As I was reading a recent story in Slate on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled children who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment: my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we too are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?

Consider some of these views shared in the Slate story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.

I read that, and I thought, what planet is she living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.

A 26-year-old in the story despairs(绝望) that he can’t afford to get a Ph.D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.

Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations are slowly adjusting, but today’s 20-somethings grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be expanding. Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner.

This recession(衰退) will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful－for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day－than on longing for some kind of luxury life.

41．What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?

A．They expect everything to be easy for them.

B．They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans.

C．They are reluctant to face all of the challenges.

D．They are burdened by student loans.

42．The underlined word “fertility” in Paragraph 3 probably means .

A．baby production B．pleasant

C．baby comfort D．essential

43．Which of the following is not one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?

A．They can’t have children for at least a decade to buy a house.

B．They have only one-bedroom apartment to live in.

C．They can’t buy a house until 40 because of student loans.

D．They despair at not being able to afford a Ph.D. in literature.

44．What’s the author’s attitude towards the 20-somthings with high expectation in Paragraph 5?

A．Intolerant.

B．Negative.

C．Unbelieving.

D．Understanding.

45．What is the best title for this passage?

A．How Young People Afford to Continue Their Study

B．Why Young People Can’t Afford to Buy a House

C．When Young People’s High Hopes Create Despair

D．What the 20-somethings’ High Expectations Are

D
As I was reading a recent story in Slate on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled children who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment: my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we too are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the Slate story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought, what planet is she living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old in the story despairs(绝望) that he can’t afford to get a Ph.D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations are slowly adjusting, but today’s 20-somethings grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be expanding. Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner.
This recession(衰退) will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful－for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day－than on longing for some kind of luxury life.
67．What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
A．They expect everything to be easy for them.
B．They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans.
C．They are reluctant to face all of the challenges.
D．They are burdened by student loans.
68．The underlined word “fertility” in Paragraph 3 probably means       .
A．baby production                             B．pleasant
C．baby comfort                           D．essential
69．Which of the following is not one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?
A．They can’t have children for at least a decade to buy a house.
B．They have only one-bedroom apartment to live in.
C．They can’t buy a house until 40 because of student loans.
D．They despair at not being able to afford a Ph.D. in literature.
70．What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
A．To tell us what the author’s attitude towards the 20 – somethings.
B．To explain why young people can’t afford to buy a house.
C．To suggest what we should do when young people’s high hopes create despair.
D．To explain what the 20 – something’s high expectations are.

John von Neumann was the oldest of 3 children of an banker, and his speed of learning new ideas and solving problems stood out early. At 17, his father tired to persuade him not to become a mathematician because he may lead a poor life being a mathematician, and so von Neumann agreed to study chemistry as well. In 1926, at 23, he received a degree in chemical engineering and a Ph.D. in mathematics. From then on, mathematics provided well enough for him, and he never had to turn to chemistry.

In 1930, von Neumann visited Princeton University for a year and then became a professor there. His first book was published in 1932. In 1933, the Institute for Advanced Study was formed, and he became one of the 6 full-time people in the School of Mathematics（Einstein was one of the others）

World War Ⅱ hugely changed von Neumann's areas of interest. Until 1940 he had been a great pure mathematician. During and after the war, he became one of the best mathematicians who put mathematics theories into practice. During the last part of the war he became interested in computing machines and made several fundamental contributions After the war, von Neumann continued his work with computers, and was generally very active in government service. He received many awards, was president of the American Mathematical Society and was a member of the Atomic Energy Commission. He died in 1957 of cancer.

Von Neumann made several great contributions and any one of them would have been enough to earn him a firm place in history. He will be remembered as one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.

Von Neumann really was a legend in his own time, and there are a number of stories about him. His driving ability is a part of his legend. He reported one accident this Way: "I was driving down the road. The trees on the right were passing me in an orderly fashion at 60 miles per hour. Suddenly one of them stepped in my path."

1.According to the text, von Neumann's father believed that _____________.

A. a mathematician couldn't earn a lot of money

B. a mathematician needed a good memory

C. von Neumann had the ability to learn two subjects at the same time

D. von Neumann had the gift for solving problems at a high speed.

2.von Neumann published his first book at the age of _________________

A. 23 B. 26 C. 29 D. 32

3.How did World War Ⅱ affect John von Neumann?

A. He realized the importance of engineering

B. He began to research how to put mathematics into practice.

C. He left college and served at the government department.

D. He lost interest in chemistry.

4.Which of the following is true of Von Neumann?

A. He had three children

B. He died from an accident.

C. He received many rewards in his life

D. He and Einstein were classmates in Princeton University.

5.From the last paragraph, we can infer John von Neumann was _____________.

A. calm B. brave C. intelligent D. humorous

完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）

When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your anger. But forgiveness is possible—and it can be surprisingly 16 to your physical and 17 health.

“People who always forgive others 18 less depression, anger and stress and more hopefulness,” says Frederic Luskin, Ph.D., the 19 of Forgive for Good. “So it can help 20 on the wear and tear on our organs, reduce the wearing out of the immune（免疫的） system and 21 people to feel more vital.”

So how do you start the forgiveness? Try 22 these steps:

Calm yourself. To defuse your 23 , try a simple stress-management technique. “Take a couple of breaths and think of 24 that gives you pleasure: a 25 scene in nature, someone you love,” Luskin says.

Don’t 26 an apology. “Many times the person who hurt you has no 27 of apologizing,” Luskin says. “They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same 28 . So if you wait for people to apologize you could be waiting a(n) 29 long time.” Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean 30 to the person who upsets you.

Take the control away from your offender. Mentally replaying（重播） your 31 gives power to the person who caused you pain. “ 32 focusing on your hurt feelings, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness 33 you,” Luskin says.

Try to see things from the other person’s view. If you empathize（把感情移入） with that person, you may 34 that he or she was acting out of ignorance, fear—even love.

Recognize the benefits of forgiveness. Research has shown that people who always forgive others will get more energy, better 35 and better sleep.

Don’t forget to forgive yourself.“For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge,” Luskin says. But it can rob you of your self-confidence if you don’t do it.”

16. A. beneficial B. harmful C. helpless D. suitable

17. A. chemical B. wealthy C. technical D. mental

18. A. own B. show C. direct D. prove

19. A. author B. owner C. professor D. publisher

20. A. protect B. save C. wait D. depend

21. A. have B. wish C. make D. allow

22. A. coping B. turning C. following D. accepting

23. A. sadness B. anger C. hunger D. energy

24. A. something B. anything C. nothing D. everything

25. A. thoughtful B. dull C. beautiful D. still

26. A. call for B. hunt for C. long for D. wait for

27. A. invention B. invitation C. intention D. attention

28. A. way B. means C. method D. approach

29. A. helpfully B. carefully C. patiently D. awfully

30. A. giving in B. giving away C. giving up D. giving out

31. A. wound B. hurt C. cut D. damage

32. A. Because of B. Despite of C. Instead of D. In search of

33. A. around B. above C. beneath D. below

34. A. tell B. realize C. see D. recognize

35. A. housing B. appearance C. figure D. appetite

John von Neumann was the oldest of 3 children of an banker, and his speed of learning new ideas and solving problems stood out early. At 17, his father tired to persuade him not to become a mathematician because he may lead a poor life being a mathematician, and so von Neumann agreed to study chemistry as well. In 1926, at 23, he received a degree in chemical engineering and a Ph.D. in mathematics. From then on, mathematics provided well enough for him, and he never had to turn to chemistry.
In 1930, von Neumann visited Princeton University for a year and then became a professor there. His first book was published in 1932. In 1933, the Institute for Advanced Study was formed, and he became one of the 6 full-time people in the School of Mathematics（Einstein was one of the others）
World War Ⅱ hugely changed von Neumann's areas of interest. Until 1940 he had been a great pure mathematician. During and after the war, he became one of the best mathematicians who put mathematics theories into practice. During the last part of the war he became interested in computing machines and made several fundamental contributions After the war, von Neumann continued his work with computers, and was generally very active in government service. He received many awards, was president of the American Mathematical Society and was a member of the Atomic Energy Commission. He died in 1957 of cancer.
Von Neumann made several great contributions and any one of them would have been enough to earn him a firm place in history. He will be remembered as one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.
Von Neumann really was a legend in his own time, and there are a number of stories about him. His driving ability is a part of his legend. He reported one accident this Way: "I was driving down the road. The trees on the right were passing me in an orderly fashion at 60 miles per hour. Suddenly one of them stepped in my path."

1.
According to the text, von Neumann's father believed that _____________
1. A.
  a mathematician couldn't earn a lot of money
2. B.
  a mathematician needed a good memory
3. C.
  von Neumann had the ability to learn two subjects at the same time
4. D.
  von Neumann had the gift for solving problems at a high speed
2.
von Neumann published his first book at the age of _________________
1. A.
  23
2. B.
  26
3. C.
  29
4. D.
  32
3.
How did World War Ⅱ affect John von Neumann?
1. A.
  He realized the importance of engineering
2. B.
  He began to research how to put mathematics into practice
3. C.
  He left college and served at the government department
4. D.
  He lost interest in chemistry
4.
Which of the following is true of Von Neumann?
1. A.
  He had three children
2. B.
  He died from an accident
3. C.
  He received many rewards in his life
4. D.
  He and Einstein were classmates in Princeton University
5.
From the last paragraph, we can infer John von Neumann was _____________
1. A.
  calm
2. B.
  brave
3. C.
  intelligent
4. D.
  humorous

According to the text, von Neumann's father believed that _____________

von Neumann published his first book at the age of _________________

How did World War Ⅱ affect John von Neumann?

Which of the following is true of Von Neumann?

From the last paragraph, we can infer John von Neumann was _____________

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