第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）

　　阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

　　A

YOU may have heard of the “American Dream”, an ideal that has powered the hopes of Americans for generations.

 It began as a belief that the US was a land of opportunity, and that anyone could achieve success through hard work. At times, the dream has referred to home ownership, a good job, retirement security or each generation doing better than the last.

  Yet today, this concept seems to have greatly changed. As Time magazine pointed out, quite different from their predecessors , many Millennials (the generation born after 1980) redefine the American Dream as “day-to-day control of your life”. They “prize job mobility , flexible schedules, any work that is more interesting than typing, and the ability to travel”, said the magazine.

  Home ownership, once the cornerstone of the American Dream, is becoming a smaller priority for this generation, as a new research released by US insurance company MassMutual noted. Meanwhile, nearly four in 10 Millennials choose travel as part of their dream. And entrepreneurship (创业) is a rising favorite, as 26 percent of Millennials cite self-employment as part of the dream.

  So what has led to this huge change?

  Many point fingers at the poor economy. “Contemporary young Americans seem destined to [face] a world stamped by ever narrowing opportunity and societal stagnation (停滞),” noted The Daily Beast.

   “The rate of 16- to 24-year-olds out of school and out of work is unusually high at 15 percent. Many college graduates have taken jobs that don’t require a degree,” Time reported.

   The Atlantic magazine worries that these difficulties may lead to a lost generation who are “unable to ever truly find their feet on the corporate ladder”.

    Dan Kadlec of Time sees Millennials as resetting their expectations. “The [situation] is different for young adults today”, he wrote. “A true American Dream has to feel attainable, and many Millennials aren’t feeling they can attain much more than a day-to-day lifestyle that suits them.”

56. The article is mainly about ____. 

A. how American youth today are trying to realize their dreams 

B. changes in American youth’s beliefs about the American dream and the reasons for them

C. how the American dream has inspired Americans to achieve success

D. why the meaning of the American dream varies from generation to generation 

57. According to Time magazine, unlike their parents, many Millennials in the US now consider ____ to be the American Dream.

a. home ownership        b. travel       c. a stable job          d. self-employment        e. a flexible schedule   

A. a, b, d                  B. a, c, e         C. b, d, e             D. b, c, d

58. The underlined word “cornerstone” in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to ____.

A. basis            B. growth          C. purpose        D. balance  

59. What has changed Millennials’ views of the American Dream according to the article?

A. A lack of confidence in themselves. 

B. Their dissatisfaction with their government. 

C. Fierce competition in the job market.

D. The discouraging economy and unemployment.

60. Dan Kadlec thinks Millenials’ new definition of the American Dream is ____.

A. understandable     B. negative         C. troubling         D. beautiful

                              B

LIVING in China, it’s very convenient for us to travel to neighboring countries like Japan and South Korea. Last winter break, my family and I decided to make a ski trip down to Japan. The flight took us about four hours, and we had to take three buses to get to our destination. The trip was a laborious journey, but it was undoubtedly worth it.

　　Upon arriving in Japan, the first thing that hit me was the cold, piercing (刺骨的) wind. As I stepped out of the airport, I was overwhelmed by the biting air that danced around me. The icy breeze that touched my skin sent a tingling (刺痛的) feeling through my muscles. It was snowing at that time – snowflakes singing, whirling, accumulating on the pavement, left a velvet carpet for the passengers to walk on, creating one of the most beautiful sites. I sank my feet into the thick layer of snow on the ground, as a soft and comfortable feeling enveloped me. Protected by my thick coat, muffler, gloves and winter wear, I danced around in the snow freely, letting all my emotions out.

　　We boarded a bus heading for Sapporo, a city near our ski resort. On the bus, I sat alone, examining the delicate snowflakes that plastered (粘贴) themselves onto my window. A cup of Starbucks cappuccino in my left hand and a good read in my right – that one-hour journey was certainly worthwhile. I was reading a Chinese novel, To Live (《活着》), a book that originally started out as a holiday assignment but later transformed into a life lesson. The book is about an individual who goes through many unfortunate events but still persists and convinces himself to carry on living. I’ve learned that no matter how hard life becomes, we should always continue pushing on, as anything can be accomplished with determination.

　　Skiing in Japan was absolutely exciting but challenging. We experienced our first snowstorm. The food was spectacular. Overall, it was an amazing trip!

61. The author’s family traveled to Japan because ______.

A. they wanted to go skiing there

B. they were invited by some friends

C. they were very interested in Japanese culture

D. they had expected it to be warmer than in China

62. The underlined word “overwhelmed” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. overjoyed B. amazed

C. annoyed D. disappointed

63. What lesson did the author learn from reading the novel To Live?

A. We should cherish our lives and try to live them to the fullest.

B. One can achieve nothing if he or she doesn’t have a dream.

C. We should stay positive and determined no matter what happens.

D. Those who have gone through unfortunate events tend to be optimistic.

64. What can be inferred from the article?

A. The author didn’t like Japanese food at all.

B. The author’s journey to Japan was easy for her the whole time.

C. The author didn’t enjoy herself in Japan because of the bad weather.

D. The author was impressed by the snow in Japan.
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