While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy is ruining their life plans, I couldn't help but think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children who grow up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment –my husband and I probably won't be able to buy a house until we're in our forties, and we two are burdened by student loans. But why should it be different? Being young people in America, shouldn't they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won't be able to have children for at least a decade because they can't afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury, not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old man in the story is disappointed that he can't afford to get a Ph. D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it's sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people's expectations grow up when their wealth appears to be increasing. Their parents probably see their home values rise along with their investments. "So we have people who have grown up in an environment where people have great expectations of what living well means," says Kobliner.
This recession will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems much better for our mental health to focus on being grateful—for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day—than on longing for some kind of luxurious life.
小題1:What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
A．They expect everything to be easy for them.
B．They complain that the economy is ruining their life plans.
C．They are unwilling to face all of the challenges.
D．They are burdened by student loans.
小題2:Which of the following is NOT one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?
A. They can't have children for at least a decade for they can't afford to buy a house.
B. They have only a one-bedroom apartment to live in.
C. They can't buy a house until 40 and are burdened by student loans.
D. They despair of not being able to afford to get a Ph. D. in literature.
小題3:What's Kobliner's attitude towards the 20-somethings with high expectations ?
A．Unbearable.B．Opposing.C．Doubtful.D．Understanding.
小題4:What is the best title for this passage?
A．Young people afford to continue their education
B．Young people can't afford to buy a house
C．Young people's high expectations lead to despair
D．The 20-somethings' high expectations

小題1:B
小題2:B
小題3:D
小題4:C 

試題分析：文章大意：文章主要講述的是年輕人過高的期望的原因和產(chǎn)生的后果。
小題1:B細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段的While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled 可知答案。故B正確。
小題2:B細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第二段的Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband可知B項錯誤。故B正確。
小題3:D推理判斷題。根據(jù)第五段Beth Kobliner, author of Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be increasing, Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner可知，Beth Kobliner認(rèn)為這些年輕人過高的期望是有環(huán)境因素的，因此抱有理解的態(tài)度。故D正確。
小題4:C主旨大意題。文章主要講述的是年輕人過高的期望的原因和產(chǎn)生的后果，故C項標(biāo)題符合題意。故C正確。
練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Several years ago, I worked as a truck driver for a company. On Saturdays I usually spent several hours doing something to keep my truck in good condition.
One Saturday, as I was cleaning my truck, I noticed the boss’s elderly father came out to ask his grandson to take him fishing after work. The grandson told him all about how much he would love to do that, but he just couldn’t because he had other plans already. The old man hobbled (蹣跚) off to the house.
Then I heard the grandson telling his dad, "I’m not taking that old man fishing! It’s worse than taking a kid."
That just broke my heart.
I quit working immediately and went home to fetch my fishing gear (漁具) and a chair. Then I came back and invited the old man to go fishing. He accepted happily.
When we got to the river, I let him sit in the chair at the edge of the water. It wasn’t long before he got a fish. He got one fish after another. His eyes were shining like a child. About half an hour later, he told me he was tired and needed to go home. So I took him and the fish home.
Two weeks later, the old man died. His family told me later that all he talked about during that time was his fishing trip. I am satisfied that I have taken an old man on his last fishing trip, but I am sorry that his family have lost their last chance. Whenever you get the chance, don’t forget about taking Grandpa fishing. Someday, you may be in the same place and you’ll want your family to care about you, too.
小題1:The writer wrote the passage mainly to ________.
A．tell us something about his work
B．tell us about a fishing experience
C．persuade us to take Grandpa fishing
D．persuade us to care about the elderly
小題2:The old man’s Grandson refused to fish with him because ______.
A．he had something more important to do that day
B．he didn’t like to fish with an old man
C．he was tired of his job and he wanted to rest
D．he preferred fishing with a child
小題3:What’s the possible meaning of the underlined word "quit"?
A．startB．stopC．imagineD．try
小題4:According to the passage, we can infer（推斷） that the author is _______.
A．willing to make his boss happy
B．in need of care from his family
C．prefers fishing to his work
D．kind and warm-hearted

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

The person I admire most is not famous at all, yet in my mind his achievements are as important as those of any historical figure. Gary is a fellow classmate of mine at college, and for him this is a major      .
We know that Gary suffers from a      , which makes it almost impossible for him to      his movements. As a result, he will       his life in a wheelchair. He cannot write with a pen or a pencil, and speaks so slowly and strangely that it takes      to understand what he is saying.
However, behind his       appearance, Gary is a warm, fun-loving, intelligent person. His disability affects his muscles, not his mind or      . He enjoys the same things as any student does—listening to music, making      and so on—and he is not only the best student in our class, but also has a       sense of humor and genuine interest in other people.
The main      why I admire him so much is that he is determined to lead a       life, in spite of his physical difficulties he has to overcome. Although his       prevents him from going to school, he gives himself an education by studying at home. Being unable to      himself, he uses a special typewriter to write letters to his friends and beautiful poems which      the true depth of his thoughts and character. Another reason why I admire Gary is that he never feels sorry for himself. He says, for instance, that being unable to move around       gives him more time to think. In fact, he always      to see the bright side of any situation, so instead of needing his friends to       him, he actually cheers us up when we are       or depressed.
I would admire Gary       he didn’t have any disability; in fact he does, and      to let it spoil his life, which makes him the most remarkable person I have known.
小題1:
A．problemB．impressionC．a(chǎn)chievementD．joke
小題2:
A．headacheB．defeatC．disabilityD．pain
小題3:
A．controlB．a(chǎn)ffectC．removeD．replace
小題4:
A．spendB．saveC．wasteD．ruin
小題5:
A．courageB．chanceC．a(chǎn)bilityD．patience
小題6:
A．chemicalB．medicalC．physicalD．mental
小題7:
A．personalityB．behaviorC．healthD．method
小題8:
A．neighborsB．friendsC．driversD．writers
小題9:
A．terribleB．similarC．wonderfulD．practical
小題10:
A．problemB．needC．matterD．reason
小題11:
A．dangerousB．disappointing C．normalD．careful
小題12:
A．movementB．conditionC．choiceD．decision
小題13:
A．explainB．expressC．introduceD．enjoy
小題14:
A．leaveB．giveC．bringD．show
小題15:
A．justB．mostlyC．hardlyD．ever
小題16:
A．continuesB．a(chǎn)rrangesC．managesD．begins
小題17:
A．comfortB．helpC．forgiveD．tease
小題18:
A．a(chǎn)shamedB．regretfulC．worriedD．doubtful
小題19:
A．even soB．ever sinceC．a(chǎn)s ifD．even if
小題20:
A．wantsB．refusesC．stopsD．Loves

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Car Talk
When I got the driving license last summer, Mom and I took our first trip around an empty parking lot. Then I found that my mother was not the best teacher for me. It wasn't that she shouted, or told me that I was doing poorly. As you can imagine, my mother's "helpful instructions" only managed to make me more nervous.
Since I could no longer practice with her, the job was placed in the hands of my father. The idea of learning from Dad was not one that thrilled me. I loved him dearly, but I just did not see Dad as someone I could be comfortable learning from. He almost never talked. We shared a typical father-daughter relationship. He'd ask how school was, and I'd say it was fine. Unfortunately, that was the most of our conversations. Spending hours alone with someone who might as well have been a stranger really scared me.
As we got into the car that first time, I was not surprised at what happened. Dad and I drove around, saying almost nothing, aside from a few instructions on how to turn. As my lessons went on, however, things began to change. Dad would turn the radio up so I could fully appreciate his favorite Stones music. And he actually began talking. I was soon hearing about past failed dates, "basic body" gym class, and other tales from his past, including some of his first meeting with Mom.
Dad' s sudden chattiness was shocking until I thought about why he was telling me so much in the car. In all the years that I had wondered why my father never spoke that much, I had never stopped to consider that it was because I had never bothered to listen. Homework, friends, and even TV had all called me away from him, and, consequently, I never thought my quiet father had anything to say.
Since I began driving with him, my driving skill has greatly increased. More important, though, is that my knowledge of who my father is has also increased. Just living with him wasn't enough—it took driving with him for me to get to know someone who was a mystery.
小題1:The author couldn't practice driving with her mother because             .
A．she couldn't talk with her motherB．her father wanted to teach her
C．her mother made her nervousD．she didn't trust her mother
小題2:At first, the idea of learning driving from her father made her             .
A．happyB．uneasyC．satisfiedD．disappointed
小題3:What surprised the author when the driving lessons went on?
A．Her Dad liked modern music.B．Her Dad was the best teacher.
C．Her Dad was a chatty person.D．Her Dad told her his sad stories.
小題4:With her story "Car Talk", the author indicates that             .
A．fathers love their daughters dearly
B．mothers are less patient than fathers
C．family members need real communication
D．it takes time to improve the father-daughter relationship

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Run freely ——A lesson about Courage
One afternoon,many years ago，I went to pick up my mother from work.I got there a little early so I_______ the car by the roadside and waited for her.
As I looked _______ the car window,there was a small park where I saw a little boy,around one and a half to two years old, _______freely on the grass as his mother watched from a short_______.The boy had a big smile on his face_______ he had just been set free from a ­­­­­­______.The boy would then fall to the grass,get up,and without_______ or without looking back at his mother,run as fast as he could,again ,still with a ______ on his face,as if nothing had happened.
Kids,when they fall down,they don’t consider their falling down as a failure,but _______, they treat it as a learning experience.They feel compelled to try and try again until they_______.
Not only was I impressed by the boy’s courage, but I was _____ touched by the manner in which he ran.With each attempt,he looked so_______,so natural, without signs of fear,nervousness,or of being disappointed.His only _____ was to run freely and to do it effectively as he could.He was just being a ______,just being himself.He was not looking for_____ or worrying about whether ________ was watching.He wasn’t concerned about being judged.He didn’t seem to be bothered by the fact that maybe someone would see him ______and that it would be ______ if he did fall.No,all that______ to him was to accomplish the task of activity at hand to the best of his ability, feeling the experience of running fully and freely.
I learned a lot from that observation and ______, and have successfully brought that lesson with me in life.
小題1:
A．leftB．startedC．stoppedD．drove
小題2:
A．outsideB．downC．towardD．over
小題3:
A．playingB．smilingC．rollingD．running
小題4:
A．sightB．lengthC．timeD．distance
小題5:
A．evenifB．solongasC．a(chǎn)sthoughD．nowthat
小題6:
A．prisonB．houseC．parkD．castle
小題7:
A．a(chǎn)ttentionB．hesitationC．questionD．a(chǎn)pplication
小題8:
A．puzzleB．smileC．pleasureD．surprise
小題9:
A．thereforeB．insteadC．stillD．a(chǎn)nyhow
小題10:
A．stopB．winC．a(chǎn)chieveD．succeed
小題11:
A．luckilyB．a(chǎn)pparentlyC．a(chǎn)ctuallyD．equally
小題12:
A．confidentB．joyfulC．quietD．proud
小題13:
A．worryB．talentC．concernD．conclusion
小題14:
A．studentB．childC．playerD．winner
小題15:
A．chanceB．fortuneC．a(chǎn)pprovalD．trouble
小題16:
A．someoneB．nooneC．everyoneD．one
小題17:
A．tryB．runC．cryD．fall
小題18:
A．embarrassingB．disappointingC．frighteningD．exciting
小題19:
A．happenedB．caredC．matteredD．related
小題20:
A．experimentB．experienceC．expressingD．expectation

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Children find meanings in their old family tales.  
When Stephen Guyer’s three children were growing up, he told them stories about how his grandfather, a banker,        all in the 1930s, but did not lose sight of what he valued most. In one of the darkest times when his strong-minded grandfather was nearly         , he loaded his family into the car and          them to see family members in Canada with a         , “There are more important things in life than money.”
The          took on a new meaning recently when Mr. Guyer downsized to a          house from a more expensive and comfortable one. He was          that his children, a daughter, 15, and twins, 22, would be upset. To his surprise, they weren’t. Instead, their reaction echoed (重復(fù)) their great-grandfather’s. What they          about was how warm the people were in the house and how much of their heart was accessible.
Many parents are finding family stories have surprising power to help children through           times. Storytelling experts say the phenomenon (現(xiàn)象) reflects a growing         in telling tales, evidenced (證明) by a rise in storytelling events and festivals.
A university          of 65 families with children aged from 14 to 16 found kids’ ability to          parents’ stories was linked to a lower rate of anger and anxiety.
The          is telling the stories in a way children can hear. We’re not talking here about the kind of story that         , “When I was a kid, I walked to school every day uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow.” Instead, we should choose a story suited (適合) to the child’s         , and make eye contact to create “a personal experience”. We don’t have to tell children what they should take from the story and what the moral is.
小題1:
A．missedB．lostC．forgotD．ignored
小題2:
A．friendlessB．worthlessC．pennilessD．homeless
小題3:
A．fetchedB．a(chǎn)llowedC．expectedD．took
小題4:
A．hope B．promiseC．suggestionD．belief
小題5:
A．taleB．a(chǎn)greementC．a(chǎn)rrangementD．report
小題6:
A．largeB．smallC．newD．grand
小題7:
A．surprisedB．a(chǎn)nnoyedC．disappointedD．worried
小題8:
A．talkedB．caredC．wroteD．heard
小題9:
A．goodB．hardC．oldD．modern
小題10:
A．a(chǎn)rgumentB．skillC．interestD．a(chǎn)nxiety
小題11:
A．studyB．designC．partyD．staff
小題12:
A．provideB．retellC．supportD．refuse
小題13:
A．troubleB．giftC．factD．trick
小題14:
A．meansB．endsC．beginsD．proves
小題15:
A．needsB．a(chǎn)ctivitiesC．hobbiesD．habits

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

In the process of my growing up I cannot remember hearing the words ‘‘I love you” from my father．When your father never says them to you when you are a child，it gets        for him to say those words as he gets older．In fact，I could not honestly remember when I had last        my love to him either．I decided to        my pride and make the first       ．After some hesitation，in our next phone conversation I burst out the words．“Dad．．．I love you!”
There was a silence at the other end and he        replied，“Well，same back at ya!”
I chuckled and said，“Dad，I know you love me，and when you are        ，I know you will say what you want to say．’’
Fifteen minutes later my mother        and nervously asked，“Paul，is everything okay?’’
A few weeks later，Dad        our phone conversation with the words，“Paul，I love you．’’I was at work during this conversation and the tears were rolling down my cheeks as I        “heard’’ the love．As we both sat there in tears we realized that this special moment had taken our father-son relationship to a new       ．
A short while after this special moment，my father        escaped death following heart surgery．Many times since，I have        whether l would have ever “heard” the love if I had not taken the first step and Dad had not        the surgery．
小題1:
A．rougherB．tougherC．shyerD．severer
小題2:
A．conveyedB．leftC．passedD．devoted
小題3:
A．get acrossB．put upC．set asideD．take on
小題4:
A．a(chǎn)ssumptionB．moveC．decisionD．remark
小題5:
A．fearfullyB．excitedlyC．cheerfullyD．a(chǎn)wkwardly
小題6:
A．cautiousB．casualC．relaxedD．ready
小題7:
A．calledB．droppedC．removedD．glanced
小題8:
A．continuedB．performedC．concludedD．obtained
小題9:
A．naturallyB．finallyC．indirectlyD．gradually
小題10:
A．1evelB．situationC．classD．rank
小題11:
A．slightlyB．nearlyC．narrowlyD．hardly
小題12:
A．realizedB．wonderedC．understoodD．believed
小題13:
A．operatedB．performedC．toleratedD．survived

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

When something goes wrong, it can be very satisfying to say, "Well, it's so-and-so's fault，"or "I know I'm late, but it's not my fault; the car broke down. " It is probably not your fault, but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation, you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague(同事) fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about-creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on "whose fault it is." Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stones for success.
小題1:According to the passage, winners_______________.
A．deal with problems rather than blame others
B．meet with fewer difficulties in their eyes
C．have responsible and able colleagues
D．blame themselves rather than others
小題2: The underlined word “remedy” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to    .
A．a(chǎn)voidB．a(chǎn)ccept
C．improveD．consider
小題3:When your colleague brings about a problem, you should __          .
A．find a better way to deal with the problem
B．blame him for his lack of responsibility
C．tell him to find the cause of the problem
D．a(chǎn)sk a more able colleague for help
小題4:Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A．A Winner's Achievement.B．A Winner's Problem.
C．A Winner's Opportunity.D．A Winner's Secret.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

My job was to make classroom observations and encourage a training program that would enable students to feel good about themselves and take charge of their lives. Donna was one of the volunteer teachers who participated in this       .
One day, I entered Donna’s classroom, took a seat in the back of the room and       . All the students were working        a task. The student next to me was filling her page with “I Can’ts.” “I can’t kick the soccer ball.” “I can’t get Debbie to like me.” Her page was half full and she showed no        of stopping. I walked down the row and found        was writing sentences, describing things they couldn’t do.
By this time the activity aroused my       , so I decided to check with the teacher to see what was going on        I noticed she too was busy writing. “I can’t get John’s mother to come for a parents’ meeting.” I felt it best not to       .
After another ten minutes, the students were        to fold the papers in half and bring them to the front. They placed their “I Can’t” statements into an empty shoebox. Then Donna      hers. She put the lid on the box, tucked it under her arm and headed out the door. Students followed the teacher. I followed the students. Halfway down the hallway Donna got a shovel from the tool house, and then marched the students to the farthest corner of the playground. There they began to       . The box of “I Can’ts” was placed at the        of the hole and then quickly covered with dirt. At this point Donna announced, “Boys and girls, please join hands and        your heads.” They quickly formed a circle around the grave.
Donna delivered the eulogy (悼詞). “Friends, we gathered here today to        the memory of ‘I Can’t.’ He is        by his brothers and sisters ‘I Can’ and ‘I Will’. May ‘I Can’t’ rest in       . Amen!”
She turned the students        and marched them back into the classroom. They celebrated the        of “I Can’t”. Donna cut a large tombstone from paper. She wrote the words “I Can’t” at the top and the date at the bottom, then hung it in the classroom. On those rare occasions when a student        and said, “I Can’t,” Donna        pointed to the paper tombstone. The student then remembered that “I Can’t” was dead and chose other statement.   
小題1:
A．jobB．projectC．observationD．course
小題2:
A．checked B．noticedC．watchedD．waited
小題3:
A．onB．withC．a(chǎn)sD．for
小題4:
A．scenes B．sensesC．marksD．signs
小題5:
A．nobodyB．somebodyC．everyoneD．a(chǎn)nyone
小題6:
A．curiosityB．suspectC．sympathyD．worry
小題7:
A．a(chǎn)ndB．orC．butD．so
小題8:
A．insertB．interruptC．talkD．request
小題9:
A．taughtB．shownC．forcedD．instructed
小題10:
A．a(chǎn)ddedB．wroteC．madeD．folded
小題11:
A．cryB．prayC．digD．play
小題12:
A．backB．bottomC．topD．edge
小題13:
A．dropB．raiseC．fallD．lift
小題14:
A．keepB．thankC．forgiveD．honor
小題15:
A．rememberedB．punishedC．removedD．replaced
小題16:
A．silenceB．heartC．peaceD．memory
小題17:
A．downB．upC．offD．a(chǎn)round
小題18:
A．birthB．passingC．lossD．starting
小題19:
A．a(chǎn)wokeB．remindedC．forgotD．a(chǎn)pologized
小題20:
A．simplyB．hardlyC．seriouslyD．a(chǎn)ngrily

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案