Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time. In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion.
Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies, people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of famine (饑荒), infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, where as if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies, people feel a moral obligation (責(zé)任) to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work; we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement, somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illnesses than young or middle-aged people; unless they have wealth or private or government insurance, they must often “go on welfare” if they have a serious illness.
When older people become senile (衰老的) or too weak and ill to care for themselves, they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures, they would be cared for at home until they died. Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet this need, a great many nursing homes and convalescent (療養(yǎng)的) hospitals have been built. These are often profit making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups. While a few of these institutions are good, most of them are simply “dumping (倒垃圾的) grounds” for the dying in which “care” is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under skilled personnel (員工)

1. 1.

   The author believes that the increased size of the human population results from _______

   1. A.
      an increase in birthrates
   2. B.
      the industrial development
   3. C.
      a decrease in death rates
   4. D.
      childhood diseases
2. 2.

   It can be inferred from the passage that in hunting and gathering cultures _______

   1. A.
      it was a moral responsibility for the families to keep alive the aged people who could not work
   2. B.
      the survival of infants was less important than that of their parents in times of starvation
   3. C.
      old people were given the task of imparting (傳授) the cultural wisdom of the tribe to new generations
   4. D.
      death was celebrated as a time of rejoicing for an individual freed of (免除) the hardships of life
3. 3.

   The phrase “this need” in the last paragraph refers to ________

   1. A.
      prolonging the dying old people’s lives
   2. B.
      reducing the problems caused by the retired people
   3. C.
      making profits through caring for the sick or weak people
   4. D.
      taking care of the sick or weak people
4. 4.

   According to the passage, which of the following statements about the old people in the United States is true?

   1. A.
      Many of them live on social security money which is hardly enough
   2. B.
      Minority of them remain in a state of near poverty after their retirement
   3. C.
      Many nursing homes are sponsored by religious and nonprofit groups
   4. D.
      Older people have wealth or private insurance if they have a serious illness

Argentina's Lionel Messi has won the Golden Ball awarded to the European Footballer of the Year, becoming the sixth Barcelona player to take the award and the first since Brazilian Ronaldinho in 2005.

Messi beat last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place while Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez finished third in the poll results released by France Football magazine early Tuesday.

Praised by Argentina great Diego Maradona as his successor, Messi won an unprecedented treble（三重） in Spain last season with Barcelona as the Catalan side swept the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Copa del Rey.

The 22-year-old Messi, the first Argentine to win the world-famous award, was the top scorer in last year's Champions League with nine goals, including his superb header（足球中的頭球） in the 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the final.

Messi, who scored 473 of a possible 480 points, largely controlled the voting and won with a record-margin of 240 points. Real Madrid winger Ronaldo had 233 and Xavi had 170.

"Honestly, I knew that I was among the favorites because Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009," Messi was quoted as saying by the magazine.

"But I didn't expect to win with such a margin. The Golden Ball is very important to me. All the players who won it were great players, and some great players never won it."

Barcelona had three players in the Top 5 with Andres Iniesta taking fourth ahead of former Barca player Samuel Eto'o.

In an outstanding season, Messi netted(把…踢進(jìn)網(wǎng)) 38 goals in 51 games in all competitions, often leaving defenders in his wake(在…之后) with a combination of speed, extraordinary abilities and his effective left-footed strike.

Messi, who led Argentina to next year's World Cup in South Africa, recently signed a new contract with Barcelona through 2016.

Messi had a good start to this season - already scoring nine goals - and put on a great display to help his club defeat archrival Real Madrid 1-0 last Sunday.

"It won't be easy to confirm after a year like the one we just went through," Messi said.

"I hope the next one will reach the same standards. But to win the Golden Ball two years in a row is not an easy thing."

(Read by Guanny Liu. Guanny Liu is a multimedia journalist at the China Daily Web site.)

Which of the following is the suitable title?

A. Messi beats C. Ronaldo to win the European Footballer of the Year

B. Ronaldinho beats Messi to win the European Footballer of the Year

C. Messi beats Xavi to win the European Footballer of the Year

D. Ronaldinho beats Xavi to win the European Footballer of the Year

Messi has some advantages over others EXCEPT _________.

A. a rapid speed           B. a new contract with Barcelona

C. outstanding abilities     D. his effective left-footed strike

By saying “But I didn't expect to win with such a margin.”, Messi means _____.

A. he didn’t think he won unexpectedly    B. he didn’t want to win at all

C. he didn’t expect he won extraordinarily  D. he couldn’t wait to win

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Xavi Hernandez finished second in the poll.

B. Messi treated Maradona as his successor.

C. The 22-year-old Messi was the first European Footballer.

D. Messi said Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009.

I’m a skeptic(懷疑論者) when it comes to the benefits of taking vitamins and other supplements. We swallow far more than any other country- yet we’re not the healthiest folks by far, nor do we live the longest.

There’s more bad news for vitamins this week: Turns out that takig folic acid(葉酸) and vitamin B12 supplements doesn’t prevent heart attacks or death, according to a major new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It was hoped they would, since the vitamins do reduce levels of homocysteine(高半胱氨酸), an amino acid(氨基酸) that is higher in the blood of people who have a higher risk of heart disease. In fact, homocysteine was reduced 30 percent after one year of treatment in the participants who took both vitamins. But in the following three years, just as many vitamin takers died as those who didn’t take the vitamins. Even worse, the study was stopped early because another similar study suggested that there may be an increased risk of cancer from taking B vitamins.

I had been taking a health-food store monster multivitamin(綜合維生素劑) for months. Coincidentally, I had been experiencing some strange numbness in my legs that was starting to scare me. I remember sitting in a long meeting with my ankles crossed, and when I tried to stand up I crumpled on the floor and hit my chin on the glass coffee table because my leg had gone completely numb and worthless. As I sat there and shook my leg, I got that “pins and needles” feeling and soon was OK. But it scared me enough to make an appointment with a neurologist, who suggested an MRI to rule out multiple sclerosis, stroke, or a brain tumor(腫).

While I’ll never know for sure if the vitamins caused my problem, many, many studies have reminded us that pill forms of vitamins and minerals don’t provide the same benefit as getting them from food. There’s a lot we don’t know about how the human body works. Until we know more, I’m getting most of my vitamins from the farmer’s market.

49. What can we know from the last paragraph?

  A. The writer is getting most of pill forms of vitamins from the markets.

  B. The writer continues to take vitamins in great quantities.

  C. The writer is getting vitamins from food, which can provide more benefits.

  D. The writer will never take pill forms of vitamins and minerals.

50. Why do people take folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements?

They want to stop heart

 attacks or live longer.

  B. They want to live longer.

  C. They want to increase risk of cancer.

  D. They want to experience some strange numbness.

51. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

  A. It was the multivitamin he took that caused the writer to get the “pins and needles” feeling.

  B. Taking more vitamins will not make a man healthier or live longer.

  C. The vitamins can reduce levels of homocysteine in our body.

  D. The less homocysteine in our blood, the less chance we’ll have heart attacks.

52. The best title of the passage can be _________.

  A. Vitamins: Benefit Us a Lot               B. Vitamins: No Help for Your Heart

  C. Vitamins: Bad for the Brain, Too           D. Some Bad News About Vitamins.

C
You either have it, or you don’t— a sense of direction, that is. But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map, while others can lose themselves in the next street?
Scientists say we’re all born with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works. One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don’t use it, we lose it.
“Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around. Says Jim Martland, Research Director of the project. “However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they never develop the skills.”
Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain skills to improve their sense of direction. He makes the following suggestions:
If you are using a map, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing.
If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the same route.
Simplify the way of finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town. Streams, or walls in the countryside to guide you. Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are.    
Now you need never get lost again!
64. Scientists believe that ______.
A. some babies are born with a sense of direction
B. people learn a sense of direction as they grow older
C. people never lose their sense of direction
D. everybody possesses a sense of direction from birth
65. What is true of seven-year-old children according to the passage?
A. They never have a sense of direction without maps.
B. They should never be allowed out alone if they lack a sense of direction.
C. They have a sense of direction and can find their way around.
D. They can develop a good sense or direction if they are driven around in a car.
66. If you leave your bike in a strange place, you should ______.
A. tie it to a tree so as to present it from being stolen.
B. draw a map of the route to help remember where it is.
C. avoid taking the same route when you come back to it.
D. remember something easily recognized on the route.
67. According to the passage, the best way to find your way around is to ______.
A. ask policemen for directions.
B. use walls, streams and streets to guide yourself.
C. remember your route by looking out for steps and stairs.
D. count the number of landmarks that you see.

Do you want to improve the way you study? Do you feel nervous before a test? Many students say that a lack of concentration is their biggest problem．It has bad effects on their ability to study, so do their test results．

If so, use these tips to help you．

Study Techniques

You should always study in the same place．You shouldn’t sit in a position that you use for another purpose．For example, when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax．Don’t watch TV while you are studying．Experts warn that your concentration may be reduced by 50 percent if you attempt to study in this way．Always try to have a white wall in front of you, so there is nothing to distract （make less concentrated） you．Before sitting down to study, gather together all the equipment you need．Apart from your textbooks, pens, pencils and knives, make sure you have a dictionary．If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it．

Your eyes will become tired if you try to read a text which is on a flat surface．Position your book at an angle of 30 degrees．

Be realistic and don’t try to complete too much in one study period．Finish one thing before beginning another．If you need a break, get up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat．

Test-taking Skills

 All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous to take your test．Getting plenty of rest is very important．This means do not study all night before your test! It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan．Try to make a timetable for your study which lasts a few months．

  Exercise is a great way to reduce pressure．Doing some form of exercise every day will also improve your concentration．Eat healthy food too．

  When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down．Breathe slowly and deeply．Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often．Above all, take no notice of everyone else and give the test paper your undivided attention．

1．Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．You should study in a different place every day, so you don’t get bored．

B．Your concentration will improve if you study and watch TV at the same time．

C．Check the time during the exam at a certain time．

D．Staying up all night is tiring, but you will learn a lot using this method．

2．What does the underlined word “it” refer to?

A．Your study desk or table．               B．Your textbook．

C．Your dictionary．                            D．The equipment you need．

3．What can be inferred from the passage?

A．You shouldn’t look at everyone else during the test．

B．You will have enough energy to deal with and concentrate on your study  and exams better by eating healthy diet．

C．You’ll concentrate more if there is nothing to distract you．

D．If you need a break during study, you can walk around for a few minutes．