Bill Gates was 20 years old. Steve Jobs was 21. Warren Buffett was 26. Ralph Lauren was 28. Estee Lauder was 29. These now iconic names were all 20-somethings when they started their companies that would throw them, and their enterprises, into some of the biggest successes ever known. Consider this: many of the truly remarkable innovations of the latest generation—a list that includes Google, Facebook and Twitter—were all founded by people under 30. The number of people in their mid-20s disrupting entire industries, taking on jobs usually reserved for people twice their age and doing it in the glare of millions of social media "followers" seems to be growing very rapidly. So what is it about that youthful decade after those awkward teenage years that inspires such shoot-for-the-moon success? Does age really have something to do with it? It does . Young people bring fresh eyes to confronting problems and challenges that others have given up on. 20-something entrepreneurs see no boundaries and see no limits. And they can make change happen. Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal, has another, colder theory that may explain it: Ultimately, it's about money. In other words, it's the young people who have nothing to lose, with no mortgage and, frankly, with nothing to do on a Friday night except work, who are the ones often willing to take the biggest risks. Sure, they are talented. But it's their persistence and zeal, the desire to stay up until 6 a.m. chugging Red Bull, that is the difference between being a salaried employee and an entrepreneur. That's not to say that most 20-somethings are finding success. They're not. The latest crop of uber-successful young entrepreneurs, designers and authors are far, far from the norm. In truth, unemployment for workers age 16 to 24 is double the national average. One of the biggest challenges facing this next generation—and one that may prevent more visionary entrepreneurs from succeeding—is the staggering rise in the level of debt college students have been left with. If Peter Thiel's theory is right, it is going to be harder and harder for young people to take big risks because they will be crushed with obligations before they even begin. If you're over 29 years old and still haven't made your world-changing mark, don't despair. Some older people have had big breakthroughs, too. Thomas Edison didn't invent the phonograph until he was 30.

I can tap my smartphone and a cab will arrive almost immediately. Another tap will tell me the latest news, value my share portfolio or give me route directions to my next meeting. As a result, I do not need to stand on a street corner vainly trying to hail a taxi to the theatre, lose myself in London streets. The changes that have occurred in the past decade have, from an economic perspective, increased at virtually no cost the efficiency of household production. The data framework within which economic analysis is conducted is largely the product of the second world war. In the 1930s American economist Simon Kuznets began to elaborate a system of national accounts. That work was given impetus when the war led governments to take control of important sectors of economic activity. It was soon realized that this required far better data than had previously existed, which in turn raised the challenge of how best to structure such information. Household production—women' s work as homemakers—did not have much of a look-in; that was not the front line against fascism. The joke about the man who reduced national income by marrying his housekeeper, so that a market transaction became part of household production, was once a mandatory part of every introductory course on national income accounting but has succumbed to political correctness. Technological advance has always enhanced household as well as business efficiency. Our domestic productivity has benefited from washing machines, vacuum cleaners and central heating, and before that from electric light and automobiles. But at least these things were partially accounted for: from an economic perspective a car is a faster and cheaper horse. Statisticians in principle incorporated these improvements in the efficiency of consumer goods into their measurement of productivity, though in practice they did not try very hard. But the technological advances of the past decade seem to have increased the efficiency of households, rather than the efficiency of businesses, to an unusual extent. An ereader in the pocket replaces a roomful of books, and all the world' s music is streamed to my computer. We look at aggregate statistics and worry about the slowdown in growth and productivity. But the evidence of our eyes seems to tell a different story.

BPart BDirections: Write an essay of 160-200 words based on the following information./B

The percentage of immigrants (including those unlawfully present) in the United States has been creeping upward for years. At 12.6 percent, it is now higher than at any point since the mid-1920s. We are not about to go back to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluting America's bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort of newcomers. Their loudest critics argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot, and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did. We now know that these racist views were wrong. In time, Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior races became exemplary Americans and contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail, to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success. Although children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than their parents, UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don't continue. Indeed, the fourth generation is marginally worse off than the third. James Jackson, of the University of Michigan, has found a similar trend among black Caribbean immigrants, Telles fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks—that large parts of the community may become mired (陷入) in a seemingly permanent state of poverty and underachievement. Like African-Americans, Mexican-Americans are increasingly relegated to(降入) segregated(隔离) , substandard schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ethnic group in the country. We have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of the ethnic/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanization work for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own. But as arguments about immigration heat up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader questions about assimilation (同化), about how to ensure that people, once outsiders, don't forever remain marginalized within these shores. That is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the latest wave of would-be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.

How long you live has a lot to do with your environment and lifestyle, but exceptional longevity may have even more to do with your genes. For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic recipe that accurately predicts who may live to 100 and beyond. Scientists led by Dr. Thomas Perls at the Boston University School of Medicine conducted a genetic analysis of more than 1,000 centenarians and their matched controls and found 150 genetic variants—or bits of DNA—that differed between the two groups. These variants identified people who lived to a very old age (past 100) with 77% accuracy, researchers found. Further analysis identified 19 distinct genetic profiles associated with extremely long life; 90% of participants who lived to 100 possessed at least one of the signature genetic clusters. Each profile appeared to confer a different tendency to develop common age-related chronic diseases, such as heart disease or brain disorder. "We realize this is a complex genetic puzzle," Perls said. "We're quite a ways away still in understanding how the integration of these genes—not just with themselves but with environmental factors—are playing a role in this longevity puzzle." Perls has studied many factors that contribute to longevity, and he is the first to acknowledge that living longer isn' t likely to be simply a matter of genes. His previous work has shown, for example, that among most elderly people who live into their 70s and 80s, about 70% of their longevity can be ascribed to environmental factors such as not smoking; eating a healthy, low-fat, low-calorie diet; and remaining socially engaged and intellectually active throughout life. Still, it seems clear that those who live to an exceptionally ripe old age are benefiting from a special DNA boost. In fact, Perls believes that the older a person gets, the more likely it is that his or her genes are contributing to those extended years. His current genetic findings support that theory: the 19 most common genetic profiles that distinguished the exceptionally long-lived appear to be correlated with lower incidence of certain diseases. For example, some profiles were associated with lower rates of high blood pressure and diabetes, while another was linked to a reduced risk of brain disorder. Although most of us can't expect to become centenarians, Perls is hoping that his work will lead to better ways—perhaps through pharmaceutical interventions based on the genetic clues to longevity—to help more of us live like them.

Writeanessaybasedonthefollowingchart,inyourwriting,youshould1)interpretthechart,and2)giveyourcomments.Youshouldwriteabout150wordsontheANSWERSHEET.(15points)

The coast of the state of Maine is one of the most irregular in the world. A straight line running from the southernmost coastal city to the northernmost coastal city would measure about 225 miles. If you followed the coastline between these points, you would travel more than ten times as far. This irregularity is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. The term comes from the glacial activity of the ice age. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered above the sea. As the glacier descended, however, it expended enormous force on those mountains, and they sank into the sea. As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land, forming a series of twisting inlets and lagoons of contorted grottos and nooks. The highest parts of the former mountain range, nearest the shore, remained as islands. Mt. Desert Island is one of the most famous of all the islands left behind by the glacier. Marine fossils found here were 225 feet above sea level, indicating the level of the shoreline prior to the glacier. The 2,500-mile-long rocky and jagged coastline of Maine keeps watch over nearly two thousand islands. Many of these islands are tiny and uninhabited, but many are home to thriving communities. Mt. Desert Island is one of the largest, most beautiful of the Maine coast islands. Measuring 16 miles by 12 miles, Mt. Desert was essentially formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half by Somes Sound, a deep and narrow stretch of water, seven miles long. For years, Mt. Desert Island, particularly its major settlement, Bar Harbor, afforded summer homes for the wealthy. Recendy though, Bar Harbor has become a burgeoning arts community as well. But, the best part of the island is the unspoiled forest land known as Acadia National Park. Because the island sits on the boundary line between the temperate and sub-Arctic zones, the island supports the flora and fauna of both zones as well as beach, inland, and alpine plants. It also lies in a major bird migration lane and is a resting spot for many birds. The establishment of Acadia National Park in 1916 means that this natural reserve will be perpetually available to all people, not just the wealthy. Visitors to Acadia may receive nature instruction from the park naturalists as well as enjoy camping, hiking, cycling , and boating. Or they may choose to spend time at the archeological museum, learning about the Stone Age inhabitants of the island. The best view on Mt. Desert Island is from the top of Cadillac Mountain. This mountain rises 1,532 feet, making it the highest mountain on the Adantic seaboard. From the summit, you can gaze back toward the mainland or out over the Atlantic Ocean and contemplate the beauty created by a retreating glacier.

BSection I Use of EnglishDirections: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D./B

BPart B/B

People used to think that learning two languages created confusion in the mind. Far【C1】______it was thought, to get one right than bother with two. An even more extreme and【C2】______view was that learning two languages caused a kind of mental illness or dual personality. Some studies did seem to【C3】______the idea that learning two languages could be problematic; early researchers noted that bilingual people tended to have smaller vocabularies and slower access to words. But these myths and【C4】______disadvantages have now been overshadowed by a【C5】______of new research showing the【C6】______psychological benefits of learning another language. And these extend way【C7】______being able to order a cup of coffee abroad or ask directions to your hotel. First, Language centers in the brain actually grow as a result of successful language learning. The better you learn, the more those【C8】______areas of the brain grow. Second, bilingualism【C9】______Alzheimer's disease in susceptible people by as much as five years. Seems unbelievable,【C10】______the studies are continuing to support this result. Third, being bilingual can lead to【C11】______listening skills, since the brain has to work harder to recognize different types of sounds in two or more languages. Fourth, you may become more language 【C12】______. Infants in bilingual households can distinguish languages they've never even【C13】______before. Just being 【C14】______the different sounds in, for example, Spanish and Catalan, helps them tell the difference between English and French. Fifth, it can【C15】______your memory. Babies brought up in a bilingual environment have stronger working memories than those brought up【C16】______only one language. Sixth, bilingual people can【C17】______from one task to another more quickly. Seventh, bilinguals have stronger control over their【C18】______and are better able to limit distractions. Furthermore, it can help develop new ways of seeing and improve your first language etc. These are all quite apart from the benefits of【C19】______yourself in another culture, and of seeing your own culture from the【C20】______of another. You may well get something like ' a second soul' from learning another language.

BPart ADirections: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D./B

Writeanessaybasedonthefollowingchart.Inyouressay,youshould(1)interpretthechart,and(2)giveyourcomments.Youshouldwriteabout150wordsneatlyontheANSWERSHEET.(15points)

BPart ADirections: Write a composition/letter of no less than 100 words on the following information./B

It's often said that the mark of a civilised society is how it treats its most vulnerable citizens in times of austerity. And in the past week, Britain has proved itself quite not so. Last Thursday a United Nations inquiry into disability rights in the UK ruled that the government is failing in its duties in everything from education, work and housing to health, transport and social security. Presented with overwhelming evidence of a range of regressive policies and multibillion-pound cuts to disability services, it described the treatment of disabled people in this country as a " human catastrophe " . Less than 24 hours later, Luke Davey lost his appeal against his local council cutting his care package almost in half. Luke is quadriplegic, has cerebral palsy and is registered blind. But in this climate of cuts to disability services, after 23 years of 24/7 support, his care hours have been suddenly gutted. Without enough funding for full-time personal assistants, his mother, Jasmine, is forced to fill in the gaps: sitting in the bungalow to ensure he's not alone, and lifting her 14-stone son into a hoist. Jasmine, it's worth noting, is 75 and has cancer. Bit by bit, the abuse of disabled people in Britain is being normalised. This isn't simply the result of newspapers and politicians dehumanising the "scrounging" disabled. It's that the hardship being witnessed is now so common, so widespread, it's as if it's not worth comprehension. Resisting this becomes almost an act of defiance: to say that it's not normal for a self-proclaimed global leader of disability rights to have to be shamed publicly by the United Nations over its treatment of disabled citizens; that it's not economically necessary for one of the wealthiest nations on Earth to cut benefits and social care so deeply that disabled people are housebound, hungry, or suicidal. When the " most vulnerable citizens " line is used by well-meaning voices, there's a secret second sentence that's rarely uttered: disabled people, truth be told, do not need to be vulnerable. Contrary to the myth sold by years of austerity, to be afraid, desperate or isolated is not a normal state of affairs for people with disabilities. Vulnerability comes when politicians choose to pull the support disabled people need in order to live dignified, fulfilling, independent lives—knowing full well the misery it will cause.

BSection II Reading Comprehension/B

The "Hard Out Here" video has racked up(获胜)over 27 millions views to date on YouTube. But the market for a pop star making clever, difficult songs is narrow, and Allen"s commercial prospects , at least in the U.S., aren"t as promising as they were eight years ago. Without the mass-market distribution channel of radio behind her, it"s tougher to get the message across. If Allen had it her way, she says, "Hard Out Here" would have been released to radio. "I think I"m justified in saying it would have made a hit ," she says. " Radio stations don"t want to play any music that has a message. Everyone"s worried they"re going to get fired. If they had, they would have seen a triumph. " Even though Allen uses top-notch producers—aside from Kurstin, the album makes use of hip-hop producer DJ Dahi and Shellback—her sensibilities are too English for superstar like that of Be-yonce, who released her own feminist song. It"s easy to dismiss Allen as the perpetual trash talker, criticizing the popular girls even as she aspires to be one of them, and yet there"s real value in her social message and the wit with which she dispenses it. Allen may not be the most famous among her peers, but she"s one of the more important—a cultural critic embedded within pop music, saying the things that her contemporaries won"t. "I change with the way the world changes," Allen says. "My music is always social commentary. I don"t know what the world is going to be like in five years" time, but as long as I"m not ashamed of what I"m putting out, then I"m happy. "

BSection II Reading Comprehension/B

Crippling health care bills, long emergency-room waits and the inability to find a primary care physician just scratch the surface of the problems that patients face daily. Primary care should be the backbone of any health care system. Countries with appropriate primary care resources score highly when it comes to health outcomes and cost. The U. S. takes the opposite approach by emphasizing the specialist rather than the primary care physician. A recent study analyzed the providers who treat Medicare beneficiaries (老年医保受惠人). The startling finding was that the average Medicare patient saw a total of seven doctors—two primary care physicians and five specialists—in a given year. Contrary to popular belief, the more physicians taking care of you don't guarantee better care. Actually, increasing fragmentation of care results in a corresponding rise in cost and medical errors. How did we let primary care slip so far? The key is how doctors are paid. Most physicians are paid whenever they perform a medical service. The more a physician does, regardless of quality or outcome, the better he's reimbursed(返还费用). Moreover, the amount a physician receives leans heavily toward medical or surgical procedures. A specialist who performs a procedure in a 30-minute visit can be paid three times more than a primary care physician using that same 30 minutes to discuss a patient's disease. Combine this fact with annual government threats to indiscriminately cut reimbursements, physicians are faced with no choice but to increase quantity to boost income. Primary care physicians who refuse to compromise quality are either driven out of business or to cash-only practices, further contributing to the decline of primary care. Medical students are not blind to this scenario. They see how heavily the reimbursement deck is stacked against primary care. The recent numbers show that since 1997, newly graduated U. S. medical students who choose primary care as a career have declined by 50% . This trend results in emergency rooms being overwhelmed with patients without regular doctors.How do we fix this problem? It starts with reforming the physician reimbursement system. Remove the pressure for primary care physicians to squeeze in more patients per hour, and reward them for optimally (最佳地) managing their diseases and practicing evidence-based medicine. Make primary care more attractive to medical students by forgiving student loans for those who choose primary care as a career and reconciling the marked difference between specialist and primary care physician salaries. We're at a point where primary care is needed more than ever. Within a few years, the first wave of the 76 million Baby Boomers will become eligible for Medicare. Patients older than 85, who need chronic care most, will rise by 50% this decade. Who will be there to treat them?

Going hungry is a major contributor to ill health, particularly among children, and a new report reveals how long-lasting the damage can be. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the University of Calgary performed the first longterm study on the【C1】______of hunger on general health,【C2】______children from birth to 21 years. Most studies to date have【C3】______only snapshots of childhood health,【C4】______the short-term impact of hunger【C5】______a period of time. In the new analysis, the scientists found that children who went hungry at least once in their lives were 2i-times more likely to have【C6】______overall health 10 to 15 years later, compared with those who never had to【C7】______food. "Our research shows that hunger and food insecurity are really damaging【C8】______children"s life chances," says lead author Sharon Kirkpatrick, a visiting fellow at NCI. The study supports earlier findings that【C9】______episodes of hunger are more likely to cause ill health than an isolated experience of starvation: children in Kirkpatrick"s analysis who experienced two or more periods of hunger were more than four times as likely to report ill health than those who never went hungry. The relationship, she says, remained strong even after the team accounted【C10】______other factors that could influence health, such as age, sex and household characteristics like income. 【C11】______one experience of hunger can have lasting effects on a child"s health, a fact that is especially troubling in light of the sobering rise in U.S. households that were【C12】______to do without food in 2008: 15% of American families reported some【C13】______in the amount or quality of food they consumed,【C14】______from 11% the previous year. 15 this study did not probe into the【C16】______mechanism by which hunger affects long-term health, Kirkpatrick【C17】______that both psychological and physiological factors may be at work. Aside from the obvious negative impact that missing key nutrients and calories can have on growth and development, she says, the psychological【C18】______of food insecurity—not being able to afford a【C19】______and high-quality source of food—can be【C20】______to youngsters as well.

Suppose your younger sister is going to the United States for further education. Write an affidavit of support for her to 1) state that you will financially support her, and 2) give the evidence of your financial resources. You should write about 100 words. Do not use your own name. Use "Li Ming" instead. Do not write your address.