Chinese people are now living happier and longer than before. According to the latest study, the number
of people over 60 years old is 130 million, making up 10 percent of the whole population, and increases at a
rate of 3 percent per year. This marks that China has stepped into the aged society. It is the Chinese tradition
to respect, love, support, and help old people, and the aging problem has received more and more attention
from the society.
     China has built the system to protect and serve old people's legal (法律的) rights and interests, gradually
developed social insurance, public health services and social welfare (福利) projects for old people, and also
applied the minimum living standard protection (最低生活保障) system for the aged who are unable to work
and receive no supports. Now, China is bringing the aging problem into the work of sustainable (持续的)
development according to China's conditions, to build and develop a social security system for old people, set
up a system combined with the state, collectives (集体) and families to solve the problem of"the elderly should
be provided for". The life of China's old people is more colorful along with the fast and sound economic
development of the country.
     Old people in today's China who don't have to consider their food and clothing hope to live more colorfully.
The happy psychology (心态) of the aged makes them thirsty for knowledge. Strong and healthy old people
can be seen everywhere of the country. They learn new knowledge, surf the Internet, practice handwriting and
drawing, and take part in fashion shows, exercises and entertainments. Their active and sound living attitude
encourages the youth around and they are in fact an important role in ensuring a stable and peaceful society.

1. The underlined part "thirsty for" (in the last paragraph) means "_____".

A. want to drink water
B. feel hungry
C. want to learn
D. want to teach

2. Which of the following is NOT the author's idea?

A. China has entered an aged society.
B. All people in the society should care for the old.
C. Old people's active living ways have a good effect on the young.
D. The society hasn't done enough for old people.

3. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. How to respect old people
B. Old people's life in China
C. Old people's problem
D. Old people's wishes

4. From the passage we can know that the author is _____ about the aging problem in China.

A. disappointed
B. hopeful
C. worried
D. doubtful

5. According to the passage, old people in today's China do all the following things EXCEPT _____.

A. surfing on the Internet
B. going in for fashion shows
C. drawing
D. working

     More than 6,000 children were expelled (开除) from the U. S. schools last year for bringing guns and
bombs to schools, the U. S. Department of Education said on May 8. 　　
    The department gave a report on the expulsions (开除) as saying handguns accounted for 85 percent
of the 6,093 expulsions in 1996-97, against 7 percent for rifles (步枪) or shotguns and 25 percent for other
types of firearms. 　　
    "The report is a clear sign that our nation's public schools are cracking down (严惩) on students who
bring guns to school." Education Secretary Richard Riley said in a statement. "We need to be tough-minded
about keeping guns out of our schools and do everything to keep our children safe." 　　
    In March 1997, an 11-year-old and a 13-year-old boy using handguns and rifles shot dead four children
and a teacher at a school in Jonesboro, Arkansas. In October, two were killed and seven wounded in a
shooting at a Mississippi school. Two months later, a 14-year-old boy killed three high school students and
wounded five in Daducah, Kentucky. 　　
    Most of the expulsions, 56 per cent, were from high schools, which have students from about age 16.
Nearly 34 per cent were from junior high schools and 9 per cent were from elementary schools, the report
said.

1. From the first paragraph we can infer that in the U. S. schools _____.

A. students enjoy shooting 　　　　
B. students are eager to be soldiers 　　
C. safety is a problem 　　　　　　
D. students can make guns

2. The report from the U. S. Department of Education shows that _____.

A. the number of the expulsions is not large 　　
B. the number of the expulsions is wrong 　　
C. there are soldiers hiding among the students 　　
D. guns are out of control in the U. S. schools.

3. The main idea of Paragraph 4 shows us _____.

A. some examples of shooting in the U. S. schools 　　
B. the American's feeling 　　
C. some terrible accidents 　　
D. that some teachers were killed by students

4. According to the passage, how many students were shot dead in 1997 in the U. S. schools?

A. 10 　　　
B. 9　　　
C. 12 　　　
D. 22

    Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers (青少年). But last summer,
Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their elder son: suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends
than to his parents. "The door to his room is always shut." Joanns noted.
    Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. "She used to cuddle up (蜷伏) with
me on the sofa and talk," said Mark. "Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something,
Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is figuring
out which time is which." 　
    Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what's on their minds. "In fact, parents are first on the list."
said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. "This completely changes during
the teen years." Riera explained. "They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents
last."
    Parents who know what's going on in their teenagers' lives are in the best position to help them. To break
down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try
to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental break, for children also need
freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with
their children is a better way to know them.

1. "The door to his room is always shut" suggests that the son _____.

A. is always busy with his studies 　　
B. doesn't want to be disturbed (打扰) 　　
C. keeps himself away from his parents 　　
D. begins to dislike his parents

2. What troubles Tina and Mark most is that _____.

A. their daughter isn't as lovely as before 　　
B. they can't read their daughter's mind exactly (确切地) 　　
C. they don't know what to say to their daughter 　　
D. their daughter talks with them only when she needs help

3. Which of the following best explains "the wall of silence" in the last paragraph?

A. Teenagers talk a lot with their friends. 　　
B. Teenagers do not want to understand their parents. 　　
C. Teenagers do not talk much with their parents. 　　
D. Teenagers talk little about their own lives.

4. What can be learned from the passage?

A. Parents are unhappy with their growing children. 　　
B. Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers. 　　
C. Parents should be patient with their silent teenagers. 　　
D. Parents should try to understand their teenagers.

    Sure, a teenager who works part-time may be learning something about responsibility, teamwork and
money management. But research has shown that when teens work for 20 hours or more a week, as nearly
half of US 12th graders do during the school year, the job isn't just good practice for the future. Overworked
teens give up some sleep and exercise, spend less time with their families, and cut back on their homework.
    That is not even the worst of it. A 2008 report by the National Research Council and the Institute of
Medicine showed that students who worked 20 hours a week had lower grades, higher dropout rates (退学率),
and were less likely to go to college.
     Most of these hardworking teens get jobs in the service industry, with more than half employed in
restaurants and stores. A quarter of them are employed in the health-care industry, while 8% work in
agriculture.
     Soon, teens may not be the ones deciding how many hours a week they want to spend on part-time jobs.
A labor agency has asked Congress (国会) to give the US Department of Labor instructions to limit the
number of hours youngsters under age 18 work during the school year, and Congress has agreed to.
     If you'd like tips on employment guidelines and teen employment, send away for the Parents Primer: When
Your Teen Works. Mail $1 and your written request to the National Consumers League, 1701 K Street, NW,
Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20006.

1. Study shows spending a lot of time on part-time jobs _____.

A. doesn't improve a teen's sense of responsibility
B. is harmful to teens in several aspects
C. helps a teen to concentrate on his study
D. only helps teens to make more money

2. The author wrote Paragraph 2 to _____.

A. support the result of the study with some facts
B. tell us the proper time for doing part-time jobs
C. give a good example of doing a part-time job
D. show why students don't like studying

3. What kind of part-time job do most teens take according to the passage?

    Child labor-the employment of children in industry, often against their will - has been a problem for many
years. Over a hundred years ago, Charles Dickens shocked many of his readers when he described the
conditions under which young children worked in British factories. The conditions Dickens described continue
almost unchanged today in many parts of the world. The only difference is that today employment of children
is confined (limited) to small industries and family businesses, such as hotels, restaurants and particularly farms,
rather than to large factories.
    Girls suffer more from child labor practices than boys. Many of them are forced to start work when they
are only ten years old. Although the work they are given to do is often light, it is often harmful to the health.
Recently, children as young as six years were found to be working in Asian factories, and the children were
working from eight to fourteen hours a day in overcrowded and unhealthy working conditions. Sometimes a
whole family group is employed, with the payment going to a parent or older relative. The children not only
receive nothing or very little for their long hours of work, but also they are prevented from attending school.
Therefore, when they become older they are unable to do any other kind of work.
    The solution to the problem of child labor is clearly better laws to protect young children, greater supervision
(监督) of industry and heavier fines for those who break the laws. Only in this way can young boys and girls
be allowed to enjoy the most valuable time of their lives-childhood.

1. Which's the main idea of the first paragraph?

A. Children are often willing to work in large factories.
B. Most children are working in British factories.
C. The poor working conditions of child labor in Dickens' novel.
D. The working conditions for children are similar to those a hundred years ago.

2. Girls' work is _____.

A. not harmful to the health though it is heavy
B. not harmful to the health because it is light
C. harmful to the health though it is light
D. harmful to the health because it is heavy

3. Young children go to work _____.

A. because they are forced to
B. in order to be skillful in a certain kind of work
C. in order to be paid well
D. in order to earn money for education

4. To solve the problem of child labor, the writer suggests the following BUT _____.

A. looking over factories more closely
B. raising their payment and improving the system of education
C. improving laws of protecting children's interests
D. punishing lawbreakers with severer fines

    Surveys of American teenagers find that about half of them do not get enough sleep on school nights. They
get an average of 60 to 90 minutes less than experts say they need. 
    One reason for this lack of sleep is biology. Experts say teens are biologically programmed to go to sleep
later and wake up later than other age groups. Yet many schools start classes as early as seven in the morning.
As a result, many students go to class feeling like sixteen-year-old Danny. He plays two sports, lacrosse and
football. He is an active teen-except in the morning.
    DANNY:"Getting up in the morning is pretty terrible. I'm just very out of it and tired. And then going to
school I'm out of it, and through first and second period I can barely stay awake.
    "Michael Breus is a clinical psychologist with a specialty in sleep problems. 
    Teens, he says, now commonly sleep for only 6.5 hours to 7 hours. He says sleepy teens can experience
a form of depression (压抑) that could have big effects on their general well-being. It can affect not just their
ability in the classroom but also on the sports field and on the road. 
    So what can schools do about sleepy students? The psychologist says one thing they can do is start classes
later in the morning. Eric Peterson is the head of St. George's School in the northeastern state of Rhode Island.
He wanted to see if a thirty-minute delay would make a difference. It did. 
    He says visits to the health center by tired students decreased by half. Late arrivals to first period fell by a
third. And students reported that they were less sleepy during the day. 
    Eric Peterson knows that changing start times is easier at a small, private boarding school like his. But he is
hopeful that other schools will find a way. 
    Patricia Moss, an assistant dean at St. George's School, says students were not the only ones reporting
better results. 
    PATRICIA MOSS:"I can say that generally all the teachers noticed immediately that kids were happier to be
there at eight-thirty than they were at eight."

1. According to experts like Michael Breus, how many hours of sleep should teens get every day?

A. 6.5 hours to 7 hours
B. at least 7.5 hours
C. More than 9 hours
D. Less than 7 hours

2. According to some experts, why do teens wake up later than adults?

A. Because they are lazier.
B. Because they need more sleep.
C. Because they are biologically programmed to sleep late and wake up late.
D. Because they play sports.

3. The article mentions the story of sixteen-year-old Danny to _____.

A. show how he hates getting up in the morning.
B. show how teens can be affected by a lack of sleep.
C. show how he turns from an active boy to a tired school child.
D. show how teens hate school.

4. What does Eric Peterson do about the problem of sleepy students?

A. He visits the health center.
B. He punishes late students.
C. He punishes sleepy students.
D. He starts his school time 30 minutes later.

5. Which of the followings is not true according to the article?

A. Later school time leads to fewer late arrivals.
B. Er ic Peterson’s experiment h as answered his question.
C. The writer of this article seems to support later school time.
D. Teachers of St. George’s School don’t seem to support later school time.

    It might help to understand a little about the nature of worry and what it is. With
worrying, the important thing is to understand if you can take action (采取行动) that will
reduce (减少) your worry and help you avoid whatever you're worrying about. For example,
you might want to study for the test next time! It's a case (情况) that a little worry can
be helpful. You're worried about the test, so you get down to (着手于) your studies.
    About a quarter of the kids say they turn to the Internet when they are worried. That
can be helpful in some cases-like when you're on this website, we hope! You might want to
use it as a starting point and then talk to someone about what you learned on the Internet.
But the Internet may not be enough for some worries.
    Only 9% say they try to do something about what is causing their worries, and about 25%
of kids keep their worries to themselves. Kids don't have to tell everyone everything, but
if they have serious worries, it's usually best to turn to someone who can help. Parents
and friends are the top choices, but some kids say they talk to teachers (13%) or doctors
and nurses (4%).
    Sometimes worry gets to be too much. It can make small problems seem bigger than they
are. And if the problem is actually a big one, just worrying about it probably won't help.
Worry can even hurt your sleep and keep you from having fun and doing your best. But we
don't wish you to worry about worrying!

1. Worry might be useful when _____.

A. it can help you sleep longer than ever
B. it can make you work harder at your lessons
C. it can make you more pleased
D. it can help you get in touch with your teacher

2. Where can you probably read this passage?

A. In a newspaper
B. In a book
C. On the Internet
D. In a magazine 21

3. Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?

A. It is right to find out the reason why you are worried
B. Most students talk to their teachers when they are worried
C. Internet is always helpful every time you are worried
D. Worry can make big problems smaller than they are

4. What can be the best title for this passage?

A. Sometimes worry is helpful to you
B. Do something with your worry
C. Many children are seriously worried
D. Worry about worrying

     Until late in the 20th century, most Americans spent time with people of different generations. Now middle-
aged Americans may not keep in touch with old people until they are old themselves.
     That's because we group people by age. We put our three-year-olds together in day-care centers, our 13-
year-olds in schools and sports activities, and our 80-year-olds in senior citizen homes. Why?
     We live away from the old for many reasons. Young people sometimes avoid the old to get rid of fears of
aging and dying. It is much harder to watch someone we love disappear before our eyes. Sometimes it's so
hard that we stay away from the people who need us the most.
     Fortunately, some of us have found our way to the old. And we have discovered that they often save the
young.
     A reporter moved her family onto a block filled with old people. At first her children were disappointed. But
the reporter baked banana bread for the neighbors and had her children deliver it and visit. Soon the children
had many new friends, with whom they shared food, stories and projects. "My children have never been less
lonely," the reporter said.
     The young, in turn, save the old. Once I was in a rest home when a visitor showed up with a baby, she was
immediately surrounded. People who hadn't gotten out of bed in a week suddenly were ringing for a wheelchair.
Even those who had seemed asleep woke 'up to watch the child. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort
and cure. Grandparents are a special case. They give their grandchildren a feeling of security and continuity. As
my husband put it, "My grandparents gave me a deep sense that things would turn out right in the end."
     Grandchildren speak of attention they don't get from worried parents. "My parents were always telling me
to hurry up, and my grandparents told me to slow down," one friend said. A teacher told me she can tell which
pupils have relationships with grandparents: they are quieter, calmer and more trusting.

1. Now in an American family, people can find that _____.

A. children never live with their parents
B. not all working people live with their parents
C. aged people are supported by their grandchildren
D. grandchildren are supported by their grandparents

2. The reason that old people are left alone may be that _____.

A. the old don't like to live in a big family
B. the young can't get enough money to sup-port the old
C. different generations have different lifestyles
D. the old are too weak to live with the young

3. The fact the reporter told us shows that _____.

A. old people in America lead a hard life
B. old people in America enjoy banana bread
C. she had no rime to take care of her children
D. old people are easy to get along with

4. Seeing a baby, the old people got excited because _____.

A. they had never seen a baby before
B. the baby was clever and beautiful
C. the baby brought them the image of life
D. the baby's mother would take care of them

5. Why are some children quieter, calmer and more trusting?

A. Because they have relationships with their grandparents.
B. Because their worried parents ask them to act like that.
C. Because they have nothing to worry about.
D. Because their teachers ask them to act like that.