People often think that having a million dollars would make all their dreams come true. There are TV game shows that give contestants the chance to become millionaires. When asked the question "What would you do with a million dollars?", most people tend to give similar answers: “Quit my job.”, "Buy my dream house," or “Go traveling.” Twenty years ago, it was possible to realize these dreams. However, things are not so easy today.

In many developed countries, the cost of living is higher than ever. Over the last twenty years, for example, housing prices in many of the world's cities have soared. In the U. S., luxury homes in the state of Arizona sold for about $ 800, 000 in 1995. These same homes now cost more than $ 1.5 million. Now, because more people live in the area, the cost of property has risen.

Apartments in many city centers are also more expensive now than in the past. Today, people want to be closer to their workplace, and many are now moving back into the city center. As a result, living in or near this area costs more than ever. Apartments in London's Mayfair district or in Manhattan in New York City often sell for over a million dollars.

Inflation is another important reason for the rise in the cost of living. Over the last 150 years, as prices have gone up, the value of money has gone down, so we now need more money to buy things. In 1850, for example, $50,000 had as much buying power as $1 million dollars does today. Of course, people now earn more money than they did 150 years ago, but they also spend more on necessities such as food, medicine, and housing.

In order to live well after you stop working, you should begin saving for retirement early. Experts suggest that after you retire, you will need 75 percent to 80 percent of your salary to live on every month. This calculation assumes that you have no mortgage on a house to continue paying, or any other major expenses.

Due to increased demand for housing, higher inflation, and longer life expectancy, a million may not be enough to live on. To be able to retire early, travel the world, and build your dream home, you may have to appear on that game show and win more than once!

46. What is the main cause of high housing price?

A. People generally make more money today.

B. There are more luxury homes than apartments.

C. There is less housing available there for sale or rent.

D. People would rather live in the suburbs than in the city.

47. The word "inflation" in the 4th paragraph refers to _____

A. the amount of money required for life's necessities

B. a continuing increase in prices over time

C. a bank loan for a house or piece of land

D. things that one must pay for regularly

48. If you make $ 4,000 per month, you will need _______ per month after you retire.

A. $2,250~$2,400        B. $ 3,000~$ 3,200

C. $3,500~$3,750        D. $2,550~ $ 2,700

49. What does the underlined sentence mean in the last paragraph?

A. You will be so lucky that you can win another million dollars.

B. Don't expect too much for just a million dollars that cannot change your life completely.

C. A million dollars is too little to travel around the world.

D. To win another million dollars is the only way to make you live better after retirement.

50. The passage mainly tells us _______.

A. what a million dollars can buy

B. higher housing prices have become a social problem to deal with

C. how much money you will need in order to live well after retirement

D. we should not neglect the fact that money may not be as that much as before

In the clinic, I asked if Michael could be retested, so the specialist tested him again. To my _36_, it was the same score.

   Later that evening, I _37_ told Frank what I had learned that day. After talking it over, we agree that we knew our _38_ much better than an IQ test. We _39_ that Michael’s score must have been a _40_ and we should treat him _41_ as usual.

   We moved to Indiana in 1962, and Michael studied at Concordia High School in the same year. He got _42_ grades in the school, especially _43_ biology and chemistry, which was a great comfort.

   Michael _44_ Indiana University in 1965 as a pre-medical student, soon afterwards, his teachers permitted him to take more courses than _45_. In 1968, he was accepted by the School of Medicine, Yale University.

   On graduation day in 1972, Frank and I _46_ the ceremony at Yale. After the ceremony, we told Michael about the _47_ IQ score he got when he was six. Since that day, Michael sometimes would look at us and say _48_, “My dear mom and dad never told me that I couldn’t be a doctor, not until after I graduated from medical school!” It is his special way of thanking us for the _49_ we had in him.

   Interestingly, Michael then _50_ another IQ test. We went to the same clinic where he had _51_ the test eighteen years before. This time Michael scored 126, an increase of 36 points. A result like that was supposed to be _52_.

         Children often do as _53_ as what adults, particularly parents and teachers, _54_ of them. That is, tell a child he is“ _55_”, and he may play the role of a foolish child.

1.A. joy                        B. surprise                  C. disappointment              D. dislike

2.A. hopefully            B. fearfully                  C. cheerfully                        D. tearfully

3.A. student                B. son                           C. friend                               D. doctor

4.A. decided               B. realized                   C. argued                             D. understood

5.A. joke                B. mistake           C. warning                            D. wonder

6.A. specially              B. naturally                 C. strictly                              D. carefully

7.A. poor               B. average           C. good                            D. standard

8.A. in                         B. about                       C. of                             D. for

9.A. visited                           B. chose                      C. passed                              D. entered

10.A. allowed             B. described               C. required                          D. offered

11.A. missed               B. held                         C. delayed                            D. attended

12.A. high              B. same                         C. different                          D. low

13.A. curiously           B. eagerly          C. jokingly                   D. calmly

14.A. faith                            B. interest                   C. pride                                 D. delight

15.A. looked for                  B. asked for                C. waited for                        D. prepared for

16.A. received      B. accepted                  C. organized                         D. discussed

17.A. imperfect                   B. uncertain                C. impossible                       D. unsatisfactory

18.A. honestly      B. well                           C. much                               D. bravely

19.A. expect                        B. learn                        C. hear                               D. speak

20.A. wise                       B. rude                          C. shy                                    D. stupid

 

In the clinic, I asked if Michael could be retested, so the specialist tested him again. To my __36__, it was the same score.

Later that evening, I _37_ told Frank what I had learned that day. After talking it over, we agree that we knew our _38_ much better than an IQ test. We _39_ that Michael’s score must have been a __40___ and we should treat him ___41___ as usual.

We moved to Indiana in 1962, and Michael studied at Concordia High School in the same year. He got _42 _ grades in the school, especially _43_ biology and chemistry, which was a great comfort.

Michael _44_ Indiana University in 1965 as a pre-medical student, soon afterwards, his teachers permitted him to take more courses than _45_. In 1968, he was accepted by the School of Medicine, Yale University.

On graduation day in 1972, Frank and I _46_ the ceremony  at Yale. After the ceremony, we told Michael about the _47_ IQ score he got when he was six. Since that day, Michael sometimes would look at us and say _48_, “My dear mom and dad never told me that I couldn’t be a doctor, not until after I graduated from medical school!” It is his special way of thanking us for the _49_ we had in him.

Interestingly, Michael then _50_ another IQ test. We went to the same clinic where he had _51_ the test eighteen years before. This time Michael scored 126, an increase of 36 points. A result like that was supposed to be _52_.

Children often do as _53_ as what adults, particularly parents and teachers, _54_ of them. That is, tell a child he is “ _55_”, and he may play the role of a foolish child.

1.                A．joy            B．surprise        C．dislike    D．disappointment

 

2.                A．tearfully        B．fearfully        C．cheerfully D．hopefully

 

3.                A．student         B．son            C．friend    D．doctor

 

4.                A．a(chǎn)rgued         B．realized         C．decided  D．understood

 

5.A. joke           B. mistake      C. warning          D wonder.

6.                A．specially        B．strictly          C．naturally  D．carefully

 

7.                A．poor           B．good           C．a(chǎn)verage  D．standard

 

8.                A．in             B．a(chǎn)bout          C．of   D．for

 

9.                A．visited         B．chose          C．passed   D．entered

 

10.               A．a(chǎn)llowed        B．described       C．required  D．offered

 

11.               A．missed         B．held           C．delayed   D．a(chǎn)ttended

 

12.               A．high           B．same          C．low   D．different

 

13.               A．curiously       B．eagerly         C．calmly D．jokingly

 

14.               A．faith           B．interest        C．pride D．delight

 

15.               A．looked for      B．a(chǎn)sked for       C．waited for D．prepared for

 

16.               A．received       B．a(chǎn)ccepted       C．organized  D．discussed

 

17.               A．imperfect       B．impossible      C．uncertain  D．unsatisfactory

 

18.               A．honestly        B．much          C．well D．bravely

 

19.               A．hear           B．learn          C．expect    D．speak

 

20.               A．wise           B．rude           C．shy   D．stupid

 

 

In the clinic, I asked if Michael could be retested, so the specialist tested him again. To my  16  , it was the same score.

Later that evening, I   17  told Frank what I had learned that day. After talking it over, we agreed that we knew our son much better than an IQ test. We decided that Michael’s score must have been a   18  and we should treat him   19  as usual.

We moved to Indiana in 1962, and Michael studied at Concordia High School in the same year, he got     20   grades in the school, especially in biology and chemistry, which was a great comfort.

Michael   21   Indiana University in 1965 as a pre-medical student. Soon afterwards, his teacher permitted him to take more courses than  22 . In 1968, he was accepted by the School of Medicine, Yale University.

On graduation day in 1972, Frank and I   23  the ceremony (典禮) at Yale. After the ceremony, we told Michael about the   24  IQ score he got when he was six. Since that day, Michael sometimes would look at us and say   25 , “My dear mom and dad never told me that I couldn’t be a doctor, not until after I graduated from medical school!” It is his special way of thanking us for the  26  we had in him.

Interestingly, Michael then asked for another IQ test. We went to the same clinic where he had   27  the test eighteen years before. This time Michael scored 126, an increase of 36 points. A result like that was supposed to be  28 .

Children often do as well as what adults, particularly parents and teachers,  29 of them. That is, tell a child he is “  30  ” , and he may play the role of a foolish child.

1.                A．joy            B．surprise        C．dislike    D．disappointment

 

2.                A．tearfully        B．fearfully        C．cheerfully D．hopefully

 

3.                A．joke           B．mistake         C．warning  D．wonder

 

4.                A．specially        B．strictly          C．naturally  D．carefully

 

5.                A．poor           B．good           C．a(chǎn)verage  D．standard

 

6.                A．visited         B．entered        C．passed   D．chose

 

7.                A．a(chǎn)llowed         B．described       C．required  D．offered

 

8.                A．missed         B．held           C．delayed  D．a(chǎn)ttended

 

9.                A．high           B．same           C．low  D．different

 

10.               A．curiously       B．eagerly         C．calmly D．jokingly

 

11.               A．confidence      B．interest        C．pride D．delight

 

12.               A．received       B．a(chǎn)ccepted       C．organized  D．discussed

 

13.               A．imperfect       B．impossible      C．uncertain  D．unsatisfactory

 

14.               A．hear           B．learn          C．expect    D．speak

 

15.               A．wise           B．rude           C．shy   D．stupid

 

 

In the clinic, I asked if Michael could be retested, so the specialist tested him again. To my ___1___, it was the same score.

Later that evening, I ___2___ told Frank what I had learned that day. After talking it over, we agree that we knew our ___3___ much better than an IQ test. We ___4___ that Michael’s score must have been a ___5___ and we should treat him ___6___ as usual.

We moved to Indiana in 1962, and Michael studied at Concordia High School in the same year. He got ___7___ grades in the school, especially ___8___ biology and chemistry, which was a great comfort.

Michael ___9___ Indiana University in 1965 as a pre-medical student, soon afterwards, his teachers permitted him to take more courses than ___10___. In 1968, he was accepted by the School of Medicine, Yale University.

On graduation day in 1972, Frank and I ___11___ the ceremony at Yale. After the ceremony, we told Michael about the ___12___ IQ score he got when he was six. Since that day, Michael sometimes would look at us and say ___13___, “My dear mom and dad never told me that I couldn’t be a doctor, not until after I graduated from medical school!” It is his special way of thanking us for the ___14___ we had in him.

Interestingly, Michael then ___15___ another IQ test. We went to the same clinic where he had __16___ the test eighteen years before. This time Michael scored 126, an increase of 36 points. A result like that was supposed to be ___17___.

Children often do as ___18___ as what adults, particularly parents and teachers, ___19___ of them. That is, tell a child he is “ ___20___”, and he may play the role of a foolish child.

1.	A．joy B．surprise C．dislike D．disappointment

 

2.	A．tearfully B．fearfully C．cheerfully D．hopefully

 

3.	A．student B．son C．friend D．doctor

 

4.	A．a(chǎn)rgued B．realized C．decided D．understood

5.A. joke        B. mistake      C. warning      D wonder

6.	A．specially B．strictly C．naturally D．carefully

 

7.	A．poor B．good C．a(chǎn)verage D．standard

 

8.	A．in B．a(chǎn)bout C．of D．for

 

9.	A．visited B．chose C．passed D．entered

 

10.	A．a(chǎn)llowed B．described C．required D．offered

 

11.	A．missed B．held C．delayed D．a(chǎn)ttended

 

12.	A．high B．same C．low D．different

 

13.	A．curiously B．eagerly C．calmly D．jokingly

 

14.	A．faith B．interest C．pride D．delight

 

15.	A．looked for B．a(chǎn)sked for C．waited for D．prepared for

 

16.	A．received B．a(chǎn)ccepted C．organized D．discussed

 

17.	A．imperfect B．impossible C．uncertain D．unsatisfactory

 

18.	A．honestly B．much C．well D．bravely

 

19.	A．hear B．learn C．expect D．speak

 

20.	A．wise B．rude C．shy D．stupid