Who are these people rushing by you in the street? More than 215 million people now call America “home’’, but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world. If you look at the names on shop windows, you will see that Americans come from many different lands. The idea that these people, who once were strangers to the United States, have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become “American’’is really not true. In fact, what exists in America is more often a kind of “side-by-side”, living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives—such as in schools, business, and sports-but they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home. This living “side-by-side” has both advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another. However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands. There is great freedom of choice among ideas and dress, food, and social customs in America. Everyone can find some part of his or her familiar world in the United States, in Churches, music, food, national groups, or newspapers.

1.More than 215 million people call America “home” because          .

A. they buy their houses there   B. they settle there now

C. they get married there       D. they were born there

2.“Side-by-side” living style means        .

A. making friends with native people

B. the groups of people who live nearby

C. keeping their own customs while sharing American ones in certain areas

D. that they get closer to American society

3.According to the passage, people in the USA       .

A. share American customs and culture

B. 1ive in a kind of “side-by-side'' society

C. keep their own customs and habits firmly

D. make no choice to accept American customs

4.Which of the following statements is true?

A. They always stick to their own customs and habits.

B. “Side—by—side’’living style is not suitable.

C. They face the society they are not familiar with.

D. The advantages coming from the variety of cultures make life in America colorful.

5.Which title of the following can best take the place of “Different Cultures in America”?

A. Advantages and Disadvantages.    

B. Different Customs and Habits.

C. Home for the People            

D. “Side—by—side”Living Style in America.

 

Over the past twenty years, American country music become    1.  

more and more popular. Some writers are no longer writing about    2.  

modern values of the USA. In 1950s, American music was about other3.  

things . Money was also thought to be important. Ten years late,     4.    

some writers turned other subjects. During these years, many young  5.  

students were angry with society. So songs were often full of angry.  6.  

Political leaders were not well thought and those songs often made   7.  

fun of them. Country music today remains much the same as ago.    8.  

One subject which country music often returns is “the good old days”.9.   

And in “the good old days”, people love life on the open air.        10.  

How good are U.S. drivers?

The CBS TV “National Drivers Test” showed that many U.S. drivers have a lot to learn. Here’s why:

CBS picked 1,799 samples(被實驗者) to take the test in TV studios in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles. More than two out of five of the drivers failed the test. And the average score was the lowest passing mark－51 points out of a possible 80.

Chicago drivers did best with an average of 53 points. Los Angeles drivers came next with 52 points. New York and Philadephia drivers tied(得同樣的分數(shù)) with 50 points－a failing score. Drivers with 50 points or less were rated(被評價為) “poorly informed” by the judges.

Here are some of the test results:

(1) Are men better informed drivers than women?－Yes. Men averaged 52 points. Women got average of 49.

(2) Are older drivers better informed than younger drivers?－No. Drivers under 26 averaged 52 points. Drivers from 27 to 45 averaged 51. Driver over 45 failed with 48 points on average.

(3) Does education make a difference?－Yes. College graduates averaged 52 points. High school graduates averaged 50. Those without high school diplomas(文憑) got 48. And people who had taken driver education courses scored an average of 53 points－three more than those who hadn’t.

(4) Does driving experience make a difference?－Yes. Drivers with three or more years’ experience averaged 51 points. Drivers with less experience averaged 49.

Here are some surprising facts brought out by the test:

(1)More than one out of three drivers did not know that a blinking(閃爍) red light means a full stop. (2)Three out of ten drivers did not know that an octagonal (eight-sided) sign means stop.

(3)More than two of three drivers did not know what to do when being “tailgated”(危險地，緊接另一輛駛) The answer: slow down, drive to the right, and let the driver behind pass.

The results of the test were turned over to the National Safety Council. They will help future safety planning.

1.The author’s purpose is to ___________.

A．prove that men are better drivers than women	B．give you safe driving tips(提示)
C．tell you the results of a national drivers test.	D．urge you to get an education.

2.From the information in this article, you could say that _________.

A．older drivers are better informed than younger drivers

B．experience makes difference among drivers

C．most drivers failed the test

D．most people don’t know what a blinking red light means

3.Which of the following as a group was rated “poorly informed” by the judges?

A．Men.	B．High school graduate drivers.
C．Drivers from 27 to 45 years of age.	D．Drivers with 3 or more years’ experience.

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．Men are better informed than women.

B．Education makes no difference in the pass rate of the drivers.

C．Chicago drivers are the best informed drivers in America.

D．The test results will be used as a guide for future safety planning.

 

  Over the past twenty years, American country music become    1. ________

more and more popular. Some writers are no longer writing about          2. ________

modern values of the USA. In 1950s, American music was about other      3. ________

things . Money was also thought to be important. Ten years late,           4. ________

some writers turned other subjects. During these years, many young        5. ________

students were angry with society. So songs were often full of angry.        6. ________

Political leaders were not well thought and those songs often made         7. ________

fun of them. Country music today remains much the same as ago.          8. ________

One subject which country music often returns is “the good old days”.      9. ________

And in “the good old days”, people love life on the open air.              10.  ________

TAIBEI － Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island’s “China rush”, seeking education on the Chinese mainland．

     According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate（研究生）programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998．Although no latest official numbers were available,” Netbig. Com Said this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last year.

     The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information on Chinese mainland college and universities. “Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job market, Net. Com vice-president Ingrid Huang said．“I believe it will give me hands-on experience in the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people,” said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to get a master’s degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies.

     A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to study law on the Chinese mainland since “there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese companies are going there”. “They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations,” said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A Netbig. Com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine.

     At present, Chinese Taibei doesn’t recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with any inquiries about studying there. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are giving a final form to a policy accepting certificates（證書）from selected universities.

1.More Taiwanese students study on the Chinese mainland because ___________.

    A．Taiwan will reunite with the mainland sooner or later

    B．the fees asked for are lower than those of Taiwan

    C．what they have learned on the mainland will bring them a bright future

    D．there are many famous universities for them to choose

2.Some business executives were sending their children to study in the Chinese mainland so that their children ___________.

    A．could receive better education     B．could learn more about the policy there

    C．could do well in the business operations   D．could make more friends there

3.The underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refers to __________.

A．Netbig. Com                      B．a(chǎn) Chinese education on the mainland

C．the Chinese job market           D．the university

4.The author wrote the article to tell us ______________.

    A．more Taiwanese students are studying on the mainland

    B．the number of Taiwanese students going to universities on the mainland had been increasing year after year

    C．education on the mainland is more attractive compared with that of Taiwan

    D．Taiwan and the mainland should cooperate with each other in every field.

5.Which is true according to the passage?

    A．Chinese Taibei recognizes diplomas earned on the Chinese mainland

    B．The number of Taiwanese students going to study on the mainland will surely be increasing in the next few years.

    C．Chinese Taibei doesn’t help with any inquiries about Taiwanese studying in the mainland

    D．Education of Taiwan is far behind the mainland.