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 ____.

Shedding tears(流泪) is a natural way of making us feel more comfortable．When our eyes are made uncomfortable by some small pieces of pollution, or when we are cutting onions, or when we are exhausted(精疲力竭; 疲劳) and have “red-eyes” from overwork and late hours, tears form in our eyes to clean and refresh them．
Tears are also a sign of strong emotion．We cry when we are sad and we cry when we are happy．
And tears seem to be uniquely (惟独) human．We know that animals also experience emotion ——fear, pleasure, loneliness——but they do not shed (流) tears．From this, we can conclude that tears are closely related to the emotional and biological make-up(结构；组成) of the human species．
Biologically speaking, tears are actually drops of saline fluid, which is a little bit salty, produced by a gland (腺) in the body．Because salt is an important component, tears may actually constitute the most conclusive evidence that the human animal is the end product of a long evolutionary process that began in the sea．
And it is clear that, in addition to (除了) the emotional benefits (好处), the shedding of tears has a specific biological function as well．Through tears, we can eliminate from our body certain chemicals which build up in response to stress and create a chemical imbalance(不平衡) in the body．Crying actually makes us feel better by correcting that imbalance and making us feel good again．And thus the emotional and biological functions of tears merge (合并) into one and make us even more “human” than we would otherwise be．
60、According to the passage, human beings may have originated (起源于) in_______．
A. the sea                B. the salt      C. chemicals    D. animals
61、Which of the following is NOT a function of tears?
A. Biological   B. Emotional    C. Political           D. Chemical
62、The underlined word “eliminate” probably mean_______．
A. add            B. produce      C. replace   D. remove
63、Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A. Tears are a sign of strong emotion．
B. Tears are always making us feel more comfortable．
C. Tears are uniquely human．
D. Tears have certain biological function．

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

1. 1.

   It is implied in the first paragraph that ____.

   1. A.
      the writer himself is homeless, even in his eighties
   2. B.
      many older homeless residents are going on strike in 25 cities
   3. C.
      there is a serious shortage of academic facilities (设施).
   4. D.
      homeless children are denied the opportunity of receiving free education
2. 2.

   The National Coalition for the homeless believes that the number of homeless children is _____.

   1. A.
      350,000
   2. B.
      1,500,000
   3. C.
      440,000
   4. D.
      110,000
3. 3.

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

   1. A.
      the homeless children are too young to be counted as children
   2. B.
      the homeless population is growing rapidly
   3. C.
      the homeless children usually stay outside school
   4. D.
      some homeless children are deserted by their families
4. 4.

   The McKinney Act is mentioned in this passage in order to show that ___.

   1. A.
      the educational problems of homeless children are being recognized
   2. B.
      the estimates on homeless children are hard to determine
   3. C.
      the address of grade-school children should be located
   4. D.
      all homeless people are entitled（有权利的） to free education
5. 5.

   The passage mainly deals with ____.

   1. A.
      the legal problems of the homeless children
   2. B.
      the educational problems of homeless children
   3. C.
      the social status of older males
   4. D.
      estimates on the homeless population