Who takes care of the elderly in the United States today? Many people wrongly be

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Who takes care of the elderly in the United States today? Many people wrongly believe that when people reach old age, their families place them in nursing homes. They are left there in the hands of strangers for the rest of their lives. Their grown-up children visit them only occasionally, but more often, they do not have any regular visitors. Actually this is not true. In fact, family members provide over 80 percent of the care that elderly people need.
Prof. Samuel Preston, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania, studied how the American family is changing. He reported that by the time the average American couple reaches 40 years of age, they have more parents than children. This statistic (统计) shows the change in life-styles and responsibilities of aging Americans. The average middle-aged couple can look forward to caring for elderly parents some time after their own children have grown up. Moreover, because people today live longer after an illness than people did years ago, family members must provide long-term care. These facts also mean that after care-givers provide for their elderly parents, who will eventually die, they will be old and may require care too. When they do, their spouses (配偶, 指夫或妻) will probably take care of them.
Because Americans are living longer than ever, more psychologists and social workers have begun to study care-giving to improve care of the elderly. They have found that all caregivers share a common characteristic: all caregivers believe that they are the best person for the job, for different reasons. One caregiver said that she had always been close to her mother. Another was the oldest child. In other words, they all felt that they could do the job better than anyone else. Social workers interviewed caregivers to find out why they took on the responsibility of caring for an elderly, dependent relative. They discovered three basic reasons. Many caregivers believed that they had the responsibility to help their relatives. Some stated that helping others made them feel more useful. Others hoped that by helping someone now, they would deserve care when they became old and dependent.
48. It can be inferred that a middle-aged couple in the US _______.
A. spend more time with their children than with their parents
B. depend on their children’s assistance in caring for the elderly
C. don’t pay more attention to their children than to their parents
D. spend more time taking care of their parents than before
49. The most common characteristic of caregivers is ______.
A. they all have professional qualifications in care-giving
B. they all believe themselves to be the best caregiver
C. they are the eldest child in the family
D. they are close to their parents
50. Which of the following is NOT a basic reason for care-giving?
A. Respect from other members of the family.
B. Prepayment for the care they will get in old age.
C. A feeling of being needed and helpful.
D. A strong sense of duty to the elderly.
51. What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Most old people in the US are living a happy life.
B. Most old people in the US live longer today after an illness than people did years ago.
C. Most elderly people in the US are taken care of by their families, who often find the experience satisfying.
D. Most elderly people in the US prefer living with their families to living nursing houses.

答案

48---51 DBAC

解析

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举一反三

Go ahead，talk to your dog.
As many a dog owner will prove, our furry friends are listening. Now, for the doubters, there is scientific proof that they understand much of what they hear. A border collie called Rico can fetch at least 200 objects by name， researchers in Germany say. The dog also appears to learn words for new objects as easily as a 3-year-old child would. Its word-learning skill is as good as that of a parrot or chimpanzee.
In one experiment, the researchers took all 200 items that Rico is supposed to know and divided them randomly into 20 sets of 10 objects each. The dog waited with one of his owners in one room, while an experimenter put a set of 10 objects into another room. Then, the owner told the dog to fetch one of the items. The dog had to go to the other room and bring the object back.
In four trials, Rico got 37 out of 40 commands right. Because the dog couldn"t see anyone to get visual clues about what to bring back, the scientists concluded that he must understand the meanings of certain words.
In another experiment, the scientists took one toy that Rico had never seen before and put it in a room with seven toys whose names he already knew. The dog"s owner then told him to fetch the object, using a word Rico had never heard.
In 7 out of 10 trials, Rico picked the right object, suggesting that he figured out the answer by process of elimination. A month later, he remembered half of the new names, which further impressed the researchers.
Rico is probably smarter than the average dog, the scientists say. For one thing, he"s a border collie, a breed known for its mental abilities. In addition, the 9-year-old dog has been trained to retrieve toys by their names since he was 9 months old.
It"s hard to know if all dogs understand at least some of the words we say. Even if they do, they can"t talk back. Still, it wouldn"t hurt to sweet-talk your pup every now and then. You might just get a big, wet kiss in return!
48．The passage is probably taken from a book on _____
A．petsB．environment    C．culture     D．nutrition
49．It is implied that ____
A．Rico is probably cleverer than the average dog
B．Only a few dogs can talk back to its owner
C．if a chimpanzee is trained ,it can also recognize the names of objects
D．All dogs can understand words
50．How long is it since Rico’s owner began to train him?
A．nine months B．3years    C．over nine years      D．more than eight years
51．Rico can do all the following except _____
A．understanding the meanings of certain words.
B．picking the right object by process of elimination
C．remembering all of the new names he learned    D．retrieving toys by their names

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Many Going to College Are Not Ready
Only about half of this year’s high school graduates have the reading skills they need to succeed in college, and even fewer are prepared for college-level science and math courses, according to a yearly report from ACT, which produces one of the nation’s leading college admissions tests.
The report, based on scores of the 2005 high school graduates who took the exam, some 1.2 million students in all, also found that fewer than one in four met the college-readiness benchmarks （基准）in all four subjects tested: reading comprehension, English, math and science.
ACT sets its college-readiness benchmarks — including the reading comprehension benchmark, which is new this year—by correlating（联系）earlier students’ ACT scores with grades they actually received as college freshmen. Based on that data, the benchmarks indicate the skill level at which a student has a 70 percent likelihood（可能性）of earning a C or better, and a 50 percent chance of earning a B or better.
Among those who took the 2005 test, only 51 percent achieved the benchmark in reading, 26 percent in science, and 41 percent in math; the figure for English was 68 percent. Results from the new optional ACT writing test, which was not widely taken this year, were not included in the report.
About 40 percent of the nation’s 2005 high school graduates took the ACT, and the average overall score was unchanged from the year before. Minority students make up 27 percent of all ACT test takers. Besides, there are also other worrying trends in the ACT report as well, including a continuing decline in the percentage of students planning to major in engineering, computer science and education.
50. The report from ACT mainly tells readers the problem that ______.
A. few minority students graduates took ACT
B. many who intend to go to college are not ready
C. the college-readiness benchmarks is high this year
D. the tests for some subjects are too difficult
51. According to the benchmarks in 2005, about how many students will not earn C?
A. 30 percent. B. 70 percent. C. 50 percent. D. 26 percent.
52. Which of the following pictures can correctly show the numbers of the students who achieve the benchmark in different subjects?
A.

53. Which of the followings can be found in the report from ACT in 2005?
A. The report about the writing test is very objective.
B. More boy students are not good at science and math.
C. The percentage of students majoring science declined.
D. The average score of 2005 ACT participants changed greatly.

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Dublin has the benefit of being a home to unequaled beaches. They can be especially     attractive during the summer season．Experience this scenery for yourself and see what these    beaches have to offer you．
Finding yourself at Dollymont makes you a fortunate tourist especially if you find     beaches irresistible．Here you can swim away your worries through the Dollymont Blue Flag Beach，The beach provides a wonderful view which is perfect for some relaxing moments．Its shoreline is well recommended for a few quiet and unworried walks along the beach．
For some beach adventure，you can drive your way down the M50 and M 1 motorways to Donabate．This village in North County Dublin offers an attractive Blue Flag beach which is perfect for your swimming addictions．Lifeguards are on call during bathing period．The water is as overpowering as the surrounding．
For a double purpose beach，check out Killiney．This beach is a top off destination for a swimming adventure and it is equally grand for relaxing walks．The shoreline is covered with pebbles and rocks．This may seem averred with ordinary stony beach for some but for those who have strong interest in geological(地质的)processes，Killiney is a best spot to discover part of Dublin’s history and Killiney’s formation．
Another accessible Blue Flag Beach lies on Malahide in Fingal. You can enjoy the   distinctive attraction of the water while still getting yourself amazed with the wonderful sights   around；Malahide．Beach is sandy and holds a harbor designed for pleasure boats at the   Northern end．
For a bit of challenge and thrill，consider a swim at Sea point Beach in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown．You can have the pleasure of an exciting surf adventure here apart from the usual swimming activity．This is often visited by tourists due to its various appeals：swimming on the north part of the beach while surfing，．boating and jet skiing at the south．
Need to：beat the heat off your summer vacation? There is nothing as satisfying as a visit to some of these outstanding beaches．
71．How many beaches are mentioned in this article?
A．Five    B．Four    C．Three D．Two
72．If you are visiting Killiney, which of the following activities can’t．you do?
A．Having a swimming adventure．
B．Having some relaxing walks．
C．Discovering some Dublin’s history．
D．Practising operating boats for pleasure．
73．Some tourists choose a swim at Seapoint Beach probably because they can   ．．
A．get themselves interested in the sights around
B．have a wonderful surf on the north of the beach
C．enjoy several unusual and exciting activities‘
D．call the lifeguards during bathing period
74．If you want to。be quiet and have some relaxing walks，you may pay a visit to——．
A．Dollymont and Donabate         B． Donabate and Malahide
C．Dollymont and Killiney              D．Killinev and Malahide
75．The best title of this article should be——．
A．Where to go swimming in summer B．Beating off the heat in Dublin
C．Benifits of staying at beaches    D．Geological researches in vacation

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PART FOUR WRITING
SE

CTION A(10%) Directions: Read the following passage．Complete the diagram by using the information from the passage． Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer．
Internet use appears to cause a decline in psychological well-being, according to research at Carnegie Mellon University.
Even people who spent just a few hours a week on the Internet experienced more depression and loneliness than those who logged on less frequently, the two-year study showed. And it wasn’t that people who were already feeling bad spent more time on the Internet, but that using the Net actually appeared to cause the bad feelings.
Researchers are puzzled over the results, which were completely contrary to their expectations. They expected that the Net would prove socially healthier than television, since the Net allows users to choose their information and to communicate with others.
The fact that Internet use reduces time available for family and friends may account for the drop in well-being, researchers hypothesized. Faceless, bodiless “virtual” communication may be less psychologically satisfying than actual conversation, and the relationships formed through it may be shallow. Another possibility is that exposure to the wider world via the Net makes users less satisfied with their lives.
“But it’s important to remember this is not about the technology itself; it’s about how it is used,” says psychologist Christine Riley of Intel, one of the study’s sponsors.” It really points to the need for considering social factors in terms of how you design applications and services for technology.”
Title 71.________________

72____________	Internet use causing 73.________________ in psychological well-being
Study showing	People on the Internet feeling 74________________
75.________________	● Having nothing with the technology itself ● Spending more time on the Internet reducing time available for 76.__________ ●Faceless and bodiless virtual communication leading to a lack of 77.___________________ ● Exposure to the wider world via the Net making users less satisfied with 78.__________________
79. ___________ on how to use the Internet	● Time spent on the Internet should be arranged properly . ● 80. ___________should be considered in terms of designing applications and services.

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第三节完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
The Colors of Friendship
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. Green said, “Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would 21 .”
Blue interrupted, “You only think about the 22 , but consider the sky and the sea.
23   the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. Without my peace, you would all be 24 .”
Yellow chuckled (笑道), “You are all so serious. I bring laughter, fun, and   25 into the world.”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet, “I am the color of health and strength. I may be 26 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life. When I fill the sky      27 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 28 to any of you.”
Red could stand it 29   and he shouted out, “I am the ruler of all of you. I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to 30 truth. I am also the color of passion and of love.”
Then came Purple and Indigo (深蓝) …
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 31 . Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder. Rain started to pour down 32 . The colors crouched (蜷缩) down 33 , drawing close to one another for comfort.
In the midst of the clamor (叫嚷), rain began to speak, “You foolish colors, fighting 34 yourselves, each trying to dominate _35_. Don’t you know that you were each made for a special purpose, _36_? Join hands with _37_ and come to me.”
Doing as they were told, the colors _38_ and joined hands. They formed a colorful rainbow. From then on, whenever a good rain _39_ the world, a rainbow appears in the sky. They remember to _40_ one another.
21. A. stay             B. leave             C. go out      D. die
22. A. earth           B. moon            C. star          D. sun
23. A. That is         B. I am             C. It is         D. This is
24. A. anything         B. nothing            C. something    D. everything
25. A. warmth         B. sadness             C. depression    D. anxiety
26. A. usual           B. normal                 C. common      D. scarce
27. A. at midnight      B. at noon or at night C. at sunrise or sunset   D. during the day
28. A. gift             B. honor            C. thought     D. respect
29. A. for more         B. any more          C. very much    D. no longer
30. A. turn to         B. fight for           C. struggle with       D. bend over
31. A. superiority      B. disadvantages       C. inferiority D. weakness
32. A. gently          B. quietly             C. violently      D. peacefully
33. A. with care       B. in fear            C. by chance     D. on purpose
34. A. among            B. by                C. for              D. against
35. A. others          B . themselves        C. the other      D. the rest
36. A. equal and simple B. ordinary and similar C. more or less D.unique and different
37. A. each other       B. me                C. one another D. them
38. A. combined        B. separated          C. united      D. divided
39. A. cleans          B. washes             C. brightens      D. dampens
40. A. appreciate       B. quarrel with         C. ignore      D. praise

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