If you haven’t seen or heard anything about Road Rage in the last few months, you’ve probably been avoiding the media. There have been countless stories about this new and scary phenomenon, considered a type of aggressive driving. You have most likely encountered aggressive driving or Road Rage recently if you drive at all.
While drunk driving remains a critical problem, the facts about aggressive driving are surely as disturbing. For instance, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, 4,1907 people died on the highway last year. Of those deaths, the agency estimates that about two-thirds were caused at least in part by aggressive driving behaviour.
Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now and why is it something that seemed almost nonexistent a few short years ago? Experts have certain theories, and all are probably partially correct. One suggestion is sheer overcrowding. In the last decade, the number of the cars on the roads has increased by more than 11 percent, and the number of miles driven has increased by 35 percent. However, the number of new road miles has only increased by 1 percent. That means more cars in the same amount of space.; and the problem is magnified in urban areas. Also, people have less time and more things to do. With people working and trying to fit extra chores and activities into the day, street levels have never been higher. Stress creates anxiety, which leads to short tempers. These factors, when combined in certain situations, can spell Road Rage.
You may think you are the last person who would drive aggressively, but you might be surprised. For instance, have you ever yelled out loud at a slower driver, sounded the horn long and hard at another car, or sped up to keep another driver from passing? If you recognize yourself in any of these situations, watch out!
Whether you are getting angry at other drivers, or another driver is visibly upset with you, there are things you can do to avoid any major conflict. If you are susceptible (easily influenced) to Road Rage, the key to discharge your emotion in a healthy way. If you are the target of another driver’s rage, do everything possible to get away from the other driver safely, including avoiding eye contact and getting out of their way.
【小题1】The first sentence in Para 1 implies that__________.

A．one may be angered by media reports and wants to avoid them.

B．the media coined the term “Road Rage” only a few months ago.

C．Road Rage has received much media coverage in the last few months.

D．people not interested in the media know little about recent happenings

【小题2】The underlined “spell” in Para3 means___________.

A．relieve

B．cause

C．spread

D．prevent

【小题3】Which of the following characterizes aggressive driving?

A．Talking while driving.

B．Driving at high speed.

C．Sounding the horn when passing.

D．Shouting at another driver.

【小题4】The last paragraph is intended to ___________.

A．tell people how to deal with Road Rage.

B．inform people how aggressive drivers could be.

C．show people how to control themselves when angry.

D．warn people against eye contact with another driver

Having a husband means an extra seven hours of housework each week for women, according to a new study. For men, getting married saves an hour of housework a week. “It’s a well-known pattern,” said lead researcher Frank Stafford at University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. “Men usually work more outside the home, while women take on more of the housework.”
He points out that differences among households (家庭) exist. But in general, marriage means more housework for women and less for men. “And the situation gets worse for women when they have children.” Stafford said.
Overall, times are changing in the American home. In 1976, women busied themselves with 26 weekly hours of sweeping-and-dusting work, compared with 17 hours in 2005. Men are taking on more housework, more than doubling their housework hours from six in 1976 to 13 in 2005.
Single women in their 20s and 30s did the least housework, about 12 weekly hours, while married women in their 60s and 70s did the most – about 21 hours a week.
Men showed a somewhat different pattern, with older men picking up the broom more often than younger men. Single men worked the hardest around the house, more than that of all other age groups of married men.
Having children increases housework even further. With more than three, for example, wives took on more of the extra work, clocking about 28 hours a week compared with husbands’ 10 hours.
【小题1】According to the “well-known pattern” in Paragraph 1, a married man ________.

A．takes on heavier work

B．does more housework

C．is the main breadwinner

D．is the master of the house

【小题2】How many hours of housework did men do every week in the 1970s?

A．About 28

B．About 26

C．About 13

D．About 6

【小题3】What kind of man is doing most housework according to the text?

A．An unmarried man.

B．An older married man.

C．A younger married man.

D．A married man with children.

【小题4】What can we conclude from Stafford’s research?

A．Marriage gives men more freedom.

B．Marriage has effects on job choices.

C．Housework sharing changes over time.

D．Having children means doubled housework.

The thing was a hot one! A farmer had shot two wolves on purpose. He had seen the wolves on his farm and decided to get them before they caused trouble. He knew wolves were a kind of protected animals. However, he also knew most of his neighbors would shoot wolves, too. Shortly after the farmer skinned（剥皮）the wolves, problems began. It seemed that someone didn’t like the idea of killing wolves after all. The officials had arrived. Out-of-town reporters got hold of the story. And now the farmer was on trial（审判）for his killing of the wolves.
【小题1】“The thing was a hot one!”means    .

A．“The thing makes people hot.”

B．“The thing draws much attention.”

C．“The thing was against the law.”

D．“The thing changes the weather.”

【小题2】The farmer did the thing because    .

A．he didn’t know about the law

B．his neighbor would do the same thing

C．he was afraid the wolves would cause trouble

D．the wolves entered his farm

【小题3】Wolves should    according to this passage.

A．be protected

B．not cause trouble

C．be killed if they cause trouble

D．not enter places where people live

【小题4】Which of the following is not true?

A．The story was soon known in other places.

B．Someone didn’t want wolves to be killed so the farmer was on trial.

C．The farmer was guilty（有罪）of his killing.

D．The local government took measures for the thing.

A year ago, August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan. His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria, but it was hard for Dave to find work, and the price of everything was rising. The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years. Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift—$7,000, a legacy(遗产) from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident. “It really made a difference when we were meeting difficulty .”says Dave.
But the Fusses weren’t the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches. Dozens of other families were touched by what the Hatches had done. In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars; in others, it was more than $100,000.
It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $3 million—they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm.
Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving. They preferred comparison shopping and would go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase.
Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camps when their parents couldn’t afford it. “Ish and Arlene never asked if you needed anything,” says their friend Sandy Van Weelden, “They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them.”
Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches gave away their farmland. It was the Hatches’ wish that their legacy—a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents—should enrich the whole community and last for generations to come.
Neighbors helping neighbors—that was Ish and Arlene Hatch’s story.
【小题1】According to the text, the Fusses __________.

A．were employed by a truck company	B．led a difficult life
C．worked in a school cafeteria	D．lost their home

【小题2】What can we learn about the Hatches?

A．They had their children during the Great Depression.

B．They left the old house to live on their family farm.

C．They gave away their possessions（财产）to their neighbors.

D．They helped their neighbors to find jobs.

【小题3】Why would the Hatches go from store to store?

A．They decided to open a store.

B．They wanted to save money.

C．They couldn’t afford expensive things.

D．They wanted to buy gifts for local kids.

【小题4】What Sandy Van Weelden said mainly tells us that the Hatches were __________.

A．understanding

B．kind

C．childlike

D．wealthy

People in the United States honor their parents with two special days：Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(墓地).On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?

A．Parents bring up children.

B．Parents give love and care to children.

C．Parents educate children to be good persons.

D．Parents pass away before children grow up.

【小题2】Which do you think is right about “carnation”?

A．It has only two kinds of colors.

B．It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

C．It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes.

D．People can wear carnations only on the second Sunday in May.

【小题3】What do you know from the passage?

A．Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both in May.

B．Fewer women worked outside the home in the past.

C．Not all the children respect their parents

D．Fathers are not as important as mothers at home.

【小题4】On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, _______.

A．people usually have family parties

B．everyone goes to visit the cemetery

C．children always go to parents’ home

D．hand-made cards are the most valuable gifts

In Wiltshire, England, volunteers are being sought to visit a nature protection area to count the butterflies living there and on surrounding fields. The project is promoted by an environmental protection organisation，which has contributed to improving the living environment for wild animals. Recently, the organisation has issued an appeal to help it observe environmental changes based on the record of butterflies and protect the environment.
In the area, the local people have planted many special flowers with the help of the organisation, aiming to see whether these flowers will interest the rare and beautiful butterflies. The Project officer Sarah Marshall says, “It will be a suitable habitat for butterflies. They are great ‘indicator species’ as they are easily affected by climate changes so they make a brillian early - warning system for the environment.” She also points out that volunteers are needed to recourd the number or species of butterflies，and based on the change happening to the butterflies, the hidden environmental problems in the area can be found out in time.
The organisation is seeking volunteers to help monitor butterflies from April through to September. They will walk a fixed route and record the different butterflies they encounter along the way.Each visit should take no more than two hours, and each volunteer is expected to visit once a month to count the wildlife. “Staff will provide back up, so if the weather is poor on the day you are to visit（butterflies don’t like to fly in the rain, wind or if it’s too cloudy) we can have someone else do your job,” Sarah points out.
No previous experience is necessary as training and support will be provided，but a keen interest is essential. If you are interested, P1ease contact Sarah on (0l380) 725670，ext 278, email sarahm wiltshirewildlife. org
【小题1】According to Paragraph l， what is the purpose of the Project?

A．To appeal to more visitors.

B．To protect the environment.

C．To control butterfly population.

D．To expand the area for wildlife.

【小题2】Many special flowers have been planted in Wiltshire to           .

A．warn people of wildlife extinction

B．appeal more tourists to be involved in

C．attract many unusual and beautiful butterflies

D．improve the economic conditions of local people

【小题3】Butterflies are called “indicator species” because              .

A．they can provide support for visitors

B．they can give information to other species

C．they are not easily found out in their habitats

D．they are very sensitive to environmental changes

【小题4】What is the text mainly about?

A．Visitors are being trained to identify butterflies.

B．Wildlife areas are being protected by butterflies.

C．Volunteers are being needed to count butterflies.

D．Organisations are being put up to protect butterflies.

Taiwan police cannot decide whether to treat it as an extremely act of stealing or an even cheat. Either way, it could be the perfect crime, because the criminals are birds—homing pigeons !
The crime begins with a telephone message to the owner of a stolen car: if you want the car back, pay up. Then, the car owner is directed to a park, told where to find a bird cage and how to attach money to the neck of the pigeon inside. Carrying the money in a tiny bag, the pigeon flies off.
There have been at least four such pigeon pick-ups in Changwa. What at first seemed like the work of a clever stay-at-home car thief, however,  may in fact be the work of an even lazier and more inventive criminal mind—one that avoids not only collecting money but also going out to steal the car in the first place. Police officer Chen says that the criminal probably has pulled a double trick: he gets money for things he cannot possibly return. Instead of stealing cars, he lets someone else do it and then waits for the car-owner to place an advertisement in the newspaper asking for help.
The thought is supported by the fact that, so far, none of the stolen cars have been returned. Also, the amount of money demanded-under 3,000 Taiwanese dollars–seems too little for a car worth many times more.
Demands for pigeon-delivered money stopped as soon as the press reported the story. And even if they start again, Chen holds little hope of catching the criminal. “We have more important things to do,” he said.
【小题1】After the car owner received a phone call, he _______.

A．went to a certain pigeon and put some money in the bag it carried

B．gave the money to the thief and had his car back in a park

C．sent some money to the thief by mail

D．told the press about it

【小题2】The “lazier and more inventive” criminal refers to _______.

A．the car thief who stays at home

B．one of those who put the ads in the paper

C．one of the policemen in Changwa

D．the owner of the pigeons

【小题3】The writer mentions the fact that “none of the stolen cars have been returned” to show _______.

A．how easily people get fooled by criminals

B．what Chen thinks might be correct

C．the thief is extremely clever

D．the money paid is too little

【小题4】The underlined word “they” in the last paragraph refers to ____.

A．criminals

B．pigeons

C．the stolen cars

D．demands for money

【小题5】 We may infer from the text that the criminal knows how to reach the car owners because _______.

A．he reads the ads in the newspaper

B．he lives in the same neighborhood

C．he has seen the car owners in the park

D．he has trained the pigeons to follow them

To many basketball fans in Taiwan, the William Jones Cup or the Basketball Association may be their sweetest memory. But if you ask them, “What’s the hottest basketball event now?” There is the only answer: HBL, the High School Basketball League.
Founded in 1988, the HBLwas at first just a high school basketball tournament. After the Taipei School Sport Federation took charge in 1996 and renamed it HBL, everything changed. The Federation decided to co-operated with Nike, the well-known sportswear manufacturer, and use its experience in marketing to promote the game.
The HBL started with 129 teams; today there are more than 250. no longer just of interest to the players, it’s now Taiwan’s biggest basketball event. Fellow students, alumni (男毕业生，男校友), and sports fans all over Taiwan cheer for their favorite teams. At last year’s finals, Taipei and Kaohsiung mayors came to cheer for their teams.
The HBL starts in September with qualifying and preliminary(预备的，初步的) rounds and continues through April of the following year, when the finals are held. Broadcasting the games on television has helped make the HBL a wildly popular event. It’s become the place to spot young basketball talent. Today’s HBL players are tomorrow’s professionals.
Recent HBL tournaments have been very competitive, with no one school taking the advantage. This wide-open quality of the tournament makes it more exciting. Everyone wants to see how this year’s games will come out. HBL fever just keeps getting hotter.
【小题1】What is the hottest event in the eyes of most basketball fans in Taiwan?

A．HBL	B．The William Jones Cup
C．The Basketball Association	D．NBA

【小题2】What was it that helped to make the High School Basketball League wildly popular to the public?

A．The co-operation with Nike, the well-known sportswear manufacturer.

B．Broadcasting the games on television.

C．Taipei and Kaohsiung mayors’ coming to cheer for their teams at last year’s finals.

D．Many tomorrow’s professionals’ joining.

【小题3】Why does the writer say“Recent HBL tournaments have been very competitive”?

A．Because there isn’t a school taking the advantage.

B．Because HBL fever just keeps getting hotter.

C．Because it’s become the place to spot young basketball talent.

D．Because the Taipei School Sport Federation took charge of it.

【小题4】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Today’s Players---Tomorrow’s Professionals

B．The High School Basketball League of Taiwan

C．The Basketball Fans in Taiwan

D．HBL Fever---Just Keeping Getting Hotter

【小题5】Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．At first, the HBL was no more than a high school football ball tournament.

B．It was the successful co-operation with Nike, the well-known sportswear manufacturer that changed everything of HBL.

C．Many of the mayors came to cheer for their teams during the event.

D．Everyone wants to see how the teams will come out to take part in the games.

Women turn to online shopping
Women have jumped ahead of men for the first time in using the Internet to do their holiday shopping, according to a study published last week in the US.
For years men have been more likely to shop on the Internet than women, but during the 2004 holiday season, 58 percent of those making online purchases were women.
“It shows how mainstream the Internet is becoming,” said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project group, which carried out the study.
Rainie said it was only a matter of time before women shoppers caught up with men. This is because women traditionally make decisions about spending.
Users were more likely to shop online to save time. Internet users between the ages 18 and 29 were responsible for some of the most dramatic increase in the online gift-buying population this time around.
However, three- quarters of the US Internet users did not buy holiday gifts online in 2004. They worried about credit card security, or just compared online prices with off-line prices, then dashed off to the shops to get the best deals.
“ But even if shoppers don’t buy online , websites are becoming promotion tools for stores,” said Dan Hess, vice president of ComScore Networks Inc. Hess said that actually most stores’ websites can make customers fully believe the security of their credit card numbers. And most are able to ensure that gifts arrive on time.
“ It’s all about making the shopping experience more efficient, more reliable and more comfortable.” Hess said.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true?

A．There were fewer women online shoppers than men in 2004

B．Most of the Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 are women.

C．People in the US were more likely to buy gifts online.

D．More women shopped online than men in 2004

【小题2】From the passage we can infer that______.

A．Men usually decide how to spend money in the family

B．Women usually decide what to buy in the family

C．The Internet is used in all the shops

D．More and more shops will sell their goods online

【小题3】According to Dan Hess, shopping online_______.

A．is unsafe	B．is convenient
C．is a waste of money	D．is cheaper

【小题4】What can we know from the passage?

A．American people only gift in holidays

B．Shopping online is fun for women.

C．Shopping off-line provides better service.

D．Young people like to do gift-shopping online.

Until the 1980s, the American homeless population comprised (组成) mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient(变化无常的) and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems — both legal and educational — for already overburdened（负担过重的）urban school administrators and teachers.
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis, But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly.
One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the “throwaway” youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not counted as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education.
【小题1】 It is implied in the first paragraph that ____.

A．the writer himself is homeless, even in his eighties

B．many older homeless residents are going on strike in 25 cities

C．there is a serious shortage of academic facilities (设施).

D．homeless children are denied the opportunity of receiving free education

【小题2】 The National Coalition for the homeless believes that the number of homeless children is _____.

A．350,000

B．1,500,000

C．440,000

D．110,000

【小题3】  One part of the homeless population is difficult to estimate. The reason might well be ____.

A．the homeless children are too young to be counted as children

B．the homeless population is growing rapidly

C．the homeless children usually stay outside school

D．some homeless children are deserted by their families

【小题4】 The McKinney Act is mentioned in this passage in order to show that ___.

A．the educational problems of homeless children are being recognized

B．the estimates on homeless children are hard to determine

C．the address of grade-school children should be located

D．all homeless people are entitled（有权利的） to free education

【小题5】 The passage mainly deals with ____.

A．the legal problems of the homeless children

B．the educational problems of homeless children

C．the social status of older males

D．estimates on the homeless population