Is there a nationwide shortage of nurses? It’s hard to say．However, some characteristic symptoms often indicate that there is indeed a shortage．
One symptom is the vacancy rate, or the percentage of budgeted positions that are unfilled．New England’s hospitals currently report that an average of 7 to 12 percent of their registered nurse positions are vacant, the highest level since the last shortage in the late 1980s．Vermont has a relatively low vacancy rate, at 7．8 percent．But its vacancies were at 1．2 percent just five years ago．
Another symptom is the increased use of stopgap measures to fill empty positions．For instance, many nurses report an upswing in how frequently they are asked to stay past their shifts．According to Murphy, working in the St．Elizabeth’s Hospital, “The shortage has definitely created a lot of opportunities of overtime for our nurses, whether they want them or not．” Similarly, a national survey of registered nurses shows that in an average week, nurses in the U．S．work 2．4 more hours than they are scheduled to．Much of this extra time is voluntary, as nurses earn overtime pay when they stay to fill in blanks in the schedule．
When they can’t fill open positions by more traditional means, health care providers hire temporary staff to tide them over．Travelling workers are the largest part of the temporary health care workforce, hired for thirteen-week reduction at health care facilities facing short-term lack of workers．Temporary workers, mainly nurses, cost hospitals $ 7．2 billion in 2000．
“Any successful solution to the shortage depends on convincing more people to become nurses, and that is not an easy goal to reach．To achieve it,” says Buerhaus, “society needs to place more value on nursing．Legislation （法規(guī)） can’t do that – it should come from people．” And if this continues, we might have to learn to care for ourselves in the hospital．
小題1:The temporary staff hired by a hospital _______．
A．cost a large part of the hospital’s budget
B．meet the need for nurses in the hospital for a short time
C．should work on a weekly basis and on a scheduled timetable
D．ought to work passively for thirty continuous weeks
小題2:According to Buerhaus, what is a successful solution to the nurse shortage?
A．To convince people of the benefits of being a nurse．
B．To ask the government for help to work out specific legislation．
C．To publicize the past achievements of nurses．
D．To make people aware of the importance of being a nurse．
小題3:What’s the probable meaning of the underlined word “upswing” in Paragraph 3?
A．SymptomB．DecreaseC．IncreaseD．Figure
小題4:What’s the author’s attitude towards nurse shortage?
A．WorriedB．IndifferentC．DoubtfulD．Optimistic

小題1:B
小題2:D
小題3:C
小題4:A
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


C
Wearing ties was originally the mark of Britain’s most powerful classes, which made the tie itself a symbol of power and respect. And that led it to be adopted by a much larger tribe－the business tribe.
You cannot wear a tie if you work with machinery. So wearing a tie became a sign that you were a man who used your brain to make a living, rather than your hands. It showed you were serious. It showed you were a professional. It meant that everyone who wanted a job in business had to wear one. It was just impossible to take seriously a man who didn’t wear a piece of colored silk around his neck.
This is how millions of people came to be wearing ties across the world. They are part of the uniform of business.
“Ties offer a point of indifference,” says John Milne, head of the British Guide of Tie Makers, “They give a chance to say something about their own personality.”
So if you happen to meet a man with a very brightly colored tie, there is a good chance that he is the office joker. There is also a good chance that he will be wearing brightly colored socks.
Is there a future for ties? The signs are not promising. Tie wearing seems to be rare among the new bread of entrepreneurs(創(chuàng)業(yè)者) in the Internet and new technology industries. Many political leaders, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, now go without ties. This shows they are men of the people－but not the people wearing ties.
Up until around 1960, it was common for men across the western world to wear hats as part of their business uniform. That changed with the election of John F. Kennedy to the presidency of the United States. Kennedy never wore a hat－in fact his nickname was “hatless Jack”. Seeing that the most powerful man in the world did not have to wear a hat, millions of other men decided that they did not have to, either. Hats simply vanished across the Western world. Perhaps “tieless Tony” (former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair) will have the same effect as “hatless Jack”.
66．In Britain, ties were first used as a sign to show a person’s __________.
A．personality       B．social position  C．wearing style    D．favorite hobby
67．In the business world, wearing a tie was necessary because _________.
A．it showed you used your brain       B．it showed you got a good salary
C．it showed you were an employer    D．it showed you were well-equipped
68．The underlined word “vanished” in this passage may mean _________.
A．sold  B．washed     C．a(chǎn)ppeared   D．disappeared
69．The writer may hold the opinion that _____________.
A．Blair is the best leader in the world
B．Kennedy is the best leader in the world
C．millions of people will go to work without a tie
D．people will wear hats instead of ties
70．Which of the following statements is TURE according to the passage?
A．If you are a professional, you can’t wear a tie in Britain
B．The tie will become more fashionable and popular in the future
C．It was the election of John F．Kennedy to the presidency of the United States that changed the fact that wearing hats as part of their business uniform
D．Men across the western world didn’t wear hats as part of their business uniform until around 1960

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The Wal-Mart in Cleburne, Texas, was crowded. People were waiting in long lines at checkout counters to pay for small things that would be next-morning treasures under someone’s Christmas tree.
The woman standing in cashier Jeffrey Kandt’s line seemed to be living on the edge of subsistence（生計(jì)）. Her clothes were worn and her hands were those of a person who’d worked hard for what she had. She held a single item in her arms as she patiently waited to move to the front of the line — a Sony CD player. She had saved all year for this. With tax, the total would be close to $ 220.
As the woman got close to the cashier, she suddenly shouted, “Where’s my money? All of my money fro my son’s gift! Oh no!”
“Why my line?” Kandt thought as he watched the poor woman searching through her clothes. He was going to have to call his manager to avoid the sale but it would mean a long wait for the customers behind her. “I am going to go home late tonight,” Kandt thought.
Then an amazing thing happened. At the back of the line, a man took out his wallet, pulled out $100 and passed it forward. As the cash moved up the line, a twen5ty-dollar bill was added here, and a ten-dollar bill was added there. When the collection finally reached the registewr, Kandt counted $ 220.
Strangers had fulfilled a poor woman’s Christmas wish.
The poor in his line at the Wal-Mart in Cleburne, Texas, had come together on Christmas Eve, 2002.
小題1:According to the passage, the woman’s Christmas wish was to ______.
A．collect $ 220 for her familyB．buy her son a CD player as a gift
C．buy enough food for her familyD．organize a big party for her son
小題2:Which of the following statements is TRUE about Jeffrey Kandt when the woman couldn’t find her money?
A．He was impatient and wanted to go home.
B．He wanted to see whether the woman had money or not.
C．He wanted the woman to stand in another line.
D．He didn’t think about the customers waiting behind the woman.
小題3:What does paragraph 5 mainly talk about?
A．a(chǎn) description of a man standing in the line
B．the cashier, Jeffery Kandt
C．the collection of $ 220
D．a(chǎn) reason why the strangers collected he money
小題4:What can we learn from the passage?
A．The woman collected money by herself.
B．The woman seemed to be poor, but in fact had lots of money.
C．Strangers in the line volunteered to help the woman.
D．The woman had never ay money.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


A team from Krakow, in Poland, used functional magnetic resonance imaging （機(jī)能性核共振成像）（FMRI）to assess brain activity when 40 volunteers were shown various images．Men showed activity in areas which dealt with what action they should take in order to avoid or face up to danger．But the study found more activity in the emotional centers of women's brains．The researchers, from another university, carried out scans on 21 men and 19 women．Brain activity was monitored while the volunteers were shown images of objects and images from ordinary life designed to remind different emotional states．
The images were displayed in two runs．For the first run, only negative pictures were shown．For the second run, only positive pictures were shown．
While viewing the negative images, women showed stronger and broader activity in the left thalamus（神經(jīng)床）．This is an area which passes sense information to the pain and pleasure centres of the brain．Men showed more activity in an area of the brain called the left insula（腦島）, which plays a key role in controlling natural functions, including breath, heart rate and digestion．Generally, activity in this area tells the body to either run away from danger, or meet it head on - the so-called "fight or flight response"．
While viewing positive images, women showed stronger activity in an area of the brain associated with memory．With men, the stronger activity was recorded in an area associated with visual processing．Dr Urbanik believes these differences suggest women may analyze positive stimuli（刺激）in a broader social context and associate positive images with a particular memory．
For instance, viewing a picture of a smiling child might remind memories of a woman's own child at this age．On the contrary, male responses tend to be less emotional．
1．The research shows that men response differently to__________compared with women．
A．different images    B．ordinary life 
C．different activities        D．medical scan
2．According to the passage, when faced with danger, ____________．
A．women react more slowly than men       B．women usually try to avoid it 
C．men usually have no reaction         D．men react to it more directly
3．What is discussed in the 4 th paragraph?         ．
A．Men and women’s different memories   B．The different responses to the children
C．Different reactions to positive stimuli    D．Negative results of the visual processing
3．The passage mainly develops______．
A．by inferring                   B．by comparing  
C．by listing examples       D．by giving explanations

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空



Ⅱ. 語言知識(shí)及應(yīng)用（共兩節(jié)。滿分35分）
第一節(jié) 完形填空（共10小題；每小題2分，滿分20分）
閱讀下面短文，掌握其大意，然后從21~30各題所給的A、B、C和D項(xiàng)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。
In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the film-maker Walter Disney. He had a(n)    21    voice and he wanted to work in Disney’s cartoon film for children. When Walter Disney heard Nash’s voice, he said, “Stop! That’s our    22   .”
Disney declared Nash perfect for the role of a talking duck in their upcoming animated short, The Wise Little Hen. The duck, of course, was Donald Duck, which    23    his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a    24    after an eight-minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema    25    liked him because he was lazy and    26   , and because he    27    his temper very easily. And they loved his voice when he became angry with Mickey’s eight nephews. Soon Donald was more popular than Mickey Mouse himself,    28    because he wasn’t a goody-goody (偽善的人), like Mickey.
Donald Duck went on to become one of the most famous cartoon characters in the world, and a great part of this was due to Nash's distinctive voice. The last film to    29   Nash's famous voice was Mickey's Christmas Carol, released in 1983. And then Donald Duck and his voice    30    — there were no more new cartoons.
21. A. sweet                         B. terrible                 C. unusual                    D. familiar
22. A. film-maker             B. dresser                  C. Mickey                 D. duck
23. A. dressed                 B. wore                     C. sold                      D. took
24. A. star                           B. journalist                  C. sailor                    D. cartoon-maker
25. A. audiences                B. performers            C. directors               D. photographers
26. A. nice                              B. greedy                  C. helpful                        D. sincere
27. A. controlled               B. stood                    C. lost                       D. mastered
28. A. formally                 B. merely                  C. probably               D. scarcely
29. A. ignore                    B. feature                  C. imitate                  D. follow
30. A. changed                  B. formed                 C. trembled                D. Disappeared

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

.
第三部分：閱讀理解(共兩節(jié)，16小題；每小題2分，滿分32分)
第一節(jié)：閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)。
People enjoy talking about “firsts”. They like to remember their first love or their first car. But not all firsts are happy ones.
One of history’s bad but important firsts was the first car accident. Cars were still young when it happened. The accident took place in New York City in May 1896. A man from Massachusetts was visiting the city in his new car. At that time, bicycle riders were still trying to get used to the new set of wheels on the road. No one was sure who was to blame for it. Anyway, the bike and the car hit each other hard. The man on the bike was injured. The driver of the car had to stay in jail and wait for the hospital report on the bicycle rider. Luckily, the rider was not killed.
Three years later, another car accident took place. It was again in New York City. A man named Henry Bliss stepped off a streetcar(無軌電車). He was hit by a passing car. Once again, no one was sure just how it happened or whose fault it was. The driver of the car was put in prison. Poor Mr. Bliss became the first person to die in a car accident.
46. Which of the following is true?
A. The first driver came from New York City.
B. Both of the two car accidents killed a person.
C. The second car accident didn’t happen in the same city as the first one.
D. No one knew how the two accidents had happened.
47. In both accidents the drivers of the cars_______.
A. could not drive their cars very well
B. had to stay in prison for a while
C. tried to run away after the accidents took place
D. knew it was their fault
48. The word “jail” in this passage means ________.
A. police station      B. prison                C. school       D. office
49. The main idea of the passage is ________.
A. not all firsts are happy ones                           B. two of the first car accidents
C. two unhappy “firsts”                             D. bicycle riders get used to cars

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


The Atlantic Ocean is one of the oceans that separate the Old World from the New. For centuries it kept the America from being discovered by the people of Europe.
Many wrong ideas about the Atlantic made early sailors unwilling to sail far out into it. One idea was that it reached out to “the edge of the world” . Sailors were afraid that they might sail off the earth. Another idea was that at the equator(赤道) the ocean would be boiling hot.
The Atlantic Ocean is only half as big as the Pacific, but it is still very large. It is more than 4,000 miles (6,000 km) wide where Columbus crossed it. Even at its narrowest it is about 2,00 miles (3,200 km) wide.
Two things make the Atlantic Ocean rather unusual. For so large an ocean it has few islands. Also, it is the world’s saltiest ocean.
There is so much water in the Atlantic that it is hard to imagine how much there is. But suppose no more rain fell into it and no more water was brought to it by rivers, it would take the ocean about more than 4,000 years to dry up. On the average, the water is a little more than two miles (3.2km) deep, but in some places it is much deeper. The deepest spot is near Puerto Rico. This “deep” measures 30,246 feet---almost six miles (9.6km).
One of the longest mountain ranges of the world rises from the floor of the Atlantic. This mountain range runs north and south down the middle of the ocean. The tops of a few of the mountains reach up above the sea and make islands.
Several hundred miles eastward from Florida there is a part of the ocean called the Sargasso Sea. Here the water is quiet, for there is little wind. In the days of sailing vessels(船) the crew were afraid they would be becalmed (can’t move) here. Sometimes they were.
Today the Atlantic is a great highway. It is, however, not always a smooth and safe one. Storms sweep across it and pile up great waves. Icebergs float down from the far North across the paths of ships.
We now have such fast ways of traveling that this big ocean seems to have grown smaller. Columbus sailed for more than two months to cross it. A fast modern steamship can make the trip in less than four days. Airplanes fly from New York to London in only eight hours and from South America to Africa in four!
61. What caused people to be unwilling to explore the Atlantic?
A. There were no ships big enough to get across the Ocean.
B. Sailors were afraid of being lost in the Ocean.
C. The Atlantic Ocean was very unusual because it has few islands and the saltiest water.
D. Many incorrect ideas such as “the edge of the world”, “the equator with boiling hot water” made people think the Ocean was full of danger.
62. What is the main idea of the fifth paragraph?
A. How deep the water is.        
B. How to measure the water in the Atlantic.
C. How much water the ocean holds.             
D. How rain affects the Ocean water.
63. What does the underlined word “highway” mean?
A. High road      B. Broad way      C. Fast road           D. Main water way
64. Why does the writer think “this big ocean seems to have grown smaller”?
A. The water in the ocean is becoming less.
B. We have more and more advanced traveling tools now
C. The distance between the ocean and us is shorter.
D. The steamship has a higher speed.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


D
The price of gas has been going up. We do not know when it will end. Many people want to know how they can save gas. The best way to save gas is to change driving habits.
The accelerator (加速器) or gas pedal, has a lot to do with how much gas you use. The faster you drive, the more gas you use. Drivers should slow down a bit to save gas. Driving at a steady speed helps to save much gas you use. Accelerating slowly to get to the speed you want to go helps save gas too.
The more you drive your car, the more gas you use. Think about the places you need to go before leaving your home. You should run as many errands (差事) that you need to do in one trip. Always try to pick the shortest route when going somewhere.
Cars that are in good working condition use less gas. Take care of your car. Make sure the engine is running well and is tuned up often. Have a repairman check it if something seems wrong.
Tires are important too. Keep the tires inflated (飽滿) properly on a car. It will help the car roll better and will get you better mileage （英里數(shù)） If the tires of a car are worn then they should be replaced.
Finally, think about using your car less. Walk or ride a bike if you do not have far to go. Carpool (合伙用車) or take public transportation when you can. Leaving your car at home really saves gas.
There are many ways a person can save gas. These are just a few ideas that can help you save some money at the gas pump. Try changing the way you drive and see how much it saves you!
68. Which of the following can help save gas?
A. Driving as fast as you can.
B. Accelerating quickly to get to the speed you want.
C. Driving fast a little now and slowly a little then.
D. Driving at a speed that is, seldom changed.
69. The underlined sentence in the 3rd paragraph probably means you should
A. do as many things as you can in one trip
B. go to as many places as you can in one trip
C. take as many people as you can in one trip
D. use as many ways of driving as you can in one trip.
70. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Always keep your car in good working condition.  B. Never use your car unless it is necessary.
C. Replace your tires if they are worn out.                 D. Always stick to your own driving habits.
71. Which would be the best title for the passage?
A. How to use your car correctly.
B. How to save gas when using your car.
C. How to deal with the price of gas.
D. How to form good driving habits.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


E
根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。選項(xiàng)中有兩項(xiàng)為多余選項(xiàng)。
Every boy and every girl expects their parents to give them more pocket money. Why do their parents just give them a certain amount?   51  
The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs from family to family.   52   Some children get weekly pocket money. Others get monthly pocket money.
First of all, children are expected to make a choice between spending and saving. Then parents should make the children understand what is expected to pay for with the money. At first, some young children may spend all of the money soon after they receive it. Parents are usually advised not to offer more money until it is the right time.  53
In order to encourage their children to do some housework, some parents give pocket money if the children help around the home. Some experts think it not wise to pay the children for doing that. 54   
Pocket money can give children a chance to experience the three things they can do with
themoney. They can spend it by giving it to a good cause. They can spend it by buying things they want.   55  Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice. Saving can also open the door to future saving and investing for children.
A．They can save it for future use.
B．Timing is another consideration.
C．As helping at home is a normal part of family life.
D．Some children are not good at managing their pocket money.
E. Learning how to get money is very important for every child.
F. One main purpose is to let kids learn how to manage their own money.
G. By doing so, these children will learn that spending must be done with a budget（預(yù)算）.

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