A serious problem for today's society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives. It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society. I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.

First, employers should take the responsibility for their retired employees. To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose. But when a company must take life-long responsibility for its employees, it may suffer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs.

Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual. This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement. This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years. This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor.

In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly. This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions. Furthermore, some institutions should be created for senior citizens, which can help provide a comfortable life for them. Unfortunately, as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer. The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.

One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.

To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A．The problems faced by the old in society.

B．Why we should take responsibility for the old.

C．How we can improve the lives of the old.

D．Where the old can go to get their pensions.

2. The underlined word "viable" most probably means"       ".

A．impossible         B．practical          C．useful            D．important

3.What is the writer's main purpose in writing this article?

A．To point out the need for government support for old people.

B．To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people.

C．To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem.

D．To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life.

4.The text is most likely to be found in a book about____.  

A．social science                          B．historical events

C．political problem                        D．political systems

For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground or the sewer(下水道) system. But if you want to save a little water and reuse it on your lawns or plants --- or even use it for laundry, dishes, or other needs --- collecting rainwater from your gutter’s downspouts(檐槽的水落管) is a no-brainer.

According to John C. Davis, writing in E / The Environmental Magazine, just about any homeowner can collect rainwater, given that the roof and gutters do most of the work. And since an inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof produces some 1,200 gallons of water, you can harvest enough to water your lawn or garden.

Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with substances that can hold back plant growth. Using rainwater can also extend the life of pipes, since the salts added to tap water may gradually damage the pipes. However, homeowners should set up a water purification system if they do plan to use rainwater for inside needs.

Rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding, and pollution associated with heavy rainfall, and reduces dependence on public water supplies. So some states fund rainwater collection systems in their local communities.

Many varieties of rain barrel(桶) systems, starting at just $100, are available for home use. A typical setup is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter’s downspout. Skillful homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems, but buying one is a lot easier. Most garden centres offer a range of choices as well as tips.

1.The underlined word “no-brainer” in Para. 1 probably means something that ______.

A．is hard to deal with                      B．is very easy

C．is of no real value                       D．deserves more attention

2.From Paragraphs 3 and 4, we can learn _______.

A．how to set up a water harvesting system      B．how a rain barrel system works

C．some advice on saving tap water            D．the benefits of using rainwater

3.What is the topic of the passage ?

A．Basic gardening skills.                    B．Water-saving techniques.

C．Wastewater treatment systems.            D．Roof rainwater collection.

Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.

A. Talk slowly.

B. Concentrate on the topic.

C. Express your feelings.

D. Notice the details.

E. Use the best words.

F. Introduce something interesting.

1.Generally, good talkers don’t rush into a conversation. They take their time when they think about something and when they say it out loud. They act as if they have all the time in the world. This makes them the center of attention. Try this way of talking and you will create the same effect.

2.People with good conversation skills tend to notice the kind of things that the average person doesn’t notice, and to bring such details into the conversation. They may notice and point out an interesting ring on the other person’s hand, a certain foreign accent, or a certain voice tone they use when saying a name. Thus, such individuals impress people in a very elegant manner.

3.It’s very rare to meet a person who is comfortably talking about their emotions and how certain things make them feel, especially with strangers. Yet this way of talking is a real virtue. Don’t just present the facts. Keep in mind that it is at the emotional level that people connect best.

4.Anyone can talk about the news or express basic opinions. But good talkers can frequently tell you something you didn’t know and that you’ll find interesting and fascinating. This is why it’s good to have knowledge into fields such as psychology or sociology, and bring such knowledge out at the right moments in a conversation.

5.The ability to talk smoothly has a lot to do with choosing the precise words to convey your feelings or thoughts. Constantly develop your vocabulary and practice communicating as accurately as possible. It will help you develop a way with words and allow you to express yourself more easily.

单词拼写（共10 小题；每小题1分，满分10分）

1._________ (星期四)is the day of the week after Wednesday and before Friday.

2.The article has been_________ (删除) before I could read.

3. He knows nothing about our new plan because he has been ___ (缺席) from work for days.

4.She always ________ (抱怨 ) about her husband.

5.We’re looking forward to _________ (收到)your reply as soon as possible.

6.Girls and boys should be treated _________ (平等地) in seeking employment.

7.The building was_______(毁坏)in the war, and it was rebuilt in 1960.

8.The custom has been kept up for ______ (十年).

9.He is lucky to win a_______(奖学金)to study further at Stanford.

10. Measures have been taken to clean the _________ (受污染的) rivers.

On January 5th, students in our school visited Robot World, which we saw a great diversity of robot. It was amazed to find those robots could do a great number of things just like real people, including playing chess, playing piano and drawing pictures. What’s more, the robots were in different kinds and shapes, which made us enjoyable. In addition, that excited me most was the show given by a group of robots. They danced just as if they are dancers on the stage. By visiting Robot World, I have learned a lot of about robots , especial about their functions and shapes. The great human wisdom is so powerful that it make us feel more comfortable live in the world.

假设你是某中学高三(1)班学生李华。下面是你校布告栏里张贴的“征集接待家庭”的通知，请根据其内容用英语写一封申请信。词数不少于100。

注意：信的开头和结尾已经给出（不计入词数）。

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am Li Hua from Class One, Senior Three.                                     

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

Mr. Smith, there is a man at _____front door who says he has _____important news for you.

A. the; an         B. /; /          C. the; /       D /; an

The student said there were a few points in the essay he _____ impossible to understand.

A．had found         B．finds             C．has found         D．would find

How I wish I _____ history when I was in university.

A．study             B．studied           C．would study        D．had studied

All the workers are working hard to create _____ we hope will be the best means of transport in the 21^st century.

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