The private automobile (私家車) has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has
become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American
families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid
transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged
the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems.
     For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very
often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools.
     Family life has been affected (影響) in various ways, The car helps to keep families together when it is
used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the
car, their parents can't keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or
taking drugs, or showing off by speeding or breaking down traffic laws. Mothers of victims (受害者) of such
accidents have formed an organization called MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to
prevent further tragedies (悲劇). They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking
age, Students have formed a similar organization, SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) and are spreading
the same message among their friends.
     For many Americans the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for
young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans.

1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?

A. Cars have encouraged the growth of the cities.
B. Cars can bring families together when they go for picnics.
C. Cars have enabled people to live far from their place of work.
D. Cars help city families to transport their children to faraway schools.

2. What has been done to deal with the problem of drunk driving?

A. Patents have paid more attention to their children.
B. Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving.
C. Mothers have tried to persuade their children not to drink alcohol.
D. University students have asked the government to solve the problem.

3. We can infer from the text that _____ in America.

A. it will be more difficult for people to get new cars
B. parents will not allow their children to have their own cars
C. the government will encourage people to use public transportation
D. cars will still be popular though they have caused many problems

                                                       Why I Don't Spare "Spare Change"
     "Poor but honest." "The deserving(值得幫助的)poor." These words always come to my mind when I
think of "the poor." But I also think of people who, perhaps through alcohol (酒) or drugs, have ruined not
only their own lives but also the lives of others in order to give way to their own pleasure. Perhaps alcoholism
and drug addiction (上癮) really are "diseases." as many people say, but my own feeling－based, of course,
not on any serious study－is that most alcoholics and drug addicts belong to the "undeserving poor." And
that is largely why I don't give spare change to beggars.
     But surely among the street people there are also some who can rightly be called "deserving." Deserving
what? My spare change? Or simply the government's assistance? It happens that I have been brought up to
believe that it is proper to make contributions to charity (慈善機構(gòu)), but if I give some change to a beggar,
am I making a contribution to charity and thereby helping someone, or, am I perhaps simply encouraging
someone not to get help? Or, maybe even worse, am I supporting a cheat?
     If one believes in the value of private charity, one can either give to needy people or to charitable
organizations. In giving to a beggar one may indeed be helping a person who badly needs help, but one cannot
be certain that one is giving to a needy person. In giving to an organization, on the other hand, one can feel
that one's money is likely to be used wisely. True, facing a beggar one may feel that this particular unfortunate
person needs help at this moment－a cup of coffee or a sandwich－and the need will not be met unless I put
my hand in my pocket right now. But I have come to think that the beggars whom I meet can get along
without my spare change, and indeed perhaps they are actually better off for not having money to buy alcohol
or drugs.
     I know nothing about these beggars, but it's my impression that they simply prefer begging to working. I
am not generalizing about street people. I am talking about the people whom I actually meet. That's why I do
not give "spare change," and I don't think I will in the future.

1. What does the author think of beggars who take drugs?

A. They should be given a cheek-up.
B. They really need money to live.
C. They have no pleasure in life.
D. They are not worth helping.

2. Why doesn't the author give money to street people?

A. He doesn't think they need help.
B. He doesn't have enough money to give.
C. He is not convinced they will use it rightly.
D. He believes they can get help from the government.

3. In the second paragraph, the author presents his idea by ______.

A. asking questions for people to think about
B. giving examples to support his argument
C. raising questions and answering them
D. expressing his opinions directly

4. Which of the following opinions does the author accept?

A. Drug addiction is a disease.
B. Some street people are poor and needy.
C. Most beggars have received enough help.
D. Charitable organizations handle money properly.

     Colleges may try to do a lot to prepare students for study abroad-telling about culture shock, warning
about homesickness, and recommending books about the country. But when it comes to adjusting to campus
life when they return, schools haven't done as much, even though the transition (轉(zhuǎn)變, 過渡) is sometimes
almost as difficult.
     "They can feel disoriented (迷失方向的) and depressed. They find things are not exactly the way they
were when they left," said Antonio Jimenez, director of the Center for International Affairs at California State
University Channel Islands in Camarillo, California, US. "They find that people don't care much about their
experiences."
     Some colleges are now rethinking their approach to studying abroad, recognizing that students might need
almost as much help adjusting to life back home as they did getting ready to leave: students experience a sort
of reverse (倒轉(zhuǎn), 反向) culture shock when they return to the US. They might be troubled by the wealth and
waste they see back home or they might feel homesick for their new country and its customs. And when they
try to talk about their experiences, people quickly lose interest, especially if they haven't lived abroad themselves. 
     Down the road, they also might find it difficult to translate their time abroad into experience that an employer
finds attractive.
     Some California universities have organized conferences to help students make the most of their time abroad.
During a one-day event, students learn how to adjust after living abroad, talk about their experiences and
incorporate (加上,包含) them into their lives and future careers.
     Blythe Cheney, 22, a senior who has studied in Thailand and Britain, found the workshops helpful. "Any
experience abroad does have an effect on you," Cheney said. "When you come back, it's important to talk about
it, especially with people who know what you've been through." Yet most universities focus more on preparation
than reorientation.

1. Which of the following is NOT the trouble that students face when they return from studying overseas?

A. Culture shock
B. Homesick for their new country
C. Losing interest in their homeland
D. Difficult transition

2. The writer is _____ the help colleges offer for the students when they return from studying overseas.

A. pleased with
B. dissatisfied with
C. indifferent to
D. proud of

3. The underlined word "workshop" refers to _____.

A. conferences where people share their experiences
B. buildings where machines are made
C. shops where books are bought
D. labs where experiments are conducted

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Overseas students experience culture shock in foreign countries.
B. Some universities offer to help students in need.
C. Returned students find it difficult to translate their time abroad into experience.
D. Returning from studying overseas, students face more trouble than they expected.

     At one time it was the dream of many little girls to become a nurse.Today, however, America is facing its
worst nurse shortage since World War I. Recently about 2, 000, 000 nurses are needed and 60 percent of all
hospitals in the US have shortages large enough to threaten(= say that you will hurt somebody ff they don't do
what you want)the quality of care provided. The demand for nurses spreads widely throughout the nursing
field. 　　
     What has become of these women in white? The answer lies in not one but several causes. One possibility
is the fact that woman have greater career options (職業(yè)選擇). In the past, women who chose to work outside
the home had two basic choices: nursing or teaching. Today, more women than ever are in the work force, but
their options have greatly increased. There are women doctors, lawyers, firefighters and police officers. In fact,
women today are found in nearly every field of work. Nursing has been left behind, as women move on to jobs
with higher pay and greater status (地位). A woman or man in the nursing field is often looked down upon as
"merely a nurse". Teachers may be also at fault. Many high school students are actually being steered (勸導(dǎo))
away from nursing, told by teachers that they are"too bright to be a nurse". 　　
     Americans are living longer than ever and requiring more medical attention. In fact, the number of elderly
patients has almost doubled in the past twenty years. Obviously a larger population requires more nurses. AIDS
and other diseases have caused more and more people to need nursing care. Usually fatal diseases mean long
drawn-out hospital stay, that is to say, more nurses are needed to care for these patients. It is estimated that
the demand for nurses will be doubled the supply in the coming ten years.

1. Why is America facing its worst nurse shortage? 　　

A. Because the demand of nurses has been doubled. 　　
B. Because more and more women prefer to be teachers and doctors. 　　
C. Because women have been provided with many different jobs. 　　
D. Because women no longer choose to be nurses. 　　

2. The passage tells us that high school teachers are at fault for _____. 　　

A. not mentioning the worst nurse shortage in the US 　　
B. introducing jobs with higher pay and greater status to their students 　　
C. not asking the government to raise the nurses' payment 　　
D. persuading the students not to be nurses 　　

3. The author wrote this passage in order to ______. 　　

A. describe the unequal treatment of women in the US 　　
B. warn people to pay more attention to the nursing problem 　　
C. tell us women's free choice of jobs today 　　
D. call on women not to be nurses 　　

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage? 　　

A. high school students think themselves too bright to be nurses. 　　
B. Women in the US have greater career choice than those in other countries. 　　
C. Of all the hospitals in the world 60 percent more nurses are badly needed. 　　
D. Nursing used to be a popular job among women.

     While income worry is a rather common problem of the aged, loneliness is another problem that aged
parents may face. Of all the reasons that explain their loneliness, a large geographical distance between
parents and their children is the major one. This phenomenon (現(xiàn)象) is commonly known as "Empty Nest
Syndrome" (空巢綜合癥).
     In order to seek better chances outside their countries, many young people have gone abroad, leaving
their parents behind with no clear idea of when they will return home. Their parents spend countless lonely
days and nights, taking care of themselves, in the hope that someday their children will come back to stay
with them. The fact that most of these young people have gone to Europeanized or Americanized societies
makes it unlikely that they will hold as tightly to the value of duty as they would have if they had not left
their countries. Whatever the case, it has been noted that the values they hold do not necessarily match what
they actually do. This geographical and cultural distance also prevents the grown-up children from providing
response (回應(yīng)) in time for their aged parents living by themselves.
     The situation in which grown-up children live far away from their aged parents has been described as
"distant parent phenomenon", which is common both in developed countries and in developing countries. Our
society has not yet been well prepared for "Empty Nest Syndrome".

1. According to the passage, the loneliness of aged parents is mainly caused by ______.

A. their earlier experience of feeling lonely
B. the unfavorable living conditions in their native countries
C. the common worry about their income
D. the geographical distance between parents and children

2. Many young people have gone abroad, leaving their aged parents behind, to _______.

A. live in the countries with more money
B. seek a better place for their aged parents
C. continue their studies abroad
D. realize their dreams in foreign countries

3. If young people go abroad, ______.

A. they do not hold to the value of duty at all
B. they can give some help to their parents back home
C. they cannot do what they should for their parents
D. they believe what they actually do is right

4. From the last paragraph, we can infer that ______.

A. the situations in the developed and developing countries are different
B. "Empty Nest Syndrome" has arrived unexpectedly in our society
C. children will become independent as soon as they go abroad
D. the aged parents are not fully prepared for "Empty Nest Syndrome"

     The population of the United States is growing older Md will continue to do so. According to a report, 39
million Americans will be 65 or older by the yew 2010, 51 million by 2020, and 65 million by 2030.
     The "graying" of the United States is mainly due to the fact that people in the U. S. living longer. As a matter
of fact, the number of U.S. citizens 85 years old and older is growing six times as fast as the rest of the
population. It is also largely due to the old-growing of the"baby boomers," the generation born after World War
II. In 1957, over 4.3 million babies were born. More than 75 million Americans were born between 1946 and
1964, the largest generation in U.S. history. In less than twenty pears, millions of them will become elderly
people.
     The "graying" of the U.S. will greatly affect the nation's family and workforce. One likely development will
be a gradual change in the family unit; it will move away from the nuclear family and towards a
multigenerational family. The other likely development will be a change m the proportion (比例) of the nation's
workforce. In 1989 there were 3.5 workers for every person 65 and older; by the year 2030, them will only be
2 workers for every person 65 and older.

    Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers (青少年). But last summer,
Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their elder son: suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends
than to his parents. "The door to his room is always shut." Joanns noted.
    Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. "She used to cuddle up (蜷伏) with
me on the sofa and talk," said Mark. "Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something,
Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is figuring
out which time is which." 　
    Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what's on their minds. "In fact, parents are first on the list."
said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. "This completely changes during
the teen years." Riera explained. "They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents
last."
    Parents who know what's going on in their teenagers'lives are in the best position to help them. To break
down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try
to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental break, for children also need
freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with
their children is a better way to know them.

1. "The door to his room is always shut" suggests that the son _____.

A. is always busy with his studies 　　
B. doesn't want to be disturbed (打擾) 　　
C. keeps himself away from his parents 　　
D. begins to dislike his parents

2. What troubles Tina and Mark most is that _____.

A. their daughter isn't as lovely as before 　　
B. they can't read their daughter's mind exactly (確切地) 　　
C. they don't know what to say to their daughter 　　
D. their daughter talks with them only when she needs help

3. Which of the following best explains "the wall of silence" in the last paragraph?

A. Teenagers talk a lot with their friends. 　　
B. Teenagers do not want to understand their parents. 　　
C. Teenagers do not talk much with their parents. 　　
D. Teenagers talk little about their own lives.

4. What can be learned from the passage?

A. Parents are unhappy with their growing children. 　　
B. Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers. 　　
C. Parents should be patient with their silent teenagers. 　　
D. Parents should try to understand their teenagers.

     Diana Jacobs thought her family had a workable plan to pay for college for her 21-year-old twin sons:
a combination of savings, income, scholarships, and a modest amount of borrowing. Then her husband
lost his job, and the plan fell apart.
     "I have two kids in college, and I want to say'come home,' but at the same time I want to provide
them with a good education," says Jacobs.
     The Jacobs family did work out a solution: They asked and received more aid from the schools, and
each son increased his borrowing to the maximum amount through the federal loan (貸款) program. They
will each graduate with $20,000 of debt, but at least they will be able to finish school.
     With unemployment rising, financial aid administrators expect to hear more families like the Jacobs.
More students are applying for aid, and more families expect to need student loans. College administrators
are concerned that they will not have enough aid money to go around.
     At the same time, tuition (學(xué)費) continues to rise. A report from the National Center for Public Policy
and Higher Education found that college tuition and fees increased 439% from 1982 to 2007, while average
family income rose just 147%. Student borrowing has more than doubled in the last decade.
      "If we go on this way for another 25years, we won't have an affordable system of higher education,"
says Patrick M. Callan, president of the center. "The middle class families have been financing it through
debt. They will send kids to college whatever it takes, even if that means a huge amount of debt."
     Financial aid administrators have been having a hard time as many companies decide that student loans
are not profitable enough and have stopped making them. The good news, however, is that federal loans
account for about three quarters of student borrowing, and the government says that money will flow
uninterrupted.

1. How did the Jacobs manage to solve their problem?

A. They asked their kids to come home.
B. They borrowed $20,000 from the school.
C. They encouraged their twin sons to do part-time jobs.
D. They got help from the school and the federal government.

2. Financial aid administrators believe that _____.

A. more families will face the same problem as the Jacobses
B. the government will receive more letters of complaint
C. college tuition fees will double soon
D. America's unemployment will fall

3. What can we learn about the middle class families from the text?

A. They blamed the government for the tuition increase.
B. Their income remained steady in the last decade.
C. They will try their best to send kids to college.
D. Their debts will be paid off within 25 years.

4. According to the last paragraph, the government will _____.

A. provide most students will scholarships
B. dismiss some financial aid administrators
C. stop the companies from making student loans
D. go on providing financial support for college students

     Celebrity (名人) has become one of the most important representatives of popular culture. Fans used
to be crazy about specific film, but now the public tends to base its consumption (消費) on the interest of
celebrity attached to any given product. Besides, fashion magazines have almost abandoned the practice of
putting models on the cover because they don't sell nearly as well as famous faces. As a result, celebrities
have realized their unbelievably powerful market potential, moving from advertising for others' products to
developing their own. 
     Celebrity clothing lines aren't a completely new phenomenon, but in the past they were typically aimed
at the ordinary consumers, and limited to a few TV actresses. Today they're started by first-class stars
whose products enjoy equal fame with some world top brands. The most successful start-ups have been
those by celebrities with specific personal style. As celebrities become more and more experienced at the
market, they expand their production scale rapidly, covering almost all the products of daily life.
     However, for every success story, there's a related warning tale of a celebrity who overvalued his
consumer appeal. No matter how famous the product's origins is, if it fails to impress consumers with its
own qualities it begins to resemble an exercise in self-promotional marketing. And once the initial (最初的)
attention dies down, consumer interest might fade, loyalty (忠誠) returning to tried-and-true labels.
     Today, celebrities face even more severe embarrassment. The pop-cultural circle might be bigger than
ever, but its rate of turnover has speeded up as well. Each misstep threatens to reduce a celebrity's shelf life,
and the same newspaper or magazine that once brought him fame has no problem picking him to pieces when
the opportunity appears. Still, the ego's (自我的) potential for expansion is limitless. Having already achieved
great wealth and public recognition, many celebrities see fashion as the next frontier to be conquered. As the
saying goes, success and failure always go hand in hand. Their success as designers might last only a short
time, but fashion-like celebrity-has always been temporary.

1. Fashion magazines today _____.

A. seldom put models on the cover
B. no longer put models on the cover
C. need not worry about celebrities' market potential
D. judge the market potential of every celebrity correctly

2. A change in the consumer market can be found today that _____.

A. price rather than brand name is more concerned
B. producers prefer models to celebrities for advertisements
C. producers prefer TV actresses to film stars for advertisements
D. quality rather than the outside of products is more concerned

3. The underlined sentence in paragraph 4 indicates that any wrong step will possibly _____.

A. decrease the popularity of a celebrity and the sales of his products
B. damage the image of a celebrity in the eyes of the general public
C. cut short the artistic career of a celebrity in show business
D. influence the price of a celebrity's products

4. The passage is mainly about _____.

A. celebrity and personal style
B. celebrity and markets potential
C. celebrity and fashion design
D. celebrity and clothing industry