高中英语故事类阅读试题

I stood up to speak and my mind went blank .Has this ever happened to you? You may be nervous in front of an audience（观众）.You may be worried that you didn’t prepare enough, You may have forgotten some of your facts. What can you do? Sometimes people prepare too much and become terrified if they can’t remember the words they have practised. It is a good idea to bring some notes to help you organize, but don’t memorize your speech. If you “go blank”,begin by explaining the purpose of your speech, and the test will probably follow.
“Go blank” here means       

A．to be absent-minded	B．to think too much suddenly
C．to be afraid of the audience	D．not knowing what to say at the moment

Before the listeners, the speakers who have pre-pared enough    

A．never go bland	B．never feel afraid
C．may forget the prepared words	D．may forget the opening speech

A good way to make to made a good speech is      

A．to memorize the speech	B．to organize the audience well
C．to have some brief motes at hand	D．to have the audience take notes

The man who goes blank in front of the listeners should      .

A．begin with the purpose of his speech	B．cut off the rest of his speech
C．see his notes right away	D．find some way to draw the audience’s attention

Living and dealing with kids can be a tough job these days，but living and dealing with parents can be even tougher．
If I have learned anything in my 16 years，it is that communication is very important，both when you disagree and when you get along．With any relationship，you need to let the other person know how you are feeling．If you are not able to communicate，your relationship drifts apart．When you are mad at your parents or anyone else，not talking to them doesn’t solve anything．
Communication begins with the concerns of another．It means that you can’t just come home from school，go up to your room and talk to nobody．Even if you just say “Hi” and see how their day is for five minutes，it is better than nothing．
If you look up the word “communication” in the dictionary，it will say “the exchange of ideas，conveyance (传递) of information，correspondence (通信)，means of communication；a letter or message”．To keep a good relationship，you must keep the communication strong．Let people know how you feel，even if it’s just by writing a note．
When dealing with parents，you always have to make them feel good about how they are doing as parents．If you are trying to make them see something as you see it，tell them that you listen to what they have to say，but ask them politely to listen to you．Shouting or walking away only makes the situation worse．
Here is an example．One night，Sophie went to a street party with her friends．She knew she had to be home by midnight after the fireworks．but they didn’t feel she could just ask to go home．That would be rude．After all，they had been nice enough to take her along with them．Needless to say，she was late getting home．Her parents were mad at first，but when Sophie explained why she was late，they weren’t as mad and let the incident go．Communication was the key factor here．If Sophie’s parents had not been willing to listen，Sophie would have been in a lot of trouble．
Communication isn’t a one-way deal．It goes both ways．Just remember：if you get into a situation like Sophie’s，telling the other person how you feel and listening are key factors to communication．
68．The second paragraph mainly talks about ________．
A．the importance of friendship
B．making your feelings known to others
C．the importance of communication
D．the disagreement between generations
69．The key to happy relationship between parents and children is that _______．
A．children should always obey their parents
B．parents play the leading part
C．parents should mind their own business
D．both should make the other know their feelings
70．The example in the passage proves that ________．
A．Sophie’s parents were willing to listen to her
B．Sophie was very polite to her parents
C．Sophie did the right thing when she explained the reason of her being late
D．communication is the key to solving misunderstanding
71．All of the following statements are true EXCEPT ________．
A．if you don’t agree with others，you’d better let them know
B．it is better to say “Hi” to others than to say nothing
C．if you are too busy to communicate，just walk away
D．communication is a two-way deal

Everyone would like to be a millionaire but can you imagine having over S 30 million and only being 20 years old? Britney Spears from Kentwood，a small town in Louisiana，is an international pop superstar with not only S 30 million but also a S 2 million house in LA．At her young age，she can look after her family financially all her life．
This year is a big year for Britney，she is currently on a 31 date tour of the US and every concert is a sell out．That means she plays in front of a crowd of around 18,000 every time．It’s a tiring schedule but brings great rewards．When touring，she goes to bed at around 1 a．m．and then has a lie-in until 1 p．m．or 2 p．m．the next day．Her philosophy (人生哲学) is to take care of the body and be relaxed but always make sure you work hard and have fun．
Spears is not satisfied with only touring and selling nearly 40 million records，so she decided to branch out into the movie business and try a bit of acting．She made an appearance in “Austin Powers 3” in 2002 and she filmed a teenage comedy that was released in 2003．In this movie，she had a starring role．The movie was her own concept and she picked the writer．
In spite of the fact that she has not enjoyed the same popularity as a pop singer so far，she insists on trying more roles．For Britney，acting is another way to express herself and she is enthusiastic about it all．If her movies are successful，her bank account is sure to grow by another few million dollars but she has been quoted as saying she does it for the love，not for money．
64．Tickets for Britney’s concert are ________．
A．booked in groups                         B．too expensive
C．not available                                D．all sold
65．The underlined word “you” in the second paragraph refers to _______．
A．a person in general                       B．a particular person
C．Britney herself only                      D．the reader
66．Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Though young，Britney is a superstar both on the stage and screen
B．While touring，Britney is so tired that she has to sleep more than usual．
C．The teenage comedy was based on Britney’s own ideas．
D．Britney will be even more wealthy with her movies successful．
67．According to Britney Spears，she works _______．
A．to be a great actress               B．for the enjoyment
C．to be more famous                        D．for the love of singing

What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear.
We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle. It needs exercise. Mental exercise is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists (心理学家) think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent. If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.
Parents should also be careful with what they say to young children. According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “You are such a smart child.”
65.   A person ________ is more likely to become a genius.
A. whose parents are clever
B. often thinking about difficult problems
C. often helped by his parents and teachers
D. born with a good brain and putting it into active use
66.   It is better for parents ________
A. to praise and encourage their children more often
B. to be hard on their children
C. to leave their children alone with nothing to do
D. to give their children as much help as possible
67.   Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?
A. Parents play an important part in their children’s growth.
B. The less you use your mind, the duller you may become.
C. Intelligence is obviously the result of where and how you live.
D. What makes a person bright or stupid is still under discussion.

I don' t know if I am missing the greatest pleasure of my life. I am no fan of computer games. Some guys forget themselves and forget day and night when they play games. For example, a colleague has been playing since 1 o’clock this morning and now it is 7 o'clock. He is still commanding his army of little people to attack strange-looking animals. Some games could be fun, 1 admit, and it is therefore understandable that such a game catches players. For example, games like Red Storm or some role-play games, you do something and try to outwit(智胜) your computer. You get some fun out of these games. It is understandable that such a game pushes you into a pitfall(陷阱) of pleasures. But some games look quite stupid and simple. Again for example, my colleague has been interested in Stone Age, a cartoon-like game rooted in prehistoric time. The game is well made, full of strange people and animals and you can play on line with partners. You can have reference books to study so as to shortcut your rivals(对手) and increase your own conquering power.
I believe some kinds of games are really created for adults. But seeing these adults play the simple games with such interest, I just wonder if there is something wrong with me and if I am losing the greatest possible fun of my life. I ask why I don’t bother playing such games and why I seem to have some aversion(讨厌) to such games. I have no answers. Certainly computer games is no my idea of a good time. I would rather listen to some music or read a book. Take music for example. Good music tops my list of pleasures. Nothing could beat music, all in a harmony of sounds and emotions. But how about games? Why am I so strongly biased(偏见) against such games?
61.   From the passage we know that ______.
A. the author is a fan of computer games
B. the author spends much time playing computer games
C. the author once played a whole night
D. the author doesn't like playing computer games
62.   In this passage, the author tells us a fact that ______.
A. some computer games are interesting enough to attract people
B. many people fall into a dangerous pitfall
C. many people are suffering a lot from the computer games
D. computer games are pitfalls for most players
63.   The underlined word "bother" here means ______.
A. make trouble     B. take an interest in      C. disturb       D. confuse
64.   The author has a pleasure to ______.
A. make a computer game     B. read books
C. listen to good music  D. ask himself questions

On April 16th，don`t be surprised if the womann next to you on the subway looks like she forgot to get dlessed for work.She won`t be alone．People in their pajamas（睡衣裤）will be spotted all across the country一traveling on the subway,in line for their morning coffee,and even walking into office buildings．That`S because people will be trading in their business suits for pajamas and celebrating National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day．
There is nothng more comfortable than sitting at your desk in soft cotton flannel（法兰绒的）paiamas or wearing your favorite slippers while you deeply think about the day`s tasks,The PajamaGram Company,Which produces and sells pajamsa,believes that Americans need a break,especially the day aher income taxes are due．That`s why they are celebrating National wear Your Pajamas to Work Day．
Wearing pajamas to work can be relaxing and can actually help employees be more productive.David Alien，author of The Art of Stress-free Productivity,promotes（倡导）relaxation to increase Productivity．"Our ability to be Productive is directly proportional（成比例的）to our ability to relax,"said Allen."Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve stressftee productivity．"
At the Pajama Gram Company,it`s not unusual to find employees Wearing their pajamas at important meetings or at their desks.The Company even invented the term "life is bananas,send some pajamas," to describe how they feel about the world we live in.
The PajamaGrma Company offers over 100 styles of pajamas,robes,slippers and spa products．Each PajamaGram gift comes along with beautiful Pajamas，lavender（熏衣草）bath tea,Do-Not-Disturb sign for the door and a gift card.
61. On APril 16th，people in America often ____________.
A.forget to change pajamas for work
B.do pajama business on the way to Work
C.go to wook in their pajamas
D.celebrate their traditional festival
62. People celebrate this special day because they are expected to
A.Work in a more effective way
B.increase their ability to relax
C.spend less on their daily clothes
D.have more time to rest
63. The underlined word "bananaS" in the last paragraph can be replaced by ___________.
A.easy and free                   B.happy and interesting
C.crazy and busy           D.full of fruits
64. According to the passage，which gifts will you receive from the PaiamaGram Company？
a.a sleepwear  
b.a beautiful box    
c.a Do-Not-Disturb sign
d.lavder bath tea
e.a personalized gift card
A.c,d,e          B.a,c,d          C.b,c,d,e   D.a,c,d,e
65. The main purpose of the passage is to _________.
A.advertise the PajamaGram Company
B.introduce a special day in America
C.describe the busy life In America
D.advise people to buy more pajamas

Jeanne Calment, a French woman, became a record breaker on 17 October of 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France; her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes her as being more like a 90-year-old in good health than someone of 120．She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on her 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied: A very short one. She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her. 
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips(窍门). She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115．However, until recently she drank two glassed of strong red wine a day, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes(基因) from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86．
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying:
Sorry, I’m still alive!
69．How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?
A. She is miserable and unhappy.       
B. She is cheerful and humorous.
C. She would like to live much longer.      
D. She feels she is going to die very soon.
70．Jeanne Calment owes her good health and long life to _______.
A. smoking only a little every day
B. her giving up smoking and drinking
C. drinking two glasses of strong red wine every day
D. the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercises
71．Which of the following could best replace the word “move” in the fourth paragraph?
A. deal    B．trick  C．march      D．sport
72．Why does Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive” to the local lawyer every year on her birthday?
A. Because she had an agreement at 80 with the lawyer which was to her advantage.
B. Because she has asked the lawyer to pay her more rent than they first agreed.
C. Because the lawyer has paid her much more money than the value of the house.
D. Because the house she sold to the lawyer isn’t worth the money he has already paid.

Miss Maynell and I grew to know each other through the mail. When World War II ended, I returned from Europe. We planned our first meeting at the Grand Central Station in New York.
At seven, I was in the station and waited for the girl whose heart I loved but whose face I’d never seen.
Suddenly a girl in a green suit was coming toward me. I stood up from the bench and started toward her, completely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose.
“Going my way, sailor?” the girl murmured, walking away quickly. I made one step closer to her and then I saw Miss Maynell, who was well past 40, standing almost directly behind her with a red rose. I felt something even better than love. I didn’t hesitate and walked to her. “I’m John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell,” I said, feeling shocked by the bitterness of disappointment. “I’m glad you could meet me. May I take you to dinner?”
The woman smiled. “I don’t know what this is about, son,” she answered. “But the young lady in the green suit begged me to wear this rose. And she said if you were to invited me to dinner, I should tell you that she is waiting for you in a big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”
54What did John Blanchard go to the station for?        
A. To see the middle-aged woman
B. To wait for a girl from Europe.
C. To invite the woman with a rose to dinner.
D. To meet his lover as planned.
55.How could John Blanchard recognize the girl?       
A. By her green suit                              B. By her red rose
C. By her beautiful face                      D. By her pictures
56 Why did John feel disappointed? Because _______.
A. he realized that it was not love
B. he found the girl was going away
C. he failed to find the girl with a rose
D. he knew that the girl would test him.

　　Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap，strong and fast．He was able to se11 millions of models because be could produce them in large numbers at a time；that is，he made a great many cars of exactly the same kind．Ford’s father hoped that his son would become a farmer，but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit（底特律）where he worked as a mechanic（机械师）．By the age of 29，in 1892，he had built his first car．However，the car made in this way，the famous “Model T” did not appear until 1908-five years after Ford bad started his great motor car factory．This car showed to be well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty year．Since Ford’s time，this way of producing cars in large numbers has be come common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would otherwise be very expensive．
50．Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars．
　 A．cheap and strong           B．cheap and long
　 C．fast and expensive          D．strong and slow
51．Ford was able to sell millions of cars，because_____．
　 A．he made many greet cars                   B．his cars are many
　 C．he made lots of cars of the same kind         D．both A and B
52．The “Model T” was very famous_____．
　 A．before 1908  B．between 1982 and 1908   C．before 1892  D．after 1908
53．Ford built his own car factory      
A．in 1903      B．in 1908      C．in 1913       D．in 1897

第二部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Alice always wanted to be a singer. Music was the most important thing in her life and, to tell you the truth, she took lessons for years, and practised every day, but in spite of all this, her voice didn’t improve. Honestly, it didn’t get better, it just got louder.
Her teacher finally gave up and stopped the lessons, but Alice refused（拒绝）to give in, and one day she decided to give a concert and invited her teacher to attend.
The teacher was very worried about what to say after the concert. She knew it would be terrible and it was. She didn’t want to tell a lie, but she didn’t want to hurt Alice’s feelings, either. Finally, she got an idea and went backstage (后台) to greet her pupil.
“Well,” said Alice, “what did you think of my singing?”
“My dear,” said the teacher, “you’ll never be better than you were tonight.”
46. Alice wanted to be a singer because she       .
A. was good at singing
B. could do nothing but sing
C. had a good teacher
D. was most interested in music
47. Alice’s teacher stopped the lessons because     .
A. Alice didn’t make any improvement in singing
B. Alice’s voice became louder and louder
C. Alice didn’t work hard enough
D. Alice was so proud and wouldn’t listen to her
48. What made Alice decide to give a concert?
A. She wanted to prove that her teacher was wrong.
B. She wanted to please her teacher.
C. She was sure that she could sing beautifully.
D. Somebody else wanted her to do so.
49. What is really meant by saying “You’ll never be better than you were tonight.”?
A. You gave a wonderful concert tonight.
B. You won’t make any improvement in future.
C. You have never sung so well before.
D. You did much better before than tonight.

It was reported that Michael Jackson, died of a cardiac arrest(心脏骤停) in a Los Angeles hospital last night, just weeks before he hoped to resurrect(复活) his four-decade long career with a series of sold-out shows in London. The pop superstar was taken to the University of California at Los Angeles medical centre last night, and doctors tried resuscitation（使苏醒，使复活） in the ambulance. He did not regain consciousness and was reported dead about three hours later.
"My brother, the legendary King of Pop, passed away on Thursday 25 June at 2.26pm," his brother Jermaine said, "We believe he suffered a cardiac arrest at his home, however the cause of his death is unknown until the results of the autopsy(验尸) are known. The personal physician who was with him at the time attempted to resuscitated him."
A spokesman for the UCLA medical centre said, "When he arrived at hospital at approximately 1.14pm, a team of doctors attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour, they were unsuccessful." Police said they were investigating, which is standard procedure in such cases.
Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long decline from his peak in the 1980s when he was music's greatest all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV. His 1982 album Thriller, which included the blockbuster hits, Beat It, Billie Jean and Thriller is still the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 50m copies sold worldwide.
The world famous entertainer had planned a series of 50 concerts in London from 12 July. Although in the last two decades his reputation was destroyed by charges of child molestation(骚扰) and his fantastic public behavior, all tickets were sold within hours, proving the King of Pop had enduring appeal.
68.   Where did Michael Jackson die?
A. At home in Los Angeles.         B. On the stage in London.     
C. In a Los Angeles hospital.       D. In an ambulance to hospital.
69. What caused Michael Jackson to die according to Jermaine?
A. Heart disease.          B. It’s unknown before the results of the autopsy.
C. Working too hard.   D. His personal physician’s improper treatment.
70. Why were the police involved in investigating the death of Michael Jackson?
A. Because they believed he was murdered.
B. Because Michael Jackson died suddenly.
C. Because it was standard procedure in such cases.
D. Because his brother was suspicious of the truth of his death.

Everyone would like to be a millionaire but can you imagine having over $30 million and only being 20 years old? Britney Spears from Kentwood, a small town in Louisiana, is only 20 years old; she is an international pop superstar with not only $30 million but also a $2 million house in LA. At her young age, she can look after her family financially all her life.
This year is a big year for Britney. She is currently on a 31 day tour of the US and every concert is a sell-out. That means she plays in front of a crowd of around 18,000 every time. It’s tiring schedule but brings great rewards. When touring, she goes to bed around l a.m. and then has a lie-in until l p.m. or 2 p.m. the next day. Her philosophy（人生观）is to take care of the body and relax but always make sure you work hard and have fun.
Spears is not satisfied with only touring and selling nearly 40 million records， so she decided to branch out into the movie business and try a bit of acting. She made an appearance in “ Austin Powers 3” this year and she is filming a teenage comedy that will be released in March 2003. In this movie, she has a starring role. The movie was her own concept and she picked the writer.
For Britney, acting is another way to express herself and she is enthusiastic about it all. If her movies are successful, her bank account is sure to grow by another few million dollars but she has been quoted as saying she does it for the love, not the money.
64. We can infer from the text that most millionaires are          .
A. in their 30s   B. around 20        C. older than 20         D. in their 40s
65. The underlined word “you” in the second paragraph refers to          .
A. a person in general    B. a particular person
C. Britney Spears herself only      D. the reader
66. Which of the following is not true according to the text ?
A. Though young, Britney can support her family now.
B. While touring, Britney sleeps about 12 hours a day.
C. Britney will be even richer with her movies successful.
D. The teenage comedy movie was based on Britney’s own story.
67. According to Britney Spears, she works___________.
A. to be a great actress    B. for the enjoyment
C. for money                    D. to be more famous

How do successful people think? What drives them? Interviews and investigations indicate that there are several keys to success that successful people share．   
First of all，successful people never blame someone or something outside of themselves for their failure to go ahead．They realize that their future lies in their own hands．They understand that
they cannot control things in life，such as nature，the past and other people．But in the meantime，
they are well aware that they can control their own thoughts and actions．They take responsibility for their life and regard this as one of the most empowering things they can do．Perhaps what most
separate successful people from others is that they live life “on purpose”——they are doing what they believe they are put here to do．In their opinion，having a purpose in their life is the most important element that enables them to become fully functioning people．They hold that when they live their life on purpose，their main concern is to do the job right．They love what they do—and it shows．People want to do business with them because of their commitment(投身；献身)．To live their life on purpose，successful people find a cause they believe in and create a business around it．Besides，they never easily give up．Once they have set up goals in their life，they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals．Rather than seeing it negative or depressing they use the knowledge to spur themselves on and go after what they want energetically and passionately．
45．Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A．How People Live Their Life on, Purpose         
B．How People Can Be Successful -
C．How People Can Do Their Own Things           
D．How People Do Business  
46．By living life “on purpose”，successful people can __________.
A．do a lot of work                            
B．concentrate on their jobs
C．do business with many people                  
D．do all of the above mentioned
47．The underlined word “it’’ in the second paragraph refers to __________.
A．the main concern of successful people             
B．the job that successful people do
C．the commitment with which successful people do their job
D．the business that successful people do with other people
48．The underlined word “spur” in the last sentence most probably means“
A．encourage           B．excite                 C．relieve          D．force

第二部分：阅读理解（第一节20小题，第二节5小题；每小题2分，满分50分）
第一节：阅读下列短文，从每小题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
It is Saturday afternoon．You and your friends are planning to go to the movies and then spend
the night together. Just as you start to get ready, your dad reminds you it is your aunt's birthday and the whole family is going out to dinner to celebrate．How can this possibly end without a huge argument?
One of the greatest sources of tension(紧张情绪)between teenagers and their families is the struggle to balance personal desires with family expectations．As you are getting older，you are  becoming more independent and more interested in being with your friends．
However，at the same time，your family is trying to figure out how to deal with these changes． While you once spent most of your free time with your family，you are now often absent from home．Parents may get their feelings hurt．Or they might feel that they are losing control of their family during this period．You might feel angry that so many family demands are placed on you．
There are a few things you can try to make it a little easier to ease(缓解)the tension．
* Make your plans in advance．Ask your parents if there is anything else planned at that time．
* When something with your friends interferes(干扰；冲突)with a family event，try to figure
out if there is any way you can do both．
* Suggest something you would really like to do with your family．Sometimes parents feel better just knowing their teenager wants to spend time with them．
Some of the time you won’t be happy with the outcome(结果)．You might either have to disappoint your parents or have to miss out being with your friends．However，if you show consideration(体谅)for the feelings of both your family and your friends，you can solve the problem in a tender way．
41．The purpose of the first paragraph is to _________.
A．show a disagreement of views   
B．serve as a description of teenager trouble
C．serve as an introduction to the discussion
D．show the popularity of teenager problem
42．The tension between teenagers and their families is caused by the fact that____________.
A．teenagers don’t like to take family demands
B．parents want to keep their family under control
C．parents feel unhappy that their children make so many friends
D．both parents and teenagers don’t pay attention to each other’s feeling much
43．Which of the following is NOT the advice given in the passage?
A．Don’t feel angry if your parents ask you to do something．
B．Try to think of ways to balance family event with friend event．
C．Tell your parents before you decide to spend time with your friends．
D．Advise your parents to do something that you are interested in with you．
44．What’s the purpose of the passage?
A．To inform us of parent and teenager tension．
B．To tell us about a common teenager problem．
C．To persuade parents to show consideration for teenagers．
D．To advise teenagers how to deal with their tension with their family．

Abby Subark is a mother of two from Boston. “For my kids, I’m nervous. I don’t know if they’ll be able to achieve their American dream.” She may be right. More than hard work or education, the best way to get rich in America is to be born rich.
It is the case that somebody who is in the upper third of income, poor scores, in the bottom on tests when they are in eighth grade, is more likely to go to college and finish college than a poor kid with the top scores. That’s what the working persons’ children are faced with.
The Economic Policy Institute finds it would take a poor couple with 2 children 9 or 10 generations to achieve middle class status. That’s about 200 years. The typical feature of American opportunity has always been the ability to do better than your parents. But compared with similar developed countries, the United States ranks fifth out of six for so-called intergenerational mobility (变动).
If you look at the mechanisms (机制) for upward mobility that were so readily available 50 years ago, they are becoming out of reach, like plentiful factory jobs with good wages and affordable education and health care.
White families are twice as likely as blacks to be upwardly mobile. For most people in America today, where you end up depends on where you start.
If you started in the middle-income class, about 40 to 45 percent of what you are making right now is due to the fact that your parents were in the middle-income class. The rest is up to you.
But for the millions of people who find themselves below the poverty line and the millions more who are the working poor, their starting point for the American dream leaves them painfully far away from the middle class.
71. The main idea of the passage is _______.
A. How the middle class comes about in the U.S.
B. It’s hard to realize the American dream for the poor.
C. Wealth and social status depend on family background.
D. Upward mobility in America is never easy.
Which of the statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. People used to have job opportunities and welfare for upward mobility.
B. A great many poor people can hardly realize their American dream.
C. You can make all your dreams come true in America if born rich.
D. Rich kids are more likely to go to college than poor kids.
73. The underlined sentence “where you end up depends on where you start” most probably means _______.
A. Your starting point cannot determine your destination.
B. Only a high goal can ensure success.
C. One’s birth has nothing to do with his fate.
D. One’s family lays solid foundation for his future achievements.
Why is Abby Subark nervous?
A. Her kids don’t want to compare with other rich kids in achievements.
B. Her kids don’t want to achieve success at all.
C. Her kids can achieve success through hard work and education.
D. Her kids can’t reach their goal without a rich family.
What can we infer after reading the passage?
A. Poverty causes people much pain.
B. People below the poverty line can never be in the middle class.
C. Lower starting point makes it hard for people to realize their dream.
D. Poor people’s starting point is too low.