The new studies show that fewer than half of the 9th graders in many of the nation’s largest cities, can ever graduate. The studies clearly show that the dropout rate isn’t dropping. And, in particular, the dropout rate isn’t dropping for poor and minority students.

    Amazingly, though so many regret the rising dropout rate, our schools continue to lack formal plans--or any plans--to teach students motivation(动机). Most schools have no game plan to ensure that students understand that school will be completely necessary. Schools expect youth and children to act as though school is important, but they never teach them to believe that.

    Years ago, families ensured that the offspring recognized the value of school. But in many modern families, the children may fail to recognize the importance of school life just because these families may actually tell the child that school is not important. Since many families are not motivating their children to be interested students, youth professionals, like teachers may need to provide this training. Otherwise, it is likely the dropout rate will continue not to drop, but only worsen.

    Here are some strategies to convince even the most apathetic (无动于衷的) students that they must stay in school.

    Ask students if they will ever need to work: The world has changed. 100 years ago, factory work was the booming job, and it required no education. Today, factories are increasingly automated. Most computer-related jobs require education and at least a high school diploma.

    Ask students which century they will be prepared for: In 1900, the most common jobs were farm laborer and domestic servant—education not needed. Now, the most common jobs are office and sales worker—education and diploma usually needed. An amazing 6 out of 10 people today work in a store or office.

    Ask students to devise a way that the employee could be replaced. For example, the coming trend in fast food is to use computers rather than people to run the restaurant. A prototype is apparently already being tested. The students should discover that most jobs that lack education and diploma requirements may be ripe for automation.

What does the underlined part mean in Paragraph1?

  A. Few students can afford to go to school in large cities.

  B. A large number of the 9^th grades can graduate now.

  C. There are still quite a few 9^th graders leaving school early.

  D. Most schools in large cities have fewer and fewer students.

Without the help of youth professionals,_____.

   A. more and more families will gradually recognize the value of school.

   B. some parents will be more convinced of their children’s future.

   C. it is likely that the dropout rate in schools won’t continue to drop.

   D. the schools will make proper plans to solve the problems with dropout.

The author takes factory work for example mainly to ______.

   A. tell us that many jobs requires certain education in the past

   B. show that there are more factory work and employment in modern society

   C. show that employment in the computer field grows at a high rate

   D. emphasize that modern jobs require education and schools are necessary

It can be inferred that______.

  A. both schools and families should answer for the high dropout rate

  B. many new jobs don’t need children’s high school diploma

  C. working in a store doesn’t require a high school diploma

  D. most schools are ready to help students recognize the importance of study

If students play the “Replace Me” game, the result would be “______”.

A. They will know that they can ‘always’ do without a diploma

B. More of them will drop out early to go to work

C. They will discover that lack education is a disadvantage in choosing jobs

D. They will become better at using computers to hunt for a job

Over 70 percent of the "double single-child couples" in China need help from their parents in taking care of their own kids, according to a recent survey.

"Women of China" magazine and a consulting company carried out a survey recently on young couples of the "single-child" generation, the Morning Post reports. The couples surveyed were around 29 and have been married for three years on average, with university education and monthly income of 4.000 yuan ($531). Among them, 43.5 percent have kids.

Results show that 71.9 percent of the young couples have help from their parents in taking care of their kids.

Grown up as the "single-child", the only child in a family since the family planning policy was adopted in 1979, this generation depends much on their parents.

The parents of the "single-child" generation focused more on their children's physical well-being rather than their attitudes and values, according to some psychologists.

The research also found that the "double single-child couples" follow a rather traditional value system.

Survey shows that 27.5 percent of them got married after dating for one to two years, 25.2 percent two to five years, and 20 percent didn't tie the knot until dating for five years. Also, 30 percent of the couples were schoolmates, while 43.8 percent were introduced by someone.

Since their marriage are based on enduring relationships, 65.2 percent of the husbands and 62.9 percent of the wives think that compromise(妥协)and tolerance(宽容)are necessary in their marriage. Meanwhile, 21.7 percent of the husbands and 37.1 percent of the wives support the idea that happiness is the key standard for a marriage.

The best title for the passage should be_______.

A. Mom and Dad, Take Care of My Kid Please    B. Double Single-child Couples

C. The Problem of the Single Child       D. A Recent Survey By Woman of China"

Which of the following is NOT supported by the passage?

A. The majority of the "double single-child couples" in China depend much on their parents.

B. The parents of the “single-child” generation more care about their study and education.

C. One-fifth of the couples surveyed didn't get married until dating for five years.

D. All the couples surveyed have university education and 30 percent of them were schoolmates

Which of the following descriptions about “double single-child couples” is True ?

A. They are single child in either family and independent of their parents

B. They are single child in either family and they are dependent on their parents

C. They have at least two children and can afford to support themselves

D. They, who were introduced by someone, follow a rather traditional value system

According to the passage, we can learn that ______ is necessary in marriage.

A. wealth     B. health      C. understanding   D. education

Over the last 70 years,researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference.Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes.However,of all the factors,wealth and age are the top two.

Money can buy a degree of happiness.But once you can afford to feed,clothe and house yourself,each extra dollar makes less and less difference.

Researchers find that,on average,wealthier people are happier.But the link between money and happiness is complex.In the past half-century,average income has sharply increased in developed countries,yet happiness levels have remained almost the same.Once your basic needs are met,money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends,neighbors and colleagues.

“Dollars buy status,and status makes people feel better,”conclude some experts,which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways—scientists or actors,for example—may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.

In a research,Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires—not just for money,but for friends,family,job,health—rose furthest beyond what they already had,tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap(差距).Indeed,the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone.“The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income,”says Michalos.

Another factor that has to do with happiness is age.Old age may not be so bad.“Given all the problems of aging,how could the elderly be more satisfied?”asks Professor Laura Carstensen.

In one survey,Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94,and asked them to fill out an emotions questionaire.She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people,but negative emotions much less often.

Why are old people happier?Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it,or they’re more realistic about their goals,only setting ones that they know they can achieve.But Carstensen thinks that with time running out,older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don’t.

“People realize not only what they have,but also that what they have cannot last forever,”she says.“A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85,for example,may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.”

According to the passage,the feeling of happiness ______.

A.is determined partly by genes

B.increases gradually with age

C.has little to do with wealth

D.is measured by desires

Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs ______.

A.make them feel much better

B.provide chances to make friends

C.improve their social position

D.satisfy their professional interests

Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more ______.

A.optimistic

B.successful

C.practical

D.emotional

Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if ______.

A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger

B.they have a stronger desire for friendship

C.their income is below their expectation

D.the hope for good health is greater

    Over the last 70 years, researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference. Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes. However, of all the factors, wealth and age are the top two.

    Money can buy a degree of happiness. But once you can afford to feed, clothe and house yourself, each extra dollar makes less and less difference.

    Researchers find that, on average, wealthier people are happier. But the link between money and happiness is complex. In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries, yet happiness levels have remained almost the same. Once your basic needs are met, money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends, neighbors and colleagues.

“Dollars buy status, and status makes people feel better,” conclude some experts, which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways-scientists or actors, for example-may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.

In a research, Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires-not just for money, but for friends, family, job, health-rose furthest beyond what they already had, tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap (差距)。Indeed, the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone. “The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income.” says Michalos.

       Another factor that has to do with happiness is age. Old age may not be so bad“Given all the problems of aging, how could the elderly be more satisfied？”asks Professor Laura Carstensen.

       In one survey, Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94, and asked them to fill out an emotions questionnaire. She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people, Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they’re more realistic about their time running out, older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don’t.

       “People realize not only what they have, but also that what they have cannot last forever,” she says. “A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85, for example, may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.”

72.According to the passage, the feeling of happiness        .

A.is determined partly by genes                  B.increases gradually with age

C.has little to do with wealth                      D.is measured by desires

72.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs      .

A.make them feel much better                        B.provide chances to make friends

C.improse their social position                    D.satisfy their professional interests

74.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more       .

A.optimistic                  B.successful               C.practical                   D. emotional

75.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if         .

A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger     B.they have a stronger desire for friendship

C.their income is below their expectation            D.the hope for good health is greater

Work is a very important part of life in the United States. When the early Protestant immigrants(新教徒移民) came to this country, they brought the idea that work was the way to God and heaven. This attitude, the Protestant Work Ethic(道德规范), still influences America today. Work is not only important for economic benefits, the salary, but also for social and psychological needs, the feeling of doing something for the good of the society. Americans spend most of their lives working, being productive. For most Americans, their work defines(给…下定义) them: they are what they do. What happens then, when a person can no longer work? Almost all Americans stop working at age sixty-five or seventy and retire. Because work is such an important part of life in this culture, retirement can be very difficult. Retirees often feel that they are useless and unproductive. Of course, some people are happy to retire; but leaving one’s job, whatever it is, is a difficult change, even for those who look forward to retiring. Many retirees do not know how to use their time or they feel lost without their jobs. Retirements can also bring financial problems. Many people rely on Social Security checks every month. During their working years, employees contribute a certain percentage of their salaries to the government. Each employer also gives a certain percentage to the government. When people retire, they receive this money as income. These checks do not provide enough money to live on, however, because prices are increasing very rapidly. Senior citizens, those over sixty-five, have to have savings in the bank or other retirement plans to make ends meet. The rate of inflation(通货膨胀) is forcing prices higher each year; Social Security checks alone cannot cover these growing expenses. The government offers some assistance(补助), Medicare(health care)and welfare(general assistance), but many senior citizens have to change their life styles after retirement. They have to spend carefully to be sure that they can afford to buy food, fuel and other necessities.

Of course, many senior citizens are happy with retirement. They have time to spend with their families or enjoy their hobbies. Some continue to work part time, others do volunteer(志愿) work. Some, like those in the Retired Business Executives Association, even help young, people to get started in new business. Many retired citizens also belong to “Golden Age” groups. These organizations plan trips and social events. There are many chances for retirees.

American society is only beginning to be concerned about the special physical and emotional needs of its senior citizens. The government is taking steps to ease the problem of limited income. They are building new housing, offering discounts(折扣) in stores and museums and on buses, and providing other services such as free courses, food service, and help with housework. Retired citizens are a rapidly growing percentage of the population. This part of the population is very important and we must meet their needs. After all, every citizen will be a senior citizen some day.

1. The author believes that work first became important to Americans because of _______.

A. religion             B. economy           C. psychology               D. family

2. The passage is mainly about _______.

A. money and check                           B. senior and junior

C. work and retirement                       D. Protestants and Americans

3. When Americans stop work, it’s difficult for them to _______.

A. get Social Security checks               B. feel productive

C. enjoy themselves                            D. be religious

4. The author mentions _______ examples of the government' steps to ease the problem of limited income.

A. two            B. four           C. five            D. three