Work is a very important part of life in the United States. When the early Protestant immigrants came to this country, they brought the idea that work was the way to God and heaven. This attitude, the Protestant Work Ethic, still influences America today. Work is not only important for economic benefits, the salary, but also for social and psychological needs, the feeling of doing something for the good of the society. Americans spend most of their lives working, being productive. For most Americans, their work defines them: they are what they do. What happens then, when a person can no longer work Almost all Americans stop working at the age of sixty-five or seventy and retire. Because work is such an important part of life in this culture, retirement can be very difficult. Retirees often feel that they are useless and unproductive. Of course, some people are happy to retire; but leaving one’s job, whatever it is, is a difficult change, even for those who look forward to retiring. Many retirees do not know how to use their time or they feel lost without their jobs. Retirements can also bring financial problems. Many people rely on Social Security checks every month. During their working years, employees contribute a certain percentage of their salaries to the government. Each employer also gives a certain percentage to the government. When people retire, they receive this money as income. These checks do not provide enough money to live on, however, because prices are increasing very rapidly. Senior citizens, those over sixty-five, have to have savings in the bank or other retirement plans to make ends meet. The rate of inflation is forcing prices higher each year; Social Security checks alone cannot cover these growing expenses. The government offers some assistance, Medicare(health care)and welfare (general assistance), but many senior citizens have to change their life styles after retirement. They have to spend carefully to be sure that they can afford to buy food, fuel and other necessities.
Of course, many senior citizens are happy with retirement. They have time to spend with their families or enjoy their hobbies. Some continue to work part time, others do volunteer work. Some, like those in the Retired Business Executives Association, even help young people to get started in new business. Many retired citizens also belong to "Golden Age" groups. These organizations plan trips and social events. There are many chances for retirees.
American society is only beginning to be concerned about the special physical and emotional needs of its senior citizens. The government is taking steps to ease the problem of limited income. They are building new housing, offering discounts in stores and museums and on buses, and providing other services such as free courses, food service, and help with housework. Retired citizens are a rapidly growing percentage of the population. This part of the population is very important and we must meet their needs. After all, every citizen will be a senior citizen some day.
The author mentions ______ examples of the government’ steps to ease the problem of limited income.

A:two B:four C:five D:three

Text 1
Ruth Lawrence, aged ten, made history yesterday when she came a clear first out of the 530 candidates who took the entrance exam for St. Hugh’ s College, Oxford. The all woman’ s college is likely to offer her a scholarship. Ruth sat three in three - hour papers--Algebra and Geometry; Calculus, Probability and Statistics; and Maths, Pure and Applied. "I was happy with the first two," she said yesterday, "but I wasn’t sure ’about the third."
Ruth who lives in Huddersfield, has never been to school. Her father, Harry Lawrence, a computer consultant, gave up his job when Ruth was five to educate her at home. Her mother, Sylvia, who also works in computers, is the family breadwinner.
Harry lawrence explained that, besides .mathematics, Ruth also enjoyed English, History, Geography, and other subjects. She began to read four and started academic subjects at five. "We did not start off with the thought that she would not go to school," he said, "but we enjoyed at teaching her so much and we seemed to be making quite a good job of it, so we just carried on."
Because she does not go to school, Ruth has not mixed much with other children. "She enjoys serious conversation with adults," her father said, "and I don’ t think she will feel out of place at Oxford." He does not think she works harder than other children of her age, but he concentrates on what she enjoys, principally mathematics. "She watches television a little but not as a habit," he explained, "but she plays the piano and has quite a wide range of interests."
If she does well at St. Hugh’ s, Ruth expects to take a further degree and eventually hopes to become a research professor in mathematics-an ambition she may achieve while still in her teens. The Lawrence family plans to move to Oxford when Ruth enters the college in October 1991. Before then, she plans to take four A levels to satisfy the college matriculation requirements.
Miss Rachel Trickett, the principal of St. Hugh’ s, said last night. "We are all very excited about Ruth. She is obviously quite brilliant and has shown genuine originality." Ruth’ s future tutor, Dr. Glenys Luke, admits that taking so young a student is challenging but says it is one she expects to enjoy. "I shall tailor the teaching to her requirements" she said. Ruth shouldn’t have to suffer the same tensions and disappointments that older students faced. I hope I shall make it fun for her."
Last night the Lawrence family were pleased at Ruth’ s achievement. "We all jumped up and down a bit when we heard the good hens", said Harry Lawrence. When Ruth becomes a student, Harry Lawrence looks forward to concentrating his efforts on Ruth’s younger sister Rebecca, who is now seven. "She is doing very well," he said, "but it’ s too early to tell whether she is a mathematician."

A:Three. B:Four. C:Five. D:Six.

Passage Three
Early in the 16th century men were trying to reach Asia by traveling west from Europe. In order to find Asia they had to find a way past South America. The man who eventually found the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific was Ferdinand Magellan.
Magellan sailed from Seville in August 1519 with five ships and about 280 men. Fourteen months later, after spending the severe winter on the coast of Patagonia, he discovered the channel which is now called Magellan’s Straits. In November 1520, after many months of dangers from rocks and storms, the three remaining ships entered the ocean on the other side of South America.
They then continued, hoping to reach Asia. Before they arrived at these islands, later known as the Philippines, Magellan was killed in battle. The remaining officers then had to get back to Spain. They decided to sail around Africa. After many difficulties, one ship with eighteen men sailed into Seville three years after leaving. They were all that remained of Magellan’s expedition. However, their achievement was great. They were the first men to sail round the world.

A:two B:three C:four D:five

When you are learning English, listening, speaking and writing are important, but reading can also be very helpful. When you read, you can not only learn some new words, but also you can learn how to use these English words. When you read, it gives you a good example for writing.
Good reading tips.
Try to read at the right level(水平). Read something that you can(more or less) understand. If you need to stop every three words to use a dictionary, it is not interesting.
Try to increase the number of your new words. If there are four or five new words on a page, write them in your notebook. But you don’t have to write them while you read. Instead, try to guess their meaning as you read: mark them with a pen. Then come back when you have finished reading to look them up in a dictionary and write them in your own vocabulary book. Then try to remember them.
Try to read regularly. For example, read for a short time once a day. Fifteen minutes every day is better than two hours every Sunday. Fix(固定的) a time to read and keep to it. You could read for fifteen minutes when you go to bed, or when you get up or at lunchtime.
Read what interests you. Choose a book or a magazine about a subject that you like, because you are going to spend time and money reading it. So, choose an interesting book. You can also read newspapers. There are many English newspapers in China. For example, 21 st Century Teens. It is easy enough for you to understand it. There is something interesting in it.
According to the passage, how many reading tips does the writer give us

A:Three B:Four C:Five D:Six

When you are learning English, listening, speaking and writing are important, but reading can also be very helpful. When you read, you can not only learn some new words, but also you can learn how to use these English words. When you read, it gives you a good example for writing.
Good reading tips.
Try to read at the right level(水平). Read something that you can(more or less) understand. If you need to stop every three words to use a dictionary, it is not interesting.
Try to increase the number of your new words. If there are four or five new words on a page, write them in your notebook. But you don’t have to write them while you read. Instead, try to guess their meaning as you read: mark them with a pen. Then come back when you have finished reading to look them up in a dictionary and write them in your own vocabulary book. Then try to remember them.
Try to read regularly. For example, read for a short time once a day. Fifteen minutes every day is better than two hours every Sunday. Fix(固定的) a time to read and keep to it. You could read for fifteen minutes when you go to bed, or when you get up or at lunchtime.
Read what interests you. Choose a book or a magazine about a subject that you like, because you are going to spend time and money reading it. So, choose an interesting book. You can also read newspapers. There are many English newspapers in China. For example, 21 st Century Teens. It is easy enough for you to understand it. There is something interesting in it.
According to the passage, how many reading tips does the writer give us

A:Three B:Four C:Five D:Six

When you are learning English, listening, speaking and writing are important, but reading can also be very helpful. When you read, you can not only learn some new words, but also you can learn how to use these English words. When you read, it gives you a good example for writing.
Good reading tips.
Try to read at the right level(水平). Read something that you can(more or less) understand. If you need to stop every three words to use a dictionary, it is not interesting.
Try to increase the number of your new words. If there are four or five new words on a page, write them in your notebook. But you don’t have to write them while you read. Instead, try to guess their meaning as you read: mark them with a pen. Then come back when you have finished reading to look them up in a dictionary and write them in your own vocabulary book. Then try to remember them.
Try to read regularly. For example, read for a short time once a day. Fifteen minutes every day is better than two hours every Sunday. Fix(固定的) a time to read and keep to it. You could read for fifteen minutes when you go to bed, or when you get up or at lunchtime.
Read what interests you. Choose a book or a magazine about a subject that you like, because you are going to spend time and money reading it. So, choose an interesting book. You can also read newspapers. There are many English newspapers in China. For example, 21 st Century Teens. It is easy enough for you to understand it. There is something interesting in it.
According to the passage, how many reading tips does the writer give us

A:Three B:Four C:Five D:Six

When you are learning English, listening, speaking and writing are important, but reading can also be very helpful. When you read, you can not only learn some new words, but also you can learn how to use these English words. When you read, it gives you a good example for writing.
Good reading tips.
Try to read at the right level(水平). Read something that you can(more or less) understand. If you need to stop every three words to use a dictionary, it is not interesting.
Try to increase the number of your new words. If there are four or five new words on a page, write them in your notebook. But you don’t have to write them while you read. Instead, try to guess their meaning as you read: mark them with a pen. Then come back when you have finished reading to look them up in a dictionary and write them in your own vocabulary book. Then try to remember them.
Try to read regularly. For example, read for a short time once a day. Fifteen minutes every day is better than two hours every Sunday. Fix(固定的) a time to read and keep to it. You could read for fifteen minutes when you go to bed, or when you get up or at lunchtime.
Read what interests you. Choose a book or a magazine about a subject that you like, because you are going to spend time and money reading it. So, choose an interesting book. You can also read newspapers. There are many English newspapers in China. For example, 21 st Century Teens. It is easy enough for you to understand it. There is something interesting in it.
According to the passage, how many reading tips does the writer give us

A:Three B:Four C:Five D:Six