Washington, April 4----- The United States has more than 90 million families for the first time, but each contains fewer people on average than ever, the Census Bureau(統(tǒng)計(jì)局) reported today.
The 90,031,000 families in the United States averaged 2.64 members each as of last July 1.“The reason is, in effect, changes in the age structure,” explained Campbell Gibson, a population researcher for the bureau. Most Americans born in the great explosion of births are now in their 20’s and 30’s when they most likely to set up families, he said.
The fact that many are doing so increased the number of families from 80.4 million in 1980 t0 88.8 million in 1986 and past the 90 million mark last summer.
At the same time, the average number of people per family dropped from 2.75 in 1985 to 2.65 in 1986 and then to 2.64, Mr Gibson said.
By comparison, the 1970 Census found the average family contained 3.14 people. Families averaged more than four people in 1939 and more than five in 1880.
The growing number of ever---- smaller families is still going on, but Mr Gibson pointed out that family growth was not the same as population increase in the 1970’s.
The same age factors that are increasing the number of families also happened then, but in the 1970’s the proportion(比例) of families in each age group was also growing.
That hasn’t continued in the 1980’s for a number of possible reasons, Mr Gibson said. For example, in the 1980’s more young people have chosen to remain home with their parents instead of setting up housekeeping on their own, as many did in the 1970’s.
This could be caused by the increasing cost of housing, he said. Delays in marriage while young people go to work and school, have also been widely reported as a factor, but it was not the only factor for the family changes.
小題1:The smaller figure of families reported here is _________.
A．1980B．80,400,000C．2.64D．90 million
小題2:What’s the reporter’s attitude towards the present situation?
A. People should get married at later age.
  1. The average number of family members should be 2.64.
  2. It’s not clear in the report.
  3. Young people should set up housekeeping on their own, as many did in the 1970’s.
小題3:From the last paragraph we may infer that________.
A. delay in marriage will not help the number of the families
  1. delay in marriage is the major factor of the family changes
  2. the writer felt sorry that many young people now delay their marriages
  3. there must be some other factors which have led to the slower growth in the 1980’s
小題4: The underlined word “factor” in the passage means_________.
A．reasonB．something that proves be true
C．a(chǎn)dvantageD．something that helps to bring about a result
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

  In the more and more competitive scrvice industry , it is no longer enough to promise customrr satisfaction. Today , customer “delighi” is what companies are trying to achieve in or order to keep and increase market share.
It is accepted in the marketing industry , and confirmed by a number of researches, that customers receiving good service will promote business by telling up to 12 other people : those treated badly will tell their tales of woe to up to 20 people, 80 percent of people who feel their complaints are handled fairly will stay loyal
New llenges for customer care have come when peoplecan obtain  goods and services through  telephone call centers and the Intemet. For example , many companies now have to invest(投資)a lot of money in information technology and staff training in order to cope with the “phone rage”—caused by delays in answering calls ,being cut off in mid-conversation or left waiting for long periods.
“Many people do not like talking to machines ,”says Dr . Storey Senior Lecturer in Marketng at City University Business School. “Banks, for example, encourage staff at call centers to use customer data to establish instant and good relationship with them .The aim is to make the customet feel they know you and that you can trest— the sort of comfortable feelings people have during face-to-face chats with their local branch manager.”
Recommended ways of creating customer delight include: under-promising and over-delivering  (saying that a repair will be camed out within five hours ,but getting it done within two );replacing a faulty product immediately : throwing in a gift voucher(購(gòu)物禮卷)as an unexpected “thank you” to regntlar customers ;and always returning calls ,even when they are complaints.
Aiming for customer delight is all very well , but if services do not reach the high level promised , disappointment or worse will be the result . This can be eased by offering an aplogy and an explanation of why the service did not meet usual standards with empathy (for example,“I know how you must feel”) , and possible solutions (replacement , compensation or whatever faimess suggests best meets the case).
Airlines face some of the tourhest challenges over customer care . Fierce competition has convinced them that delighting passengers is an important marketing tool, while there is great potential for customer anger over delays caused by weather ,unclaimed luggage and technieal problems .
For British Airways staff , a winning telephone style is considercd vital in handling the large volume of calls about bookings and flight times . They are trained to answer quickly ,with their name , job title and a “we are here to help” attitude. The company has investod heavily in information technology to make sure that infomation is available instantly on scren.
British Airways also says its customer care policies are applied within the company and staff are
taught to regard each other as customers requiring the highest standards of service.
Customer care is obviously here to stay and it would be a foolish company that used slogans such as "we do as we please”. On the other  hand , the more customers are promised, the greater the risk of  disappointment.
小題1:
We can learn from Paragraph 2 that       .
A． complaining customers are hard to satisfy
B． unsatisfied customers receive better service
C． Satisfied customers catch more attention
D． well-treated customers promote business
小題2:
The writer mentions “phone rage”(Paragraph 3) to show that       .
A．customers often use phones to express their anger
B．people still prefer to buy goods online
C．customer care becomes more attention
D．customers rely on their phones to obtain services
小題3:
What does the writer recommend to create delight?
A．Calling customers regularlyB．Giving a “thank you” note.
C．Delivering a quicker serviceD．Promising more gifts.
小題4:
If a manager should show his empathy (Paragraph6), what would he  probably say?
A．“I know how upset you must be.”B．“I appreciate your understanding.”
C．“I’m sorry for the delay.”D．“I know it’s our fault.”
小題5:
Customer delight is important for airlines because      .
A．their telephone style remains anchanged
B．they are more likely to meet with complaints
C．the services cost them a lot of money
D．the policies can be applied to their staff
小題6:
Which of the following is conveyed in this article?
A．Face-to-face service creatcs comfortable feelings among customers.
B．Companies that promise more will naturally attract more customers.
C．A company should promise less but do more in a competitive market.
D．Customer delight is more important for airlines than for banks.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Today's Britain is full of TV shows like Fame Academy, which claim to offer young hopefuls an instant passport to fame and riches. But a very different kind of academy may provide a new generation of Brits with a slower, steadier path to wealth.
A 'pig academy' in the east of England is aiming to train up new pig farmers to help promote local agriculture and meet the UK's growing demand for pork. Last year consumption of pork products increased by 6,000 tonnes. But British farmers have not benefited from this rise in demand. A combination of increasing feed prices, competition from cheaper imports and an outbreak of foot and mouth disease have all eaten into their profits. Pig numbers in the UK have actually almost halved in the last decade.
Now, Fresh Start Pig Academy in Lincolnshire is launching a course which intends to redress (修復(fù)) the balance. They say pig husbandry (養(yǎng)豬業(yè)) is a growth industry and newcomers are welcome. For those of you who fancy getting your hands dirty, the course will teach you everything you need to know, from keeping pigs healthy to raising the capital needed to start up.
Pig farmer Anne Longthorp followed her father into the industry and believes that farming pigs is very rewarding work: "They're great, curious animals to work with. Just watching their behaviour – it's really interesting work. There is a lot more to pig farming than people give us credit for. It's very scientific."
So, while most of Britain's young people may continue to dream of overnight stardom, others will hope a more traditional career will help them bring home the bacon.
小題1:The second paragraph is mainly about          the pig academy come into being. 
A．why B．howC．whenD．where
小題2:Which is not the contribution to the decrease in pig farmers' enthusiasm? 
A．growing demand for pork
B．increasing feed prices
C．competition from cheaper imports
D．outbreak of foot and mouth disease
小題3:From the passage we can infer that the Pig Academy will         .  
A．lead the youth to riches faster than the Fame Academy
B．provide geilivable help for whoever attends the course
C．be more popular with young people than other academies
D．make some young people overnight star
小題4: What does the underlined phrase "getting your hands dirty" probably mean?  
A．making your hands dirty by raising pigs
B．taking up the job as a pig farmer
C．a(chǎn)voiding the pig bed dirty to keep them fit
D．collecting enough money to raise pigs
小題5:Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?  
A．Anne Longthorp loves the job of farming pigs.
B．Anne Longthorp’s family all like raising pigs.
C．Most young people in Britain will like the career of farming pigs.
D．People who farm pigs are allowed to bring home many bacons.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

This year Canada’s navy is one hundred years old. To mark the occasion, military ships from six different countries around the Pacific Ocean came to Canada for a four-day celebration. There were parades, parties and demonstrations of navy search and rescue aircraft and a show put on by the Snowbirds.
The Snowbirds, Canada’s aerobatic team, fly Tudor jet aircraft that are not particularly fast or particularly new but with amazing and sometimes hair-raising precision. They put a formation of nine aircraft into a space that would normally hold only one and they change the information in flight, roll it, loop it, break it and reform it in a dizzying ballet in the sky. The Snowbirds are one of the best aerobatic flying teams in the world and they are a readily recognized symbol of Canada just as the Great Wall is a recognized symbol of China. For a Canadian, watching the Snowbirds fly can bring tears. They make us very proud.
The Snowbirds have been flying since 1971. All of the pilots are serving members of the Canadian Air Force. They are all very young, all are highly-skilled and each is attached to the Snowbirds for two or three years. Each winter they practice in the cold, clear skies and each summer they put on more than fifty air-shows across the country and sometimes abroad. What they do is highly specialized. They often fly less than two meters from each other at speeds of about seven hundred and fifty kilometers an hour.
Flying is, by its nature, inherently risky and what the Snowbirds do increases that risk. While the pilots are all highly trained professionals, eight Snowbird pilots have been killed over the years. I have been fortunate enough to watch the Snowbirds fly probably fifteen or twenty times and if I know they are going to be flying I will go to see them again and again. This is not because I want to see someone do something dangerous, it is because I want to see something done so well—it is almost unbelievably precise and beautiful. I want to watch nine aircraft in an incredibly tight formation, each one painted in the red and white of my country’s flag, soaring through the cloudless blue sky. I want to feel that pride and that tear just behind my eyelids that comes from watching something uniquely and wonderfully Canadian.
小題1:.
Which of the following is TRUE about the Snowbirds?
A．The aircraft they fly are particularly fast and new.
B．They are the best aerobatic flying team in the world.
C．They are regarded as a symbol of Canada.
D．Every year they put on more than fifty air-shows across the country.
小題2:.
. The underlined word “inherently” in the last paragraph refers to         .
A．naturallyB．trulyC．entirelyD．nearly
小題3:.
Why does the author like to watch the Snowbirds fly?
A．Because he wants to see someone do something dangerous.
B．Because the flying is unbelievably precise and beautiful.
C．Because his country’s flag is painted on each one.
D．Because watching them fly can make people cry.
小題4:.
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A．Air-shows of the Snowbirds
B．A Four-day Celebration of Canada
C．The Training of Highly-skilled Pilots
D．A National Symbol -- the Snowbirds

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Since the early 1990s, the Internet has greatly changed the way people communicate. But some teachers think the changes are not all for the better.
Eleanor Johnson, an English professor at Columbia University in New York, says, “Ｉthink text messaging has made students believe that it is far more acceptable than it actually is to just make spelling and grammatical mistakes.” She says her students over the past several years have increasingly used less formal English in their writing. She says words and phrases like “you know” now appearing research papers. And she now has to talk about another problem in class---incorrect word use.
Professor Johnson doubts a strong connection between the rise of communication online and an increase in writing mistakes. But she admits there may not be much scientific proof, at least not yet.
David Crystal, a British language expert, says the actively changing nature of the Internet makes it difficult to stay unchanged in studying its effects. But he believes its effect on language is small. He says, “The main effect of the Internet on language has been to increase the expressive richness of language, providing the language with a new set of communicative content that didn’t exist in the past.” Erin Jansen, founder of an online dictionary of Internet and text messaging terms, says his new technology has not changed existing language but has greatly added to the vocabulary. “Basically it is a freedom of expression,” she says, “If it is helping them write more or communicate more, that is great. That is what teachers and educators want---to get students communicating.”
But Erin Jansen and David Crystal agree with Eleanor Jonson on at least one thing. Teachers need to make sure students understand the uses and rules of language.
小題1: According to the text, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．David Crystal thinks the Internet makes the language expression richer.
B．David Crystal believes the Internet’s effects on language use are clear
C．Eleanor Johnson thinks writing mistakes has much to do with the Internet
D．Eleanor Johnson thinks all the Internet effects on language use are good
小題2:. Eleanor Johnson is mentioned to _______.
A．share her idea of the great effects of using the Internet
B．tell people a way to correct students’ writing mistakes
C．serve as an example of teachers’ blaming the Internet
D．warn people against the dangers of using the Internet
小題3: What do the three experts have in common as to the Internet effect?
A．The possibilities of avoiding the use of less formal words
B．The causes of the Internet’s great effects on language
C．The necessity of helping students reduce writing mistakes
D．The importance of students’ knowing how to use language
小題4:. What could be the best title for the text?
A．Students’ Learning and the Internet: Good or Bad?
B．Students’ Writing and the Internet: Good or Bad?
C．Students’ Papers and the Internet: Good or Bad?
D．Students’ Mistakes and the Internet: Good or Bad?

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states—at least in getting people off welfare．It's estimated that more than 2 million people have left the list since 1994．
In the past four years, welfare list in Athens County have been cut in half．But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $ 6 an hour．The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent —twice the national average．For advocates（代言人） for the poor, that's an indication that much more needs to be done．
"More people are getting jobs, but it's not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington．A center analysis of US Census data （戶(hù)口普查資料） nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed families were earning money on their own, but that average income for these families actually went down．
But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory．"Welfare was a poison．It was a poisonous substance that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst．"The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities．It's beginning to rebuild the work ethic （道德觀）, which is much more important．"
Mr．Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked," then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards．
小題1:．From the passage, it can be seen that the author __   __．
A．believes the reform has reduced the government's burden
B．insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor
C．is not interested in the success of welfare reform
D．considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful
小題2:．Why aren't people enjoying better lives when they have jobs?
A．Because many families end their marriage．
B．Because government aid is now rare．
C．Because their wages are still low．
D．Because the cost of living is rising．
小題3:．From the passage we know that welfare reform aims at____．
A．saving welfare funds                   B, rebuilding the work ethic
C．providing more jobs                                     D．cutting government expenses
小題4:According to the passage,____ before the welfare reform was carried out．
A．the poverty rate was lower
B．a(chǎn)verage living standards were higher
C．the average worker was paid higher-wages
D．the poor used to rely on government aid

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Being a mother is apparently not like it was in the good old days.
　　Today’s parents yearn for the golden age that their own mothers enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s, researchers found. Mothers have less time to themselves and feel under greater pressure to handle work and family life than the previous generation. As a result, 88 per cent said they felt guilty about the lack of time they spent with their children.
The survey of 1,000 mothers also found that more than a third said they had less time to themselves than their mothers did – just three hours a week or 26 minutes a day. And 64 per cent said this was because they felt they ‘had’ to go out to work, while nearly a third (29 per cent) said they were under constant pressure to be the ‘perfect mother’, the report found.
Other findings showed social networking and parenting websites, as well as technology such as Skype, were important in providing help and support among female communities. Kate Fox, a member of the Social Issues Research Centre, which conducted the survey for Procter & Gamble, said: ‘With increasing pressure on mothers to work a “double shift” — to be the perfect mother as well as a wage-earner — support networks are more important than ever.
It comes as a separate report examining childcare in the leading industrialised nations found that working mothers in Britain spend just 81 minutes a day caring for their children as a ‘primary activity’. Mothers who stay at home, on the other hand, manage twice as much time – more than two and a half hours – looking after their offspring, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
　　Critics say the pressure on women to work long hours, and leave their offspring in the hands of nurseries or childminders, is putting the well-being of their children at risk.
　　The study also reveals that, despite the fact that more and more modern mothers go out to work, the burden of childcare still falls on them - even if their husband is not in work. A father who is not in work tends to spend just 63 minutes a day looking after his child - 18 minutes less than a mother who goes out to work. Working fathers spare less than three quarters of an hour with their children.
小題1:. What does the passage mainly talk about?
A．The good old days of mothers in the 1970s and 1980s.
B．The great sufferings of today’s children.
C．The statistics of working mothers and full-time mothers.
D．The big problems that today’s working mothers face.
小題2:. What does the underlined phrase “yearn for” probably means ___________.
A．hateB．missC．a(chǎn)bandonD．control
小題3: Which of the following problems is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A．Today’s mothers have less time left for their children and themselves.
B．The working mothers can hardly strike the balance between work and family.
C．Most of the mothers can not control their husbands nowadays.
D．Modern fathers do not spend enough time with their children.
小題4: From para. 4, we can infer that ___________.
A．working mothers can seek help on line
B．Skype is a very famous expert in studying social issues
C．working mothers’ double shift is to be a wife and a mother
D．Kate Fox has opened a website offering help to working mothers
小題5:. What critics say means that _____________.
A．it is wise for working mothers to put their kids in nurseries or childminders
B．too much time in nurseries or childminders is bad for kids’ mental and physical health
C．nurseries or childminders are dangerous places for children
D．children do not like nurseries or childminders at all

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

When coal is burned in a boiler, two kinds of ash by-products are produced: a heavy bottom ash and a fine-as-powder fly ash. About 10 to 15 percent of the coal by-product is bottom ash which is used like sand on streets and highways covered with ice, and also on highways as paving material.
It is the fly ash, however, that is receiving much attention. Once considered a waste, fly ash is now regarded as a natural resource in the United States. It can be placed in some lower places, where it is compacted and covered with soil, for the seeds of various grasses and plants to be placed in the soil to make the land productive.
Fly ash may be added to concrete to build roads and other kinds of buildings, taking the place of the cement up to 20 percent. As a by-product of burned coal, fly ash requires no extra energy to be produced, while cement production requires great amounts of energy.
Besides, the technology is able to take out some useful minerals from the fly ash, which is still a very expensive process today. But the time may come when it is cheaper to take out these products from ash than to mine new supplies.
小題1: The bottom ash can be put on icy streets________.
A．in order to rebuild themB． in order to make them colourful
C．so that people can walk on themD．so that cars can run faster
小題2:The fly ash_______ bottom ash.
A．has the same use asB． is more expensive than
C．has more uses thanD．is much cheaper than
小題3:The fly ash can be used to________.
A．grow various plantsB． take the place of soil
C．cover productive landD．make more productive land
小題4: Which of the following is right?
A．To produce fly ash, some extra coal is to be burned.
B． Fly ash is made while producing cement.
C．It takes less energy to produce fly ash than cement.
D．Fly ash is a costless by-product.
小題5:The word “mine” in the last sentence of the passage means_______.
A．to buy things from other countries
B． to search for useful materials in the mountains
C．to dig deeply into the ground to get useful materials
D．to take out certain materials from other things

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Mother’s Day is usually celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year. Do you know that a mom deserves a special gift this year for Mother’s Day? Sure, flowers can always brighten Mother’s Day and a dinner out is always appreciated. However, doesn’t she deserve something more personal or something that lasts longer than an evening?
I’m talking about the gift of fitness. Improved fitness is a gift that is invaluable to everyone. When you give a woman the gift of fitness, you are helping her open her door to better health. I can’t think of a more thoughtful gift that shows the recipient （接受者）how much you care about their well-being. By giving the gift of fitness you are providing them with unlimited health benefits. Besides, it’s a gift that you can truly feel proud to give.
Of course, we all know that exercising can help people stay slim and fit. But, do you also know about all the other great benefits of exercising? Daily physical activities reduce stress and help you sleep better. Fitness has been linked to reducing the risk of some diseases and to warding off depression. Researchers also believe that strength training can help prevent osteoporosis （骨質(zhì)疏松）. Not to mention that exercising also improves self-esteem, increases energy and helps you be able to do continuous work for longer.
All moms would find these benefits extremely great. If they are like most of us, they have probably even mentioned how they would like to drop a few pounds or just get in better shape. In fact, experts say that about 62% of Americans are currently on a diet. By giving the gift of fitness, you are helping provide your mom with extra motivation. She may be more motivated to actually get fit because she doesn’t want to feel guilty about ignoring such a thoughtful gift.
小題1: The first paragraph is likely to tell us that ________.
A．we should give a special gift to our mom for Mother’s Day
B．we should invite our mom to a dinner for Mother’s Day
C．it’s good to send flowers to moms for Mother’s Day
D．moms aren’t worth special gifts for Mother’s Day
小題2: The underlined word “invaluable”（in paragraph 2） means ________.
A．pricelessB．worthlessC．uselessD．helpless
小題3: According to this passage, the gift of fitness will ________.
A．make moms feel prouder
B．let moms free from illnesses
C．keep moms having a healthy diet
D．encourage moms to do more exercise
小題4: Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A．Better Pay Attention to Your Mother’s Health
B．Give the Gift of Fitness This Mother’s Day
C．Moms Like to Accept the Gift of Fitness
D．Help Your Mother Keep a Good Shape

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