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(尋找) 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 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”.
【小題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

【小題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

【小題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

【小題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”

When foreigners come to Chengdu, a good alternative is to get around by taking the bus. Once getting used to going by bus, you will discover that it is actually not that bad.
Although a ride usually covers two or twenty stops, a bus ride costs RMB 2 in Chengdu. It is important to carry enough small money with you, because it is not usual to get back changes. Even though it is cheap, you can pay less and save some trouble if you get a RMB 25 bus card at your local pharmacy, Hongqi Chain Store or bus station terminal office—note that personal identification is needed. Explain to the worker that you want to purchase a bus card.
With this card, one bus drive costs only RMB 1 if you use a card based on frequency of your ride. If your card is based on the so called E-purse, you pay each time RMB 1.80 for the bus. If you require the use of subway, you can ask the cashier at the Hongqi Chain Store to activate the metro. After having your bus card, you can store money on your travel card. The fees for bus and metro have to be stored separately.
It is important to keep in mind that the money on the card does not overlap. For example, you charge 40 bus rides on the card, but you only used 20 during the month, the rest 20 will be invalid at the beginning of the next month and you have to recharge the card. Therefore, it is important to calculate the exact numbers of bus rides you will have to take.
After you have your own bus card, one swipe is only needed when you get on the bus at the front door. If you only manage to get on the bus at the back door, just ask the passengers to pass your card to the front and swipe it for you. With the bus card, you can transfer buses for fee if the travel time is within two hours.
Furthermore, it is to stress that you should keep an eye on your belongings while being on the bus. Generally, Chengdu is a safe place but most of the thefts are occurring on buses, at train stations or crowded large area, like the shopping street Chunxi Road.
Due to the fact that the place names are announced in Chinese, it is better to know the Chinese name of your destination. Even though there are announcements in English, they will sound like the following: “The next stop is Jinjiang Binguan (Jinjiang Hotel)”
【小題1】Which of the following statements is true when taking the bus in Chengdu?

A．It’s always important to carry enough small money with you every day.

B．It only costs RMB 25 to get around in Chengdu by bus per month.

C．Personal identification is not essential when applying for a bus card for locals.

D．RMB 0.2 will be saved each time if you use E-purse rather than cash on the bus.

【小題2】Why are the readers reminded to pay close attention to their personal possessions?

A．Because Chengdu is not a safe place.

B．Because some thieves like stealing things in crowded buses.

C．Because people can transfer buses for fee within two hours.

D．Because the bus card must be swiped at the front door.

【小題3】Why does the author suggest the Chinese name of the destination be learnt?

A．Because it helps know clearly where to get off the bus.

B．Because it can prevent people from missing the bus they want to board.

C．Because the place names are merely announced in Chinese.

D．Because it prevents the passengers getting off at the next stop on time.

【小題4】The author might write this passage specially for ________.

A．The local Chengdu people who are interested in traveling by bus

B．Regular bus riders in Chengdu who fails to manage their bus cards properly.

C．New foreigners in Chengdu who want to get around by bus.

D．Pedestrians in Chengdu who are considering choosing to take the bus.

Today, over six billion people live on the planet. This means that there are very few places on Earth with no people. One place that has very few people is at the bottom of the Earth. In Antarctica, the icy continent surrounding the South Pole, you will not find anyone who lives there all the time.
First, Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. For example, it can be –l30℃ in the winter. Humans cannot live in this kind of environment. Because it is so cold, very few plants or animals live there. This means there are no farms and no places to find wild plants or animals to eat.
Second, Antarctica can be dangerous. Many people think that it is safe to travel to Antarctica in the summer months when it is warmer. However, Antarctica is mostly ice, so when it’s summer, the ice melts. When the ice melts, the ice can break. So, people cannot travel around Antarctica during the summer. If the ice breaks, they could fall into the water and die.
Another serious problem in Antarctica is the sun. Because Antarctica is mostly ice, there are no trees so there is no shade. Also, the ground is mostly white ice so the sun bounces off (反射) it. The light from the sky and the light from the ground can burn people’s skin and hurt their eyes. People must be very careful in this situation. For example, they must wear sunglasses to protect their eyes. They must also cover their hands and faces all the time.
Although Antarctica is a tough place to live, explorers have discovered coal in Antarctica. This leads them to believe that Antarctica at one time was a land of swam (沼澤) and forests.
【小題1】This text is mainly about _____.

A．the discovery of Antarctica

B．how people travel around Antarctica

C．different animals found in Antarctica

D．why it is difficult to live in Antarctica

【小題2】We can learn from the text that _____.

A．Antarctica is a place with no animals

B．no people can survive in Antarctica

C．Antarctica is colder than any other continent on Earth

D．the temperature in Antarctica is below zero all the time

【小題3】When is the most dangerous time to travel around Antarctica?

A．In spring.

B．In summer.

C．In autumn.

D．In winter.

Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job．In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand．I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled．After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.
【小題1】In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to _____.

A．develop closer relations

B．share the same culture

C．get to know each other

D．keep each other company

【小題2】The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that _________.

A．the English prefer to make long speeches

B．too many words are of no use

C．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature

D．even talk and silence can be culturally different

【小題3】According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?

A．By sharing different ways of life.

B．By accepting different habits.

C．By recognizing different values.

D．By speaking each other' s languages.

【小題4】What would be the best title for the text?

A．Multicultural Environment.

B．Cross-Cultural Differences.

C．How to Understand Each Other.

D．How to Build Up a Relationship.

There are two ways to save money traveling. The first way is to get the best deals on the specific things you want. There is a limitation to this type of approach (途徑，方法) though. If you find the lowest price on the best hotel in Honolulu at the height of the season, you will save money, but still have a very expensive vacation. Trying to get exactly what you want will generally be an expensive proposition, in travel and in life.
The other approach is to be a true opportunist. This will be difficult for some of you, and entirely unacceptable to others. Nonetheless (盡管如此)，the travelers who get to travel the most, go to the widest variety of places, learn the most and do the most, are the opportunists. This will be true until you are so wealthy that you have no monetary (貨幣的；錢的)limits.
The first time I went to Ecuador, I went there because it was cheap. If it wasn’t, I would have had a great time—somewhere else. The trip lasted a month, and cost $1045, which included airfare and even the $130 fee for a guide to take me to the top or glacier (冰川) covered Mount Chimborazo.
I cut the cost by taking a bus from my home in Michigan to Miami, and back again when I returned from Ecuador. The round-trip ticket cost $158. The round-trip flight to Quito from Miami was only $256, because it was a courier (信使，通訊員) flight, which meant I signed for some luggage(car parts), and  could only take carry-on luggage.
Never did I feel deprived, or bored. I had a great time, eating wherever it was cheap and clean, doing all sorts of inexpensive, but interesting things, and traveling across the country to climb Chimborazo. I also met and fell in love with my wife Ana.
Being an opportunist means you’ll have just as much variety, and probably almost everything you want—eventually. You just have to stop trying to get exactly what you want exactly when you want it. If the guide that took me up Chimborazo hadn’t dropped his price from $200 to $130, I would have spent $2 for a bus and gone hiking on EI Altar, another great Andean mountain. That would have left me with enough money for several other minor adventures.
【小題1】The underlined phrase “the best deals” in the first paragraph probably refers to ______.

A．the best service	B． the lowest price
C．the cheapest goods	D． the best approaches

【小題2】The return tickets from his hometown to Quito cost the author ______.

A．$128

B． $256

C． $207

D． $414

【小題3】The last paragraph was to tell us how to ______.

A．save money for minor adventures

B．cut down traveling costs.

C．deal with different situations

D．become opportunist travelers

【小題4】It’s suggested that the author _____.

A．went hiking on El Altar

B．traveled with his wife in Ecuador

C．is an opportunist traveler

D．likes traveling around the world

【小題5】Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage?

A．Cheap Travel Secrets	B． Travel Secrets
C．A Travel Opportunist	D． Travel Tips

A camera and a computer can “see” something that perhaps millions of pairs of eyes failed to see for 480 years: the Mona Lisa’s necklace. The discovery about the famous painting was made by an American physicist.
The Mona Lisa, painted by the Italian, Leonardo da Vinci, has been on show for many years in Paris. Now a row of white spots on the neck have been “seen”. They are said to be the remains (痕跡) of a necklace which the artist later painted over.
The painting will be examined further by using infrared scanning (紅外線掃描) techniques. Laser (激光) technology can be used to show what lies directly under the surface of the finished work, too. This will help us to understand how the artist drew the picture: Did he begin with a quick-made drawing or have second thoughts as he painted the picture?
This kind of knowledge will show us the famous artist at work. It may also help to explain Mona Lisa’s smile, which has puzzled art lovers for centuries.
【小題1】This passage is mainly about ______.

A．the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci

B．a(chǎn)n American physicist’s discovery

C．further researches on the Mona Lisa

D．The uses of modern technology

【小題2】The Mona Lisa is ______.

A．a(chǎn) famous artist	B．a(chǎn) famous painting
C．a(chǎn) smiling woman	D．a(chǎn) lost necklace

【小題3】In this passage, “the Mona Lisa’s lost necklace” suggests that ______.

A．Mona Lisa once wore a necklace

B．someone stole the necklace from the Mona Lisa

C．the artist did not keep the necklace he had painted on the neck

D．the artist had a necklace stolen while working on the painting

【小題4】According to the passage, the white spots on Mona Lisa’s neck ______.

A．a(chǎn)re still invisible to visitors

B．have turned into a necklace

C．have already appeared before visitors

D．a(chǎn)re looking more and more like a necklace

【小題5】The painting will be examined further so that people may know more about ______.

A．Mona Lisa and her smile

B．the time when it was finished

C．infrared scanning and laser

D．this art work and the artist

Celebrated in the city of Munich, Germany, the Oktoberfest, as it is popularly called, is a 3-week festival that takes place in the months of September and October. Also called the largest beer festival in the world, the Oktoberfest gathers about 6 million visitors worldwide every year. Seeing the popularity of the festival, many countries around the world have adapted to what they call their own version of the Oktoberfest. So if you are not able to make it to Germany, you can always enjoy the festival in the areas mentioned below. Don’t miss out on it!
Brazil: welcome to the German town of Blumenau in Brazil. Well, we are not talking about Germans living in the town, but the place was originally founded by immigrants from Germany in the year 1850. The town is built in a traditional German style and there are a fair number of people who still live the way it used to be in good old days. The Oktoberfest is celebrated in a small village called Parque Vila Germanica between the dates of October 1^st to October 18^th. Guests can enjoy the festival in addition to exploring the town and its sites which include a beer museum.
Vietnam: celebrated in Ho Chi Minh City since 1992, the Oktoberfest event over here is conducted between the 6^th and the 11^th of October and the decorations are like the original festival in Munich, with large wooden tables lined with beer.
The Philippines: unlike the original Oktoberfest which is celebrated in a certain area, the Oktoberfest in the Philippines is a recent addition to the already existing festival which takes place between the 4^th of September and the 9^th of October. Now the event is set to be celebrated in a total of 30 parties in various cities around the country.
Canada: over 700,000 guests (second highest after Munich) in and around Canada take part in the Oktoberfest celebrated in Ontario between the 9^th and the 17^th of October.
【小題1】In which place does the Oktoberfest take place from September to October?

A．In Blumenau.

B．In Ontario.

C．In Ho Chi Minh City.

D．In Munich.

【小題2】From the first paragraph we can know that _______.

A．the Oktoberfest in Germany is the biggest beer festival in the world.

B．every year about 600,000 people celebrated the Oktoberfest in Germany

C．the Oktoberfest lasts longer in Germany than in any other country

D．in Germany the name “beer festival” is better known than the Oktoberfest

【小題3】About the Germany town of Blumenau, we know that ______.

A．only Germans live in the town

B．the town was first founded by Germans

C．people in the town all live in the old German way

D．the town has many beer festivals

【小題4】The author’s purpose in writing this passage is ______.

A．to call on more people to travel abroad

B．to attract more tourists to the Oktoberfest in Munich

C．to introduce Oktoberfest celebrations in the world

D．to describe the development of the Oktoberfest

A metaphor is a poetic device that deals with comparison. It compares similar qualities of two dissimilar objects. With a simple metaphor, one object becomes the other: Love is a rose. Although this does not sound like a particularly rich image, a metaphor can communicate so much about a particular image that poets use them more than any other type of figurative language. The reason for this is that poets compose their poetry to express what they are experiencing emotionally at that moment. Consequently, what the poet imagines love to be may or may not be our understanding of love. Therefore, the poet’s job is to enable us to experience it, to feel it the same way as the poet does.
Let’s analyze this remarkably simple metaphor concerning love and the rose to see what it offers. Because the poet uses a comparison with a rose, first we must examine the characteristics of that flower. A rose is impressive in its beauty, its petals（花瓣）are nicely soft, and its smell is pleasing. It’s possible to say that a rose is actually a feast to the senses of sight, touch, and smell. The rose’s appearance seems to border on perfection, each petal seemingly equal in form. Isn’t this the way one’s love should be？A loved one should be a delight to one’s senses and seem perfect.
However, there is another dimension added to the comparison by using a rose. Roses have thorns. The poet wants to convey the idea that roses can be tricky. So can love, the metaphor tells us. When one reaches out with absolute trust to touch the object of his or her affection, ouch, a thorn can cause great harm! “Be careful,” the metaphor warns, “Love is a feast to the senses, but it can overwhelm us, and it can also hurt us and cause acute suffering.” This is the poet’s understanding of love—an admonition (勸誡). What is the point？Just this: It took almost 14 sentences to clarify what a simple metaphor communicates in only four words! That is the artistry and the joy of the simple metaphor.
【小題1】According to the passage, a metaphor is a ________.

A．description of two similar objects in a poetic way

B．literary device specially employed in poetry writing

C．contrast between two different things to create a vivid image

D．comparison between two different objects with similar features

【小題2】As is meant by the author, thorns of a rose ________.

A．a(chǎn)dd a new element to the image of love

B．protect the rose from harm

C．symbolize reduced love

D．cause acute suffering

【小題3】It can be inferred from the passage that a metaphor is _______.

A．difficult to understand	B．rich in meaning
C．simple to use	D．perfect in form

【小題4】The main idea of this passage is that ________.

A．love is a rose in metaphor

B．a(chǎn) rose is a good image in poetry

C．a(chǎn) metaphor is a great poetic device

D．a(chǎn) poet should be careful to use a metaphor

Sports account for a growing amount of income made on the sales of commercial time by television companies.  Many television companies have used sports to attract viewers from particular sections of the general public, and then they have sold audiences to advertisers.
An attraction of sport programs for the major U. S.  media companies is that events are often held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons—the slowest time periods of the week for general television viewing.  Sport events are the most popular weekend programs, especially among male viewers who may not watch much television at other times during the week. This means the television networks are able to sell advertising time at relatively high prices during what normally would be dead time for programming.
Media corporations also use sports to attract commercial sponsors that might take their advertising dollars elsewhere if television stations did not report certain sports.  The people in the advertising departments of major corporations realize that sports attract made viewers. They also realize that most business travelers are men and that many men make family decisions on the purchases of computers, cars and life insurance.
Golf and tennis are special cases for television programming. These sports attract few viewers, and the ratings(收視率)are unusually low. However, the audience for these sports is attractive to certain advertisers. It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States, to certain advertisers. It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States, including many lawyers and business managers. This is why television reporting of golf and tennis is sponsored by companies selling high-priced cars, business and personal computer, and holiday trips. This is also why the networks continue to carry these programs regardless of low ratings.  Advertisers are willing to pay high fees to reach high-income consumers and those managers who make decisions to buy thousands of “company cars” and computer, with such viewers, these programs don’t need high ratings to stay on the air.
【小題1】Television sport programs on weekend afternoons         .

A．result in more sport event

B．get more viewers to play sports

C．make more people interested in television

D．bring more money to the television networks

【小題2】Why would weekend afternoons become dead time without sport programs?

A．Because there would be few viewers

B．Because the advertisers would be off work

C．Because television programs would go slowly

D．Because viewers would pay less for watching television

【小題3】In many families, men make decision on          .

A．holiday

B．sports viewing

C．television shopping

D．expensive purchases

【小題4】The ratings are not important for golf and tennis programs because         .

A．their advertisers are carmakers

B．their viewers are attracted by sports

C．their advertisers target at rich people

D．their viewers can afford expensive cars

【小題5】What is the passage mainly about?

A．Television viewers are determined by male viewers

B．Rich viewers contribute most to television companies

C．Sports are gaining importance in advertising on television

D．Commercial advertisers are the major sponsors of sport event

“Have a nice day!” may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless. When my friend Maxie says “Have a nice day” with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and secure since another person cares about me and wishes me well.
“Have a nice day. Next!”This version of the expression is spoken by a salesgirl at the supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words come out in the same tone（腔調(diào)）with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else’s is the management’s attempt to increase business.
The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting is at an end. Sometimes the expression saves us when we don’t know what to say “oh, you may have a tooth out? I’m terribly sorry, but have a nice day.”
The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says “Have a nice day” to you, you may find it heart-warming because someone you don’t know has tried to be nice to you.
Although the use of the expression is an insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and all the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it’s nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don’t care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like.
【小題1】How does the author understand Maxie’s words?

A．Maxie shows her anxiety to the author.

B．Maxie really wishes the author a good day.

C．Maxie encourages the author to stay happy.

D．Maxie really worries about the author’s security.

【小題2】What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．The salesgirl is rude.

B．The salesgirl is bored.

C．The salesgirl cares about me

D．The salesgirl says the words as a routine.

【小題3】 By saying “Have a nice day,” a stranger may _____.

A．try to be polite to you

B．express respect to you

C．give his blessing to you

D．share his pleasure with you

【小題4】According to the last paragraph, people say “Have a nice day”_______.

A．sincerely

B．a(chǎn)s thanks

C．a(chǎn)s a habit

D．encouragingly

【小題5】What is the best title of the passage?

A．Have a Nice Day—a Social Custom.

B．Have a Nice Day—a Pleasant Gesture.

C．Have a Nice Day—a Heart-warming Greeting.

D．Have a Nice Day—a Polite Ending of a Conversation.