Raising pets is not a new thing in China , but recently it has taken on a new meaning .

     As a famous Chinese saying goes, pursuit of petty (小的，不重要的) pleasures weakens one’s will to make progress . The saying has been so popular that even today many people still consider raising pets as a hobby of the idle .

     Things have changed much recently and now raising pets has become a popular pastime , resulting in a successful pet care industry .

     Pet food is sold in almost all supermarkets and many special stores for pet needs have been set up .

     Animal hospitals provide various medical services for sick dogs and cats , and pet exchange fairs are held regularly .

     At the China International Pet Show which took place recently in Beijing , more than 100 factories from across the country exhibited their products . Thousands of dealers and pet owners went to the show.

     “People’s swollen pockets make it possible for many to raise pets , a hobby that used to be enjoyed only by the wealthy ,” said Wang Wei , who works with the National Kennel Association of China .

     Wang Yuyan , vice president of the Small Animals Protection Association , agreed , “ In many films and novels , having a pet is used as a symbol of wealth . That’s not a complete picture . ” Wang added that pets are friends in a real sense of the word , not just playthings . “ Anyone with a loving nature can raise pets . ”

     Still the high cost of keeping a pet is something many people have to think about .

     “I like dogs and cats , but I have neither time nor money to raise them , ”said Li Jun , in her 40’s , a civil servant from Beijing .

     The cost of raising a dog is high in Beijing , where registration (登记) is a must for all dogs and costs 5,000 yuan for each animal . In addition , pet owners must pay for regular injection of vaccines (疫苗). Most of all , dog food is quite expensive .

     Unlike his mother , Li Jun’s 10-year-old son, Li Qiyu, dreams of the day he will have his own pet . “I hope I can have a dog in my house , ” he said .

Things have changed much recently , because ___________ .

  A. people have all become kind-hearted       B. small animals have no places to live in

  C. people’s living conditions are improving    D. more and more people are out of work

In big cities in China today , raising pets ________ .

  A. has changed people’s life        B. has destroyed some families

  C. has met much difficulty         D. has brought much business for some people

According to Wang Yuyan’s opinion , raising pets _________ .

  A. is a necessary job for us all       B. is harmless for most people 

  C. should be a hobby of the rich      D. will make the poor happy

Raising pets is not a new thing in China , but recently it has taken on a new meaning .

As a famous Chinese saying goes, pursuit of petty (小的，不重要的) pleasures weakens one’s will to make progress . The saying has been so popular that even today many people still consider raising pets as a hobby of the idle .

Things have changed much recently and now raising pets has become a popular pastime , resulting in a successful pet care industry .

Pet food is sold in almost all supermarkets and many special stores for pet needs have been set up .

Animal hospitals provide various medical services for sick dogs and cats , and pet exchange fairs are held regularly .

At the China International Pet Show which took place recently in Beijing , more than 100 factories from across the country exhibited their products . Thousands of dealers and pet owners went to the show.

“People’s swollen pockets make it possible for many to raise pets , a hobby that used to be enjoyed only by the wealthy ,” said Wang Wei , who works with the National Kennel Association of China .

Wang Yuyan , vice president of the Small Animals Protection Association , agreed , “ In many films and novels , having a pet is used as a symbol of wealth . That’s not a complete picture . ” Wang added that pets are friends in a real sense of the word , not just playthings . “ Anyone with a loving nature can raise pets . ”

Still the high cost of keeping a pet is something many people have to think about .

“I like dogs and cats , but I have neither time nor money to raise them , ”said Li Jun , in her 40’s , a civil servant from Beijing .

The cost of raising a dog is high in Beijing , where registration (登记) is a must for all dogs and costs 5,000 yuan for each animal . In addition , pet owners must pay for regular injection of vaccines (疫苗). Most of all , dog food is quite expensive .

Unlike his mother , Li Jun’s 10-year-old son, Li Qiyu, dreams of the day he will have his own pet . “I hope I can have a dog in my house , ” he said .

1.Things have changed much recently , because ___________ .

2. In big cities in China today , raising pets ________ .

3.According to Wang Yuyan’s opinion , raising pets _________ .

In the current economic downturn, many American schools are adding a new subject to the curriculum（课程）; financial literacy. One program in Virginia even gets students out of the classroom for a day to learn how far their money will go in the real world.
What looks like a shopping mall is actually an educational field trip experience for a group of young people. Finance Park is a special facility where students apply what they have been taught in class about money management.
“They become, essentially, adults for the day,” says Alice Reilly, social studies coordinator for Fairfax County Public Schools. “They are asked to develop a budget for 18 line items that you and I might have in our budget; things like utilities, insurance, groceries, housing.”
Each budget item is represented by a storefront where students collect an option sheet. Students must refer to a card that shows their income and their family size, when they choose what to buy. There’s also a stock ticker so students can keep track of shares in their portfolios（投资组合）.
The facility opened last year in Fairfax, Virginia. It is the fifteenth Finance Park built in the last decade by Junior Achievement USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to preparing young people for financial success.
“Since the financial crisis, the demand for Finance Parks around the country has grown exponentially," says Ed Grenier, president of the Washington, DC chapter. "We have a number under way in the planning and building stages.”
Financial literacy has only recently become part of the regular curriculum in Fairfax County.“Some students, some teachers, some schools did it, but now it is much more systematic," Reilly says, "and it is much more consistent to ensure that all students get this background information.”
That is why every eighth grade student in Fairfax County will eventually spend a day here.Thirteen-year-old Sam says she has learned an important life lesson. “I didn’t know how expensive everything would be.”
Anthony, also 13, is looking forward to telling his parents what he learned. “I’ll probably tell them I want to stay a kid a little longer and take my time to become an adult.”
This isn’t the end of financial studies for Anthony and the other students here. Virginia is one of 13 states which requires students to take a financial education in high school in order to graduate.
【小题1】What is the aim of this Finance Park?
A . To raise enough money for the secondary schools in Virginia.        
B. To enable students to apply money management knowledge to   practice.        
C. To provide students in Virginia with special chances for Advanced Placement.         
D. To direct students in Washington,D.C. to learn more about money management.
【小题2】Who is expected to spend a whole day in the Finance Park?
A .Young people all over Virginia.        
B. Junior students in Washington,D.C.       
C. Eighth graders in Fairfax County.      
D. Eighth graders' parents in Virginia.
【小题3】What can we learn from this passage?
A . Extra curriculum is necessary in secondary schools.       
B. Fairfax County Public Schools set a good example.
C. An organization helps youth in U.S. for financial success.        
D. Financial Literacy is very popular in Washington,D.C.
【小题4】It can be inferred from the passage that _________________.
A . Alice Reilly developed a budget for 18 items in the Finance Park.       
B. ED Grenier was against building more finance parks in U.S.A.        
C. Sam did quite well in  managing his budge in the Finance Park.        
D. Anthony came to know that adult life wasn't as good as expected.

Dear NMAI(National Museum of the American Indian) Supporter，
Old stereotypes(思维定式) die hard. And when it comes to the way Native Americans have been viewed throughout history and continue to be viewed today, the stories about life in Indian Country are sadly overshadowing the truths. Most Native Americans don't live in tipis(圆锥形帐篷), and we don't greet one another by saying,  “How.”
To combat misconceptions like these, I need help from people who understand there's more to Native American cultures than the offensive cartoons that you see in movies and television.
I think that you might be one of these people.
Please join NMAI today and enjoy exclusive benefits like our full－color quarterly magazine American Indian, and Members－only discounts at all Smithsonian, NMAI Museum Stores, and at our Zagat－rated Mitsitam Native Foods Café.
Plus, through this email, you can take advantage of our special price of $22－more than 10% off our regular membership charge.
With your support, the National Museum of the American Indian can tell the story both past and present of Native life and culture in North, Central, and South America.
In just one visit to either of our Museums in Washington, DC, or New York City, you can watch a performance by traditional Native dancers... attend a lecture by a leading voice from the world of Native literature... spend an afternoon taking an informative audio tour of the Museum's distinctive grounds... and try your hand at Native crafts like pottery and beadwork. And for those who are unable to visit the museums in person, much of our extensive collection of more than 800，000 objects is cateloged on our website.
Only with your generosity can we share the Native story, awaken children to an interest in Native culture, and bring the Museum experience to people who can't travel to our Museums in person.
By joining the Museum today, you will take the first step in putting an end to the old stereotypes and long－held prejudices that have contributed to an incomplete picture of Native traditions and accomplishments.
Sincerely，
Kevin Gover
Director
【小题1】What is the author's intention in writing this letter?

In the current economic downturn, many American schools are adding a new subject to the curriculum（课程）; financial literacy. One program in Virginia even gets students out of the classroom for a day to learn how far their money will go in the real world.

What looks like a shopping mall is actually an educational field trip experience for a group of young people. Finance Park is a special facility where students apply what they have been taught in class about money management.

“They become, essentially, adults for the day,” says Alice Reilly, social studies coordinator for Fairfax County Public Schools. “They are asked to develop a budget for 18 line items that you and I might have in our budget; things like utilities, insurance, groceries, housing.”

Each budget item is represented by a storefront where students collect an option sheet. Students must refer to a card that shows their income and their family size, when they choose what to buy. There’s also a stock ticker so students can keep track of shares in their portfolios（投资组合）.

The facility opened last year in Fairfax, Virginia. It is the fifteenth Finance Park built in the last decade by Junior Achievement USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to preparing young people for financial success.

“Since the financial crisis, the demand for Finance Parks around the country has grown exponentially," says Ed Grenier, president of the Washington, DC chapter. "We have a number under way in the planning and building stages.”

Financial literacy has only recently become part of the regular curriculum in Fairfax County.“Some students, some teachers, some schools did it, but now it is much more systematic," Reilly says, "and it is much more consistent to ensure that all students get this background information.”

That is why every eighth grade student in Fairfax County will eventually spend a day here.Thirteen-year-old Sam says she has learned an important life lesson. “I didn’t know how expensive everything would be.”

Anthony, also 13, is looking forward to telling his parents what he learned. “I’ll probably tell them I want to stay a kid a little longer and take my time to become an adult.”

This isn’t the end of financial studies for Anthony and the other students here. Virginia is one of 13 states which requires students to take a financial education in high school in order to graduate.

1.What is the aim of this Finance Park?

A . To raise enough money for the secondary schools in Virginia.        

B. To enable students to apply money management knowledge to   practice.        

C. To provide students in Virginia with special chances for Advanced Placement.         

D. To direct students in Washington,D.C. to learn more about money management.

2.Who is expected to spend a whole day in the Finance Park?

A .Young people all over Virginia.        

B. Junior students in Washington,D.C.       

C. Eighth graders in Fairfax County.      

D. Eighth graders' parents in Virginia.

3.What can we learn from this passage?

A . Extra curriculum is necessary in secondary schools.       

B. Fairfax County Public Schools set a good example.

C. An organization helps youth in U.S. for financial success.        

D. Financial Literacy is very popular in Washington,D.C.

4.It can be inferred from the passage that _________________.

A . Alice Reilly developed a budget for 18 items in the Finance Park.       

B. ED Grenier was against building more finance parks in U.S.A.        

C. Sam did quite well in  managing his budge in the Finance Park.        

D. Anthony came to know that adult life wasn't as good as expected.