While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy is ruining their life plans, I couldn't help but think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children who grow up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment –my husband and I probably won't be able to buy a house until we're in our forties, and we two are burdened by student loans. But why should it be different? Being young people in America, shouldn't they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won't be able to have children for at least a decade because they can't afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury（奢华）, not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old man in the story is disappointed that he can't afford to get a Ph. D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it's sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people's expectations grow up when their wealth appears to be increasing. Their parents probably see their home values rise along with their investments. "So we have people who have grown up in an environment where people have great expectations of what living well means," says Kobliner.
This recession（经济衰退） will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems much better for our mental health to focus on being grateful—for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day—than on longing for some kind of luxurious life. What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
| A．They expect everything to be easy for them. |
| B．They complain that the economy is ruining their life plans. |
| C．They are unwilling to face all of the challenges. |
| D．They are burdened by student loans. |
Which of the following is NOT one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?
A. They can't have children for at least a decade for they can't afford to buy a house.
B. They have only a one-bedroom apartment to live in.
C. They can't buy a house until 40 and are burdened by student loans.
D. They despair of not being able to afford to get a Ph. D. in literature.What's Kobliner's attitude towards the 20-somethings with high expectations ?
| A．Unbearable. | B．Opposing. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Understanding. |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Young people afford to continue their education |
| B．Young people can't afford to buy a house |
| C．Young people's high expectations lead to despair |
| D．The 20-somethings' high expectations |
Wanted, Someone for a Kiss
We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM.You'll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply (申请) in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.
Father Christmas
We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.
Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10:30-16:00.
Excellent pay
Please contact (联系) the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne.
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general du- ties. If you are educated to GCSE grade
C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.
Wealden District Council
Software Trainer
If you are aged 24-25 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them Pay upwards of f15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV(简历) to Mrs. R. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station?
| A．Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100. |
| B．Mrs. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. |
| C．The Enterprise Shopping Centre. |
| D．Wealden District Council. |
We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who ____.
| A．is aged between 24 and 40 |
| B．may do some training work |
| C．should deal with general duties |
| D．can work for about a month |
Which position is open to recent school graduates?
| A．Producer, London Kiss. |
| B．Father Christmas. |
| C．Accountants Assistant. |
| D．Software Trainer. |
What kind of person would probably apply to Palmlace Limited?
| A．One with GCSE grade C level. |
| B．One with some office experience. |
| C．One having good computer knowledge. |
| D．One trained in producing music programmes. |
Tim Richter and his wife, Linda, had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo, New York -- he in computers, she in special education. "Teaching means everything to us," Tim would say. In April1998, he learned he would need a heart operation. It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life's purpose.
Not long after the surgery, Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library, a program started by Dolly Parton's foundation (基金会) that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer's home town of Sevier, Tennessee. "I thought, maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire," Tim recalls. He placed the brochure on his desk, "as a reminder."
Five years later, now retired and with that brochure still on the desk, Tim clicked on imagination library.com. The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts.
The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters. Rather then sign up online; they went to Dollywood for a look-see. "We didn't want to give the children rubbish," says Linda. The books-reviewed each year by teachers, literacy specialists, and Dollywood board members -- included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama series.
Satisfied, the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work. Since 2004, they have shipped more than 12,200 books to preschoolers in their in their area. Megan Williams, a mother of four, is more than appreciative: "This program introduces us to books I've never heard of."
The Richters spend about $400 a month sending books to 200 children. "Some people sit there and wait to die," says Tim. "Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left." What led Tim to think seriously about the meaning of life?
| A．His health problem. | B．His love for teaching. |
| C．The influence of his wife. | D．The news from the Web. |
What did Tim want to do after learning about Imagination Library?
| A．Give out brochures. | B．Do something similar. |
| C．Write books for children | D．Retire from being a teacher. |
According to the text, Dolly Parton is ________.
| A．a well-known surgeon | B．a mother of a four-year-old |
| C．a singer born in Tennessee | D．a computer programmer |
Why did the Richters go to Dollywood?
| A．To avoid signing up online. |
| B．To meet Dollywood board members. |
| C．To make sure the books were the newest. |
| D．To see if the books were of good quality. |
Anyone who cares about what schools and colleges teach and how their students learn will be interested in the memoir (回忆录) of Ralph W. Tyler, who is one of the most famous men in American education.
Born in Chicago in 1902, brought up and schooled in Nebraska, the 19-year-old college graduate Ralph Tyler became hooked on teaching while teaching as a science teacher in South Dakota and changed his major from medicine to education.
Graduate work at the University of Chicago found him connected with honorable educators Charles Judd and W. W. Charters, whose ideas of teaching and testing had an effect on his later work. In 1927, he became a teacher of Ohio State University where he further developed a new method of testing.
Tyler became well-known nationality in 1938, when he carried his work with the Eight-Year Study from Ohio State University to the University of Chicago at the invitation of Robert Hutchins.
Tyler was the first director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, a position he held for fourteen years. There, he firmly believed that researchers should be free to seek an independent (独立的) spirit in their work.
Although Tyler officially retired in 1967, he never actually retired. He served on a long list of educational organizations in the United States and abroad. Even in his 80s he traveled across the country to advise teachers and management people on how to set objectives (目标) that develop the best teaching and learning within their schools. Who are most probably interested in Ralph W. Tyler's memoir?
| A．Top managers. |
| B．Language learners. |
| C．Serious educators. |
| D．Science organizations. |
The words "hooked oh teaching" underlined in Paragraph 2 probably mean _____.
| A．attracted to teaching |
| B．tired of teaching |
| C．satisfied with teaching |
| D．unhappy about teaching |
Where did Tyler work as the leader of a research center for over 10 years?
| A．The University of Chicago. |
| B．Stanford University. |
| C．Ohio State University. |
| D．Nebraska University. |
Tyler is said to have never actually retired because_____.
| A．he developed a new method of testing |
| B．he called for free spirit in research |
| C．he was still active in giving advice |
| D．he still led the Eight-Year Study |
What cannot we learn about Ralph W.Tyler in this article?
| A．When and where he was born |
| B．Where he studied and worked |
| C．His devotion to American education |
| D．His life with his family |
Most schools ban chewing gum, but in a few years they might consider changing that rule. Why? Scientists are finding evidence that gum chewing may be good for your health. It may even help boost your test scores.
This exciting research is just beginning. And at the same time, companies are also experimenting with adding vitamins, minerals, medicines, and other substances that could give gum the power to cure headaches and fight everything from serious diseases to bad breath.
These gums are part of the growing number of foods and drinks that contain health-boosting ingredients. If you're already a gum fan, that's probably welcome news.
Americans chew about 1.8 pounds of gum per person each year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By showing that gum chewing can be healthy, companies that make and sell gum hope that we'll chew even more.
Chewing gum might be good for your brain. One Japanese study of nine participants found that chewing gum boosted the flow of blood to participants' brains by up to 40 percent. Blood carries oxygen, which fuels brain cells.
Other small studies have found that people perform better on memory tests while chewing gum. And a study in the United Kingdom found that people who chewed gum while memorizing a list of words did about 25 percent better at recalling those words than people who didn't chew gum.
But additional studies are still needed to confirm that chewing gum has benefits. So far, results of studies about memory have been mixed. Not all tests have had similarly encouraging results. What's more, many of the studies that show gum's benefits are funded by gum companies.
So, for now, chew with caution. Too much chewing can damage the jaw joint. And chewing too much of a gum that contains vitamins, caffeine, or a medicine could lead to an overdose. What's more, no matter how healthy gum chewing proves to be, it will never be a match for a healthy lifestyle. Nothing like a gum or a vitamin is going to cure a bad eating habit or a bad exercise habit. It's not a magic bullet. Scientific studies about gum chewing show that ______.
| A．it can help fight serious diseases |
| B．it can help blood produce more oxygen |
| C．it can help reduce headaches |
| D．it can help improve students' memory |
Why are scientists trying to put different substances in gum?
| A．To make it taste more delicious. |
| B．To make it contain more ingredients. |
| C．To help cure different illnesses. |
| D．To help improve the sales of gum. |
What does the writer think of the results of the present studies about gum?
| A．The writer has no doubt about them. |
| B．The writer isn't quite sure about them. |
| C．The writer doesn't believe them at all. |
| D．The writer is very happy with them. |
Which of the following statements would the writer agree with?
| A．Students should be careful with gum chewing. |
| B．The more gums we chew, the more words we will remember. |
| C．Gum chewing helps change a bad eating habit. |
| D．The healthier gum chewing proves to be, the more we should chew. |
Many critics worry about violence on television, most out of fear that it stimulates viewers to violent or aggressive acts. Our research, however, indicates that the consequences of experiencing TV’s symbolic world of violence may be much more far-reaching.
We have found that people who watch a lot of TV see the real world as more dangerous and frightening than those who watch very little. Heavy viewers are less trustful of their fellow citizens, and more fearful of the real world. Since most TV “action-adventure” dramas occur in urban settings, the fear they inspire may contribute to the current flee of the middle class from our cities. The fear may also bring increasing demands for police protection, and election of law-and-order politicians.
While none of us is completely dependent upon television for our view of the world, neither have many of us had the opportunity to observe the reality of police stations, courtrooms, corporate board rooms, or hospital operating rooms. Although critics complain about the fixed characters and plots of TV dramas, many viewers look on them as representative of the real world. Anyone who questions that statement should read the 250,000 letters, most containing requests for medical advice, sent by viewers to “Marcus Welby, M.D.” —a popular TV drama series about a doctor— during the first five years of his practice on TV.
Violence on television leads viewers to regard the real world as more dangerous than it really is, which must also influence the way people behave. When asked, “Can most people be trusted?” the heavy viewers were 35 percent more likely to choose “Can’t be too careful.”
Victims, like criminals, must learn their proper roles, and televised violence may perform the teaching function all too well. Instead of worrying only about whether television violence causes individual displays of aggression in the real world, we should also be concerned about social reality. Passive acceptance of violence in the face of injustice may result from far greater social concern than occasional displays of individual aggression.
We have found that violence on prime-time（黄金时段）network TV cultivates overstated （夸大的）assumptions about the threat of danger in the real world. Fear is a universal emotion, and easy to exploit. The overstated sense of risk and insecurity may lead to increasing demands for protection and to increasing pressure for the use of force by established authority. Instead of threatening the social order, television may have become our chief instrument of social control. Which of the following is NOT among the consequences of watching TV too much?
| A．Distrusting people around. |
| B．Moving into rural areas. |
| C．Turning to the police for protection. |
| D．Holding more elections. |
According to the passage, why did “Marcus Welby, M.D.” receive so many letters?
A. Because viewers believed the doctor did exist in the real life.
B. Because certain TV programmes recommended him to viewers.
C. Because he was an experienced doctor and saved many lives.
D. Because the TV appealed to people to pay attention to health. According to the author, _________ is mainly to blame for people’s fear of the real world.
| A．network TV |
| B．social reality |
| C．individual display of violence |
| D．televised violence |
We can infer from the passage that __________.
| A．people tend to be aggressive or violent after watching TV too much |
| B．people can learn to protect themselves from dangers by watching TV |
| C．the occasional displays of individual aggression may threaten the social order |
| D．watching TV may cause the misuse of authority and disturb the social order |
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