EVERYBODY in this world is different from one another. But do you know that understanding differences can help you better manage your money?
As we grow up, we gradually develop a set of our own values or beliefs. These are influenced by society, our family, the education we receive and so on. Once this value system is set up, it’s not easy to change later in life.
Financial experts say that everyone also has their own belief of how to manage their finances. This is part of our value system and it has a great impact on the way we look after our money.
According to our different values, experts put us in three categories. They are: the ant, the cricket and the snail.
The ant—works first
Just like ants who work heart and soul in summer in order to store food for winter, these people don’t care about enjoying the moment. They work very hard and save money they earn so that they can enjoy life when they get old and retire. The ant loves to save but they could make more out of their money if they were willing to invest in some funds and stocks with low risk.
The cricket—fun first
The cricket wants to enjoy everything now and doesn’t think too much about the future. They even borrow money when they really want something. Many young people now belong to this group. These people have little savings. When they get old, they might have problems. They should learn to save and buy insurance.
The snail—lives under pressure
The snail refers to people who make life difficult for themselves. They take big long-term loans from the bank in order to buy things such as luxury houses. They are happy to take big loans even though they are not sure they can afford it. This can cause problems in the future. They should plan more carefully.We can learn from the text that _____.
| A．spending money is a wiser way |
| B．your way of managing money is a reflection of your value or belief |
| C．saving money is a good way to manage money |
| D．we spend money because we have earned it |
Of the three types of people, the one that has no weakness is _____.
| A． the cricket | B．none of them |
| C．the snail | D．the ant |
If you had three dollars, you would spend all of it. Which type do you belong to?
| A．None of them | B．The snail |
| C．The ant | D．The cricket |
The text tells us mainly about _____.
| A．spending nature |
| B．living behaviors of small animal |
| C．our own values and beliefs |
| D．understanding differences |
There is a group of people whose numbers the British Government desperately wants to see dropping. They're mostly in their early 20s, without jobs and not at university. They often wander the streets and are seen as a threat.
The Office for National Statistics reported on Dec, 11, 2006 that the number of young people who are not in school and not working or in training in Britain has risen sharply since 1997.
Britain now has 1.24 million people aged 15 to 24 who have nothing to do. That's a 15 percent increase over 1997. One in six people in this age group is idle.
These people are most likely to be from lower-income families and be supported by their families or the government. Those aver 18 can get a weekly job seeker's allowance of ￡46,69(690 yuan) from the government. This is only enough to cover the basic cost of living.
Housing benefits are also available. But for single people under 25, these only cover rent for very cheap accommodation, such as a shared room. So most unemployed young people choose to live with their parents, where they can have a room of their own
Some charities or local governments offer free housing for homeless young people as well. Nightstop UK, for example, offers help to young people aged 16--25. However, the housing is often only short-term.
British politician Iain Duncan-Smith blames the breakdown of traditional families on the increasing number of unemployed or untrained young people.
In Britain today, about one in 10 families are headed by a cohabiting couple, Cohabiting parents are twice as likely to break up as married parents, according to a Conservative Party report. Family breakdown is likely to lead to ignoring a child's education.
Poor post-school vocational training programmes are also being criticized. Independent research suggests that some training programmes are a waste of time.
The New Deal, a major programme to help the unemployed young, is one example. In 1998, 61 per cent of those leaving the programme could find jobs. That number is now down to 35 per cent.
" It, shows a failure of government policy. Even if you put in a large amount of money, if you haven't got the basic policies right, you won't get me results." said politician David Willetts .
60. What does the underlined word "idle" probably mean in the third paragraph?
A. engaged B. unemployed C. diligent D. busy
61. How many factors are mentioned in this passage that lead to the increase of unemployment?
A. 2 B.3 C. 4 D. 5
62. We can learn from the passage that_______________
A. the allowance from, the government can help those young people to live a comfortable life
B. the New Deal is always successful in helping job hunters
C. homeless young people depend on local governments for permanent accommodation
D. most unemployed young people choose to live with their parents because they can have their own room
63. The best title for this news report might be________________.
A. Success of Government Policy B. Vocational Training in Britain
C. Jobless Youth Concerns D. Job Hunting Problems
第三部分 阅读理解(共20小题：每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答
题卡上将该项涂黑。
Wishing to encourage her young son to make more progress on the piano，a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated，the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall，the little boy rose and eventually found his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE.” When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly，the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. To her horror，the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard，innocently picking out Twinkle，Twinkle Little Star.
At that moment, the great pianist made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a melody. Together, the old master and the young beginner transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was amazed and, as it finished, they cheered.
That's the way it is in life. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But when we put our trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life's work can be truly beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit, keep playing.
56. The mother took her son to the concert so that the boy could _______.
A. be encouraged to be a brave man B. become a famous pianist
C. be inspired to achieve more D. be a great artist
57. The reason why the boy went to the piano was that
A. he was encouraged to explore B. his mother forced him to have a look
C. be was invited to by the pianist D. he was exploring the concert hall
58. What the famous pianist did at the beginning of the concert showed ________.
A. what a great pianist he was B. what a skilled pianist he was
C. what an upright man he was D. what a strong man he was
59. What did the author really want to tell us in the last paragraph?
A. Not being interrupted by others is important.
B. Life needs one's own effort combined with guidance and cooperation.
C. It is necessary for us to keep doing everything.
D. It is important for us to get help from a famous person.
What would you do if you were lost in the dark forest at night? The first sensible lesson is that you shouldn’t bother trying to find your way in the dark at all, but just stay put until dawn. Because then you won’t trip over things? No, mainly because you’ll have an idea of direction. The sun rises in the east. But you will be amazed at how many people forget they know that. Apparently, the area underneath a holly bush provides a good makeshift shelter — they are thick, and evergreen. The next thing to do — or rather not to do — is panic, for the obvious reason that unless there is someone there to hear you scream, it will get you nowhere. Just try to think of nice, happy things.
There is always a point in films when a person who is lost in the desert or the snow, dehydrated(脱水的) and exhausted, comes across a set of their own footprints and realizes they have just walked in a huge, round circle. It is wrong to owe it to the unequal strengths or different lengths of your legs. Experiments prove that, without the sun or the moon (or landmarks) as a fixed guide, lots of small errors add up over time so the brain can’t correctly identify the “straight ahead” direction. To just get out of somewhere, pick a spot on the horizon and just head for it.
There are several ways to find directions in the dark, and by far the best is to establish north using the stars. Most people can identify the Plough, which is part of Ursa Major. It looks a lot like a saucepan. The Plough rotates through the sky, but let’s imagine the saucepan lying horizontally (水平地), with its handle on the left. You need to trace a line from the star at the right-hand base of the pan, through the star at the right-hand rim (边沿), and follow it upwards; the north star is roughly five times the distance between those two “pointer” stars. Then drop a vertical line from the North Star to the horizon and that’s north.
“Tonight is very cloudy and I can’t see the Plough.” Maybe luckily, it is quite windy. Keep in mind that almost all of our weather comes from a south-westerly direction. (This only works if you are in the British Isles). To find the direction, you can throw light bits of dried-out grass in the air and see which way they blow; or, if there are clouds and patches of clear sky, see which way they blow across the stars. You can also get an idea of direction from leggy plants. If they look as if they have been blown over, they will probably be pointing north-east. If they are simply leaning in one direction as they grow, there’s a good chance that is south (they will be reaching towards the sun). The last thing to do is to judge your direction and off you go.
67. What might be the best title of the passage ?
A. How to survive in the forest
B. How to protect yourself in the forest
C. How to direct your way out of the wild
D. What to do if you are lost
68. Which of the following pictures matches the description of the position of the north star?
69. Why will people often walk in a circle if they are lost in the desert or the snow?
A. Because without anything to refer to for directions, the brain will be confused by errors.
B. Because one of the legs is longer and stronger than the other.
C. Because the desert or the snow usually covers a large area for people to get across.
D. Because people usually feel dehydrated and exhausted in the desert or the snow.
70. If you were lost in Taklimakan Desert in China, _________ would NOT be dependable for you to identify the directions.
A. the sun B. the North Star C. wind D. the moon
Have you got any wonderful plans for your coming winter vacation? Here are some wonderful films for you to kill time.
| Away We Go With a baby on his way, a young couple, Burt and Verona, look at their lives and are puzzled about what they really want. So they hit the road and seek a place to call home. On their journey, they visit a handful of characters and learned a lot. It’s about taking the scenic route in life, preparing for the hope and excitement and fear of new beginnings, while never forgetting to look out of the window. |
Orphan Esther, a bright and well-behaved child, however, is not as innocent as she appears. Soon after being taken home, the peace of her adoptive family is completely changed… You want a good horror film about a child from hell? Then you got one! Do not, in any cases, take children to see it. |
| 500 Days of Summer Tom is in love with Summer from the moment he sees her. Can he accept that she simply likes him for now, not for forever? The movie is about Tom wrestling with that reality. Tom remembers his love, Summer, as a series of joys and bafflements. But Summer is just herself and he cannot have her. Here is a rare movie that begins by telling us how it will end and is about how the hero has no idea why. |
2012 The director Roland Emmerich successfully dresses a corny story with an old Mayan prediction, which is believed by many to happen in the coming 2012 and as a result, attracts millions of people into the cinema. It’s just an entertaining Hollywood blockbuster(大片) with plenty of jokes, instead of a description of what the end of the world is really like. Don’t take it too seriously! |
63. This passage aims to __________.
A. make comments on films for a cinema B. introduce films for a film corporation
C. recommend several films for fun D. advertise several films for a website
64. If you bring your seven-year-old sister to the cinema, which of the following film should you avoid?
A. Away We Go. B. Orphan. C. 2012. D. 500 Days of Summer.
65. Among all the characters mentioned in the passage, who directed films in Hollywood?
A. Roland Emmerich. B. Tom and Summer. C. Burt and Verona. D. Esther.
66. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Orphan is a comedy about Esther adopted by a kind family.
B. 500 Days of Summer is a romance with a happy ending.
C. Away We Go shows beautiful scenery on the young couple’s journey.
D. The ancient Mayan prediction is going to happen in 2012.
第三部分: 阅读理解 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C和D中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
He was an old man who fished alone in a boat in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy’s parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally salao, which is the worst form of unlucky, and the boy had gone at their orders in another boat which caught three good fish the first week. It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him carry either the coiled lines or the gaff (鱼钩) and harpoon (鱼叉) and the sail that was furled around the mast (桅杆). The sail was patched with flour sacks and, furled, it looked like the flag of permanent defeat.
The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck. The brown blotches（斑点）of the skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert.
Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.
“Santiago,” the boy said to him as they climbed the bank from where the skiff was pulled up. “I could go with you again. We’ve made some money.”
The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him.
“No,” the old man said. “You’re with a lucky boat. Stay with them.”
“But remember how you went eighty-seven days without fish and then we caught big ones every day for three weeks.”
“I remember,” the old man said. “I know you did not leave me because you doubted.”
“It was papa who made me leave. I am a boy and I must obey him.”
“I know,” the old man said. “It is quite normal.”
“He hasn’t much faith.”
“No,” the old man said. “But we have. Haven’t we?”
“Yes,” the boy said. “Can I offer you a beer on the Terrace and then we’ll take the stuff home.”
“Why not?” the old man said. “Between fishermen.”
56. The boy left the old man and went in another boat to fish because .
A. the old man preferred to fish alone
B. the old man was unlucky
C. the boy’s parents ordered him to
D. the old man’s sail suggested a permanent defeat
57. After reading this passage, we may safely conclude that .
A. the old man was insistent and not afraid of failure
B. the boy’s papa had confidence in everything
C. the old man caught big fishes during eighty-seven days
D. the boy obeyed his father because he had some doubts about the old man
58. What might happen after the last paragraph?
A. The old man and the boy might go to fish with other fishermen.
B. The old man might go to have a drink with the boy.
C. The old man and the boy might go to enjoy beer at the old man’s home.
D. The old man might go to tell the boy’s papa about the secrets between fishermen.
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