received support from fans like Donovan
remolded the intelligence services
restored many common pastimes
revived spying as a profession

Question: The emergence of the Net has 	.

Wild Bill Donovan would have loved the Internet. The American spymaster who built the Office of Strategic Services in the World War II and later laid the roots for the CIA was fascinated with information. Donovan believed in using whatever tools came to hand in the "great game" of espionage -- spying as a "profession." These days the Net, which has already re-made such everyday pastimes as buying books and sending mail, is reshaping Donovan's vocation as well.
The latest revolution isn't simply a matter of gentlemen reading other gentlemen's e-mail. That kind of electronic spying has been going on for decades. In the past three or four years, the World Wide Web has given birth to a whole industry of point-and-click spying. The spooks call it "open-source intelligence," and as the Net grows, it is becoming increasingly influential. In 1995 the CIA held a contest to see who could compile the most data about Burundi. The winner, by a large margin, was a tiny Virginia company called Open Source Solutions, whose clear advantage was its mastery of the electronic world.
Among the firms making the biggest splash in this new world is Straitford, Inc., a private intelligence-analysis firm based in Austin, Texas. Straitford makes money by selling the results of spying (covering nations from Chile to Russia) to corporations like energy-services firm McDermott International. Many of its predictions are available online at www.straitford.com.
Straitford president George Friedman says he sees the online world as a kind of mutually reinforcing tool for both information collection and distribution, a spymaster's dream. Last week his firm was busy vacuuming up data bits from the far corners of the world and predicting a crisis in Ukraine. "As soon as that report runs, we'll suddenly get 500 new Internet sign-ups from Ukraine," says Friedman, a former political science professor. "And we'll hear back from some of them." Open-source spying does have its risks, of course, since it can be difficult to tell good information from bad. That's where Straitford earns its keep.
Friedman relies on a lean staff of 20 in Austin. Several of his staff members have military-intelligence backgrounds. He sees the firm's outsider status as the key to its success.
Straitford's briefs don't sound like the usual Washington back-and-forthing, whereby agencies avoid dramatic declarations on the chance they might be wrong. Straitford, says Friedman, takes pride in its independent voice.


introduce the topic of online spying
show how he fought for the U.S.
give an episode of the information war
honor his unique services to the CIA

Question: Donovan's story is mentioned in the text to 	.


causing the biggest trouble
exerting the greatest effort
achieving the greatest success
enjoying the widest popularity

Question: The phrase "making the biggest splash" (Line 1, Paragraph 3) most probably means 	.


Straitford's prediction about Ukraine has proved true

Straitford guarantees the truthfulness of its information

Straitford's business is characterized by unpredictability

Straitford is able to provide fairly reliable information

Question: It can be learned from Paragraph 4 that 	.


official status
nonconformist image
efficient staff
military background

Question: Straitford is most proud of its 	.


Good tool Design for Women
Importance of Good Tool Design
Tool Design and Prevention of Injuries
Overuse of Tools and Worker Protection

Question: What is the best title for the passage?

Good tool design is important in the prevention of overuse injuries. Well-designed tools and equipment will require less force to operate them and prevent awkwardhand positions. They will allow the worker to keep the elbowsnext to the body to prevent damage to the shoulder and arm.
Overuse injuries can therefore be prevented or reduced if the employer provides, and workers use:
●power tools rather than having to use musclepower
●tools with specially designed handles that allow the wristto keep straight (See figure 1). This means that hands and wrists are kept in the same position as they would be if they were hanging relaxed at a person's side
Figure1. Bend the tool, not the wrist
●tools with handles that can be held comfortably by the whole hand. This means having a selection of sizes-remember that tools that provide a comfortable firm Hold for a person with a very large hand may be awkward for someone with a very small hand. This is a particularly important consideration for women who may use tools originally designed for men.
●tools that do not press fingers (or flesh) between the handles, and whose handles do not have sharp edges or a small surface area.


It's kept close to the body.
It fully uses muscle power.
It makes users feel relaxed.
It's operated with less force.

Question: Which of the following describes a well-designed tool?


The effective use of the tool.
The way of operating the tool.
The proper design of the handle.
The purpose of bending the wrist.

Question: What is Figure 1 used to show?


the size
the edge
the shape
the position

Question: In choosing tools for women,  _ of the handle is the most important.


they are cold to each other
they look away from each other
they misunderstand each other's signals
they are introduced at an early age

Question: Some cats and dogs may fight when _ .

Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe of success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. Two-thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.
However, it wasn't all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behaviour. They are learning how to talk each other's language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk ‘dog', and dogs can learn how to talk ‘Cat'.
What's interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn to read each other's body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than was preciously suspected. Once familiar with each other's presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together in the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom each other.
The significance of this research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets----to people who don't get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.


They learn to speak each other's language

They know something from each other's voice

Question: What is found surprising about cats and dogs?


have common interests
are less different than was thought
have a common body langage
are less intelligent than was expected

Question: It is suggested in paragraph 4 that cats and dogs _ .


We should learn to live in harmony
We should knows more about animals
We should live in peace with animals
We should learn more body languages

Question: What can we human beings learn from cats and dogs?


of little use
of some use
practical
valuable

Question: The man once thought advertising was  _ .

A man once said how useless it was to put advertisements in the newspapers. ―Last week,‖ he said, my umbrella was stolen from a London church. As it was a present, I spent twice its worth in advertising, but didn't get it back.
―How did you write your advertisement?‖ asked one of the listeners, a merchant.
―Here it is,‖ said the man, taking out of his pocket a slip cut from a newspaper, The other man took it and read, ―Lost from the City Church last Sunday evening, a black silk umbrella. The gentleman who finds it will receive ten shillings on leaving it at No. 10 Broad Street.‖
―Now,‖said the merchant, ―I often advertise, and find that it pays me well. But the way in which an advertisement is expressed is of extreme importance. Let us try for your umbrella again, and if it fails, I'll buy you a new one.‖
The merchant then took a slip of paper out of his pocket and wrote: ―If the man who was seen to take an umbrella from the City Church last Sunday evening does n't wish to get into trouble, he will return the umbrella to No.10 Broad Street. He is well known.‖
This appeared in the paper, and on the following morning, the man was astonished when the opened the front door. (81) In the doorway lay at least twelve umbrellas of all sizes and colors that had been thrown in, and his own was among the number. Many of them had notes fastened to them saying that they hand been taken by mistake, and begging the loser not to say anything about the matter.


the umbrella was found somewhere near the church

Question: The result of the first advertisement was that _ .


buy a new umbrella
go on looking for his umbrella
write another better advertisement.
report to the police

Question: The merchant suggested that the man should _ .


He had a friend in the newspaper where he advertised.

Question: Why did the merchant say ―I often advertise and find that it pays me well‖?


what the merchant did for the umbrella owner

Question: This is a story about _.


they do not know how to enjoy themselves

they do not believe that relaxation is important for health

they are becoming busier with their work

Question: People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because _ .

As the pace of life continues to increase ,we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through lift,being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.
Stress is an natural part of everyday lift and there is no way to avoid it. In fact ,it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be .A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation adn give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.
The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress,and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress,in whatever form,we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme,but however little the stress,it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long,through continued exposure to stress,that health becomes endangered.Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress.Since we cannot remove stress from our lives(it would be unwise to do so even if we could),we need to find ways to deal with it.


not fearing stress
knowing the art of relaxation
high sense of responsibility
having control over performance

Question: According to the writer ,the most important character for a good manager is his _ .


It is easy to change the hagit of keeping oneself busy with work.

Different people can withstand different amounts of stress

Question: Which of the follwing statements is ture?


"making a choice between 'flight' or 'fight'"

"reaction to stress both chemically and physically"

"losing heart at the signs difficulties"

Question: In Paragraph 3, "such a reaction" refers back to _ .


"established links between diseases and stress"

Question: In the last sentence of the passage,"do so " refers to _ .


being able to speak two languages
being able to speak three languages
being able to speak four languages
being able to speak five languages

Question: The word " bilingual"  (Line 7,para,1) means _ .

Actually, though, America, the " land of immigrants" , has always had people of many different nationalities and languages. The 1990 census indicates that almost 14% of Americans speak a non-English language at home. Yet only 3% reported that they spoke English " not well"  or " not at all " . That means that slightly more than one out of 10 Americans could be considered bilingual.
Besides that, many high school and college students-and even some elementery school students-are required to take a foreign language as a part of their curriculum. In addition to old standbys like Spanish, German and Franch, more and more students are opting Eastern European and Asian languages. Of course, not all students keep up their foreign language abilities. As the old saying goes, " If you don't use it ."  But still, a growing number of Americans are coming to appreciate the benefits of being multilingual.
Ethnic enclaves, found particularly in major metropolitan centers, have preserved the language and culture of American immigrants. Some local residents can function quite well in their native language, without having to bother learning English. Rogions such as southern Florida and the Southwest have numerous Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. In fact, Spanish speakers-numbering over 17 million-compose the largest non-English linguistic group in America. But Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian,Polish and many other ethnic group add to the linguistic flavor of America. Foreign languages are so commonly used in some ethnic neighborhoods that visitors might think they are in another country!
Although some Americans welcome this linguistic and cultural diversity, other have begun to fear that the English language is being threatened. Since the 1980s, the " English Only "  movement has sought to promote legislation which would establish English as the " official language"  and restrict the use of non-English language. However, some groups, including TESOL, the organization for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other language, object to such " language restrictionism" . Their view, known as " English Plus" , suggests that Americans should have respect for people's native help them fit into the mainstream of society. But so far, 19 states have passed English Only legislation, and the topic is the focus of an ongoing debate.
Whether or not Engliash is the official language of the United States, it remains the " language of wider communication" . Nearly everyone recognizes the need to develop proficiency in English in order to do well in America. To help those who want to brush up on their English skills, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes around. Cities with large numbers of recent immigrants often set up bilingual education programs to teach students content subjects in their native language while they improve their English. Language educators often have strong and divergent views as to which approach helps learners achieve better results: a bilingual approach, an ESL approach-or even a pure immersion(" sink or swim" ) approach. However, all these teachers share a common commitment: to help students function well in English.
American recognize that English is the international language, and people with good English skills can get by in many international settings. On the other hand, in a world growing increasingly smaller, second language skills can be a great favor. They can build cross-cultural bridges and give people an edge in a variety of career field. Indeed, lack of foreign language proficiency can limit one's chances for advancement and keep one in a cultural dead-end street. As many people in America are discovering, being monolingual is no laughing matter.


ethnic groups have preserved their native languages

ethnic groups are not allowed to speak English

ethnic groups encourage their natives to learn foreign languages

ethnic groups allow their natives to go to another country

Question: Foreign languages are commonly used in some ethnic neighborhoods because _ .


Immigrants from China
Immigrants from Spain
Immigrants from Italy
Immigrants from Vietnam

Question: _ compose the largest linguistic group in America.


Its purpose was to establish a legislation of restricting the use of English.

TESOL was in favor of " English Only "  by objecting to " English plus" .

It was launched because English was being threatened.

A large majority of states supported the movement.

Question: Which of the following is TRUE about " English Only"  movement?


English-a language widely spoken around the world

Question: The general idea of this passage is _ .


were regular
were controlled by a clock
were heard in 1967 only
were secret messages

Question: The radio signals discussed in this passage _ .

Some radio singals were heard in 1967.They were coming from a point in the sky where there was unknown star.They were coming very regularly,too:about once a seco nd,if they were controlled by clock.
The scientists who heard the signals did not tell anybody else.They were rather afraid to tell in case they frightened people.The signals were coming from a very small body-no bigger,perhaps than the earth.Was that why no light could be seen from it?Or were the signals coming from a planet that belonged to some other star?There was no end to the questions,but the scientists kept the news secret."Perhaps there are intelligent beings out there."they thought,"who are trying to send messages to other planets,or to us?So the news was not given to the newspaper.Instead,the scientists studied the signals and searched for others like them...Well,all that happened in 1967 and 1968.Since then scientists have learnt more about those strange,regular,radio signals.And they have told the story,of course.
The signals do not come from a planet;they come from a new kind of star called a "pulsar"".About a hundred other pulsars have now been found,and most of them are very like the first one.
Pulsars are strong radio stars.They are the smallest but the heaviest stars we know at present.A handful of pulsar would weigh a few thousand tons.Their light-if they give much light-is too small for us to see.But we can be sure of this,no intelligent beings are living on them.


a sky body which was unknown at that time

intelligent beings who were unknown at that time

Question: The radio singals were sent by _ .


people would ask them too many questions

Question: The scientists did not tell people about the signals because _ .


a small heavy star which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seen

a small heavy planet which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seen

a small heavy satellite which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seen

a small intelligent being who sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seen

Question: A pulsar is _ .


One of the pulsars found by scientists sends radio signals.

Pulsar began to send radio singals in 1967.

Scientists have searched for pulsars for many years but found none.

Scientists have found many pulsars since 1967.

Question: Which of the following is true?


were often absent when a family member was born or dying

were quite unfamiliar with birth and death

usually witnessed the birth or death of a family member

had often experienced the fear of death as part of life

Question: The elders of contemporary Americans  _ .

In the old day, children were familiar with birth and death as part of life. This is perhaps the first generation of American youngsters who have never been close by during the birth of a baby and have never experienced the death of a family member.
Nowadays when people grow old, we often send them to nursing homes. When they get sick, we transfer them to a hospital, where children are forbidden to visit terminally ill patients-even when those patients are their parents. This deprives the dying patient of significant family members during the last few days of his life and it deprives the children of an experience of death, which is an important learning experience.
Some of my colleagues and I once interviewed and followed approximately 500 terminally ill patients in order to find out what they could teach us and how we could be of more benefit, not just to them but to the members of their families as well. We are most impressed by the fact that even those patients who were not told of their serious illness were quite aware of its potential outcome.
It is important for family members, and doctors and nurses to understand these patients' communications in order to truly understand their needs, fears, and fantasies. Most of our patients welcomed another human being with whom they could talk openly, honestly, and frankly about their trouble. Many of them shared with us their tremendous need to be informed, to be kept up-to-date on their medical condition and to be told when the end was near. We found out that patients who had been dealt with openly and frankly were better able to cope with the approach of death and finally to reach a true stage of acceptance prior to death.


to learn how to face death
to visit dying patients
to attend to patients
to have access to a hospital

Question: Children in America today are denied the chance  _ .


observing how they reacted to the crisis of death

helping them and their families overcome the fear of death

finding out their attitude towards the approach of death

learning how to best help them and their families

Question: Five hundred critically ill patients were investigated with the main purpose of  _ .


his desire for communication with other people

his pessimistic attitude towards his condition

Question: The need of a dying patient for company shows  _ .


dying patients are afraid of being told of the approach of death

most doctors and nurses understand what dying patients need

dying patients should be truthfully informed of their condition

most patients are unable to accept death until it is obviously inevitable

Question: It may be concluded from the passage that  _ .


stand still
jump aside
step forward
draw back

Question: It can be inferred that Americans being approached too closely by Middle Easterners would most probably ________.

Our culture has caused most Americans to assume not only that our language is universal but that the gestures we use are understood by everyone. We do not realize that waving good-bye is the way to summon a person from the Philippines to one's side, or that in Italy and some Latin-American countries, curling the finger to oneself is a sign of farewell.
Those private citizens who sent packages to our troops occupying Germany after World War II and marked them GIFT to escape duty payments did not bother to find out that "Gift" means poison in German. Moreover, we like to think of ourselves as friendly, yet we prefer to be at least 3 feet or an arm's length away from others. Latins and Middle Easterners like to come closer and touch, which makes Americans uncomfortable.
Our linguistic  and cultural blindness and the casualness with which we take notice of the developed tastes, gestures, customs and languages of other countries, are losing us friends, business and respect in the world.
Even here in the United States, we make few concessions to the needs of foreign visitors. There are no information signs in four languages on our public buildings or monuments; we do not have multilingual  guided tours. Very few restaurant menus have translations, and multilingual waiters, bank clerks and policemen are rare. Our transportation systems have maps in English only and often we ourselves have difficulty understanding them.
When we go abroad, we tend to cluster in hotels and restaurants where English is spoken. Then attitudes and information we pick up are conditioned by those natives-usually the richer-who speak English. Our business dealings, as well as the nation's diplomacy, are conducted through interpreters.
For many years, American dollars no longer buy all good things, and we are slowly beginning to realize that our proper role in the world is changing. A 1979 Harris poll reported that 55 percent of Americans want this country to play a more significant role in world affairs; we want to have a hand in the important decisions of the next century, even though it may not always he the upper hand.


cultural self-centeredness
casual manners
indifference towards foreign visitors
arrogance towards other cultures

Question: The author gives many examples to criticize Americans for their ________.


are not well informed due to the language barrier

need interpreters in hotels and restaurants

Question: In countries other than their own most Americans ________.


cut themselves off from the outside world

Question: According to the author, Americans' cultural blindness and linguistic ignorance will ________.


it is dangerous to ignore their foreign friends

it is important to maintain their leading role in world affairs

it is necessary to use several languages in public places

it is time to get acquainted with other cultures

Question: The author's intention in writing this article is to make Americans realize that ________.


how to suffer pain
how to avoid pain
how to handle pain
how to stop pain

Question: The passage is mainly about.

A moment's drilling by the dentist may make us nervous and upset. Many of us cannot stand pain. To avoid the pain of a drilling that may last perhaps a minute or two, we demand theneedle- a shot of novocaine that deadens the nerves around the tooth.
Now it's true that the human body has developed its millions of nerves to be highly aware of what goes on both inside and outside of it. This helps us adjust to the world. Without our nerves - and our brain, which is a bundle of nerves - we wouldn't know what's happening. But we pay for our sensitivity. We can feel pain when the slightest thing is wrong with any part of our body. The history of torture is based on the human body being open to pain.
But there is a way to handle pain. Look at the Indian fakir who sits on a bed of nails. Fakirs can put a needle right through an arm, and feel no pain. This ability that some humans have developed to handle pain should give us ideas about how the mind can deal with pain.
The big thing in withstanding pain is our attitude toward it. If the dentist says, This will hurt a little, it helps us to accept the pain. By staying relaxed, and by treating the pain as an interesting sensation, we can handle the pain without falling apart. After all, although pain is an unpleasant sensation, it is still a sensation, and sensations are the stuff of life.


we have to be hurt when we feel something

Question: The sentence But we pay for our sensitivity. in the second paragraph implies that.


fakirs have magic to put needles right through their arms

Question: When the author mentions the Indian fakir, he suggests that.


how we look at pain
to feel pain as much as possible
to show an interest in pain
to accept the pain reluctantly

Question: the most important thing to handle pain is.


pessimistic optimistic radical practical

Question: The author's attitude towards pain is.


The use of MESBIC's for aiding minority entrepreneurs seems to have greater potential for success than does the original SBA approach.

There is a crucial difference in point of view between the staff and directors of some MESBIC's.

After initial problems with management and marketing, minority businesses have begun to expand at a steady rate.

Minority entrepreneurs wishing to form new businesses now have several equally successful federal programs on which to rely.

Question: Which of the following best states the central idea of the passage?

Federal efforts to aid minority businesses began in the 1960's when the Small Business Administration (SBA) began making federally guaranteed loans and government-sponsored management and technical assistance available to minority business enterprises. While this program enabled many minority entrepreneurs to form new businesses, the results were disappointing, since managerial inexperience, unfavorable locations, and capital shortages led to high failure rates. Even 15 years after the program was implemented, minority business receipts were not quite two percent of the national economy's total receipts.
Recently federal policymakers have adopted an approach intended to accelerate development of the minority business sector by moving away from directly aiding small minority enterprises and toward supporting large, growth-oriented minority firms through intermediary companies. In this approach, large corporations participate in the development of successful and stable minority businesses by making use of government-sponsored venture capital. The capital is used by a participating company to establish a Minority Enterprise Small Businesses that have potential to become future suppliers of customers of the sponsoring company.
MESBIC's are the result of the belief that providing established firms with easier access to relevant management techniques and more job-specific experience, as well as substantial amounts of capital, gives those firms a greater opportunity to develop sound business foundations than does simply making general management experience and small amounts of capital available. Further, since potential markets for the minority businesses already exist through the sponsoring companies, the minority businesses face considerably less risk in terms of location and market fluctuation. Following early financial and operating problems, sponsoring corporations began to capitalize MESBIC's far above the legal minimum of $500,000 in order to generate sufficient income and to sustain the quality of management needed. MESBIC's are now emerging as increasingly important financing sources for minority enterprises.
Ironically, MESBIC staffs, which usually consist of Hispanic and Black professionals, tend to approach investments in minority firms more pragmatically than do many MESBIC directors, who are usually senior managers from sponsoring corporations. The latter often still think mainly in terms of the ‘social responsibility approach' and thus seem to prefer deals that are riskier and less attractive than normal investment criteria would warrant. Such differences in viewpoint have produced uneasiness among many minority staff members, who feel that minority entrepreneurs and businesses should be judged by established business considerations. These staff members believe their point of view is closer to the original philosophy of MESBIC's and they are concerned that, unless a more prudent course if followed, MESBIC directors may revert to policies likely to re-create the disappointing results of the original SBA approach.


seek federal contracts to provide market for minority businesses.

Encourage minority businesses to provide markets for other minority businesses.

Attempt to maintain a specified rate of growth in the minority business sector.

Rely on the participation of large corporations to finance minority businesses.

Question: According to the passage, the MESBIC approach differ s from the SBA approach in that MESBIC's  _ .


The maximum term for loans made to recipient businesses was 15 years.

Business loans were considered to be more useful to recipient businesses than was management and technical assistance.

The anticipated failure rate for recipient businesses was significantly lower than the rate that actually resulted.

Recipient businesses were encouraged to relocate to areas more favorable for business development.

Question: Which of the following statements about the SBA program can be inferred from the passage?


broaden the scope of the discussion to include the legal considerations of funding MESBIC's through sponsoring companies.

call attention to the fact that MESBIC's must receive adequate funding in order to function effectively.

show that sponsoring companies were willing to invest only $500,000 of government-sponsored venture capital in the original MESBIC's.

Compare SBA and MESBIC limits on minimum funding.

Question: The author refers to the ‘financial and operating problems' encountered by MESBIC's primarily in order to _ .


disappointing. Indifferent. Shocked. Defensive.

Question: It can be inferred from the passage that the attitude of some MESBIC staff member toward the investments preferred by some MESBIC directors can be best described as _ .


mismanagement
too few students
too many students
the nature of schools

Question: According to the author's opinion schools are bad businesses because of _ .

Many private institutions of higher education around the country are in danger. Not all will be saved, and perhaps not all deserve to be saved. There are low-quality schools just as there are low-quality businesses. We have no duty to save them simply because they exist.
But many promising institutions that deserve to continue are threatened. They are doing a fine job educationally, but they are caught in a financial squeeze, with no way to reduce rising costs or increase income significantly. Raising tuition doesn't bring in more income, for each time tuition goes up, the enrollment  goes down, or the amount that must be given away in student aid goes up. Schools are bad businesses, whether public or private, not usually because of mismanagement but because of the nature of the enterprise. They lose money on every customer, and they can go bankrupt either from too few students or too many students. Even a very good college is a very bad business.
It is such colleges, promising but threatened, that I worry about. Low enrollment is not their chief problem. Even with full enrollments, they may go under. Efforts to save them, and preferably to keep them private, are a national necessity. There is no basis for arguing that private schools are inherently better than public schools. There .are many examples to the contrary. Anyone can name state universities and colleges that rank as the finest in the nation and the world. It is now inevitable that public institutions will be dominant  , and therefore diversity  is a national necessity. Diversity in the way we support schools tends to give us a healthy diversity in the forms of education.    In  an  imperfect  society   such   as   ours,   uniformity   of   education throughout the nation could be dangerous. In an imperfect society, diversity is a positive good. Supporters of public higher education know the importance of sustaining private higher education.


get into difficulties
have low enrollment
have low tuition
bring in more money

Question: The author used the phrase "go under" in the third paragraph to mean_ .


public institutions
private schools
uniformity of education
high quality of education

Question: We can reasonably conclude from this passage that the author made an appeal to the public in order to support_ .


High-quality private schools deserve to be saved.

If the tuition is raised, the enrollment goes down.

There are many cases to show that public-schools are better than private schools.

Private schools have more money than public schools.

Question: Which of the following is NOT TRUE?


Raising tuition.
Full enrollment.
National awareness and support.
Reduction of rising costs.

Question: Which of the following ways could possibly save private schools?


will experience some change
still has room for manoeuvre
will attach closely to its faith
will remain rich for years to come

Question: The 1st paragraph primarily tells us that Saudi Arabia_

Oil and Islam continue to define Saudi Arabia's room for manoeuvre. With global demand unlikely to wane in the foreseeable future and reserves elsewhere diminishing, oil will continue to keep the kingdom rich for decades to come. At the same time, the Saudis' attachment to their faith is not diminishing; it may even be growing stronger. But the faith itself is changing in subtle ways.
Having gone through waves of progress and retrenchment during its 73 years as a unified kingdom, Saudi Arabia is now well into another period of rapid change. This time, however, the well-oiled complacency of the previous big boom, in the 1970s, is largely gone. Four years ago, a survey in this newspaper argued that it might require internal shocks to jolt the Saudis into taking reform seriously. Those shocks have now arrived.
Since May 2003, when suicide bombers attacked a housing compound in Riyadh, terrorist violence has touched every corner of the kingdom, claiming some 200 lives. Saudi nationals, the most famous being Osama bin Laden, continue to be implicated in terrorist attacks abroad, most notably in Iraq. Yet far from rallying Saudis to the jihadist cause, terrorism has made them identify more closely with the state. More importantly, the violence has brought intense introspection and debate.
Long accustomed to blaming outside influences for all ills, Saudis now accept that the fixing needs to start at home. Aside from extremism, the problems of unemployment, poverty and the abuse of human rights have moved to the top of the national agenda. Even the most absolute of previous taboos, political reform, is being widely debated. In dozens of interviews with Saudis of all stripes, one phrase kept coming up: the question is no longer whether to reform/restructure/change, but how fast to do it.
The government's answer, to date, has been slowly, and not very surely. But this survey will argue that far from being a dinosaur nation, lumbering to extinction, Saudi Arabia is capable of rapid evolution. ~ On some important issues, such as the rules governing business, it is already far down the right track. On others, such as the ways it educates its youth and excludes women, the kingdom is only just beginning to shift course.
Most Saudis reckon it is premature to speak of democracy in their country; but there are myriad ways to emancipate citizens, from upholding the rule of law to making budgets more transparent and loosening the grip of security agencies over universities and the press. Instead of their old tactics of prevarication, slow consensus-building and co-optation, the A1 Sauds should try a new one: putting trust in their people.　　[438 words]


internal impact
another big boom
another wave of progress
the well-oiled complacency

Question: Some people argued that_ is most needed for Saudi Arabias reform.


the impact on every corner of Saudi Arabia

Question: The primary consequence of terrorist violence is_


blaming outside influences for all evils

Question: Saudis have gradually accepted the idea of_


reform in education
upholding the rule of law
some emancipation of citizens
the rapid progress of democracy

Question: Saudis hardly EXCEPT_


interpreting the results of surveys on traffic accidents

reviewing the effectiveness of attempts to reduce drunk driving

analyzing the causes of the large number of annual traffic deaths

making an international comparison of experience with drunk driving

Question: The author is primarily concerned with _ .

There is extraordinary exposure in the United States to the risks of injury and death from motor vehicle accidents.More than 80 percent of all households own passenger cars or light trucks and each of these is driven an average of more than 11, 000 miles each year.Almost one-half of fatally injured drivers have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC. of 0.1 percent or higher.For the average adult, over five ounces of 80 proof spirits would have to be consumed over a short period of time to attain these levels.One third of drivers who have been drinking, but fewer than 4 percent of all drivers, demonstrate these levels.1)Although less than 1 percent of drivers with BACs of 0.1 percent or more are involved in fatal crashes, the probability of their involvements is 27 times higher than for those without alcohol in their blood.There are a number of different approaches to reducing injuries in which drinking plays a role.Based on the observation that excessive consumption correlates with the total alcohol consumption of a country‘s population, it has been suggested that higher taxes on alcohol would reduce both.While the heaviest drinkers would be taxed the most, anyone who drinks at all would be punished by this approach.
To make drinking and driving a criminal offense is an approach directed only at drinking drivers.In some states, the law empowers police to request breath tests of drivers committing any traffic offense and higher BAC can be the basis for arrest.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, however, that even with increased arrests, there are about 700 violations for every arrest.At this level there is little evidence that laws are effective ways to reduce drunk driving.In Britain, motor vehicle accidents fell 25 percent immediately following implementation of the Road Safety Act in 1967. 2) As Britishers increasingly recognized that they could drink and not be stopped, the effectiveness declined, although in the following three years the death-rate seldom reached that observed in the seven years prior to the Act.
Whether penalties for driving with a high BAC or excessive taxation on consumption of alcoholic drinks will deter the excessive drinker responsible for most accidents is unclear.One thing is clear, however：unless we deal with automobile and highway safety and reduce accidents in which alcoholic drinking plays a role, many will continue to die.


changed an existing law to lower the BAC level which defined drunk driving

made it illegal for the drunk driver to drive

increased the number of drunk driving arrests

placed a tax on the sale of alcoholic drinks

Question: It can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act in Britain _ .


the sale of alcoholic drinks is unreasonably high as a definition of drunk driving

penalizes the moderate drinker while allowing the heavy drinker to consume without limit

is well below the BAC of most drivers who are involved in fatal crashes

proves that a driver has consumed five ounces of 80 proof spirits over a short time

Question: The author implies that a BAC of 0.1 percent  _ .


show that the problem of drunk driving is worse in Britain than in the U.S.

prove that stricter laws against drinking drivers would reduce traffic deaths

prove that a slight increase in the number of arrests of drunk drivers will not deter drunk driving

suggest that taxation of alcohol consumption may be more effective than criminal laws

Question: The author cites the British example in order to _ .


Question: The word" deter" in the last paragraph probably means _ .


paleoecologist Glen MacDonald's argumentthat the original migration occurred much later than had previously beenbelieved

the demonstration that certain previouslyaccepted radiocarbon dates were incorrect

evidence that the continental ice beganits final retreat much later than had previously been believed

research showing that the ice-freecorridor was not as long lasting as had been widely assumed

Question: According to paragraph 1, the theory thatpeople first migrated to the Americans by way of an ice-free corridor wasseriously called into question by

It has long been accepted that the Americas were colonized by a migration of peoples from Asia, slowly traveling across a land bridge called Beringia (now the Bering Strait between northeastern Asia and AlaskA. during the last Ice Age. The first water craft theory about this migration was that around 11,000-12,000 years ago there was an ice-free corridor stretching from eastern Beringia to the areas of North America south of the great northern glaciers. It was this midcontinental corridor between two massive ice sheets-the Laurentide to the east and the Cordilleran to the west-that enabled the southward migration. But belief in this ice-free corridor began to crumble when paleoecologist Glen MacDonald demonstrated that some of the most important radiocarbon dates used to support the existence of an ice-free corridor were incorrect. He persuasively argued that such an ice-free corridor did not exist until much later, when the continental ice began its final retreat.
Support is growing for the alternative theory that people using watercraft, possibly skin boats, moved southward from Beringia along the Gulf of Alaska and then southward along the Northwest coast of North America possibly as early as 16,000 years ago. This route would have enabled humans to enter southern areas of the Americas prior to the melting of the continental glaciers. Until the early 1970s,most archaeologists did not consider the coast a possible migration route into the Americas because geologists originally believed that during the last Ice Age the entire Northwest Coast was covered by glacial ice. It had been assumed that the ice extended westward from the Alaskan/Canadian mountains to the very edge of the continental shelf, the flat, submerged part of the continent that extends into the ocean. This would have created a barrier of ice extending from the Alaska Peninsula, through the Gulf of Alaska and southward along the Northwest Coast of north America to what is today the state of washington.
The most influential proponent of the coastal migration route has been Canadian archaeologist Knut Fladmark. He theorized that with the use of watercraft, people gradually colonized unglaciated refuges and areas along the continental shelf exposed by the lower sea level. Fladmark's hypothesis received additional support form from the fact that the greatest diversity in native American languages occurs along the west coast of the Americas, suggesting that this region has been settled the longest.
More recent geologic studies documented deglaciation and the existence of ice-free areas throughout major coastal areas of British Columbia, Canada, by 13,000 years ago. Research now indicates that sizable areas of southeastern Alaska along the inner continental shelf were not covered by ice toward the end of the last Ice Age. One study suggests that except for a 250-mile coastal area between southwestern British Columbia and Washington State, the Northwest Coast of North America was largely free of ice by approximately 16,000 years ago. Vast areas along the coast may have been deglaciated beginning around 16,000 years ago, possibly providing a coastal corridor for the movement of plants, animals, and humans sometime between 13,000 and 14,000 years ago.
The coastal hypothesis has gained increasing support in recent years because the remains of large land animals, such as caribou and brown bears, have been found in southeastern Alaska dating between 10,000 and 12,500 years ago. This is the time period in which most scientists formerly believed the area to be inhospitable for humans. It has been suggested that if the environment were capable of supporting breeding populations of bears, there would have been enough food resources to support humans. Fladmark and other believe that the first human colonization of America occurred by boat along the Northwest Coast during the very late Ice Age, possibly as early as 14,000 years ago. The most recent geologic evidence indicates that it may have been possible for people to colonize ice-free regions along the continental shelf that were still exposed by the lower sea level between13,000 and 14,000 years ago.
The coastal hypothesis suggests an economy based on marine mammal hunting, saltwater fishing, shellfish gathering, and the use of watercraft. Because of the barrier of ice to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and populated areas to the north, there may have been a greater impetus for people to move in a southerly direction.


aggressively inflexibly convincingly carefully

Question: The word "persuasively"(paragraph 1)inthe passage is closest in meaning to


discuss why the theory was rapidlyaccepted but then rejected

present the evidence on which the theorywas based

cite evidence that now shows that thetheory is incorrect

explain why the theory was not initiallyconsidered plausible

Question: Paragraph 2 begins by presenting a theoryand then goes on to


before
immediately after
during
in spite of

Question: The phrase "prior to"(Paragraph 2)isclosest in meaning to


They could not have sailed directly fromBeringia to Alaska and then southward because, it was thought, glacial icecovered the entire coastal region.

They were not aware that the climatewould continue to become milder.

They would have had no interest inmigrating southward from Beringia until after the continental glaciers hadbegun to melt.

They lacked the navigational skills andappropriate boats needed long-distance trips.

Question: Paragraph 2 supports the idea that,before the 1970s, most archaeologists held which of the following views aboutthe earliest people to reach the Americas?


indicate that a number of recent geologicstudies seem to provide support for the coastal hypothesis

indicate that coastal and inlandmigrations may have happened simultaneously

explain why humans may have reachedAmerica's northwest coast before animals and plants did

show that the coastal hypothesis mayexplain how people first reached Alaska but it cannot explain how peoplereached areas like modern British Columbia and Washington State

Question: The author's purposein paragraph 4 is to


Question: The word "Vast" in the passage(paragraph4)is closest in meaning to


humans were changing their huntingtechniques to adapt to coastal rather than inland environments

animals had migrated from the inland tothe coasts, an indication that a midcontinent ice-free corridor was actuallyimplausible

humans probably would have been able tofind enough resources along the coastal corridor

the continental shelf was still exposedby lower sea levels during the period when the southward migration of peoplebegan

Question: According to paragraph 5, the discoveryof the remains of large land animals supports the coastal hypothesis byproviding evidence that


not familiar
not suitable
not dangerous
not reachable

Question: The word "inhospitable"in thepassage(paragraph 5)is closest in meaning to


16,000 years ago
14,000 years ago
12,500 years ago
10,000 years ago

Question: According to paragraph 5, the mostrecent geologic research provides support for a first colonization of Americadating as far back as


Question: The word "impetus" in the passage is(paragraph6)closest in meaning to


the objection to euthanasia is slow to come in other countries

physicians and citizens share the same view on euthanasia

changing technology is chiefly responsible for the hasty passage of the law

it takes time to realize the significance of the law's passage

Question: From the second paragraph we learn that 	.

It was 3:45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates, Australia's Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10. Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on via the group's on-line service, Death NET. Says Hofsess: "We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isn't just something that happened in Australia. It's world history."
The full import may take a while to sink in. The NT Rights of the Terminally Ill law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implications. Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, right-to-life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia -- where an aging population, life-extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part -- other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia. In the US and Canada, where the right-to-die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling.
Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death -- probably by a deadly injection or pill -- to put an end to suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as terminally ill by two doctors. After a "cooling off" period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally Ill law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. "I'm not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks," he says.


observers are taking a wait-and-see attitude towards the future of euthanasia

similar bills are likely to be passed in the US, Canada and other countries

observers are waiting to see the result of the game of dominoes

the effect-taking process of the passed bill may finally come to a stop

Question: When the author says that observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling, he means.


face his death with calm characteristic of euthanasia

experience the suffering of a lung cancer patient

have an intense fear of terrible suffering

undergo a cooling off period of seven days

Question: When Lloyd Nickson dies, he will 	.


opposition suspicion approval indifference

Question: The author's attitude towards euthanasia seems to be that of 	.


Illinois
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Washington

Question: The author mentions people dying of air pollution in  _ .

The dark smoke that comes out of stacks or from a burning dump contains tiny bits of solid or liquid matter. The smoke also contains many gases, most of which cannot be seen. Altogether, they make up the serious problems of air pollution. In so many places it keeps us from seeing the sun, irritates our eyes, causes us to cough, and makes us ill.
Air pollution can spread from city to city. It even spreads from one country to another. Some northern European countries have had " black snow"  from pollutants that have traveled through the air from other countries and have fallen with the snow. So air pollution is really a global problem.
Air pollution can kill babies, older people, and those who have respiratory diseases. In London, in 1952, four thousand people died in one week as a result of a serious air-pollution episode. In 1948, in the small town of Donora, Pennsylvania, twenty people died in a four-day period of bad air pollution.
At levels often found in cities, air pollution increases the risks of certain lung disease, such as emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma. Of course, smoking and other factors help to cause these illnesses, too, but these cases have increased greatly during recent years as air pollution has become worse. Air pollution can cause both airplane and auto accidents because it cuts down visibility. There are other possible health dangers from air pollution that we don't know much about. For example, scientists are trying to find out whether chemicals that reach us from the air may cause changes in our cells.
These changes might cause babies to be born with serious birth defects. Scientists are trying to learn how all the many chemicals we are apt to take into our bodies from air, food, and even medicines act together to affect our health and the way our bodies work. That is another reason why it is so important to begin to control pollution now instead of waiting until we learn all the answers.
Air pollution costs us a lot of money. It soils and corrodes our buildings. It damages farm crops and forests. It has a destructive effect on our works of art. The cost of all this damage to our government is astronomical. It would be much more worthwhile, both for us and for the environment, to spend our tax dollars on air pollution control.


pilots become ill
visibility is reduced
engines fail
the air is too hot

Question: Air pollution causes airplane accidents because  _ .


intelligence levels
antisocial behavior
birth defects
divorce percentage

Question: Scientists are trying to find a link between pollution and  _ .


all of the effects of pollution on the human body

how pollution can be controlled successfully

when the atmosphere first became polluted

Question: Scientists have not yet determined  _ .


civilization may be doomed if pollution is not controlled

pollution is more serious in Europe than it is in America

most people do not know that pollution is a serious problem

black snow is not so serious compared with white snow pollution

Question: We can conclude that  _ .


more emotional
more objective
less energetic
less strategic

Question: According to Nancy Koehn, office language has become ______.

Even in traditional offices, "the lingua franca of corporate America has gotten much more emotional and much more right-brained than it was 20 years ago," said Harvard Business School professor Nancy Koehn. She started spinning off examples. "If you and I parachuted back to Fortune 500 companies in 1990, we would see much less frequent use of terms like journey, mission, passion. There were goals, there were strategies, there were objectives, but we didn't talk about energy; we didn't talk about passion."
Koehn pointed out that this new era of corporate vocabulary is very "team"-oriented - and not by coincidence. "Let's not forget sports - in male-dominated corporate America, it's still a big deal. It's not explicitly conscious; it's the idea that I'm a coach, and you're my team, and we're in this together. There are lots and lots of CEOs in very different companies, but most think of themselves as coaches and this is their team and they want to win."
These terms are also intended to infuse work with meaning - and, as Khurana points out, increase allegiance to the firm. "You have the importation of terminology that historically used to be associated with non-profit organizations and religious organizations: terms like vision, values, passion, and purpose," said Khurana.
This new focus on personal fulfillment can help keep employees motivated amid increasingly loud debates over work-life balance. The "mommy wars" of the 1990s are still going on today, prompting arguments about why women still can't have it all and books like Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, whose title has become a buzzword in its own right. Terms like unplug, offline, life-hack, bandwidth, and capacity are all about setting boundaries between the office and the home. But if your work is your "passion," you'll be more likely to devote yourself to it, even if that means going home for dinner and then working long after the kids are in bed.
But this seems to be the irony of office speak: Everyone makes fun of it, but managers love it, companies depend on it, and regular people willingly absorb it. As Nunberg once said, "You can get people to think it's nonsense at the same time that you buy into it." In a workplace that's fundamentally indifferent to your life and its meaning, office speak can help you figure out how you relate to your work - and how your work defines who you are.


historical incidents
gender difference
sports culture
athletic executives

Question: "Team"-oriented corporate vocabulary is closely related to ______.


revive historical terms
promote company image
foster corporate cooperation
strengthen employee loyalty

Question: Khurana believes that the importation of terminology aims to ______.


voices for working women
appeals to passionate workaholics
triggers debates among mommies
praises motivated employees

Question: It can be inferred that Lean In ______.


Managers admire it but avoid it.
Linguists believe it to be nonsense.
Companies find it to be fundamental.
Regular people mock it but accept it.

Question: Which of the following statements is true about office speak?


Children do find lots of fun in many mindlessactivities.

Rebecca is much too occupied to enjoy herleisure time.

Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials forher writing.

A lot of distractions compete for Children'stime nowadays.

Question: What do we learn from the first paragraph?

In this age of Internet chat, video games and reality television, there is no short age of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet, despite the competition,my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure timewriting shortstories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competitionshe won last year.
As awriter I know about winning contest, and about losing them. I know what it islike to work hard on astory only to receive a rejection slip from thepublisher. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputationcreatedby previous victories. What if she doesn't win the contest again? That's thestrange thing about being aparent. So many of our own past scars and dashedhopes can surface.
Arevelation came last week when I asked her, "Don't you want to win again?" "No," she replied, "I　just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade."
I hadjust spent weeks correcting her stores as she spontaneously( )told them. Telling myself that Iwas merely an experienced writerguiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions forcharacters,conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angelstarting first grade was quickly "guided" by meinto the tale of alittle girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turnedher contest into mycontest without even realizing it.
Stayingback and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I knowvery little about farmanimals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, Ihad to accept the fact that I was coopting mydaughter'sexperience.
Whilestepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that Iwill quickly follow with moresteps, putting myself far enough away to give herroom but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will bereminding myselfthat children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.


She did not quite live up to her reputation as awriter.

Her way to success was full of pains andfrustrations.

She was constantly under pressure of writingmore.

Most of her stories had been rejected bypublishers.

Question: What did the author say about her own writingexperience?


She believed she possessed real talent forwriting.

She was sure of winning with her mother's help.

She wanted to share her stories with readers.

She had won a prize in the previous contest.

Question: Why did Rebecca want to enter this year'swriting contest?


she believed she had the knowledge andexperience to offer guidance

she did not want to disappoint Rebecca whoneeded her help so much

she wanted to help Rebecca realize her dream ofbecoming a writer

she was afraid Rebecca's imagination might runwild while writing

Question: The author took great pains to refine herdaughter's stories because _


A writing career, though attractive, is not forevery child to pursue.

Children should be allowed freedom to growthrough experience.

Parents should keep an eye on the activitiestheir kids engage in.

Children should be given every chance to voicetheir opinions.

Question: What's the author's advice for parents?


the safety net they used to enjoy has disappeared.

their chances of being laid off have greatly increased.

they are more vulnerable to changes in family economics.

they are deprived of unemployment or disability insurance.

Question: Today's double-income families are at greater financial risk in that

During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure had been transformed by economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.
In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics. Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well. Today's families have budgeted to the limits of their new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachute they once had in times of financial setback - a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick. This "added-worker effect" could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times. But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner.
During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income. Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money. For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a saving-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families, the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen - and newly fashionable health-savings plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families' future healthcare. Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent - and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance - have jumped eightfold in just one generation.
From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.


a higher sense of security.
less secured payments.
less chance to invest.
a guaranteed future.

Question: As a result of President Bush's reform, retired people may have


help reduce the cost of healthcare.
popularize among the middle class.
compensate for the reduced pensions.
increase the families' investment risk.

Question: According to the author, health-savings plans will


financial risks tend to outweigh political risks.

the middle class may face greater political challenges.

financial problems may bring about political problems.

financial responsibility is an indicator of political status.

Question: It can be inferred from the last paragraph that


The Middle Class on the Alert
The Middle Class on the Cliff
The Middle Class in Conflict
The Middle Class in Ruins

Question: Which of the following is the best title for this text?


To climb up to remove the spikes.
To climb it twice
To do 5,000 pull-ups up the rope.
To lock the rope in place.

Question: Which of the following was a challenge for Corbett in climbing Half Dome?

They are the sort of friends who are so close they trust each other with their lives. If one falls, the other is there to catch him.
They are Wellman, whose legs were permanently injured nine years ago in a rock-climbing accident, and Corbett, an experienced rock climber. Together, they climbed up Half Dome, the famous 2,000-foot rock in the Yosemite National Park, through one of the most difficult routes.
During the climb, Corbett took the lead, hit in the metal spikesthat guided the ropes and climbed up. Then, after Wellman pulled himself up the rope, Corbett went down to remove the spikes and climbed up again. This process was repeated time and again, inch by inch, for 13 days. Wellman's job was not easy either. He got himself up the rope through upper body strength alone.
In all, Wellman figured that he had done 5,000 pull-ups up the rope on the climb.
However, when the two men first met, they never talked about climbing. "He knew that was how I got injured." Wellman said. Until one day Wellman decided that he wanted to climb again and they started training.
Their climb of Half Dome was not all smooth. At one point, pieces of rock gave way, and Corbett dropped down quickly. Wellman locked their rope in place, stopping the fall at 20 feet. His quick action probably saved his friend's life.
"Your partner can save your life - you can save your partner's life," Wellman said as the pair received congratulations from friends. "There are real close ties."


Wellman hadn't decided whether to climb again.

Question: Why did the two men never talk about climbing when they first met?


He was saved by Corbett during the climb.

Question: What do we know about Wellman?


a man can be destroyed but cannot be defeated

Question: The main idea of the text is that _ .


the most influential watercolor painters in the mid-1800's

efforts to organize watercolor painters in New York City during the mid-1800's

a famous exhibition of watercolor paintings in New York City in the mid-1800's

styles of watercolor painting in New York City during the mid-1800's

Question: This passage is mainly about

The year 1850 may be considered the beginning of a new epoch in America art, with respect to the development of watercolor painting. In December of that year, a group of thirty artists gathered in the studio of John Falconer in New York City and drafted both a constitution and bylaws, establishing The Society for the Promotion of Painting in Water Color. In addition to securing an exhibition space in the Library Society building in lower Manhattan, the society founded a small school for the instruction of watercolor painting. Periodic exhibitions of the members' paintings also included works by noted English artists of the day, borrowed from embryonic private collections in the city. The society's activities also included organized sketching excursions along the Hudson River. Its major public exposure came in 1853, when the society presented works by its members in the "Industry of All Nations" section of the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York.
The society did not prosper, however, and by the time of its annual meeting in 1854 membership had fallen to twenty-one. The group gave up its quarters in the Library Society building and returned to Falconer's studio, where it broke up amid dissension. No further attempt to formally organize the growing numbers of watercolor painters in New York City was made for more than a decade. During that decade, though, Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was published in New York City in 1856 - the book was a considerable improvement over the only other manual of instruction existing at the time, Elements of Graphic Art, by Archibald Roberson, published in 1802 and by the 1850's long out of print.
In 1866 the National Academy of Design was host to an exhibition of watercolor painting in its elaborate neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City. The exhibit was sponsored by an independent group called The Artists Fund Society. Within a few months of this event, forty-two prominent artists living in and near New York City founded The American Society of Painters in Water Colors.


a group of artists established a watercolor painting society

watercolor painting was first introduced to New York City

John Falconer established his studio for watercolor painters

The first book on watercolor painting was published

Question: The year 1850 was significant in the history of watercolor painting mainly because


Question: The word "securing" in line 5 is closest in meaning to


The society exhibited paintings in lower Manhattan.

Instruction in watercolor painting was offered by members of the society

The society exhibited only the paintings of its members.

Scenes of the Hudson River appeared often in the work of society members.

Question: All of the following can be inferred about the Society for the promotion of Painting in Watercolor EXCEPT:


It resulted in a dramatic increase in the popularity of painting with watercolor.

It was the first time an exhibition was funded by a private source.

It was the first important exhibition of the society's work.

It resulted in a large increase in the membership of the society.

Question: The exhibition at the Crystal Palace of the works of the Society for the Promotion of Painting in Watercolor was significant for which of the following reasons?


Question: The word "it" in line 15 refers to


They increased in number despite a lack of formal organization.

They were unable to exhibit their paintings because of the lack of exhibition space.

The Artists Fund Society helped them to form The American Society of Painters in Water Colors.

They formed a new society because they were not allowed to join groups run by other kinds of artists.

Question: Which of the following is true of watercolor painters in New York City in the late 1850's?


was the only textbook published that taught painting

was much better than an earlier published fundamental of instruction

attracted the interest of art collectors

Question: Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was important to artists because it


Question: The word "considerable" in line 19 is closest in meaning to


Elements of Graphic Art was republished.

Private collections of watercolors were first publicly exhibited.

The neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City was built.

The National Academy of Design held an exhibition of watercolor paintings.

Question: The year 1866 was significant for watercolor painting for which of the following reasons?


Question: The word "prominent" in line 25 is closest in meaning to


To encourage childless couples to have children.

To provide facilities and services for grandchildless parents.

To offer counseling to people on how to raise grandchildren.

To discourage people from insisting on having grandchildren.

Question: What's the purpose of the proposed organization Planned Grandparenthood?

Too many vulnerable child-free adults are being ruthlessly  manipulated into parent-hood by their parents, who think that happiness among older people depends on having a grand-child to spoil. We need an organization to help beat down the persistent campaigns of grandchildless parents. It's time to establish Planned Grandparenthood, which would have many global and local benefits.
Part of its mission would be to promote the risks and realities associated with being a grandparent. The staff would include depressed grandparents who would explain how grandkids break lamps, bite, scream and kick. Others would detail how an hour of baby-sitting often turns into a crying marathon. More grandparents would testify that they had to pay for their grandchild's expensive college education.
Planned grandparenthood's carefully written literature would detail all the joys of life grand-child-free a calm living room, extra money for luxuries during the golden years, etc. Potential grandparents would be reminded that, without grandchildren around, it's possible to have a conversation with your kids, who-incidentally-would have more time for their own parents.
Meanwhile, most children are vulnerable to the enormous influence exerted by grandchildless parents aiming to persuade their kids to produce children. They will take a call from a persistent parent, even if they're loaded with works. In addition, some parents make handsome money offers payable upon the grandchild's birth. Sometimes these gifts not only cover expenses associated with the infant's birth, but extras, too, like a vacation. In any case, cash gifts can weaken the resolve of even the noblest person.
At Planned Grandparenthood, children targeted by their parents to reproduce could obtain non-biased information about the insanity of having their own kids. The catastrophic psychological and economic costs of childbearing would be emphasized. The symptoms of morning sickness would be listed and horrors of childbirth pictured. A monthly newsletter would contain stories about overwhelmed parents and offer guidance on how childless adults can respond to the different lobbying tactics that would-be grandparents employ.
When I think about all the problems of our overpopulated world and look at our boy grabbing at the lamp by the sofa, I wish I could have turned to Planned Grandparenthood when my parents were putting the grandchild squeeze on me.
If I could have, I might not be in this parenthood predicament . But here's the crazy irony, I don't want my child-free life back. Dylan's too much fun.


show them the joys of life grandparents may have in raising grandchildren

draw attention to the troubles and difficulties grandchildren may cause

share their experience in raising grandchildren in a more scientific way

help raise funds to cover the high expense of education for grandchildren

Question: Planned Grandparenthood would include depressed grandparents on its staff in order to ________.


they find it hard to resist the carrot-and-stick approach of their parents

they have learn from other parents about the joys of having children

they feel more and more lonely ad they grow older

they have found it irrational to remain childless

Question: According to the passage, some couples may eventually choose to have children because ________.


her parents kept pressuring her to have a child

her parents liked to have a grandchild in their arms

her parents asked her to save for the expenses of raising a child

her parents kept blaming her for her child's bad behavior

Question: By saying "... my parents were putting the grandchild squeeze on me" (Line 2-3, Para. 6), the author means that ________.


It does more harm than good.
It contributes to overpopulation.
It is troublesome but rewarding.
It is a psychological catastrophe.

Question: What does the author really of the idea of having children?