阅读理解

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

　　Americans often say that there are only two things a person can be sure of in life: death and taxes. Americans do not have a corner on the “death”market, but many people feel that the United States leads the world with the worst taxes.

　　Taxes consist of the money which people pay to support their government. There are generally three levels of government in the United States: federal(联邦), state, and city; therefore, there are three types of taxes.

　　Salaried people who earn more than a few thousand dollars must pay a certain percentage of their salaries to the federal government. The percentage varies (变化不同) from person to person. It depends on their salaries. The federal government has a graduated income tax, that is, the percentage of the tax (14 to 70 percent) increases as a person's income increases. With the high cost of taxes people are not very happy on April 15, when the federal taxes are due.

　　The second tax is for the state government: New York, California, North Dakota, or any of the other forty - seven states. Some states have an income tax similar to that of the federal government. Of course, the percentage for the state tax is lower. Other states have a sales tax, which is a percentage charged to any item (项目) which you buy in that state. For example, a person might want to buy a packet of cigarettes for twenty - five cents. If there is a sales tax of eight percent in that state, then the cost of the cigarettes is twenty - seven cents. This figure includes the sales tax. Some states use income tax in addition to sales tax to raise their revenues(收入). The state tax laws are diverse (多样) and confusing(混淆).

　　The third tax is for the city. This tax comes in two forms: property tax(people who own a home have to pay taxes on it) and excise (国产) tax, which is charged on cars in a city. The cities use these funds (资金)for education, police and fire departments, public works and municipal (市政内) buildings.

　　Since Americans pay such high taxes, they often feel that they are working one day each week just to pay their taxes. People always complain about taxes. They often protest that the government uses their tax dollars in the wrong way. They say that it spends too much on useless and impractical programs. Although Americans have different views on many issues (问题), they tend to agree on one subject: taxes are too high.

1．How do you understand the sentence “Americans do not have a corner on the ‘death’ market”?

[　　]

A．It means that Americans, just like all other people, must die.

B．It means that Americans do not have a secret place to keep from death in their life.

C．It means that Americans are not good at doing business in the death market.

D．It means that there is no such place as a death market in the U. S..

2．Why should the American people usually pay three types of taxes?

[　　]

A．There are three levels of governmentfederal, state and cityto support the United States.

B．There are three kinds of taxes to pay. They are graduated income tax, sales tax and property tax.

C．They earn different salaries: high, middle, and low.

D．Tax laws in different states are different.

3．Which of the following statements is NOT true according to para. 4?

[　　]

A．New York, California, and North Dakota have the same tax system.

B．Some states have an income tax but no sales tax.

C．Some states have a sales tax but no income tax.

D．Some states have both an income tax and a sales tax.

4．What does the title “Taxes, Taxes, and More Taxes” imply?

[　　]

A．Americans are not satisfied with the three types of taxes.

B．The three levels of government do not use the taxes in a right way.

C．Americans complain that taxes are too high.

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从1～25各题所给的四个选项中，选出一　　 个最佳答案。

　　    There are many different kinds of taxes 1 in the U.S. The most 2 tax is the sales tax. When someone 　　 3 something, he pays the price of his purchase 4 a small additional percentage. This purchase is the sales tax. The revenue (税收) from the sales goes to the state government to help pay 5 public schools, 6 safety, roads, parks　　 and benefits 7 the poor. Each state sets its own tax percentage.　　 Some states are considerably lower than others. In some states there　　 is no sales tax.

　　     A second type of tax is the 8 tax. This tax is a percentage of all the money 9 by a family each year. Americans pay income taxes to the federal government 10 uses the revenue for national expenses 11 defense, help for the needy and other public services. Some states also have a state income tax. The income tax, 12 other taxes, is usually graduated. This means the tax percentage increases 13 a family's income increases.　　 　　

    A third kind of tax is the 14 tax. This tax is paid by anyone who 15 land or a house. The 16 of the tax is based on the property's 17 . The revenue from this tax goes to 　　 18 governments for school and community services.　　 　　

    In addition people must pay the luxury tax 19 they purchase　　 certain things such as cigarettes and alcoholic beverages (酒饮料).

　　     A fifth kind of tax is the inheritance tax (继承税). When someone 20 usually his family inherits the 21 person's wealth and property. However, those who inherit must pay a percentage of this 22 to the government 23 an inheritance tax.

　　 　　   　　 　　 24 we have heard, there are five kinds of taxes that Americans pay. 25 Americans don't want more taxes.　　 　　

　　  (1) A. paying   B. paid  C. to be paid  D. having paid 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (2) A. important　　 B. common　　C. private　　 D. public 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (3) A. sells　　　　 B. steals　　C. loses　　   D. buys 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (4) A. plus　　　　  B. times　　 C. minus　　   D. divided 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (5) A. for　　　　   B. to　　　　C. off　　　　 D. out 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (6) A. private　　   B. public　　C. official　　D. bosses 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (7) A. from　　　　  B. to　　　　C. for　　　　 D. off 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (8) A. salaries　　  B. income　　C. money　　   D. wages 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (9) A. to be earned  B. earning   C. earned　　  D. having earned 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (10) A. what　　　　 B. all what  C. where　　   D. which 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (11) A. for example  B. such as   C. for instance   D. they are 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (12) A. like　　 B. as   C. except　　  D. except that 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (13) A. before　　   B. unless　　C. as　　　　  D. even 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (14) A. houses　　   B. land　　  C. furniture   D. property 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (15) A. buys　　　　 B. owns　　  C. had　　　　 D. sells 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (16) A. amount　　   B. position  C. quality　　 D. reason 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (17) A. value　　　　B. position  C. percentage  D. importance 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (18) A. state　　　　B. local　　 C. federal　　 D. same 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (19) A. when　　　　 B. unless　　C. because　　 D. since 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (20) A. died　　　　 B. will die  C. dies　　　　D. dying 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (21) A. death　　　　B. dying　　 C. deadly　　  D. dead 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (22) A. money　　　　B. wealth　　C. amount　　  D. debt 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (23) A. like　　　　 B. as　　　　C. for　　　　 D. from 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (24) A. As　　　　   B. What　　  C. Which　　   D. That 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　  (25) A. No　　　　   B. Most　　  C. Few　　　　 D. Fewer 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］

阅读理解

　　Life in the twentieth century demands preparation. Today, all individuals in a country must have adequate schooling to prepare them for their work as well as for their responsibilities as citizens. With this in mind, national leaders everywhere are placing more emphasis on the education of the young. In the United States, government officials, parents, and teachers are working hard to give the children-tomorrow's decision makers－the best preparation available. There is no national school policy in the United States. Each of the fifty states makes its own rules and regulations for its schools, but there are many similarities among the fifty school systems. Public schools in all states are supported by taxes paid by the citizens of the individual state. In most states the children are required to attend school until they reach the age of sixteen.

　　When they become six years old, children begin elementary school. After six years in elementary school, they go into junior high school and remain there for three years. The last three years of their public school education are spent in senior high school, from which they graduate at the age of eighteen.

　　A great number of high school graduates continue their education in one of the many colleges or universities in the country. After four years, they receive a Bachelor's degree. Some continue studying for a Master's degree and perhaps a Doctor's degree.

1．At what age does a child in the United States enter elementary school?

[　　]

2．There is no national school policy ________.

[　　]

3．In most states of the United States the law requires a student to go to school ________.

[　　]

A．until he graduates from high school

B．until he is sixteen

C．for twelve years

D．for ten years

4．At what age do most students graduate from high school?

[　　]

5．Education is important today, because ________.

[　　]

A．people must have enough schooling to prepare themselves for life

B．all individuals want to be scientists

C．national leaders everywhere are placing more emphasis on education

D．the young want to be educated

6．What are the similarities among the fifty school systems?

7．How do the American students get a Bachelor's degree?

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

        Have you ever had problems in your life and don’t know how to be happy? If                16  , you will find “Being a Happy Teenager” written by an Australian writer, Andrew Matthews,  17  .In his book, Matthews  18  us how to have a happy life and answers the  19   of teenagers.

　　 Many people may    20     teenagers’ life, such as parents and friends, and the book    21   that we should stop being angry and forgive. The book tells us of useful skills,    22   how to change what you have learned into pictures of your mind to   23  your memory better.

　　 Many teenagers think    24   happiness comes from either a good exam result   25  praise (赞扬) from other people. But you can   26   be happy when there are no such “good” things.

　　 Success also comes from a   27   attitude. If you   28   from problems, you will have success in the future. Some students may often feel     29     when they are too tall or too short. But Matthews tells us that   30   comes from thinking about things in a positive   31   . If you are   32   , people notice you and you can get a   33   view(视线) of what is around you; if you are short, your clothes and shoes   34  less space in your bedroom! This is Matthews’ most important   35   : you choose to be happy!

A. so              B. such              C. it              D. this

A. easy            B. funny               C. useful            D. simple

A. orders                   B. tells                 C. asks              D. allows

A. questions              B. problems          C. ideas             D. comments

A. impress                 B. cause                C. effect                   D. affect

A. suggests              B. writes               C. reads             D. asks

A. for example          B. such as              C. for instance              D. as before

A. make                    B. have              C. take                 D. get

A. what                  B. which               C. that                  D. whether

A. and                     B. but                C. so                 D. or

A. never                  B. already          C. still                  D. forever

A. confident         B. positive         C. common          D. normal

A. learn                 B. suffer                   C. hear                D. separate

A. frightened        B. shocked         C. confused           D. worried

A. attitude               B. intelligence    C. failure           D. altitude

A. way                  B. route             C. style                 D. spirit

A. short                   B. small             C. tall                D. fat

A. longer                 B. higher           C. bigger              D. better

A. take up                B. put up           C. set up               D. break up

A. class                   B. lesson            C. education          D. advantage