It's no secret that many children would be healthier and happier with adoptive parents than with the parents that nature dealt them. That's especially true of children who remain in abusive homes because the law blindly favors biological parents. It's also true of children who suffer for years in foster homes (收养孩子的家庭) because of parents who can't or won't care for them but refuse to give up custody (监护) rights.

Fourteen-year-old Kimberly Mays fits neither description, but her recent court victory could eventually help children who do. Kimberly has been the object of an angry custody baffle between the man who raised her and her biological parents, with whom she has never lived. A Florida judge ruled that the teenager can remain with the only father she's ever known and that her biological parents have "no legal claim" on her.

The ruling, though it may yet be reversed, sets aside the principle that biology is the primary determinant of parentage. That's an important development, one that's long overdue.

Shortly after birth in December 1978, Kimberly Mays and another infant were mistakenly switched and sent home with the wrong parents. Kimberly's biological parents, Ernest and Regina Twigg, received a child who died of a heart disease in 1988. Medical tests showed that the child wasn't the Twiggs' own daughter, but Kimt only was, thus sparking a custody battle with Robert Mays. In 1989, the two families agreed that Mr. Mays would maintain custody with the Twiggs getting visiting fights. Those rights were ended when Mr. Mays decided that Kimberly was being harmed.

The decision to leave Kimberly with Mr. Mays rendered her suit debated. But the judge made clear that Kimberly did have standing to sue ( 起诉) on her own behalf. Thus he made clear that she was more than just property to be handled as adults saw fit.

Certainly, the biological link between parent and child is fundamental. But biological parents aren't always preferable to adoptive ones, and biological parentage does not convey an absolute ownership that cancels all the rights of children.

36. What was the primary consideration in the Florida judge's ruling?

A. The biological link.              　　  B. The child's benefits.  

C. The traditional practice.         　　 D. The parents' feelings.

37. We can learn from the Kimberly case that

A. children are more than just personal possessions of their parents

B. the biological link between parent and child should be emphasized

C. foster homes bring children more pain and suffering than care

D. biological parents shouldn't claim custody rights after their child is adopted

38. The Twiggs claimed custody rights to Kimberly because

A. they found her unhappy in Mr. Mays' custody     B. they regarded her as their property

C. they were her biological parents               D. they felt guilty about their past mistake

39. Kimberly had been given to Mr. Mays

A. by sheer accident          B. at his request       C. out of charity          D. for better care

40. The author's attitude towards the judge's ruling could be described as

A. doubtful             B. cautious         C. critical          D. supportive

 

In recent years, especially during the l960s, there was much discussion about “the brain drain (排干, 流失),” which dealt with the problem of students and learned people who left their own countries for other countries that offered better chances for study, research, and employment．For example, according to a report from U．N., between 1962 and l966 more than 50 percent of all engineering graduates of Iran and 14 percent of Iranian scientists left their country for work abroad．Over 30 percent of Chilean engineers and 15 percent of Turkish physicians also went to work in other countries．Probably the greatest brain drain occurred among young scientists who had gone abroad to study．Many of them had planned to return to their countries to teach but chose to remain in more industrialized nations where they were able to continue their work and their research in fields in which there were no job possibilities at home．The countries that attracted most of these scientists were the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Canada, and Australia.
　　Recent studies show that the brain drain to the United States may be decreasing．Many foreign scientists are going home again, and in some cases American scientists are leaving the United States for employment in other countries．The main reasons are that good jobs are becoming fewer here, money for national research has been sharply cut, and university fellowships reduced too．However, in the field of medicine the drain to the United States still goes on．Today more than one of every five American doctors is foreign - born, and several thousand foreign doctors immigrate to the United States each year．Over eighty countries have asked the State Department to send students who are skilled in important fields such as medicine back home when their study programs are over.
【小题1】Which of the following is not the reason for “the brain drain”?

A．Good housing.	B．Better research condition.
C．Good job possibility	D．Better chances of study..

【小题2】The brain drain to the United States may be decreasing mainly because __________.

A．many foreign scientists are ordered to return to their motherlands

B．they don’t need any foreign scientists now

C．there are fewer and fewer good jobs in the USA

D．the universities refuse to provide money for the foreign scientists

【小题3】How many American doctors are foreign - born?
A．About half of them.　 　 B More than 20 percent　
C．Several thousand.　　    D．About 15 percent.
【小题4】Which is the best title for this passage?
A．How to seek a job in the USA.　　  B．Doctors’ immigration to the USA.
C．A strange case.                  D．The brain drain. 

阅读理解

　　Complaining(抱怨)about faulty goods or bad service is never easy. Most people dislike making a fuss(大惊小怪). But if something you have bought is faulty or does not do what is instructed for it, you are not asking for a favor to get it put right. It is the shopkeeper's responsibility(负责) to take the complaint seriously and to replace or repair a faulty article or put right poor service, because he is the person with whom you have entered into an agreement. The manufacturer may have a part to play but that comes later.

　　Complaints should be made to a responsible person. Go back to the shop where you bought the goods, taking with you any receipt(发票)you may have. Ask to see the buyer in a large store. In a small store the assistant may also be the owner or you can complain directly. In a chain store ask to see the manager. If you telephone, ask the name of the person who handles your enquiry, otherwise you may never find out who dealt with the complaint later.

　　Even the bravest person finds it difficult to stand up in group of people to complain, so if you do not want to do it in person, write a letter. Stick to the facts and keep a copy of what you write. At this stage you should give any receipt numbers, but you should not need to give receipts or other papers to prove you bought the article. If you are not satisfied with the answer you get, or if you do not get a reply, write to the managing director of the firm, shop, or organization. Be sure to keep copies of your own letters and any you receive.

(1)The shopper makes a complaint because ________.

[　　]

A．he dislikes causing a fuss

B．it doesn't do what is instructed for it

C．the article bought is not up to standard

D．he was at fault in buying the article

(2)When complaining in person, you should ________.

[　　]

A．get a receipt for what you buy

B．speak to to a responsible person

C．talk directly to the assistant

D．ask to see the buyer

(3)When complaining on the telephone ________.

[　　]

A．you should speak directly to the owner

B．you must ask for the manager

C．you may never find nut who dealt with the matter

D．you should find out with whom you discuss the matter

(4)If you write a letter to complain ________.

[　　]

A．it is important to keep a record of what you say

B．it is necessary to send receipts

C．say how you feel about the matter

D．ask what receipt numbers you should give

In recent years, especially during the l960s, there was much discussion about “the brain drain (排干, 流失),” which dealt with the problem of students and learned people who left their own countries for other countries that offered better chances for study, research, and employment．For example, according to a report from U．N., between 1962 and l966 more than 50 percent of all engineering graduates of Iran and 14 percent of Iranian scientists left their country for work abroad．Over 30 percent of Chilean engineers and 15 percent of Turkish physicians also went to work in other countries．Probably the greatest brain drain occurred among young scientists who had gone abroad to study．Many of them had planned to return to their countries to teach but chose to remain in more industrialized nations where they were able to continue their work and their research in fields in which there were no job possibilities at home．The countries that attracted most of these scientists were the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Canada, and Australia.

　　Recent studies show that the brain drain to the United States may be decreasing．Many foreign scientists are going home again, and in some cases American scientists are leaving the United States for employment in other countries．The main reasons are that good jobs are becoming fewer here, money for national research has been sharply cut, and university fellowships reduced too．However, in the field of medicine the drain to the United States still goes on．Today more than one of every five American doctors is foreign - born, and several thousand foreign doctors immigrate to the United States each year．Over eighty countries have asked the State Department to send students who are skilled in important fields such as medicine back home when their study programs are over.

Which of the following is not the reason for “the brain drain”?

A．Good housing.　　           B．Better research condition.

C．Good job possibility　　      D．Better chances of study..

The brain drain to the United States may be decreasing mainly because __________.

A．many foreign scientists are ordered to return to their motherlands

B．they don't need any foreign scientists now

C．there are fewer and fewer good jobs in the USA

D．the universities refuse to provide money for the foreign scientists

How many American doctors are foreign - born?

A．About half of them.　 　 B More than 20 percent　

C．Several thousand.　　    D．About 15 percent.

Which is the best title for this passage?

A．How to seek a job in the USA.　　  B．Doctors' immigration to the USA.

C．A strange case.                  D．The brain drain.