are taught how to read.
Doctor Harrar feels like playing video games could help dyslexic people shift from seeing to hearing more quickly. She adds that images in video games force the eyes to move and focus quickly. “Video game types of things pop out of here and there, they move your eyes around the screen quite quickly in response to things quite quickly, and the more you play a video game the faster you get that kind of thing. So, the video game is really training the attention system to move quickly,” said Harrar. When children learn the alphabet, they usually see the letter first and then hear the sound, or they see and hear the letter at the same time. The study shows that Dyslexics might learn more quickly if they hear the sound of a letter or word first before seeing it.According to Doctor Harrars study, the dyslexic people have difficulty in______.
| A．recognizing words |
| B．reading words backwards |
| C．writing letters in order |
| D．shifting from seeing to hearing |
Which factor affects the way dyslexic children are taught to read?
| A．They react more slowly to a single picture or sound |
| B．They react as fast as others to a single picture or sound |
| C．It takes them longer to react to sounds and pictures together |
| D．It is difficult for them to understand before seeing the word |
How does the author suggest Dyslexics are taught based on the research finding?
| A．by putting hearing previous to seeing |
| B．by training the attention on games |
| C．by seeing first and then hearing later |
| D．by moving the eyes around the screen |
What can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Video Games Might Help Dyslexics |
| B．Dyslexia Affects Attention between Senses |
| C．Video Games Can Train the Attention System |
| D．Dyslexics Might Learn Better through Sound |
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