25. Which of the following proverbs is closest to the message the text tries to convey?
　　[A] Faith will move mountains.
　　[B] One reaps what one sows.
　　[C] Practice makes perfect.
　　[D] Like father, like son.
　　[答案] C
　　[解题思路]
　　本题其实考察的是对文章中心思想的理解。原文中作者反复强调和论证的一个主要观点就是一个人的成才不是先天决定的，而主要是靠后天培养塑造出来的，不要不断地练习和实践。因此C选项Practice makes perfect最能与原文观点呼应。A与文章的中心思想无关，而B、D选项均与文章的意思相反。
　　[题目译文]
　　下面的那一句谚语与文章所传递的信息最接近？
　　[A] 精诚所至，金石为开
　　[B] 种瓜得瓜
　　[C] 熟能生巧
　　[D] 有其父必有其子

2007年Text 3
　　During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.
In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics. Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well. Today’s families have budgeted to the limits of their new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachute they once had in times of financial setback -- a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick. This added-worker effect could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times. But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner.
　　During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income. Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest-rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money. For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a savings-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families, the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen -- and newly fashionable health-savings plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families’ future healthcare. Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent -- and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance -- have jumped eightfold in just one generation.
　　From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.
　　35. Which of the following is the best title for this text?
　　[A] The Middle Class on the Alert
　　[B] The Middle Class on the Cliff
　　[C] The Middle Class in Conflict
　　[D] The Middle Class in Ruins
　　[答案] B
　　[解题思路]
　　本题考察对全文的综合理解，而文章的中心思想就是讨论中产阶级面临的充满各种危机的经济情况。A选项关于中产阶级是否警觉到这种情况我们从文中不得而知，因此该选项可排除。此外，文章也没有提到中产阶级是否陷入了冲突或已处于彻底毁灭的状况，由此可以排除C和D选项。而中产阶级面临的那种经济上岌岌可危的状况就好像站在悬崖上那么危险，因此B选项为正确答案。
　　[题目译文]
　　下面的那一项是这篇文章的最好标题？
　　[A] 中产阶级在警觉
　　[B] 中产阶级在悬崖上
　　[C] 中产阶级在冲突中
　　[D] 中产阶级在废墟中