题目
题型：江西省模拟题难度：来源：
The worst US economic depression in the recent 70 years is forcing senior citizens out of retirement,
leaving them fighting for jobs in a weak labor market or risking homelessness.
The study by Experience Works, released on Tuesday, showed 46 percent of the 2,000 low income
people over 55 years who participated needed to find work to keep their homes. Nearly half of them had been searching for work for more than a year.
"These people are at the age where they understandably thought their job-searching years were
behind them,” said Cynthia Metzler, president and CEO of Experience Works.
"Bur here they are, many in their 60s, 70s and beyond, desperate to find work so they can keep a
roof over their heads and food on the table.”
According to the study, many of the participants had no intention of working past their 60 th birthday, but _______ after being laid off or following the death of the partner. Over a third of the participants had
retired.
Ninety percent of the respondents 76 years and older planned to continue working for the next five
years.
Huge medical bills due to a persona illness or that of a partner were also reasons for coming out of
retirement, the survey found. The longest and deepest economic decline since the 1930s is making finding
a job for the low-income elderly workers a difficult challenge.
The Experience Works study found that 46 percent of the elderly jobseekers were sometimes forced
to choose between paying rent and buying food or medication. Almost three-quarters believed their age
made it harder to compete for jobs with younger workers.
"This study underscores calls for the need to create policies that remove barriers to employment for
elder workers and provide additional programs and services specifically aimed at helping elder people
re-enter the work force or remain working,” said Metzler.
1. What’s the main idea of the passage? (no more than 12 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Fill in the blank in Paragraph 5 with proper words. (no more than 5 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. Complete the following statement with proper words. (no more than 3 words)
The people over 55 years are hard to avoid the feeling that they have passed the age of
________________________________________________________________________________
4. What might be the solution to the problem according to the study? (no more than 15 words)
________________________________________________________________________________
5. What does the word “them” (line2, paragraph 2) probably refer to? (no more than 7 words)
________________________________________________________________________________
答案
2. had to change plans
3. looking for/searching jobs
4. Suitable policies should be made to help the elderly jobseekers.
Removing barriers to employment and providing additional programs and services for older jobseekers.
5. Low income people over 55 (years old)
核心考点
举一反三
Obama will deal with global problems such as the current economic slowdown once he takes office. As
Sam Beattie reports from Beijing, there is widespread hope for closer U.S.-Chinese cooperation.
For many students in Beijing, Mr. Obama symbolizes all that is possible in the United States. He"s a
popular winner here, seen as a self-made man who has made it to the top.
"I think he is very charming, and a president who can create a new era," said Zhang Wei, a university
student. "I like him very much and most of my friends do too." Ni Weibo, another university student,
agrees. "Sino-U.S. relations still need more cooperation," she said. "I think he will help take it to a new
era."
China"s President Hu Jintao congratulated Mr. Obama within hours of his victory, saying he hoped
bilateral ties could be made stronger.
Political analysts here say China will be looking for the incoming president to avoid contentious issues
such as Taiwan"s independence, human rights and Tibet.
Instead, they say Beijing would like Mr. Obama to focus on solving the global economic crisis, and to
help China"s slowing economy by opening up U.S. markets.
But trade relations might be a sticking point, says Renmin University"s Professor of International Studies, Shi Yinhong.
He warns, "There is a possibility that President Obama will take some protectionist measures which
China will not accept, then trade disputes could develop to a degree that we have not seen ever before."
Despite making the headlines, Mr. Obama faces some tough challenges in managing the U.S.
relationship with China. China is now a stronger and more confident country than the China his
predecessors dealt with. And in this time of economic uncertainty, analysts say it"s a country with which
Mr. Obama will want to maintain a good relationship.
1. What can we infer from the first three paragraphs?
A. Mr. Obama was popular with many students in Beijing mostly because he will take office soon.
B. Economic slowdown is the big problem that the world is facing and looking forward to solve except US
C. China"s President Hu Jintao congratulated Obama on his victory within hours.
D. Through Obama"s being elected, we can see all is possible in US and a new relationship may come.
2.What is not mentioned in this passage?
A. What Barack Obama is expected to do in dealing with the US-China relationship.
B. Why Barack Obama will maintain a good relationship with China.
C. How Barack Obama will deal with the current economic slowdown.
D. What image Barack Obama has given to Chinese people.
3. What does " a sticking point"( in para.7 ) mean?
A. a twist point
B. a disputed point
C. a good beginning
D. a understanding point
4. What is the best title for this report?
A. US-Chinese Cooperation Under the Current Economic Slowdown
B. Obama, Seen As A Popular Winner In China
C. Chinese Want Stronger Ties With US Under Obama Administration
D. The Current Economic Problem faces China As Well As US
to produce wealth. "Wealth" in this sense is not money, for we do not live on money but on things that
money can buy, “goods” such as food and clothing, and "services" such as transport and entertainment.
A country"s capacity to produce wealth depends upon many factors, most of which have an effect
on one another. Wealth depends to a very degree upon a country"s natural resources, such as coal, gold,
and other minerals, water supply and so on. Some regions of the world are well supplied with coal and
minerals, and have a fertile soil and a favorable climate; other regions possess perhaps only one of these
things, and some regions possess none of them. The USA is one of the wealthiest regions of the world
because she has vast natural resources within her borders, her soil is fertile, and her climate is of variety.
The Sahara Desert, on the other hand, is one of the least wealthy.
Next to natural resources comes the ability to turn them to use. Sound and stable political conditions,
and freedom from foreign invasion (侵略), enable a country to develop its natural resources peacefully
and steadily, and to produce more wealth than another country equally well served by nature but less
well ordered.
Another important factor is the technical efficiency of a country"s people. Old countries that have,
through many centuries, trained up numerous skilled craftsmen and technicians are better placed to
produce wealth than countries whose workers are largely unskilled.
Wealth also produces wealth. As a country becomes wealthier, its people have a large margin (富余)
for saving, and can put their savings into factories and machines which will help workers to turn out more
goods in their working day.
rate to 7.6 percent. But not all of those fired workers are sitting at home, reading the want ads
and waiting for the phone to ring. Thousands are returning to school, making public colleges
and universities among the few bright places in a disappointing U.S. economy.
For example, when many Americans have had their work hours decreased, or even lost their
jobs, Sherian Huddleston in charge of the enrollment (注册) of new students at Middle Tennessee
State University(MTSU) is working overtime. The university"s population grew by 800 students this
term--an increase of 4 percent over last spring"s registration. Huddleston says seeing enrollments
rise in a failing economy is not unexpected. "When people are out of jobs," she points out," they
will look at "What else can I do?" What other career can I follow?" and they will often go to school
or return to school if they have not previously completed their degree."
Older returning students aren"t the only ones increasing enrollment at Middle Tennessee State.
Huddleston says she"s also seeing an increase in student transfers. "Students who previously went
out of state to more expensive schools, or even in state to more expensive, maybe private schools,
because of the economy those students may be transferring to public schools, the state schools, to
make the most of the lower cost of attending," she explains.
B. to read the want ads
C. to complete their degree
D. to turn to their schoolmates for help
B. She doesn"t think it a good idea to transfer to public schools.
C. She is puzzled by those students who return to school.
D. She thinks returning to school is a good way to save the falling economy.
B. public or state schools offer better jobs
C. they don"t want to get affected by the falling economy
D. they want to bring down the expense
B. College Enrollment Up in a Depressing Economy
C. College Admit More Students Than Before
D. More Students Prefer to Return School
Canada"s wealth comes from the exploitation of its rich natural resources and from the work of its
citizens. Canadians are employed in a variety of jobs. All of these jobs can be grouped into one of three
categories: extractive industries, manufacturing industries and service industries.
Industries that take raw materials from the natural environment are called extractive or primary
industries. Canada has a wealth of natural resources. The extractive industries that have been developed
to exploit these natural resources make an important contribution to the wealth of our economy. Without
these extractive industries and the money they bring from other countries, Canada"s economy could not
exist in its present form. Yet only a small percentage of Canada"s labour force work in extractive
industries. Extractive industries rely on laboursaving machines instead of human labour.
Manufacturing industries process the products of extractive industries into finished products.
Manufacturing industries transform raw materials into many different forms to be used by consumers or
by other companies. This processing may be done in one or more stages. For example, iron ore is
transformed into steel in factories. This is called primary manufacturing. The steel is then sent to
companies for further processing into cars, mining equipment, machines, nails, and other products-such
as bicycle frames. This is called secondary manufacturing.
Manufacturing industries are located in many towns and cities across Canada. Companies try to build
their factories in densely populated areas because they want to near the people who buy their products.
If they locate near their customers, then they save money on shipping costs. Manufacturing industries
provide more jobs to Canadians than do extractive industries. Yet the number of people employed in
manufacturing is still small in comparison to the third category, services. As with extractive industries,
manufacturing process use many machines that require relatively few workers.
Service industries provide services needed by the extractive and manufacturing industries, and by
society in general. Without these services, society could not operate. The majority of Canadian workers
do not produce "goods" in their jobs. Instead, they provide "services" for others. The range of services
is very great and includes such things as retailing, office work, education, health care, communications,
government, transportation, and personal services.
Service industries in one form or another are spread over the entire country. In every community
there are stores, banks, schools, police forces, and dozens of other services. The majority of service
industries are found in town and cities because services are provided for people and there are many
more people in urban areas.
Canada"s economy depends upon the creation of jobs in all three types of industry.
| Introduction | All 1.________can be divided into three categories: extractive industries, manufacturing industries and service industries. |
| Extractive industries | Extractive industries are also called primary industries, which are 2.________with the exploitation of raw materials from the natural environment. |
| 3.________ | |
| industries | Manufacturing industries 4.________raw materials into products, which can be used by people or companies. |
| Manufacturing industries can be grouped into primary manufacturing and 5.________ manufacturing. | |
| Primary manufacturing 6.________ steel from iron ore for further processing. | |
| Secondary manufacturing will then use the steel to make products like cars, bikes, etc. for people to use. | |
| Service industries | Service industries provide services the other two industries need. Without these services, our society cannot 7.________. |
| Service industries provide jobs for shop assistants, office 8.________, teachers, doctors, and many others. | |
| Service industries mainly provide services for 9.________. | |
| Closing | Our society is 10.________on all three types of industry. |
| 阅读理解 | |
| Most Americans get what money they have from their work；that is ,they earn an income from wages or salaries.The richest Americans,however,get most of their money from what they own-their stocks, bonds,real estate,and other forms of property,or wealth.Although there are few accurate statistics to go by, wealth in American society appears to be concentrated in very few hands.More than 20 percent of everything that can be privately owned is held by less than one percent of the adult population and more than 75 percent of all wealth is owned by 20 percent of American adults.The plain fact is that most Americans have no wealth at all aside from their homes,automobiles,and a small amount of savings. Income in the United States is not as highly concentrated as wealth.In 1917 the richest 10 percent of American families received 26 percent of all income,while the poorest 10 percent received 17 percent, mainly from Social Security and other government payments.The most striking aspect of income distribution is that it has not changed significantly since the end of World War ?.Although economic growth has roughly doubled real disposable(可自由使用的)family income(the money left after taxes and adjusted for inflation)over the last generation,the size of the shares given to the rich and the poor is about the same. By any measure economic inequality is great in the United States. The reality behind these statistics is that a large number of Americans are poor.In 1918,14 percent of the population was living below the federal government"s poverty line,which at that time was an annual income of $9,287 for a nonfarm family of two adults and two children.In other words,about one out of seven Americans over 31 million people was officially considered unable to buy the basic necessities of food,clothes,and shelter.The suggested poverty line in 1981 would have been an income of about $11,200 for a family of four.By this relative definition,about 20 percent of the population or more than 45 million Americans are poor. | |
| 1．What does the majority of the Americans have in terms of wealth? | |
| A. Their income and savings. B. Everything they own in their homes. C. Actually,they have no wealth at all. D. Their house,cars and small amounts of savings | |
| 2．What is the percentage of wealth that is in the hands of most Americans? | |
| A. More than 25%. B. Less than 25%. C. More than 75%. D. Less than 20%. | |
| 3．Why is economic inequality still great in the US in spite of the economic growth? | |
| A. Because the proportion of income received by the rich and the poor remains almost the same as in 1917. B. Because the economic growth has widened the gap of the family income between the rich and the poor. C. Because income in the US is still concentrated in the hands of the richest 10% of American families. D. Because some Americans made great fortunes during the Second World War. | |
| 4．What can we learn from comparison of the two poverty lines in the last paragraph? | |
| A. The poverty line of 1918 is more favorable to the poor than that of 1981. B. The 1981 line didn"t leave much to the poor. C. There were more Americans who were officially poor by the 1981 line. D. There were more Americans who were officially poor by the 1918 line |