Why doesn’t the unemployment rate ever reach zero? Economists, who generally believe that supply tends to meet demand, have long thought about this question. Even in good times, i.e. not now, there are people who can’t find work. And even in bad times, i.e. now, there are job openings. With over 14 million people out of work and looking for a job, you would think every available job would be filled. But that’s not the case. Not now and not ever.

　　On Monday, the Nobel Prize committee awarded the prize for economics to the three scholars who have done the most to explain this phenomenon. Two of the winners are Americans, Peter Diamond of MIT and Dale Mortensen of Northwestern. The third winner is Christopher Pissarides, who teaches at the London School of Economics and was born on Cyprus.

　　Like most of economics, what they have found about why the jobless and ready-employers don’t find each other seems obvious. You have to find out there is job opening you are interested in. Employers need to get resumes （简历）. It takes a while for both employers and employees to make the decision that this is what they want. And these guys came up with a frame-work to study the problem of why people stay unemployed longer than they should and what can be done about it.

　　So what would today’s Nobel Prize winners do to solve the current problem of the unemployed? And does the awarding of the prize contribute to the politicians’ lowering joblessness?

　　Speaking from his north London home, Pissarides told The Associated Press the announcement came as “a complete surprise” though his work had already helped shape thinking on both sides of the Atlantic.

　　For example, the New Deal for Young People, a British government policy aimed at getting 18-24-year-olds back on the job market after long periods of unemployment, “is very much based on our work,” he said.

　　“One of the key things we found is that it is important to make sure that people do not stay unemployed too long so they don’t lose their feel for the labor force,” Pissarides told reporters in London. “The ways of dealing with this need not be expensive training – it could be as simple as providing work experience.”

According to the writer, which is true about finding jobs?

　　A. It is always difficult to find a job.

　　B. Everyone can find a job in good times.

　　C. Contrary to popular belief, it is easier to find a job in bad times.

　　D. It is possible to find a job even in times as bad as now.

What is it that leads to their winning the prize?

　　A. They have found the reason for unemployment.

　　B. They have put forward a set of ideas to deal with unemployment.

　　C. They have found out why people don’t want to be employed.

　　D. They have long studied the problem of unemployment.

Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

　　A. Pissarides thinks his work surprising.

　　B. The work of Pissarides has influenced many economists.

　　C. Some of the winners’ ideas have been put into practice.

　　D. It is probable that unemployed young people in Britain benefit from Pissarides’ work.

According to Pissarides, _________ is effective in dealing with unemployment.

　　A. spending large sums of money on training

　　B. teaching some knowledge of economics

　　C. providing work experience

　　D. keeping people unemployed for some time

People do not analyze every problem they meet. Sometimes they try to remember a solution from the last time they had a 36 problem. They often accept the opinions or ideas of other people. Other times they begin to act without 37 ; they try to find a solution by trial and error(反复试验). 　38 , when all of these methods 39 , the person with a problem has to start analyzing. There are six 40 in analyzing a problem.

41 ，the person must recognize that there is a problem. For example, Sam’s bicycle is broken, and he cannot ride it to class as he usually does. Sam must 42 that there is a problem with the bicycle.

Next, the person must find out the problem. Before Sam can repair his bicycle, he must know why it does not work. For example, he must 43 the parts that are wrong.

Now the person must look for 44 that will make the problem clearer and lead to 45 solutions. For example, suppose Sam decides that his bicycle does not work because there is something wrong with the brakes. 　46 , he can look into his bicycle repair book and read about brakes, talk to his friends at the bike shop, or look at his brakes carefully.

After 47 the problem, the person should have 48 suggestions for a possible solution. Take Sam as an example 49 , his suggestions might be: tighten or loosen the brakes; buy new brakes and change the old ones.

In the end, one 50 seems to be the solution to the problem. Sometimes the

51 idea comes quite 52 because the thinker suddenly sees something new or sees something in a different way. Sam, for example, suddenly sees there is a piece of chewing gum (口香糖) stuck to a brake. He 53 hits on the solution to his problem: he must 54 the brake.

Finally the solution is 55 . Sam does it and finds his bicycle works perfectly. In short he has solved the problem.

36. A. serious 　　　　　　 B. usual　　　　　　　　 C. similar　　　　　　　　　　 D. common

37. A. searching　　　　　 B. thinking　　　　　　 C. finding　　　　　　　　　　 D. looking

38. A. Besides　　　　　　　B. Instead　　　　　　　C. Otherwise　　　　　　　 D. However

39. A. fail　　　　　　　　　　 B. work　　　　　　　　 C. change　　　　　　　　　　D. develop

40. A. ways　　　　　　　　　B. conditions　　　　 C. stages　　　　　　　　　　　D. orders

41. A. First　　　　　　　　　 B. Usually　　　　　　 C. In general　　　　　　　　 D. Most importantly

42. A. explain　　　　　　　 B. prove　　　　　　　 C. show　　　　　　　　　　　　D. see

43. A. check　　　　　　　　 B. determine　　　　 C. correct　　　　　　　　　　 D. recover

44. A. answers　　　　　　　B. skills　　　　　　　　 C. explanation　　　　　　 D. information

45. A. possible　　　　　　　 B. exact　　　　　　　　 C. real　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. special

46. A. In other words　　 B. Once in a while C. First of all　　　　　　　D. At this time

47. A. discussing　　　　　　 B. settling down　　　C. comparing with　　　D. studying

48. A. extra　　　　　　　　　　 B. enough　　　　　　　 C. several　　　　　　　　　D. countless

49. A. secondly　　　　　　 B. again　　　　　　　　　 C. also　　　　　　　　　　　D. alone

50. A. suggestion　　　　　　 B. conclusion　　　　　 C. decision　　　　　　　　D. discovery

51. A. next　　　　　　　　　　　B. clear　　　　　　　　　 C. final　　　　　　　　　　　D. new

52. A. unexpectedly　　　　 B. late　　　　　　　　　　 C. clearly　　　　　　　　　D. often

53. A. fortunately　　　　　　 B. easily　　　　　　　　　 C. clearly　　　　　　　　 D. immediately

54. A. clean　　　　　　　　　 B. separate　　　　　　　　C. loosen　　　　　　　　 D. remove

55. A. recorded　　　　　　　B. completed　　　　　　 C. tested　　　　　　　　　 D. accepted

When I come across a good article in reading newspapers, I often want to cut and keep it. But just as I am about to do so, I find the article on the __1__ side is as much interesting. It may be a discussion of the way to __2__ in good health, or __3__ about how to behave and conduct oneself in society. If I cut the front article, the opposite one is likely to __4__ damage, leaving out half of it or keeping the text __5__ the title. Therefore, the scissors would __6__ before they start, __7__ halfway done when I find out the __8__ result.

Sometimes two things are to be done at the same time, both worth your __9__. You can only take up one of them, the other has to wait or be __10__ up.

But you know the future is unpredictable—the changed situation may not allow you to do what is left__11__. Thus you are __12__ in a difficult position and feel sad. How __13__ that nice chances and brilliant ideas should gather around all at once? It may happen that your life __14__ greatly on your preference of one choice to the other.

In fact that is what __15__ is like: we are often __16__ with the two opposite sides of a thing which are both desirable like a newspaper cutting. It often occurs that your attention is drawn to one thing only __17__ we get into another. The __18__ may be more important than the latter and give rise to divided mind. I __19__ remember a philosopher's remarks, “When one door shuts, another opens in life.” So a casual __20__ may not be a bad one.

1.A.front　　　　 B．same　　　　　　 C．either　　　　 D．opposite

2．A.get　　　　　 B．keep　　　　　　 C．lead　　　　　 D．bring

3．A.advice　　　 B．news　　　　　　 C．a theory　　　 D．a report

4．A.suffer　　　 B．reduce　　　　　 C．prevent　　　 D．cause

5．A.on　　　　　 B．for　　　　　　 C．without　　　 D．off

6．A.use　　　　　 B．handle　　　　　 C．prepare　　　 D．stay

7．A.or　　　　　 B．but　　　　　　 C．so　　　　　　 D．for

8．A.satisfying　 B．regretful　　　 C．surprising　　 D．impossible

9．A.courage　　　 B．strength　　　　 C．attention　　 D．patience

10．A.given　　　 B．held　　　　　　 C．made　　　　　 D．picked

11．A.near　　　　 B．alone　　　　　 C．about　　　　 D．behind

12．A.filled　　　 B．attracted　　　 C．caught　　　　 D．struck

13．A.dare　　　　 B．come　 　　　　 C．deal　　　　　 D．do

14．A.improves　　 B．changes　　　　 C．progresses　　 D．goes

15．A.study　　　 B．society　　　　 C．nature　　　　 D．life

16．A.faced　　　 B．supplied　　　　 C．connected　　 D．fixed

17．A.before　　　 B．after　　　　　 C．until　　　　 D．as

18．A.following　 B．next　　　　　　 C．above　　　　 D．former

19．A.still　　　　 B．also　　　　　　 C．once　　　　　 D．almost

20．A.treatment　　 B．action　　　　　 C．choice　　　　 D．remark

Protecting Copyright

Having finished her homework, Ma Li wants some music. As usual, she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.com to download music files. But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs’ copyright bursts onto the screen. The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright. Lawsuits have been filed against four websites offering free downloads. In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay recording company Shanghai Push compensation for their losses. Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the website. This caused a heated discussion on Interact file sharing.

“Baidu’s defeat in the lawsuit shows it is not right to get copyrighted songs without paying. Down loaders may face lawsuits or fines,” said an official.

Like many teens, Huang Ruoru, an 18-year-old girl from Puning in Guangdong Province, doesn’t think that getting music from websites is wrong. She always shares her favourite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends. When told about the lawsuit, she began to feel a little guilty about obtaining others’ work without paying.

However, other teenagers have different ideas. Wang Yafei, a Senior 2 girl from Jinan, Shandong Province pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers. “If I download a song and really like it, I will buy the CD,” she said. “So what the recording companies really should concentrate on is improving their music, rather than pursuing file-sharers.”

1.Which of the following best describes the passage?

A. Downloading material can be illegal.

B. Music on the Internet is of better quality.  

C. It’s good to get free music on the Internet.

D. Baidu is a popular web company.

2.The four web companies were put to court because ________.

A. they got copyrighted songs without paying    

B. they make copyrighted files for free downloads

C. they downloaded copyrighted music for people

D. they offer free music on line

3.How do some of the teenagers feel while downloading free music after the lawsuit?

A. A bit guilty. 　                      B. A little sad.  　   

C. Extremely angry. 　                  D. Awfully sorry.

4.What’s the advantage of file sharing for recording companies?

A. Getting more money from web companies.  

B. Making pop singers more popular.

C. Helping to improve the music.           

D. Enabling people to download favorite songs.

5.It can be inferred from the text that _________.

A. Web companies are still ignoring the copyright laws.

B. Teenagers haven’t got money to buy CDs.

C. Teenagers are probably still downloading free music.

D. Teenagers prefer CDs with copyright to pirated music.

Today, roller skating is easy and fun．But a long time ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn’t exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball（化装舞会）. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
　　Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
　　On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin’s grand entrance for a long time!
1．The text is mainly about ________.
A．a strange man              B．an unusual party
C．how roller skating began     D．how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century
2．People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he _________.
　　A．often gave others surprises　　　　　 B．was a gifted musician
C．invented the roller skates　　　　　　D．was full of imagination
3．Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to ________ .
A．impress the party guests　　　　　　B．arrive at the party sooner
C．test his invention　　　　　　　　　D．show his skill in walking on wheels
4．What is the main point the writer is trying to make in the last paragraph?
A．The roller skates needed further improvement. 
B．The party guests took Merlin for a fool.
C．Merlin succeeded beyond expectation.       
D．Merlin got himself into trouble.