Across the globe, single-parent homes are on the rise. In the US, the 2000 census (人口普查 ) showed 24.8 million or nearly 24 percent of the nation's 105.5 million households, were traditional two-parent homes. By comparison, 9.8 million households or 9.8 million of all US households were headed by an adult raising a child alone. The 1990 census showed 26 percent of homes were led by a married mother and father, and 8 percent of homes were led by a singe parent.
Similar increases occurred in other countries. In the UK, lone-parent family homes increased from 3.3 percent in 1990 to 5.5 percent in 1999. Single parent households in Australia rose from 5.8 percent in 1990 to 7.6 percent in l999. Belgium saw the increase from 1. 8 percent to 2.7 during the same period of time. These countries tend to have greater acceptance of single parenting because there are fewer nearby family members to disapprove, Riche, a Census Bureau director, said.
Just as in the US, those changes raised new questions about how involved government should be in helping single-parent families. Some research suggests children raised in two-parent families are better off than those who depend on one.
"The position of one-parent families in any country is very much a gender (性别) issue－women's opportunities, especially working-class women on low income," said Sue Chen, coordinator (协调员) of the Single Action Parents Network in England.Not considering the exact number of the single-parent families, which country saw the fastest rise rate in 1999, compared with 1990?
| A．UK. | B．Australia. | C．America. | D．Belgium. |
What is the cause of the rise of single-parent families across the globe?
| A．The nearby family members have a favorable opinion. |
| B．A lone parent is well off enough to support his/her children. |
| C．A lot of problems have arisen in two-parent families. |
| D．We cannot get enough proving information from the text. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the increase of single-parent families according to the passage?
A. It will somewhat limit the growing population of younger generation.
B. Governments should take actions about the social problems brought about by it.
C. Single-parent families are not looked down upon in any country mentioned here.
Celebrating sleep
World Sleep Day, observed on 21 March, was created to bring attention to the growing number of sleep problems worldwide. Sleep is a natural part of human life, but many people in the modern world ignore its importance. As a result, sleep problems are increasingly common.
In 2002, scientists at the University of Athens in Greece conducted a survey of over 35,000 people in 10 countries around the world, including China, Belgium and South Africa. Of the people that responded to the survey, 24 percent said that they did not sleep well, and based on their responses, 31.6 percent were diagnosed (诊断)with insomnia（失眠）and another 17.5 percent were diagnosed with borderline insomnia. In addition, 30.7 percent of survey respondents reported visiting a doctor for help with sleep problems and 11.6 percent said that they felt very sleepy during the day.
Overall, the survey found that ninny people suffer the effects of poor quality sleep, some examples of which are being unable to fall asleep and waking up in the middle of the night. The main factors causing these problems are pressure from school or work and a fast pace of life, but noise pollution and light pollution also interfere with sleep and contribute to poor quality sleep. The survey’s findings are particularly troubling because large numbers of people were found to have difficulty sleeping at night. The short-term effects of this are tiredness and trouble concentrating. If this happens for a long time, the risk of putting on weight and having a heart attack may increase.
There are many things you can do to improve the quality of your sleep. First, you should have regular sleep habits. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day. You also need to make your bedroom a cool, dark, quiet place to sleep so that heat, light and noise do not disturb you. At night, you should also avoid things that contain caffeine, such as chocolate, coffee, tea and many soft drinks, as caffeine may keep you from sleeping.
Getting a good night’s sleep is important for everyone. By following the advice above, you can rest better at night and work better during the day.
Title: Celebrating Sleep
| Topic |
Context |
| World Sleep Day |
Due to ignorance of the importance of sleep problems, people observe Mar. 21, World Sleep Day to bring (78) ▲ to the problem. |
| Responses of the survey |
1). Of 3, 5000 people in 10 countries in the world, there were 24 percent of the people saying they didn’t sleep well. 2). 31.6 percent were diagnosed with insomnia and another 17.5 percent were on the borderline of sleeplessness. 3). The (79) ▲ of the people feeling sleepy during the day is 11.6. 4) 30.7 percent reported (80) ▲ to a doctor for sleep problems. |
| (76) ▲ causing sleep problems & their consequences |
1).Under (81) ▲ from school or work, people may have sleep problems. 2). Noise or light pollution（82) ▲ to poor quality sleeps. 3).Sleepless people may easily (83) ▲ weight and have a heart attack. 4). Feeling fired and sleepy, people find it (84) ▲ to concentrate. |
| (77) ▲ to take to improve sleep quality |
1). Have regular sleep habits. 2). Make your bedroom cool, dark and quiet. 3). Avoid things (85) ▲ caffeine. |
Every object tells a story. Even the most ordinary objects can present to us powerful images. Sometimes it is the ordinary nature of these objects that actually makes them so extraordinary. Such is the case with an old leather shoe in a museum in Alaska. At first glance it does not look like much. It is a woman’s shoe of a style popular in the 1890s. But what is unique(独特的) about this shoe is where it was found. It was discovered on the Checkout Pass, the famous trail used by the people seeking gold in Alaska. Who it belonged to or why it was left there is not known. Was it perhaps dropped by accident as the woman climbed up the 1500 stairs carved outface? Or did she throw away goods that she didn’t need in order to travel lighter?
Over 100, 000 people with “gold fever” made this trip hoping to become millionaires. Few of them understood that on their way they would have to cross a harsh wildness. Unprepared for such a dangerous journey, many died of starvation and exposure to the cold weather.
The Canadian government finally started requiring the gold seekers to bring one ton of supplies with them. This was thought to be enough for a person to survive for one year. They would carry their supplies in backpacks(背包) each weighing up to fifty pounds; it usually took at least 40 trips to get everything to the top and over the pass. Whoever dropped the shoe must have been a brave and determined woman. Perhaps she was successful and made it to Alaska. Perhaps she had to turn back in defeat. No one will ever know for sure, but what we do know is that she took part in one of the greatest adventures in the 19th century. The ordinary woman’s leather shoe is considered unusual because ______.
| A．it was an important clue to life in the past |
| B．it was found on a famous trail |
| C．it at one time belonged to a VIP |
| D．it was a fashionable shoe at that time |
According to this passage, many people who went to Alaska ______.
| A．eventually became millionaires |
| B．brought with them many shoes |
| C．had conflicts with the Eskimos |
| D．were not properly equipped |
The Canadian government made gold seekers bring one year’s supplies with them so that ______.
| A．they would not die of hunger and cold |
| B．the army would have enough food for fighting a war |
| C．they would change these goods with the Eskimos |
| D．the supplies would make Alaska rich |
No matter what happened to the woman who owned the shoe, ______.
| A．she must have lived a happy life |
| B．she certainly dropped the shoe on purpose |
| C．her adventurous spirit is definitely admired |
| D．her other shoes were equally fashionable |
For thousands of years, the most important two buildings in any British village have been the church and the pub. Traditionally, the church and the pub are at the heart of any village or town, where the people gather together to socialize and exchange news.
As a result, British pubs are often old and well preserved. Many of them have become historic sites. The most famous example is the pub in the city of Nottingham called “The Old Trip to Jerusalem”, which dates back to the year 1189 AD and is probably the oldest pub in England.
However, British pubs are not just for kings and queens; they welcome people from all classes and parts of society. On a cold night, the pub’s landlord or landlady can always find a warm place for you by the fire. There is always honest and hearty food and plenty of drink available at an affordable price.
That’s how things used to be. Things are beginning to change. It is said that the credit crunch(信贷紧缩) is causing 39 British pubs a week to go out of business. People do not have enough spare money to spend on beer. Recently, the UK government banned smoking in all pubs, and that may also have affected the number of customers going to pubs.
This decline is happening despite the fact that in 2005 the UK government started to allow pubs to stay open after 1l pm. Previously, with 1l pm as closing time, customers would have to drink quite quickly, meaning they sometimes got more drunk than they would if allowed to drink slowly. The British habit of drinking a lot very quickly is known as “binge drinking”, and it causes long-term health problems for people and problems with violent crime for communities.
In order to save their businesses, pubs are trying to change with the market. British pubs now offer something for everyone. A lot of pubs used to be “Working Men's Clubs”, meaning that women could not usually enter. Today, however, women can freely enter 99% of pubs without experiencing any problems. Perhaps things are changing for the better after all.The passage mainly tells us something about ______.
| A．the past and present of British pubs |
| B．the decline of British pubs |
| C．the long history of British pubs |
| D．the importance of British pubs |
Which may not be the cause of the decline of British pubs?
| A．The credit crunch. |
| B．The present closing time. |
| C．The ban of smoking. |
| D．Having no spare money. |
We can infer from the passage that ______.
| A．British people used to like drinking slowly |
| B．closing the pubs early will reduce social problems |
| C．binge drinking means drinking less beer |
| D．British government aims to discourage people from binge drinking |
We can see from the last paragraph that the author _______.
| A．is against the admission of too many women to the pubs |
| B．holds an optimistic attitude towards the British pubs |
| C．thinks that women in the pubs will cause less social problems |
| D．thinks that British pubs should offer everything you need |
What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any especially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.
Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.
Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weakness than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic(认错的) about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The importance of working hard at school. |
| B．Choosing a career according to one’s strengths. |
| C．How to face one’s weakness. |
| D．The value of school work. |
The writer thinks that a student have a part-time job is probably ______.
| A．a good way to find out his weak points |
| B．one of the best ways of earning extra money |
| C．of great use for his work in the future |
| D．a waste of time he could have spent on study |
From the passage we learn that if a student’s school performance is not good, he _______.
| A．should pay more attention to learning skills and developing abilities |
| B．will be regretful about his bad results |
| C．may also do well in his future work |
| D．should restart his study in school |
The underlined phrase “be all thumbs” (in Para 3) probably means “_______”.
| A．be clumsy at doing things |
| B．be skillful in doing things |
| C．be not interested in certain things |
| D．be easily bored in doing things |
Dr. Glenn Tisman, a cancer specialist, knew his young neighbor, Ray Bateman, had an unusual mind. But he had no idea at the time that 12 - year – old Ray had the ability to become his partner in cancer research.
Ray’s parents remembered that at age four, Ray surprised them by fixing a broken vacuum cleaner（吸尘器）. When he was ten, he speedily constructed the family color television from a kit. Later, he succeeded in assembling（组装） a complex stereo system after two experts had failed to do the job.
When Ray was ten, he convinced his parents to buy him a computer. In a short time, Ray was able to do amazing things with the computer. Ray shared his enthusiasm for computers with Dr. Tisman, who used a computer for his research. The two discussed computers and medicine frequently. Amazingly, Ray understood the biology and chemistry related to Dr. Tisman’s medical research without any previous instruction.
Ray then worked with Dr. Tisman after school. He helped conduct research with the equipment and kept it in working order. The purpose of the research was to test the effectiveness of mixing an old cancer drug with certain vitamins. Ray analyzed patient test results by computer, while Dr. Tisman handled all patient contact. Together, they came up with solid research that helped advance cancer treatment.
In 1988, 14 - year - old Ray went with Dr. Tisman to a meeting of the American Federation for Clinical Research（AFCR）, where Ray presented their initial research findings. Using terminology（术语） beyond the grasp of most kids his age, Ray told the scientists how the new drug mixture caused fewer and milder side effects for cancer patients.
A year later, Ray returned to the meeting to update the findings of his and Dr. Tisman’s research. By then, he had become well - known for his devotion to finding cures for sick patients. Stories about him appeared in hundred of newspapers around the world. He appeared on television newscasts and talk shows.
Ray continued to spend most free hours working with Dr. Tisman. The two began studying the effects of vitamins on babies inside the womb（子宫）. However, Ray’s main interest remained cancer treatment, and he continues his research today. According to the passage, Ray______.
| A．is a boy of many gifts |
| B．is very helpful to his parents |
| C．learned fast under Dr. Tisman’s instruction |
| D．stopped working with Dr. Tisman after his success |
What do we know about Dr. Tisman?
| A．He succeeded in finding cures for cancer. |
| B．He made a new discovery in cancer treatment. |
| C．He convinced Ray to become a partner of him. |
| D．He taught Ray knowledge related to his research. |
What made Ray first known to the medical world?
| A．His presentation at AFCR. |
| B．His great skills in computer. |
| C．His devotion to cancer research. |
| D．His appearance on television newscasts. |
Dr. Tisman’s research is aimed at ______.
| A．providing different cancer treatments |
| B．proving the effects of vitamins on babies |
| C．finding the side effects of a cancer drug |
| D．testing the effectiveness of a new drug mixture |
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