Education cuts(削减) have become routine (惯常的) over the past few years, which has made it difficult for students to learn. The results of a survey of 1,850 Los Angeles County high school students show just how much the cuts are affecting students.
Because of teacher layoffs (解雇), class sizes at some high schools have risen to 50 students — even in math and English classes. Some 37 percent of students report that they sometimes don’t have a desk to sit at. Sixty-seven percent say crowded classrooms make them feel the teachers don’t have enough time to teach, and 30 percent say they’ve not been able to join in a program because it’s no longer offered at their school.
At a time when technology is an important skill, 52 percent of students say there aren’t enough computers. Or they’re often broken, and there’s no one to fix them. Fifty-one percent say they’ve had to share textbooks with a classmate because there aren’t enough copies to go around. Fifty-seven percent say they’ve had to copy information because their school doesn’t have enough paper to make copies.
“We have only one science teacher for the entire(整个的) high school,” writes Felix Ruano, a 16-year-old student. He goes on to describe how that teacher, who is only qualified to teach chemistry, is teaching physics — or, at least, is trying to do so. “He shows physics videos and we teach ourselves from our textbook,” says Ruano. And, as has been seen elsewhere, “all but one of the restrooms” at Ruano’s school “have been closed because we don’t have enough people to clean them.”
Ruano notes that though faced with the challenges, 97 percent of students say they plan to go to college. But without “properly trained teachers and the best resources,” says Ruano, it’s not likely that every student will achieve that goal. “Unless schools fix these problems,” he says, “students could lose hope.”
【小题1】According to the text, education cuts have led to the following results EXCEPT that _____.

A．class sizes at some high schools have risen

B．some students don’t have a desk to sit at

C．some students have to share textbooks

D．some students have to leave school

【小题2】The underlined word “qualified” in the fourth paragraph can best be replaced by “_____”.

A．fit

B．willing

C．bored

D．worried

【小题3】According to Ruano, _____.

A．he is good at teaching himself

B．most students plan to go to college

C．his school is going to be closed

D．most students are hopeful about their school

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

A．What caused education cuts?	B．Education cuts, right or wrong?
C．Education cuts have hurt students	D．How to deal with education cuts

The other day I heard a few local musicians talking, "I hate all the pianos in this town and I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They cannot even understand rhythm (韵律).""Nobody wants to pay musicians anything. I’m sick of all the people who want you to play without paying you.” One younger musician said, "There are a couple of clubs who want me to play for a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also planning to join in several summer festivals this year." I really liked what the younger musician said so I made friends with him.
Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative (消极的), they’re all rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who are always complaining(抱怨) or blaming (责备) others, it is possible that you will start doing the same as well. If you spend lots of time with people who don’t support your dreams, it is time to take a look at the people you call "friends".
There is an easy exercise you can try. Make a list of the people who you often stay with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard. The choice is always yours to make. Of course, this exercise is entirely different from making friends only for the good of oneself. We really should try to help and spend time with those who are working towards a goal or dream.
【小题1】The musicians’ conversation at the beginning is to show that ______.

A．musicians’ living conditions are not good

B．people in that town have poor taste in music

C．different people have different attitudes

D．young people are more likely to succeed

【小题2】The underlined part "they’re rubbing off on you" in Paragraph 2 means ______.

A．they’ll push you ahead

B．they’ll have an influence on you

C．they’ll keep you from moving on

D．they’ll help you realize your dreams

【小题3】Why did the author want to make friends with the younger musician?

A．He is more active than the others.

B．He can earn more than the others.

C．He has more things to do than the others.

D．His attitude is more positive than the others.

【小题4】By doing the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 3, you can ______.

A．make the right kind of friends

B．improve your ability to make friends

C．develop a better relationship with your friends

D．make some new friends with the same interests as you

Want to be perfect at a holiday dinner party? Follow these tips on good manners, and your dinner companions are sure to be thankful.
*Arrive no earlier than the time the host has announced and no later than half an hour after the time.
*Plan to stay about an hour after dinner unless travel plans or sleepy children which make you leave a bit earlier.
*Bring a gift and write a note of thanks afterwards.
*Offer to help set up for dinner and to clean afterwards.
*Tell the host of any special dietary needs---if you are a vegetarian, diabetic or allergic to common foods. You can tell the host how to prepare a dish you can eat, or even better, offer to bring that dish yourself.
*If you’re going to a potluck (百乐餐) dinner, bring a serving dish with you as an offer. Remember, the best potluck dishes are those that need little preparation in the host’s kitchen, can be served at room temperature and need only a fork to eat.
【小题1】To be a perfect guest, you should _______.

A．never be late for a holiday dinner party

B．leave right away after meal if necessary

C．bring a gift with some words of thanks on

D．help to make table and clean afterwards

【小题2】“Diabetic or allergic” here refers to people who _____ .

A．have some special needs for certain foods

B．are more important than other dinner companions

C．never try some common foods served at dinner

D．always bring dishes to dinner themselves

【小题3】According to the passage, potluck dinner dishes are those  _______ .

A．usually given by the guests

B．carefully prepared in the kitchen

C．served only at room temperature

D．eaten only with a fork and knife

【小题4】The passage is mainly written for  _____ .

A．holiday makers

B．companions

C．dinner hosts

D．dinner guests

Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father, “But, Dad, you can’t be healthy if you’re dead.”
Dad, in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten to wear his safety belt－a mistake 75% of US population makes every day. The big question is why.
There have been many myths about safety belt ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago. The following are three of the most common.
Myth the Number One: It’s best to be “thrown clear” of a serious accident.
Truth: Sorry, but any accident serious enough to “throw you clear” is able to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing. And chances are you’ll have traveled through a windshield(挡风玻璃) or door to do it. Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty－five times in cases where people are “thrown clear”.
Myth Number Two: Safety-belts “trap” people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.
Truth: Sorry again, but studies show that people knocked unconscious(昏迷) due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents. People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having in these accidents. People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situation, not to be trapped in them.
Myth Number Three: Safety belts aren’t needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour(mph).
Truth: When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other, an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 metres.
【小题1】Why did Elizabeth say to her father, “But, Dad, you can’t be healthy if you’re dead”?

A．He was driving at a great speed.

B．He was running across the street.

C．He didn’t have his safety belt on.

D．He didn’t take his medicine on time.

【小题2】The reason why father was in a hurry to get home was that he          .

A．wasn’t feeling very well

B．hated to drive in the dark

C．wanted to take some exercise

D．didn’t want to be caught by the people

【小题3】 According to the text, to be “thrown clear” of a serious accident is very dangerous because you      .

A．may be knocked down by other cars.

B．may get serious hurt thrown out of the car

C．may find it impossible to get away from the seat

D．may get caught in the car door

【小题4】Some people prefer to drive without wearing a safety belt because they believe          .

A．the belt prevents them from escaping in an accident

B．they will be unable to think clearly in an accident

C．they will be caught when help comes

D．cars catch fire easily

【小题5】What is the advice given in the text?

A．Never drive faster than 30 miles an hour.

B．Try your best to save yourself in a car accident.

C．Never forget to wear the safety belt while driving.

D．Drive slowly while you’re not wearing a safety belt.

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 is commonly known as "Empty Nest Syndrome”（空巢综合症）．
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 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".
【小题1】According to the passage, the loneliness of aged parents is mainly caused by __________.

A．their earlier experience of living alone

B．the poor living conditions in their native countries

C．the common worry that they have not saved much money

D．the distance between where parents live and where their children live

【小题2】Many young people have gone abroad, leaving their aged parents behind, to __________.

A．realize their dreams in foreign countries

B．seek a better place for their aged parents

C．live in the countries with more money

D．continue their studies abroad

【小题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

【小题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"

【小题5】The society discussed in the passage is most probably __________.

A．France

B．America

C．China

D．Britain

Several recent studies have found that being randomly (随机地) assigned to a roommate of another race can lead to increased tolerance but also to a greater likelihood (可能性)of conflict.
Recent reports found that lodging with a student of a different race may decrease prejudice and force students to engage in more ethnically diverse friendships.
An Ohio State University study also found that black students living with a white roommate saw higher academic success throughout their college careers. Researchers believe this may be caused by social pressure.
In a New York Times article, Sam Boakye – the only black student on his freshman year floor -said that "if you're surrounded by whites, you have something to prove."
Researchers also observed problems resulting from pairing interracial students in residences.
According to two recent studies, randomly assigned roommates of different races are more likely to experience conflicts so strained that one roommate will move out.
An Indiana University study found that interracial roommates were three times as likely as two white roommates to no longer live together by the end of the semester.
Grace Kao, a professor at Penn said she was not surprised by the findings. "This may be the first time that some of these students have interacted, and lived, with someone of a different race," she said.
At Penn, students are not asked to indicate race when applying for housing.
"One of the great things about freshman housing is that, with some exceptions, the process throws you together randomly," said Undergraduate Assembly chairman Alec Webley. "This is the definition of integration."
"I've experienced roommate conflicts between interracial students that have both broken down stereotypes(模式化形象) and strengthened stereotypes," said one Penn resident advisor (RA). The RA of two years added that while some conflicts "provided more multicultural acceptance and melding (融合)," there were also "jarring cultural resistance."
The RA said that these conflicts have also occurred among roommates of the same race.
Kao said she cautions against forming any generalizations based on any one of the studies, noting that more background characteristics of the students need to be studied and explained.
【小题1】What can we learn from some recent studies?

A．Conflicts between students of different races are unavoidable.

B．Interracial lodging may have diverse outcomes.

C．Students of different races are prejudiced against each other.

D．Interracial lodging does more harm than good.

【小题2】What does the Indiana University study show?

A．Few white students like sharing a room with a black peer.

B．Roommates of different races just don't get along.

C．Interracial roommates are more likely to fall out.

D．Assigning students' lodging randomly is not a good policy.

【小题3】What does Alec Webley consider to be the "definition of integration"?

A．The school randomly assigns roommates without regard to race.

B．Students of different races are required to share a room.

C．Interracial lodging is arranged by the school for freshmen.

D．Lodging is assigned to students of different races without exception.

【小题4】What can be inferred from Grace Kao’s saying about interracial lodging?

A．Schools should be cautious when making decisions about student lodging.

B．Students' racial background should be considered before lodging is assigned.

C．Experienced resident advisors should be assigned to handle the problems.

D．It is unscientific to make generalizations about it without further study.

As the railroads and the highways shaped the American West in the past centuries, a new electrical generating(发电)and transmission (输送) system for the 21^st century will leave a lasting mark on the West, for better or worse. Much of the real significance of railroads and highways is not in their direct physical effect on the scenery, but in the ways that they affect the surrounding community. The same is true of big solar plants and the power lines that will be laid down to move electricity around.
The 19 ^th century saw land grants(政府拨地) offered to railroad companies to build the transcontinental railroads, leaving public land in between privately owned land. In much of the West, some of the railroad sections were developed while others remained undeveloped, and in both cases the landownership has presented unique challenges to land management. With the completion of the interstate highway system, many of the small towns, which sprang up as railway stops and developed well, have lost their lifeblood and died.
Big solar plants and their power lines will also have effects far beyond their direct footprint in the West. This is not an argument against building them. We need alternative energy badly, and to really take advantage of it we need to be able to move electricity around far more readily than we can now.
So trade-offs will have to be made. Some scenic spots will be sacrificed. Some species(物种) will be forced to move, or will be carefully moved to special accommodations. Deals will be struck to reduce the immediate effects.
The lasting effects of these trade-offs are another matter. The 21^st century development of the American West as an ideal place for alternative energy is going to throw off a lot of power and money in the region. There are chances for that power and money to do a lot of good. But it is just as likely that they will be spent wastefully and will leave new problems behind, just like the railroads and the highways.
The money set aside in negotiated trade-offs and the institutions that control it will shape the West far beyond the immediate footprint of power plants and transmission lines. So let’s remember the effects of the railroads and the highways as we construct these new power plants in the West.
【小题1】What was the problem caused by the construction of the railways?

A．Small towns along the railways became abandoned.

B．Land in the West was hard to manage.

C．Some railroad stops remained underused.

D．Land grants went into private hands.

【小题2】What is the major concern in the development of alternative energy according to the last two paragraphs?

A．The use of money and power.

B．The transmission of power.

C．The conservation of solar energy.

D．The selection of an ideal place.

【小题3】What is the author’s attitude towards building solar plants?

A．Disapproving.

B．Approving.

C．Doubtful.

D．Cautious.

【小题4】Which is the best title for the passage?

A．How the Railways Have Affected the West

B．How the Effects of Power Plants Can Be Reduced

C．How Solar Energy Could Reshape the West

D．How the Problems of the Highways Have Been Settled

Every ten years there is a national census （人口普查）to count the number of people. The Census Office asks every household to answer questions on a census form.
The census counts...
● the number of people in each area
● the numbers of men and women and whether they are single, married, widowed or divorced
● how many children there are, how many teenagers, people in their twenties, thirties, forties... retired people and so on
The census counts people by...
● the kind of housing they live in
● the country in which they were born
● the kind of job they do and how they travel to work
Some uses of the census:
Housing: to work out present and future needs we must know how people are housed now, and the sizes and ages of their families.
Hospitals, schools and other local services: the size of annual grants made by the Government to these services depends largely on the numbers and needs of people in the area. Many of the figures come from the census.
Planning: the census shows how many people have moved from one area to another and how the local workforce is changing. This information is used when factories, offices, shops, public transport and places for leisure are being planned.
In strict confidence
The census is taken in order to provide figures about the nation as a whole; it does not give information about any named person, family or household.
Names and addresses are needed to take the census accurately, but they are not fed into the computer.  After the census, the forms are locked away and will not be released to anyone outside the Census Office for 100 years.
The answers you give on your census form will be treated in strict confidence. NO one outside the Census Office will see your completed form.  Everyone working on the census is sworn to secrecy and can be charged if he or she improperly reveals information.
【小题1】The writer is mainly ________ in this passage.

A．persuading people to support census

B．giving information about the importance and practice of census

C．showing the government’s determination in conducting census

D．warning people not to provide inaccurate information

【小题2】The census is not interested in ________.

A．how many houses you have	B．how old you are
C．what your job is	D．how much money you have

【小题3】The census shows the changes that have taken place regarding ________.

A．the size of hospitals in the area

B．the types of public transport in the area

C．the number of people who work in the area

D．the use of power in the area

【小题4】The following statements are true except _________.

A．the information is not fed into a computer

B．the census gives information about the whole country

C．the people who don’t work on the census will not see the completed forms

D．it is illegal for people to disclose the confidential information on census

In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied (依赖) on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit (追求) of success, the development, of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while sonic seem to be lost in die desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only die winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken-belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve(缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition.
【小题1】What does this passage mainly talk about?

A．Competition helps to set up self-respect.

B．Opinions about competition are different among people.

C．Competition is harmful to personal quality development.

D．Failures are necessary experiences in competition.

【小题2】The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means______.

A．those who try their best to win

B．those who value competition most highly

C．those who are against competition most strongly

D．those who rely on others most for success

【小题3】Which point of view may the author agree to?

A．Every effort should be paid back.

B．Competition should be encouraged.

C．Winning should be a life-and-death matter.

D．Fear of failure should be removed in competition.

In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied (依赖) on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit (追求) of success, the development, of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while sonic seem to be lost in die desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only die winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken-belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve(缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition.
【小题1】What does this passage mainly talk about?

A．Competition helps to set up self-respect.

B．Opinions about competition are different among people.

C．Competition is harmful to personal quality development.

D．Failures are necessary experiences in competition.

【小题2】The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means______.

A．those who try their best to win

B．those who value competition most highly

C．those who are against competition most strongly

D．those who rely on others most for success

【小题3】Which point of view may the author agree to?

A．Every effort should be paid back.

B．Competition should be encouraged.

C．Winning should be a life-and-death matter.

D．Fear of failure should be removed in competition.