7 ways a government shutdown will affect your daily life
(CNN) -- Democrats and Republicans were unable to resolve (解決) their differences over Obamacare (奧巴馬醫(yī)改計(jì)劃）and now the government is shut down. The two previous shutdowns — 1995 and early 1996 — cost the country $1.4 billion. But what will the shutdown mean for you? Here are 7 ways the government shutdown will affect you.
7. Vacation all I ever wanted: Need to get away? Well, you can’t. At least not to national parks. Or to national zoos. Or to national museums. They'll be closed. Were you thinking more along the lines of a trip to France? If you don’t already have a passport, you might not get your blue book in time. The last time the government shut down, 200,000 applications for passports went unprocessed.
6. If you drive a car, I'll tax the street: You may be thinking, “No functioning government, no need to pay taxes.” Think again. The Man would continue to collect taxes. U.S. bonds would still be issued. And other essential banking functions will go on.
5. Wait a minute, Mr. Postman: You know that whole “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night” thing? Apparently, the U.S. Postal Service works through shutdowns as well. Sorry, you won’t catch a break from the junk mail.
4. I want a new drug: Oh, the irony (諷刺的). Republicans still want to defund, delay or otherwise withdraw gradually at Obamacare in exchange for funding the government. But the health care act at the center of this storm would continue its process during a shutdown. That is because its funds aren’t dependent on the congressional budget (預(yù)算) process.
3. Pass the ammunition (軍火): Not so fast. A shutdown would affect the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Translation: That gun permit you wanted processed won’t happen anytime soon if this goes on for a while.
2. Money (that's what I want): Well, if you owned a small business and needed a loan from the government, you would have to wait, depending on how long this lasts. If you were planning to buy a house and needed a federal loan, you would have to wait.
1. I'm proud to be an American: Perhaps the biggest hit would be to the collective psyche (下意識(shí)心理). America is the largest economy in the world and a beacon for how democracy ought to work. A recent CNN Research Corporation found that 51% would blame Republicans for the shutdown. The United States has operated without a budget since 2009 and has avoided a government shutdown with last-minute deals. Not only did the government run out of money on Tuesday, but the nation is set to hit its borrowing limit and potentially default on its debt in mid-October. Together, they serve as a double whammy (打擊）.
小題1:Which is the most probably meaning of the underlined word?
A．Raise some money.B．Take the money back.
C．Borrow some money.D．went on a strike.
小題2:When the government’s shut down, what can the Americans do?
A．Apply for a gun permit.B．Apply for a new passport.
C．Apply for a loan.D．Pay taxes.
小題3:How many times has the American government ever shut down so far?
A．Once.B．Twice.C．Three times.D．Not mentioned.
小題4: According to the essay, what led to the shutdown of the American government?
A．The government of America ran out of money.
B．The government of America is on debts.
C．America is set to hit the borrowing limit of its debts.
D．The American government ran out of money and may fail in repaying its debts.

小題1:B
小題2:D
小題3:C
小題4:D

試題分析：民主黨和共和黨都無法解決奧巴馬醫(yī)改計(jì)劃的差異，導(dǎo)致政府破產(chǎn)，政府破產(chǎn)對(duì)美國人有什么影響？文章從7個(gè)方面進(jìn)行說明。
小題1:猜詞題：從第五段的句子：delay or otherwise withdraw gradually at Obamacare in exchange for funding the government.可知共和黨將逐漸撤回奧巴馬醫(yī)改計(jì)劃的資金，選B
小題2:細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章第三段的句子：If you drive a car, I'll tax the street:可知當(dāng)政府破產(chǎn)了，美國人還是要繳稅的，選D
小題3:細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章第一段的句子：The two previous shutdowns — 1995 and early 1996 — cost the country $1.4 billion.可知美國政府破產(chǎn)三次了，選C
小題4:細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章最后一段的句子：Not only did the government run out of money on Tuesday, but the nation is set to hit its borrowing limit and potentially default on its debt in mid-October.可知是美國政府用完了錢，不能償還債務(wù)導(dǎo)致政府破產(chǎn)，選D
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Since we are social beings，the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships.One strength of the human conditions is our possibility to give and receive support from one another under stressful (有壓力的) conditions.Social support consists of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties.Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to deal with major life changes and daily problems.People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties.Studies over types of illnesses，from depression to heart disease，show that the presence of social support helps people defend themselves against illness，and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.
Social support cushions stress in a number of ways.First，friends，relatives and co­workers may let us know that they value us.Our self­respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others in spite of our faults and difficulties.Second，other people often provide us with informational support.They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them.Third，we typically find social companionship supportive.Taking part in free­time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting (轉(zhuǎn)移注意力) us from our worries and troubles.Finally，other people may give us instrumental support—money aid，material resources，and needed services—that reduces stress by helping us resolve and deal with our problems.
小題1:Interpersonal relationships are important because they can________.
A．deal with life changes
B．smooth away daily problems
C．make people live more easily
D．cure types of illnesses
小題2:The researches show that people’s physical and mental health________.
A．has much to do with the amount of support they get from others
B．lies in the social medical care systems which support them
C．depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles
D．is related to their courage for dealing with major life changes.
小題3:Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “cushions”？
A．takes place of　　　　B．makes up of
C．lessens the effect of　D．gets rid of
小題4:Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work in spare time is an example of________.
A．instrumental support
B．informational support
C．social companionship
D．the strengthening of self­respect
小題5:What is the subject discussed in the text?
A．Effects of stressful conditions.
B．Kinds of social support.
C．Ways to deal with stress.
D．Interpersonal relationships.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

“People are ruder today because they are rushed and more ‘time poor’ than ever before，”says Patsy Rowe，“ Manners_have_fallen_off_the_radar(雷達(dá))．”Due to our strong attraction to electronic equipment it is a wonder more people don’t wake up each morning and greet the singing birds with a complaint(抱怨)about the noise.Here are some examples of rudeness.
Some people prefer to do almost everything over the internet.To them，dealing with an actual human is like an evolutionary step backward.It feels very slow because humans don’t work at 4G speeds.When you have dinner with friends，you will often notice someone paying more attention to his mobile phone.We have programmed ourselves to think that every new message brings life­changing news，so taking calls and checking our texts are more important than talking to the people we are with.What is worse，some people even tend to send anonymous(匿名的) rude messages by email.
However，rudeness is never acceptable.Don’t assume it is OK to be rude if the person you’re in touch with won’t recognize you.If you have something awful to say，have the courage to face the person and say it，write a letter or email and sign it，or forget it.Upsetting people with unsigned messages is cruel and disgusting.
We shouldn’t blame technology for our shortcomings.Technology is here to help us，but we should not allow it to take over our lives.An important step ia acknowledging our shortcomings.People spend a lot of time pointing out bad manners but it would be even more helpful if we’d publicly acknowledge good manners when we see them.
小題1:What can be inferred from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1?
A．People can tell good from bad behavior.
B．Radar is able to observe human behavior.
C．People care little about their behavior.
D．Radar can be used to predict human behavior.
小題2:Some people are less willing to deal with humans because________.
A．they are becoming less patient
B．they are growing too independent
C．they have to handle many important messages
D．they have to follow an evolutionary step backward.
小題3:The author thinks sending unsigned awful messages is________.
A．ridiculous　　　　　B．disgusting
C．a(chǎn)cceptableD．reasonable
小題4:What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A．We should applaud good behavior.
B．Technology can never be blamed.
C．We should keep pointing out mistakes.
D．Technology will take over our lives one day.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

When did you last visit a shopping mall? In many places, the answer would be “l(fā)ast weekend.” Some people go even more often. Why? For one thing, malls offer goods and services that people need all in one place: food, clothing, things for their houses, entertainment, even medical services. So, are malls one of the highlights of modern civilization? Environmental activists would say No! They would go even further and say that consumer behavior is causing a huge environmental disaster. They cause consumers of ignorance of the side effect of their shopping—urban sprawl (擴(kuò)大) .
Social scientists agree that patterns of development have changed the landscape a great deal in the last half century. Before 1950, most people lived in towns or cities and either walked to work or took public transportation. Only very wealthy people had automobiles. Farmers lived in rural areas or isolated villages and came into town only when they needed things they couldn’t produce themselves. If you gazed at the landscape you would see towns surrounded by countryside. Then a massive change occurred.
Automobiles became affordable and people were quick to adopt them. Now ambitious workers could live in the suburbs, the areas just outside cities, which started to grow rapidly. As long as there was lots of cheap land in the suburbs, no one paid much attention to the usage of that land. Malls, fast food restaurants, cinemas, and car dealerships spread out in large, flat buildings. These one–storey buildings and their parking lot took up a great deal space. Well– meaning farmers thought they were better off selling their land than growing crops. In ignorance, no one realized that once the land was built up in urban sprawl, the good farming land would be ruined forever. There was no way to preserve it.
Only in recent years have people come to mourn the old way of life as they have developed insight into the problems. Now people realize that urban sprawl has come with serious environmental problems. The negative aspects of sprawl include air and water pollution, loss of agricultural land, traffic jams, and the death of businesses in the old town centers. Many scholars think the time has come to analyze the problems better so we can develop appropriate policies to control further sprawl. Some think the best way to do is to educate citizens about their priceless environment.
小題1:What is mainly discussed in the passage?
A．Weekend FunB．Urban SprawlC．New AutomobilesD．Isolated Villages
小題2:What does the underlined word “They” refer to in the first paragraph?
A．ScientistsB．Activists.C．Farmers.D．Malls
小題3:Who do environmental activists blame for environmental problems?
A．Endangered animals.B．Shopping mall owners.
C．Unthinking shoppers.D．Ambitious farmers.
小題4:What do scholars think should be done about urban sprawl?
A．Understand the situations better.B．Follow customary policies.
C．Start school in shopping malls.D．Charge polluters a lot of money.
小題5:What is the scholars’ attitude toward urban sprawl?
A．Respectful.B．Negative.C．Positive.D．Doubtful.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Endless playing of songs like All I want for Christmas in shops during the festive season doesn’t just drive us mad —the songs also make us more careless with our money, research has warned.
While repeated performance of Jingle Bells may seem like an innocent attempt to raise customers’ spirits during the nightmare of Christmas shopping, the songs also have a more delicate impact.
“Background music, or “Muzak”,can be used by marketers to impose cultures ---such as the commercialization of Christmas--- onto consumers and influence their behaviour,” experts said.
Dr. Alan Bradshaw of Royal Holloway, University of London, said, “Festive jingles are force-fed to Christmas shoppers in a bid to change their mood, influence their sense of time and what sort of products they buy. In other words, this is an attempt to control your shopping habits in a way that you might hardly be aware of.”
“Often we are told that we have the freedom to choose where we want to shop, but during Christmas the use of music in this way is so common that our freedom to choose disappears.”
Dr. Bradshaw and Prof Morris Holbrook of Columbia University examined the phenomenon and found that retailers often “dumb down” the music played in shops to relax customers, meaning it is easier to control their behaviour.
It is thought that slowing down the rhythm of music in shops can trick customers into thinking less time has passed, and therefore spend more time examining the shelves, for example.
Some providers of background music have been known to promote their services by claiming they can boost profits by controlling the behaviour of customers.
“A common trick is to take a popular current song and record an instrumental version which can be slowed down or sped up at different time of the day to influence behaviour in different ways,” Dr. Bradshaw said.
Background music is often classed as “Muzak” in honor of the Seattle-based company which began producing its soft-sounding melodies in the 1930s.
小題1:According to Dr. Bradshaw, in what ways does Christmas music influence customers?
①their mood              ②their income
③their sense of time        ④ the sort of products they buy
A．①②③B．①③④C．②③④D．①②④
小題2: Shopkeepers slow down the rhythm of music in shops to ___________.
A．let customers spend more time shopping
B．make customers and sales assistants relaxed
C．let customers enjoy the beautiful music
D．help customers find what they really want
小題3:What kind of music is now often adapted to influence customers in shops?
A．Classical musicB．Popular modern songs.
C．Folk songs.D．Jazz music.
小題4:What is the best title of the passage?
A．Music makes happy Christmas
B．Christmas “Muzak”
C．How to make Christmas music?
D．Christmas music makes us spend more

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Angry Birds has become a worldwide gaming mega hit but how did this game come into existence? Rovio is the name of the company that created angry birds, however, it's not the first game they developed. Surprisingly they have been creating games for several years but had just never broken through into the mainstream the way they did with angry birds. The idea for the game came about in 2009 when the company was looking at different ideas for games which they thought could become popular. It was a simple idea spawned from some sketches(素描) of wingless and legless birds which were angry.
The sketches caught on among the staff who in turn created a unique design which became angry birds. The pigs were added into the game later in the development as an enemy. During this period of development, pig flu was being heavily reported in the news which is where the idea for the pigs appeared.
The basis of the game is very simple and is not unique to angry birds but has been seen in many other games previously. It's a simple physics/puzzle game. The player is given a slingshot and a limited supply of angry birds with different characteristics. Some birds are faster than others while others can be split into multiple birds. You control the trajectory(軌跡) of the birds with the slingshot which launches them towards rickety structures containing your main enemy, the pigs. In order to advance to the next level you must eliminate(消滅) all of the pigs before your birds run out.
Rovio has released several different versions of the game at this point. The original, Seasons, and Rio. Seasons is a collection of holiday themed versions of the game while Rio was a movie tie in for the movie Rio. All versions continue to be updated with new levels which are free to those who have previously purchased the game.
小題1:What's the meaning of the underlined word in the first paragraph?
A．Turned.B．Played a role.
C．Changed.D．Came into being.
小題2:In the game, the birds ________.
A．have different kinds that only include faster birds and slower birds
B．have to be controlled to kill all of the pigs before your birds run out
C．a(chǎn)re the enemy of the pigs which have been infected with pig flu
D．lose their temper for the pig flu so they try to kill the pigs
小題3:According to the text, the game players ________.
A．must pay for this game—angry birds one level by one level
B．only pay for once and then it will be updated freely
C．should control angry birds to kill all the animals with pig flu
D．will become angry easily for playing the game too much
小題4:Which one is the best title of the passage?
A．The Unknown Game—Angry Birds
B．Facts and Hints About the Game Angry Birds
C．Rovio Created Famous Games
D．Pigs and Angry Birds

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

I prefer Lynne Truss’s phraseology: I am a grammar “sticker”. And, like Truss – author of Eats, shoots & Leaves – I have a “zero tolerance” approach to grammar mistakes that make people look stupid.
Now, Truss and I disagree on what it means to have “zero tolerance”. She thinks that people who mix up basic grammar “deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked (砍) up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave”, while I just think they deserve to be passed over for a job – even if they are otherwise qualified for the position.
Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a compulsory grammar test. If job hopefuls can’t distinguish between “to” and “too”, their applications go into the bin.
Of course, we write for a living. iFixit.com is the world’s largest online repair manual (指南), and Dozuki helps companies write their own technical documentation, like paperless work instructions and step-by-step user manuals. So, it makes sense that we’ve made a strong strike against grammar errors.
But grammar is relevant for all companies. Yes, language is constantly changing, but that doesn’t make grammar unimportant. Good grammar is credibility, especially on the Internet. And, for better or worse, people judge you if you can’t tell the difference between “their” “there” and “they’re”.
Good grammar makes good business sense – and not just when it comes to hiring writers. Writing isn’t in the official job description of most people in our office. Still, we give our grammar test to everybody, including our salespeople, our operations staff, and our programmers.
Grammar signifies more than just a person’s ability to remember high school English. I’ve found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing – like stocking shelves or labeling parts. It is the same with programmers. Applicants who don’t think writing is important are likely to think lots of other things also aren’t important.
小題1:The author agrees with Lynne Truss in that ________.
A．grammar mistakes can’t be tolerated
B．books on grammar make people stupid
C．people need to learn basic grammar
D．grammar mistakes are absolutely unavoidable
小題2:What’s the author’s “zero tolerance” approach to these job seekers who mix up basic grammar?
A．They should be left out for a job.
B．They have to correct their mistakes.
C．They aren’t qualified for their jobs.
D．They must be severely punished.
小題3:Which of the following is TRUE of iFixit and Dozuki?
A．Only one of them has a compulsory grammar test.
B．They are companies where one learns grammar.
C．Grammar is quite important for their existence.
D．They depend on grammar correction for a living.
小題4:What can we learn from the text?
A．Companies giving grammar tests may have no good business sense.
B．Grammar becomes unimportant as language is constantly changing.
C．A “zero tolerance” approach to grammar errors might seem a little unfair.
D．People who pay attention to writing may pay attention to other things.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

On the high-speed train Avignon to Paris, my husband and I landed in the only remaining seats on the train, in the middle of a car, directly opposite a Frenchwoman of middle years. It was an extremely uncomfortable arrangement to be looking straight into the eyes of a stranger. My husband and I pulled out books. The woman produced a large makeup case and made up her face. Except for a lunch break, she continued this activity for the entire three-hour trip. Every once in a while she surveyed the car with a bright-eyed glance, but never once did she catch my eye. My husband and I could have been a blanket wall.
I was amused, but some people would have felt uncomfortable , even repulsed(厭惡的）.there is something about making up in public that calls up strong emotional reactions. Partly it’s a question of hygiene. And it’s a matter of degree. Making up --- a private act--- has a way of neglecting the presence of others. I was once seated at a party with a model-actress who immediately waved a silly brush and began dusting her face at the table, demonstrating that while she was next to me, she was not with me.
In fact, I am generally prohibited from making up in public, except when I am in the company of cosmetics moment. In a gathering more professional than social, I would do so.
Kathy Peiss, a history professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst says that nose-powdering in the office was an occasion for outrage in 1920’s and 30’s. Deploring the practice as a waste of company time, trade journals advises managers to discourage it among workers. Peiss theorizes that it was female’s making up in what has been an all-male field that disturb some gentlemen.
Peiss tells me that after the 30’s , pulling out a make-up case was no longer an issue. It became an accepted practice. I asked if she feels free to apply lipstick at a professional lunch herself. Sounding mildly shocked, she says she would save that for the privacy of her car afterward. Why? Because it would be “a gesture of inappropriate feminity(女性化）.” One guess is that most professional women feel this way. There is evidence of the popularity of the new lipsticks that remain in place all day without retouching.
小題1:According to the author, “My husband and I could have been a blanket wall.” (Line 6, Para.1) most probably means “________”.
A．We were treated with an expressionless face.
B．We looked at the French woman expressionlessly
C．We used books as a wall to avoid the woman’s eyes
D．We were of no existence in the French woman’s eyes
小題2:In the author’s opinion, she _______.
A．a(chǎn)llows public making up on certain occasions
B．feels comfortable when making up in public
C．only makes up on social occasions
D．makes up before any professional gatherings
小題3:According to Peiss, nose powdering in an office was criticized mainly for the reason that ____.
A．normal office work was disturbed
B．it discouraged women’s interest in career
C．make dominance was emphasized there
D．it distracted make workers’ focus on work
小題4:Why do most professional women give up using lipsticks in public?
A．Because they are worried about being looked down upon
B．Because it emphasizes their female features in wrong situations
C．Because it implies women’s disadvantages in academic fields
D．Because they are ashamed to be seen making up in front of males/
小題5:It can be inferred that in a highly open society, the differences between men and women ______.
A．have attracted little attention
B．hinder the social development
C．a(chǎn)re attractive topics in talk shows
D．still call for great concern

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Kiss crisis, hug horrors and the UK's handshake headaches
Greeting someone, saying goodbye – these situations fill me with unease. You have a second to make a dangerous decision. One peck (輕吻)? Two pecks? Three? No kisses at all? Why, I think, as I crash into the other person’s face, why can’t it be as simple as a handshake?
A survey by the soap company Radox in May showed one in five Brits now feels a handshake is “too formal”, according to the Daily Mail. Some 42 percent said they never shook hands when greeting friends. For one third of people the alternative was a hug, for 16 percent a kiss on the cheek.
British people are known to be reserved (保守的) – unfriendly, some would say. Handshakes used to work for us because we didn’t have to get too close. But the super-British handshake is no longer fashionable. We want to be more like our easygoing Mediterranean neighbors who greet each other with kisses and hugs.
The trouble is, we still find it a bit awkward. What does a married man do when greeting a married female friend, for example? How should someone younger greet someone older?
Guys don’t tend to kiss one another; my male friends in Britain go for the “manly hug”, taking each other stiffly (不自然地) in one arm and giving a few thumps on the back with words like “Take it easy, yeah?”.
The biggest questions, if you do decide to kiss, are how many times and which cheek first. Unlike the French, who comfortably deliver three, our cheek-pecks usually end in embarrassed giggling (咯咯笑): “Oh, gosh, sorry, I didn’t mean to kiss you on the lips, I never know where to aim for first!”
But then it’s never been easy for us poor, uncomfortable Brits. Even the handshake had its problems: don’t shake too hard, but don’t hold the other person’s hand too limply (無力地) either, and definitely don’t go in with sweaty hands.
Maybe it’s better to leave it at a smile and a nod.  
小題1:What is the article mainly about?
A．Origin of the traditional British way of greeting someone.
B．New trends and problems that Brits have with the way they greet people.
C．Why the author feels uneasy when greeting someone or saying goodbye.
D．Differences in greetings between Britain and other Western countries.
小題2:What did the survey by the soap company Radox show?
A．It is now considered unfriendly to greet friends with a handshake in Britain.
B．A kiss on the cheek is becoming the most popular form of greeting in Britain.
C．Most Brits no longer offer to shake hands with those they meet.
D．More and more Brits prefer to be greeted with a hug or kiss.
小題3:The underlined word “awkward” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ______.
A．not helpfulB．too informal C．quite embarrassedD．very interesting
小題4:Which does the author think might be the safest form of greeting for a British person?
A．A hug. B．A smile and a nod.C．A handshake. D．A kiss on the cheek.
小題5:Who wrote the article?
A．A British writer.B．An American writer.C．A French writer.D．A Chinese writer.

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