题目内容
Nobody Benefits
NEW YORK—America has been experiencing the longest economic increase in its history.Incomes have risen, unemployment has fallen, and cities such as New York are bursting with new office buildings.
But just a short walk from Manhattan's skyscrapers, George Brown sits on the side-walk, cooking a lunch of rice and bits of fish over a can of cooking fuel.
Brown is homeless — one of the 2.3 million people in the US who end up on the street.
During the day, Brown collects aluminium cans and sells them for five cents a piece.At night, he sleeps on the street.w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m
"I have been on the street about eight or nine years, something like that," said the 62-year-old former construction worker.
Brown admits he's had problems with alcohol and has smoked cocaine.But he said he still wants a more stable housing arrangement.He could afford it just with the money he earns by collecting cans and small pieces of metal, if only truly low-income housing were available.
However, he sees no hope of finding affordable housing in New York.
With the strong economy and unemployment down, beautiful housing is being built to meet demand.
A US report shows rents in New York city rose more than 27 percent between 1984 and 1999, from US $549 to US $700 a month.
One of the side effects of the strong economy is that rents have been going up.
The majority of people who experience homelessness really just need some affordable housing help.
But few housing companies have been built for the poor.Many small apartments in the city now rent for US $1,500 a month or more.
Brown, the homeless New Yorker, said he has a daughter who lives in the city but he rarely sees her.She is angry about his drinking and won't allow it in her house.
Smiling, he said he also has seven grandchildren whom he'd like to see more often.
"All I've got to do is clean up my act," he said.
【小题1】What kind of life does George Brown lead?
A.Homeless and dangerous. |
B.Homeless and childish. |
C.Homeless and miserable (痛苦的). |
D.Homeless and sleepless. |
A.old Americans lead a hard life |
B.old Americans want to live alone |
C.American cities are crowded with poor people w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m |
D.bad habits play a role in some poor people's Life |
A.America is short of housing companies |
B.the poor can't benefit from the increasing economy |
C.poor people in America will become rich |
D.housing companies will build more houses for the poor |
A.Society. | B.Science. | C.Economy. | D.Business. |
【小题1】C
【小题2】D
【小题3】B
【小题4】A
解析
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Ben and his wife Susan were on their way to have dinner with their friends. It was a dark,windy night, and they did not know the way very well. They drove through a town until they found what they thought was the road to Dorling,where their friends lived. But it soon became clear that they were not on the road to Dorling at all. The road that they were on was getting narrower,and there were no other cars on it. The wind was blowing harder with every minute that passed.
They came to a small village .They drove past a church and then two houses without lights on. There was nobody about to tell them where they were,or where the road went. Just then,Ben saw a telephone box,twenty meters or so further on. While he walked back along the road to see if there was a name outside the church,Susan telephoned their friends and told them that they were still on their way.
Their friends were just saying that the dinner was already getting rather cold,when Ben came back to the telephone box,his head down against the wind. He said that there was a tree lying across the road,and that the telephone lines were down. Susan heard nothing more from their friends about the dinner.
【小题1】Some time later Ben and Susan found they took a wrong road because ________.
A.their friends lived nearer than they drove |
B.the road was getting narrower and their car alone was on it |
C.the hard wind made them get lost |
D.the road was not the same as before |
A.he was sure to find some people who knew Dorling |
B.he hoped to get help from there |
C.he wanted to telephone his friends where they were |
D.he wanted to stay there for the night |
A.the telephone lines were broken by a tree |
B.the strong wind made too much noise |
C.they got angry |
D.they had all left |
A.Ben and his wife often went out for dinners |
B.Ben and his wife lived in the country |
C.both Ben and his wife were shortsighted(近视的) |
D.Ben and his wife seldom(很少) went to Dorling |
完形填空。 | ||||
Ben and his wife Susan were on their way to have dinner with their friends, Ian and Betty. It was a | ||||
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