In the past, young people in Japan were expected to take on responsibilities to support their parents and grandparents．Now they expect to be supported well into young adulthood．The “new breed”, born since the 1960s, have never known anything but richness．Youth are seen as resistant to entering society as mature adults, to becoming social citizens．Once the great objective of reconstruction after the Second World War was accomplished, a new generation lost the motivating power that had united the nation together．
Japan’s birth rate has been falling rapidly, partly because of economic decline, and the job and financial insecurity that it has caused．In 1999, the figure was 1.38 children per woman, the lowest ever recorded．At the same time, youth crime, although still especially low by western standards, rose to its highest level since record – keeping began 32 years ago．Likewise, the proportion of students dropping out before graduating, at 2.5％ also very low by western standards, has never the less been rising．
Entrepreneurial(企业家的)role models are few and far between．Bill Gates is often mentioned, but a foreign model can only have so much influence．The problem is that Japanese culture discourages people from revealing details of personal life, including such difficult or painful experience as starting a company．In the past, successful companies such as Honda or Hitachi provided role models of a sort．But today they have been faded by the downturn, and few others have risen to take their place．
By the same reason, young people often feel isolated from their fathers, who worked too hard at their jobs to establish much of a relationship with their children．“The one thing they’re sure of is that they don’t want to be like their fathers．And the girls don’t want to be with boys who are like their fathers, so the boys are sure not to be,” says Professor Morishima．
(1)
According to the passage, young people were formerly expected to ________．
[ ]
A．
enter society before adulthood
B．
hold together
C．
work hard and support their families
D．
study hard and find a good job
(2)
The author takes the two examples of the youth crime and students’ drop－out rates to show ________．
[ ]
A．
Japanese youth are overburdened
B．
the educational system in Japan is not working
C．
public security and order in Japan are bad
D．
young people in Japan have lower standards than previously
(3)
Today, entrepreneurial models are rarely found in Japan because ________．
[ ]
A．
Japanese culture discourages people talking about how to start a company
B．
western models are considered to be better
C．
people lack experience in starting up complaints
D．
the “new breed” don’t want to work hard
(4)
The passage mainly discusses ________．
[ ]
A．
the decline of the Japanese economy
B．
the great change of the ethnical and value concept of youth in Japan．
C．
the existence of generation gap between young people and their parents
Student Date of Birth：19/08/1988 Department of Education and Training
International Students Centre
Hong Xue 827-839 George Street PO Box 707
60 Waratah Street Broadway NSW 21007
Croydon Park NSW 2133 Phone：(612)9217 4801 1300 302 456
Fax：(612)9212 6721
http：//www.tafensw.edu.au/international/
WARNING LETTER
Dear Hong Xue,
As you are aware, your student visa regulations set out a number of conditions applying to your visa．It has come to our attention that you are failing to meet the following conditions：You must maintain accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements that have been approved by your education provider if you：
●have not turned 18; and
●are not staying in Australia with：
－a parent
－a custodian(监护人); or
－a relative who has been nominated(指定)by your parent or a custodian, is aged at least 21 and is of good character．
Note：You must not change those arrangements without the written approval of your education provider．
You must obey the following rules：
1．During term time you must：
a)remain in your homestay during the school term;
b)come home every night; and
c)inform your guardian at all times of your whereabouts．
2．On weekends you must：
a)have your guardian's permission to stay with friends; and
b)inform your guardian of the name, address and phone numbers of people you are visiting．
3．You must return your guardian's telephone calls．
This will be your only warning．If you continue to breach(违反)your student visa regulations we will report you to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs．Such action may lead to the cancellation(取消)of your student visa．Please contact me on(612)9217 4801 or fax(612)9212 6721 if you have questions about your enrolment．
Yours sincerely
Tracey Carlon
Student Advisor
International Students Centre
NSW Department of Education and Training
(1)
What's the purpose of writing this letter?
[ ]
A．
To remind the recipient of the conditions for applying for a student visa．
B．
To warn the recipient not to do anything against his student visa regulations again．
C．
To tell the recipient how to contact his student advisor．
D．
To inform the recipient of the student visa regulations．
(2)
What can be learned about the recipient from this letter?
[ ]
A．
He is under 18 and studies in Australia with his parents．
B．
He is required to come home every night according to the rules．
C．
He can stay with his friends on weekends if permitted．
D．
His student Visa has been cancelled．
(3)
To which address should the recipient reply if he feels like answering the letter?
[ ]
A．
Hong Xue at 60 Waratah Street, Croydon Park NSW 2133．
B．
Tracey Carlon at the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs．
C．
Hong Xue at NSW Department of Education and Training．
D．
Tracey Carlon at 827-839 George Street, PO Box 707, Broadway NSW 21007．
阅读理解
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel．Green said,“Clearly I am the most important．I am the sign of life and hope．I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves．Without me, all animals would 1 ．”
Blue interrupted,“You only think about the 2 , but consider the sky and the sea． 3 the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea．Without my peace, you would all be 4 ．”
Yellow chuckled(笑道),“You are all so serious．I bring laughter, fun, and 5 into the world．”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet,“I am the color of health and strength．I may be 6 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life．When I fill the sky 7 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 8 to any of you．”
Red could stand it 9 and he shouted out,“I am the ruler of all of you．I am the color of danger and of bravery．I am willing to 10 truth．I am also the color of passion and of love．”
Then came Purple and Indigo(深蓝)…．
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 11 ．Their quarreling became louder and louder．Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder．Rain started to pour down 12 ．The colors crouched(蜷缩)down 13 , drawing close to one another for comfort．
In the midst of the clamor(叫嚷), rain began to speak,“You foolish colors, fighting 14 yourselves, each trying to dominate 15 ．Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, 16 ?Join hands with 17 and come to me．”
Doing as they were told, the colors 18 and joined hands．They formed a colorful rainbow．From then on, whenever a good rain 19 the world, a rainbow appears in the sky．They remember to 20 one another．
