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When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom.  I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.
But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.
There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.
In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.
Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.
Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy no to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”
Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?
【小题1】We can infer from the first paragraph that         .

E

When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom.  I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.

But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.

There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.

In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.

Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.

Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy no to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”

Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?

1.We can infer from the first paragraph that         .

A．Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was

B．getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens

C．16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license

D．teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes

2.What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens.

B．Getting a license costs much more than ever before.

C．Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens.

D．American teens are becoming more responsible than ever.

3.Michelle’s Wei’s example is used to explain ________.

A．why American teens are crazy about digital social life

B．what social networking websites are bringing to American teens

C．to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture

D．what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license

4.The last paragraph is reminding the readers that        .

A．the Internet h as a bad effect on the teen’s social life

B．teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle

C．actual contacts can be replaced by talking on line

D．face-to-face friendship is always the best choice

When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom.  I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.
But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.
There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.
In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.
Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.
Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy not to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”
Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?

1. 1.

   We can infer from the first paragraph that _______

   1. A.
      Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was
   2. B.
      getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens
   3. C.
      16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license
   4. D.
      teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes
2. 2.

   What does the passage mainly talk about?

   1. A.
      Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens
   2. B.
      Getting a license costs much more than ever before
   3. C.
      Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens
   4. D.
      American teens are becoming more responsible than ever
3. 3.

   Michelle’s Wei’s example is used to explain ________

   1. A.
      why American teens are crazy about digital social life
   2. B.
      what social networking websites are bringing to American teens
   3. C.
      to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture
   4. D.
      what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license
4. 4.

   The last paragraph is reminding the readers that _______

   1. A.
      the Internet has a bad effect on the teen’s social life
   2. B.
      teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle
   3. C.
      actual contacts can be replaced by talking on line
   4. D.
      face-to-face friendship is always the best choice

When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom.  I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.

But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.

There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.

In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.

Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.

Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy not to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”

Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?

72. We can infer from the first paragraph that _______ .

       A. Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was

       B. getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens

       C. 16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license

       D. teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes

73. What does the passage mainly talk about?

       A. Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens.

       B. Getting a license costs much more than ever before.

       C. Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens.

       D. American teens are becoming more responsible than ever.

74. Michelle’s Wei’s example is used to explain ________.

       A. why American teens are crazy about digital social life

       B. what social networking websites are bringing to American teens

       C. to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture

       D. what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license

75. The last paragraph is reminding the readers that _______ .

       A. the Internet has a bad effect on the teen’s social life

       B. teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle

       C. actual contacts can be replaced by talking on line

       D. face-to-face friendship is always the best choice

Romance does not have to fizzle out（失败） in long-term relationships and progress into a companionship/friendship-type love, a new study has found. Romantic love can last a lifetime and lead to happier, healthier   1  .

"Many believe that   2  love is the same as passionate（多情的）love," said lead researcher Bianca P. Acevedo, PhD, then at Stony Brook University (currently at University of California, Santa Barbara). "It isn't. Romantic love has the intensity, engagement and sexual chemistry that passionate love has, minus the obsessive component（过度成分）. Passionate or obsessive love includes   3  of uncertainty and anxiety. This kind of love   4  drive the shorter relationships but not the longer ones."

These findings   5  in the March issue of Review of General Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association.

Acevedo and co-researcher Arthur Aron, PhD, reviewed 25 studies with 6,070 individuals in short- and long-term relationships to    6  whether romantic love is associated with more satisfaction. To determine this, they   7  the relationships in each of the studies as romantic, passionate (romantic with obsession) or friendship-like love and categorized them as long- or short-term.

The researchers looked at 17 short-term relationship studies, which included 18- to 23-year-old college students who were   8  , dating or married, with the average relationship lasting less than four years. They also   9  at 10 long-term relationship studies including middle-aged couples who were typically married 10 years or more. Two of the   10  ncluded both long- and short-term relationships in which it was possible to distinguish the two samples.

The review found that those who reported greater romantic love were more   11  in both the short- and long-term relationships. Companion-like love was only moderately   12  with satisfaction in both short- and long-term relationships. And those who reported greater passionate love in their relationships were more satisfied in the short term   13  to the long term.

Couples who reported more satisfaction in their relationships also   14  being happier and having higher self-esteem.

Feeling that a partner is "there for you"   15  or a good relationship, Acevedo said, and facilitates（促进） feelings of romantic love. On the other hand, "feelings of insecurity are generally associated with   16  satisfaction, and in some   17  may spark conflict in the relationship. This can manifest（表白） into obsessive love," she said.

This discovery may change people's   18  of what they want in long-term relationships. According to the authors, companionship love, which is what many couples see as the natural   19  of a successful relationship, may be an unnecessary compromise(妥协). "Couples should strive for love with all the trimmings（修剪）," Acevedo said. "And couples who've been together a long time and wish to get back their romantic edge should know it is an attainable（可达到的） goal that, like most good things in life,   20  energy and devotion."

(   ) 1. A. scholarships        B. friendships        C. relationships     D. companionships

(   ) 2. A. obsessive            B. romantic           C. passionate         D. companion

(   ) 3. A. feelings              B. factors              C. consequences    D. barriers

(   ) 4. A. contributes         B. helps                C. prevents           D. speeds

(   ) 5. A. occur                 B. take                 C. write                D. appear

(   ) 6. A. find out             B. work out          C. take out            D. bring out

(   ) 7. A. separated            B. classified          C. divided             D. cut

(   ) 8. A. alone                 B. lonely              C. single               D. unique

(   ) 9. A. glanced              B. glared              C. stared               D. looked

(   ) 10. A. findings           B. examinations     C. experiments      D. studies

(   ) 11. A. unpleased         B. disappointed     C. satisfied            D. desperate

(   ) 12. A. referred            B. associated         C. contended         D. conflicted

(   ) 13. A. compared         B. comparing               C. added               D. led

(   ) 14. A. reported           B. said                  C. believed           D. hoped

(   ) 15. A. takes                B. makes              C. means              D. depends

(   ) 16. A. higher              B. lower                      C. no                    D. much

(   ) 17. A. environments    B. states                C. air                   D. cases

(   ) 18. A. views                      B. expectations      C. remarks            D. statements

(   ) 19. A. progression       B. change             C. results              D. choice

(   ) 20. A. produces          B. satisfies            C. requires            D. consumes