Many families in the United States have a larger income now than ever before, but people are finding it difficult to make ends meet anyway. Almost everyone is wondering, “What happens to all my money? I never seem to have anything left to put away.”

      Why isn’t a dollar worth as much as it used to be? One dollar is always worth the same amount, that is, 100 cents. But the value of a dollar is how much it can buy. The value of money depends on the cost of living. Economists say that the cost of living is the money that a family must pay for the necessities of life such as food, housing or rent, clothes and medical expenses. For many years now  the cost of living has increased greatly, so the value of the dollar has decreased. When a dollar has a low value, you cannot buy as many things with it.

      No one fully understands why the cost of living keeps increasing, but economists believe that workers and producers can make prices go up. As workers earn more money, they have more money to spend, so they demand more goods. If there is a great demand for certain goods, the prices of these goods go up. At the same time, if there’s a shortage of goods, the price also goes up. For example, if everyone wants to buy more and more gas, the price of gas goes up. When companies withhold gas from buyers, they can also make the price of gas go up.

      Families need to know what happens to their money. They need to make their income meet the cost of living, so many people plan a family budget. A budget is a list of monthly expenses. If your expenses add up to more than your income, you must find ways to save money. Maybe you’re spending too much on entertainment. Or if you’re spending too much on clothes, you may want to sew your own clothes. Budgeting helps you spend your money wisely as the cost of living increases.

41. What has troubled many families in the United States?

A not-large-enough income.                                B. Nothing is left over to put away.

C.The increasing cost of living.                           D. A shortage of certain goods.

42.    Why does the cost of living keep increasing?

A. There are always shortages of goods.              B. The workers are getting lower and lower pay.

C. The government makes no difference.              D. People demand more and better goods.

43.    Which of the following is TRUE?

A. Housewives needn’t know anything happening to the market.

B. People’s lives are affected by the value of money.

C. There seems no need for everyone to know about the rising cost of living.

D. The prices will go up if more goods are produced.

44.    According to the passage, when people find it hard to make ends meet, they need to _________.

A. find ways to save money                              B. do extra work to earn more money

C. try some other means of making money         D. raise a protest against the high cost of living

45.    Budgeting helps _____________.

A. one to make his income meet the cost of living

B. the government to battle the rising cost of living

C. merchants to produce more goods

D. the workers to earn more money

阅读理解

　　Many families in the United States have a larger income now than ever before, but people are finding it difficult to make ends meet anyway. Almost everyone is wondering, “What happens to all my money? I never seem to have anything left to put away.”

　　Why isn't dollar worth as much as it used to be? One dollar is always worth the same amount, that is, 100 cents. But the value of a dollar is how much it can buy. The value of money depends on the cost of living. Economists say that the cost of living is the money that a family must pay for the necessities of life such as food, housing, or rent, clothes and medical expenses. For many years now, the cost of living has increased greatly, so the value of the dollar has decreased. When a dollar has a low value, you cannot buy as many things with it.

　　No one fully understands why the cost of living keeps increasing, but economists believe that workers and producers can make prices go up. As workers earn more money, they have more money to spend, so they demand more goods. If there is a great demand for certain goods, the prices of these goods go up. At the same time, if there's a shortage of goods, the prices also go up. For example, if everyone wants to buy more and more gas, the price of gas goes up. When companies withhold(抑制) gas from buyers, they can also make the price of gas go up.

　　Families need to know what happens to their money. They need to make their income meet the cost of living, so many people plan a family budget(预算). A budget is a list of monthly expenses. If your expenses add up to more than your income, you must find ways to save money. Maybe you're spending too much on entertainment. Or if you're spending too much on clothes, you may want to sew your own clothes. Budgeting helps you spend your money wisely as the cost of living increases.

1．What has troubled many families in the United States?

[　　]

A．A not-large-enough income.

B．Nothing is left over to put away.

C．The increasing cost of living.

D．A shortage of certain goods.

2．Why does the cost of living keep increasing?

[　　]

A．There are always shortages of goods.

B．The workers are getting lower and lower pay.

C．The government makes no interference(干预).

D．People demand more and more better goods.

3．Which of the following is true?

[　　]

A．Housewives needn't know anything happening to the market.

B．People are most concerned about the value of money.

C．There seems to be no need for everyone to know about the rising cost of living.

D．The prices will go up if more goods are produced.

4．According to the passage, when people find it hard to make ends meet, they ________.

[　　]

A．find ways to save money

B．do extra work to earn more money

C．try some other means of making money

D．are against the high cost of living

FOR many young people, having to attend school with a parent would be their worst nightmare. However, Senior 1 student Li Qinmei is happy taking her father with her as long as she can go to classes. He is disabled and unable to take care of himself.
The 16-year-old country girl in Zhucheng, Shandong Province has experienced one disaster after another in her short life. Li lost her mother at three. Four years later, her father became paralyzed after a tractor accident. At 12, her misfortune returned with the death of her grandma. Since then she has been forced to shoulder all the responsibility for her broken family.
Li learnt to cook and managed to live a life with an allowance of only 24 yuan per month. The most difficult thing she had to deal with was helping her father bathe, dress and use the toilet as he could hardly move.
"I felt embarrassed, and so did my dad. It was really hard at the beginning," she recalled.
During most of her junior school years, Li went to classes only once a month as her father was seriously ill at the time. "I taught myself at home and asked teachers for help on my school days," she explained. Li's hard work paid off this fall. She was admitted by Zhucheng No 1 High School, a local key school, based on her good performance in the entrance exams. The school offered Li and her father a room on campus to live in so she could look after him during breaks.
Once in a while, Li felt sad when she saw her classmates going shopping or hanging out with friends. "I envy them sometimes because they have both mum and dad to look after them. However, I soon feel relieved as I still have my dear dad with me," she said.
Li admitted that the difficulties in life had taught her to be strong. "I believe I will go on and continue my studies at a good university," she said, in a confident tone.
Her teacher Mr. Wang has the same belief. Li made great progress in the recent monthly exams. "She works hard and is always eager to excel (好强的). It's not easy for her never to be late for school, but she has managed to make it work," Wang said.
56. Li Qinmei has to shoulder the family because ________.
A. her father was badly injured in a car accident  
B. her grandma died when she was 12
C. her mother passed away when she was 3  
D. misfortune in her life forced her to do so
57. From the passage we can infer that _________.
A. Li Qinmei doesn’t like others talking about her father
B. many young students hate going to school with their parents
C. Li Qinmei has made great progress in her study
D. Li Qinmei has lost three relatives and has to take care of her father
58. What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “hanging out” in the passage?_________.
A. playing outside    B. working hard    
C. exchanging ideas    D. talking happily
59. According to the passage, which statement is Not True? __________.
A. Li Qinmei was admitted to a local key school because of his good scores in the exams
B. Li Qinmei is very embarrassed when she helps her father bathe
C. Li Qinmei often goes to attend her father after class
D. Li Qinmei is able to go to class on time though she has to attend her father

FOR many young people, having to attend school with a parent would be their worst nightmare. However, Senior 1 student Li Qinmei is happy taking her father with her as long as she can go to classes. He is disabled and unable to take care of himself.
The 16-year-old country girl in Zhucheng, Shandong Province has experienced one disaster after another in her short life. Li lost her mother at three. Four years later, her father became paralyzed after a tractor accident. At 12, her misfortune returned with the death of her grandma. Since then she has been forced to shoulder all the responsibility for her broken family.
Li learnt to cook and managed to live a life with an allowance of only 24 yuan per month. The most difficult thing she had to deal with was helping her father bathe, dress and use the toilet as he could hardly move.
"I felt embarrassed, and so did my dad. It was really hard at the beginning," she recalled.
During most of her junior school years, Li went to classes only once a month as her father was seriously ill at the time.
"I taught myself at home and asked teachers for help on my school days," she explained.
Li's hard work paid off this fall. She was admitted by Zhucheng No 1 High School, a local key school, based on her good performance in the entrance exams.
The school offered Li and her father a room on campus to live in so she could look after him during breaks.
Once in a while, Li felt sad when she saw her classmates going shopping or hanging out with friends.
"I envy them sometimes because they have both mum and dad to look after them. However, I soon feel relieved as I still have my dad with me," she said.
Li admitted that the difficulties in life had taught her to be strong.
"I believe I will go on and continue my studies at a good university," she said, in a confident tone.
Her teacher Mr. Wang has the same belief. Li made great progress in the recent monthly exams. "She works hard and is always eager to excel . It's not easy for her never to be late for school, but she has managed to make it work," Wang said.
【小题1】Li Qinmei has to shoulder the family because ________.