Nobody Benefits NEW YORK--America has been experiencing the longest economic increase in its history.Incomes have risen, unemployment has fallen, and cities such as New York are bursting with new office buildings. But just a short walk from Manhattan's skyscrapers, George Brown sits on the side-walk, cooking a lunch of rice and bits of fish over a can of cooking fuel. Brown is homeless -- one of the 2.3 million people in the US who end up on the street. During the day, Brown collects aluminium cans and sells them for five cents a piece.At night, he sleeps on the street. "I have been on the street about eight or nine years, something like that," said the 62-year-old former construction worker. Brown admits he's had problems with alcohol and has smoked cocaine.But he said he still wants a more stable housing arrangement.He could afford it just with the money he earns by collecting cans and small pieces of metal, if only truly low-income housing were available. However, he sees no hope of finding affordable housing in New York. With the strong economy and unemployment down, beautiful housing is being built to meet demand. A US report shows rents in New York city rose more than 27 percent between 1984 and 1999, from US $549 to US $700 a month. One of the side effects of the strong economy is that rents have been going up. The majority of people who experience homelessness really just need some affordable housing help. But few housing companies have been built for the poor.Many small apartments in the city now rent for US $1,500 a month or more. Brown, the homeless New Yorker, said he has a daughter who lives in the city but he rarely sees her.She is angry about his drinking and won't allow it in her house. Smiling, he said he also has seven grandchildren whom he'd like to see more often. "All I've got to do is clean up my act," he said. From George Brown's life we can find that _ . A) old Americans lead a hard life B) old Americans want to live alone C) American cities are crowded with poor people D) bad habits play a role in some poor people's Life
D
(Question)
Are you reading this while sitting in an office cubicle ? If so, please take a moment and glance around you. Are there photos of your last vacation hung on the wall? One of your kid's drawings? A yellowed print of a favorite cartoon? If so, you are doing something good for both yourself and your organization. Newly published research suggests working in an environment that offers little privacy can lead to emotional exhaustion and burnout . But personalizing one's workplace is an effective protection against such unwanted outcomes. "Individuals may take comfort from the items with which they surround themselves at work, and these items may help employees to keep emotional energy high in the face of stresses that come from their work," writes a research team led by Gregory Laurence of the University of Michigan-Flint, Michigan, in north central U.S. In the Journal of Environmental Psychology, Laurence and his colleagues describe a study featuring 87 white-collar employees at a large, urban university in the Midwestern United States. Research assistants noted whether they worked in a private office (with a door that can be closed) or a cubicle. They also counted the number of items each worker had brought from home to decorate his or her workspace - a list that included photographs, posters, artworks. Not surprisingly, Laurence and his colleagues found a connection between the amount of privacy an employee enjoys and his or her rate of burnout. "High privacy conditions tend to serve as strong protectors against unwelcome interferences and distractions ," they noted, "contributing to a work environment supporting reduced emotional exhaustion." But this link disappeared when those employees had personalized their cubicles. Employees who had turned their workspaces into areas that reflect their interests and personalities reported the same (relatively low) level of emotional exhaustion, no matter whether they worked in an office or a cubicle. The research confirms "the calming effect" of having your own stuff... The participant of the research _ . A) come from the university of Michigan-Flint B) all suffer high levels of emotional exhaustion C) may work in a private office or in a cubicle D) like personalizing their homes with little items
(Answer)
C
Ques: When it comes to movies, we usually think of big actors, big budgets, big screens, and, if lucky, big profits. Unfortunately, that puts up some big barriers for aspiring young filmmakers and their dreams. However, thanks to easy access to technology, that's all changing. All one really needs nowadays is a camera, a computer, an Internet connection, and, of course, a good idea. With that, you can enter the microfilm world. Shooting a movie using friends and family as the cast has become a common class project for high school students. After a little editing on a laptop, some even decide their creation is worth sharing online. Microfilms are shot within a short period of time and last only a few minutes or even shorter. Most are completed on an extremely small budget and offer a cheap way for grassroots directors to realize their dreams. With a range of film festivals, they have taken off due to being perfectly suited to new media platforms such as mobile phones and notebook computers. They are also easily shared across social networks and microblogs. But microfilms are far different from the shorts commonly found on YouTube. A microfilm must have a solid and thoughtful plot. Most importantly, the movies are easily distributed and there can be no concern about long-term box office profits. Most people who upload a microfilm simply see it as an easy way to share their fun with a few friends and family. Others may be curious about what sort of reaction their production may receive from the general public. What's the best title for the passage? A) A look at microfilms B) The challenge of big films C) A new class project D) The secret of successful microfilms
Ans: A
Shakespeare City Walk This 90-minute leisurely walking tour does not go to the Globe Theatre (because everyone already knows it) , but instead uncovers less known monuments and locations in the City of London with connections to Shakespeare's life, his friends, his loves and his work. The Shakespeare City Walk takes place on Fridays at 11 a.m. at Temple tube station. Address: Meet at Temple tube station, London Telephone: +44(0)790 5746733 Camera Walk Learn how to take better photos as you explore London with a professional photographer on a Camera Trails tour. Walk around Brick Lane and Spitalfields on the Urban East tour, or take photos of Big Ben and St Paul's Cathedral on the South Bank tour. Address: Trafalgar Square, London Telephone: +44(0)798 957 9336 The Celebrity Planet See celebrity homes, famous film locations, music landmarks and places linked to pop history on a Celebrity Planet tour. Find out about stars in Notting Hill, Mayfair, Primrose Hill or Chelsea, or try a Harry Potter, James Bond or Beatles tour. Address: 40 Porchester Square, London Telephone: +44(0)20 7193 8770 Email: info@thecelebrityplanet.com Sandemans New London Tours Sandemans New London Tours offer a completely free tour of Royal London, including the Changing of the Guard. There's also an Old City of London Tour, and a Grim Reapers of London Tour. Our expert guides work for tips, you contribute to the pollution problem of London's cars and buses. Email: info@neweuropetours.com If you want to take some wonderful photos of Big Ben, you may _ . A) receive some professional training B) go to Temple tube station C) join the Urban East tour D) join the South Bank tour
D