Employment practices often reflect the needs of employers several decades ago. Times have changed.
And so too has the Canadian workforce. Yet many employment practices have not kept pace with this
change. For example, some work environments and washrooms designed for able-bodied workers seldom
accommodate people who use a wheelchair.
     Modernizing these practices is what employment equality is about. For example, making sure work
benches and washrooms are adapted for disabled people entering the workplace, paving the way for workers
who become disabled on the job. By doing so, any given group of people formerly discriminated against-now
has access to better employment opportunities.
     The objective, of course, is to make the workplace reflect Canadian society. However, this does not
necessarily mean setting and enforcing quotas (配額). Rather, it means identifying the barriers to employment
and designing measures, with achievable goals and clear timetables, to remove them.
     For example, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees-Canada's largest union, it would be
unrealistic in the short term to insist that because half of the working age population is women, half of the
employees of an engineering firm should be women. At this moment, there would not be enough qualified
female engineers. 
     A reasonable numerical goal would be based on the number of women who actually are engineers (8%)
and those who are studying to become engineers (25% ). A short term goal of 13% would be appropriate
without running the risk of hiring unqualified people.
     Equally important is to ensure people who have been disadvantaged the chance to become qualified for
new opportunities. If aboriginal people (土著居民), for example, can't qualify for certain jobs because they
haven't had access to appropriate educational opportunities, then an employment equality program would
have to address that problem with training programs.
     Employment laws in this country cannot be considered displeasing if they guarantee all Canadians fair
and equal access to the workforce.

1. The passage is mainly about how to _____.

A. modernize equipment for the disabled at work
B. achieve equality of employment opportunities
C. protect women's rights in employment
D. complete a job training program

2. The underlined word "them" in Paragraph 3 refers to _____.

A. barriers
B. measures
C. goals
D. timetables

3. The example of women shows that _____.

A. only a small percentage of women engineers will get promoted
B. 13% of the working age women should be hired as engineers
C. policy makers should adopt a practical and flexible approach
D. the quota of women for employment should be raised

4. The underlined word "address" in Paragraph 6 probably means _____.

A. put forward
B. run into
C. find out
D. deal with

     Not so long ago almost any student who successfully completed a university degree could find a good
career quite easily. Companies. toured the academic institutions, competing with each other to select
graduates. However, those days are gone, even in Hong Kong, and nowadays graduates often face strong
competition in the search for jobs.
     Most careers organizations highlight three stages for graduates to follow in the process of securing a
suitable career: recognizing abilities, matching these to available jobs and presenting them well to possible
employers.
     Job seekers have to make a careful assessment of their own. abilities. One area of assessment should
be of their academic qualifications, which would include special skills within their subject area. Graduates
should also consider their own personal values and attitudes. An honest assessment of personal interest
and abilities such as creative skills, or skills acquired from work experience, should also be given careful
thought.
     The second stage is to study the "opportunities available for employment and to think about how the
general employment situation is likely to develop in the future. To do this, graduates can study job and
position information in newspapers, or they can visit a careers office, write to possible employers for
information or contact friends or relatives who may already be involved in a particular profession. After
studying all the various options, they should be in a position to make informed comparisons between
various careers.
     Good personal presentation is essential in the search for a good career. Job application forms and letters
should, of course, be filled in carefully and correctly, without grammar or spelling errors. Where additional
information is asked for, job seekers should describe their abilities and work experience in more depth, with
examples if possible. They should try to balance their own abilities with the employer's needs, explain why
they are interested in a career with the particular company and try to show that they already know
something about the company and its activities.
     When graduates go to an interview, they should prepare properly by finding out all they can about the
possible employer. Dressing suitably and arriving for the interview on time are also important. Interviewees
should try to give positive and helpful answers and should not be afraid to ask questions about anything they
are unsure about. This is much better than pretending to understand a question and giving an unsuitable
answer.

1. "Those days are gone, even in Hong Kong" in Paragraph I suggests that _____.

A. finding a good career used to be easier in Hong Kong than elsewhere
B. now everyone in Hong Kong has an equal chance of finding a good job
C. graduates now face stronger competition in Hong Kong than elsewhere
D. even in Hong Kong companies tour universities trying to select graduates

2. It is implied in Paragraph 3 that graduates should _____.

A. aim to give a balanced account of what the employer needs
B. consider careers which suit their values, interests and abilities
C. stress their personal attitudes and values in job applications
D. recognize their own abilities regardless of what the employer looks for

3. According to Paragraph 4, graduates should _____.

A. find a good position and then compare it with other careers
B. ask friends or relatives to secure them a good job
C. get information about a number of careers before making comparisons
D. study the opportunities and the kinds of training that will be available

4. In the last paragraph, the writer seems to suggest that _____.

A. interviewees should appear humble if they can't give an answer
B. dressing properly is more important than being able to give an answer
C. it is better for interviewees to be honest than to. pretend to understand
D. it is a good idea for interviewees to be boastful in their answers

     According to the United States government, people are classified as homeless if they have no place to stay
and no expectation of finding a place for the next thirty days. Although technically accurate, that is an
impersonal assessment of an enormous and very human problem.
     The homeless population represents all of us Americans. It includes men and women, the elderly, children,
and infants. Its members are from all ethnic groups. What they have in common is poverty.
     Currently in the U S, thirty-nine million people live in poverty. When money is really tight, paying the rent
or buying food often becomes a choice. Government assistance in the form of food stamps does help but, as
one homeless man explains, you can't pay the rent with food stamps.
     With no money for rent, the streets and homeless shelters become the alternative.
     Although men constitute the largest group within the homeless population, homeless women with children
are rapidly joining them. In fact, one quarter of the homeless people in the US are teenagers and young children. 
     People may become homeless for numerous reasons. However, there are certain factors that many of these
individuals have in common. They include a lack of adequate education and job skills. A majority of the teenagers
and adults have not completed high school. The abuse of alcohol and drugs is also a common factor. One third
of the adult homeless population abuses alcohol. While one quarter of the same group uses drugs.
     Some members of this population suffer mental health problems. Within the past several years many
institutions for the mentally ill have been closed and their patients sent "home". Unfortunately, a number of those
people have no home to go to and they are unable to adequately look after themselves.
     Job loss in today's economy has also become a real factor in the loss of people's homes. The breakup of
families through abandonment and divorce are also contributing factors, particularly when there are children
involved. The parent who is left to care for the kids with inadequate income may be forced to depend on the
homeless shelters to put a roof over their heads.

1. The writer thinks that the US government's definition for the homeless reveals _____.

A. an insincere attitude toward the homeless
B. an unbearable attitude toward the homeless
C. an uncivilized attitude toward the homeless
D. an unsympathetic attitude toward the homeless

2. The US government helps the homeless by _____.

A. giving them homeless allowance
B. giving them food stamps
C. finding jobs for them
D. finding residence for them

3. People become homeless for all the following reasons EXCEPT _____.

A. the lack of adequate education
B. the abuse of alcohol and drugs
C. the closure of institutions for the mentally ill
D. the poor performance of economy

4. The breakup of families is likely to lead to homelessness because a parent with kids may _____.

A. lose his or her job in today's economy
B. be unable to look after the kids
C. not have enough income
D. find residence at a homeless shelter

     A recent study carried out at the University of Brighton finds that students in Brighton and Hove tend to be
as part of their local communities instead of just in the students' dormitories.
     Drs. Smith and Holt, who made the study, found that only limited number of students live together in large
groups in Brighton arid Hove. In fact, the city provides a valuable case study for other university towns in that,
unlike cities such as Nottingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Birmingham, there is no evidence of a "student ghetto" for
the students who are relatively poor.
     The study finds three main factors influencing the Brighton and Hove situation:
     The active role of the University's Accommodation Office and its creative use have resulted in students being
relatively dispersed (分散) throughout the city, and there is limited evidence of private house company guiding
students to particular areas.
     Most Brighton and Hove students do not feel the need to live in a specific student area to get a student
identity. They feel "at home" together with other social groups and do not restrict their shopping or social lives
to student-oriented services and facilities. According to the study, the city's cultural diversity is a major influence
here and it provides a valuable example for students mixing easily in the local community.
     Students consider a wide range of possible living locations throughout the city. Their choices are, however,
to some extent limited by negative views of some areas within Brighton and Hove. The study suggests that more
effective student-community relations could help to change these negative views, with the result that new living
areas for the city's increasing student population could and should be opened up. Such a development would
reduce the possibility of any "student ghetto" forming in the city in the future.
     The study also included a survey of what 350 Brighton and Hove students thought about their
accommodation. This has proved high levels of satisfaction, both in terms of quality and location.

1. According to the passage, the students are _____.

A. choosing different places to live in the city
B. fond of living together with each other
C. unlikely to go to certain places
D. satisfied with the university dorms

2. What does "student ghetto" in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A. A poor city which students mostly visit.
B. A good place where students prefer to live.
C. A terrible place for students to visit.
D. A poor area where students mostly live.

3. Which of the following is true about the passage?

A. There are student ghettos in other university towns of Britain.
B. The city encourages students to live in certain areas.
C. The students don't like living in university dorms.
D. The students are pleased with the university life.

3. Which word can best describe the tone of the passage?

A. Unsatisfying.
B. Subjective.
C. Objective.
D. Critical.

     When I was 13, my bedroom walls were covered with posters of the Monkees and Beatles. I wrote fan
letters and daydreamed about meeting the objects of my affections. I begged my parents to attend every rock
concert and watch every TV show featuring my favorite celebrities (名人) ; my friends and I discussed for
hours all the things we would say and do when we met our favorite movie stars and pop singers. I drove my
mother crazy! But after a few years, my obsession (迷戀) stars faded as I matured and gained the confidence
to socialize with "real" boys.
     In the 35 years since I was a teenager, celebrity worship (崇拜) has increased among teens due to the
explosion of television celebrity gossip shows, and instant access to celebrity news on the Internet. It's no
wonder that many teens are obsessed with stars when news programs often are filled with entertainment
stories and the lives of celebrities.
     Celebrity worship syndrome (綜合征) is now considered a personality disorder. While it is normal for
teenagers to follow the lives of their favorite stars, parents should try to monitor everything their child finds
interesting. Parents should take action if they suspect a teen is too obsessed with celebrities and showing little
interest in school or withdrawing from the family.
     When teens talk a lot about celebrities and view them as just means of entertainment, this is considered
normal celebrity worship. However, when a teenager is obsessed with a star and often expresses a desire to
have a close personal relationship with a celebrity or feels they have a special connection to a star, this may
be the time for concern. Recent studies have shown that teens who develop an unhealthy obsession with
celebrities often suffer from low self confidence and depression. Teens who are overly obsessed with stars
often have damaged relationships with their parents.

1. The first paragraph is intended to tell us ____.

A. it's normal for a teen to have celebrity worship
B. celebrity worship can cause serious problems
C. parents needn't worry about celebrity worship
D. celebrity worship only exists among teens

2. We learn from the second paragraph that ____.

A. teens today are not so obsessed with celebrities
B. the author is surprised at celebrity worship
C. the media greatly contributes to celebrity worship today
D. celebrities expose their lives too much

3. Parents should become concerned when their children ____.

A. talk a lot about celebrities with others
B. put up celebrity posters in their bedrooms
C. ask to go to their favorite star's concert
D. desire a close personal relationship with their favorite star

4. The last paragraph implies that ____.

A. parents should not care too much about a child's celebrity worship
B. celebrity worship syndrome can be a serious problem if left overlooked
C. children can normally get out of celebrity worship when they are older
D. children with celebrity worship usually have high opinion of themselves

5. What is most likely to be talked about in the paragraph following the passage?

A. The harm of celebrity worship syndrome.
B. More signs of celebrity worship syndrome.
C. What to do with children's celebrity worship syndrome.
D. Who will suffer most from celebrity worship syndrome.

     Nowadays people are troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media. Movies, television and
video games are full of gunplay and bloodshed, and one might reasonably ask what's wrong with a, society
that presents videos of violence as entertainment.
     Viewing large amounts of violent television and video games may well contribute to violent behavior in
certain individuals. The trouble comes when researchers downplay uncertainties in their studies or overstate
the case for causality (因果關(guān)系). Skeptics (懷疑論者) were dismayed several years ago when a group of
societies including, the American Medical Association tried to end the debate by issuing a joint statement,"
At this time, well over l,000 studies... point to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive
behaviors (攻擊性行為) in some children."
     Freedom-of-speech advocates accused the societies of appealing to politicians, and even disputed the
number of studies (most were review articles and essays, they said). When Jonathan Freedman, a social
psychologist at the University of Toronto, reviewed the literature, he found only 200 0r so studies of television-
watching and aggression. And when he weeded out "the most doubtful measures of aggression", only 28%
supported a connection.
     The critical point here is causality. The alarmists say they have proved that violent media cause aggression.
But the assumptions behind their observations need to be examined. When labeling games as violent or non-
violent, should a hero eating a ghost really be counted as a violent event? And when experimenters record the
time it takes game players to read "aggressive" or "non-aggressive" words from a list, can we be sure what
they are actually measuring? The intention of the new Harvard Center on Media and Child Health to collect and
standardize studies of media violence in order to compare their methodologies, assumptions and conclusions
is an important step in the right direction.
     Another appropriate step would be to tone down the criticism until we know more. Several researchers
write, speak and testify quite a lot on the threat posed by violence in the media. That is, of course, their
privilege. But when doing so, they often come out with statements that the matter has now been settled,
drawing criticism from colleagues. In response, the alarmists accuse critics and news reporters of being
deceived by the entertainment industry. Such clashes help neither science nor society.

1. Why is there so much violence shown in movies, TV and video games?

A. There is a lot of violence in the real world today.
B. Something has gone wrong with today's society.
C. Many people are fond of gunplay and bloodshed.
D. Showing violence is thought to be entertaining.

2. What is the skeptics' view of media violence?

A. Violence on television is a fairly accurate reflection of real- world life.
B. A causal relationship exists between media and real-world violence.
C. Most studies overstate the effect of media violence on the viewers.
D. The influence of media violence on children has been underestimated.

3. The author uses the term "alarmists" to refer to those who _____.

A. use standardized measures in the studies of media violence
B. insist on a direct link between violent media and aggressive behavior
C. initiate the debate over the influence of violence media on reality
D. use appropriate methodology in examining aggressive behavior

4. What does the writer think of the debate concerning the relationship between the media and violence?

A. He more than agrees with the views held by the alarmists.
B. It should come to an end since the matter has now been settled.
C. The past studies in this field have proved to be misleading.
D. More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn.

     Handbags are one of the signature statements for every fashion conscious woman. Lauren Bush and Ellen
Gustafson have managed to turn this accessory into a necessity in the struggle to feed the world's hungry
children, one handbag at a time. "There's no other choice," Gustafson said. "We have to help them get into
school. That's the only choice we have."
     The pair met four years ago through their work with the United Nations. What they saw inspired the launch
of their collection FEED.
     Their first bag, a $ 60 reusable shopping one, provides a school meal for a child anywhere in the world for
an entire a year, "World hunger seems so far away and so overwhelming (勢不可擋的) for most people," Bush
said."So to know exactly what you're doing is great."
     FEED now has a dozen styles in some of New York's most popular stores. Prices range from $ 15 to $ 195.
The cost varies because each bag provides help in a different way and says so right on the back.
     When the earthquake hit Haiti, FEED designed the "FEED Haiti 50" bag. It provides 50 school lunches for
children there. "That meal that a child gets in school is almost certainly the only proper meal that they get
everyday," said Marcus Prior, UN spokesperson in Haiti.
     Every year hunger and malnutrition kill more people in developing nations than AIDS, malaria, and
tuberculosis combined. That's 3 million children who never make it to their fifth birthday. 300 million other
children go to bed hungry every night.
     Since 2007, FEED has donated $ 5. 5 million to the UN World Food Program. "Hunger is a very terrible
feeling, it's a very terrible way to die," Gustafson said. "To know that just through selling a product we can
help them get the most essential to human life-food to thrive-is very powerful."

1. What's the purpose of the launch of FEED?

A. To help the hungry children.
B. To recycle the waste handbags.
C. To promote the sales of handbags.
D. To make all the children receive a good education.

2. Which of the following is True about the FEED handbag?

A. It has only one style.
B. Its price stays the same.
C. It is popular with lots of women.
D. The help it offers is marked on the back.

3. From what Gustafson said in the last paragraph, we can infer that ____.

A. she was afraid of dying from hunger
B. she was proud of what they did
C. she had ever suffered hunger
D. she called on people to help the hungry

4. The underlined word "malnutrition" in the sixth paragraph probably means ____.

A. poor nutrition
B. depression
C. balanced diet
D. super nutrition

     The American newspaper has been around for about three hundred years. In 1721, the printer James
Franklin. Benjamin's older brother, started the New England Courant, and that was what we might recognize
today as a real newspaper. He filled his paper with stories of adventure, articles on art, on famous people,
and on all sorts of political subjects.
     Three centuries after the appearance of Franklin's Courant, few believe that newspapers in their present
printed form will remain alive for long Newspaper complies are losing advertisers (廣告商), readers, market
value and in some cases, their sense of purpose at a speed that would not have been imaginable just several
years ago. The chief editor (主編) of the times said recently, "At places where they gather, editors ask one
another, 'How are you?', as if they have just come out of the hospital or a lost law came." An article about
the newspaper appeared on the website of the Guardian, under the headline "NOT DEAD YET." 
     Perhaps not, but the rise of the Internet which has made the daily newspaper look slow and out of step
with the world, has brought about a real sense of death. Some American newspapers have lost 42% of their
market value in the past three years. The New York Times Company has seen its stock (股票) drop by 54%
since the end of 2004, with much of the loss coming in the past year. A manager at Deutsche Bank suggested
that stock-holders sell off their Times stock. The Washington Post Comply has prevented the trouble only by
changing part of its business to education its testing and test-preparation service now brings in at least half the
company's income.

1. What can we learn about the New England Curran?

A. It is mainly about the stock market.
B. It marks the beginning of the American newspaper.
C. It remains a successful newspaper in America.
D. It comes articles by political leaders.

2. What can we infer about the newspaper editors?

A. They often accept readers' suggestions
B. They care a lot about each other's health.
C. They stop doing business with advertisers.
D. They face great difficulties in their business.

3. Which of the following found a new way for its development?

A. The Washington Post
B. The Guardian
C. The New York Times
D. New England Courant

4. How does the author seem to feel about the future of newspapers?

A. Satisfied
B. Hopeful
C. Worried
D. Surprised

     Cities alarmed by deaths and injuries of pedestrians are taking efforts to make crosswalks safer for people
on foot, especially seniors and children who need more time to cross streets.
     A pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident in the USA every 110 minutes; one is injured every nine minutes,
according to official data. Crosswalks can be especially dangerous for the elderly. Among people 70 and older,
36% of pedestrian deaths in 2006 occurred in crosswalks, compared with 21% of those younger than 70,
according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
     The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) advise that next year states increase by nearly 15% the
amount of time traffic lights provide for pedestrians to cross the street after the flashing orange hand appears.
FHWA spokesman Doug Hecox says reasons for the change include an aging population that needs more time
to cross, health-conscious Americans walking more, children encouraged to walk to prevent getting overweight
and high gas prices pushing people to walk instead of drive.
     Pedestrian deaths went down by 12% from 5,449 in 1996 to 4,784 in 2006, Bur among those in 2006, 471
were killed in crosswalks, down slightly from 488 ten years earlier, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) says.

1. Which of the following is true according to the text?

A. Among 100 pedestrian deaths there were 21 people younger than 70.
B. Old people are more likely to meet with accidents happened per hour.
C. Traffic accidents killed more old people than young people.
D. About seven traffic accidents happened per hour.

2. What is FHWA's suggestion to states?

A. Fixing more traffic lights
B. Providing more crosswalks
C. Giving pedestrians more time to cross streets
D. Drivers don't give way

3.  What’s the cause of the crosswalk safety problem according to the text?

A. There’re many cars and buses on the road.                         
B. Pedestrians are careless.
C. Crosswalks are more crowded than before.                        
D. Drivers don’t give way.

4. The report from NHTSA suggests that _____.

A. fewer people were injured in crosswalks
B. crosswalk safety has been greatly improved
C. much has been done to reduce traffic accidents
D. pedestrian deaths in crosswalks remain a serious problem

     Every day after school millions of children-most of them in middle school or high school-head home to
empty houses. Often, they're on their own until dinnertime or later-not by choice, but by necessity. While
they may be old enough to avoid setting the house on fire, each afternoon is still a minefield (充滿隱伏危險
的事物).
     It's a minefield hidden with drugs and alcohol, Internet addiction, violent video games and,perhaps worst
of all, loneliness.
     But families have little choice. With more parents working full-time than ever before, it's no surprise that
the number of so-called latchkey kids in the United States is also at an all-time (空前的, 創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的) high. Up
to 15 million of the country's 49 million school-age children spend part of the workweek on their own; almost
a third do so at least three days a week.
     The afternoon hours are also dangerous when it comes to crime. The U.S. Department of Justice reports
that the rate of violent crimes reaches its highest point between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.-nearly the same time at
which children are most likely to be victims of such crimes. One study found that those who are on their own
11 hours or more a week are twice as likely as those who aren't to drink or smoke.
     All this leads some health experts to an important conclusion. "Lack of adult involvement is one of the
strongest influences on bad behavior," says Robert Blum,chairman of population and family health at Johns
Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore. In fact, he and others believe it's stronger than background,
family income, or family structure. "And the more time teens spend unsupervised (無人監(jiān)督的), the worse
they'll behave."
     Blum and others believe teachers can help by transforming their schools into more nurturing environments.
He also argues for more and better after-school programs. But the final responsibility lies with parents. One
survey found that almost 90％of students agree that, "Even though I might complain about it, sometimes I
need to be pushed by my parents to do things that are good for me."

1. The passage is written to _____.

A. teach parents how to have good relationship with their kids
B. warn teenagers to stay away from drugs and alcohol
C. remind parents to pay more attention to teenagers who spend time alone at home
D. express the hope that kids should spend more time studying after school

2. The underlined words "latchkey kids" in paragraph 3 probably mean _____.

A. children who are at home alone after school
B. children who are addicted to video games
C. children who are in charge of the house key
D. children who spend more time online than at school

3. What is the main reason for bad behavior in children, according to the passage?

A. Violence
B. Lack of supervision
C. The Internet addiction
D. Drugs

4. Which of the following is NOT a good way to prevent children from behaving badly?

A. Having children spend more time with adults.
B. Having more and better after-school programs.
C. Having more supervision from parents.
D. Having children chat more with their friends.