Music died here last spring, or rather, it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music and drama as part of the high-school curriculum.
The committee decided that teaching students how to take a standardized test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts as well as academics. Because the school system is running out of funding, it needs to make sure that students pass the mastery test or even more money will be lost. If students fail the state standardized test, it is not the fault of drama and music classes— they are failing because the “ academic” classes are not sufficient.
It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing, acting, and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered. Many families cannot afford private music lessons, and many potential musicians and artists may not find their calling if they are not exposed to it in school. The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.
Teaching for a test does not shape students into complete, well rounded people. It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through art— there is more to life than the analytical thinking that math and English provide. What happens after a test? Sure, a student might graduate, but they will have limited knowledge — certainly not a good preparation for the real world.

1. 1.

   Music and drama are not included in the high-school curriculum mainly because________.

   1. A.
      the school committee pays no attention to them
   2. B.
      the school is afraid of losing financial support
   3. C.
      the students are not interested in both of them
   4. D.
      the state standardized test is more important.
2. 2.

   Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

   1. A.
      The sufficiency of the classes determines students’ performance in the mastery test
   2. B.
      students can be musicians and artists only if they can afford private music lessons
   3. C.
      The school committee completely influences students’ attitude towards the arts
   4. D.
      Quite a few students are discouraged from music and art in today’s school system.
3. 3.

   We can learn that music and art can ________.

   1. A.
      make students round-shaped people in future
   2. B.
      provide students with analytical thinking
   3. C.
      motivate students in creativity and expression
   4. D.
      prevent students graduating from high school
4. 4.

   The best title of the passage can be ________.

   1. A.
      Who Killed Music and Drama?
   2. B.
      Can Curriculum Go Without Music?
   3. C.
      Why is Music So Important?
   4. D.
      How To Prepare For the Real World?

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has recovered his spot at the top of the US money heap, taking the place of investor Warren Buffett as America's richest person, Forbes magazine's latest list reveals.

With 57 billion dollars net worth Gates again leads the list of 400 richest individuals in the world's wealthiest country. He displaced Buffett who briefly held the position this year but who has seen his Berkshire Hathaway investment group's shares slip 15 percent since February and is now worth 50 billion.

According to Forbes, whose list was published late Wednesday, the golden 400 have 1.3 billion dollars net worth or more. However, their combined net worth rose only 30 billion dollars, or two percent, to 1.57 trillion dollars.

Forbes said that rising oil and dizzy art prices fuelled the entry of 31 new members into the ultra-rich club and the return of eight previous members.

A notable arrival was Mark Zuckerberg, 24, founder of the social networking site Facebook（脸谱网）. Forbes estimates his worth at 1.5 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, turmoil（动荡）on the stock and housing markets saw 33 others drop off the list, including the former head of the troubled insurance giant AIG, Maurice Greenberg, and a former head of the online auction site eBay, Margaret Whitman.

Biggest gainers were led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who took eighth place with 20 billion dollars worth after a transaction（交易）put a new value on his Bloomberg media and financial data network.

The biggest loser was casino（赌场，娱乐场）tycoon Sheldon Adelson, whose fortune fell 13 billion dollars over 12 months -- the equivalent to 1.5 million dollars an hour -- although he still has 15 billion dollars and occupies 15th place.

About two thirds of the list are self-made billionaires and just over 10 percent are women, led by television star Oprah Winfrey whose fortune rose 200 million dollars to 2.7 billion dollars.

According to Forbes, Warren Buffet is worth _____.

  A. 57 billion dollars  B. 50 billion dollars  C. 1.5 billion dollars  D. 20 billion dollars

31 new members entered the ultra-rich club as a result of _____.

  A. turmoil on the stock and housing market  

B. media and financial data network

  C. rising oil and dizzy art prices            

D. investment

The purpose of the author using the television star Oprah Winfrey as an example is to _____.

  A. tell the readers that television stars make money easily

  B. prove that a millionaire can become a billionaire

  C. women can also be billionaires

  D. tell the readers that most of the billionaires are self-made

It can be inferred from the story that _____.

  A. one earns much and also loses much

  B. stability of markets has much effect upon people’s wealth

  C. the computer industry makes more billionaires

  D. young people can also be billionaires

What is the best title of the passage?

  A. Bill Gates Leading World’s Richest People Again

  B. What Made Billionaires

  C. Self-Made Billionaires

  D. Biggest Gainer and Biggest Loser

When you see homework covering the kitchen table and toys are piling up around the sofa, you probably wish there was a bit more space. You are not alone. Nearly a third of parents say they feel squeezed into their homes but cannot afford to move to a bigger property, a report reveals today.
Twenty-nine perc
ent say “their property is too small to fit the size of their family—rising to 40 percent for those 34 and under”. One in four children is ‘forced to share’ a bedroom, according to the Finda-Property. Com website. Property analyst Samantha Baden said: “Afford-ability remains a key issue for families, with the average cost of a three-bedroom home around ￡193,000.”Very few can afford to buy or to rent a property of the size they want and in the area they desire to live in, according to Miss Baden.
A recent report, from investment firm LV, also found that many ‘space-starved parents’are pushed into a two-bedroom home which was perfect when they were a young couple, but has no space for three or so children. Grown-up children who cannot afford to leave homo are also adding to the problem facing families in Britain’s ‘big squeeze’.
For a home to be the correct size, which means it is not overcrowded, parents must have their own bedroom. Children under ten can share, as well as same-sex children between ten and 20.Anyone over 21 also needs their own room.
The report comes as official figures, published yesterday by the Land Registry, revealing house prices are falling sharply in every region except London. The worst – hit area is the North East where average house prices have fallen to below ￡100, 000 for the first time in seven years. However, they remain unaffordable for millions.【小题1】According to Paragraph 1, the report reveals         .

第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Shoppers who carefully plan their visit to the grocery store can save money on their grocery bills.   71 

Shoppers should visit the grocery store on a full stomach by scheduling their trip immediately after a large meal. If that’s not possible, they should find something healthy to eat while preparing a grocery list.   72  

Although having a list and sticking to it is the most important factor in saving money, shoppers must prepare lists wisely in order to save.   73  Many special buys are announced through the local newspapers, so buying the “grocery issue” is worth the investment(投资). However, it’s important to remember that many newer, more expensive products first offered through coupons may not yield enough savings for shoppers to give up the product they usually buy.

74  Once at the store, the shopper who wants to save money should follow a few more rules. The shopper should not stay longer than necessary, because bills go up each minute the shopper is in the store. So, setting a time limit and a cost limit can hold down the bill.   75   If the grocery list is a short one, some shoppers choose to use the small hand-held basket instead of the roomy grocery cart.

E．You should keep your shopping list carefully in case you can exchange it for coupons.

F．Most shoppers are less persuaded to buy extra goods when they are not hungry.

G．Shopping when not hungry, sticking to a grocery list, and following a few simple rules will cut down the grocery bill.

For many businessmen online education has been a dream．Now it has come true．The investment （投资） in higher education, whether financial or in terms of time, has long been impossible for many of them．But well-known educational institutions have chosen to deliver an internet-based program, and these barriers(障碍) have been lifted．

　　That is good news for people eager to improve themselves and is more attractive to employers．It is also a benefit to industry with better qualified candidates（候选人） applying for jobs at every level．

　　Having the benefits of a higher qualification（资格） without going to the university campus is attractive to many students．Campus study means greater cost, while online programs are flexible and save time, whether at home or at work．Students can achieve their degrees without causing too much disruption to their career or home life．

　　In addition to affordable, flexible（灵活） classes and greater convenience, students also have access to the online learning resources of many of the world’s top educational institutions．They can also communicate with their tutors no matter what time it is or whether either party is away for any reason．

　　This has opened up the possibility of getting a qualification from a university or college that many students could only have dreamed of in the past．It also allows specialists to get the precise qualifications and focus on their studies．As well as seeing the increase of applicants from lower-incomes and housewives, studying online in the US is even becoming popular with younger people of college age．

　　Employers have become increasingly welcome and positive to online qualifications as more candidates earn them, especially if they’re properly approved by the US Department of Education．

　　US institutions have led the way in online education provision（供给）．Many top US colleges and universities offer a range of online programs that are highly respected and in every way perfectly fit for adults who need to combine their studies with a working life．

1.According to Paragraph 1, many US colleges and universities ______．

A．have begun to lift the barriers to financial investment

B．have begun to run an internet-based program

C．have had a dream of offering online education

D．have gained financial investment

2.Why do people choose online education?

A．They can find jobs more easily than on-campus graduates．

B．They can get qualifications from US Department of Education．

C．They can save money and arrange their time and courses freely．

D．They can invest money in different courses provided online．

3.The underlined word “disruption” in the third paragraph probably mean ______．

A．dissatisfaction 　        B．attention 　C．attraction 　　　 D．interruption

4.Which would be a good title for the passage?

A．Adult Education Online

B．Online Education Taking the Place of Campus Education

C．Top US Universities Offering Online Education

D．The Best of USA’s Online Education