Every culture has a recognized point when a child becomes an adult, when rules must be followed and tests passed.

In China, although teenagers can get their ID cards at 16, many only see themselves as an adult when they are 18. In the US, where everyone drives, the main step to the freedom of adult life is learning to drive. At 16, American teens take their driving test. When they have their license, they drive into the grown-up world.

“Nobody wants to ride the cheese bus to school,” said Eleanor Fulham, 17. She brought the pressure back to memory, especially from kids from wealthier families. “It’s like you’re not cool if you don’t have a car,” she said.

According to recent research, 41% of 16 to 19-year-olds in the US own cars, up from 23% in 1985. Although, most of these cars are bought by parents, some teens get part-time jobs to help pay.

Not all families can afford cars for their children. In cities with subways and limited parking, some teenagers don’t want them. But in rich suburban areas without subways, and where bicycles are more for fun than transportation, it is strange for a teenager not to have a car.

But police say 16-year-olds have almost three times more accidents than 18 and 19-year-olds. This has made many parents pause before letting their kids drive.

Julie Sussman, of Virginia, decided that her son Chad, 15, will wait until he is 17 to apply for his learner’s permit.

Chad said he has accepted his parents’ decision, although it has caused some teasing from his friends. “They say that I am unlucky,” he said, “But I’d rather be alive than driving, and I don’t really trust my friends on the road, either.”

In China, as more families get cars, more 18-year-olds learn to drive. Will this become a big step to becoming an adult?

1.Which may serve as the BEST title of the article?

A．Cars Helping You to Grow-Up               B．Driving into the Grown-Up World

C．Teenagers’ Driving in America            D．Recognized Point of Becoming an Adult

2.16-year-old drivers have more accidents possibly because           .

A．they want to show themselves off           B．they are never experienced drivers

C．older people always drive better            D．they never drive carefully on the road

3.Which may NOT be taken into consideration when deciding whether to buy a car?

A．How well off the family is.

B．Whether the kid is old enough.

C．What traffic condition there is around.

D．Whether it’s practically needed.

4.When Chad said “I don’t really trust my friends ...”, he meant that           .

A．he might run into his friends if he drove

B．he didn’t agree with his friends

C．he might not be safe if his friends drove

D．he was afraid that his friends might well lie to him

5.The passage mainly gives information about           .

A．an American culture

B．a cultural difference between America and China

C．a change in the Chinese culture

D．the relationship between driving and a person’s development

第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡将该项涂黑。
(A)
The basenji is a central African hunting dog. It comes from a country called Chad, which is north of the Central African Republic. The basenji was well—known as the "silent dog" because for centuries no basenjis has ever been known to bark . Then at a dog show in London in 1953, a basenji actually barked.
As well as being clever, basenjis are known for their natural courage and are still popular hunting dogs in Africa. But in America people keep them mainly because they are gentle and full of fun. The basenji has an unusual habit, it washes itself all over like a cat. It is a middle—sized dog, 16 or 17 inches high from the shoulder. It weighs about 20 pounds. A basenji's coat is short and silky. It may be brown, white, or gold , or a mixture of these three colours.
56. Basenjis were first found      .
A. in Africa, Europe and America           B. in both Africa and America
C. in central Africa                       D. in North Africa
57. What made Basenjis so special?
A. They were funny enough to make people laugh.
B. One of them barked at a dog show in London.
C. They were a true friend of man.
D. They were born quiet dogs.
58. In what way are basenjis like cats?
A. They make gentle sounds instead of barking.
B. They are fond of people and look like cats.
C. They clean themselves all over.
D. They have short, silky fur.

Every culture has a recognized point when a child becomes an adult, when rules must be followed and tests passed.
In China, although teenagers can get their ID cards at 16, many only see themselves as an adult when they are 18. In the US, where everyone drives, the main step to the freedom of adult life is learning to drive. At 16, American teens take their driving test. When they have their license, they drive into the grown-up world.
“Nobody wants to ride the cheese bus to school,” said Eleanor Fulham, 17. She brought the pressure back to memory, especially from kids from wealthier families. “It’s like you’re not cool if you don’t have a car,” she said.
According to recent research, 41% of 16 to 19-year-olds in the US own cars, up from 23% in 1985. Although, most of these cars are bought by parents, some teens get part-time jobs to help pay.
Not all families can afford cars for their children. In cities with subways and limited parking, some teenagers don’t want them. But in rich suburban areas without subways, and where bicycles are more for fun than transportation, it is strange for a teenager not to have a car.
But police say 16-year-olds have almost three times more accidents than 18 and 19-year-olds. This has made many parents pause before letting their kids drive.
Julie Sussman, of Virginia, decided that her son Chad, 15, will wait until he is 17 to apply for his learner’s permit.
Chad said he has accepted his parents’ decision, although it has caused some teasing from his friends. “They say that I am unlucky,” he said, “But I’d rather be alive than driving, and I don’t really trust my friends on the road, either.”
In China, as more families get cars, more 18-year-olds learn to drive. Will this become a big step to becoming an adult?
【小题1】Which may serve as the BEST title of the article?

UNICEF is appealing for more than one billion dollars in aid for women and children around the world. The United Nations Children's Fund has released its “Humanitarian Action Report” for two thousand ten. The report lists twenty – eight countries and territories with some of the world’s most pester affecting women and children.
Haiti was considered to be in crisis long before the earthquake in January. The deputy executive director of UNICEF, Hilde Johnson, says the quake has only made the need for aid more immediate. But she says children all over the world have the right to the same assistance as children everywhere else.
The "Humanitarian Action Report" discusses several issues that UNICEF says increasingly threaten the basic rights of women and children. It says climate change has caused droughts and food insecurity in many areas. High food prices and the global financial crisis of two thousand eight-two thousand nine have only added to poverty and malnutrition (营养不良). And armed conflict continues to threaten the lives of millions.
Hilde Johnson says children are always the most affected by conflicts and disasters. They face an increased risk of abuse, including sexual violence and other serious rights violations(侵犯).
UNICEF deals with about two hundred emergencies around the world every year. The greatest need last year was in sub-Saharan Africa. The report says drought, food insecurity and civil unrest affected about twenty-four million people.
Violence and displacements of people were especially bad in Sudan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
In Asia, UNICEF expects its financial assistance needs to more than double this year. This is partly the result of adding Pakistan and the Philippines to the latest report. In Pakistan, it says, more than two million people have been forced from their homes by the conflict in the Swat Valley and other areas of the northwest. And in the Philippines, more than two hundred thousand people are still living in shelters after severe storms last year.
This year's UNICEF report talks about the value of public and private partnerships in helping children and families in emergencies.
And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms. For a link to the UNICEF report listing the twenty-eight countries and territories in crisis, go to www.unsv.com. I'm Steve Ember.
【小题1】According to Hilde Johnson, the most easily affected peens suffering from conflicts and disasters are          .

Every culture has a recognized (公认的) point when a child becomes an adult, when rules must be followed and tests passed.

In China, although teenagers can get their ID cards at 16, many only see themselves as an adult when they are 18. In the US, where everyone drives, the main step to the freedom of adult life is learning to drive. At 16, American teens take their driving test. When they have their license, they drive into the grown-up world.

“Nobody wants to ride the bus to school,” said Eleanor Fulham, 17. She remembered the pressure, especially from kids from richer families. “It’s like you’re not cool if you don’t have a car,” she said.

According to recent research, 41% of 16 to 19-year-olds in the US own cars, up from 23% in 1985. Although, most of these cars are bought by parents, some teens get part-time jobs to help pay.

Not all families will buy cars for their children. In cities with subways (地铁) and limited parking, some teenagers don’t want them. But in rich suburban (郊区的) areas without subways, and where bicycles are more for fun than transportation, it is strange for a teenager not to have a car.

But police say 16-year-olds have almost three times more accidents than 18 and 19-year-olds. This has made many parents think carefully before letting their kids drive.

Julie Sussman, of Virginia, decided that her son Chad, 15, will wait until he is 17.

Chad said he has accepted his parents’ decision, although it has caused some teasing (奚落) from his friends. “They say that I am unlucky,” he said. “But I’d rather be alive than driving, and I don’t really trust my friends on the road either.”

In China as more families get cars, more 18-year-olds learn to drive. Will this become a big step to becoming an adult?

1.The story is mainly about _______.

A. the recognized point between childhood and adulthood

B. American teens want to drive a car when they turn 16

C. whether teenagers should have a car

D. the fact that it’s safer for teens to drive a car at an younger age

2. Which of the following is not one of the reasons that kids want to have a car?

A. With a car, it would be easy to move around.

B. A great number of teenagers have cars.

C. Having a car would mean more excitement.

D. Parents’ support for kids to have a car at an early age.

3..Which of the following is not true?

A. Some of Chad’s friends have cars.

B. When deciding whether to buy a car for their kids, safety weighs heavily on many parents’ mind.

C. In the US, 16 is considered the point between childhood and adulthood.

D. More kids from cities own cars than those from the countryside.

4.The word “license” in Paragraph 2 means closest to ______.

A. driving permit    B. ID card   C. learner’s permit     D. test result