Nobody Benefits
NEW YORK—America has been experiencing the longest economic increase in its history．Incomes have risen, unemployment has fallen, and cities such as New York are bursting with new office buildings．
But just a short walk from Manhattan's skyscrapers, George Brown sits on the side-walk, cooking a lunch of rice and bits of fish over a can of cooking fuel．
Brown is homeless — one of the 2.3 million people in the US who end up on the street．
During the day, Brown collects aluminium cans and sells them for five cents a piece．At night, he sleeps on the street．w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m
"I have been on the street about eight or nine years, something like that," said the 62-year-old former construction worker．
Brown admits he's had problems with alcohol and has smoked cocaine．But he said he still wants a more stable housing arrangement．He could afford it just with the money he earns by collecting cans and small pieces of metal, if only truly low-income housing were available．
However, he sees no hope of finding affordable housing in New York．
With the strong economy and unemployment down, beautiful housing is being built to meet demand．
A US report shows rents in New York city rose more than 27 percent between 1984 and 1999, from US $549 to US $700 a month．
One of the side effects of the strong economy is that rents have been going up．
The majority of people who experience homelessness really just need some affordable housing help．
But few housing companies have been built for the poor．Many small apartments in the city now rent for US $1,500 a month or more．
Brown, the homeless New Yorker, said he has a daughter who lives in the city but he rarely sees her．She is angry about his drinking and won't allow it in her house．
Smiling, he said he also has seven grandchildren whom he'd like to see more often．
"All I've got to do is clean up my act," he said．
【小題1】What kind of life does George Brown lead?

Nobody Benefits

NEW YORK—America has been experiencing the longest economic increase in its history．Incomes have risen, unemployment has fallen, and cities such as New York are bursting with new office buildings．

But just a short walk from Manhattan's skyscrapers, George Brown sits on the side-walk, cooking a lunch of rice and bits of fish over a can of cooking fuel．

Brown is homeless — one of the 2.3 million people in the US who end up on the street．

During the day, Brown collects aluminium cans and sells them for five cents a piece．At night, he sleeps on the street．w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m

"I have been on the street about eight or nine years, something like that," said the 62-year-old former construction worker．

Brown admits he's had problems with alcohol and has smoked cocaine．But he said he still wants a more stable housing arrangement．He could afford it just with the money he earns by collecting cans and small pieces of metal, if only truly low-income housing were available．

However, he sees no hope of finding affordable housing in New York．

With the strong economy and unemployment down, beautiful housing is being built to meet demand．

A US report shows rents in New York city rose more than 27 percent between 1984 and 1999, from US $549 to US $700 a month．

One of the side effects of the strong economy is that rents have been going up．

The majority of people who experience homelessness really just need some affordable housing help．

But few housing companies have been built for the poor．Many small apartments in the city now rent for US $1,500 a month or more．

Brown, the homeless New Yorker, said he has a daughter who lives in the city but he rarely sees her．She is angry about his drinking and won't allow it in her house．

Smiling, he said he also has seven grandchildren whom he'd like to see more often．

"All I've got to do is clean up my act," he said．

What kind of life does George Brown lead?

       A．Homeless and dangerous．              

       B．Homeless and childish．

       C．Homeless and miserable （痛苦的）．            

       D．Homeless and sleepless．

From George Brown's life we can find that ______.

       A．old Americans lead a hard life

       B．old Americans want to live alone

       C．American cities are crowded with poor people w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m

       D．bad habits play a role in some poor people's Life

It can be inferred from this passage that ______.

       A．America is short of housing companies

       B．the poor can't benefit from the increasing economy

       C．poor people in America will become rich

       D．housing companies will build more houses for the poor

If this passage comes from a paper, on which page would it be?

       A．Society．      B．Science．        C．Economy．                D．Business．

完形填空（共20小題；每小題1.5分，滿分30分）
閱讀下面短文，從短文后所給的四個選項（A、B、C和D）中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。
Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process. The instructor asked us to list ___21___ in our past that we felt ___22___ of, regretted, or incomplete about and read our lists aloud.
This seemed like a very ___23___ process, but there’ s always some ___24___soul in the crowd who will volunteer. The instructor then ___25___ that we find ways to ___26___ people, or take some action to right any wrong doings. I was seriously wondering how this could ever ___27___ my communication.w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m
Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my ___28___, I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town. There was a Sheriff ___29___ of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies(伙伴)and I decided to play a ___30___ on him.
After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is a SOB(畜生). The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious___31___. Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office. My friends told the truth but I lied. No one ___32___ found out.”
“Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name ___33___ on my list. I didn’t even know if he was still ___34___. Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Sheriff Brown still listed. I tried his number. After a few ___35___, I heard, “Hello?” I said, “Sheriff Brown?” Paused(停頓). “Yes.” “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins.”
“And I want you to know that I did it.” Paused. “I knew it!” he yelled back. We had a good laugh and a ___36___ discussion. His closing words were, “Jimmy, I always felt bad for you ___37___ your buddies got it off their chest, but you were carrying it ___38___ all these years. I want to thank you for calling me...for your sake.”
Jimmy inspired me to ___39___ all 101 items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It’s never too late to ___40___the past wrong doings.
21. A. something                 B. anything                   C. somebody                 D. anybody
22. A. ashamed                    B. afraid                 C. sure                         D. proud      
23. A. private             B. boring           C. interesting                D. funny
24. A. foolish             B. polite               C. simple               D. brave
25. A. expected                   B. suggested            C. ordered                    D. demanded
26. A. connect with              B. depend on           C. make apologies to     D. get along with
27. A. improve              B. continue              C. realize          D. keep
28. A. notes               B. list                   C. plan                D. stories
29. A. any                 B. most                C. none               D. all
30. A. part                 B. game               C. trick               D. record
31. A. view                B. sign                 C. attention             D. remark
32. A. also                 B. even                C. still                 D. ever
33. A. appears         B. considers             C. presents              D. remembers
34. A. angry              B. happy               C. doubtful             D. alive
35. A. words              B. rings                C. repeats               D. calls
36. A. cold                B. plain                C. nervous              D. lively
37. A. in case             B. so long as            C. unless              D. because
38. A. around             B. out                  C. through              D. away
39. A. build up              B. make up              C. clear up              D. give up
40. A. regret              B. forgive                C. right               D. punish

完形填空（共20小題；每小題1.5分，滿分30分）

閱讀下面短文，從短文后所給的四個選項（A、B、C和D）中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。

Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process. The instructor asked us to list ___21___ in our past that we felt ___22___ of, regretted, or incomplete about and read our lists aloud.

This seemed like a very ___23___ process, but there’ s always some ___24___soul in the crowd who will volunteer. The instructor then ___25___ that we find ways to ___26___ people, or take some action to right any wrong doings. I was seriously wondering how this could ever ___27___ my communication. w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m

Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my ___28___, I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town. There was a Sheriff ___29___ of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies(伙伴)and I decided to play a ___30___ on him.

After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is a SOB(畜生). The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious___31___. Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office. My friends told the truth but I lied. No one ___32___ found out.”

“Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name ___33___ on my list. I didn’t even know if he was still ___34___. Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Sheriff Brown still listed. I tried his number. After a few ___35___, I heard, “Hello?” I said, “Sheriff Brown?” Paused(停頓). “Yes.” “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins.”

“And I want you to know that I did it.” Paused. “I knew it!” he yelled back. We had a good laugh and a ___36___ discussion. His closing words were, “Jimmy, I always felt bad for you ___37___ your buddies got it off their chest, but you were carrying it ___38___ all these years. I want to thank you for calling me...for your sake.”

Jimmy inspired me to ___39___ all 101 items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It’s never too late to ___40___the past wrong doings.

21. A. something                  B. anything                   C. somebody                 D. anybody

22. A. ashamed                    B. afraid                  C. sure                         D. proud      

23. A. private              B. boring            C. interesting                D. funny

24. A. foolish              B. polite                 C. simple               D. brave

25. A. expected                    B. suggested              C. ordered                    D. demanded

26. A. connect with              B. depend on             C. make apologies to     D. get along with

27. A. improve               B. continue                C. realize          D. keep

28. A. notes                B. list                     C. plan                 D. stories

29. A. any                  B. most                 C. none                D. all

30. A. part                  B. game                 C. trick                D. record

31. A. view                 B. sign                   C. attention              D. remark

32. A. also                  B. even                  C. still                  D. ever

33. A. appears         B. considers               C. presents               D. remembers

34. A. angry               B. happy                C. doubtful              D. alive

35. A. words               B. rings                  C. repeats                D. calls

36. A. cold                 B. plain                  C. nervous               D. lively

37. A. in case              B. so long as              C. unless              D. because

38. A. around              B. out                    C. through               D. away

39. A. build up               B. make up                C. clear up               D. give up

40. A. regret               B. forgive                  C. right                D. punish

第三節(jié)：完形填空（共20小題；每小題1.5分，滿分30分）

閱讀下面短文，從短文后所給的四個選項（A、B、C和D）中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。

Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process. The instructor asked us to list ___21___ in our past that we felt ___22___ of, regretted, or incomplete about and read our lists aloud.

This seemed like a very ___23___ process, but there’ s always some ___24___soul in the crowd who will volunteer. The instructor then ___25___ that we find ways to ___26___ people, or take some action to right any wrong doings. I was seriously wondering how this could ever ___27___ my communication. w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m

Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my ___28___, I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town. There was a Sheriff ___29___ of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies(伙伴)and I decided to play a ___30___ on him.

After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is a SOB(畜生). The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious___31___. Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office. My friends told the truth but I lied. No one ___32___ found out.”

“Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name ___33___ on my list. I didn’t even know if he was still ___34___. Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Sheriff Brown still listed. I tried his number. After a few ___35___, I heard, “Hello?” I said, “Sheriff Brown?” Paused(停頓). “Yes.” “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins.”

“And I want you to know that I did it.” Paused. “I knew it!” he yelled back. We had a good laugh and a ___36___ discussion. His closing words were, “Jimmy, I always felt bad for you ___37___ your buddies got it off their chest, but you were carrying it ___38___ all these years. I want to thank you for calling me...for your sake.”

Jimmy inspired me to ___39___ all 101 items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It’s never too late to ___40___the past wrong doings.

21. A. something                  B. anything            C. somebody                 D. anybody

22. A. ashamed                    B. afraid           C. sure                         D. proud      

23. A. private              B. boring         C. interesting                D. funny

24. A. foolish              B. polite          C. simple                   D. brave

25. A. expected                    B. suggested       C. ordered                    D. demanded

26. A. connect with                  B. depend on      C. make apologies to     D. get along with

27. A. improve                   B. continue         C. realize              D. keep

28. A. notes                B. list              C. plan                 D. stories

29. A. any                  B. most          C. none                D. all

30. A. part                  B. game          C. trick                D. record

31. A. view                 B. sign            C. attention              D. remark

32. A. also                  B. even           C. still                  D. ever

33. A. appears             B. considers        C. presents               D. remembers

34. A. angry               B. happy         C. doubtful              D. alive

35. A. words               B. rings           C. repeats                    D. calls

36. A. cold                 B. plain           C. nervous               D. lively

37. A. in case              B. so long as       C. unless              D. because

38. A. around              B. out             C. through               D. away

39. A. build up                   B. make up         C. clear up               D. give up

40. A. regret               B. forgive               C. right                D. punish