According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS),the U.K.has about 7.7 million families with dependent children,of which 3.7 million have just one child,compared to 3 million with two and 1.1 million with three children or more.The number of families today with just one dependent child is now 47 percent and will likely rise to more than 50 percent in a decade.As the ONS confirms,“It appears that families are getting smaller.”
One obvious reason for this could be that women are putting off having children until they have established careers when they are bound to be less fertile.But it could just as well be a matter of choice.Parents must consider the rising cost of living,combined with economic uncertainty and an increasingly difficult job market.And this trend may continue growing as having an only child becomes more normal,which seems to be the mood on the mothers’ online forum Mumsnet,where one member announced that she “just wanted to start a positive thread about how fab it is to have an only child”.
She had received 231 replies,overwhelmingly in the same upbeat spirit.Parents of only children insist there are plenty of benefits.Nicola Kelly,a writer and lecturer who grew up as an only child and is now a married mother of one,says her 15-year-old son seems more grown-up in many ways than his contemporaries.
Not all products of single-child families are as keen to repeat the experience.In a moving recent account journalist Janice Turner wrote about her own keenness to “squeeze out two sons just 22 months apart”as a reaction to her only-child upbringing.
She was placed on a pedestal by her doting parents,whom she punished with a “brattish,wilful” rejection of everything they stood for.Desperate for a close friend she was repeatedly shattered by rejection and refers to her childhood as being “misery”.
Writer and clinician Dr.Dorothy Rowe,a member of the British Psychological Society,says that we all interpret events in our own individual way and there are some children who no matter what their circumstances feel slighted,while other children see the advantages of their situation.
However,the one part of life that is unlikely to get any easier for only children is when they grow up and find themselves looking after their own parents as they become older.
1.The passage is written with the purpose of ________.
A. illustrating the strength and weakness of having an only child
B. analyzing the reasons why having an only child becomes popular
C. presenting us with different opinions about having an only child
D. guiding people to look at the same issue from different perspectives
2.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 mean?
A. Nearly half of families intend to have just one child.
B. All people don’t stand for the idea of having an only child.
C. Some people fail to recognize the advantage of having an only child.
D. People brought up in an only child family resist downsizing the family.
3.From what Dr.Dorothy Rowe said,we know that ________.
A. journalist Janice Turner experienced a miserable childhood
B. she has a positive attitude towards Janice Turner’s reaction
C. it’s necessary for us to look at the event from our own angle
D. some are unable to make an objective assessment of their conditions
4.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. It’s normal to see the imperfection in character in only children.
B. Mumsnet is an online forum which promotes having an only child.
C. Economic development plays a determining role in the family size.
D. Only children will have difficulty in attending to their parents.

Engineers should embrace(接受) the arts,Sir John O'Reilly,a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology,argued in a lecture.

About 59% of engineering companies in the IET's 2014 survey feared skill shortages could threaten(威胁) business.

"There is nothing as creative as engineering," Sir John told the reporter.He says science,technology,engineering and mathematics - often known as "Stem" subjects,are vital for a modern knowledge economy.But there is a massive shortfall in the number of recruits(招聘) - with a recent study by the Royal Academy of Engineering saying the UK needs to increase by as much as 50% the number of Stem graduates it produces.

Delivering this year's Mountbatten Lecture at the Royal Institution,Sir John argued that engineers should recognise the role of the arts in their work - among other benefits; this could attract more people into the profession.The lecture,Full Steam Ahead for Growth,advocated a wider adoption -- Steam,or science,technology,engineering,arts and maths.Engineers should embrace the arts as being key to creativity and an important component of innovation(创新),crucial to creating new products and boosting future competitiveness,he argued. "Engineering and technology is an increasingly diverse and creative field," said Sir John.

Some university engineering departments already cooperated with art schools to develop understanding,he told the reporter.In particular he mentioned Cranfield University's Centre for Creative Competitive Design and Imperial College's work with the Royal College of Art.The two sets of people could work well together and more emphasis on the creative side of engineering could improve the success of products,he said.

"Aesthetics(美学) is part of it," he told the reporter,adding that Apple's iPod was not the first digital media player,nor the only one that worked - but it came to dominate the market "because it was nice to have".

Sir John said he was not suggesting universities started requiring A-level art from engineering applicants - the key subjects for admission would continue to be maths and the sciences.But an emphasis on creative skills would help "broaden the pool and attract more people in".

1.According to a recent study by the Royal Academy _______ .

A. skill shortages could threaten business

B. engineering graduates are not as creative as expected

C. there are not enough arts graduates produced in the UK.

D. the UK needs more graduates in science,technology,engineering and mathematics

2.According to the lecture Full Steam Ahead for Growth,_______ .

A. engineers should cooperate with arts majors

B. Accepting the arts could attract more people into engineering

C. engineers should realize arts play the most important part in their work

D. engineering and technology is as diverse and creative as before

3.By giving the example of Apple's iPod,Sir John intends to _______ .

A. stress the importance of arts

B. stress the importance of marketing

C. stress the importance of communication

D. stress the importance of science and technology

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. More university students should study arts instead of engineering.

B. Engineering and technology is increasingly different and unrelated fields.

C. The IET's skills survey raised concerns about the number of recruits to engineering.

D. Students from some university engineering departments have already transferred to art schools

5.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Lack of creativity makes it difficult for the engineering major to find a satisfactory job.

B. The key subjects for engineering majors remain to be maths and the sciences rather than arts.

C. University engineering departments should cooperate with art schools to improve the success of products.

D. Engineering needs to emphasize its creative side to encourage more young people to choose it as a career.

Lost iPhoneUnexpectedly,I lost my white iPhon5s in Midtown on Friday night,.It had a blue green cover on it.There are many pictures of my son on it,and I’m heartbroken,Please return,no questions asked. Reward. Reply to:-2652255359@craigslist.org

Do you need a babysitter that you can trust?

My name is Tina. I am a responsible babysitter that you can trust.If you are looking for someone dependable and affordable I am that person!I HAVE MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE(including disabled children)!I am a retired Home Health Aid and absolutely love children.I work with my sister Iris who has also 20+years as a teacher’s assistant.WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETINC YOU!Available 24 hours and flexible with fees!I am fully bilingual—Spanish/English.Please email me or call 712-867-7688.

I BABYSIT ONLY AT MY HOME.

I accept children from all ages.Fee starts from $100-$150 a week depending on the hours.

I am very flexible and my fee can change.Feel free to contact me via email or on my cell phone 566-67-1873 and we can work something out.

Part-time Chinese Babysitter Wanted

Part-time Chinese speaking babysitter needed to assist with one-year-old twins and to perform some light house work as needed. Assistance needed Fridays and occasional weekends.Please provide your salary expectation.College students are welcome to apply.

Reply to:comm-encbq-2652113885 @craigslist.org

1.Who posted the lost and found information?

A. A mother

B. A kind woman

C. A heartbroken girl

D. A parent

2.If you want to send your kids to the babysitter’s home,you can find one in______.

A. Ad 1 B. Ad 2 C. Ad 3 D. Ad 4

3.What do we know about Tina?

A. She can speak two languages

B. She lives alone now

C. She takes care of children over 3

D. She used to be a teacher’s assistant

4.An applicant accepted by Ad 5 will have to_________.

A. be able to speak two languages

B. be a college graduate

C. work every weekend

D. look after two children

完形填空

My car and my best friend For most,getting your first car opens up a new world of freedom and allows you to go wherever you want,whenever you want.Getting a car did this for me,and it also brought my best friend and me .But then it tore us apart (分开).

My best friend lives three minutes from my .Since her is in late summer,

seven months behind mine,I basically became her when I turned 16 in December.

And so I her up for school and took her home.We made ice-cream ,went shopping and to the movies―all in my car.I would drive to her house just to sit on her bed,read magazines and have a good laugh.I went to her house so that she gave me a key her house.

A week after I got my license(驾照),she was with me I had my first accident.She was there and me and we kept it a ,since I didn’t want people to .From then on,through thick and thin (共患难),it was just me ,my car and my best friend.

High school is a time of ,but I couldn’t for a long time we became so distant(疏远) after being so close.My friend waited three months after her birthday to get her dream car:a green 2004 Beetle.With its ,the passenger seat of my car became .Our car trips became less frequent (频繁的) I didn’t even drive down her street.

It’s funny how a car can change a relationship so much.I had wanted her to get a car,but once she did,I it.I wanted her friendship back,even if it couldn’t be the same.

1.A. some B. any C. none D. all

2.A. closer B. farther C. luckier D. happier

3.A. neighbor B. school C. home D. family

4.A. holiday B. birthday C. course D. job

5.A. guide B. follower C. partner D. driver

6.A. picked B. woke C. called D. hurried

7.A. parties B. trips C. plans D. classes

8.A. happily B. often C. hardly D. seldom

9.A. to B. on C. of D. for

10.A. while B. but C. when D. after

11.A. saved B. suggested C. advised D. comforted

12.A. favorite B. secret C. pride D. joke

13.A. help B. see C. know D. laugh

14.A. change B. disappointment C. friendship D. excitement

15.A. believe B. answer C. imagine D. understand

16.A. when B. where C. ho D. what

17.A. arrival B. dream C. return D. beauty

18.A. broken B. crowded C. empty D. different

19.A. however B. until C. as D. before

20.A. lost B. received C. enjoyed D. Regretted

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