When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom. I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.
But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.
There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.
In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.
Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.
Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy not to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”
Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?
【小題1】We can infer from the first paragraph that _______ .
| A．Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was |
| B．getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens |
| C．16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license |
| D．teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes |
| A．Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens. |
| B．Getting a license costs much more than ever before. |
| C．Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens. |
| D．American teens are becoming more responsible than ever. |
| A．why American teens are crazy about digital social life |
| B．what social networking websites are bringing to American teens |
| C．to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture |
| D．what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license |
| A．the Internet has a bad effect on the teen’s social life |
| B．teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle |
| C．a(chǎn)ctual contacts can be replaced by talking on line |
| D．face-to-face friendship is always the best choice |
【小題1】C
【小題2】A
【小題3】C
【小題4】B
解析試題分析：本文敘述了美國年輕人考駕照比例的下降，文章分析了具體的原因。
【小題1】細節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第一段16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom. I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.可知16歲是可以考駕照的年齡。故C正確。
【小題2】主旨大意題。根據(jù)文章第二段But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.可知現(xiàn)在美國年輕人取得駕照的比例在下降，并分析了具體的原因。故A正確。
【小題3】推理題。根據(jù)文章倒數(shù)第二段Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy no to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”可知現(xiàn)在很多的年輕人都是通過網(wǎng)絡(luò)進行交流的，這對考駕照也有一定影響，他們不必要開車去見朋友了，通過網(wǎng)絡(luò)交流就可以了。故C正確。
【小題4】細節(jié)題。根據(jù)Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?說明作者建議我們有平衡的生活，故B正確。
考點：考查社會現(xiàn)象類短文閱讀
開心蛙口算題卡系列答案科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Parents are creating an “I want it now” generation by indulging children's every demand at Christmas，say experts.Youngsters are becoming increasingly selfish，claim the education analysts.
Consumersavvy children are forcing their families into racking up huge debts and risk becoming spoilt and dissatisfied in the future.
Behavioural consultant Chris Calland said，“Parents are desperate to make Christmas into a magical fairy tale for their kids.There's nothing wrong with that as such.The problem arises when it means always giving in to all our children's demands—even if they are beyond our price range or not ageappropriate.”
Ms.Calland，who runs “Santa Says No” style sessions with colleague Nicky Hutchinson，added, “Many of us go into so much debt providing the gifts our children want that we spend the rest of the year paying off the bills.Yet so often the parcels we've carefully wrapped，once opened，are just pushed away because the very thing our little boy or girl was once so desperate for, they have now lost interest in.”
Ms. Calland and Ms.Hutchinson have drawn up a list of guidelines to help parents manage their offspring's Christmas lists this year.They say that adults can actually improve their relationships with their children by resisting “pester (糾纏) power”．
Ms.Calland said，“All too often we say yes because we want an easier life when the fact is that we're only building up problems for the future.We are helping create a generation of youngsters who are blind to the needs of others and the necessity of hard work.”
“Children learn fast—if we sometimes change our mind，they quickly realise it might be worth lying on the floor and screaming for it.Make sure you and your partner are working together on this.Be consistent.And try not to get caught up in competition with other families or friends.”
【小題1】How is the “I want it now” generation created?
| A．Parents can't afford the gifts for their children. |
| B．Parents become heavily in debt. |
| C．Parents are trying to make Christmas into a magical fairy tale. |
| D．Parents give children whatever they want at Christmas. |
| A．They are quite selfcentered. |
| B．They like to live in fairy tales. |
| C．They waste a lot of money on gifts. |
| D．They can't keep their interest in gifts. |
| A．To advise on how to wrap gifts properly. |
| B．To keep children's interest in the gifts. |
| C．To tell parents how to say no to children's demands. |
| D．To advise parents on what gifts to buy for children. |
| A．a(chǎn)nalyze children's behavior |
| B．give advice to parents |
| C．introduce a new generation |
| D．give her support to parents |
| A．buy nothing for children at Christmas |
| B．choose gifts carefully for children |
| C．let children choose their own gifts |
| D．a(chǎn)void competing with others |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Who are these people rushing by you in the street? More than 215 million people now call America “home’’, but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world. If you look at the names on shop windows, you will see that Americans come from many different lands. The idea that these people, who once were strangers to the United States, have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become “American’’is really not true. In fact, what exists in America is more often a kind of “side-by-side”, living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives—such as in schools, business, and sports-but they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home. This living “side-by-side” has both advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another. However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands. There is great freedom of choice among ideas and dress, food, and social customs in America. Everyone can find some part of his or her familiar world in the United States, in Churches, music, food, national groups, or newspapers.
【小題1】More than 215 million people call America “home” because .
| A．they buy their houses there | B．they settle there now |
| C．they get married there | D．they were born there |
| A．making friends with native people |
| B．the groups of people who live nearby |
| C．keeping their own customs while sharing American ones in certain areas |
| D．that they get closer to American society |
| A．share American customs and culture |
| B．1ive in a kind of “side-by-side'' society |
| C．keep their own customs and habits firmly |
| D．make no choice to accept American customs |
| A．They always stick to their own customs and habits. |
| B．“Side—by—side’’living style is not suitable. |
| C．They face the society they are not familiar with. |
| D．The advantages coming from the variety of cultures make life in America colorful. |
| A．Advantages and Disadvantages. |
| B．Different Customs and Habits. |
| C．Home for the People |
| D．“Side—by—side”Living Style in America. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Do you want to love what you do for a living? Follow your passion. This piece of advice provides the foundation for modern thinking on career satisfaction. But this can be a problem.
I've spent the past several years researching and writing about the different strategies we use to seek happiness in our work. It became clear early in the process that the suggestion to “follow your passion” was flawed (有缺陷), for it lacks scientific evidence. However, it doesn't mean you should abandon the goal of feeling passionate about your work. The reality emphasizes that things are quite complicated.
Passion is earned. Different people are looking for different things in their work, but generally, people with satisfying careers enjoy some combination of the following features: autonomy，respect, competence, creativity, and a sense of impact. In other words，if you want to feel passionate about your livelihood，don't seek the perfect job，but seek to get more of these features in the job you already have.
Passion is elusive (難捉摸的). Many people develop the rare and valuable skills leading to passion, but still end up unhappy in their work. The problem is that the features leading you to love your work are more likely to be useful to you than your organization. As you become increasingly “valuable”，for example, your boss might push you toward traditional promotions that come with more pay and more responsibility, as this is what is most useful to your company. However, you might find more passion by applying your value to gain autonomy in your schedule or project selection.
Passion is dangerous. I've watched too many of my peers fall into anxiety and chronic(慢性的) job-hopping (跳槽) due to the “follow your passion” advice. The issue is expectations. If you believe we all have a pre-existing passion, and that matching it to a job will lead to instant workplace happiness, reality will always pale in comparison.
Work is hard. Not every day is fun. If you're seeking a dream job, you'll end up frustrated, again and again. Don't set out to discover passion. Instead, set out to develop it. This path might be longer and more complicated than what most cheerful career guides might advocate, but it's a path much more likely to lead you somewhere worth going.
【小題1】People satisfied with their careers are _______.
| A．a(chǎn)utonomous and passionate | B．creative and passionate |
| C．respectable and sensitive | D．creative and competent |
| A．Figuring out early what one will do in the future. |
| B．Matching the pre-existing passion to one's work. |
| C．Developing passion for what one is doing. |
| D．Discovering skills that lead to interesting careers. |
| A．it is not easy to match our passion with our jobs |
| B．we shouldn't think everyone has a pre-existing passion |
| C．workplace happiness does not require a pre-existing passion |
| D．high expectations of passion in jobs bring disappointment |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Supportive. | C．Cautious. | D．Unclear. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
“Hey, little boy, will you support me when I’m getting old?” Wang Wenshan, 35, asked his newborn baby as he picked him up at home.
The Chinese tradition of raising sons to support parents in their old age has been weakened by the rapidly growing economy and improving standard of living. As is the case with more and more developed countries, China faces an aging society. People are living longer and having fewer children. Therefore, many Chinese families are falling into a 4－2－1 family pattern: a couple raises one child and supports four elderly parents. But few realize that a problem is likely to happen ahead.
The aging of the population is a trend that now affects a growing number of countries. Not long ago, the Information Office of the State Council, China’s cabinet, issued a white paper on measures China is taking to help its elderly population. The paper said China’s population entered the aging period at the end of the 20th century and the proportion of people aged 60 and above accounted for over 10 percent of the entire population. By the end of 2005, China had nearly 144 million people over 60, accounting for 11 percent of population, according to the white paper.
An expanding aged population inevitably means that many issues must be settled, as the problem concerns every aspect of society. It puts more pressure on each family, causing disturbing economic consequences and serious social problems. It also challenges the labor force supply and the pension system.
“I used to think that it’s not an issue for me to provide for the aged,” said Wang, whose parents and parents-in-law all enjoy pensions and medical insurance. But last year Wang’s father suffered a serious illness and afterward Wang began to feel the pressure on his shoulders.
After his father recovered, Wang opened bank accounts for each parent and deposited some money into the account every month to prepare for future uncertainties. In addition, he has to save money every month to provide for his son’s future education. “I’m now breaking my back working to support my family: saving pensions for the parents, my son’s education funds, and living costs.”
Wang also bought some commercial old-age insurance for himself. “We have to take precautions before it is too late, and many of my colleagues share the same view,” he said.
【小題1】 Which of the following is not caused by an aging society?
| A．Social problem |
| B．The problem of the pension system |
| C．More pressure on the family |
| D．Unemployment |
| A．the aging people problem is one of the concerns for the Chinese government |
| B．China will encourage young couples to have more than one child |
| C．many people have realized the problem of aging society |
| D．children will not support their parents in an aging society |
| A．Surprisingly | B．Certainly | C．Hopefully | D．Unluckily |
| A．China is the only country to face an aging society |
| B．Most of the developing countries face an aging society |
| C．countries with a large population face an aging society |
| D．more and more developed countries face an aging society |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. “I was a clothes addict(迷),” he jokes. “I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled(皺的).” Today David wears casual clothes — khaki pants and a sports shirt — to the office. He hardly ever wears a necktie. “I’m working harder than ever,” David says, “and I need to feel comfortable.”
More and more companies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work. In the United States, the changes from formal to casual office wear have been slow. In the early 1990s, many companies allowed their workers to wear casual clothes on Friday(but only on Friday). This became known as “dress-down Friday” or “casual Friday”. “What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for workers has really become an everyday thing,” said business adviser Maisly Jones.?
Why have so many companies started allowing their workers to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it's easier for a company to attract new workers if it has a casual dress code. “A lot of young people don't want to dress up for work,” says the owner of a software company, “so it's hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code.” Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes. In a study made by Levi Strauss and Company, 85 percent of employers said that casual dress has a side effect on work. Supporters of casual office wear also say that a casual dress code helps them save money. “Suits are expensive, if you have to wear one every day,”one person said. “For the same amount of money, you can buy a lot more casual clothes.”
【小題1】David Smith refers to himself as having been “a clothes addict” because ______________.
| A．he often wore khaki pants and a sports shirt |
| B．he couldn't stand a clean appearance |
| C．he wanted his clothes to look tidy and clean all the time |
| D．he didn’t want to spend much money on clothes |
| A．they make him feel at ease when working |
| B．he cannot afford to buy expensive clothes |
| C．he looks handsome in casual clothes |
| D．he no longer works for any company |
| A．Company workers started to dress down about twenty years ago. |
| B．Dress-down has become an everyday phenomenon since the early 1990s. |
| C．“Dress-down Friday” was first given as a favor from employers. |
| D．Many workers want to wear casual clothes to impress people. |
| A．saving worker’s money | B．making workers more attractive |
| C．improving worker’s feeling | D．making workers happier |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
At age 11, Ghulam was married off to 40-year-old Jaiz in a rural Afghan village, making her only one of more than 10 million young girls who are being forced to wed men old enough to be their fathers of grandfather every year.
In an effort to start a global conversation about the devastating effects of early marriages, which are currently practiced in more than 50 developing countries, the United Nations designed October 11 as International Day of the Girl Child this year.
Although child marriage is against the law in many countries, and international treaties forbid the practice, it is estimated that about 51 million girls below age 18 are currently married, often under the cover of darkness and in secret. In Afghanistan alone, it is believed that approximately 57 percent of girls wed before the legal age of 16.
Various factors drive parents of child bridges to marry off their daughters, from the community’s pressure to confirm to age-old cultural customs to economic considerations. In poor, developing nations, it is not uncommon for families to settle debts by offering their daughters as payment.
Experts agree that early marriage denies the girl education and robs them of their childhood because most young wives, burdened by grownup responsibilities, do not get a chance to interact with their peers or carry on friendships outside the household. In many cases, the girls are lorded over by their husbands and in-laws, leaving them vulnerable(易受傷害的) to domestic violence as well as physical, sexual and verbal abuse. Underage wives who are lucky enough to escape from their husbands end up living in poverty, or worse. Most girls who enter early marriages are expected to get pregnant right away, which often leads to tragedy for both the mothers, who are still children themselves, and their babies.
Unless international organizations take steps to reverse the troubling trend, it is estimated that over the next decade, 100 million more girls—or about 25,000 girls a day ---will marry before they turn 18.
To learn more about campaign to end the practice of early marriages, please click: Too Young To Wed.
【小題1】The purpose of the first paragraph is to _________.
| A．a(chǎn)ttract readers’ attention |
| B．introduce the following topic |
| C．list the countries practicing early marriages |
| D．give readers an example of early marriages |
| A．the number of girls involved in early marriages |
| B．the causes of early marriages in developing counties |
| C．the tragic effects of early marriages |
| D．the countries that allow early marriages |
| A．urge parents to treat girls equally as boy |
| B．call on people to pay more attention to girls’ education |
| C．call on people to pay more attention to girls in poor countries or areas |
| D．start a global campaign against early marriages |
| A．The present girls develop much earlier than before |
| B．Some poor parents marry off their young girls for economic problems. |
| C．Many young girls receive little or no education for different reasons. |
| D．Most girls suffer from domestic violence and have babies too early. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
An old problem is getting new attention in the United States—bullying. Recent cases included the tragic case of a 15-year-old girl whose family moved from Ireland. She hanged herself in Massachusetts following months of bullying. Her parents criticized her school for failing to protect her. Officials have brought criminal charges against several teenagers.
Judy Kuczynski is president of an anti-bullying group called Bully Police USA. Her daughter Tina was also the victim of severe bullying starting in middle school in the state of Minnesota. She said，“Our daughter was a very outgoing child. She was involved in all kinds of things and had lots of friends. And over a period of time her grades fell completely. She started having health issues. She couldn't sleep. She wasn't eating. She had terrible stomach pains and didn't want to go to school.”
Bullying is defined as negative behavior repeated over time against the same person. It can involve physical violence, or it can be verbal—for example, insults or threats. Spreading lies about someone or excluding a person from a group is known as social or relational bullying.
And now there is cyber-bullying, which uses the Internet, e-mail or text messages. It has easy appeal for the bully because it does not involve face-to-face contact and it can be done at any time.
The first serious research studies into bullying were done in Norway in the late 1970s. The latest government study in the United States was released last year. It found that about one-third of students age twelve to eighteen were bullied at school.
Susan Swearer is a psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-director of the Bullying Research Network. She says schools should treat bullying as a mental health problem to get bullies and victims the help they need. She says bullying is connected to depression, anxiety and anti-social behavior and bullies are often victims themselves.
【小題1】 From the case of Tina, we can know that ________.
| A．bullying is rare |
| B．victims suffer a lot |
| C．schools are to blame |
| D．personalities are related |
| A．To beat someone repeatedly. |
| B．To threaten someone verbally. |
| C．To isolate someone from friends. |
| D．To refuse to help someone in need. |
| A．Because it can involve more people. |
| B．Because it can create worse effects. |
| C．Because it is more convenient. |
| D．Because it can avoid cheating. |
| A．bullies are antisocial |
| B．bullies should give victims help |
| C．students are not equally treated |
| D．bullies themselves also need help |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Ridgewood is a small, quiet town 20 miles from Manhattan. It is a typical suburban town, perfect for raising children away from the fast pace of the city. However, some Ridgewood kids feel as upset as if they were on the city’s busy streets. In addition to hours of homework, Ridgewood’s children are occupied with afterschool activities — from swimming to piano to religious classes.
Out of desperation one day, the town decided to schedule another activity. This one was called “Ridgewood Family Night — Ready, Set, Relax!” Instead of schedules filled with sports, music, or overtime at the office, some of the town’s 25,000 residents decided to take the night off and stay home. For a few months before Family Night, a committee of volunteers worked hard to spread the word. Younger students took “Save the Date for Me” leaflets home to their parents. The mayor issued a statement, and schools and clubs agreed to cancel homework and meetings so families could relax and be together.
The tension between a hope for a more relaxed lifestyle and the knowledge that the benchmark for success has been raised in recent years weighs heavily on the minds of the townspeople. Some parents like to recall a different kind of childhood, one without so many scheduled afterschool activities. However, these same parents feel obliged to make sure their children are prepared to survive in today’s high-pressure work environment. They are afraid that any gap in their children’s physical or intellectual development might mean they won’t be admitted to the “right” universities and won’t succeed in a more and more competitive world.
Nevertheless, it seems that Family Night worked, at least to a point. Cars moved easily around Ridgewood’s normally busy downtown streets, and stores and restaurants saw a drop in business. Some families ate supper together for the first time in months.
Initially, there was great hope of taking back their lives. But sadly, few families believe that one night will change their lives. Many are sure that they will fall back into the habit of over-scheduling their children to be overachieving adults.
【小題1】The writer describes Ridgewood as a town where ________.
| A．residents take little notice of education |
| B．children are stressful and over expected |
| C．parents are concerned about children’s safety |
| D．children lead a life of relaxed, ordinary rhythms |
| A．Schools assigned no homework. |
| B．Fewer people ate in the restaurants. |
| C．The streets were less crowded. |
| D．People enjoyed meeting each other. |
| A．have conflicting desires about what experiences to offer their children |
| B．a(chǎn)re happy with the lifestyle they have chosen for themselves and the children |
| C．believe that it is their duty to make a change for the stressful life style |
| D．a(chǎn)re worried about their children’s lacking of big ambition |
| A．the concept of Family Night will become a regular part of life in Ridgewood |
| B．Ridgewood people believe the Family Night will change their way of living |
| C．Family Night is not as popular as people have originally thought |
| D．schools are worried about students being given too much free time |
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