Reading Comprehension Directions: Choose the best answer to complete each of the questions or statements after each passage Passage one We have found our way to the old. and some of us 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 tum, 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 comatose woke up to watch the child. Babies have an amazing power to comfort and heal My life is richer too because of the time that Ive spent with my elders. Over the past three years I've interviewed my five aunts, listened to family stories, looked at pictures and eaten home-cooked meals. As a result I better understand my own parents and our country's history I've also learned the art of aging. I've come away feeling more accepting, more grateful. And I have witnessed the incredible calculus of old age; as more is taken, there is more love for what remains To learn from the old, we must love them-not just in abstract but in flesh-beside us in our homes, businesses, churches and schools. We must work together to build the kinds of communities that allow us to care for one another This article deals with A)the relationship among the young B)the relationship among the old the generation gap
Reading Comprehension Directions: Choose the best answer to complete each of the questions or statements after each passage. Passage One We have found our way to the old. And some of us 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 comatose woke up to watch the child. Babies have an amazing power to comfort and heal. My life is richer too because of the time that I’ve spent with my elders. Over the past three years I’ve interviewed my five aunts, listened to family stories, looked at pictures and eaten home-cooked meals. As a result I better understand my own parents and our country’s history. I’ve also learned the art of aging. I’ve come away feeling more accepting, more grateful. And I have witnessed the incredible calculus of old age; as more is taken, there is more love for what remains. To learn from the old, we must love them-not just in abstract but in flesh-beside us in our homes, businesses, churches and schools. We must work together to build the kinds of communities that allow us to care for one another. 1. This article deals with A) the relationship among the young B) the relationship among the old C) the generation gap
D) closing the gap between the young and the old Why did the reporter had her children deliver the bread? A)Because the old ple were hungry B)Because she wanted her children to make friends with those old people C)Because she hoped that her children could eat others'food D) Because she hoped to get to know those old people 3. What can babies do? A)They can save the old, to some extent B)They can always care for themselves C)They can very often be troublesome D)They can comfort and heal their parents. 4. By living with"my"elders, I A) could better see them B)could better interview them C)could better understand them D) could better hear them 5. The writer suggests that we love the old A)not only in our mind but also in our action B)not only in our homes but also in our schools C)not only in our businesses but also in our churches D)not only in the block but also in the rest home Passage Two India has about a billion people and a dozen major languages of its own. One language, and only one, is understood--by an elite---across the country: that of the foreigners who ruled it for less than 200 years and left 52 years ago Today, India. Tomorrow, unofficially, the world. That is well under way; at first, because the British not only built a global empire but settled America, and now because the world(and notably America) has acquired its first truly global---and interactive---medium, the Internet. It is estimated that some 350m people speak English as their first lang uage. Maybe 250mr-350m do or can use it as a second language; in ex-colonial countries, notably, or in
D) closing the gap between the young and the old 2. Why did the reporter had her children deliver the bread? A) Because the old people were hungry. B) Because she wanted her children to make friends with those old people. C) Because she hoped that her children could eat others’ food. D) Because she hoped to get to know those old people. 3. What can babies do? A) They can save the old, to some extent. B) They can always care for themselves. C) They can very often be troublesome. D) They can comfort and heal their parents. 4. By living with “my” elders, “I .” A) could better see them B) could better interview them C) could better understand them D) could better hear them 5. The writer suggests that we love the old . A) not only in our mind but also in our action B) not only in our homes but also in our schools C) not only in our businesses but also in our churches D) not only in the block but also in the rest home Passage Two India has about a billion people and a dozen major languages of its own. One language, and only one, is understood---by an elite---across the country: that of the foreigners who ruled it for less than 200 years and left 52 years ago. Today, India. Tomorrow, unofficially, the world. That is well under way; at first, because the British not only built a global empire but settled America, and now because the world (and notably America) has acquired its first truly global---and interactive---medium, the Internet. It is estimated that some 350m people speak English as their first language. Maybe 250m~350m do or can use it as a second language; in ex-colonial countries, notably, or in
English-majority ones, like 30m recent immigrants to the U.s. or Canada's 6m francophone Quebeckers. And elsewhere? The guess is 100m-1 billion depending how you define"can". Let us be bold: in all, 20%-25% of earth's 6 billion people can use English; not the English of England, let alone of Dr Johnson, but English The growth of the cinema, and still more so of television, has spread the dominan language. Foreign movies or sitcoms may be dubbed into major languages, but for smaller audiences they are usually subtitled. Result: a Dutch or Danish or even Arab family has an audio-visual le arning aid in its living room, and usually the language spoken on-screen is English The birth of the computer and its American operating systems gave English a nudge ahead; that of the internet has given it a huge push. Any web-linked household today has a library of information available at the click of a mouse. And, unlike the books on its own shelves or in the public library, maybe four fifths is written in English. That proportion may lessen, as more non-English sites spring up. But English will surely dominate 1. In Paragraph 1, " the foreigners"refers to A)The British B)the American C) the Indian D) the Canadian 2. In the author's opinion, only English can be regarded as A)a foreign language B)a world language c)a true language D 3. the number mentioned in paragraph 3 are A) to show the large population of the world B)to show the map of the world C)to show the wide range of people speaking English D)to show the number of people using English as a second language 4. What good has the growing cinema and Tv do for English? A)It has made more English plays B)It has narrowed English C)It has disappointed English learners. D)It has spread English 5. Four-fifths of the information on the internet is written in A) American B)English C)non-English D)various languages
English-majority ones, like 30m recent immigrants to the U.S. or Canada’s 6m francophone Quebeckers. And elsewhere? The guess is 100m-1 billion depending how you define “can”. Let us be bold: in all,20%~25% of earth’s 6 billion people can use English; not the English of England, let alone of Dr Johnson, but English. The growth of the cinema, and still more so of television, has spread the dominant language. Foreign movies or sitcoms may be dubbed into major languages, but for smaller audiences they are usually subtitled. Result: a Dutch or Danish or even Arab family has an audio-visual learning aid in its living room, and usually the language spoken on-screen is English. The birth of the computer and its American operating systems gave English a nudge ahead; that of the internet has given it a huge push. Any web-linked household today has a library of information available at the click of a mouse. And, unlike the books on its own shelves or in the public library, maybe four fifths is written in English. That proportion may lessen, as more non-English sites spring up. But English will surely dominate. 1. In Paragraph 1, “the foreigners” refers to . A) The British B) the American C) the Indian D) the Canadian 2. In the author’s opinion, only English can be regarded as . A) a foreign language B) a world language C) a true language D) a language 3.the number mentioned in paragraph 3 are . A) to show the large population of the world B) to show the map of the world C) to show the wide range of people speaking English D) to show the number of people using English as a second language 4. What good has the growing cinema and TV do for English? A) It has made more English plays. B) It has narrowed English. C) It has disappointed English learners. D) It has spread English. 5. Four-fifths of the information on the internet is written in . A) American B) English C) non-English D) various languages
Passage three Many businesses will benefit from the growing number of elderly in the population There will likely be increasing demand for golf ing, cruises, drugs and health services of all kinds, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and telemetry bracelets for absent-minded elderly who wander off and need to be located Many products will be redesigned to better fit with elderly needs: There will be more easy-grip doorknobs, phones with bigger buttons, larger=sized type in books and magazines, bigger traffic signs, and longer"yellow" lights However, the extension of the life-span is raising a number of important issues One growing issue is the rapid reduction in the retirement age. In 1890, about 68%of Americans over 65 continued to work. This dropped to 56% in 1920, then 41% in 1950. By 1970, only 25% of people over 65worked, and that number was cut to 12.2%in 1980. In 1993, only 10.9%of Americans over 65 were still on the job Social Security, pensions, and personal savings have encouraged people to retire early. When the early retirement trend is combined with the trend toward greater longevity the result is a growing challenge to government and private retirement programs. A likely result is that the trend toward early retirement will reverse, and more people over 65 will remain in the work force Women in their 65s are now able to have babies thanks to advancing science. Older parents may be less able to are for children and are more likely than younger parents to die or become disabled Elderly retired people are consuming and increasing share of government funds Must working adults with young children support older people who are still capable of working but choose not to? Workers may express growing anger about taxes they must pay to support retirees. A proposal in Singapore would give a worker two votes against one for a retiree 1. People will have to design many things again for A) better qualities B)older people C)more quantities D)younger people 2. One of the problems resulted from growing elderly population is A)extension of life span B )social security
Passage three Many businesses will benefit from the growing number of elderly in the population. There will likely be increasing demand for golfing, cruises, drugs and health services of all kinds, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and telemetry bracelets for absent-minded elderly who wander off and need to be located. Many products will be redesigned to better fit with elderly needs: There will be more easy-grip doorknobs, phones with bigger buttons, larger=sized type in books and magazines, bigger traffic signs, and longer “yellow” lights. However, the extension of the life-span is raising a number of important issues. One growing issue is the rapid reduction in the retirement age. In 1890, about 68% of Americans over 65 continued to work. This dropped to 56% in 1920, then 41% in 1950. By 1970, only 25% of people over 65worked, and that number was cut to 12.2% in 1980. In 1993, only 10.9% of Americans over 65 were still on the job. Social Security, pensions, and personal savings have encouraged people to retire early. When the early retirement trend is combined with the trend toward greater longevity, the result is a growing challenge to government and private retirement programs. A likely result is that the trend toward early retirement will reverse, and more people over 65 will remain in the work force. Women in their 65s are now able to have babies thanks to advancing science. Older parents may be less able to are for children and are more likely than younger parents to die or become disabled. Elderly retired people are consuming and increasing share of government funds. Must working adults with young children support older people who are still capable of working but choose not to? Workers may express growing anger about taxes they must pay to support retirees. A proposal in Singapore would give a worker two votes against one for a retiree. 1. People will have to design many things again for . A) better qualities B) older people C) more quantities D)younger people 2. One of the problems resulted from growing elderly population is . A) extension of life span B) social security
C)reduction in the retirement age D)private pensions 3. The author implies that A)older parents can better care for their child B)children are likely to die or become disabled C)younger parents can better care for their children D)children can become homeless 4. The example in Singapore shows that A)workers are welcome B)retired people can vote two C) workers can vote one D)retired people are welcome 5. This passage discusses A) wonderful future in a younger society B)many businesses in a growing c) growing anger in a developed society D)emerging issues in an aging society Passage four A new currency called the euro was launched in Europe. It will replace eleven currencies by the year 2002 so that eleven European countries will share a common euro currency. The euro will make it e asier for these countries to trade with each other and for other countries to trade with them The euro is the latest in a global economy of money which sees large trading of currency 24 hours a day. Every day trillions of dollars are moved around the world via banks' computers Even as nations sleep, the fibre optic cables fax and phone lines, and Internet cyberspace highways are busy with the trade in money. This new form of electronic money is taking the place of the cash that we know from everyday dealings. Money has been used for many centuries but not always in the form of coins and notes. Some cultures used shells, cloth and precious stones. Early Maori traded items of value such as food and greenstones. Historically, gold, silver, copper and brass became the commonest currency, used by the Chinese, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and
C) reduction in the retirement age D) private pensions 3. The author implies that . A) older parents can better care for their children B) children are likely to die or become disabled C) younger parents can better care for their children D) children can become homeless 4. The example in Singapore shows that . A) workers are welcome B) retired people can vote two C) workers can vote one D) retired people are welcome 5.This passage discusses . A) wonderful future in a younger society B) many businesses in a growing society C) growing anger in a developed society D) emerging issues in an aging society Passage four A new currency called the “euro” was launched in Europe. It will replace eleven currencies by the year 2002 so that eleven European countries will share a common euro currency. The euro will make it easier for these countries to trade with each other and for other countries to trade with them. The euro is the latest in a global economy of money which sees large trading of currency 24 hours a day. Every day trillions of dollars are moved around the world via banks’ computers. Even as nations sleep, the fibre optic cables fax and phone lines, and Internet cyberspace highways are busy with the trade in money. This new form of electronic money is taking the place of the cash that we know from everyday dealings. Money has been used for many centuries but not always in the form of coins and notes. Some cultures used shells, cloth and precious stones. Early Maori traded items of value such as food and greenstones. Historically, gold, silver, copper and brass became the commonest currency, used by the Chinese, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and