“Hey, little boy, will you support me when I’m getting old?” Wang Wenshan, 35, asked his newborn baby as he picked him up at home.
The Chinese tradition of raising sons to support parents in their old age has been weakened by the rapidly growing economy and improving standard of living. As is the case with more and more developed countries, China faces an aging society. People are living longer and having fewer children. Therefore, many Chinese families are falling into a 4-2-1 family pattern: a couple raises one child and supports four elderly parents. But few realize that a problem is likely to happen ahead.
The aging of the population is a trend that now affects a growing number of countries. Not long ago, the Information Office of the State Council, China’s cabinet, issued a white paper on measures China is taking to help its elderly population. The paper said China’s population entered the aging period at the end of the 20th century and the proportion of people aged 60 and above accounted for over 10 percent of the entire population. By the end of 2005, China had nearly 144 million people over 60, accounting for 11 percent of population, according to the white paper.
An expanding aged population inevitably means that many issues must be settled, as the problem concerns every aspect of society. It puts more pressure on each family, causing disturbing economic consequences and serious social problems. It also challenges the labor force supply and the pension system.
“I used to think that it’s not an issue for me to provide for the aged,” said Wang, whose parents and parents-in-law all enjoy pensions and medical insurance. But last year Wang’s father suffered a serious illness and afterward Wang began to feel the pressure on his shoulders.
After his father recovered, Wang opened bank accounts for each parent and deposited some money into the account every month to prepare for future uncertainties. In addition, he has to save money every month to provide for his son’s future education. “I’m now breaking my back working to support my family: saving pensions for the parents, my son’s education funds, and living costs.”
Wang also bought some commercial old-age insurance for himself. “We have to take precautions before it is too late, and many of my colleagues share the same view,” he said.
【小题1】 Which of the following is not caused by an aging society?
A.Social problem |
B.The problem of the pension system |
C.More pressure on the family |
D.Unemployment |
A.the aging people problem is one of the concerns for the Chinese government |
B.China will encourage young couples to have more than one child |
C.many people have realized the problem of aging society |
D.children will not support their parents in an aging society |
A.Surprisingly | B.Certainly | C.Hopefully | D.Unluckily |
A.China is the only country to face an aging society |
B.Most of the developing countries face an aging society |
C.countries with a large population face an aging society |
D.more and more developed countries face an aging society |
【小题1】D
【小题2】A
【小题3】B
【小题4】D
解析试题分析:文章介绍现在中国的老龄化越来越严重,以及老龄化给社会和家庭带来的后果,政府也在积极的采取措施解决这个问题。
【小题1】细节题:在Paragraph 4中,“It puts more pressure on each family, causing disturbing economic consequences and serious social problems.It also challenges the labor force supply and the pension system.”选项A、B、C所述内容均包含在内,而It also challenges the labor force supply所指为employment这一问题,而非选项D,故而D为正确答案。
【小题2】细节题:在Paraghaph 3中,讲到“国务院新闻办公室就中国采取措施帮助其老龄人口这一问题发表白皮书”,故A项正确。选项B所述内容文中并未提及;由But few realize that a problem is likely to happen ahead.可知选项C错误;由Paraghaph 6和7所述Wang Wenshan 的做法可知D项与原文不符。
【小题3】猜词题:Surprisingly意外地 Certainly 无疑地,确定地; 当然地; 必定; Hopefully抱有希望地 Unluckily 不幸地 根据语境:越来越大的老年人口无疑意味着很多问题需要解决。应选B项。
【小题4】细节题:在Paraghaph 2中As is the case with more and more developed countries 可知越来越多的发达国家也面临这样的问题,选项D正确,其它各项均未提及。
考点:考查社会现象类短文
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
“When I grow up, I want to be...”
Almost all of us have thought about, or been asked to think about, our future careers. Our answers may differ greatly. Even now your aspirations may have changed from when you were in primary school.
However, it seems career options aren’t only based on personal taste. In a survey carried out by Teens, doctors, lawyers, and bankers were some of most popular careers that people said they hoped to follow. This is in line with a similar survey carried out in the UK in May 2011 by job website monster. Co.uk, in which medicine was the top choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17.
Medicine and law are two of the oldest and best known professions. Their prestige (威望) may come from the fact that doctors and lawyers are some of the most esteemed members of society, and they make good money. Joining these high-profile professions is often seen as a sign of upward social mobility.
It is equally unsurprising that banking is now one of the most common career choices. Youngsters worldwide think of banking and see the money rolling in. Wealth is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators of a successful career. British young men list the UK tycoon Alan Sugar, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg as their top role models “for their wealth”. Just as Chinese teenagers see being a banker as a good and fun pathway to “wealth”.
However, not every child has the makings of doctor, lawyer, or banker. They are those who see fulfillment and happiness in other areas, and many teenagers dare to ink more individuality into their career options. As the Teens’ survey discovered, a variety of unconventional jobs---coffee shop owner, gourmet(美食家),waiter at a fast food restaurant---are among teenagers’ career choices. They can be equally interesting and rewarding jobs.
With every choice comes responsibility and challenge, and all career paths require specific education and training, you have to learn to balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills.
【小题1】What is the passage mainly about?
A.Choosing a good job is very important. |
B.Careers in teenagers’ mind. |
C.Teenagers in the UK like doctors. |
D.The choice of career needs challenge. |
A.Bank | B.Law | C.Medicine | D.Education |
A.respect from others | B.upward social mobility |
C.high pay | D.the oldest profession |
A.Prestige | B.Fulfillment | C.Happiness | D.Wealth |
A.According to your particular talents and skills, you can choose your favorite career. |
B.Specific education and training can help get a good job. |
C.Whatever career you choose, you should balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills. |
D.Responsibility is the most important when you choose a good job. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Recently I spoke to some of my students about what they wanted to do after they graduated, and what kind of job prospects they thought they had.
Given that I teach students who are trained to be doctors, I was surprised to find that most thought that they would not be able to get the jobs they wanted without “outside help”. “What kind of help is that?” I asked, expecting them to tell me that they would need a relative or family friend to help them out.
“Surgery(外科手术)”, one replied. I was pretty alarmed by that response. It seems that the graduates of today are increasingly willing to go under the knife to get ahead of others when it comes to getting a job. One girl told me that she was considering surgery to increase her height. “They break your legs, put in special extending screws, and slowly expand the gap between the two ends of the bone as it regrows. You can get at least 5 cm taller!”
At that point, I was shocked. I am short. I can’t deny that, but I don’t think I would put myself through months of pain just to be a few centimeters taller. I don’t even bother to wear shoes with thick soles, as I’m not trying to hide the fact that I am just not tall!
It seems to me that there is a trend toward wanting “perfection”, and that is an ideal that just does not exist in reality.
No one is born perfect, yet magazines, TV shows and movies present images of thin, tall, beautiful people as being the norm(标准). Advertisements for slimming aids, beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery clinics fill the pages of newspapers, further creating an idea that “perfection” is a requirement, and that it must be purchased, no matter what the cost. In my opinion, skills, rather than appearance, should determine how successful a person is in his chosen career.
【小题1】We can know from the passage that the author works as ________.
A.a professor | B.a model | C.a teacher | D.a reporter |
A.marry a better man/woman |
B.become a model |
C.get an advantage over others in job-hunting |
D.attract more admirers |
A.Excited. | B.Surprised. | C.Happy. | D.Angry. |
A.everyone should pursue perfection, whatever the cost |
B.it’s right for graduates to ask for others to help them out in hunting for jobs |
C.media are to blame for misleading young people in their seeking for surgery |
D.it is one’s appearance instead of skills that really matters in one’s career |
A.He hates to be called a short man. |
B.He tries to increase his height through surgery. |
C.He always wears shoes with thick soles to hide the fact. |
D.He just accepts it as it is. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Cities with high levels of homeownership—in the range of 75%, like Detroit and St. Louis—had on average considerably lower levels of economic activity and much lower wages and incomes. Far too many people in financial problems are trapped in homes they can’t sell, unable to move on to new centers of opportunity.
The cities and regions with the lowest levels of homeownership—in the range of 55% to 60% like Los Angeles and New York—had healthier economies and higher incomes. They also had higher levels of happiness and well-being.
I was shocked to read these interesting points that Richard Florida made in his recent article. Let me try to understand. The people in Detroit and St. Louis are less happy than the people in New York, and Los Angeles. And, the reason is because of homeownership rates?
First, to compare them to New York City (the economic capital of the world), Los Angeles (the entertainment capital of the world) seems unfair. Most people in almost any other city in the world might be less happy!
Next, let’s try a different way of determining whether renters are happier than homeowners. Why don’t we ask them? Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey 2010 reported:
75% of current renters believe owning a home makes more sense.
67% plan to buy a home at some point in the future.
When they asked current renters for the major reason to buy a house, these were their answers (they could pick several answers):
78% said it was a good place to raise children.
75% said because they would feel safe.
70% said because you have control of your own space.
If you believe renters are happier, you would also have to believe the majority enjoy living in a less safe environment, which wouldn’t be a good place to raise children and would be a place where they have less control of their space.
【小题1】Which of the following is a fact?
A.People in Los Angeles earn high incomes because of its low homeownership rate. |
B.New York’s low homeownership rate increases people’s happiness levels. |
C.Detroit’s high level of homeownership causes its economic problems. |
D.St. Louis has a higher level of homeownership than Los Angeles. |
A.people in Los Angeles are happier than those in St. Louis |
B.renting a house is better than owning a house |
C.Detroit’s economy is healthier than New York’s economy |
D.New York and Los Angeles are happiest cities |
A.pay employees highest wages in America |
B.benefit from low levels of homeownership |
C.are leading cities across the globe |
D.are best American cities to live in |
A.paying rent makes more sense |
B.most homeowners plan to sell their houses |
C.most renters prefer to become homeowners |
D.parents need to buy a house for their children |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Kiss crisis, hug horrors and the UK's handshake headaches
Greeting someone, saying goodbye – these situations fill me with unease. You have a second to make a dangerous decision. One peck (轻吻)? Two pecks? Three? No kisses at all? Why, I think, as I crash into the other person’s face, why can’t it be as simple as a handshake?
A survey by the soap company Radox in May showed one in five Brits now feels a handshake is “too formal”, according to the Daily Mail. Some 42 percent said they never shook hands when greeting friends. For one third of people the alternative was a hug, for 16 percent a kiss on the cheek.
British people are known to be reserved (保守的) – unfriendly, some would say. Handshakes used to work for us because we didn’t have to get too close. But the super-British handshake is no longer fashionable. We want to be more like our easygoing Mediterranean neighbors who greet each other with kisses and hugs.
The trouble is, we still find it a bit awkward. What does a married man do when greeting a married female friend, for example? How should someone younger greet someone older?
Guys don’t tend to kiss one another; my male friends in Britain go for the “manly hug”, taking each other stiffly (不自然地) in one arm and giving a few thumps on the back with words like “Take it easy, yeah?”.
The biggest questions, if you do decide to kiss, are how many times and which cheek first. Unlike the French, who comfortably deliver three, our cheek-pecks usually end in embarrassed giggling (咯咯笑): “Oh, gosh, sorry, I didn’t mean to kiss you on the lips, I never know where to aim for first!”
But then it’s never been easy for us poor, uncomfortable Brits. Even the handshake had its problems: don’t shake too hard, but don’t hold the other person’s hand too limply (无力地) either, and definitely don’t go in with sweaty hands.
Maybe it’s better to leave it at a smile and a nod.
【小题1】What is the article mainly about?
A.Origin of the traditional British way of greeting someone. |
B.New trends and problems that Brits have with the way they greet people. |
C.Why the author feels uneasy when greeting someone or saying goodbye. |
D.Differences in greetings between Britain and other Western countries. |
A.It is now considered unfriendly to greet friends with a handshake in Britain. |
B.A kiss on the cheek is becoming the most popular form of greeting in Britain. |
C.Most Brits no longer offer to shake hands with those they meet. |
D.More and more Brits prefer to be greeted with a hug or kiss. |
A.not helpful | B.too informal | C.quite embarrassed | D.very interesting |
A.A hug. | B.A smile and a nod. | C.A handshake. | D.A kiss on the cheek. |
A.A British writer. | B.An American writer. | C.A French writer. | D.A Chinese writer. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
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?
【小题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 |
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. |
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 |
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 |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Self-employed private physicians who charge a fee for each patient visit are the foundation of medical practice in the United States. Most physicians have a contract relationship with one or more hospitals in the community. They send their patients to this hospital, which usually charges patients according to the number of days they stay and the facilities (operating room, tests, medicines that they use). Some hospitals belong to a city, a state or, in the case of veteran's hospitals, a federal government agency. Others are operated by religious orders (教会) or other non-profit groups.
Some medical doctors are on salary. Salaried physicians may work as hospital staff members, or residents, who are often still in training. They may teach in medical schools, be hired by corporations to care for their workers or work for the federal government’s Public Health Service.
Physicians are among the best paid professionals in the United States. In the 1980s, it was not uncommon for medical doctors to earn incomes of more than $ 100,000 a year. Specialists, particularly surgeons, might earn several times that amount. Physicians list many reasons why they deserve to be so well rewarded for their work. One reason is the long and expensive preparation required to become a physician in the United States. Most would-be physicians first attend college for four years, which can cost nearly $ 20,000 a year at one of the best private institutions. Prospective physicians then attend medical school for four years. Tuition alone can exceed $ 10,000 a year. By the time they have obtained their medical degrees, many young physicians are deeply in debt. They still face three to five years of residency (实习阶段) in a hospital, the first year as an apprentice physician. The hours are long and the pay is relatively low.
Setting up a medical practice is expensive, too. Sometimes several physicians will decide to establish a group practice, so they can share the expense of maintaining an office and buying equipment. These physicians also take care of each other’s patients in emergencies.
Physicians work long hours and must accept a great deal of responsibility. Many medical procedures, even quite routine ones, involve risk. It is understandable that physicians want to be well rewarded for making decisions which can mean the difference between life and death.
【小题1】According to the passage, it is very unlikely that an American hospital is owned by _____.
A.a church | B.a city | C.a corporation | D.a state |
A.About twelve years. | B.Eight years. |
C.Ten years. | D.About seven year. |
A.there are so many patients that it is difficult for one physician to take care all of them |
B.they can take turns to work long hours |
C.no one wants to assume too much responsibility |
D.facilities may be too much of a burden for one physician to shoulder |
A.It is reasonable for physicians to have a large income because their work is very dangerous. |
B.For their expensive education and their responsibility, they deserve a handsome pay. |
C.Physicians should be better paid because they work long hours under bad conditions. |
D.Physicians have great responsibility, so it is understandable that they should be well rewarded. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
The evidence for harmony may not be obvious in some families. But it seems that four out of five young people now get on with their parents, which is the opposite of the popularly-held image of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels.
An important new study into teenage attitudes surprisingly shows that their family life is more harmonious than it has ever been in the past. “We were surprised by just how positive today’s young people seem to be about their families,” said one member of the research team. “They’re expected to be rebellious (叛逆的) and selfish but actually they have other things on their minds; they want a car and material goods, and they worry about whether school is serving them well. There’s more negotiation and discussion between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decision-making process. They don’t want to rock the boat.”
So it seems that this generation of parents is much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat their children as friends. “My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me,” says 17-year-old Daniel Lazall, “I always tell them when I’m going out clubbing. As long as they know what I’m doing, they’re fine with it.” Susan Crome, who is now 21, agrees. “Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call negotiation. For example, as long as I’d done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that.”
Maybe this positive view of family life should not be unexpected. It is possible that the idea of teenage rebellion is not rooted in real facts. A researcher comments, “Our surprise that teenagers say they get along well with their parents comes because of a brief period in our social history when teenagers were regarded as different beings. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled. The normal situation throughout history has been a smooth change from helping out with the family business to taking it over.”
【小题1】What is the popularly- held image of teenagers?
A.They worry about their school life. |
B.They live in harmony with their parents. |
C.They have to be locked in to avoid making troubles. |
D.They quarrel a lot with their parents. |
A.share family responsibility | B.cause trouble in their families |
C.go boating with their family | D.make family decisions |
A.go to clubs more often with their children |
B.are much stricter with their children |
C.care less about their children’s life |
D.give their children more freedom |
A.may be a false belief | B.is common nowadays |
C.is based on real facts | D.resulted from changes in families |
A.Negotiation in family. | B.Education in family. |
C.Harmony in family. | D.Teenage trouble in family. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Many drivers say the large digital billboards flashing ads every few seconds along Bay Area freeways are just too bright and too distracting. And they may be right.
A Swedish study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention concludes that digital billboards hold the gazes of drivers longer than two seconds. Previous studies have shown that anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road for that length of time increases the risks of a crash. “This study proves what is common sense when it comes to digital billboards,” says Mary Tracy, president of Scenic America, a national nonprofit group that seeks to limit billboards. “Bright, constantly changing signs on the sides of roads are meant to attract and keep the attention of drivers, and this study confirms that this is exactly what they do.”
The Federal Highway Administration allowed digital signs for the first time in 2007 after concluding they did not pose a significant danger. But a follow-up report is pending (待定的) and could be released this year. California has no law banning the billboards, and is one of 39 states that allows them. “We would need to review more research, so it’s too early to call for a ban,” says Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “There is a role for digital messaging, such as conveying urgent information and other safety messages.”
There are more than 1,800 digital billboards nationwide, more than double the number five years ago. While no data indicate an increase in accidents due to the Bay Area signs, many drivers are opposed to them.
“Monstrosities” is what Merlin Dorfman of San Jose calls them, while insurance agent David Whitlock says he has found them a major distraction. “They’re much too bright at night,” he says. “When the advertisement switches from a bright color to a darker one, your eyes cannot adjust fast enough, and you end up losing sight of the roadway.”
Officials with sign companies could not be reached for comment, but Bryan Parker, an executive vice president for Clear Channel Outdoor, told USA Today last year that “there’s no doubt in my mind that they are not a driving distraction.”
【小题1】Which of the following is TRUE?
A.The brightness of digital billboards is harmful to people’s eyes. |
B.The Federal Highway Administration banned digital signs in 2013. |
C.There is evidence indicating an increase in accidents duo to digital billboards. |
D.Digital billboards are used to convey messages. |
A.Scenic America is an organization that is in favor of digital billboards. |
B.Drivers in the Bay Area are against the digital billboards. |
C.California has banned digital billboards. |
D.There were about 1,800 digital billboards nationwide five years ago. |
A.Supportive. | B.Indifferent. |
C.Opposed. | D.Uncertain. |
A.Studies have shown digital billboards pose a danger to drivers. |
B.People’s eyes cannot adjust fast enough to the brightness of digital billboards. |
C.A study says flashing digital billboards are too distracting. |
D.Experts doubt it is necessary to limit digital billboards. |
A.international culture | B.traffic and safety |
C.fashion and travel | D.personal health |
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