Last July, we asked what you dream of doing as an adult. Thanks for your great responses! We wish we had room to print them all. Here are just a few.

Work and play

   My ideal job is being a construction worker, but only on an amusement park.

                                              James Martian, Age 9  Alaska

Royal Fashion Designer

   In the future, I want to sew dresses for a queen. I could make whatever design I wanted. Her breakfast dress would be blue and long. Her lunch dress is purple and medium. Her dinner dress is red and short. They would all have sparkles. I think they would be pretty. I like my dream job.

                                           Jenna Suchyta, Age 6  Washington

A “Police Law Fireman”

When I grow up, I want to be a policeman or a fireman or a lawyer because they help people. Maybe I will combine all three and become a “Police Law Fireman”. I can work as a policeman in the morning. I can do law things in the afternoon. I can do fireman things in the evening. But for now, I want to be a boxer to build up my muscles. I will need my strength!

                                         Avi Samuels, Age 7  Illinois

Playing in the Band

   My dream job is to become a professional guitarist and singer for my future five-member rock band. I practice the guitar, and I have written hundreds of songs! The reason why I want to be a guitarist and singer is that I am very interested in music itself, so I want to create some of my own.

                                              Jake Francis, Age 12  Ohio

21. What do you think is the best title for the passage?

   A. Your dream job.   B. Your dream.  C. Your future job. D. Your great chance.

22. Who has done something for his or her future?

   A. James Martian     B. Avi Samuels      C. Jake Francis D. Jenna Suchyta

23. Where can you find this passage?

 A. In a fashion magazine.                    B. In a children’s magazine.

 C. In an entertainment newspaper.            D. On a website.

In a speech this week to the Institute of Civil Engineering, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, made clear his support for wind energy. He focused on some of the many advantages of developing the industry.

   Let’s examine those reasons. It is an abundant, clean and sustainable source of energy, reducing our dependence on expensive fossil fuel imports, increasingly from politically unstable parts of the globe. Let’s not forget that Russia turned off the gas supply to Europe in 2006.

   More recently, we have all felt the pain this winter, when international gas prices soared by 40% compared to last year. Should we carry on exposing ourselves to the instability（不稳定） of global energy prices and the unpredictability of global events, or should we recognize the value of taking control of our energy supply?

   As for the economic opportunities, over the last decade wind energy has attracted $5 billion in investment（投资）to the UK and is set to go above $50 billion by 2020. Look at the companies queuing up to build wind turbine (涡轮) factories in the UK, such as Siemens and Vestas. Examine the number of people employed in the wind industry in the UK—nearly 12000, now with nearly 90000 jobs by 2021.

   The UK is already the global leader in wind power, with greater ability than anywhere else in the world—enough to supply more than a million homes with electricity all year round—and the government is calling for an increase by eight times in the amount of wind turbines installed by 2020, which the industry can achieve as long as it gets the right level of support from ministers. In return, as well as bring the environmental benefits of clean energy, the wind industry is committed to save consumers a lot of money. 

24. The writer uses the example of Russia to prove that______.

A. international gas price is not always stable

B. there exists the unpredictability of global events

C. there are conflicts between Europe and Russia

D. every nation is badly in need of gas

25. What does the underlined word “soared” mean?

A. Set.      B. Dropped.     C. Cancelled.       D. Rose.

36. What can we know from Paragraph 4?

A. Many job opportunities are created by wind industry.

B. The UK would not accept many companies’ investment.

C. Over the last ten years the UK has attracted little investment.

D. Other industries are less important than wind industry.

27. What is the most important thing for the government to achieve its goal by 2020?

A. Attracting more investment.

B. Getting enough support from ministers.

C. Improving the technology a lot.

D. Listing the advantages of wind power to the public.

Women are overtaking men in education and in the workplace, a senior Government minister said yesterday – creating a new generation of stay-at-home fathers.

Universities minister David Willetts predicted relationships and traditional household structures will be transformed as the female’s power ahead, and women earn more than their male partners.

Successful women will have to “marry down” by choosing partners less qualified than them – and may increasingly select men based on how supportive they might be to their careers, rather than whether they can support them financially.

And experts say women will often become the main breadwinners, with more men staying at home to look after children.

Mr. Willetts said there was clear evidence from schools that boys are “lagging behind”, and are being overtaken by female students at university．He said: “I am not against women having those advantages but there is now a rather striking gap, if you look at the statistics, where it looks as if approximately 50 percent of women are graduating from university by the time they’re 30 and perhaps about 40 percent of men.” He added: “It may lead to changes in the patterns of household living．So there are some deep questions here.”

The Philadelphia-based Pew Research Centre study, published in The Atlantic magazine, suggests female graduates are being put in similar situation to that faced for some time by black women．In America, 70 percent of black women have no husband and there are twice as many black women as black men with university degrees.

Many educated British women believe there is already a dearth of traditional husbands．Claire Davis, 33, who works in financial services and lives in south London, told The Times: “I have a good job and my own flat and I can pretty much do what I want, but a lot of them I meet aren't really of the right quality. If I look at the friends I went to university with, the men don't tend to be doing as well as the women.”

28．David Willetts’ attitude toward women’s overtaking men in education and in the workplace could be described as         .

A．worried       B．positive        C．supportive           D．excited

29．Claire Davis’ example is used to indicate that         .

A．a lot of women prefer to be single 

B．black women do not want to be married

C．women are less excellent than men in general

D．excellent women have difficulty in looking for a good husband

30．The underlined word “dearth” in the last paragraph most probably means        .

A．shortage      B．respect         C．oversupply           D．pride

31．The best title of this passage would probably be         .

A．Successful Women Forced to “Marry Down”

B．A Poor Generation of Stay-at-home Fathers

C．The Marriages’ Influence on Economy

D．The Advantages of the Traditional Family Pattern

Autumn blues? Let the sunshine in

 Falling leaves, flowers, and cold winds, for many people late autumn can be a season of depression.

    Those who suffer from “the autumn blue” are often extremely tired, lack energy, need more sleep, feel increased appetite and gain weight. "The exact cause of this condition, often called seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is not known yet," says Chen Jue, associate professor at Shanghai Mental Health Center. "But recent studies indicate that weather change is influential and strongly suggest that this condition is caused by changes in the availability(得到) of sunlight."

   One theory is that with decreased exposure to sunlight, the biological clock that regulates mood, sleep, and hormones is delayed, running more slowly in winter. Exposure to light may reset the biological clock. Another theory is that brain chemicals that transmit information between nerves, called neurotransmitters (for example, serotonin), may be changed in individuals with SAD. It is believed that exposure to light can correct these imbalances. "It is a sad season, but you can try to make it happy. Remember, spring always lives in your heart," Chen says. “Going outdoors to get some sunlight may reduce the tension that brings you the low spirits. Relax at work. Stretch, breathe deeply. Take a tea break. Think of your next vacation. Color treatment also works in handling low mood. Music also plays a role in treating autumn blues.”

32. Autumn blues is also called autumn________.

A. sunshine    B. depression     C. blue music     D. cold winds

33. From the third paragraph we know that there _______ that can help to deal with autumn blues.

A. is no biological clock   

 B. is a real example  

 C. is no possibility   

 D. are certain ways

34. Which of the following is true according to the text?

A. People feel tired in autumn.

B. Weather doesn’t change people.

C. Autumn blues can be feelings of happiness.

D. The real cause for autumn blues is still unknown.

35. Which of the following CAN’T you do in order to deal with autumn blues?

A. Take outdoor activities or sports.

B. Eat more food very low in calories and sugar.

C. Keep the balance of nerves that transmit information.

D. Reset the biological clock regulating mood, sleep and hormones.

Thank You Notes: The Essential Life Lessons

  There is no greater gift for any of us to give our friends and family than the gift of gratitude.    36   Take a quiet moment to think about the blessings of the season and write a thank you note to everyone who made it special for you.There are some life lessons from thank you notes.

     37   Even a child can make some lines on paper, help pick out a pretty stamp, and lick the envelope. This helps create a sense of ownership, confidence, and contribution.

  Thank you notes strengthen communication skills. Wherever you are, no skill matters more than the ability to communicate clearly and sincerely. It conveys reliability ,confidence and thoughtfulness.   38    

  Thank you notes remind you about what matters.   39    But when we write a thank you note we have to locate within ourselves some way to be grateful and find some way to express it. We do not find happiness in what we get. We find happiness in being grateful for what we have.

     40    Not, "Thank you for the sweater. It is cool," but "Thanks for the sweater! Not, "Thanks for the game," but "We had a blast playing that game.

  I think you will soon discover that the more thank you notes you send, the more you become aware of how much there is to be grateful for, and how good it feels to let people know you appreciate them.

    A. Everyone can write a thank you note.

    B. Maybe the gift was thoughtless.

    C. And that can begin with thank you notes.

    D. Thank you notes must have specific details.

    E. There is no other way to convey this message.

    F. You can even write to people you do not know.

    G. Those are the qualities that inspire people to trust and respect you.