Who takes care of the elderly in the United States today? Many people wrongly believe that when people reach old age, their families place them in nursing homes. They are left there in the hands of strangers for the rest of their lives. Their grown-up children visit them only occasionally, but more often, they do not have any regular visitors. Actually this is not true. In fact, family members provide over 80 percent of the care that elderly people need.

Prof. Samuel Preston, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania, studied how the American family is changing. He reported that by the time the average American couple reaches 40 years of age, they have more parents than children. This statistic (统计) shows the change in life-styles and responsibilities of aging Americans. The average middle-aged couple can look forward to caring for elderly parents some time after their own children have grown up. Moreover, because people today live longer after an illness than people did years ago, family members must provide long-term care. These facts also mean that after care-givers provide for their elderly parents, who will eventually die, they will be old and may require care too. When they do, their spouses (配偶, 指夫或妻) will probably take care of them.

Because Americans are living longer than ever, more psychologists and social workers have begun to study care-giving to improve care of the elderly. They have found that all caregivers share a common characteristic: all caregivers believe that they are the best person for the job, for different reasons. One caregiver said that she had always been close to her mother. Another was the oldest child. In other words, they all felt that they could do the job better than anyone else. Social workers interviewed caregivers to find out why they took on the responsibility of caring for an elderly, dependent relative. They discovered three basic reasons. Many caregivers believed that they had the responsibility to help their relatives. Some stated that helping others made them feel more useful. Others hoped that by helping someone now, they would deserve care when they became old and dependent.

48. It can be inferred that a middle-aged couple in the US _______.

A. spend more time with their children than with their parents

B. depend on their children’s assistance in caring for the elderly

C. don’t pay more attention to their children than to their parents

D. spend more time taking care of their parents than before

49. The most common characteristic of caregivers is ______.

A. they all have professional qualifications in care-giving

B. they all believe themselves to be the best caregiver

C. they are the eldest child in the family

D. they are close to their parents

50. Which of the following is NOT a basic reason for care-giving?

A. Respect from other members of the family.

B. Prepayment for the care they will get in old age.

C. A feeling of being needed and helpful.

D. A strong sense of duty to the elderly.

51. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Most old people in the US are living a happy life.

B. Most old people in the US live longer today after an illness than people did years ago.

C. Most elderly people in the US are taken care of by their families, who often find the experience satisfying.

D. Most elderly people in the US prefer living with their families to living nursing houses.

D

Are you afraid of sharks? You shouldn’t be! Below we cleared up the main myths about one of the world’s most perfectly formed creatures …

All sharks are the same.

This is absolutely not true. There are nearly four hundred species of sharks and they vary widely in habitat, size, features, diet and lifestyle. They range from the cigar shark, which is about 15 centimetres long, to the whale shark, which can be up to about nine meters long. More than 50 percent of sharks are less than a metre long and more than 90 percent are less than two metres long. And their habitat ranges from shallow to deep water and from the Arctic to the Tropic.

___________________

This is not true, either. In fact, many shark populations are decreasing. The chief reason for this is that hundreds of thousands of them are caught in fishing nets. Depending on where they are caught. They are either killed for their fins(鳍), which are used in shark’s fin soup, or they are tossed back into the sea because they are unwanted. Almost all sharks which are discarded in this way die. Also, sharks mature late in life and produce very few young. If the current reduction in numbers continues, the ecological balance of the oceans will be severely threatened.

Sharks will always attack you

This is nonsense. The chances of being attacked by a shark are minimal. You are 250 times more likely to be killed by lightning than by a shark, and your chances of being killed by lightning are practically zero.

However, if you are planning to take a swim in shark territory, then follow these simple rules:

Avoid swimming at dawn or duck when visibility decreases.

Avoid areas where there are breaking waves. Turbulent(汹涌的) water makes it difficult for sharks to see and determine whether you are prey(猎物).

Do not wear jewellery in the water. Sharks are attracted to shiny fishes, and jewellery may resemble their scales(鳞片).

Do not swim near schools of small fish, which are the favorite food of some sharks.

68. The underlined word “myths” in the first paragraph means ____.

A. an idea or story that many people believe but which is not true   

B. something that is impossible to understand or explain or about which little is known

C. a feeling of surprise        

D. something that you are curious to know 

69. From the passage we can learn sharks ____.

A. look alike B. are dangerous   

C. usually live in deep sea    D. hardly attack people

70. Which of the following is proper for the blank in the third paragraph?

A. Sharks’ fin soup is nutritious                

B. There are too many sharks in the sea

C. Many shark populations are decreasing  

D. Sharks produce many young

71. Which of the following rules should you follow when you’re going to swim in shark areas?

A. Don’t swim before day breaks.              

B. Choose areas where there are big waves.

C. Wear something shiny when swimming.

D. Choose areas where there are many small fish.

D
Are you afraid of sharks? You shouldn’t be! Below we cleared up the main myths about one of the world’s most perfectly formed creatures …
All sharks are the same.
This is absolutely not true. There are nearly four hundred species of sharks and they vary widely in habitat, size, features, diet and lifestyle. They range from the cigar shark, which is about 15 centimetres long, to the whale shark, which can be up to about nine meters long. More than 50 percent of sharks are less than a metre long and more than 90 percent are less than two metres long. And their habitat ranges from shallow to deep water and from the Arctic to the Tropic.
___________________
This is not true, either. In fact, many shark populations are decreasing. The chief reason for this is that hundreds of thousands of them are caught in fishing nets. Depending on where they are caught. They are either killed for their fins(鳍), which are used in shark’s fin soup, or they are tossed back into the sea because they are unwanted. Almost all sharks which are discarded in this way die. Also, sharks mature late in life and produce very few young. If the current reduction in numbers continues, the ecological balance of the oceans will be severely threatened.
Sharks will always attack you
This is nonsense. The chances of being attacked by a shark are minimal. You are 250 times more likely to be killed by lightning than by a shark, and your chances of being killed by lightning are practically zero.
However, if you are planning to take a swim in shark territory, then follow these simple rules:
Avoid swimming at dawn or duck when visibility decreases.
Avoid areas where there are breaking waves. Turbulent(汹涌的) water makes it difficult for sharks to see and determine whether you are prey(猎物).
Do not wear jewellery in the water. Sharks are attracted to shiny fishes, and jewellery may resemble their scales(鳞片).
Do not swim near schools of small fish, which are the favorite food of some sharks.
68. The underlined word “myths” in the first paragraph means ____.
A. an idea or story that many people believe but which is not true   
B. something that is impossible to understand or explain or about which little is known
C. a feeling of surprise        
D. something that you are curious to know 
69. From the passage we can learn sharks ____.
A. look alike B. are dangerous   
C. usually live in deep sea    D. hardly attack people
70. Which of the following is proper for the blank in the third paragraph?
A. Sharks’ fin soup is nutritious                
B. There are too many sharks in the sea
C. Many shark populations are decreasing  
D. Sharks produce many young
71. Which of the following rules should you follow when you’re going to swim in shark areas?
A. Don’t swim before day breaks.              
B. Choose areas where there are big waves.
C. Wear something shiny when swimming.
D. Choose areas where there are many small fish.

You feel happiest when you create a healthy balance between giving and receiving. If you give and give without making time to fill your own needs, then it’s likely you will burn out, or feel upset. When you take and take without giving anything back, you never feel fulfilled, so you are always searching for ways to fill the void in your life.

   The way to create a healthy balance between giving and receiving is to know and then live by your values. I break values up into two groups which I call being and having values. Your being values are the character traits of the ideal person you would like to be. I suggest to my clients that they choose three being values that they are willing to make a commitment to live by. An example of some being values are: kind, loving, generous, inspirational, peaceful, wise and even powerful. By acting on these values you give to others through your actions and you inspire others by being a positive role model. Mastering being these character traits becomes your life purpose.

    Your having values are feelings you need to create in order to be happy. These could be companionship, achievement, support, being valued or financial security. This is what you receive. You take responsibility for filling your own needs by taking steps to create these feelings and conditions in your life.

    When you make a commitment to live by being values, it becomes easier to make conscious choices rather than reactionary ones. If your usual pattern is to talk about your problems, you could choose to think and act like a calm person. A clam person might go for a walk, meditate(沉思), or set a time limit before responding. If your usual pattern is to worry, you could choose to act like a responsible or wise person. In other words, you would act like the person you choose to be-this is the key to personal power.

   When you choose to act on your values, you not only feel good about yourself, you reinforce(加强)your chosen beliefs. Over time acting in this way changes how you see the world, and in turn the way other people think of you.

The main purpose of this passage is to _____

A inform the readers how to be truly happy

B explain to the readers what personal values are

C persuade the readers to make a commitment

D instruct the readers how to make wise choices

According to the text, living by your being values, you would_____

A gain a lot of power                 B fill your own needs

C seek all human virtues              D form positive personality

The underline word “void” in Paragraph 1 means______

A a break of continuity                B an absent of one’s mind

C a feeling of emptiness               D a state of confusion

What can be inferred from the text?

A Having values are better than being values

B A calm person does not choose to complain.

C The way other people think of you decides who you are.

D A responsible person does not care about financial security

Who takes care of the elderly in the United States today? Many people wrongly believe that when people reach old age, their families place them in nursing homes. They are left there in the hands of strangers for the rest of their lives. Their grown-up children visit them only occasionally, but more often, they do not have any regular visitors. Actually this is not true. In fact, family members provide over 80 percent of the care that elderly people need.
Prof. Samuel Preston, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania, studied how the American family is changing. He reported that by the time the average American couple reaches 40 years of age, they have more parents than children. This statistic (统计) shows the change in life-styles and responsibilities of aging Americans. The average middle-aged couple can look forward to caring for elderly parents some time after their own children have grown up. Moreover, because people today live longer after an illness than people did years ago, family members must provide long-term care. These facts also mean that after care-givers provide for their elderly parents, who will eventually die, they will be old and may require care too. When they do, their spouses (配偶, 指夫或妻) will probably take care of them.
Because Americans are living longer than ever, more psychologists and social workers have begun to study care-giving to improve care of the elderly. They have found that all caregivers share a common characteristic: all caregivers believe that they are the best person for the job, for different reasons. One caregiver said that she had always been close to her mother. Another was the oldest child. In other words, they all felt that they could do the job better than anyone else. Social workers interviewed caregivers to find out why they took on the responsibility of caring for an elderly, dependent relative. They discovered three basic reasons. Many caregivers believed that they had the responsibility to help their relatives. Some stated that helping others made them feel more useful. Others hoped that by helping someone now, they would deserve care when they became old and dependent.
48. It can be inferred that a middle-aged couple in the US _______.
A. spend more time with their children than with their parents
B. depend on their children’s assistance in caring for the elderly
C. don’t pay more attention to their children than to their parents
D. spend more time taking care of their parents than before
49. The most common characteristic of caregivers is ______.
A. they all have professional qualifications in care-giving
B. they all believe themselves to be the best caregiver
C. they are the eldest child in the family
D. they are close to their parents
50. Which of the following is NOT a basic reason for care-giving?
A. Respect from other members of the family.
B. Prepayment for the care they will get in old age.
C. A feeling of being needed and helpful.
D. A strong sense of duty to the elderly.
51. What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Most old people in the US are living a happy life.
B. Most old people in the US live longer today after an illness than people did years ago.
C. Most elderly people in the US are taken care of by their families, who often find the experience satisfying.
D. Most elderly people in the US prefer living with their families to living nursing houses.