BC Social Report, August 14, 2010
Scandinavians may spend a lot of the winter in darkness but they are the happiest people in Europe, according to a study showed this month. Countries like Denmark and Finland scored highest on the study of happiness in Europe carried out by Cambridge University, which also found that the sunny southern countries of Italy, Portugal and Greece got the least joy out of  life.
The survey entitled:  "No Man is an Island" showed that countries where people enjoy time with friends and family, have trust in government and national institutions were more likely to be happy than those living in a sunny climate. The study rated respondent on their overall sense of happiness and life satisfaction on a scale of one to 10.
Danes (丹麥人)--who expressed a high level of trust in their politicians and public institutions--came top of the field at 8.3. Italians--who reported lower levels of satisfaction with their national quality of government--came last at 6.49.' "Italy, Greece, Portugal, Germany and France report the lowest levels of happiness while the Scandinavian Countries, Netherlands and Luxembourg report the highest," the study said.
Although Europeans are generally four times wealthier than their fathers and grandfathers, their levels of happiness are either equal to or lower than 40 years ago. The study also looked at factors contributing to happiness within countries and surprisingly found that an interest in politics actually increased happiness.
Lead researcher Luisa Corrado said tax cuts and throwing money at social problems appeared to have no effect on the happiness of citizens when compared with government policies which strengthened and supported wider social networks.  "People are less naive ( 質(zhì)樸的) than one would expect, politicians need to adapted their policies and target specific problems in specific areas," she said.
小題1: According to the passage, we can know        .
A．Scandinavians are the happiest people in the world
B．the research is carried out by Oxford University
C．the people of the northern countries are much happier
D．Italians expressed their trust in politics and institutions
小題2:Which of the following factors increases happiness?
A．Interest in politiesB．WealthC．HealthD．Websites.
小題3:The underlined word "scale" in the second paragraph means                  
A．senseB．lifeC．reportD．range
小題4: What's the writer's attitude to the study?
A. Subjunctive.          B. Objective.    C. Pessimistic.    D: Optimistic.
小題5:In what column may readers probably read the passage?
A．Lifestyle.B．Amusement.C．Politics.D．Health and Happiness.

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

Somali pirates(海盜) robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board nearly l, 200 Miles off the Somali coast, the farthest-off-shore attack to date, an officer said Tuesday.
Pirates have gone farther south and east in answer to increased patrols(巡邏)by warships off the Somali shore. The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force, said a spokesman.
The spokesman said the attack so far out at sea was a clear sign that the international patrols against pirates were having a “marked effect on pirate activity in the area”.
“Once they start attacking that far out, you’re not even really talking about the Somali basin or areas of water that have any connection with Somalia,” said an officer, Roger Middleton. “Once you’re that far out, it's just the Indian Ocean, and it means you’re looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia, from Asia to South Africa. ”
“This is the farthest robbing to date. They are now operating near the Maldives and India,” said another officer.
The three ships--the MV Prantalay 11, 12, and l 4—had 77 members on board in total. All of them are Thai, the spokesman said. Before the Sunday robbing, pirates held l l ships and 228 sailors.
Pirates have increased attacks over the past year in hopes. of catching more dollar payments. Because of increased patrols and defenses on board ships, the success rate(率)has gone down, though the number of successful attacks has stayed the same year over year.
小題1:The pirate attack reported in the text happened __________.
A．far out in the Indian Ocean
B．in the normal patrol area
C．near the Somali, coast
D．in the south of Africa
小題2:According to the text, which can best describe the situation of the pirate problems?
A．More goods on board are lost.
B．Pirate attacks happen in a larger area now.
C．The number of attacks has stayed the same these years.
D．Pirate attacks are as serious as before along the Somali coast.
小題3:Which is true about the warship patrols according to the text?
A．The patrols are of little effect.
B．The patrols are more difficult.
C．More patrols are quite necessary even in Asia.
D．The patrols only drive the pirates to other areas.
小題4:How many sailors were held by the pirates up to the time of the report?
A．228.B．77.C．383.D．305.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

American Watersports
Tuesday--Saturday
Located on the beach of the Sea Gardens Beach Resort, there are fun things to rent for the whole family. They offer rentals for kayaks, jetskis, and even parasails! Enjoy the water upclose or from a bird’s eye view! No matter what activity you’re enjoying, be sure to protect yourself and your family from the sun’s powerful rays and apply plenty of sun block!
15th Street Boat Company
Monday --Saturday
15th Street Boat Company offers rental boats of all kinds. They’re sure to have what you are looking for, whether it’s a small boat for a quick and simple outing or an extravagent boat with comfortable seats with a stereo(立體聲) and high tech navigation(導(dǎo)航). You can rent a boat for half a day, a couple days, or even weeks at a time. If you want it, they’ve got it. It’s fun for everyone! 
Coconut’s Watersports
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Sunday
Coconuts Water Sports is open 7 days a week for your convenience and offers tons of water fun for the whole family. Jet ski activities last 30 minutes or 1 hour and can make stops along the way. You must be at least 14 years of age to ride alone and can be as young as 3 to ride along with an adult. Everybody is required to wear a life jacket and a license is required to operate the jet ski. Bathing suits and shorts are recommended. 
Jet Ski Tours of Miami
Thursday-Sunday 10 a.m.-7p.m.
Jet Ski Tours of Miami includes onsite parking, indoor restrooms, lockers, and life jackets for participants. You may choose a one or two hour tour and each jet ski can hold up to 3 people. You must be at least 18 years old in order to ride. As long as you are accompanied by an adult, there is no age limitation for any passenger. There is a restaurant nearby to eat at. The tour visits 6 different islands and passes by Bayside and Hard Rock. You may even catch a glimpse of dolphins playing or a manatee resting in these fabulous Florida waters.
小題1:What activity is convenient for the visitors to have lunch?
A．Jet Ski Tours of MiamiB．Coconut’s Watersports
C．15th Street Boat CompanyD．American Watersports
小題2:To satisfy your son’s curiosity about marine animals, you ___________.
A．will rent a boat to ride with him.
B．prefer an extravagant (奢侈的) boat with comfortable seats with a stereo.
C．would like to prefer American Watersports to Florida waters.
D．can choose the tour to Bayside and Hard Rock.
小題3: If you like to sail a boat, you can________.
A．go to the Sea Gardens Beach ResortB．visit 15th Street Boat Company
C．choose Jet Ski Tours of Miami D．go to Coconut’s Watersports
小題4:To ride alone in the jet ski activities, _____________.
A．you have to be at least 14 years old.B．you can choose to wear a life jacket or not.
C．you must be over18 years old.D．you have to be with parents.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, U.S.A.,is in the central part of the state, on the Santa Fe River, which flows into the Rio Grande 35 kilometres west of the city. More than two thousand metres above sea level, it lies in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains with the Ortiz Mountains to the southeast.
Santa Fe was founded in 1609 by the Spanish (西班牙人)on an old Indian village.In 1680 the Indians seized the place but only held it for twelve years before the Spanish retook it. The city remained under Spanish rule until Mexico won its independence (獨立) in 1821. From then on it was a Mexican city until 1846 when it was taken over by American troops.
With a population of 48,953, Santa Fe is now the second largest city in the state. Because of its sunny weather, rich history and surrounding mountains, it is a good place for holiday makers. Besides hunting and skating in the mountains people enjoy shopping in the Indian and Spanish shops, which brings a large income to the city every year. In summer there is an international opera (歌劇) season when operas are shown in a partly-roofed ,open-air theatre daily for people from all over the world.
小題1:At present Santa Fe belongs to           .
A．IndiaB．MexicoC．Spain(西班牙)D．the United States
小題2:Which of the drawings below gives an idea of what Santa Fe is like?
RG="the" Rio Grande  SFR="the" Santa Fe River  OM="the" Ortiz Mountains

小題3:Santa Fe was under the rule of the Mexicans in        .
A．1675B．1695C．1816D．1833
小題4:The people who held Santa Fe for the longest period in history were the           .
A．SpanishB．IndiansC．MexicansD．Americans
小題5:What is of special interest to people who visit Santa Fe in summer?
A．Hunting.B．Fishing.C．Watching operas.D．Doing shopping.
小題6:Santa Fe is best described (描述) as a             .
A．trade centreB．holiday centreC．home for all nationsD．seaport city
小題7:One of the reasons for visitors to come to Santa Fe is that it            .
A．has fine weatherB．is the state capital
C．has historical monumentsD．is on the Santa Fe River

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

                                
Japan will hand out its first “Nobel Prize of Manga (國際漫畫獎)” for artists in the comic book field abroad. This is another step in Japan’s efforts to show the power of pop culture diplomacy.
The International Manga Award, which was compared by manga lover Foreign Minister Taro Aso to a “Nobel Prize” when he first proposed it, will be given to an artist working abroad whose work best contributes to the spread of the manga form worldwide.
Manga, a name used for Japanese style comic books, often combines stories with drawing styles that differ from the overseas superhero comics and cartoon, particularly in their frequent emphasis on cuteness.
The winner will receive a certificate and a cup at an award ceremony, and will spend 10 days in Japan meeting with local comic book artists and publishers.
“Manga has been spreading overseas and are selling quite well,” Aso said when announcing the award to the public. “I want to further improve the communicative power of these so-called ‘pieces of pop culture’.”
Aso has argued that warm feelings for Japanese comics and cartoon can translate into warm feelings for Japanese foreign policy.
He has proposed sending cartoon artists overseas as cultural ambassadors and the government has named some officials to advise ways to promote Japanese cartoon and culture to foreign audiences.
The award committee, consisting of manga artists and publishers, is expected to make its selections quite soon.
According to a ministry official Nobuyuki Watanabe, the prize carries no money reward. The cup’s design has yet to be finished, but it will be something “appropriate”.
小題1: The International Manga Award will be presented to ____________.
A．a(chǎn) Japanese who has achieved a lot in creating new methods of drawing
B．a(chǎn)n artist who makes contributions to introducing manga to the other foreign countries
C．the person who is expert at comics and cartoon
D．a(chǎn) foreign artist who has contributed to the development of manga
小題2: Which statement is NOT true about manga?
A．Manga is different from the overseas comic books.
B．Manga is popular not only in Japan but also overseas.
C．Manga refers to international comics and cartoon.
D．There are stories and pictures in manga.
小題3:What has the Japanese government done to show its support?
A．To propose “Nobel Prize of Manga”.
B．To name officials to advise ways of spreading manga overseas.
C．To hand out its first “Nobel Prize of Manga”.
D．To send cartoon artists overseas as cultural ambassadors.
小題4:The passage is mainly about ____________.
A．Nobel Prize of MangaB．the characteristics of manga
C．a(chǎn) brief introduction of mangaD．the development of manga

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分類賬)move into the black and companies become profitable（有利可圖的，有益的）. On that day, retailers（零售商）slash prices to get consumers to buy.  It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.
“It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser（較少的，較小的）price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare（噩夢）for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.
While the lead up to Christmas is known as the season of giving, Black Friday can get ugly.
Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart（沃爾瑪公司）worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”
Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.
With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. “Credit is still strictly controlled whether through credit cards or through borrowing from banks,” he said. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed.  Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.
And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.
Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.     
小題1: The underlined word “slash” in the first paragraph probably means _________.
A．reduceB．raiseC．increaseD．change
小題2:The sentence “This day should be a shopper’s dream.” should be placed between ________.
A．paragraph two and paragraph threeB．paragraph one and paragraph two
C．paragraph three and paragraph fourD．paragraph five and paragraph six
小題3:Why are many stores increasing security according to the passage?
A．Because there are too many people saving more and spending less.
B．Because it’s a time when they begin making their profits for the year.
C．Because last year a crowd of bargain-hunters caused an accident.
D．Because many stores open their doors from midnight to four a.m.
小題4:What can we learn from the passage?
A．Christmas shopping is traditional time and this year it is no exception.
B．Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually least discounted.
C．The economy only affects consumers on that bargain day.
D．Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

According to researchers．money can buy happiness, but only if you spend it on someone else．
Spending as little as $5 a day on someone else could significantly bring you happiness, the team at the University of British Columbia and Harvard Business School found．
Their experiments on more than 630 Americans showed they were measurably（適度地） happier when they spent money on others--even if they thought spending the money on themselves would make them happier．
"We wanted to test our theory that how people spend their money is at least as important as how much money they earn," said Elizabeth Dunn, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia．
They asked their 600 volunteers first to rate their general happiness, report their annual income and detail their monthly spending including bills, gifts for themselves, gifts for others and donations to charity．
"Regardless of how much income each person made, those who spent money on others reported greater happiness, while those who spent more on themselves did not," Dunn said in a statement．
Dunn's team also surveyed 16 employees at a company in Boston before and after they received an annual profit-sharing bonus（獎金） of between $3,000 and $8,000．
"Employees who devoted more of their bonus to pro-social spending experienced greater happiness after receiving the bonus, and the manner in which they spent that bonus was a more important predictor of their happiness than the size of the bonus itself," they wrote in their report, published in the journal Science．
They gave their volunteers $5 or $20 and half got clear instructions on how to spend it．Those who spent the money on someone or something else reported feeling happier about it．
"These findings suggest that very minor alterations（改動） in spending allocations（分配） - as little as $5 - may be enough to produce real gains in happiness on a given day," Dunn said．
小題1:According to the passage,_____________．
A．the more money you spend on others, the happier you are
B．spending money on others can bring you happiness
C．Elizabeth Dunn is a psychologist from Harvest Business School
D．six hundred volunteers took part in the experiment
小題2:The 16 employees mentioned in the passage _________．
A．were given clear instructions on how to spend the bonus
B．had more happiness than the size of the bonus itself
C．experienced greater happiness after receiving their bonus
D．felt happier after they contributed much of the bonus of charities
小題3:Dunn’s statement suggested that ______________．
A．those who spent money on others felt happier no matter how much they earned
B．those who spent more money on themselves felt happier
C．people thought spending money could make themselves happier
D．the money spent was as important as the money earned
小題4:The best title of this passage is ___________．
A．Experiment on Money Spending
B．Spending Money on Others Makes One Happier
C．Devoting Your Money to Charities
D．Bonus and Pro-social Spending

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

China news, Beijing, July 29 --- Housing price in China has always aroused heated discussions among property developers and ordinary Chinese. To many property developers and local government officials, housing price in China is still low compared with many developed countries. However, the average housing price in the United States is only 8,000 yuan per square meter, while in China, it is even higher than in the United States. This shows that there are some bubbles(泡沫) in Chinese real estate market, the International Finance News reported.
Although the average price of residential houses in the United States, after converted to Renminbi, is about 8,000 yuan per square meter, the houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. If US property developers sell their houses according to the building area, then the housing price will be even lower than 8,000 yuan per square meter. In most big Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, houses are sold at a price even higher than those in the US.
The high housing sales price in large cities in China proves that Chinese real estate market does have some bubbles. Moreover, Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. Furthermore, it should be noted that American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. How can the Chinese afford to buy a house which is even more expensive than that sold in US?
At the beginning of 2007, Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. Now in order to reduce the high housing prices, the government can regulate(控制) the real estate market by raising tax on property industry. At the same time, the government should allow people to build more houses through various fund-raising channels, such as funds collected from buyers or raised by working units. By applying these multiple means, it is expected that the high housing prices can be lowered.
小題1:What is the average housing price per square meter in China?
A．8000 yuan.B．10000 yuan.C．7000 yuan.D．Not mentioned.
小題2:Which of the following does NOT support the idea that the average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States?
A．Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities.
B．American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people.
C．The population who need houses in China is larger than in the United States.
D．The houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses.
小題3:How many measures are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to reduce the high housing prices?
A．One.B．Two.C．Three.D．Four.
小題4:What is the main idea of this passage?
A．The housing price in China is so high that the government should do something useful to prevent it.
B．There are some bubbles in Chinese real estate market.
C．The average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States.
D．Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A major earthquake rocked Haiti at 4:53 pm local time on Jan.12, 2010, killing possibly thousands of people but no official figure has been released so far.
The quake, which struck about 15km (10 miles) south-west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, was quickly followed by two strong aftershocks. In the space of a minute, numerous buildings fell down. A five-story U.N. building was also brought down by the 7.3 magnitude quake, the most powerful to hit Haiti in more than 200 years according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
As night fell, the whole city is in total darkness. You can see thousands of people sitting in the streets with nowhere to go. There are people running, crying, screaming. Describing the earthquake as a "catastrophe", Haiti’s president said the cost of the damage could run into billions.
Haiti became the first independent Caribbean state in the early 19th century. Haiti's location, history and attracting climate once made it a tourist hot place. However, decades of poverty, environmental pollution and violence have left it as the poorest nation in the Americas. It has suffered a lot, including four hurricanes and storms in 2008 that killed hundreds.
小題1:The great earthquake happened to the _______ of the capital city.
A．south-westB．north-westC．south-eastD．north-east
小題2: What can we infer from the underlined sentence?
A．People in Port-au-Prince don’t like to light on.
B．The earthquake happened in the evening.
C．Electricity in the city was cut off that night.
D．There are no lights at all in Port-au-Prince.
小題3: What’s the meaning of the word in bald “catastrophe”?
A．chance.B．joke.C．illness.D．disaster.
小題4:Which statement about Haiti is NOT true?
A．Haiti became an independent state in the early 19th century.
B．Haiti belongs to Americas, just like Canada, America and so on.
C．At one time, tourism was important to the economy of Haiti.
D．Haiti is a country where such strong quacks often take place.

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