历年考研英语真题mp3之完形填空(2006)

2006

The homeless make up a growing percentage of America's population.

(1)Indeed homelessness has reached such proportions that local governments can't possibly (2)cope.

To help homeless people (3)toward independence,

the federal government must support job training programs,

(4)raise the minimum wage,

and fund more low-cost housing.

(5)Not everyone agrees on the number of Americans who are homeless.

Estimates (6)range anywhere from 600,000 to 3 million.

(7)Although the figure may vary,

analysts do agree on another matter:

that the number of the homeless is (8)increasing.

One of the federal government’s studies(9)predicts that the number of the homeless

will reach nearly 19 million by the end of this decade.

Finding ways to (10)assist this growing homeless population has become increasingly difficult.

(11)Even when homeless individuals manage to find a (12)shelter that will give them three meals a day

and a place to sleep at night,

a good number still spend the bulk of each day (13)wandering the street.

Part of the problem is that many homeless adults are addicted to alcohol or drugs.

And a significant number of the homeless have serious mental disorders.

Many others, (14)while not addicted or mentally ill,

simply lack the everyday (15)survival skills needed to turn their lives (16)around.

Boston Globe reporter Chris Reidy notes that the situation will improve only when there are (17)comprehensive programs

that address the many needs of the homeless.

(18)As Edward Zlotkowski,

director of community service at Bentley College in Massachusetts, (19)puts it,

"There has to be (20)coordination of programs.What’s needed is a package deal."