As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.

Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping(录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general, the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is. ”

The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event.”

1.The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to ______.

A．report on the findings of a study

B．teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table

C．show the relationship between parents and children

D．give information about family problems

2.Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ______.

A．they are busy serving food to their children

B．they have to pay more attention to younger children

C．they are busy keeping order at the dinner table

D．they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family

3.By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children ______.

A．have to help their parents to serve dinner

B．find it hard to keep up with other children

C．are often kept away from the dinner table

D．get the least attention from the family

4.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?

A．Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.

B．It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.

C．It is important to have the right food for children.

D．Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner.

 

In order to tell what I believe, I must briefly introduce some of my personal history.

The turning point of my life was my decision to give up a promising business career and study music. My parents, sharing my love of music, _16_____ of it as a profession. This was understandable in view of the family __17____. My grandfather had taught music for nearly forty years and earned barely enough to __18____ for his large family. My father often said it was only the hardheaded thriftiness of my grandmother that helped the family live a life. As a(an) __19___ of this example in the family, my mention of music as a profession carried with it a picture of an existence with __20____ financial rewards. My parents insisted upon college instead of a conservatory of a career of music, and so finally I went to college quite happily.

Before my graduation from Columbia, the family met with severe financial problems and I felt it my duty to __21____ college and take a job. Thus was I started a business career – which I always think of as the wasted years.

Now I do not for a moment mean to disparage business. My whole point I is that it was not for me. I went into it for __22___, and apart from the satisfaction of being able to help the family, money is all I got out of it. It was not enough. I felt that life was passing me by. From being merely dissatisfied I became really ___23___. I knew what I wanted is to save enough to __24____ and go to Europe to study ___25__. I used to get up at dawn to practice before I left for “downtown”, disappointing my poor mother by eating a hurried breakfast at the last minute. I continued to make money, and finally, bit by bit, saved enough to __26____ me to go abroad. And, by now, the family didn’t need my help any longer. I ended my business career, feeling like a man released from prison, and sailed for Europe. I stayed four years, worked harder than ever and ___27___ every minute of it.

“Enjoyed” is too mild a word. I walked on air. I really lived. I was a __28____ man and I was doing what I loved to do and what I was meant to do.

If I had stayed in business, I might be a __29____ man today, but I do not believe I would have made a success of living. I would have given up all those inner satisfactions, which money can never buy.

When I broken away from business, it was against the advice of all my friends and family. Most of us are so accustomed to the association of success with money__30___the thought of giving up a good income for an idea seemed rather crazy. If so, all I can say is “Ah! It’s great to be crazy.”

1.                A．thought        B．disapproved     C．agreed   D．disagreed

 

2.                A．background     B．experience      C．tradition  D．belief

 

3.                A．offer           B．support         C．provide   D．give

 

4.                A．expectation     B．intention        C．cause    D．consequence

 

5.                A．certain         B．uncertain       C．sure D．ensured

 

6.                A．enter          B．join            C．leave D．apply

 

7.                A．interest        B．dreams         C．money   D．hope

 

8.                A．painful         B．excited         C．embarrassed   D．cheerful

 

9.                A．drop           B．satisfy          C．live  D．quit

 

10.               A．music          B．medicine       C．economy  D．Business

 

11.               A．let            B．make          C．encourage D．enable

 

12.               A．spent          B．enjoyed        C．wasted    D．used

 

13.               A．free           B．wealthy        C．creative   D．enthusiastic

 

14.               A．strong         B．successful       C．wealthy   D．satisfied

 

15.               A．it             B．which          C．that  D．as

 

 

This is a true story of how my car got stuck in water and how a stranger helped me during the worst rain storm.

Last Sunday, the sky was grey when I woke up. The weather report said rain was coming, but I couldn’t stay home just because of rain.

Around 8:00 am I had a doctor’s appointment. It wasn’t raining then. At 9:00 I left the doctor’s office to drive to work, and it was raining hard. I just had to go about 5-6 miles down one main road to get to a nearby school, where I could stay until the rain ended. Unfortunately, the road in front of the school was flooded, and my car stopped in the middle.

“Who is going to save me?” I wondered. I shut off the engine and turned on my flashers (车灯). I called 911. They were not helpful. I called my husband, even though he couldn’t come and help me. I was also very close to a police station. But I never saw even one police car. I decided to get out of the car, since it was still pouring.

My best decision of the day had been to wear rain boots. I took my umbrella and quickly got out and ran across the street to a shelter.

Before long, a tow truck(拖车) happened to pass by the street. The driver kindly offered to help me. At that moment, I really needed car pulled out quickly, so I trusted the stranger. He pulled my car and drove me home. After he had dropped my car off, he also helped me check the engine. He said the engine was most likely flooded, but fortunately there was no water inside the car.

Although many years have passed, I still remember that stormy day and the warm-hearted stranger clearly.

1.How was the weather when the author got up?

A. Rainy.                                B. Cloudy.                    C. Windy.                     D. Sunny.

2.Which of the following is the correct order about the things that the author did?

① Drove to work.                                                  ② Drove to the doctor’s office.

③ Ran to a shelter.                                             ④ Called 911 for help.

A. ②①④③                        B. ②③①④                        C. ①②④③                        D. ①③②④

3.What did the author do after her car had got stuck in the water?

A. She turned off her flashers.

B. She tried to restart the engine.

C. She went to the police station nearby.

D. She got out of her car.

4.How did the stranger help the author?

A. He lent his car to her.                     

B. He pulled her car out of the water.

C. He drove her to school.                  

D. He helped her fix her engine.

 

Alzheimer’s disease is a major national health problem. Nearly 2 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. It is a leading cause of death among the elderly. But Alzheimer’s disease is not confined （限于） to the aged. There may be a million or more people under the age of 65 suffering from the disease.

　　At one time, people suffering from the disease were said to be“getting old”.The disease was thought to be a natural part of growing old, but it is now known that Alzheimer’s disease strikes young and old alike. It is an organic disease which destroys brain cells.

　　Alzheimer’s disease affects the patient’s memory, speech, and movement. In the beginning stages of the disease, the patient may seem slightly confused. He may have trouble speaking, then the patient’s memory begins to fail. He may forget dates, numbers, names and plans.

As the disease progresses, the patient may not recognize family and friends. These symptoms（症状） often cause terrible anxiety in the patient. He may feel lost and frightened. Sometimes the patient reacts with wild and bad behavior.

　　In the last stages of the disease, the patient may not be able to take care of himself. He may have lost the ability to speak and walk.

　　Scientists don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease. It may be caused by a virus.It may be caused by a poisonous substance（物质） in the environment. At present, there is no cure for the disease. But there are ways to slow its progress. Exercise and physical treatment can help the patients of this disease.

1.The main idea of the passage is that Alzheimer’s disease ________.

A．is a terrible part of the aging process

B．is an organic disease that affects young and old

C．can be cured by physical treatment

D．causes forgetfulness

2.All of the following are symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease EXCEPT________.

A．forgetfulness                          B．difficulty in speaking

C．loss of sight                            D．loss of the ability to walk

3.According to the passage, which of the following may be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease?

A．Poisons produced by the brain.             B．Getting old.

C．A virus.                               D．Lack of exercise.

4.The progress of Alzheimer’s disease can be slowed by________.

A．operation                             B．a change in environment

C．medicines                             D．physical treatment and exercise

 

Imagine one day, the water taps in your house stop running. You have to buy water from shops. And still there isn’t enough for everyone. Your mother has to save the family’s shower water to do other things. Would you be able to stand that kind of life?

Probably not. But that’s what kids in Yemen are experiencing. Experts said Yemen is going to be the first country in the world to run out of water. According to a report, the capital, Sanaa, will run out of drinking water as early as 2025.

Because of the shortage, the government often cuts the water supply. Hannan, an 18-year-old from Lahej, told the Times: “In a good week we’ll have a water supply all week. But then the following week there will be water only for a day or two.”

Hannan said only rich people have enough water to use. They can buy water from the shops or from the water truck. Private companies own the trucks. They travel around the city every day to sell water – at very high prices.

“A lot of people can’t afford it,” she said.

The average person in Yemen uses 100 to 200 cubic meters of water per year. That is far below the international water poverty line of 1,000 cubic meters.

The government is thinking of making use of seawater. But it will cost a lot and it may not happen soon enough to help the people of Yemen.

1.The purpose of the text is to _______.

A．tell us what life is like in Yemen

B．draw our attention to water shortage

C．remind us how important water is

D．show us ways of solving problems

2.The underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refers to _____.

A．buying water from shops

B．drinking dirty water

C．suffering from water shortage

D．washing clothes with used water

3. Hannan described _____.

A．what her life is like

B．how beautiful Lahej is

C．how people use water fully

D．how heavy the traffic in Lahej is

4.The Yemen Government _____.

A．has found a practical solution

B．only cares about rich people

C．may try to make use of seawater

D．can do nothing about the water supply

5.We can infer from the text that _____.

A．Sanaa will run out of water in 10 years

B．Hannan is a teenager from a rich family

C．the capital of Yemen is developing fast

D．private companies make a lot of money