Chinese reports say the country’s vast pool of cheap labor is getting smaller, which could hurt an economy that heavily depends on labor-intensive manufacturing.

The academy’s research shows that China’s rural labor surplus, the source of migrant workers for the country’s factories, is about 50 million people—far less than the previously estimated 150 to 200 million.

Jonathan Unger, director of the Contemporary China Center at the Australian National University, says fewer rural residents are willing to leave their farms today. This is partly because there are more employment opportunities in rural areas, and because agricultural prices have gone up.

“And at the same time taxes in the countryside, fees in the countryside have gone down because of new sets of government policies,” he explained. “So people are not eagerly forced in the way they were five, six years ago to leave the farm in order to earn enough money for their families.”

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences says another reason for the reduced labor pool is the country’s population policy, which allows city residents to have just one child, and farmers up to two if the first one is a girl.

A UN study predicts that China’s workforce will reach its top in 2015 and then gradually drop. Some of China’s major manufacturing areas, such as Guangdong Province, already face labor shortages.

Some economists think these shortages are, at least for now, a regional rather than a national problem. Sun Mingchun, an economist with investment bank Lehman Brothers in Hong Kong, points out that there are still millions of people in China who can not find work.

57. According to the academy’s research, China’ rural labor surplus today is about _______.

  A. 150 million      B. 50 million      C. 200 million      D. 175 million

58. The reason why many rural residents don’t leave their farms today is ________.

  A. the farmers are older than before.

  B. the farmers are lazier than before

  C. the farmers have much more money

  D. there are more employment opportunities and agricultural prices have gone up

59. Which of the following is TURE according to the passage?

  A. A study of UN estimates China’s workforce will come to the top in 2015.

  B. No a study shows millions of people can’t find work in China.

  C. The country’s population policy isn’t a reason for the reduced labor.

  D. Five years ago, few farmers left their homes to earn money for supporting their families.

60. According to some economists, the shortage of Chinese workforce __________.

  A. is a national problem                     B. is a regional problem

  C. is not a problem                         D. can be solved easily

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Crosstalk(相聲),a traditional form of comic storytelling,is making a comeback in China’s tea houses and theaters.

   Audiences can laugh the night away every Saturday at the Qianxiangyi Teahouse in Tianjin,entertained by the apprentices(學徒)of Hou Baolin,Ma Sanli or Yin Shoushan—all leading crosstalk artists of years past—for only 20 yuan($2.40).

   The success in Tianjin has also caused the rejuvenation(復活) of crosstalk in Beijing and other places.

   Although the art form originated in Beijing in the Qing Dynasty(1644-1911),Tianjin became a place where rising stars formed their styles and new pieces were tried out.The city was well—known nationwide for the quality of its crosstalk performances.

Known in Chinese as xiangsheng(1iterally,“face and voice”),crosstalk was the predominant(支配的)form of comedy throughout most of the 20th century.In the old days in Tianjin and elsewhere,temple fairs and markets were the main places for crosstalkers to perform,although they occasionally also appeared in teahouses or theaters.

    Crosstalk pieces draw on every aspect of Chinese culture,from history and folk tales to social issues of the time.Although there’re hundreds of traditional pieces,they’re constantly rewritten to suit the times and the audience, while new works are written as well.It’s one of the features that have made crosstalk a

 public art form throughout its history.

    “Crosstalk was in the doldrums(萎靡不振)with competition from other art forms,especially TV,”said Wang Xiaochun,headmaster of the Northern Storytelling Arts School of China(NSAS).“But it has regained its status with crosstalk fans,especially young people,growing aware of its rare qualities.”

    “More and more students are coming to NSAS to study crosstalk,including some girl students,”said Wang, “They’re sure that crosstalk will have a strong market.”

Crosstalk means“__________ ”in Chinese.

   A.storytelling    B.face and voice    C.folk tale  D.dialogue

According to the text, crosstalk is so popular throughout its history because____________.

  A.it is constantly changed and renewed    B.it is often performed at temple fairs

  C.it is different from other arts           D.it is comic and humourous

Crosstalk makes a comeback mainly because__________.

  A.it is a popular traditional art after all

  B.the pieces contain some famous folk tales

  C.the crosstalkers make it return to teahouses

  D.the pieces are made to suit the times and the audience

We can learn that the future of crosstalk first lies in ____________.

  A.setting up more storytelling art schools     B.beating TV and other arts

  C.young people’s awareness of its value      D.a(chǎn) strong market

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Writer/ Time

Topic: Who’s a better singer, Andy Lau (劉德華) or Jacky Cheung (張學友)?

Jim

8-15-2006

5:25 pm.

Some people say Jacky is the best Chinese singer. I don’t think so! Andy is the best. I went to his concert last year. It was so wonderful, I almost cried! OK, I did cry, but that’s because Andy is so handsome!

Tom

9-3-2006

4:38 pm.

I disagree with Jim. Andy sounds like every other singer. His voice is nothing special. On the other hand, Jacky’s voice is unique, and his songs are so romantic!

Linda

9-10-2006

8:54 pm.

I think they’re about the same. But Andy is a better actor. I’ve seen almost all of his movies. Remember the one where he was an airplane pilot, and his plane crashed near a farm? I love that movie!

John

9-16-2006

10:25 pm.

I also think Jacky is a better singer. I prefer his Cantonese (粵語) songs. Maybe they sound better because Cantonese is his first language.

Tom

10-2-2006

10:12 am.

I agree. Jacky’s Cantonese songs are better than his Mandarin (華語) songs. (Though, I still like all his songs!)

Who likes Andy Lau the best?       .

A. Jim       B. Tom       C. Linda         D. John

Why did Jim cry? Because       .

A. she was sad at a concert.        B. she had a broken heart. 

C. she was angry at Jacky Cheung   D. she thought Andy Lau was very good looking

What’s Linda’s opinion?       .

A. Andy is a better singer.          B. Jacky is a better singer.

C. They both sing equally well.      D. Jacky is a better actor.

Why does John think Jacky’s Cantonese songs sound the best? Because        .

A. Jacky has no experience singing in Mandarin.   

B. it’s his native language

C. his mandarin pronunciation is bad         

D. Jacky’s Mandarin songs are boring.

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科目:高中英語 來源:浙江省鼓山中學2009-2010學年度高一第二學期階段性考試 題型:閱讀理解


C
Theses days, there's a popular cartoon named happy sheep and gray wolf.It's an excellent Chinese cartoon, which tells the stories of happy sheep and gray wolf. The poor gray wolf is always trying hard to catch the sheep, but the sheep could always run away from the danger. The sheep are so clever and lovely that the cartoon gets all the children's love. At the same time, the cartoon is full of the humor. The children could learn more knowledge and enjoyment from it.
The cartoon is shown repeatedly on many TV channels, such as the Zhejiang Channel broadcasts the cartoon on weekends and the vacations; the Sichuan Channel broadcasts the cartoon for an hour in the evening; the Shandong Channel broadcasts it in the morning, while CCTV-3 broadcasts it at the noon everyday.
On one hand, the cartoon gets the children's love because the happy sheep is really clever. He always has a way to work out any problem and save his friends. What’s more there're many things about happy sheep and gray wolf, such as the books, the toys, the pencil-box, the clothings, and so on. Children are happy to buy them. On the other hand, many adults (大人) also like the cartoon, for the gray wolf is regarded as the perfect husband with skills and effort. He invents many things just to catch a sheep for his wife. Though he is often hit by his wife, he always makes her happy without complaining (抱怨).
We can learn more from the cartoon, including the skills, the stories, the details, the humor, and so on. We could see the humor of Chinese type during the cartoon. But I don't like its being shown so often. It may make the children spend more time on watching TV and it is bad for their health and study.
54. The underlined word “cartoon” in the first paragraph is ________.
A. a kind of picture       B. a kind of sheep  C. a kind of film    D. a kind of book
55. Which channel is not mentioned in the passage.
A. Zhejiang Channel      B. Shandong Channel    C. Sichuan Channel       D. CCTV-1
56. Why do many adults also like the cartoon Happy Sheep and Gray Wolf?
A. Because they like men like gray wolf.     B. Because they are still young.
C. Because they want to make their children happy.
D. Because there are many things about the happy sheep and the gray wolf.
57. The author doesn’t like its being shown repeatedly because ________
A. he thinks children will feel bored after seeing it again and again  
B. he is afraid that children’s health and study will be affected
C. he doesn’t like the cartoon himself.        D. he thinks it is a waste of money

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科目:高中英語 來源:2012-2013學年福建福州市八縣(市)協(xié)作校高三第一學期半期聯(lián)考英語卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

Shoppers throughout the West, wary(警惕的) of a double-dip recession(經(jīng)濟衰退), are still pinching their pennies. However, Chinese consumers are opening their wallets—big time. According to McKinsey, shop sales in China have grown by 25 percent annually from 2007 to 2009. Consumer confidence is now at its highest point since 2007 and female shoppers are leading the way.

Chinese women saved just 24 percent of their income, compared with 55 percent in 2006, according to a recent study in Women of China Magazine. What’s more, three quarters of Chinese women say that they’re the ones who control the family purse strings .That means the nation’s 650 million women are an “emerging powerhouse within the powerhouse” of China.

In the 1950s women contributed just 20 percent of household income. That rose to about 40 percent in the 1990s and then reached 50 percent last year.

 In a recent study of Chinese consumer behavior, McKinsey found that women tend to shop more frequently than men, and spend more on personal-care products and food. Men, by contrast, tend to spend more of their income on gadgets(小玩意) , drinks and alcohol, dining out, and socializing. They also tend to save for the bigger-ticket items, like cars and houses.

Chinese women make up an ever-growing small part of the market—up from 20 percent a decade ago to 50 percent last year. It’s estimated that in the next five years women will account for 55 percent of the $9 billion market. “The future is female,” concludes a January HSBC(匯豐銀行) report on luxury goods(奢侈品) in China.

The Chinese Market Research Group recently found that women younger than 35 are the most optimistic segment(群體) in China. A very large 80 percent of the 3,500 women surveyed saying they’ll spend more in the second half of 2010 than they did in the first half. With trends like these, Chinese women may bring new meaning to the term “the power of the purse.”

1.According to the passage, Chinese women _________.

A. save more of their income than before

B. save less of their income than before

C. make as much money as men in the 1990s

D. spend half of their income on luxury goods

2.The fourth paragraph mainly tells us that _________.

A. women go shopping more frequently than men

B. women spent more on personal care products than men

C. men tend to save for the bigger-ticket items than women

D. Chinese women and men have different consuming behavior

3.The underlined phrase in the first paragraph probably means_________.

A. making more money in a careful way

B. wasting their money without hesitation

C. spending their money in a careful way

D. recovering the economy at a fast speed

4.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A. Chinese Men Go Socializing      B. Chinese Women Go shopping

C. The Future Is Female            D. The Purse Is Powerful

 

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科目:高中英語 來源:2010-2011學年廣東省高三下學期2月聯(lián)考英語卷 題型:信息匹配

首先請閱讀下列6出電影的簡要介紹,并按照要求匹配信息。

A.It is about the legend of vampire, the story of the wolf man, the campus life, moved love story, horror, adventure and other elements. The story begins with the main character, Isabella (Bella) Swan, moving from Phoenix, to the small town of Forks, a dreary and rain-filled place, to live with her father. She develops a relationship with fellow student, Edward Cullen, who initially annoys her, but despite a rough beginning, they fall in love. After witnessing some strange behavior from Edward, Bella eventually discovers that he is a vampire, but despite the very real risk to her life, she cannot bear to be apart from him. Eventually Bella is introduced to Edward’s vampire family, not all of who welcome her with open arms, however, it is Edward’s family that go to great lengths to save Bella when her life is threatened.

 

B. With an absent father and a withdrawn and depressed mother, 17 year-old Ree Dolly keeps her family together in a dirt poor rural area. She's taken backwards however when the local Sheriff(縣治安官) tells her that her father put up their house for his bail(保釋)and unless he shows up for his trial in a week's time, they will lose it all. She knows her father is involved in the local drug trade and manufactures crystal meth but anywhere she goes the message is the same: stay out of it and stop poking your nose in other people's business. She refuses to listen, even after her father's brother, Teardrop, tells her he's probably been killed. She pushes on, putting her own life in danger, for the sake of her family until the truth, or enough of it, is revealed.

 

C. Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted(妄想的) player in this deceitful new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption(贖). One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move...

D. Reflecting on her earlier life, she observes that for most of it she was either with a man or in the process of leaving one, and so in the first stages of her journey she experiments with singleness. Not with solitude, exactly, since Liz is naturally sociable and acquires friends easily. Back home in New York she has Delia, and in Rome a Swedish woman named Sofi introduces her to an amicable(心平氣和)group of Italians, including a fellow whose last name is Spaghetti. While he is seen mainly in group shots, his namesake food is filmed in loving close-ups. In keeping with the theme of self-examination, Liz’s trip is confined to countries that begin with the letter “I”. From the ruins of Italy, to an ashram in India, and then to Indonesia......

 

E. John Crowley is a worried businessman and father of two children stricken with Pompe disease, suffering of muscle deterioration(惡化)with an age expectancy of nine years. With critical birthdays looming on the horizon, Crowley decides to take a chance and pursue research scientist Robert Stonehill, a rebellious thinker in the field of Pompe with radical ideas on enzyme therapy. Promising money he doesn't necessarily have, Crowley talks Stonehill into a business venture, pushing the irascible(暴躁的) scientist into research while he worries about the cash flow. With the clock ticking, Stonehill presents challenging theories, irritating the interest of pharmaceutical giants, who demand results practically overnight. With Stonehill feeling the heat during this demoralizing process, Crowley fights to maintain the face of Pompe, to keep the cure from becoming just another compromised drug on the market.

 

F. Bob Ho, a Chinese spy who was loaned to the CIA and is now retiring so he can settle down and marry his girlfriend, Gillian, who lives next door and doesn't know he's a spy. She thinks he's a pen importer. Around her, Bob acts like a boring country man, wears eyeglasses, and hides his super-spy abilities. Gillian loves that he's normal and reliable, not like her ex-husband, who ran off and left her with three kids. So Gillian has to go out of town because her father's in the hospital, and Bob volunteers to babysit so he can bond with the children. Meanwhile, a Russian terrorist named Poldark has escaped CIA custody and is looking for a top-secret code that young Ian accidentally downloaded from Bob's computer, which means Poldark and his goons are going to show up any minute now and kill them all. Bob must save the children -- and the world!

 

以下是電影中的部分對白,請匹配適合他們的電影。

1.A. Yeah. I'm in love. I'm having a relationship with my pizza. You look like you're breaking up

with the    pizza. What's the matter?

    B: I can't.

    A: What do you mean, you can't? This is pizza in Napoli. It is your moral imperative to eat that pizza.

    B: I want to, but I've gained, like, 10 pounds. I mean, I've got this.... Right here. What's it called? What's the word?

    A: A muffin top. I have one too.

2.  A: C came by looking for Dad. If he don't show up for his court date, we're gonna lose the house. I gotta     get down to the Arkansas line.

    B: I gotta ask him. It's his truck. He said no.

    A: Did you tell him I'd spring for gas?

    B: I told him. He still won't.

    A: Why not?

3.A: Dream within a dream, huh. I'm impressed. But in my dream, you play by my rules.

    B: Yes, but you see Mr. A...

    C: We're not in your dream.

    B: We're in mine.

4.  A: Can we go back to business?

    B: Would it help to mention I'm retired?

    A: Retired men don't download secrets.

    B: I never downloaded anything.

    C: He's lying.

    B: Who are you going to believe? Me or the traitor?

    D: Someone has been a very naughty boy. He's got cameras and microphones mounted all over the     place.

    D: Good plan, filming us together.

    B: How could you turn against your country?

5.  A: You're B, the new girl. Hi, I'm A, the eyes and ears of this place. Anything you need, tour guide, lunch date, shoulder to cry on?

    B: I'm really kind of the more suffer-in-silence type.

    A: Good headline for your feature. I'm on the paper, and you're news, baby, front page.

    B: No, I'm not. You...Please don't have any sort of...

    A: Chillax. No feature.

    B: Okay, thanks.

 

 

 

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