Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:
Psychiatrists (精神病专家) who work with older parents say that maturity can be an asset in child rearing - older parents are more thoughtful, use less physical discipline and spend more time with their children. But raising kids takes money and energy. Many older parents find themselves balancing their limited financial resources, declining energy and failing health against the growing demands of an active child. Dying and leaving young children is probably the older parents' biggest, and often unspoken, fear. Having late-life children, says an economics professor. often means parents, particularly fathers, "end up retiring much later." For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream.
Henry Metcalf. a 54-year-old journalist, knows it takes money to raise kids. But he's also worried that his energy will give out first. Sure, he can still ride bikes with his athletic fifth grader, but he's learned that young at heart doesn't mean young. Lately he's been taking afternoon naps (午睡) daohang to keep up his energy. "My body is aging," says Metcalf. "You can't get away from that."
Often, older parents hear the ticking of another kind of biological clock. Therapists who work with middle-aged and older parents say fears about aging are nothing to laugh at. "They worry they'll be mistaken for grandparents, or that they'll need help getting up out of those little chairs in nursery school," says Joann Galst, a New York psychologist. But at the core of those little fears there is often a much bigger one: "that they won't be alive long enough to support and protect their child," she says.
Many late-life parents, though, say their children came at just the right time. After marrying late and undergoing years of fertilily (受孕) treatment, Marilyn Nolen and her husband. Randy, had twins. "We both wanted children," says Marilyn, who was 55 when she gave birth. The twins have given the couple what they desired for years, "a sense of family." Kids of older dads are often smarter, happier and more sociable because their fathers are more involved in their lives. 'The dads are older, more mature," says Dr. Silber, "and more ready to focus on parenting."
36. Why do psychiatrists regard maturity as an asset in child rearing?
A) Older parents are often better prepared financially.
B) Older parents can take better care of their children.
C) Older parents are usually more experienced in bringing up their children.
D) Older parents can better balance their resources against children's demands.
37. What does the author mean by saying "For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream" (Lines 7-8, Para. 1)?
A) They are reluctant to retire when they reach their retirement age.
B) They can't obtain the retirement benefits they have dreamed of.
C) They can't get full pension unless they work some extra years.
D) They have to go on working beyond their retirement age.
38. The author gives the example of Henry Metcalf to show that
A) older parents should exercise more to keep up with their athletic children
B) many people are young in spirit despite their advanced age
C) older parents tend to be concerned about their aging bodies
D) taking afternoon naps is a good way to maintain energy
39. What's the biggest fear of older parents according to New York psychologist Joan Galst?
A) Approaching of death. C) Being laughed at by other people.
B) Slowing down of their pace of life. D) Being mistaken for grandparents.
40. What do we learn about Marilyn and Randy Nolen?
A) They thought they were an example of successful fertility treatment.
B) Not until they reached middle age did they think of having children.
C) Not until they had the twins did they feel they had formed a family.
D) They believed that children born of older parents would be smarter.
36. B Older parents can take better care of their children.
37. D They have to go on working beyond their retirement age.
38. C older parents tend to be concerned about their aging bodies
39. A Approaching of death.
40. C Not until they had the twins did they feel they had formed a family.
Vocabulary
第二篇：Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge瞤odge of environmental claims made by household products, according to a “green labeling” study published by Consumers International Friday.
Among the report’s more outrageous findings — a German fertilizer described itself as “earthworm friendly” a brand of flour said it was “non瞤olluting” and a British toilet paper claimed to be “environmentally friendlier”.
The study was written and researched by Britain’s National Consumer Council (NCC) for lobby group Consumer International. It was funded by the German and Dutch governments and the European Commission.
“While many good and useful claims are being made, it is clear there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impact of products they buy,” said Consumers International director Anna Fielder.
The 10瞔ountry study surveyed product packaging in Britain. Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United States. It found that products sold in Germany and the United Kingdom made the most environmental claims on average.
The report focused on claims made by specific products, such as detergent insect sprays and by some garden products. It did not test the claims, but compared them to labeling guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in September,1999.
“Many products had specially瞕esigned labels to make them seem environmentally friendly, but in fact many of these symbols mean nothing.” said report researcher Philip Page.
“Laundry detergents made the most number of claims with 158. Household cleaners were second with 145 separate claims. while paints were third on our list with 73.The high numbers show how very confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading.” he said.
The ISO labeling standards ban vague or misleading claims on product packaging, because terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “non瞤olluting” cannot be verified. “What we are now pushing for is to have multinational corporations meet the standards set by the ISO.” said Page.
1. According to the passage, the NCC found it outrageous that.
A)all the products surveyed claim to meet ISO standards
B)the claims made by products are often unclear or deceiving
C)consumers would believe many of the manufactures’ claim
D)few products actually prove to be environment friendly
2. As indicated in this passage, with so many good claims, the consumers.
A)are becoming more cautious about the products they are going to buy
B)are still not willing to pay more for products with green labeling
C)are becoming more aware of the effects different products have on the environment
D)still do not know the exact impact of different products on the environment
3. A study was carried out by Britain’s NCC to.
A)find out how many claims made by products fail to meet environmental standards
B)inform the consumers of the environmental impact of the products they buy
C)examine claims made by products against ISO standards
D)revise the guidelines set by the International Standards Organization
4. What is one of the consequences caused by the many claims of household products?
A)They are likely to lead to serious environmental problems.
B)Consumers find it difficult to tell the true from the false.
C)They could arouse widespread anger among consumer.
D)Consumers will be tempted to buy products they don’t need.
5. It can be inferred from the passage that the lobby group Consumer International wants to.
A)make product labeling satisfy ISO requirements
B)see all household products meet environmental standards
C)warn consumers of the danger of so瞔alled green products
D)verify the efforts of non瞤olluting products
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