Many people would interpret "The American dream" as "living like an American"-a two-story house
with a white picket fence; a family with two cars; and two children.
     However, the economic situation is now affecting the American way of life for 4.4 million people living
in the US, according to new census (人口普查) data. "It's going to have a long-term impact and to say
it's going to end is optimistic, " says Cheryl Russell, former editor-in- chief of American Demographics
magazine. "I'm more pessimistic that this is the new normal."
     So what is the new normal?
     *Marrying later. The average age of the first marriage has increased to 28.7 for men and 26.7 for
women, up from 27.5 and 25.9 respectively in 2006. At the same time, fewer people are getting married.
If the marriage rate had stayed the same as in 2006, there would have been about 4 million more married
people in 2010.
     *Fewer babies. There were 200,000 fewer births among women aged 20 to 34 in 2010 compared
with two years before. This was despite the fact that the number of women of childbearing age had gone
up by more than 1 million. "The recession(衰退) is the likely cause ," says Kenneth Johnson,
demographer at the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institue, "Economic fertility (生育能力)"
because women delay …in uncertain times.
     *Breaking up is harder. The number of divorces has been falling for 25 years as people wait longer or
choose to live together before they get married. There were about 65,000 fewer divorces in 2010 than in
2008, a 7 percent decrease.
     *Crowd living. Unemployment is forcing more people to live together. The number of households
where people lived with "other relatives" climbed from 6.7 percent in 2006 to 7.2 percent in 2010.
     *Going public. Private school enrollment decreased from 13.6 percent in 2006 to 12.8 percent in
2010.
     *Fewer cars. The percent age of households without a car rose to 9.1 percent against 8.8 percent in
2006. The percent-age of households with two or more cars fell from 58 percent to 57.1 percent.
*Driving solo. When people are not working, they don't carpool. The proportion of people aged 16 to
64 in employment dropped greatly in all but one of the 50 largest metropolitan (大城市的) areas. That
has helped push the share of people driving to work alone from 76 percent in 2006 to 76.6 percent in
2010. Ride-sharing is down a full percentage point, to 9.7 percent.

1. What is the article mainly about?

A. The interpretation of "the American dream".
B. The significance of the current economic crisis.
C. Changes to the American lifestyle.
D. The traditional American way of life.

2. What might Cheryl Russell agree with according to the article?

A. A traditional lifestyle is much better and healthier.
B. The new study based on the members' financial reports.
C. The spirit of American dream will inspire Americans to get through the economic recession.
D. American lifestyles are being reshaped and will continue to change

3. What are the characteristics of the future American lifestyle?

a. Delayed marriage.
b. A lower divorce rate
c. Increased car ownership.
d. An increase in private school enrollment.
e. Having children later

A. abe          
B. ace          
C. bde          
D. bce  

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. The typical US family is expected to have three-story house with a big yard and two children.
B. The US birth rate rose slightly in 2010 compared with two years before.
C. A growing number of people are forced to share their homes with other relatives in the US.
D. US students prefer to go to private schools rather than pubic schools.

5. Why do more and more Americans drive solo to work in recent years, according to the passage ?

A. Because they don't like carpool.          
B. Because more and more people are out of work.          
C. Because the share of people driving to work alone is increasing.      
D. Because the proportion of people aged 16-64 in unemployment dropped greatly.

     In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing
that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one
person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
     I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied (依赖) on how well they
performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs.
In their single-minded pursuit (追求) of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly
forgotten.
     However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a
culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame
competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from
their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem
to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: " I may
have lost, but it doesn't matter because I really didn't try." What is not usually admitted by themselves is the
belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their
worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are
based on the mistaken belief that one's self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with
others. Both are afraid of not being… Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve (缓解)
can we discover a …meaning in competition.

1. What does this passage mainly talk about?

A. Competition helps to set up self-respect.
B. Opinions about competition are different among people.
C. Competition is harmful to personal quality development.
D. Failures are necessary experience in competition.

2. Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?

A. It pushes society forward.
B. It builds up a sense of duty.
C. It improves personal abilities.
D. It encourages individual efforts.

3. The underlined phrase "the most vocal" in Paragraph 3 means ________.

A. those who try their best to win
B. those who value competitionj most highly
C. those who are against competition most strongly
D. those who rely on others most for success

4. What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a "desire to fail"?

 A. One's worth lies in his performance compared with others.
B. One's success in competition needs great efforts.
C. One's achievement is determined by his particular skills.
D. One's success is based on how hard he has tried.

5. Which point of view may the author agree to?

A. Every effort should be paid back.
B. Competition should be encouraged.
C. Winning should be a life-and-death matter.
D. Fear of failure should be removed in competition.

    As a kid,I can remember going to the supermarket and grabbing eggs off the shelf.I would run them
home to my  mother because they were  usually  going into a delicious cake. Times  have changed.
Cage－free?Organic?Brown?White?Omega－3s?Help!Here are some tips to help you figure out which
eggs you should choose:
   ●Brown or white?In fact,color is simply a sign of the breed of hen.Find the freshest egg with the most
flavor and let color be a secondary concern.
   ●Extra Omega－3s?Omega－3 eggs come from a hen whose diet has added flaxseed(亚麻籽),which
produces an egg containing an average of 225 mg of Omega－3 fatty acids and Vitamin E.The countless
health benefits for humans make these eggs an attractive purchase.My opinion?Eat a piece of fresh fish and
get a pure dose of Omega－3s.Let eggs be eggs.
   ●Does your egg need exercise?Free－range eggs are from hens raised without the confines of a cage,
though they may or may not have spent much time outdoors.Organic eggs are from hens whose feed must
meet organic standards.These hens must be raised humanely,and they must be given time to stay outdoors.
Hey,happier hens do lay tastier eggs.
   ●Does local make a difference?Nothing is better than local eggs.They may have a feather or two stuck
to them or a little imperfect shape and they may or may not be certified(证明)organic;however,they have
one quality I prize:I know exactly where my food came from and how it came to be!In some cases I can
even ask the farmer when the eggs were laid and what the hens were fed.

1．What does the author think of Omega－3 eggs?

A．They are a good choice for people to purchase.
B．They contain fewer Omega－3s than fresh fish.
C．They have the highest content of pure Omega－3s.
D．They are not the best source of Omega－3s.

2．The underlined part "Free－range" probably means"__________"．

A．wild  
B．organic
C．special  
D．Omega－3－free

3．According to the passage,which of the following has nothing to do with an egg's quality?

A．The egg's color.
B．The hen's exercise.
C．The hen's living conditions.
D．The hen's food.

4．This passage is most probably taken from a book named __________.

A．Shopping Skills  
B．Eggs and Cooking
C．Raising Hens  
D．Healthy Diet

     They like using the Internet. They have lots of pocket money to spend. And they spend a higher proportion
of it online than the rest of us. Teenagers are just the sort of people an online seller is interested in, and the
things they want to buy-games, CDs and clothing-are easily sold on the Web.
     But paying online is a tricky business for consumers who are too young to own credit cards. Most have to
use a parent's card. They want a facility that allows them to spend money.
     That may come sooner than they think: new ways to take pocket money into cyber (网络的) space are
coming out rapidly on both sides of the Atlantic. If successful, these products could stimulate online sales.
     In general, teenagers spend huge amounts: $153bn (billion) in the US last year and￡20bn annually in the
UK. Most teenagers have access to the Internet at home or at school-88 percent in the US,69 percent in the UK.
According to Jupiter Research, one in eight of those with Internet access has bought something online- mainly
CDs and books.
     In most cases, parents pay for these purchases with credit cards, an arrangement that is often unsatisfactory
for them and their children. Pressing parents to spend online is less productive than pressing on the high street.
They're more likely to ask "Why?" if you ask to spend some money online.
     One way to help teenagers change notes and coins into cybercash is through prepaid cards such as Internet
Cash in the US and Smart Cards in the UK. Similar to those for pay-as-you-go mobile telephones, they are sold
in amounts such as￡20 or $50 with a concealed 14-digit number that can be used to load the cash into an
online account.

1. What does the word "They" in paragraph 1 refer to?

A. Sellers.
B. Buyers.
C. Teenagers.
D. Parents.

2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. More than half of the teenagers in the US and the UK have Internet access.
B. Teenagers pay for goods online with their own credit cards.
C. Most teenagers in the US and the UK have bought something online.
D. Teenagers found it easier to persuade parents to buy online than in a shop.

3. A new way to help teenagers shop online is to use ____.

A. a new machine
B. special notes and coins
C. prepaid cards
D. pay-as-you-go mobile phones

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Online shopping traps.
B. Internet users in the US and the UK.
C. New credit cards for parents.
D. The arrival of cyber pocket money.

                                                                  L1PITOR
     ABOUT LIPITOR  
     Lipitor is a prescription medicine. Along with diet and exercise,it lowers "bad,' cholesterol (胆固醇) in
your blood.It can also raise "good'' cholesterol?   Lipitor can lower the risk of heart attack in patients with several common risk factors, including family history of early heart disease,high blood pressure,age and
smokin9 ?
     WHO IS LIPITOR FOR?
      Who can take LIPITOR: .
     People who cannot lower their cholesterol enough with diet and exercise  
     .Adults and children over l0  
     Who should NOT take LIPITOR:
     .Women who are pregnant,may be pregnant,or may become pregnant. Lipitor may harm   your
unborn baby.
     .women who are breast-feeding. Lipitor can pass into your breast milk and may harm   your baby.  
      .People with liver(肝脏)problems
      POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF LIPITOR
     Serious side effects in a small number of people: .
     Muscle(肌肉)problems that can lead to kidney(肾脏)problems,including kidney failure .
     Liver problems.
     Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start   Lipitor and while you are taking
it.
     Call your doctor right away if you have:
    .Unexplained muscle pain or weakness,especially if you have a fever or feel very fired
     .Swelling of the face,lips,tongue,and／or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or   swallowing  
     .Stomach pain
     Some common side effects of LIPITOR are:
     .Muscle pain  
     .Upset stomach 
     .Changes in some blood tests
     HOW TO TAKE LIPITOR
     DO:
     Take Lipitor as prescribed by your doctor.
     Try to eat heart-healthy foods while you take Lipitor.
     Take Lipitor at any time of day, with or without food. If you miss a dose (一剂), take it as soon as you
remember. But if it has been more than   12 hours since your missed dose,wait.
     Take the next dose at your regular time.
     Don't: Do not change or stop your dose before talking to your doctor.
     Do not take new medicines before talking to your doctor.

1.What is a major function of Lipitor?

A. To help quit smoking.
B. To control blood pressure.
C. To improve unhealthy diet.
D. To lower "bad" cholesterol.

2. Taking Lipitor is helpful for             .

A. breast-feeding women
B. women who are pregnant
C. adults having heart disease
D. teenagers with liver problems

3. If it has been over 12 hours since you missed a dose, you should         .

A. change the amount of your next dose  
B. eat more when taking your next dose
C. have a dose as soon as you remember  
D. take the next dose at your regular time

4. Which of the following is a common side effect of taking Lipitor?

A. Face swelling.                    
B. Upset stomach.
C. Kidney failure..
D. Muscle weakness.

5. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A. To teach patients ways for quick recovery.    
B. To present a report on a scientific research.
C. To show the importance of a good lifestyle.
D. To give information about a kind of medicine.

     I used to be the messiest person alive.Over  the  years, through  watching  others  and  by
trial and error,I have finally found ways to come up with plans,organize them and follow through
with them.
     Make an outline of everything you need to have and do to make your plan happen.Make a
list of all of the steps that need to be accomplished and think about what needs to be done.
     Detail everything thorougy and read over it so you can start coming up with some mental
solutions of how to carry out your plans.
     You should ensure that if for some reason way one doesn't work,you have way two and
way three to lean back on.Therefore,different ways are needed at hand.It's just a matter of
being organized.Chances are that there is always more than one way of doing things,and chances
are that if one of those ways doesn't work,one of the other ones will.
     Committing yourself to finishing at least part if not all of your plan at once is also necessary.
It will show that you not only have initiative to get things rolling,but that you are interested in the
results obtained with making the move to get everything done.
     If you make a commitment to finish before a specific time,make sure that you carry that out,
and be sure to do everything in the way you said you would,within the time frame you set for
yourself.
      Don't try to tackle more things all at a time.All that does is delay your progress,distract you
and make you lose your interest,motivation and energy.
     Carrying out an effective plan requires being as organized as possible.You will only achieve
this by sticking to the order of the plan and not deviating or trying to do more at a time.
     Last but not the least,you should never abandon things mid?project.It will only annoy everyone
around you including yourself.Unfinished plans are a waste of time,energy and,in some cases,even
money.
     So,don't be afraid of organization.The older we get,the more necessary it becomes to have the
skills necessary to follow through with confidence and to be able to carry through plans in an organized
and manageable way.It pays to be organized,after all.

                                                                  A Beautiful Mind   
     A mathematician who goes mad is not a subject most directors consider commercially attractive, but 
then Ron Howard isn’t among most directors. Despite an impressive list of credits, A Beautiful Mind is
 his most successful work to date, combining a psychological drama with a moving love story to 
produce a film that is as interesting as it is entertaining.   
     The Oscar winning Russell Crowe has put himself in line for further honours with his acting John Nash,
 the Nobel Prize-winning mathematician troubled by schizophrenia（精神分裂症）. A Beautiful Mind
 pictures Nash as an unusual hero, not just because of his academic achievements but also because of the
 courage he displays while battling his illness.   
     In 1947 Nash was one of many great young minds at Princeton. "To find a truly original idea is the 
only way to distinguish myself,"the proud and determined student declared. His exploration of such an
 idea afforded him little time for the normal socialising. His shyness and straightforward approach brought
 him few friends.   
     After finally hitting on a revolutionary new idea, Nash’s career took off and his reputation was 
secured. He balanced research work with teaching, which is where he met the bright and beautiful 
student Alicia（Jennifer Connelly）. Things in his life were going well when his talent for code breaking 
brought him to the attention of the military who employed him during the early stages of the cold war
 with Russia. However, the stress of his work made Nash’s illness develop.   
     Crowe’s performance is perfect. He and Connelly ignite（make something exciting）the film’s
 passionate love story and Connelly’s wonderful performance makes the audience moved by Alicia, 
whose courage, strength and faith in her husband are the primary reasons for his recovery.   

1. This passage is most probably ________.   

A. a book review　　　　
B. a movie review   
C. a movie poster 　　　
D. an advertisement 

2. Which can replace the underlined phrase hit on in the fourth paragraph?   

A. come up with 　　　
B. come on　　　 
C. put on 　　　
D. put up with   

3. The following statements are true EXCEPT that ________.   

A. John Nash did not go mad totally   
B. Ron Howard is an outstanding director   
C. the stress of the academic work caused Nash’s illness   
D. Nash’s concentration on his work and his shyness brought him few friends   

4. We can infer from the text that ________.   

A. without Alicia, John Nash would not have recovered from schizophrenia   
B. John Nash gave up his career when troubled by schizophrenia   
C. Russell Crowe won another Oscar Award after this movie   
D. John Nash volunteered to serve in the army 

       With the development of science and technology, most of us will comment: "Life is speeding up.
Everyone is getting unwell."
     This may sound like something someone would say today. But in fact, an unknown citizen who lived
in Rome in 53 AD wrote it.
     We all love new inventions. They are exciting, amazing and can even change our lives. But have all
these developments really improve the quality of our lives?
     Picture this, you're rushing to finish your homework on the computer. Your mobile phone rings, a
QQ message from your friend appears on the screen, and the noise from the television is getting louder
and louder. Suddenly the computer goes blank and you lose all your work. Now you have to stay up all
night to get it done. How calm and happy do you feel?
     Inventions have speeded up our lives so much that they often leave us feeling stressed and tired. Why
do you think people who live far away from noisy cities, who have no telephones, no cars, even no
electricity often seem to be happier? Perhaps because they lead simpler lives.
     One family in the UK went "back in time" to see what life was like without all the inventions we have
today.
     The grandparents, with their daughter, and grandsons Benjamin, 10, and Thomas, 7, spent nine weeks
in a 1940s house. They had no washing machine, microwave, computer or mobile phones. The grandmother,
Lynn said,"It was hard physically, but not mentally." She believed life was less materialistic. "The more
things you have the more difficult life becomes." She said. The boys said they found less to fight over, such
as their computer. Benjamin also noticed that his grandmother had changed from being a"trendy,
beer-drinking granny to one who cooked things". Here are some simple ways to beat the stress often caused
by our inventions!
     ●Don't be available all the time. Turn off your mobile phone at certain times of the day. Don't check your
emails every day.
      ●Make sure you spend some time talking to your family. Set aside one evening a week when you don't
turn on the television. Play cards and chat instead.
     ●Get a low-tech hobby. Every day,do something in the old-fashioned way,such as walking to have a
face-to-face meeting instead of using the email or telephone.
     ●Don't worry too much about life-laugh more!

1. The passage is mainly about _____.

A. the important roles technology plays in our everyday life
B. improvements of our life with technology
C. problems with technology
D. major changes are likely to happen to technology

2. The writer uses the quote at the beginning of the story to _____.

A. point out that you experience some big problems and they may be the same
B. tell us what life was like long time ago
C. make us wonder what causes such a thing to happen
D. share a truth about life

3. Why did the family choose to spend some time in a 1940s house?

A. Because they were curious about how people lived without modern inventions.
B. Because they liked to live simple lives.
C. Because they were troubled by modern inventions.
D. Because living in a different time would be a lot of fun for them.

4. What does the underlined word "available" in the first suggestion offered by the writer mean?

A. Busy on line.
B. Free.
C. Be able to move.
D. Be found by others.

5. The writer may support that ______.

A. you ring back your boss immediately when you get home and see his message to you.
B. you take your iphone and taptop and power them on all the time while traveling.
C. you find fun in some exercise like hiking and jogging instead of chatting on the Internet.
D. you check your mail account as frequently as you can.