As they are retired,Mr and Mrs Scott prefer a house in the country to spend their later years to______in a large city.

A.it                                    B.that                          C.one                          D.which

As I was reading a recent story in Slate on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled children who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment: my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we too are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?

Consider some of these views shared in the Slate story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.

I read that, and I thought, what planet is she living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.

A 26-year-old in the story despairs(绝望) that he can’t afford to get a Ph.D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.

Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations are slowly adjusting, but today’s 20-somethings grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be expanding. Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner.

This recession(衰退) will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful－for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day－than on longing for some kind of luxury life.

41．What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?

A．They expect everything to be easy for them.

B．They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans.

C．They are reluctant to face all of the challenges.

D．They are burdened by student loans.

42．The underlined word “fertility” in Paragraph 3 probably means        .

A．baby production                                         B．pleasant

C．baby comfort                                             D．essential

43．Which of the following is not one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?

A．They can’t have children for at least a decade to buy a house.

B．They have only one-bedroom apartment to live in.

C．They can’t buy a house until 40 because of student loans.

D．They despair at not being able to afford a Ph.D. in literature.

44．What’s the author’s attitude towards the 20-somthings with high expectation in Paragraph 5?

A．Intolerant.

B．Negative.

C．Unbelieving.

D．Understanding.

45．What is the best title for this passage?

A．How Young People Afford to Continue Their Study

B．Why Young People Can’t Afford to Buy a House

C．When Young People’s High Hopes Create Despair

D．What the 20-somethings’ High Expectations Are

完形填空

　　During the dust-blown thirties, everyone fell on hard times. The year 1 10, we drew names at our little school to see whom we'd 2 Christmas gifts with. I picked Helen's name. Helen was a new girl. Her family 3 in a house someone had deserted.

　　Every day Helen wore the 4 brown dress to school, some of the neighbors whispered that Helen's daddy was 5 , and that he drank. Some didn't 6 want their kids to be friends with Helen.

　　One day in December I said to Mom,“Wouldn't it be nice to get Helen a 7 for Christmas?”Mom agreed, 8 I could see from her expression that there was no extra money for material. She had bought the material for me and my sisters and our dresses were almost 9 “There must be a way,”I 10 . Mom hugged me.“I wish there was a way,”she said.

　　The next morning Mom called me into the kitchen.“I have a(an) 11 ,”she said.“You and Helen are the same 12 . If you gave her your new red dress, I could fix you up the wool plaid（格子花呢）one that your cousin Esther sent.”I got a special feeling in my stomach. Give Helen my new dress? 13 I could respond, Mom said quickly,“I'll go ahead and fix the plaid dress and you can give her that, so she will have a 14 dress to wear for Christmas.”

　　“Give the red dress to Helen,”I said.“I want her to have it.” “Are you 15 ?” “I am sure. Absolutely.”When Helen came into the room Mom handed her the new red dress. A look of 16 filled Helen's face. She hugged Mom. Helen took it and 17 it in front of her.“Thank you, thank you, thank--”she said to me.“I'm so 18 .”I was feeling happy, too. Helen moved away shortly after that and I never 19 her again. Me, the plaid dress became one of my 20 . 

　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　　

(1) A．got	B．turned	C．changed	D．became
(2) A．gave	B．bought	C．showed	D．exchange
(3) A．stayed	B．remained	C．lived	D．worked
(4) A．same	B．dirty	C．new	D．beautiful
(5) A．cruel	B．lazy	C．rude	D．diligent
(6) A．still	B．yet	C．ever	D．even
(7) A．dress	B．gift	C．favour	D．meal
(8) A．so	B．and	C．but	D．therefore
(9) A．worn	B．finished	C．given	D．taken
(10) A．suggested		B．required
C．requested		D．insisted
(11) A．idea	B．hope	C．way	D．word
(12) A．length	B．age	C．size	D．body
(13) A．when	B．Before	C．As	D．After
(14) A．red	B．suitable	C．lovely	D．different
(15) A．sure	B．willing	C．convenient	D．joking
(16) A．astonishment		B．satisfaction
C．wonder		D．happiness
(17) A．seized	B．held	C．caught	D．brought
(18) A．shocked	B．frightened	C．sorry	D．happy
(19) A．saw	B．liked	C．heard	D．helped
(20) A．experiences		B．treasures
C．favorites		D．moments

 

The cost of buying a house in Beijing is higher than ______in Luoyang。

A. it   B. one   C. that   D. this

 

  It was dark and cold. They had to find a house ____ and some wood ____.

   A. to stay in…to make a fire with   B. to stay…to make a fire with

   C. to stay in…to make a fire       D. to stay…to make a fire