( B )
In communities north of Denver, residents are pitching in to help teachers and administrators as the Vrain school District tries to solve a $13.8 million budget shortage blamed on mismanagement. “We’re worried about our teachers and principals, and we really don’t want to lose them because of this,” one parent said. “If we can help ease their financial burden, we will.”
Teachers are grateful, but I know it may be years before the district is solvent(有综合能力的). They feel really good about the parent support, but they realize it’s impossible for them to solve this problem.
The 22,000-student district discovered the shortage last month. “It’s extraordinary. Nobody would have imagined something happening like this at this level,” said State Treasurer Mike Coffman.
Coffman and district officials last week agreed on a state emergency plan freeing up a $9.8 million loan that enabled the payroll(工资单) to be met for 2,700 teachers and staff in time for the holidays.
District officials also took $1.7 million from student-activity accounts of its 38 schools.
At Coffman’s request, the District Attorney has begun investigating the district’s finances. Coffman says he wants to know whether district officials hid the budget shortage until after the November election, when voters approved a $212 million bond issue for schools.
In Frederick, students’ parents are buying classroom supplies and offering to pay for groceries and utilities to keep first-year teachers and principals in their jobs.
Some $36,000 has been raised in donations from Safeway. A Chevrolet dealership donated $10,000 and forgave the district’s $10,750 bill for renting the driver educating cars. IBM contributed 4,500 packs of paper.
“We employ thousands of people in this community,” said Mitch Carson, a hospital chief executive, who helped raise funds. “We have children in the school, and we see how they could be affected.”
At Creek High School, three students started a website that displays newspaper articles, district information and an email forum. “Rumors about what’s happening to the district are moving at lighting speed,” said a student. “We wanted to know the truth, and spread that around instead.”
46. What has happened to the Vrain School District?
A. A huge financial problem has arisen.
B. Many schools there are mismanaged.
C. Lots of teachers in the district are planning to quit.
D. Many administrative personnel have been laid off.
47. How did the residents in the Vrain School District respond to the budget shortage?
A. They felt somewhat helpless about it.
B. They accused those responsible for it.
C. They made their efforts to help solve it.
D. They demanded a thorough investigation.
48. In the view of State Treasurer Mike Coffman, the educational budget shortage is ________.
A. unavoidable       B. unbelievable       C. insolvable        D. invisible
49. Why did Coffman request an investigation?
A. To see if the financial problem was covered up on purpose
B. To find out how serious the consequence of the case would be.
C. To make sure that the school principals were innocent.
D. To stop the voters approving the $212 million bond issue.
50. Three high school students started a website in order to ________.
A. attract greater public attention to their needs
B. appeal to the public for contributions and donations
C. expose officials who neglected their duties
D. keep people properly informed of the crisis

( B )

In communities north of Denver, residents are pitching in to help teachers and administrators as the Vrain school District tries to solve a $13.8 million budget shortage blamed on mismanagement. “We’re worried about our teachers and principals, and we really don’t want to lose them because of this,” one parent said. “If we can help ease their financial burden, we will.”

Teachers are grateful, but I know it may be years before the district is solvent (有综合能力的). They feel really good about the parent support, but they realize it’s impossible for them to solve this problem.

The 22,000-student district discovered the shortage last month. “It’s extraordinary. Nobody would have imagined something happening like this at this level,” said State Treasurer Mike Coffman.

Coffman and district officials last week agreed on a state emergency plan freeing up a $9.8 million loan that enabled the payroll (工资单) to be met for 2,700 teachers and staff in time for the holidays.

District officials also took $1.7 million from student-activity accounts of its 38 schools.

At Coffman’s request, the District Attorney has begun investigating the district’s finances. Coffman says he wants to know whether district officials hid the budget shortage until after the November election, when voters approved a $212 million bond issue for schools.

In Frederick, students’ parents are buying classroom supplies and offering to pay for groceries and utilities to keep first-year teachers and principals in their jobs.

Some $36,000 has been raised in donations from Safeway. A Chevrolet dealership donated $10,000 and forgave the district’s $10,750 bill for renting the driver educating cars. IBM contributed 4,500 packs of paper.

“We employ thousands of people in this community,” said Mitch Carson, a hospital chief executive, who helped raise funds. “We have children in the school, and we see how they could be affected.”

At Creek High School, three students started a website that displays newspaper articles, district information and an email forum. “Rumors about what’s happening to the district are moving at lighting speed,” said a student. “We wanted to know the truth, and spread that around instead.”

46. What has happened to the Vrain School District?

A. A huge financial problem has arisen.

B. Many schools there are mismanaged.

C. Lots of teachers in the district are planning to quit.

D. Many administrative personnel have been laid off.

47. How did the residents in the Vrain School District respond to the budget shortage?

A. They felt somewhat helpless about it.

B. They accused those responsible for it.

C. They made their efforts to help solve it.

D. They demanded a thorough investigation.

48. In the view of State Treasurer Mike Coffman, the educational budget shortage is ________.

A. unavoidable       B. unbelievable       C. insolvable        D. invisible

49. Why did Coffman request an investigation?

A. To see if the financial problem was covered up on purpose

B. To find out how serious the consequence of the case would be.

C. To make sure that the school principals were innocent.

D. To stop the voters approving the $212 million bond issue.

50. Three high school students started a website in order to ________.

A. attract greater public attention to their needs

B. appeal to the public for contributions and donations

C. expose officials who neglected their duties

D. keep people properly informed of the crisis

In a class I teach for adults, I recently did the “unpardonable.” I gave the class homework!

The assignment (任务) was to “go to someone you love 　36 the next week and tell them you love them. It 　37 to be someone you have never 　38 those words to before or at least haven’t shared those words with for a long time.” That doesn’t 　39 like a very tough assignment, 　40 you stop to realize that most of the men were over 35 and were 　41 in the generation of men that were taught that expressing emotions is not “macho (男子汉气概的).” Showing feelings or crying (heaven forbid!) was just not done 　42 this was a very threatening assignment for some.

At the 　43 of our next class, I asked if someone wanted to 　44 what happened when they told someone they loved them. I fully expected one of the 　45 to volunteer, as was usually the 　46 , but on this evening one of the men raised his hand. He appeared quite moved and a bit 　47 . As he unfolded out of his chair, he began by saying, “Dennis. I was quite 　48 with you last week when you gave us the assignment. I didn’t feel that I had 　49 to say those words to and 　50 , who were you to tell me to do something that personal? But as I began driving home my conscience (良知) started talking to me. It was telling me that I 　51 exactly who I needed to say I love you to. You see, five years ago, my father and I had a heated 　52 and really never resolved it since that one. We 　53 seeing each other unless we absolutely had to at Christmas or other family gatherings. But 　54 then, we hardly spoke to each other. So last. Tuesday 　55 I got home, I had convinced myself. I was going to tell my father I loved him.”

36．A．after　　　　　　　　　 B．before　　　　　　　　 C．for　　　　　　　　　　 D．within

37．A．has to　　　　　　　　 B．ought to　　　　　　 C．had better　　　　　 D．can

38．A．told　　　　　　　　　　 B．said　　　　　　　　　　 C．talked　　　　　　　　 D．spoken

39．A．look　　　　　　　　　 B．hear　　　　　　　　　 C．listen　　　　　　　　　 D．sound

40．A．when　　　　　　　　 B．until　　　　　　　　　 C．that　　　　　　　　　　 D．unless

41．A．born　　　　　　　　　 B．grown　　　　　　　　 C．raised　　　　　　　　 D．risen

42．A．And　　　　　　　　　 B．But　　　　　　　　　　 C．So　　　　　　　　　　 D．For

43．A．beginning　　　　　 B．end　　　　　　　　　　 C．middle　　　　　　　　 D．stating

44．A．announce　　　　　 B．share　　　　　　　　　 C．answer　　　　　　　 D．ask

45．A．men　　　　　　　　　 B．adults　　　　　　　　 C．students　　　　　　 D．women

46．A．case　　　　　　　　　 B．thing　　　　　　　　　 C．story　　　　　　　　　 D．experience

47．A．afraid　　　　　　　　 B．shaken　　　　　　　 C．terrible　　　　　　　 D．worried

48．A．happy　　　　　　　　 B．pleased　　　　　　　 C．angry　　　　　　　　 D．satisfied

49．A．everybody　　　　　 B．nobody　　　　　　　 C．someone　　　　　　 D．anyone

50．A．else　　　　　　　　　　 B．except　　　　　　　　 C．beside　　　　　　　　 D．besides

51．A．thought　　　　　　　 B．considered　　　　　 C．knew　　　　　　　　 D．guessed

52．A．disagreement　　　 B．encouragement　　 C．disappointment　　 D．discouragement

53．A．imagined　　　　　　 B．risked　　　　　　　　 C．avoided　　　　　　　 D．escaped

54．A．still　　　　　　　　　　 B．even　　　　　　　　　 C．just　　　　　　　　　　 D．only

55．A．by the time　　　　 B．at the time　　　　　 C．for the time　　　　 D．during the time

Questions:
A. Do you think people should be decisive in the wild?
B. How to make hunting tools?
C. Do you think people should send an SOS while they are in danger?
D. How to make a fire in the wild?
E. How to set a trap to hunt animals?
F. How to build a shelter in the wild?
【小题1】______
Answer: If you are in a desert environment, try to build an underground shade shelter to avoid prolonged sun exposure, obviously only for hot climates. So you can be more comfortable in cooler temperatures to avoid sweating. If your environment is damp, use branches laid and criss-crossed on top of one another to create a solid and dry foundation for an open bed pad. Raise the foundation above ground level as much as possible.
【小题2】______
Answer: Yes, I think so. For example, if you think the best survival course of action is to look for help and civilization, don’t wait 4 or 5 days before you come to this conclusion. Take action on the 1^st or 2^nd day if possible while you still have strength and endurance working for you.
【小题3】______
Answer: Use dry wood and sticks to start your fire. Fire is started by using three kinds of wood: tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder is any kind of flammable wood shavings, usually light and wispy. You can take two pieces of dry wood, sharpen one of them and use it to drill into the other piece. Place any highly flammable objects you can find next to the drill bit. The moment the flammable object catches a spark, use a rock to swiftly tip the object onto a nest of leaves and little branches.
【小题4】______
Answer: Get an ordinary block of wood and hit it with a rock repeatedly until the wood sharpens. In this case, use the rock as your sharpener. You could also take a rock and break off some of the edges and then use another rock and some water like a wet stone and sharpen. In an ideal situation, obsidian stone would be used for its infamous sharpness.
【小题5】______
Answer: Use two more sticks to hold up a “teepee”, similar to your shelter. Place an item of your choice you think an animal will come after, if you’re lucky, the animal will be trapped. Dig a hole in the ground about 2m-3m deep and 1m-2m across. Take two thin branches and place them criss-crossed across the hole. Cover it with leaves and put something the animals like to eat. You can also put a few wooden spikes sharpened by your knife at the bottom. Don’t forget to build a ladder or you might not be able to climb out of the hole.

Questions:

A. Do you think people should be decisive in the wild?

B. How to make hunting tools?

C. Do you think people should send an SOS while they are in danger?

D. How to make a fire in the wild?

E. How to set a trap to hunt animals?

F. How to build a shelter in the wild?

1.______

Answer: If you are in a desert environment, try to build an underground shade shelter to avoid prolonged sun exposure, obviously only for hot climates. So you can be more comfortable in cooler temperatures to avoid sweating. If your environment is damp, use branches laid and criss-crossed on top of one another to create a solid and dry foundation for an open bed pad. Raise the foundation above ground level as much as possible.

2.______

Answer: Yes, I think so. For example, if you think the best survival course of action is to look for help and civilization, don’t wait 4 or 5 days before you come to this conclusion. Take action on the 1^st or 2^nd day if possible while you still have strength and endurance working for you.

3.______

Answer: Use dry wood and sticks to start your fire. Fire is started by using three kinds of wood: tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder is any kind of flammable wood shavings, usually light and wispy. You can take two pieces of dry wood, sharpen one of them and use it to drill into the other piece. Place any highly flammable objects you can find next to the drill bit. The moment the flammable object catches a spark, use a rock to swiftly tip the object onto a nest of leaves and little branches.

4.______

Answer: Get an ordinary block of wood and hit it with a rock repeatedly until the wood sharpens. In this case, use the rock as your sharpener. You could also take a rock and break off some of the edges and then use another rock and some water like a wet stone and sharpen. In an ideal situation, obsidian stone would be used for its infamous sharpness.

5.______

Answer: Use two more sticks to hold up a “teepee”, similar to your shelter. Place an item of your choice you think an animal will come after, if you’re lucky, the animal will be trapped. Dig a hole in the ground about 2m-3m deep and 1m-2m across. Take two thin branches and place them criss-crossed across the hole. Cover it with leaves and put something the animals like to eat. You can also put a few wooden spikes sharpened by your knife at the bottom. Don’t forget to build a ladder or you might not be able to climb out of the hole.