In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord (房东) can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartment. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.
Some experts argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics hold the opinion that an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.
Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.
Economic theory predicts the results of economic decision, such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be corrected only if “other things are equal”. Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.

1. 1.

   There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may________.

   1. A.
      cause a shortage of apartments
   2. B.
      worry those who rent apartments as homes.
   3. C.
      increase the profits of landlords.
   4. D.
      encourage landlords to invest in building apartments.
2. 2.

   We can safely say that rent control_________.

   1. A.
      will always benefit those who rent apartments.
   2. B.
      is unnecessary.
   3. C.
      will probably bring inactive effects in the long run.
   4. D.
      is necessary under all conditions
3. 3.

   There will be the problem of unemployment if ________________.

   1. A.
      the minimum wage is set too high..
   2. B.
      the minimum wage is set too early.
   3. C.
      the workers are unskilled.
   4. D.
      the maximum wage is set for poor workers.
4. 4.

   The passage tells us about _______________.

   1. A.
      the relationship between supply and demand.
   2. B.
      the possible results of government controls.
   3. C.
      the necessity of government control.
   4. D.
      the urgency of getting rid of government control.
5. 5.

   Which of the following statements is NOT true?

   1. A.
      The results of economic decisions cannot always be predicted.
   2. B.
      Minimum wage cannot always protect employees.
   3. C.
      Economic theory can help predict the results of economic decision if other factors are not changing.
   4. D.
      Economists usually have the same prediction about an economic decision.

In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh(法老)treated the poor message runner like a prince when he arrived at the palace, if he brought good news. However, if the exhausted runner had the misfortune to bring the pharaoh unhappy news, his head was cut off.

Shades of that spirit spread over today’s conversations. Once a friend and I packed up some peanut butter and sandwiches for an outing. As we walked light-heartedly out the door, picnic basket in hand, a smiling neighbor looked up at the sky and said, ”Oh boy, bad day for a picnic. The weatherman says it’s going to rain.”I wanted to strike him on the face with the peanut butter and sandwiches. Not for his stupid weather report, for his while

Several months ago I was racing to catch  a him As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the Grey hound counter, the sales agent said with a broad smile ,”Oh that bus left five minutes ago.”Dreams of head-cutting!

  It’s not the news that makes someone angry. It’s the unsympathetic attitude with which it’s the unsympathetic attitude with which it’s delivered. Everyone must give bad news from time to time, and winning professionals do it with the proper attitude. A doctor advising a patient that she needs an operation does it in a caring way. A boss informing an employee he didn’t get the job takes on a sympathetic tone. Big winners know, when delivering any bad news, they should share the feeling of the receiver.

Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this. When you’re tired from a long flight, has a hotel clerk cheerfully said that your room isn’t ready yet? When you had your heart set on the toast beef, has your waiter mainly told you that he just served the last piece? It makes you as traveler or diner want to land your fist right on their unsympathetic faces.

Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy, I would have appreciated his warming .Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left, I probably would have said, ” Oh, that’s all right I’ll catch the next one.” Big winners, when they bear bad news ,deliver bombs with the emotion the bombarded(被轰炸的)person is sure to have.

In Paragraph 1,the writer tells the story of the pharaoh to ____.

A. make a comparison      B. introduce a topic

C. describe a scene         D. offer an argument

In the writer’s opinion, his neighbor was ___.

A. friendly   B. warm-hearted    C. not considerate   D. not helpful

From “Dreams of head-cutting!”(Paragraph3),we learn that the writer___.

A. was mad at the sales agent

B. was reminded of the cruel pharaoh

C. wished that the sales agent would have had dreams

D. dreamed of cutting the sales agent’s head that night.

What is the main idea of the text?

A. Delivering bad news properly is important in communication.

B. Helping others sincerely is the key to business success.

C. Receiving bad news requires great courage.

D. Learning ancient traditions can be useful.

In 1886 explorer Robert Peary traveled to Greenland for the U.S. Navy. Before his journey, no one knew Greenland’s size or shape. On Peary’s first trips, he explored Greenland, mapping parts of it.

   When Peary returned to the United States, he went to a businessman to sell some furs. There he met Matthew Henson, an African American mechanic, builder and navigator. When Peary went to Nicaragua on a Navy mission(任务),Henson went with him. When that job was over, the two headed to the Arctic.

   Henson and Peary set sail for Greenland. When they landed, Henson built a house for their base camp. Peary and his men set out to explore the land by dog sledge(雪橇). Henson was injured and had to stay at the base. While there, he made friends with the Inuit, the native people.

   In 1895 Henson, Peary and Hugh Lee went out on another dog sledge journey. This time, they found Greenland’s northernmost point. They now knew that the North Pole lay under the frozen Arctic Ocean. Peary had hoped to cross the ice. but the group ran out of food and returned to base camp. In the years that followed, Peary and Henson tried several times to reach the North Pole, but each time they failed. On one trip, Peary’s feet froze, and he lost his toes（脚趾）.

   Peary and Henson planned last trip when Peary was 53 years old. They started across the sea ice from Ellesmere Island, which is located（位于） north of Canada. The temperature dropped as low as—51 degrees Celsius. The explores’ cheeks froze , and they suffered snow blindness from the sun’s glare. They experienced high winds and storms, and they also faced a hidden danger. Under the frozen ocean were powerful currents（潮流）. The ice moved and broke apart leaving open water, called leads. Twice Peary fell into leads. But eventually he and Henson became the first persons to reach the North Pole.

What did Peary and Henson find in 1895?

   A. Greenland is near the Artic Ocean.

   B. Ellesmere Island is located north of Canada.

C. The North Pole is located in the Artic Ocean.

D. Greenland’s northernmost point is the North Pole.

Which of the following words can be used to describe Peary?

   A. Determined.  B. Modest.   C. Generous.  D. Honest.

What was the potential danger that Peary and Henson faced on their last trip?

   A. Snow blindness.   B. High winds.   C. Storms.   D. Leads.

The best title for the passage might be “____”.

   A. The mapping of the Arctic Ocean.

   B. Peary and Henson: Arctic explorers

   C. Early explorers’ trips to the South Pole

   D. Henson and Peary: discoverers of Greenland

In white shirt, blue pants, black cloth shoes and two pigtails (辫子), Jingqiu gives off an air of great “pure beauty” in Zhang Yimou’s new movie Under the Hawthom Tree.《山揸树之恋》

The film tells the story of the sad romance of Jingqiu and a handsome young man named Laosan. Set at the end of the “cultural revolution” (1966-1976), the pair manage to fall in love although they come form different political environments.

Before it was released, moviegoers speculated (推测) on just what this “pure beauty” could be. Director Zhang complained of how long it had taken him to find the right girl for the part of Jingqiu—a character so innocent that she believes simply lying on the same bed with a man will make her pregnant.

It was 18-year-old Zhou Dongyu who stood out from the crowd. According to Zhang, Zhou has “eyes that are clear like a fountain on a mountainside”. Born of an ordinary worker’s family, the Shijiazhuang girl was in her final year of high school and working hard for a place in an art college.

While some teenagers consider such “pure beauty” illusory (虚幻的), others believe that it speaks of something soulful.

Purity is all about the innocence that shines through from within, thinks 16-year-old Tan Mengxi of Nanjing.

“Being pure can be simple, not having complicated thoughts and being inexperienced. However, it doesn’t mean an ignorant or naive (天真的) person. So, a person is pure in his or her nature if he or she is always enthusiastic and able to deal with difficult matters independently. This purity doesn’t pass with time,” she said.

What image does Jingqiu give to audiences in the movie Under the Hawthorn Tree?

    A. A simple girl.           B. A pure girl.         C. A romantic girl.         D. A silent girl.

What kind of girl looks pure according to the passage?

    A. A girl in red shirt, blue pants, black leather shoes and two pigtails.

    B. A girl has eyes that are clear like a fountain on a mountainside.

    C. A girl who was born into an ordinary worker’s family.

    D. A girl wears accessories and make-up.

What’s the opinion of Tan Mengxi about purity?

    A. It is of whether someone is ignorant or naive.

    B. Being pure can be simple, not having complicated thoughts and being inexperienced.

    C. It is of whether someone is always enthusiastic.

    D. Purity is a matter of internal quality and doesn’t pass with time.

Which do you think is the best title for the passage?

    A. What makes a pure girl?

    B. A debate on the movie Under the Hawthorn Tree

    C. Opinions on the character Jingqiu

    D. It’s hard to find the character Jingqiu

When did the story in the movie happen？

    A. In the 1960s             B. In the 1980s

    C. In the 1970s             D. In the 1990s.

In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord (房东) can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartment. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.

   Some experts argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics hold the opinion that an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.

   Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.

   Economic theory predicts the results of economic decision, such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be corrected only if “other things are equal”. Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.

There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may________.

cause a shortage of apartments

worry those who rent apartments as homes.

Increase the profits of landlords.

Encourage landlords to invest in building apartments.

We can safely say that rent control         .

A. will always benefit those who rent apartments.

B. is unnecessary.

C. will probably bring inactive effects in the long run.

D. is necessary under all conditions

There will be the problem of unemployment if          .

A. the minimum wage is set too high..     B. the minimum wage is set too early.

C. the workers are unskilled.  

D. the maximum wage is set for poor workers.

The passage tells us about           .

A. the relationship between supply and demand.

B. the possible results of government controls.

C. the necessity of government control.

D. the urgency of getting rid of government control.

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

   A. The results of economic decisions cannot always be predicted.

   B. Minimum wage cannot always protect employees.

   C. Economic theory can help predict the results of economic decision if other factors are not changing.

   D. Economists usually have the same prediction about an economic decision.