题目内容
I wonder how many people hold the same views now. The debate about changing Social Security is part of a larger question: What obligation, if any, do Americans feel toward fellow citizens who need help？ Note, I didn't say "less fortunate," "disadvantaged," or some other term that might be construed as evidence I'm promoting my own brand of social engineering. I just want to know how much concern people have for what happens outside their own households.
Critics of government assistance programs often say they do more harm than good by creating a cycle of dependency for recipients and a gigantic bureaucracy that demoralizes the rest of society by taking money away from us and creating a welfare state of slackers.
The term I prefer to describe our current situation is safety-net culture." It has lots of problems, but I also know what life was like before safety nets, because my dad gave me abundant testimony from his 1920s boyhood near San Francisco—it was no Norman Rockwell painting His father worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, so they did have a house. But one neighbor lived in a tent on a vacant lot and another was known for owning only one pair of overalls, which his wife laundered in a tub on the stove on Saturdays while he sat by, wrapped in a blanket. My dad's family often ate boiled rice for breakfast. The beverage of choice was tea, but if that ran out they made "silver tea"—hot water with milk and sugar. Money for college wasn't in the family budget. My dad got his degree thanks to the GI Bill.
Decades of safety-net culture have removed a lot of anxiety from our lives but we're still not close to Utopia. Amid all the Social Security debate about aging baby boomers and shrinking worker contributions, I'm most compelled by this statistic: Close to 20 percent of retirees get all of their income from Social Security. Should that number be a source of national pride or embarrassment？ Or perhaps a better question: How do you honestly feel about drinking silver tea during your golden years？
According to the first paragraph, the grandfather resented
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A．in circlesB．in accordC．in caseD．in essence
Section B
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice.
In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the inadequacies of the judicial system in the United States. Costs are staggering both for the taxpayers and the litigants—and the litigants, or parties, concerning methods of ameliorating the situation, but as in most branches of government, changes come slowly.
One suggestion that has been made in order to maximize the efficiency of the system is to allow districts that have an overabundance of pending cases to borrow judges from other districts that do not have such a backlog. Another suggestion is to use pretrial conferences, in which the judge meets in his chambers with the litigants and their attorneys in order to narrow the issues, limit the witnesses, and provide for a more orderly trial. The theory behind pretrial conferences is that judges will spend less time on each case and parties will more readily settle before trial when they realize the adequacy of their claims and their opponents' evidence. Unfortunately, at least one study has shown that pretrial conferences actually use more judicial time than they save, rarely result in pretrial settlements, and actually result in higher damage settlements.
Many states have now established another method, small-claims, in which cases over small sums of money can be disposed of with considerable dispatch. Such proceedings cost the litigants almost nothing. In California, for example, the parties must appear before the judge without the assistance of counsel. The proceedings are quite informal and there is no pleading-the litigants need to make only a one-sentence statement of their claim. By going to this type of court, the plaintiff waives any right to a jury trial and the right to appeal the decision.
In coming years, we can expect to see more and more innovations in the continuing effort to remedy a situation which must be remedied if the citizens who have valid claims are going to be able to see their day in court.
The pretrial conference, in theory, is supposed to do all of the following EXCEPT ______.
听力原文： It arrived on a Friday afternoon. The idea probably originated somewhere over the Atlantic, off the coast of Africa. It came across the world, until it finally found me, stuck in traffic, and flew through my ear into my head. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. History had always been my academic passion, I've read so many history textbooks. I've sat down and read countless encyclopedia articles, books and websites, and I've watched more hours of the History Channel than anyone I've ever met. I know that I want to have a hand in guiding the progress of my nation and world. My passion for history has only been matched by my love of mental competition. I live for arguments, debates and discussions. The points and counterpoints come out hard and fast. I make my statement and discredit that of my opponent, I respond, I parry, I dodge. I feel content, happy and fulfilled. These two ideas found their way to me on that Friday afternoon, a profession that would combine my two passions: Campaign Management. My love for mental combat would be used to its fullest in matching wits with the opposing campaign staff, and my passion for history would be more than sated by my involvement in what I consider to be its most interesting aspect: its creation. Through campaign management, I would be indirectly shaping history. Many of my friends don't know where they want to go to school. They don't talk about where they stand in the class, how good, or bad their scores are. People ask me the same questions, and I face them with confidence, because I know the answer to a larger question: I know where I Wahl lo be when I'm done with college.
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Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.
听力原文： Christmas is the time when Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus. Every year in December we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. That is why we call this time "Christmas"—we celebrate the "Mass", or church service, for Christ.
Christmas is a truly magical season, bringing families and friends together to share, the much loved customs and traditions which have been around for centuries. Most people are on holiday in England and stay at home with their family on Christmas day. Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December in England, with a Christmas dinner for the whole family. During the weeks before Christmas Day, we send cards, watch nativity plays and go to carol services. We also decorate our homes and churches with green leaves, Christmas trees, paper decorations and colorful electric lights.
Christmas customs and traditions in England, are gradually being lost. Christmas has also become commercialised and the old meaning of Christmas is too often forgotten.
Nowadays, Christmas is celebrated all over the world in many countries, including China, where it is becoming more and more popular.
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