The Coalition for the Homeless is an organization that seeks to address the needs of the homeless population in the United States. It is a network of offices, some of which provide food and houses for the homeless population, and some of which fight for the passing of laws that would give every American the right to a place to call home. According to the Coalition’s studies, of over two hundred million people living in th U?ited States, up to three million are homeless—and the number is still growing. Since the late 1970s, fast-rising house prices, large cuts in government supported housing programs, and economic recession(经济衰退) have made it impossible for many Americans to meet housing costs. Sadly, this has resulted in a number of persons being forced to leave their homes and/or unable to find new affordable homes.According to another research, families with children appear to be the fastest-growing part of the homeless population, making up 39% of it. The old idea of a homeless person, that of the single man who gets drunk all the time, is no longer true. A much larger part of the population now finds itself homeless. Even worse, once a person becomes homeless, he often finds it impossible to find a job, since most employers require anyone who wants a job from them to provide a home address on a job application.

1. The word “address” in the first line probably means 　　　　 .

A. talk about　　　 B. deal with　　　 C. fight for　　　 D. write to

2. How many people are homeless in the U.S. according to the Coalition studies?

A. 39% of the population.　　　　　　　　 B. 200 million people.

C. About 3 million people.　　　　　　　　 D. About one-fifth of the population.

3. Homeless people often have difficulty finding a job because________.

A. they have no home addresses

B. they mostly have a drinking problem

C. they aren't supported by government programs

D. they often don't have enough work experience

4. What is the main cause of the rising number of the homeless in the U.S.?

A. The passing of new housing laws.

B. The fast growth of family size.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

C. The slow construction of houses.

D. The ever-rising price of housing.

Talking on a mobile phone is expensive, so a lot of people send text messages. Text messages are much cheaper than talking on a mobile phone, and you can make it cheaper by making the words shorter. You can do this by taking out “unimportant” letters in the words and using numbers instead of words (2 =" to," 3 =" free," 4 =" for," 8 =" ate," so h8 =" hate," etc.). You can also keep away from using punctuation (标点).       Here is an example: Do U wnt 2 g 2 th cnma tnite (Do you want to go to the cinema tonight?)

What do you think these text messages mean?

Whr hv U bn? Iv bn wtng hrs fr a cll.

Im hm nw, why nt gv me a cll.

I gt a txt mssge frm my frnd. Shes hvng a prty on Strdy.

Mobile phone users have developed a group of symbols (符号) to show how they feel. They are called emoticons, and there are some examples below. To read an emoticon, you have to look at it sideways. For example, if you say something in a text message that is a joke, you can follow it with a smiling face.

1.Why are text messages popular?

2.The first paragraph tells us that we can make the text messages shorter in             ways.

3.What does this text message “Do U wnt 2 cm?” mean? It means “                   ?”.

4.Why do people use emoticons?

Talking on a mobile phone is expensive, so a lot of people send text messages. Text messages are much cheaper than talking on a mobile phone, and you can make it cheaper by making the words shorter. You can do this by taking out “unimportant” letters in the words and using numbers instead of words (2 =" to," 3 =" free," 4 =" for," 8 =" ate," so h8 =" hate," etc.). You can also keep away from using punctuation (标点). Here is an example: Do U wnt 2 g 2 th cnma tnite (Do you want to go to the cinema tonight?)

What do you think these text messages mean?

Whr hv U bn? Iv bn wtng hrs fr a cll.

Im hm nw, why nt gv me a cll.

I gt a txt mssge frm my frnd. Shes hvng a prty on Strdy.

Mobile phone users have developed a group of symbols (符号) to show how they feel. They are called emoticons, and there are some examples below. To read an emoticon, you have to look at it sideways. For example, if you say something in a text message that is a joke, you can follow it with a smiling face. Like this: Why didt u call me? I’m so sad.   (

Here are some others. Can you think of text messages where you could use them?

) laughing     ( sad    ＜ really sad

Ⅴ shouting    |·| asleep   ：0 shocked

8·| surprised    \·o bored

1.Why are text messages popular?

2.The first paragraph tells us that we can make the text messages shorter in             ways.

3. What does this text message “Do U wnt 2 cm?” mean? It means “                   ?”.

4.Why do people use emoticons?

Another secret of animals’ survival is telepathy（心灵感应）. This sense becomes atrophied（衰退） in man, but a(n)   1  thought-communication functions in animals. Elsa, the lioness, frequently    2    when George and I intended to visit her camp, even though it    3   180 miles from our home in Isiolo. On most     4    when we made our irregular visit she was waiting for us. By following the spoor（野兽的足迹），we     5    that she had sometimes walked 50 or 60 miles to meet us.

The same thing    6   when I took Elsa’s sisters to Nairobi to be flown to the Rotterdam zoo, Elsa’s zoo. Elsa stayed behind with George in Isiolo 180 miles     7    . He did not know when I was coming back, no person knew. But Elsa knew. On the morning of my     8    she sat down at the entrance and wouldn’t make any     9    until I arrived in the evening.

I have known this kind of thought-communication with the animal with whom I’ve lived. When Elsa died, I woke in the night, knowing what had happened, even though I was several miles away. The same thing     10    later with one of Pippa’s cubs.

I don’t     11    this sensitivity with my own kind. Feel far more in tune with what is going on when I am in the bush than when I am in London on Nairobi. We don’t know much yet about this telepathy from which gland（腺体） it comes, or how it    12   . But if men could awaken or    13    it in themselves, and then cooperate by trusting each other,    14     fearing and treating one another    15   , the world would be a far better place.

1.A. extremely  B. completely    C. thoroughly    D. definitely

2.A. sensed       B. aware   C. feels      D. concerns

3.A. lay      B. lies        C. located D. stood

4.A. case   B. conditions     C. occasions      D. situations

5.A. discussed   B. dismissed      C. discovered    D. distrusted

6.A. happened  B. broken out    C. replaced        D. took over

7.A. far      B. farther  C. away     D. far from

8.A. turn   B. return   C. reality   D. reappear

9.A. emotions   B. feelings          C. exchanges     D. movement

10.A.burst forth         B. burst     C. appeared      D. occurred

11.A. command         B. confirm          C. possess D. prohibit

12.A. starts        B. comprehends        C. manufactures        D. works

13.A. create      B. plant     C. cultivate        D. produce

14.A. rather than       B. other than     C. would rather          D. or rather

15.A.suspiciously       B. suspecting     C. prosperously         D. doubtfully

While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruiningg their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, certainly share their disappointment : my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we two are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?

Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.

I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.

A 26-year-old in the story is disappointed that he can’t afford to get a Ph. D in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.

Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be increasing, Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner.

This recession(经济衰退) will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful---for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day---than on longing for some kind of luxury life.

1.. What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?

2.. The underlined word “fertility” in paragraph 3 probably means“_____”.

3.. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the complaints of the 20-somethings?

4.. What’s the Kobliner’s attitude towards the 20-somethings with high expectations?

5.What is the best title for this passage?