Most Americans get what money they have from their work; that is, they earn an income from wages or salaries. The richest Americans, however, get most of their money from what they own — their stocks, bonds, real estate, and other forms of property, or wealth. Although there are few accurate statistics to go by, wealth in American society appears to be concentrated in very few hands. More than 20 percent of everything that can be privately owned is held by less than one percent of the adult population and more than 75 percent of all wealth is owned by 20 percent of American adults. The plain fact is that most Americans have no wealth at all aside from their homes, automobiles, and a small amount of savings.

Income in the United States is not as highly concentrated as wealth. In 1917 the richest 10 percent of American families received 26.1 percent of all income, while the poorest 10 percent received 17 percent, mainly from Social Security and other government payments. The most striking aspect of income distribution is that it has not changed significantly since the end of World War II. Although economic growth has roughly doubled real disposable (可自由使用的) family income (the money left after taxes and adjusted for inflation) over the last generation, the size of the shares given to the rich and the poor is about the same. By any measure economic inequality is great in the United States.

The reality behind these statistics is that a large number of Americans are poor. In 1918, 14 percent of the population was living below the federal government’s poverty line, which at that time was an annual income of $ 9 287 for a nonfarm family of two adults and two children. In other words, about one out of seven Americans over 31 million people was officially considered unable to buy the basic necessities of food, clothes, and shelter. The suggested poverty line in 1981 would have been an income of about $11 200 for a family of four. By this relative definition, about 20 percent of the population or more than 45 million Americans are poor.

1. What does the majority of the Americans have in terms of wealth?

A. Their income and savings.

B. Everything they own in their homes.

C. Actually, they have no wealth at all.

D. Their house, cars and small amounts of savings.

2. What is the percentage of wealth that is in the hands of most Americans?

A. More than 25%.               B. Less than 25%.

C. More than 75%.         D. Less than 20%.

3. Why is economic inequality still great in the US in spite of the economic growth?

A. Because the proportion of income received by the rich and the poor remains almost the same as in 1917.

B. Because the economic growth has widened the gap of the family income between the rich and the poor.

C. Because income in the US is still concentrated in the hands of the richest 10% of American families.

D. Because some Americans made great fortunes during the Second World War.

4. What can we learn from comparison of the two poverty lines in the last paragraph?

A. The poverty line of 1918 is more favorable to the poor than that of 1981.

B. The 1981 line didn’t leave much to the poor.

C. There were more Americans who were officially poor by the 1981 line.

D. There were more Americans who were officially poor by the 1918 line.

5. From the last two sentences we can see that 1981 government’s poverty line _______.

A. was of no good for the poor     B. was not put into operation then

C. was officially approved           D. was not helpful to the poor

Compared to adults, children seem to be moving constantly. So it's no surprise that most parents who are quizzed about their child's physical activity level describe their children as fairly active. But a new study of nearly 2000 British school children suggests that many parents overestimate the amount of physical activity their children are really getting.

The researchers equipped 1892 British school children, ages 9 and 10, with accelerometers that measure all physical  activity  during  a  given  time  period.  The research,known as the Speedy study collected the exercise data from children at  92  schools  in  Norfolk,England, between April and July 2007.

A child was regarded inactive if he or she recorded less than an hour a day of physical activity. Although the majority of children studied were getting enough physical activity, a_sizable_minority_of_children_were_not. Overall,39 percent of girls and 18 percent of boys studied were getting less than an hour of physical activity each day.

But if you asked the parents of the inactive children to describe their child's activity level,the vast majority—80 percent—described their children as fairly or very physically active, according to the findings published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Interestingly, the children themselves had more awareness about their lack of physical activity. Overall, 40 percent of children overestimated their physical activity.

But it wasn't the parents of overweight children who were most likely to guess wrong about physical activity levels. The parents who were most out of touch about their child's physical fitness were more likely to  have children who were slim. Parents of girls were also more  likely  to  overestimate  physical  activity.  The  researchers noted that parents should be educated about the importance of physical activity for children even if the child is not overweight.

“Parents of slim children appear to assume that  their children are adequately active.”the study authors  reported. “Increasing awareness regarding health benefits of physical activity beyond weight control might  help have a correct idea of physical activity levels and encourage behavior change.”

60.According to the Speedy study,what kind of children   can be judged physically inactive?

A. Slim children.

B. Children with less than an hour a day of physical activity.

C. Overweight children.

D. Children out of touch with their parents for a long time.

61.What does the writer probably mean by saying “a sizable minority of children were not”in Paragraph 3?

A. The amount of children's physical activity is far from the writer's satisfaction.

B. Only a small number of children were not getting enough physical activity.

C. A small number of children didn't overestimate their physical activity.

D. The minority of children were not studied at all.

62.The passage is intended to________.

A. encourage parents to fairly judge their children's physical activity levels

B. persuade parents to keep an eye on their children's weight

C. urge children to wear accelerometers during exercise

D. advise parents to keep in touch with their children

 

So you have been called for an interview---well done?Your effort has been paid off? You will feeI better at the interview if you show an understanding of the nature of the organization.
Ask someone who already does it,or check it with one of the advisers.
Ask a member of your family or a friend to act as the employer and to give you an unreal interview.Be as realistic as possible,answer the questions seriously.Afterwards discuss how it went.Think about how the employer would prefer to see your look.Remember---the majority of employers are over 30.
It is not wise to rush out and buy new clothes.which will be worn for the first time at the interview.You’ll feel more at ease in a familiar dress.
Carelessness in any of these could cost you the job.Arrive at least 15 minutes before time,this will give you a chance to have a look around,read the notice board and get the feel of the place.Being late at the interview produces a bad impression.The first impression that the interviewer gets of you is formed as you walk through the door,so take a couple of deep breaths.
Be ready to shake hands if the interviewer offers.
Don’t take a seat until asked.Then sit comfortably.
Make eye contact  when you are greeted and again if you shake hands.And during questioning,eye contact is a form of non-verbal greeting.
Remember the interviewer’s name and use it from time to time.
Be ready for the question “Is there anything you want to ask?” Before the interview you should get ready for two or three such questions.Look on these not just as a chance to get information but as a means to give your employer a better impression.Asking can show knowledge but avoid asking about holidays,pensions(养老金)and so on.It looks as if you are tired even before you begin.You can check on these later,when the hope for job is offered.
And if you fail, look upon the interview as an experience in itself.Learn from it.We wish you good luck and good job hunting.
【小题1】Before you go to see the employer,you’d better      .

A.find a dress you have got used to
B.buy some modern shoes,ties,etc.
C.have your hair cut
D.put on your newly-bought clothes
【小题2】What does the phrase“eye contact”means?
A.A kind of greeting without words.
B.Shaking hands with the interviewer.
C.Looking at each other for a long time.
D.A way of getting a desirable job.
【小题3】People usually do the following things before a job interview.Which is the right order for doing them?
a.Asking a friend to give you an unreal interview.
b.Understanding the nature of the organization.
c.Paying attention to your clothes.
d.Arriving at the place of the interview ahead of time.
e.Getting some information from the advisers.
A.a—e—b—c—dB.d—c—b—a—e
C.b—e—a—c—dD.e—d—a—b—c
【小题4】Why do you prepare yourself for some Is--there·-anything·-you·-want--to-say questions?
A.To give the employer more information.
B.To get information about holiday and pension.
C.To impress the employer better and get further information from the company as well.
D.To show that you are the most knowledgeable.

With eco-tourism on the rise, eco-hotels are fast becoming the darling of the travel industry. These days, however, staying at an eco-hotel doesn’t necessarily mean vacationing in a tree house in the Costa Rican jungle, although that is certainly a choice.

The majority of eco-hotels fall into several categories: hotels and resorts that conserve ecologically important habitats; “green” hotels that reduce, recycle, minimize waste, and protect water; sustainable hotels that harvest food from gardens on the hotel property or get part or all of their power from renewable energy; hotels that encourage community involvement such as guests taking part in trail clearing; and hotels that offer some form of environmental education to their guests.

As such, eco-hotels are a various group. Stylish urban hotels like the Willard Inter-Continental Washington focus on energy conservation whereas the Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island in Washington State offers a wildly popular “green” vacation package where guests can “take a hike, clear a trail”.

No matter what you call them, eco-hotel, eco-lodge, eco-resort, or green hotel, they’re all part of the “greening” of the tourism industry.

Part of what drives this greening of the hotel industry is no doubt competition. Going green is another way to distinguish a hotel from the mass of other excellent hotels that consumers have to choose from. But for many hotels, it’s also part of their philosophy. With the concept of “going green” firmly rooted in consumers’ minds, eco-hotels have taken it to the next level, and whether or not money is the driving factor behind the greening of the hotel industry doesn’t matter so much as it’s good for the planet.

1.According to the passage, which of the following can match the idea of eco-hotel?

A.It is comfortable and fashionable.           B.It uses renewable energy.

C.It has walls of glass.                      D.It is home to endangered species.

2.From the passage, we know the Rosario Resort & Spa is a kind of hotel that _______.

A.encourages its guests to participate in its greening activities

B.harvests food from its own garden

C.has courses on the environment for its guests

D.protects important habitats

3.From the last paragraph, we can infer that _______.

A.money is the driving force behind eco-hotels

B.the hotel industry cares more about money than the environment

C.eco-hotels teach their guests the philosophy of eco-hotels

D.eco-hotels have no advantages in competing for guests

 

Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits from the early stages of the 10th Century onwards and the importance that the county placed on this is evident in the monuments, country houses, churches and any number of other structures that are still present there to this day. Bedford Castle is one of those structures and, although it is nowhere near its former glory today, it is an essential attraction to visit if you really want to grasp what its heritage means to the county!

Bedford Castle was built initially as a fortress to help protect Bedfordshire on the south of the River Ouse after the people in the local towns and villages had already been subdued. It was erected in 919 on the orders of King Edward the Elder, although it was destroyed by a Danish invasion years later. This was when it was rebuilt as the castle, of which the ruins exist today!

There is a long history behind the castle that involves several kings as a result of the Duke of Bedford being an ardent royalist. Bedford Castle repeatedly offered the kings of England refuge against various storms in the form of onslaughts from abroad and various domestic threats against them, and this is where much of its fame lies, even though the castle itself is no longer there. There are various tours of the ruins that you can take when you visit though and all of the guides are extremely knowledgeable. They will happily tell you tales of the mound and the castle that preceded it.

The mound is open to the public all year round and is a proud part of the area’s heritage. It is recommended by the majority of people that visit Bedfordshire because it tells you much about why the county is currently how it is. You can view the river from the mound and the surrounding settlements as well as the remains of the castle, and every moment spent there is worth it so enjoy the history and the very nature of the county itself!

1.What do we know from the first paragraph?

A.The royals pay regular visits to Bedfordshire

B.Bedford Castle represents the heritage of the county

C.Most of the ancient buildings are in use today

D.Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits

2.The underlined word “initially” in Paragraph 2 probably means _______.

A.at first                                B.since the beginning

C.for one particular purpose                D.for a short time

3.The kings of England came to Bedford Castle ______.

A.to escape from the bad weather            B.to visit the Duke of Bedford

C.to enjoy the beauty of nature              D.to seek temporary protection

4.Why are visitors recommended to visit Bedfordshire? ______

A.It reflects the history of the country

B.It is the major heritage in that region

C.The ancient castle is well worth visiting

D.The castle is still in good condition

5.The purpose of writing the text is _______.

A.to attract tourists to Bedfordshire           B.to tell the history of Bedfordshire

C.to introduce Bedford Castle               D.to show where the kings used to go

 

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