阅读理解 According to the United States government, people are classified as homeless if they have no place to stay and no expectation of finding a place for the next thirty days. Although technically accurate, that is an impersonal assessment of an enormous and very human problem. The homeless population represents all of us Americans. It includes men and women, the elderly, children, and infants. Its members are from all ethnic (种族的) groups. What they have in common is poverty. Currently in the U.S., thirty-nine million people live in poverty. When money is really tight, paying the rent or buying food often becomes a choice. Government assistance in the form of food stamps does help but, as one homeless man explains, you can''t pay the rent with food stamps. With no money for rent, the streets and homeless shelters become the alternative. Although men constitute the largest group within the homeless population, homeless women with children are rapidly joining them. In fact, one quarter of the homeless people in the U.S. are teenagers and young children. People may become homeless for numerous reasons. However, there are certain factors that many of these individuals have in common. They include a lack of adequate education and job skills. A majority of the teenagers and adults have not completed high school. The abuse of alcohol and drugs is also a common factor. One third of the adult homeless population abuses alcohol, while one quarter of the same group uses drugs. Some members of this population suffer mental health problems. Within the past several years many institutions for the mentally ill have been closed and their patients sent "home". Unfortunately, a number of those people have no home to go to and they are unable to adequately look after themselves. Job loss in today''s economy has also become a real factor in the loss of people''s homes. The breakup of families through abandonment and divorce are also contributing factors, particularly when there are children involved. The parent who is left to care for the kids with inadequate income may be forced to depend on the homeless shelters to put a roof over their heads.

单选题 The writer thinks that the U.S. government's definition of the homeless reveals______.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】参见第一段：According to the United States government…．that is an impersonal assessment of an enormous and very human problem．按照美国政府的观点，……虽然从技术上是准确的，但是这应该是一个巨大的非个人的同情心问题。在这里，human意思是“同情心”。本题需要考生从原文中推断出作者的观点，也就是通常所说的话外音。作者观点一般会出现在首段或结尾段(本题首段点题)，考生在解答此类问题时应该注意这样的信号词，如although，but，however等。

单选题 The U.S. government helps the homeless by______.

单选题 Most of the homeless in the U.S. are______.

单选题 People become homeless for all the following reasons EXCEPT______.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】从“there are certain factors that many of these individuals have in common．They include a lack of adequate education and job skills．(有很多原因造成这样的情况，包括没有足够的教育背景和工作技能。)”可以判断A不正确。从“The abuse of alcohol and drugs is also a common factor．(滥用酒精和药物也是原因之一。)”可以判断B不正确。从“Some members of this population suffer mental health problems．Within the past several years many institutions for the mentally ill have been closed and their patients sent‘home’．Unfortunately，a number of those people have no home to go(有些人是因为精神问题。随着近年来许多这类机构的关门，很多精神病人被遣送回家，但是实际上他们无家可归)”可以判断C不正确。最后只有选D，而且文章中后面提到，还有一个原因是失业问题，这和D无关。

单选题 The breakup of families is likely to lead to homelessness because a parent with kids may______.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】参见文章最后一句话：The parent who is left to care for the kids with inadequate income may be forced to depend on the homeless shelters to put a roof over their heads．被分到需要照顾孩子的父母一方如果没有足够的收入只有依靠收容站了。这道题有一定的难度。问题实际是把原文的最后一句换了一种说法，把force to换成lead to，把inadequate income换成not have enough income。这类题的应试技巧是：答案一般会出现在原文的最后，只要冷静的分析答案，回原文找近义词就可以了。