At the beginning of the twentieth century, many people thought that the American family was falling apart. A century later, we know that this was not the case. However, although the family is still alive in the United States, its size and shape were very different 100 years ago.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were mainly two types of families in the United States: the extended and the nuclear. The extended family usually includes grandparents, parents, and children living under the same roof. The nuclear family consists of only parents and children.
Today there are many different kinds of families. Some people live in “traditional” families, that is, a stay-home mother, a working father, and their own biological children. Others live in two-paycheck families, single-parent families, adoptive or foster families, blended families (where men and women who were married before marry again and combine the children from previous marriages into the new families），childless families, and so on.
What caused the structure of the family to change? In the early 1900s the birthrate began to fall and the divorce rate began to rise. Women were suddenly choosing to go to college and take jobs outside the home. In the 1930s and 1940s, many families faced serious financial, or money problems during the Great Depression, when many people lost their jobs. During World War II（1939-1945)，5 million women were left alone to take care of their homes and their children. Because many men were at war, thousands of these "war widows" had to go to work outside their home.
During the next ten years, the situation changed. There were fewer divorces, and people married at a younger age and had more children than the previous generation. It was unusual for a mother to work outside the home during the years when her children were growing up. Families began leaving cities and moving into single-family homes in the suburbs. The traditional family seemed to be returning.
In the years between 1960s and 1990s, there were many important changes in the structure of the family. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, the divorce rate doubled and the birthrate fell by half. The number of single-parent families tripled, and the number of couples living together without being married doubled again. In fact, the single-parent household, once unusual, has replaced the "traditional" family as the typical family in the States. If we can judge from history, however, this will probably change again in the twenty-first century.
The Changes of the American Family
| Main comparisons |
Contexts |
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| Different___ |
There were two __ |
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| Nowadays __ |
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| Changes in different ___ |
In the 1900s and 1940s |
Many of the women had to work outside due to the __ |
| In the 1950s |
Divorce rate slided and there were more children . The families tended to be ___ |
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| In the years between 1960s and 1990s |
Different types of familes__ |
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| A trend worth noting |
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| Author’s opinion on changes |
Judging from what has happened in the past,it is ____ |
No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements. Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts（施加） some influence on us. In their efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified（分类） all our little weaknesses.
Advertisers discovered years ago that all of us love to get something for nothing. An advertisement which begins with the magic work FREE can rarely go wrong. These days, advertisers not only offer free samples, but free cars, free houses, and free trips round the world as well. They design hundreds of competitions which will enable us to win huge sums of money. Radio and television have made it possible for advertisers to draw the attention of millions of people in this way.
During a radio program, a company of biscuit manufacturers once asked listeners to bake biscuits and send them to their factory. They offered to pay $10 a pound for the biggest biscuit baked by a listener. The response to this competition was active. Before long, biscuits of all shapes and sizes began arriving at the factory. One lady brought in a biscuit on a wheelbarrow. It weighed nearly 500 pounds. All the biscuits that were sent were carefully weighed. The largest was 713 pounds. It seemed certain that this would win the prize. But just before the competition closed, a lorry arrived at the factory with a truly large biscuit which weighed 2,400 pounds. It had been baked by a college student who had used over 1,000 pounds of flour, 800 pounds of sugar, 200 pounds of fat, and 400 pounds of various other ingredients. The factory had to pay more money than they had expected, for they bought the biscuit from the student for $24,000.
| Advertising |
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| Customers and advertisers |
Though |
| In fact, advertisers have studied human nature in order to |
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| According to their |
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| The usually effective means |
Advertisers offer free things, which often does |
| Hundreds of competitions are |
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| Radio and television are used to |
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| An exception |
By radio, a company of biscuit manufacturers once advertised that they would offer $10 a pound for the biggest biscuit baked by a listener, which |
| However, they never |
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认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意：每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡相应题号的横线上。
Gratitude means thankfulness, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that you receive. It shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the abundance that is already present. Psychological research has shown the surprising life improvements gained from the practice of gratitude.
Two psychologists, Michael McCollough and Robert Emmons, conducted an experience on gratitude and its effect on well being. The results of the study indicated that daily gratitude exercises resulted in higher reported levels of enthusiasm, determination, optimism, and energy. In addition, those who practiced gratitude experienced less depression and stress, were more likely to help others, worked out problems more regularly, and made greater progress toward achieving personal goals.
Therefore, it's important to practice gratitude. Here are a few reminders.
A common method is to get yourself a cute little notebook and write down 3 - 5 things that you're grateful for at the end of each day. They can be small things, or bigger things.
You can also send a handwritten letter or make a phone call to a person for whom you are thankful, expressing the gratitude. It will surely brighten their day, and in turn, yours.
Besides, for some, it may be a good idea to express their gratitude in person. It doesn't need to be formal. Just a simple gesture of thanks is only needed to feel the benefits of this kind of gratitude.
Finally, there are certain times you can devote to gratitude. For example, at the beginning of your meals, or at bedtime, or when your parents get home from work. Committing to a specific time establishes a practice of gratitude.
Once you become accustomed to looking for things to be grateful for, you will find that you begin to appreciate simple pleasures, which can make a day and even change a life.
| Title |
Gratitude |
| Introduction |
Gratitude means being grateful and can help people |
of gratitude exercises |
■Feeling more ■Becoming less depressed and stressed, but more willing to be ■Working out problems more regularly. ■Achieving your |
to practise gratitude |
■Putting down whatever you feel grateful for every day. ■Writing to or calling whoever you want to ■Giving thanks personally in a ■Devoting a proper |
| Conclusion |
■ |
The term bystander effect refers to the phenomenon in which the greater the number of people present, the less likely people are to help a person in distress. When an emergency situation occurs, observers are more likely to take action if there are few or no other witnesses. Being part of a large crowd makes it so no single person has to take responsibility for an action (or inaction).
The most frequently cited example of the bystander effect in introductory psychology textbooks is the brutal murder of a young woman named Catherine "Kitty" Genovese. On Friday, March 13, 1964, 28-year-old Genovese was returning home from work. As she approached her apartment entrance, she was attacked and stabbed by a man later identified as Winston Moseley.
Despite Genovese’s repeated calls for help, none of the dozen or so people in the nearby apartment building who heard her cries called police to report the incident. The attack first began at 3:20 AM, but it was not until 3:50 AM that someone first contacted police.
While Genovese's case has been subject to numerous misrepresentations and inaccuracies, there have been numerous other cases reported in recent years. The bystander effect can clearly have a powerful impact on the general conduct of people in a society, but why exactly does it happen? Why don't we help when we are part of a crowd?
There are several factors that contribute to the bystander effect. First, the presence of other people creates a diffusion of responsibility. Because there are other observers, individuals do not feel as much pressure to take action, since the responsibility to take action is thought to be shared among all of those present.
The second reason is the need to behave in correct and socially acceptable ways. When other observers fail to react, individuals often take this as a signal that a response is not needed or not appropriate. Other researchers have found that onlookers are less likely to intervene if the situation is ambiguous. In the case of Kitty Genovese, many of the 38 witnesses reported that they believed that they were witnessing a "lover's quarrel," and did not realize that the young woman was actually being murdered.
Characteristics of the situation can play a role. During a crisis, things are often chaotic and the situation is not always crystal clear. Onlookers might wonder exactly what is happening. During such chaotic moments, people often look to others in the group to determine what is appropriate. When people look at the crowd and see that no one else is reacting, it sends a signal that perhaps no action is needed.
So what can you do to avoid falling into this trap of inaction? Some psychologists suggest that simply being aware of this tendency is perhaps the greatest way to break the cycle. When faced with a situation that requires action, understanding how the bystander effect might be holding you back and consciously taking steps to overcome it can help. However, this does not mean you should place yourself in danger.
But what if you are the person in need of assistance? How can you inspire people to lend a hand? One often-recommended tactic is to single out one person from the crowd. Make eye contact and ask that individual specifically for help. By personalizing and individualizing your request, it becomes much harder for people to turn you down.
| The Bystander Effect |
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| Passage outline |
Supporting details |
| Concept of the bystander effect |
The bystander effect occurs when the presence of others keeps an individual from becoming It is obvious that the bystander effect can greatly influence |
| Typical example |
In 1964, a young woman named Genovese met with violence and her life was |
for the bystander effect |
Individuals are less likely to take action or feel a sense of Before deciding to offer help, observers may want to make |
| You should realize or know the When in need of help, you should |
Food makes us feel good, but some people eat when they aren’t really hungry and eat to simply feel good. This kind of eating habit is called emotional eating, which does not affect adults but also young children. It isn’t a good thing. 
A child’s eating habits can develop right from childhood. As we know, a baby cries out if he doesn’t get milk at the usual time of the day. However, sometimes parents immediately stick a bottle in a child’s mouth without trying to find out if the child is really hungry. In fact, children may cry for other reasons. Even as children grow up and start going to school, parents sometimes give them a chocolate bar if they become really unhappy. As the children further grow up, they may become used to having a snack whenever they’re upset or low.
Therefore, they’d like to eat an emotional snack when they have the feeling of unhappiness and boredom. Even when they don’t get high grades, aren’t popular at school or made fun of by others, they will want something to eat. After having the snack, they feel a lot better.
Emotional eating in young children is a thing that needs to be taken seriously. To protect your children from emotional eating, you should satisfy your child’s emotional needs in the best possible way. This includes spending time with your child every day, taking an interest in his school work, helping your child study, providing a health environment without tension at home, etc. Don’t make the child lose face by scolding him. Develop confidence in your child. Make your child eat enough once in a while. Reward him for his achievements.
All this will help your little one develop a healthy eating habit. And always remember love and care is the key to help you child out of trouble and grow up happily.
Title: in Young Children
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Eating for feeling good instead of for |
| Causes |
forming the habit when feeling feeling being made fun of by others |
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staying with your child for some time every day being providing a healthy environment without tension at home avoiding making your child giving your child enough to eat once in a while giving your child reward for what he has achieved |
| Conclusion |
Love and care helps children out of trouble. |
阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在文后小题的空格里填上适当的单词或短语。注意：每空不超过3个单词。
Host family accommodation, or living with host families, remains popular among language travel students for its unique advantages. These days, host families are trying to offer more in terms of quality, for they have something to worry about.
Host family accommodation is often seen as the number-one choice for its advantages in language study, cultural communication and cost of living. Staying alongside host families enables students to get enough practice for the time of their studying so that their language acquisition is likely to become faster. Living in host families also has the advantage for students of being able to spend a lot of time communicating with their “host parents”, and get to know the local way of life, people and culture. Another advantage is that host family accommodation can sometimes be the least expensive. It attracts students for it ensures them a family of living at a low cost.
The advantages, however, have not prevented host families from worrying. On one hand, some host families are losing their unique selling point. The problem is that the majority of hosts in big cities, now generally single and young, have less time available for students, but the selling point for host family accommodation is communication practice. On the other, students’ expectations have risen. They are becoming more demanding and asking for more than ever from their accommodation, as they come mainly from high socio-economic groups in their own countries.
To get out of the difficult situation, host families are now making efforts to improve the quality of service. They are trying to m make living conditions better, including broadband Internet service, private bathroom, and access to plenty of hot water for long shower. They are also proving students with structured family activities.
It is believed that host family accommodation will keep the popularity vote language travel students.
Title: Family Accommodation
| Theme |
Host families are improving the accommodation quality |
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1）Language study |
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| 2）Cultural communication |
(1) |
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| (2) Knowing the local way of life, people and culture |
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| 3） |
Being least expensive sometimes |
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1）Loss of selling point |
Hosts’ having less time for students |
| 2） |
Students’ becoming more demanding |
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| Service quality improvement |
(1) |
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| (2) Organizing structured family activities |
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| Host family accommodation will keep the popularity vote with students. |
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
ㅤXiao long bao（soup dumplings），those amazing constructions of delicate dumpling wrappers，encasing hot，（1）＿＿＿＿（taste）soup and sweet，fresh meat，are far and away my favorite Chinese street food. The dumplings arrive steaming and dangerously hot. To eat one，you have to decide whether（2）＿＿＿＿（bite）a small hole in it first，releasing the stream and risking a spill（溢出），（3）＿＿＿＿to put the whole dumpling in your mouth，letting the hot soup explode on your tongue. Shanghai maybe the （4）＿＿＿＿（recognize）home of the soup dumplings but food historians will actually point you to the neighboring canal town of Nanxiang as Xiao long bao's birthplace. There you will find them prepared differently﹣more dumpling and less soup，and the wrappers are pressed （5）＿＿＿＿hand rather than rolled. Nanxiang aside，the best Xiao long bao have a fine skin，allowing them （6）＿＿＿＿（lift）out of the steamer basket without allowing them tearing or spilling any of （7）＿＿＿＿（they）contents. The meat should be fresh with （8）＿＿＿＿ touch of sweetness and the soup hot，clear and delicious.
ㅤNo matter where I buy them，one steamer is （9）＿＿＿＿（rare）enough，yet two seems greedy，so I am always left （10）＿＿＿＿ （want）more next time.
阅读下列短文，根据以下提示：1）汉语提示，2）首字母提示，3）语境提示，在每个空格内填入一个适当的英语单词，并将该词完整地写在右边相对应的横线上。所填单词要求意义准确，拼写正确。
I feel very happy to receive your letter and here I'd like to give you some a on how to learn English．Above all, don't lose your heart. Many students find it _______ to learn English，especially _______ write good English compositions．In my opinion, if you want to _______（改善）your writing, you should learn by heart as many English expressions and sentence p as possible．And at the same time try to use _______ in your compositions．I think just r grammar rules is no use. And only by reading and writing a lot_______ you be able to learn English well in an effective way．I definitely _______（相信） the most important thing is that you should _______ writing every day and never give up．
For thousands of years，people have told fables （寓言）（1） （teach） a lesson or to pass on wisdom.Fables were part of the oral tradition of many early cultures，and the well﹣known Aesop's fables date to the（2） （six） century B.C.Yet，the form of the fable still has values today，（3） Rachel Carson says in " A Fable for Tomorrow. "
Carson uses a simple，direct style common to fable.In fact，her style and tone （口吻） are seemingly directed at children. "There was once a town in the heart of America，（4） all life seemed to enjoy peaceful existence with its surroundings，" her fable begins，（5） （borrow） some familiar words from many age ﹣ old fables.Behind the simple style，however，is a serious message （6） （intend） for everyone.
（7） （difference） from traditional fables，Carson's story ends with an accusation instead of a moral.She warns of the environmental dangers facing society，and she teaches that people must take responsibility（8） saving their environment.
The themes of traditional fables often deal with simple truths about everyday life.However，Carson's theme is a more weighty（9） （warn） about environmental destruction.Carson proves that a simple lyric form that has been passed down through the ages can still （10） （employ） today to draw attention to important truths.
Why do we dream？Scientists aren't completely sure，and they have diverse 11 （idea）．Dreams might be a side effect of memory making．When you sleep，your brain sorts through everything 12 happened during the day，trying to link new experiences to old memories. As it 13 （connect） things，your brain tums them into a story，and you get a dream．
After reading the passage below ， fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word ， fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word ； for the other blanks ， use one word that best fits each blank.
Millions of Baby Olive Ridley Turtles Emerge in Orissa
Nature is full of wonders． In （1） is one of the most breathtaking sights in nature， millions of baby Ridley turtles broke out of their eggshells under the sand at one of their mass nesting grounds in coastal Orissa． The baby turtles started their journey towards the Bay of Bengal （2） they emerged from their nest in the southern district of Ganjam， about 175 km from Bhubaneshwar．
Orissa is the home to three mass nesting sites of the Oliver turtles， a species （3） （threaten） with extinction， and one of the sites， Gahirmatha，（4） around 70 to 80 million turtles lay eggs on the beach every year， is considered one of the world's largest nesting sites．
The female turtles drag （5） up the beach from the sea， dig a nest， lay at least one hundred eggs， cover and conceal their eggs and nest， and then return to the sea． The females never visit the nest again to take care of the eggs that （6） （deposit） in the warm sand．
The baby turtles emerge from the eggs after 45 60 days， then the babies grow without their mother， which is a rare phenomenon in nature， Interestingly， it is on the same beach where they were born （7） the females lay their eggs．
In the recent years， sea erosion has led to many turtles' nest （8） （damage） or destroyed． Also， some fierce animals such as dogs and birds （9） （reduce） the number of nesting turtles． And of course man has also had a negative impact （10）
using engine﹣powered fishing boats near the turtles' nesting grounds．
Secret codes (密码)keep messages private。Banks, companies, and government agencies use secret codes in doing business, especially when information is sent by computer.
People have used secret codes for thousands of years. 36 Code breaking never lags(落后) far behind code making. The science of creating and reading coded messages is called cryptography.
There are three main types of cryptography. 37 For example, the first letters of "My elephant eats too many eels" Spell out the hidden message "Meet me."
38 You might represent each letter with a number, For example, Let's number the letters of the alphabet, in order, from 1 to 26. If we substitute a number for each letter, the message "Meet me" would read "13 5 20 13 5."
A code uses symbols to replace words, phrases, or sentences. To read the message of a real code, you must have a code book. 39 For example "bridge" might stand for "meet" and "out" might stand for "me." The message "bridge out" would actually mean "Meet me." 40 However, it is also hard to keep a code book secret for long. So codes must be changed frequently.
| A． |
It is very hard to break a code without the code book. |
| B． |
In any language, some letters are used more than others. |
| C． |
Only people who know the keyword can read the message. |
| D． |
As long as there have been codes, people have tried to break them. |
| E． |
You can hide a message by having the first letters of each word spell it out. |
| F． |
With a code book, you might write down words that would stand for other words. |
| G． |
Another way to hide a message is to use symbols to stand for specific letters of the alphabet. |
Things You Should Insist on No Matter What People Say
Life can get pretty crazy at times． Happiness is dependent upon ourselves，and there are some things in life you should always insist on doing，no matter what others have to say about it．Here is a list of some things you should always do．
1．Learn from your mistakes
No matter what people say，you will make mistakes in your life．Life is a learning process in itself．Some people will make you feel bad about your mistakes，or insult you for making them． Accept your mistakes fully and really figure out what went wrong．
2．Embrace change and creativity
A popular proverb is，“You cannot solve a problem in the same state of consciences that created it．” Change and creativity are vital in today’s world．Things are always changing，so why should we be any different?
3．Appreciate what you have This can take away from our happiness．Sometimes you just need to sit back and be happy about where your life is right now，and what you have to show for it. Sure people might tell you it’s not good enough，but don’t listen to them．It is good enough，and it gives you a sense of pride when you can enjoy the things you already have in life．
4．Listen to your heart
Sometimes you just need to follow your instincts and do what your heart tells you. There are some situations，like relationships，that rely more on your heart than on your head．People will surely tell you differently，but you should always insist on listening to what you want and feel. Again，you are the one who lives with your choices，and you are the one that has to live with the“what ifs．”
Some people succeed, while others may not. This is because some people possess certain qualities, which others do not.
The first thing you must remember is that in order to succeed, you must be optimistic. If you do not expect to win, you will not try as hard as those who do expect to win. You also need to have a clear aim and a reason for doing something because motivation is a key to achieving success. If you do not have an aim, then you will not be motivated to work hard and put your performance under the microscope to make sure that every detail is right.
Another quality that helps people succeed is creativity---thinking about things in a different way and wondering how others would do the same thing. Think about some successful people you know. They might be successful with a little creativity, but the most successful people are the most creative ones.
Reading is another to success, as it will help you learn about how other people have achieved success. If you want to learn how to set up a successful business, you should read books about people like Bill Gates and Jerry Yang, who have achieved amazing success in their areas of business.
Practicing is equally important if you want to success because practice makes perfect. Practise every day at whatever career you are in, and by doing so, you will see yourself, your business and your self-confidence begin to grow. If you feel confident about what you do, this confidence will make other people believe in you as well. Your colleagues will be happy to work with you, and your boss will give you more responsibility. Finally if you are a successful person, you will be able to look people in the eye and smile confidently.
Success is yours for the taking! Cheers!
根据短文完成下列表格，一空一词。
Title _______
| Certain qualities |
Supporting details |
| ___ |
●Try hard ___ ●Have a clear aim and a reason for doing something because a key to achieving success is __ |
| Creativity |
●____ ●Study how other people would do the ____ |
| Reading |
●Help you know about how ____ ●Read books about |
| Practising |
●____ ●Believe in yourself and do what you want to do ____ |
_____________, they have been drilling for sixteen hours and they still have a long way to go.
People will do anything to see a free show---even if it is a bad one. When the news
________________ would be presented at our local cinema by the P. and U. Bird…
because balloons can be a great danger to aircraft. He said that someone _______________ the station and the pilot was ordered to ________
_______ the strange object.
Experiments have proved that children can be instructed in swimming ____________________.
Whether they will ever become future Olympic champions, _________________.
He looked pale and his clothes were in a frightful state. “What has happened?” she asked. “How did your clothes __________________?”
This is a moving spectacle, for crowds of people stand on the shore __________________ until they can be seen no more.
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