Age has its special advantage in America. And one of the more impressive of them
题型：不详难度：来源：
Age has its special advantage in America. And one of the more impressive of them is the senior citizen discount. Anyone who has reached a certain age—in some cases as low as 55－is automatically entitled to plenty of price reductions at nearly every level of commercial life. Eligibility（资格）is determined not by one’s need but by the date on one’s birth certificate. Practically the discounts have become a routine part of many businesses-as common as color televisions in motel rooms and free coffee on airliners.
People with gray hair often are given the discounts without even asking for them；yet, millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent（有支付能力的）. Businesses that would never dare offer discounts to college students or anyone under 30 freely offer them to older Americans. The practice is acceptable because of the widespread belief that “elderly” and “needy” are synonymous（同义的）. Perhaps that once was true, but today, to be sure, there is economic variety within the elderly, and most of them aren’t poor.
It is impossible to determine the effect of the discounts on individual companies. For many firms, they are a stimulus to income. But in other cases the discounts are given at the expense, directly or indirectly, of younger Americans. Moreover, they directly annoy some politicians and scholars who consider it a coming conflict between the generations.
Generational tensions are being fueled by continuing debate over Social Security benefits, which mostly involves a transfer of resources from the young to the old. Employment is another point. Supported by laws and court decisions, more and more older Americans are refusing the retirement dinner in favor of staying on the job-thereby lessening employment and promotion opportunities for younger workers. Far from a kind of charity they once were, senior citizen discounts have become a powerful economic privilege（特权）to a group with millions of members who don’t need them.
It no longer makes sense to treat the elderly as a single group whose economic needs deserve priority over those of others. Senior citizen discounts only enrich the myth that older people can’t take care of themselves and need special treatment；and they threaten the creation of a new myth, that the elderly ale ungrateful and taking for themselves at the expense of children and other age groups. Senior citizen discounts are the heart of the very thing older Americans are fighting against－discrimination by age.
小题1:We learn from the first paragraph that . | A．offering senior citizen discounts has become routine commercial practice | | B．senior citizen discounts have enabled many old people to live a good life | | C．giving senior citizen discounts has increased the market for the elderly | | D．senior citizens have to show their birth certificates to get a discount |
小题2:The reason to give the senior citizen discount is that . | A．the elderly need humane help from society | | B．businesses should do something for society in return | | C．old people are entitled to special treatment for their contribution to society | | D．the senior discounts can make up for the lack of the Social Security system |
小题3:What does the author think of the Social Security system?| A．It encourages elderly people to retire in time. | | B．It opens up broad career chances for young people. | | C．It benefits the old at the expense of the young. | | D．It should be strengthened by laws and court decisions. |
小题4:What does the author mainly argue in the passage?| A．Senior citizens should fight hard against age discrimination. | | B．The elderly are selfish and taking senior discounts for granted. | | C．Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age discrimination. | | D．Discount should be given to the economic needs of senior citizens. |
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答案
小题1:A
小题2:A
小题3:C
小题4:C |
解析
小题1:细节题。从文章第一段得知什么？这种类型的题干还是找首段主题。第一段主要讲述老年人购物时都能得到折扣，即A“offering senior citizens discounts ha形成这种现象的背后形成因素是什么？讲到产生原因定为文中第二段，说“elderly”和“needy” 是同义词，也就是说因为老年人钱不多了，我们社会要帮s become routine commercial practice”所表述的意义。
小题2:细节题。助她！即选项C“The elderly, being financially underprivileged, need humane help from society.”
小题3:细节事实题。根据题干中的大写字母可以定位到原文四段首句。文中明确指出会把资源从年轻人传递到老年人处。然后回选项找到C “It benefits the old at the expense of the young.”
小题4:主旨大意题。文中讲述老人的优惠价给我们带来的不利影响，因此选D “Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age discrimination.”为同义替换。而且may又是一个相对化概念的词，几乎都是正确答案。 |
举一反三
Americans like to travel on their yearly holiday. Today, more and more travelers in the United States are spending nights at small house or inns(客栈)instead of hotels. They get a room for the night and the breakfast the next morning.
Rooms for the night in private(私人的)homes with breakfast have been popular with travelers in Europe for many years. In the past five to ten years, these bed-and-breakfast places have become popular in the United States. Many of these America’s bed-and-breakfast inns have only a few rooms; others are much larger. Some inns do not provide telephones or televisions in the rooms, others do.
Staying at a bed-and-breakfast inn is much different from staying at a hotel. Usually the cost is much less. Staying at an inn is almost like visiting someone’s home. The owners are glad to tell about the areas and the interesting places to visit. Many vacationers say that they enjoy the chance to meet local families.
小题1:Americans take a holiday trip _________.| A．all the year round | B．for years | C．every year | D．every other year |
小题2:According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? | A．Some Americans like to stay at bed-and-breakfast homes instead of at hotels. | | B．The bed-and-breakfast inns are private homes open to vacationers. | | C．The bed-and-breakfast inn owners provide a morning meal for their visitors and a room for the night. | | D．The bed-and-breakfast inns have been popular in America for a long time. |
小题3:Staying at the bed-and-breakfast inns, _________.| A．the travelers needn’t pay anything | | B．the travelers don’t have to pay for the telephone or television | | C．the travelers can meet and talk with the local people | | D．the owners will show the travelers around the area |
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MY Chinese friend is going to the US and he is nervous about what to talk about. “Talk about the weather,” is my advice.
“How are you?” is often followed by comments about the weather. “Nice day today.” “Cold/hot enough for you?” “Will it ever stop raining?” “Some winter we’re having.” “Can’t remember a winter/summer so cold/hot.” “Whew, it’s hot out there.”
These introductory statements are often followed by a long conversation entirely about weather conditions. Past, present and – with global warming – speculation (推测) about the future.
Our fascination with weather might seem silly, but the real purpose behind those endless discussions is small talk. Weather’s a safe topic of conversation. As a group, we Americans seem to enjoy chatting with those around us. Whenever we stand in line at the grocery store, we tend to engage in this sort of conversation with other people standing in line with us. If I were seated next to another American on any form of public transport, I’d expect both of us to make some harmless comment about the weather as a way of acknowledging (承认) each other’s presence (存在). At parties, the weather is a common topic, especially with those you are meeting for the first time.
In contrast we are taught to avoid certain topics like religion and politics. Weather is neutral (中性的); you don’t have to have an opinion about it, just make a statement of a fact. What is truly interesting is the fact that we can go on and on about it.
My Chinese friend has a hard time understanding why we put so much effort into this topic – and why I warn him about bringing up much more “interesting” subjects like salaries or how much something costs.
Sometimes it is tricky (复杂的) to wend (行走) one’s way through winding cultural roads, especially those that are never taught in books.
小题1:What does the writer suggest her Chinese friend should talk about with people in the US? (No more than two words)
小题2:Why do Americans enjoy talking to people around them about the weather, in writer’s opinion? (No more than ten words)
小题3:List four topics that people should avoid talking about in the US. ( No more than 5 words) |
It is common and usual to see people freak out when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.
How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.
Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.
Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens, they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are.
小题1:What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “freak out” in Paragraph 1?| A．Feel shy. | B．Stay calm. | C．Keep up. | D．Feel upset. |
小题2:In Paragraph 2, the writer implies that ______.| A．problems cause troubles | | B．attitude is everything | | C．challenges can be avoided | | D．personalities are built on failures |
小题3:According to the last paragraph, when we"re in trouble, we ______.| A．can only depend on our parents | | B．are not alone | | C．should only believe ourselves | | D．are not confident |
小题4:What’s the writer’s purpose to write the passage?| A．To encourage. | B．To compare. | C．To prove. | D．To explain. |
小题5:What can be the best title of the passage?| A．How to Avoid Problems | | B．Challenges Are Everywhere | | C．Face Your Challenges Bravely | | D．You Are Loved Wherever You Are |
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Japanese students work very hard but many are very unhappy. They feel great pressure from their parents to do well in school and in college. Most students are always being told by their parents to study harder so that they can have successful future. Although this may be good advice for those who are very bright, it can have very bad results for many students who are not quick enough at learning.
Unfortunately, a number of students actually kill themselves. Others are after comfort in using drugs. Some students, however, do bad things with groups of bad people and turn to crime. Many of them have tried very hard at school but, in spite of all their tries, have failed in certain examinations and have disappointed their parents. Such students feel that they are less important than everyone else they meet and leave school before they finish their study.
It is surprising that although most Japanese parents are anxious for their children to do well at school, they do not help them in any way. Many parents feel that they are unable to help their children with their lessons and that it is the teachers’ job to help their children.
To make matter worse, a lot of parents send their children to special schools called juku-cram schools. These schools are open during the evenings and on weekends, and their only purpose is to prepare students to pass exams; they do not try to educate students in any real sense of the world. Thus comes a shock to realize that almost three quarters of the junior high school students attend these cram schools.
Ordinary Japanese schools usually have rules about everything from the length of students’ hair to their clothes and things in their school bags. Child psychologists now think that such strict rules often lead to a feeling of being unsafe and being unable to fit into society. They believe that no sense of moral(道德) values is developed and that students are given neither guidance nor training in becoming good citizens.
小题1:Many Japanese students are unhappy at school because .| A．the school work is too much | | B．their teachers are too strict with them | | C．their parents put much pressure on them | | D．they can’t get on well with their friends |
小题2:How many unexpected things will some of Japanese students do when they are not doing well in their studies?小题3:What’s some experts’ opinion about Japanese school rules?| A．They are a set of effective rules. | | B．They can help the students to be useful persons. | | C．They are bad for the development of each student. | | D．They stress the importance of sense of moral values. |
小题4:According to the third paragraph, who have not tried their best?| A．The schools. | B．The students. | | C．The teachers. | D．The parents. |
小题5:choose the best title for this passage:
A. Poor students in Japan
B. poor students in campus in Japan
C. wrong educational system in Japan
D How to develop a student |
Famous centenarians (百岁老人) still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire. "Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira"s favorite phrases. He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession. Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project. "You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said. When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It"s down to mother nature. It gave to me what it took from others."
Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character. Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens.
Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation.
Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor. "The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently. He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder (胆囊) operation he composed a samba tune (桑巴舞曲) in the clinic.
Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters. The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works. Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing. "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role".
Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor. She"s convinced that humans grow on challenges.
With so many brilliant examples given, we can see clearly that age is no barrier to some high achievers.
小题1:From the first two paragraphs, we can see ______. | A．being active at 102 is achievable for everybody | | B．Oliveira owes his long life to his mother’s help | | C．being fit in old age is a matter of luck and character | | D．social skills and wisdom are difficult for the senior |
小题2:How many centenarians are mentioned in this passage?小题3:By saying "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?” in Paragraph 5, Heesters shows us he ________.| A．wants to sit or lie in comfort | | B．is waiting for people to pick him up | | C．is willing to work till he dies | | D．prefers to give performance at home |
小题4:In the passage so many examples were given to show ________.| A．old age is a big problem if you want to succeed | | B．as a senior citizen, you have to be open-minded and optimistic | | C．old people should never think of themselves as old | | D．old age cannot prevent a great person from achieving a lot |
小题5:In the writer’s opinion, the architect Oscar Niemeyer is not ________.| A．intelligent | B．pessimistic | C．positive | D．diligent |
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