(D)
Taxes(税)are a big part in the United States. Most Americans pay city taxes, state taxes, social security(安全)taxes, sales taxes ﹒﹒﹒,and the list seems endless.
The biggest tax for most Americans is that on the money they earn --- the income tax. The personal income tax is called a "progressive tax" because it takes more from those who earn more. For example, a person who earns about 3,500 dollars a tear will pay a tax of only about 3.5 % of earning, but of the same person earned 85, 000 dollars a year, he would pay an income tax of 35%.
Over the years the income tax has become more and mote difficult for people to understand. Almost one half of all Americans now have to pay experts to prepare their tax reports in fact, preparing taxes and giving tax advice have become a big industry in America.
47. Most Americans pay ________.
A.taxes which are too many to list.
B.taxes either to the cities or the states they live in.
C.so many kinds of taxes that they even don't know the names.
D.several kinds of taxes.
48. Social security tax is collected from _______.
A.those who have broken the law.
B.those who often make trouble,
C.those whose lives and property are in danger.
D.Every citizen living in the area in question(所在).
49. What is a " progressive tax"? A "progressive tax" is the tax _______.
A.collected for social progress.
B.that increases with each passing year.
C.that is collected from those who earn most.
D.that varies(变化)according to how much money a person earns.
50. Why do almost one half of all Americans have to pay experts?
A.Because the list of taxes seems endless.
B. Because they would rather spend their time and energy elsewhere.
C. Because they find their knowledge about taxes is so limited that they are unable to write tax
report all by themselves.
D. Because paying experts to prepare their tax report and asking for tax advice have become
very popular.
(E)
More than 6000 children were expelled(开除) from US school last year for bringing guns and bombs to school, the US Department of Education said on May 8.
The department gave a report to the expulsions(开除) as saying handguns accounted for 58 percent of the 6093 expulsions in 1996---97, against 7 percent for rifles(步枪) or shotguns and 35 percent for other types of firearms.
"The report is a clear sign that out nation's public schools are cracking down(严惩) on students who bring guns to school," Education Secretary Richard Riley said in a statement." We need to be tough-minded about keeping guns out of our schools and do everything to keep our children safe."
In March1997, an 11 years old boy and 13 years old boy using handguns and rifles shot dead four children and a teacher at a school in Jonesboro, Arkansas. In October, two were killed and seven wounded in a shooting at a Mississippi school. Two months later, a 14 years old boy killed three high school students and wounded five in Dasucah, Kentucky.
Most of the expulsions, 56 percent, were from high school, which have students from about age 13. 34 percent were from junior high schools and 9percent were from elementary schools, the report said.
51. From the first paragraph we can infer that in the US schools _______.
A. students enjoy shooting B. students are eager to be solider.
C. safety is a problem D. students can make guns.
52. The report from the US Department of Education of Education shows that ________.
A.the number of the expulsions is not large.
B.the number of the expulsion is wrong.
C.there are soldiers hiding among the students.
D.guns are out of control in US schools.
53. The main idea of paragraph four shows us ______.
A.some examples of shoot in US schools.
B.the American's feeling.
C.some famous schools.
D.that some teachers were killed by students.
54. How many students were shot dead in 1997 in US schools?
A. 10 B. 9 C. 12 D. 22
55. From this passage we know that ________.
A.every American cannot have guns.
B.only soldiers and police can have guns.
C.every American citizen can own guns.
D.teachers have no money to buy guns.
