An elderly woman died yesterday after being knocke...

第1题

The plight of the aged has come to be regarded as a major social problem in the United Sta

tes. In a sense, the elderly (conventionally, those aged sixty-five and over) are a "newly-discovered" minority group. Like other minority groups, the old are subjected to job discrimination; they suffer nigh rates of poverty; they face prejudice founded on inaccurate stereotypes; they are excluded from the mainstream of American life on the basis of supposed group characteristics; and they are offered few meaningful roles in their society. In addition, the aged may face such problems as nigh rates of victimization by criminals, a heavy, burden of chronic illness and medical expenses, and psychological problems that result from their loss of independence and their sense of being unwanted. In America, childhood is romanticized, youth is idolized, middle age does the work, wields the power and pays the bills, and old age gets little or nothing for what it has already done. For many elderly Americans old age is a tragedy, a period of quiet despair, deprivation, desolation and muted rage. The tragedy of old age is not that each of us must grow old and die but that the process of doing so has been made unnecessarily painful, humiliating and isolating through insensitivity, ignorance, and poverty.

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第2题

Who takes care of the elderly in the United States today？ The fact is that family members

provide over 80% of the care that elderly people need. In most cases the elderly live in their own homes. A very small percentage of America's elderly live in nursing homes.

Samuel Preston, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania, studied how the American family is changing. He reported that by the time the average American couple reaches about 40 years of age, their parents are usually still alive. The statistics show the change in lifestyles and responsibilities of aging (老龄化) Americans. The average middle-aged couple can look forward to caring for elderly parents sometime after their own children have grown up. Moreover, because people today live longer after an illness than people did years ago, family members must provide long-term care. These facts also mean that after caregivers provide for their elderly parents, who will eventually die, they will be old and may require care too. When they do, their spouses (配偶) will probably take care of them because they have had fewer children than their parents did.

Because Americans are living longer than ever, more social workers have begun to study ways of caregiving to improve the care of the elderly. They have found that all caregivers share a common characteristic; They believe that they are the best people for the job. The social workers have also discovered three basic reasons why the caregivers take on the responsibility of caring for an elderly, dependent relative. Many caregivers believe they had an obligation (职责) to help their relatives. Some think that helping others makes them feel more useful. Others hope that by helping someone now, they will deserve care when they become old and dependent.

Samuel Preston's study shows that______.

A．lifestyles and responsibilities of the elderly are not changing

B．most American couples over 40 have no living parents

C．middle-aged Americans have to take care of their children and parents at the same time

D．elderly people may need care for a long time because they live longer after an illness

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第3题

A new came as a surprise that an elderly woman died yesterday after【21】knocked down by a m

otorist who had made no【22】to brake (刹车) . A police officer asked the driver, a man of 69, to read the number-plate of a car parked【23】the opposite side of the road. The man said this was【24】, because it was foggy. In fact, it was a sunny day. After several attempts, even from a distance of two meters, the man【25】failed to read the number-plate【26】He said he had never needed【27】, though he had been【28】in a similar accident【29】.

The question of fitness to【30】comes【31】every time some medical condition relates to an accident like this. Last week two motorists died【32】blackouts (瞬间昏厥) at the wheel, With these【33】in mind, it is not surprising that accident prevention organizations are trying to【34】the government to introduce stricter controls over【35】so that both drivers and people on the road will enjoy safety.

(41)

A．being

B．be

C．had

D．has

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第4题

In 1997, 25 Japanese citizens, all older than 60, launched Jeeba (the name means “old man and old woman") to make senior- 01 products. They knew they were making history when they 02 their company motto: "Of the elderly, by the elderly and 03 the elderly. " They do not hire young people, and the 04 of their workers is 75.

Firms 05 by senior citizens are still a rarity, in Japan and worldwide. But the elderly have numbers on their 06 . Healthier and longer-living seniors，born immediately after World War II, are reaching retirement 07 in huge numbers all over the developed world. Extremely low 08 in those same countries mean there are far fewer young workers to take their 09 . One likely consequence is now clear: 10 work forces.

While the streamlining effects of international 11 are focusing attention on the need to create and keep good jobs, those fears will eventually give 12 to worries about the growing shortage of young workers. One unavoidable solution: putting older people back to work, 13 they like it or not. Indeed, advanced economies like those of Finland and Denmark have already raised their retirement ages. Others are 14 severe pressure to follow suit, as both the European Commission and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development have recently warned their members that their future prosperity depends on a 15 contribution from the elderly.

Whether these changes are good or bad news to workers depends on 16 they anticipate retirement with eagerness or dread. In the United States, half of working-age Americans now expect to work 17 their 70s, whether by financial necessity or by lifestyle 18 , according to a new study by Putnam Investments.

Contrary to still widespread assumptions, there is very little hard evidence to suggest that companies cannot stay competitive with a 19 share of older workers. At British hardware chain B&Q, its “elder worker" stores in Manchester and Exmouth were 18 percent more 20 than its regular outlets — due in part, the company says, to six times less employee turnover and 60 percent less shoplifting and breakage.

(1)

Afriendly

Bfriend

Cfriendship

Dfriendless

(2)

Acoin

Bmoney

Ccash

Dcoined

(3)

Aon

Bfor

Cat

Din

(4)

Aold

Belder

Coldest

Deld

(5)

Arace

Bwalk

Crun

Djump

(6)

Atip

Bside

Ctop

Dbottom

(7)

Aage

Bsecond

Cminute

Dera

(8)

Abirthrights

Bsecond

Cbirthplaces

Dbirthrates

(9)

Aplace

Blife

Ctime

Dperson

(10)

Ashaving

Bshrugging

Cshrinking

Dshaking

(11)

Acompetition

Bcontest

Cgame

Dtournament

(12)

Aroad

Bpath

Cstreet

Dway

(13)

Awhen

Bwho

Cwhether

Dwhy

(14)

Aunder

Bover

Cbefore

Dbeside

(15)

Agrow

Bgrown

Cgrew

Dgrowing

(16)

Awhy

Bwho

Chow

Dwhether

(17)

Awithin

Bwithout

Cinto

Dwith

(18)

Achoose

Bchose

Cchosen

Dchoice

(19)

Arosen

Brise

Crising

Drose

(20)

Aprofitable

Bprofitless

Cprofits

Dprofitive

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第5题

听力原文： For 25 years I was a full-time thief, specializing in picking pockets. Where I c

ome from in southeast London, that's an honorable profession. Anyone call break into a house and steal things. But picking somebody's pocket takes skill. My sister and I were among the most successful pickpocket teams in London. We worked in hotel and theatre lobbies, airports, shopping centers, and restaurants. Now we don't steal anymore, but this crime is worldwide. Here is how to protect yourself:

Professional pickpockets do not see victims, only handbags, jewels and money. Mothers with babies, the elderly, the disabled are all fair game. My preferred target was the lone female, handbag at her side, the right side to be exact. So if I'm next to her I can reach it cautiously with my right hand across my body. Only about one woman in a thousand carries her bag on the left, and I tended to steer clear of them. Women whose bags are hanging in front of them are tricky for the pickpocket, as there isn't a blind side. If you want to make it even harder, use a bag with handles rather than a strap. For men, one of the best places to keep a wallet is in the back pocket of tight trousers. You'll feel any attempts to move it. Another good place is in the buttoned-up inside pocket of a jacket. There's just no way in. Even better, keep wallets attached to a cord or chain that is fasten to a belt.

A pickpocket needs targets who are relaxed and off guard. The perfect setting is a clothing store. When customers wander among the racks, they are completely absorbed in the items they hold up. The presence of a uniformed security guard is even better. A false sense of security makes a pickpocket's job much simpler.

Why does the speaker say that picking somebody's pocket is an honorable job in southeast London？

A．It takes skill,

B．It's a full-time job.

C．It's admired worldwide.

D．It pays well.

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第6题

This month Singapore passed a bill that would give legal teeth to the moral obligation to

support one s parents. Called the Maintenance of Parents Bill, it received the backing of the Singapore Government. That does not mean it hasn't generated discussion. Several members of the Parliament opposed the measure as un-Asian. Others who acknowledged the problem of the elderly poor believed it a disproportionate response. Still others believe it will subvert relations within the family~ cynics dubbed it the "Sue Your Son" law.

Those proponents say that the bill does not promote filial responsibility. It kicks in where filial responsibility fails. The law cannot legislate filial responsibility any more than it can legislate love. All the law can do is to provide a safety net where this morality proves insufficient. Singapore needs this bill not to replace morality, but to provide incentives to shore it up.

Like many other developed nations, Singapore faces the problems of an increasing proportion of people over 60 years of age. Demography is inexorable. In 1980, 7.2% of the population was in this bracket. By the end of the 20th century that figure grew to 11%. By 2030, the proportion is projected to be 26~. The problem is not old age per se. It is that the ratio of economically active people to economically inactive people will decline.

But no amount of government exhortation or paternalism will completely eliminate the problem of old people who have insufficient means to make ends meet. Some people will fall through the holes in any safety net.

Traditionally, a person's insurance against poverty in his old age was his family, life is not a revolutionary concept. Nor is it uniquely Asian. Care and support for one's parents is a universal value shared by all civilized societies.

The problem in Singapore is that the moral obligation to look after one's parents is unenforceable. A father can be compelled by law to maintain his children. A husband can be forced to support his wife. But, until now, a son or daughter had no legal obligation to support his or her parents.

In 1980, an Advisory Council was set up to look into the problems of the aged. Its report stated with a tinge of complacency that 95% of those who did not have their own income were receiving cash contributions from relations, But what about the 5% who aren't getting relatives' support？ They have several options: (a) get a job and work until they die; (b) apply for public assistance (you have to be destitute to apply). or (c) starve quietly. None of these options is socially acceptable. And what if this 5% figure grows, as it is likely to do, as society ages？

The Maintenance of Parents Bill was put forth to encourage the traditional virtues that have so far kept Asian nations from some of the breakdowns encountered in other affluent societies. This legislation will allow a person to apply to the court for maintenance from any or all of his children. The court would have the discretion to refuse to make an order if it is unjust.

Those who deride the proposal for opening up the courts to family lawsuits miss the point. Only in extreme cases would any parent take his child to court. If it does indeed become law, the bill's effect would be far more subtle.

First, it will reaffirm the notion that it is each individual's--not society's--responsibility to look after his parents. Singapore is still conservative enough that most people will not object to this idea. It reinforces the traditional values and it doesn't hurt a society now and then to remind itself of its core values.

Second, and more important, it will make those who are inclined to shirk, their responsibilities think twice. Until now, if a person asked family eiders, clergymen or the Ministry of Community Development to help get financial support from his children, the most they could do was to mediate. But mediators h

A．received unanimous support in the Singapore Parliament

B．was believed to solve all the problems of the elderly poor

C．was intended to substitute for traditional values in Singapore

D．was passed to make the young more responsible to the old

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第7题

Encouraging the elderly people to participate （) games is very important.

A.at

B.in

C.with

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第8题

Questions 16～20 are based on the following passage． As a wise man once said，we are all ul

timately alone． But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age． This isn’t the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations，but a fact of Europe’s new economic landscape，embraced by sociologists，real-estate developers and ad executives alike． The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle，observes a French sociologist，is part of the “irresistible momentum of individualism”over the last century． The communications revolution，the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on （扰乱）Europeans’ private lives.．Europe’s new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence．The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe’s shift from social democracy to the sharper，more individualistic climate of American style. capitalism．Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice，today’s tech-savvy （精通技术的）workers have embraced a free market in love as well as economics．Modern Europeans are rich enough to afford to live alone，and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so．Once upon a time，people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage-twenty something professionals or widowed senior citizens．While pensioners，particularly elderly women，make up a large proportion of those living alone，the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle. choice．Living alone was conceived to be negative-dark and cold，while being together suggested warmth and light.．But then came along the idea of singles．They were young，beautiful，strong! Now，young people want to live alone．The booming economy means people are working harder than ever．And that doesn’t leave much room for relationships．Pimpi Arroyo，a 35-year-old composer who lives alone in a house in Paris，says he hasn’t got time to get lonely because he has too much work．“I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult.．Only an Ideal Woman would make him change his lifestyle，he says.．Kaufmann，author of a recent book called “The Single Woman and Prince Charming，”thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expect more and more of mates，so relationships don’t last long-if they start at all．Eppendorf，a blond Berliner with a deep tan，teaches grade school in the mornings．In the afternoon she sunbathes or sleeps，resting up for going dancing．Just shy of 50，she says she’d never have wanted to do what her mother did-give up a career to raise a family．Instead，“I’ve always done what I wanted to do： live a self-determined life．

第16题：More and more young Europeans remain single because （）．

A．they are driven by an overwhelming sense of individualism

B．they have entered the workforce at a much earlier age

C．they have embraced a business culture of stability

D．they are pessimistic about their economic future

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第9题

Some elderly people are ______ their beds at hospital. They need our help.A．confined toB．l

Some elderly people are ______ their beds at hospital. They need our help.

A．confined to

B．locked to

C．tied with

D．limited by

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第10题

The poor are very wonderful people. One evening we went out and we picked up four people f

rom the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition - and I told the sisters: You take care of the other three. I take care of this one who looked worse. So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand as she said just the words "Thank you" and she died.

I could not help but examine my conscience before her and I asked what I would say if I was in her place. And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself. I would have said I am hungry, that I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something, but she gave me much more - she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face. So did that man whom we picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home. "I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for", he said at the end . And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything. Like an angel - this is the greatness of our people. And that is why we believe what Jesus has said: I was hungry, I was naked, I was homeless, I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for, and you did it to me.

And with this prize that I received as a Prize of Peace, I am going to try to make the home for many people who have no home. Because I believe that love begins at home and if we can create a home for the poor I think that more and more love will spread. And we will be able through this understanding love to bring peace, be the good news to the poor, the poor in our own family first, in our country and in the world. When I pick up a person from the street, hungry, I give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread, I have satisfied. I have removed that hunger. But to a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out from society, that poverty is so full of hurt and so unbearable… And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love, and once we begin to love each other naturally we want to do something.

What can be learned from the second paragraph？

A．The woman should have paid more attention to herself.

B．The man couldn' t blame anyone.

C．The author is religious.

D．The man died in the street.

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An elderly woman died yesterday after being knocked down by a motorist who had made no【21】