How to Make a Budget

Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance (零花钱) would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike, money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be gone in no time.

Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn ----and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with your expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil --- and some self-control.

First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns (栏), list your sources (来源) of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.

The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget.

Sample Monthly Budget

Monthly  Income

Amount

Monthly Expenses

Amount

Allowance

$20.00

Snacks

$26.00

Money earned selling drinks

$25.00

Music downloads

$12.00

Money earned babysitting

$12.50

Movies

$18.00

Money earned delivering newspapers

$30.00

Video rentals

$10.00

Total:

$87.50

Total

$66.00

Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be

realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in

that space simply because you wish you were spending less

If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!

Who is the passage written for?w

   A. Children.      B. Parents.        C. Breadwinners.       D. Bank managers.

The purpose of making a budget is to help people _________.

   A. learn to be realistic             B. increase their saving

   C. manage their money well        D. test their power-control

What should people do when planning a budget?w

   A. Fill in the expenses as they really are.

   B. Avoid spending money on expensive things.

   C. Set aside a fixed amount of money as savings.

   D. List income and expenses on two pieces of paper.

Which of the following budgets is effective?

   A.

Monthly  Income

   Amount

Monthly Expenses

   Amount

Allowance

$20.00

Money earned walking dogs

    $20.00

Bus fares

  $40.00

Movies

    $28.00

Total:

  $60

  Total

    $48.00

B.

Monthly  Income

Amount

Monthly Expenses

Amount

Allowance

$20.00

Movies

$30.00

Money earned washing cars

$10.00

Bus fares

$10.00

Total:

$30.00

Total:

$40.00

C.

Monthly  Income

Amount

Monthly Expenses

Amount

Allowance

$27.50

Money earned selling drinks

$22.00

Money earned babysitting

$22.50

Birthday gifts

$28.00

Total:

$50.00

Total:

$50.00

D.

Monthly  Income

Amount

Monthly Expenses

Amount

Allowance

$26.00

Video rentals

$22.00

Money earned doing yard work

$24.00

Birthday gifts

$28.00

Total:

$50.00

Total:

$50.00

Chinese President Hu Jintao, on his way to talks with President George W. Bush in Washington, on Tuesday met with Bill Gates. 

After the meeting with Gates, the world's richest man, at Microsoft's headquarters, Hu restated that China would move against software pirates all the time(盗版软件).

At Microsoft Corp.'s campus, Hu said Tuesday he admired what Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates had achieved. He also sought to reassure Gates that China is serious about protecting intellectual property rights(知识产权).

"Because you, Mr. Bill Gates, are a friend of China, I'm a friend of Microsoft," Hu said.

"Also, I am dealing with the operating system produced by Microsoft every day," he added, to laughter.

Gates responded: "Thank you, it's a fantastic relationship," and then said: "And if you ever need advice on how to use Windows, I'll be glad to help."

"China is focused on and has already accomplished much in creating and enforcing laws to protect intellectual property." he said. "We take our promises very seriously."

Hu also said he would certainly welcome a further increase in Microsoft's investment in China.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to assure you, Bill Gates, that we will certainly honor our words in protecting intellectual property rights," Hu said.

In his brief visit to the Microsoft campus, Hu, accompanied by Gates and company CEO Steve Ballmer, saw some business technology demonstrations and toured Microsoft's Home of the Future, which features experimental technology that might someday be used in people's living spaces.

Following the visit at Microsoft, about 100 guests, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former Gov. Gary Locke, the first Chinese-American governor, were invited to Gates' $100 million lakeside house on Lake Washington for a dinner.

China has recently begun requiring Chinese computer makers to load legal software on their machines.

In Seattle's Chinatown, many stores hung Chinese and U.S. flags to welcome Hu, and many in the crowd outside the stately Fairmont Hotel on Monday night where Hu is staying were there to support the Chinese president.

How many issues are mentioned in President Hu’s visit to Microsoft?

A. one    B. two   C. three   D. four

Put the sentences in correct order.

Hu had a meeting with President George W. Bush

Hu had dinner with many guests in Gates’ lakeside house

Hu paid a visit to the Microsoft campus

Hu stayed at Fairmont Hotel in Seattle

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

What measure is not mentioned to protect intellectual property rights?

A. Moving against software pirates

B. creating and enforcing laws

C. increasing Microsoft's investment in China

D. requiring Chinese computer makers to load legal software on their machines

What is the best title for the passage?

A. Hu Visits Microsoft                  B. Protecting Intellectual Property Rights

C. Bill Gate’s, A Friend of China          D. Americans Welcome President Hu

 (10·四川A篇)

I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (观点) by creating worlds we could step into, take part. in. and live in.

     With this unshakable belief, I, at. fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people’s writing can one discover what works, what doesn’t and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has.

Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (文学作品).As a. law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter—the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn't necessarily be able to have in my lifetime.

41. What can be inferred about the author as a child? w_w w. k#s5_u.c o*m

A.  He never watched TV. w_w*w.k_s*5_u.c_o m

B.  He read what he had to.

C.  He found reading unbelievable.

D.  He considered reading part of his life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

42. The underlined word "voice" in the second paragraph most probably means “       ”.

A.  an idea     

B.  a sound quality

C.  a way of writing

D.  a world to write about

43. What effect does reading have on the author? w_w*w.k_s*5_u.c_o m

A.  It helps him to realize his dream.

B.  It opens up a wider world for him.

C.  It makes his college life more interesting.

D.  It increases his interest in worldwide travel.

44. Which of the following can be the best title of this text? w_w w. k#s5_u.c o*m

A.  Why do I read?

B.  How do I read?

C.  What do I read? 

D.  When do I read?

  

Technology: Taking the good without the bad?
Very soon, unimaginably powerful technologies will remake our lives.This could have dangerous consequences, especially because we may not even understand the basic science underlyi ng them.There’s a growing gap between our technological capability and our basic scientific understanding.We can do very clever things with the technology of the future without necessarily understanding some of the science underneath, and that is very dangerous.
The technologies that are particularly dangerous over the next hundred years are nanotechnology (纳米技术), artificial intelligence and biotechnology.The benefits that they will bring are beyond doubt.But they are going to be very, very dangerous.I’m working in the field of artificial intelligence.I have a model design for something that might be 50,000 million times smarter than the human brain.Target date is 2010.The only thing that's not possible in the film Terminator(终结者) is that the people win.If you're fighting against technology w hich is 50,000 million times smarter than you, you probably will not win.
Nanotechnology.We've all heard of the grey glue problem, that self-replicating nanotech devices might keep on copying until the world has become sticky glue.And certainly in biotechnology, we've really got a big problem because it's converging with nanotechnology and IT.Once you start mixing nanotech with organisms and you start feeding nanotech-enabled bacteria, we can really go an awful lot further than the Borg in Star Trek(星际迷航).And those superhuman organisms might not like us very much.
Eventually these technologies will become routine.That’s a threat to humanity.I don’t think it’s possible to slow it down.So what we need to do is accelerate the scientific research and try to get some extra tools.The problems facing us in the future are getting bigger and bigger.I think if we don’t get some proper science done, the future is hopeless indeed.
【小题1】From the text, we know that the author’s greatest concern is         

A.our lack of technological understanding of the process involved
B.our lack of technological capability
C.creating technology without really understanding the basic science
D.Our refusal to face the consequences of the technology we create
【小题2】It can be inferred from the text that the author         
A.thinks people overvalue the capabilities of technology
B.is not optimistic that artificial intelligence will always be used positively
C.thinks that we should take science fiction movies more seriously
D.believes artificial intelligence is the greatest threat we face technologically
【小题3】Why does the author say it is not possible in the film Terminator that the humans win?
A.Because the power of the technology is exaggerated(夸大).
B.Because the strength of the machines is much greater.
C.Because machines with that much intelligence can easily defeat humans.
D.Because human beings are not courageous enough to win the battle.

Technology: Taking the good without the bad?

Very soon, unimaginably powerful technologies will remake our lives.This could have dangerous consequences, especially because we may not even understand the basic science underlyi ng them.There’s a growing gap between our technological capability and our basic scientific understanding.We can do very clever things with the technology of the future without necessarily understanding some of the science underneath, and that is very dangerous.

The technologies that are particularly dangerous over the next hundred years are nanotechnology (纳米技术), artificial intelligence and biotechnology.The benefits that they will bring are beyond doubt.But they are going to be very, very dangerous.I’m working in the field of artificial intelligence.I have a model design for something that might be 50,000 million times smarter than the human brain.Target date is 2010.The only thing that's not possible in the film Terminator(终结者) is that the people win.If you're fighting against technology w hich is 50,000 million times smarter than you, you probably will not win.

Nanotechnology.We've all heard of the grey glue problem, that self-replicating nanotech devices might keep on copying until the world has become sticky glue.And certainly in biotechnology, we've really got a big problem because it's converging with nanotechnology and IT.Once you start mixing nanotech with organisms and you start feeding nanotech-enabled bacteria, we can really go an awful lot further than the Borg in Star Trek(星际迷航).And those superhuman organisms might not like us very much.

Eventually these technologies will become routine.That’s a threat to humanity.I don’t think it’s possible to slow it down.So what we need to do is accelerate the scientific research and try to get some extra tools.The problems facing us in the future are getting bigger and bigger.I think if we don’t get some proper science done, the future is hopeless indeed.

1.From the text, we know that the author’s greatest concern is         

A.our lack of technological understanding of the process involved

B.our lack of technological capability

C.creating technology without really understanding the basic science

D.Our refusal to face the consequences of the technology we create

2.It can be inferred from the text that the author         

A.thinks people overvalue the capabilities of technology

B.is not optimistic that artificial intelligence will always be used positively

C.thinks that we should take science fiction movies more seriously

D.believes artificial intelligence is the greatest threat we face technologically

3.Why does the author say it is not possible in the film Terminator that the humans win?

A.Because the power of the technology is exaggerated(夸大).

B.Because the strength of the machines is much greater.

C.Because machines with that much intelligence can easily defeat humans.

D.Because human beings are not courageous enough to win the battle.

 

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网