幽幽草

第三十八篇

    In the last 12 years total employment in the United States grew faster than at any time in the peacetime history of any country – from 82 to 110 million between 1973 and 1985 – that is， by a full one third. The entire growth， however， was in manufacturing， and especially in no – blue-collar jobs…


    This trend is the same in all developed countries， and is， indeed， even more pronounced in Japan. It is therefore highly probable that in 25 years developed countries such as the United States and Japan will employ no larger a proportion of the labor force I n manufacturing than developed countries now employ in farming – at most， 10 percent. Today the United States employs around 18 million people in blue-collar jobs in manufacturing industries. By 2010， the number is likely to be no more than 12 million. In some major industries the drop will be even sharper. It is quite unrealistic， for instance， to expect that the American automobile industry will employ more than one –third of its present blue-collar force 25 years hence， even though production might be 50 percent higher.

    If a company， an industry or a country does not in the next quarter century sharply increase manufacturing production and at the same time sharply reduce the blue-collar work force， it cannot hope to remain competitive – or even to remain “developed.” The attempt to preserve such blue – collar jobs is actually a prescription for unemployment…

    This is not a conclusion that American politicians， labor leaders or indeed the general public can easily understand or accept. What confuses the issue even more it that the United States is experiencing several separate and different shifts in the manufacturing economy. One is the acceleration of the substitution of knowledge and capital for manual labor. Where we spoke of mechanization a few decades ago， we now speak of “robotization ” or “automation.” This is actually more a change in terminology than a change in reality. When Henry Ford introduced the assembly line in 1909， he cut the number of man – hours required to produce a motor car by some 80 percent in two or three years –far more than anyone expects to result from even the most complete robotization. But there is no doubt that we are facing a new， sharp acceleration in the replacement of manual workers by machines –that is， by the products of knowledge.

    1.According to the author， the shrinkage in the manufacturing labor force demonstrates______.

    A.the degree to which a country‘s production is robotized

    B.a reduction in a country‘s manufacturing industries

    C.a worsening relationship between labor and management

    D.the difference between a developed country and a developing country

    2.According to the author， in coming 25years， a developed country or industry， in order t remain competitive， ought to ______.

    A.reduce the percentage of the blue-collar work force

    B.preserve blue – collar jobs for international competition

    C.accelerate motor – can manufacturing in Henry Ford‘s style

    D.solve the problem of unemployment

    3.American politicians and labor leaders tend to dislike_____.

    A.confusion in manufacturing economy

    B.an increase in blue – collar work force

    C.internal competition in manufacturing production

    D.a drop in the blue – collar job opportunities

    4.The word “prescription” in “a prescription for unemployment” may be the equivalent to ______

    A.something recommended as medical treatment

    B.a way suggested to overcome some difficulty

    C.some measures taken in advance

    D.a device to dire

    5.This passage may have been excepted from ________

    A.a magazine about capital investment

    B.an article on automation

    C.a motor-car magazine

    D.an article on global economy

    答案：AADCD

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第三十七篇

     Scattered through the seas of the world are billions of tons of small plants and animals called plankton. Most of these plants and animals are too small for the human eye to see. They drift about lazily with the currents， providing a basic food for many larger animals.


    Plankton has been described as the equivalent of the grasses that grow on the dry land continents， and the comparison is an appropriate one. In potential food value however， plankton far outweighs that of the land grasses. One scientist has estimated that while grasses of the world produce about 49 billion tons of valuable carbohydrates each year. The sea‘s plankton generates more than twice as much.

    Despite its enormous food potential， little effort was made until recently to farm plankton as we farm grasses on land. Now marine scientists have at last begun to study this possibility， especially as the sea‘s resources loom even more important as a means of feeding an expanding world population.

    No one yet has seriously suggested that “planktonburgers” may soon become popular around the world. As a possible farmed supplementary food source， however， plankton is gaining considerable interest among marine scientists.

    One type of plankton that seems to have great harvest possibilities is a tiny shrimplike creature called krill. Growing to two or three inches long， krill provide the major food for the giant blue whale， the largest animal ever to inhabit the Earth. Realizing that this whale may grow 100 feet and weigh 150 tons at maturity， it is not surprising that each one devours more than one ton of krill daily.

    Krill swim about just below the surface in huge schools sometimes miles wide， mainly in the cold Antarctic. Because of their pink color， they often appear as a solid reddish mass when viewed from a ship or from the air. Krill are very high in food value. A pound of these crustaceans contains about 460 calories—about the same as shrimp or lobster， to which they are related.

    If the krill can feed such huge creatures as whales， many scientists reason， they must certainly be contenders as new food source for humans.

    1.Which of the following best portrays the organization of the passage？

    A.The author presents the advantages and disadvantages of plankton as a food source.

    B.The author quotes public opinion to support the argument for farming plankton.

    C.The author classifies the different food sources according to amount of carbohydrate.

    D.The author makes a general statement about plankton as a food source and then moves to a specific example.

    2.According to the passage， why is plankton regarded to be more valuable than land grasses？

    A.It is easier to cultivate.

    B.It produces more carbohydrates.

    C.It does not require soil.

    D.It is more palatable.

    3.Why does the author mention “planktonburgers”？

    A.To describe the appearance of one type of plankton.

    B.To illustrate how much plankton a whale consumes.

    C.To suggest plankton as a possible food sources.

    D.To compare the food values of beef and plankton.

    4.What is mentioned as one conspicuous feature of krill？

    A.They are the smallest marine animals.

    B.They are pink in color.

    C.They are similar in size to lobsters.

    D.They have grass like bodies.

    5.The author mentions all of the following as reasons why plankton could be considered a human food source except that it is ___.

    A.high in food value.

    B.in abundant supply in the oceans.

    C.an appropriate food for other animals.

    D.free of chemicals and pollutants.

    答案：DBCBD

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第三十六篇

     The gift of being able to describe a face accurately is a rare one， as every experienced police officer knows to his cost. As the Lancet put it recently：“ When we try to describe faces precisely words fail us， and we resort to identikit （拼脸型图） procedures.”


    Yet， according to one authority on the subject， we can each probably recognise more than 1，000 faces， the majority of which differ in fine details. This， when one comes to think of it， is a tremendous feat， though， curiously enough， relatively little attention has been devoted to the fundamental problems of how and why we acquire this gift for recognizing and remembering faces. Is it an inborn property of our brains， or an acquired one？ As so often happens， the experts tend to differ.

    Thus， some argue that it is inborn， and that there are “special characteristics about the brain‘s ability to distinguish faces”。 In support of this these they note how much better we are at recognizing a face after a single encounter than we are， for example， in recognizing an individual horse. On the other hand， there are those， and they are probably in the majority， who claim that the gift is an acquired one.

    The arguments in favour of this latter view， it must be confessed， are impressive. It is a habit that is acquired soon after birth. Watch， for instance， how a quite young baby recognises his member by sight. Granted that his other senses help – the sound other voice， his sense of smell， the distinctive way she handles him.

    But of all these， sight is predominant. Formed at the very beginning of life， the ability to recognize faces quickly becomes an established habit， and one that is， essential for daily living， if not necessarily for survival. How essential and valuable it is we probably do not appreciate until we encounter people who have been deprived of the faculty.

    This unfortunate inability to recognize familiar faces is known to all， but such people can often recognize individuals by their voices， their walking manners or their spectacles. With typical human ingenuity many of these unfortunate people overcome their handicap by recognizing other characteristic features.

    1.It is stated in the passage that ______.

    A.it is unusual for a person to be able to identify a face satisfactorily

    B.the ability to recognize faces unhesitatingly is an unusual gift

    C.quit a few people can visualize faces they have seen

    D.few people can give exact details of the appearance of a face

    2.What the author feels strange about is that _______.

    A.people have the tremendous ability to recognize more than 1，000 faces

    B.people don‘t think much of the problem of how and why we acquire the ability to recognize and remember faces

    C.people don‘t realize how essential and valuable it is for them to have the ability to recognize faces

    D.people have been arguing much over the way people recognize and remember faces

    3.What is the first suggested explanation of the origin of the ability？

    A.It is one of the characteristics peculiar to human beings.

    B.It is acquired soon after birth.

    C.It is something we can do from the very moment we are born.

    D.It is learned from our environment and experiences.

    4.According to the passage， how important is the ability to recognize faces？

    A.It is useful in daily life but is not necessarily essential.

    B.It is absence would make normal everyday life impossible.

    C.Under certain circumstances we could not exist without it.

    D.Normal social life would be difficult without it.

    5.This passage seems to emphasize that ______.

    A.the ability to recognize individuals is dependent on other senses as well as sight

    B.sight is indispensable to recognizing individuals

    C.the ability to recognise faces is a special inborn ability of the brain

    D.the importance of the ability of recognize faces in fully appreciated by people.

    答案：DBCBA

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第三十五篇

     There are spectacular differences between financial markets on the Continent of Europe on the one hand， and in Britain on the other hand. In Britain， the market is really the City of London. It is a free market， and it controls most of the flow of savings to investment. On the Continent， either a few banks or government officials direct the flow of funds to suit their economic plans. In Germany the flow is directed by all-powerful banks. In Britain there is more free interplay of market forces and far fewer regulations， rules and “red tape”。 A French banker summed it up this way： “On the Continent you can‘t do anything unless you’re been told you can； in England on the other hand you can do everything as long as you haven‘t been told not to.”


    There are many basic reasons for these differences. One is that Continental savers tend to prefer gold， cash or short-term assets. They invest only 10% of their savings in institutions like pension funds or insurance companies. But in Britain 50% of savings goes to them， and they， in turn， invest directly in equity market. A far lower proportion of savings is put in the banks in the form of liquid assets than on the Continent. Continental governments intervene directly or through the banks to collect savings together and transform them into medium or long-term loans for investment. The equity market is largely bypassed. On the Continent economic planning tends to be far more centralized than in Britain. In Britain it is possible to influence decisions affecting the country‘s economy from within the City. It attracts a skilled and highly qualified work force. In France， on the other hand， an intelligent young man who wants a career in finance would probably find the civil service more attractive.

    In Britain the market， or more accurately， money tends to be regarded as an end in itself. On the Continent it is regarded as a means to an end： investment in the economy. To British eyes continental systems with possible exception of the Dutch seem slow and inefficient. But there is one outstanding fact the City should not overlook. Britain‘s growth rates and levels of investment over the last ten years have been much lower than on the Continent. There are many reasons for this， but the City must take part of the blame. If it is accepted that the basic function of a financial market is to supply industry and commerce with finance in order to achieve desired rates of growth， it can be said that by concentrating on the market for its own sake the City has tended to forget that basic function.

    1.What is the best title of the passage？

    A.Savings and the Growth Rate.

    B.Banking and Finance： Two Different Realities.

    C.Monetary Policy in Britain.

    D.The European Continent and Britain.

    2.What seems to be the most fundamental reason for this difference？

    A.The British tend to regard money as an end， whereas Continental European consider it a means to an end.

    B.The British invest only 10% of their savings in pension funds.

    C.On the Continent you can‘t do anything unless you have been told you can.

    D.Intelligent young men who want a career tend to go to civil service on the Continent.

    3.According to the passage， the Dutch way of finance and banking ___.

    A.is similar to that of the French.

    B.makes no difference whatever system it is compared to.

    C.is perhaps resembling that of the British.

    D.has a low efficiency.

    4.The word “outstanding” in Line 4， Para 3___

    A.beating

    B.surplus

    C.noticeable

    D.seemingly

    5.In what way does the continental system seem better？

    A.The Continent maintains a higher growth rate and levels of investment.

    B.It has less proportion of savings in the form of liquid assets.

    C.It attracts intelligent young men.

    D.In functions properly despite the fact that the British discount it.

    答案：BACCA

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第三十四篇

     Jogging has become the most popular individual sport in America. Many theories， even some mystical ones， have been advanced to explain the popularity of jogging. The plain truth is that jogging is a cheap， quick and efficient way to maintain （or achieve ）physical fitness.


    The most useful sort of exercise is exercise that develops the heart， lungs， and circulatory systems. If these systems are fit， the body is ready for almost any sport and for almost any sudden demand made by work or emergencies. One can train more specifically， as by developing strength for weight lifting or the ability to run straight ahead for short distances with great power s in football， but running trains your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen more efficiently to all parts of your body. It is worth noting that this sort of exercise is the only kind that can reduce heart disease， the number one cause of death in America.

    Only one sort of equipment is needed – a good pair of shoes. Physicians advise beginning joggers not to run in a tennis or gym shoe. Many design advances have been made in only the last several years that make an excellent running shoe in dispensable if a runner wishes to develop as quickly as possible， with as little chance of injury as possible. A good running shoe will have a soft pad for absorbing shock， as well as a slightly built-up heel and a full heelcup that will give the knee and ankle more stability. A wise investment in good shoes will prevent bilisters and the foot， ankle and knee injures and will also enable the wearer to run on paved or soft surfaces.

    No other special equipment is needed； you can jog in any clothing you desire， even your street clothes. Many joggers wear expensive， flashy warm –up suits， but just as many wear a simple pair of gym shoes and T-shirt； in fact， many people just jog in last year‘s clothes. In cold weather， several layers of clothing are better than one heavy sweater or coat. If joggers are wearing several layers of clothing， they can add or subtract layers as conditions change.

    It takes surprisingly little time to develop the ability to run. The American Jogging Association has a twelve – week program designed to move form a fifteen-minute walk （which almost anyone can manage who is in reasonable health） to a thirty-minute run. A measure of common sense， a physical examination， and a planned schedule are all it takes.

    1.They main purpose of this passage is to _____.

    A.discuss jogging as a physical fitness program

    B.describe the type of clothing needed for jogging

    C.provide scientific evidence of the benefits of jogging

    D.distinguish between jogging as a “common sense ”fitness program and a cult （崇拜） movement

    2.The most useful kind of exercise is exercise that ______.

    A.trains the body for weigh lifting

    B.enables a person to run straight ahead for short distances with great power

    C.is both beneficial and inexpensive

    D.develops the heart， lungs， and circulatory systems

    3.We can conclude from this passage that ______.

    A.because of jogging， heart disease is no longer an American problem

    B.jogging can be harmful if the runner is not properly prepared

    C.warm-up suits are preferable to gym shoes and T-shirts

    D.jogging is bad for the ankles and knees

    4.The author‘s tone ______.

    A.skeptical        B.aggressive        C.approving        D.purely objective

    5.As used in this passage， the word “mystical ” means ________.

    A.awesome       B.horrifying         C.a spirtual discipline    D.vicious

    答案：ADBCC

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第三十三篇

     There was on shop in the town of Mufulira， which was notorious for its color bar. It was a drugstore. While Europeans were served at the counter， a long line of Africans queued at the window and often not only were kept waiting but， when their turn came to be served， were rudely treated by the shop assistants. One day I was determined to make a public protest against this kind of thing， and many of the schoolboys in my class followed me to the store and waited outside to see what would happen when I went in.


    I simply went into the shop and asked the manager politely for some medicine. As soon as he saw me standing in the place where only European customers were allowed to stand he shouted at me in a bastard language that is only used by an employed when speaking to his servants. I stood at the counter and politely requested in English that I should be served. The manager became exasperated and said to me in English， “If you stand there till Christmas I will never serve you.”

    I went to the District commissioner‘s office. Fortunately the District Commissioner was out， for he was one of the old school； however， I saw a young District Officer who was a friend of mine. He was very concerned to hear my story and told me that if ever I wanted anything more from the drugstore all I had to do was come to him personally and he would buy my medicine for me. I protested that that was not good enough. I asked him to accompany me back to the store and to make a protest to the manager. This he did， and I well remember him saying to the manager， “Here is Mr. Kaunda who is a responsible member of the Urban Advisory Council， and you treat him like a common servant.” The manager of the drugstore apologized and said， “If only he had introduced himself and explained who he was， then， of course I should have given him proper service.”

    I had to explain once again that he had missed my point. Why should I have to introduce myself every time I went into a store…any more than I should have to buy my medicine by going to a European friend？ I want to prove that any man of any color， whatever his position， should have the right to go into any shop and buy what he wanted.

    1.“Color bar” in the first paragraph comes closest in meaning to ___.

    A.a bar which is painted in different colors.

    B.the fact that white and black customers are served separately.

    C.a bar of chocolate having different colors.

    D.a counter where people of different colors are served with beer.

    2.The writer was， at the time of the story， ___.

    A.a black school teacher

    B.an African servant

    C.a black， but a friend of Europeans

    D.a rich black

    3.The manager of the drugstore shouted at the writer in a bastard language because ___.

    A.he hadn‘t learned to speak polite English.

    B.he thought the writer wouldn‘t understand English.

    C.that was the usual language used by Europeans when speaking to Africans.

    D.that was the only language he could speak when he was angry.

    4.In the third paragraph， “he was one of the old school” means ___.

    A.he believed in the age-old practice of racial discrimination.

    B.he was a very old man.

    C.he graduated from an old， conservative school.

    D.he was in charge of an old school.

    5.Why didn‘t the writer wait at the window of the drugstore like other black African？

    A.Because he thought he was educated and should be treated differently.

    B.Because he thought， being an important person， he should not be kept waiting.

    C.Because he thought his white friends would help him out.

    D.Because he wanted to protest against racial discrimination.

    答案：BACAD

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第三十二篇

     The life story of the human species goes back a million years， and there is no doubt that man came only recently to the western hemisphere. None of the thousands of sites of aboriginal （土著的） habitation uncovered in North and South America has antiquity comparable to that of old World sites. Man‘s occupation of the New World may date several tens of thousands of years， but no one rationally argues that he has been here even 100，000 years.


    Speculation as to how man found his way to America was lively at the outset， and the proposed routes boxed the compass. With one or two notable exceptions， however， students of American anthropology soon settled for the plausible idea that the first immigrants came b way of a land bridge that had connected the northeast comer of Asia to the northwest corner of North America across the Bering Strait. Mariners were able to supply the reassuring information that the strait is not only narrow – it is 56 miles wide – but also shallow， a lowering of the sea level there by 100 feet or so would transform the strait into an isthmus （地峡）。 With little eels in the way of evidence to sustain the Bering Strait land bridge， anthropologists （人类学家） embraced the idea that man walked dryshod （不湿鞋的） from Asia to America.

    Toward the end of the last century， however， it became apparent that the Western Hemisphere was the New World not only for man but also for a host of animals and plants. Zoologists and botanists showed that numerous subjects of their respective kingdoms must have originated in Asia and spread to America. These findings were neither astonishing nor wholly unexpected. Such spread of populations is not to be envisioned as an exodus or mass migration， even in the case of animals. It is， rather， a spilling into new territory that accompanies increase in numbers， with movement in the direction of least population pressure and most favorable ecological conditions. But the immense traffic in plant and animal‘s forms placed a heavy burden on the Bering Strait land bridge as the anthropologists ahead envisioned it. Whereas purposeful men could make their way across a narrow bridge， the slow diffusion of plant and animals would require an avenue as a continent and available for ages at a stretch.

    1.The movement of plants and animals form Asia to America indicates ______.

    A.that they could not have traveled across the Bering Strait

    B.that Asia and the Western hemisphere were connected by a large land mass

    C.that the Bering Sea was an isthmus at one time

    D.that migration was in the one direction only

    2.The author is refuting the notion that _____.

    A.life arose in America independently of life in Europe

    B.the first settlers in America came during the sixteenth century

    C.a large continent once existed which has disappeared

    D.man was a host to animals and plants

    3.By using the words “boxed the compass ”（in Line 7） the author implies that _____.

    A.the migration of mankind was from West to East

    B.the migration of mankind was from East to West

    C.mankind traveled in all directions

    D.mankind walked from Asia to America

    4.One reason for the migration not mentioned by the author is _____.

    A.overcrowding

    B.favorable environmental conditions

    C.famine

    D.the existence of a land bridge

    5.We may assume that in the paragraph that follows this passage the author argues about______.

    A.the contributions of anthropologist

    B.the contributions of zoologists and botanists

    C.the contributions made by the American Indians

    D.the existence of a large land mass between Asia and North America

    答案：BCCCD

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第三十一篇

     The British psychoanalyst John Bowlby maintains that separation from the parents during the sensitive “attachment” period from birth to three may scar a child‘s personality and predispose to emotional problems in later life. Some people have drawn the conclusion from Bowlby’s work that children should not be subjected to day care before the age of three because of the parental separation it entails， and many people do believe this. But there are also arguments against such a strong conclusion.


    Firstly， anthropologists point out that the insulated love affair between children and parents found in modern societies does not usually exist in traditional societies. For example， we saw earlier that among the Ngoni the father and mother of a child did not rear their infant alone——far from it. Secondly， common sense tells us that day care would not so widespread today if parents， caretakers found children had problems with it. Statistical studies of this kind have not yet been carried out， and even if they were， the results would be certain to be complicated and controversial. Thirdly， in the last decade， there have been a number of careful American studies of children in day care， and they have uniformly reported that day care had a neutral or slightly positive effect on children‘s development. But tests that have had to be used to measure this development are not widely enough accepted to settle the issue.

    But Bowlby‘s analysis raises the possibility that early day care has delayed effects. The possibility that such care might lead to， say， more mental illness or crime 15 or 20 years later can only be explored by the use of statistics. Whatever the long-term effects， parents sometimes find the immediate effects difficult to deal with. Children under three are likely to protest at leaving their parents and show unhappiness. At the age of three or three and a half almost all children find the transition to nursery easy， and this is undoubtedly why more and more parents make use of child care at this time. The matter， then， is far from clear-cut， though experience and available evidence indicate that early care is reasonable for infants.

    1.This passage primarily argues that ___.

    A.infants under the age of three should not be sent to nursery schools.

    B.whether children under the age of three should be sent to nursery schools.

    C.there is not negative long-term effect on infants who are sent to school before they are three.

    D.there is some negative effect on children when they are sent to school after the age of three.

    2.The phrase “predispose to” （Para. 1， line 3） most probably means ___.

    A.lead to

    B.dispose to

    C.get into

    D.tend to suffer

    3.According to Bowlby‘s analysis， it is quite possible that ___.

    A.children‘s personalities will be changed to some extent through separation from their parents.

    B.early day care can delay the occurrence of mental illness in children.

    C.children will be exposed to many negative effects from early day care later on.

    D.some long-term effects can hardly be reduced from children‘s development.

    4.It is implied but not stated in the second paragraph that ___.

    A.traditional societies separate the child from the parent at an early age.

    B.Children in modern societies cause more troubles than those in traditional societies.

    C.A child did not live together with his parents among the Ngoni.

    D.Children in some societies did not have emotional problems when separated from the parents.

    5.The writer concludes that ___.

    A.it is difficult to make clear what is the right age for nursery school.

    B.It is not settled now whether early care is reasonable for children.

    C.It is not beneficial for children to be sent to nursery school.

    D.It is reasonable to subject a child above three to nursery school.

    答案：BDCAD

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第三十篇

     Fresh water life itself， has never come easy in the Middle East. Ever since the Old Testament（旧约圣经） God punished man with 40 days and 40 nights of rain， water supplies here have been dwindling. The rainfall only comes in winter， Inshallah —— Good willing –and drains quickly through the semiarid land， leaving the soil to bake and to thirst for next November.


    The region‘s accelerating population， expanding agriculture， industrialization， and higher living standards demand more fresh water. Drought and pollution limit its availability. War and mismanagement squander it. Says Joyce Starr of the Global Water Summit Initiative， based in Washington， D.C.“ Nations like Israel and Jordan are swiftly sliding into that zone where they are suing all the water resources available to them. They have only 15 to 20 years left before their agriculture， and ultimately their food security， is threatened.”

    I came here to examine this crisis in the making， to investigate fears that “water wars ”are imminent， that water has replaced oil as the region‘s most contentious commodity. For more than two months I traveled through three river valleys and seven nations ——from southern Turkey down the Euphrates River Syria， Iraq， and on to Kuwait； to Israel and Jordan， neighbors across the valley of the Jordan； to the timeless Egyptian Nile.

    Even amid the scarcity there are haves and have – notes. Compared with the United States， which in 1990 had a freshwater potential of 10000 cubic meters（2.6 million galloons） a year for each citizen， Iraq had 5 500， Turkey had 4 000， and Syria had more than 2 800. Egypt‘s potential was only 1 100. Israel had 460， Jordan a meager 260. But these are not firm figures， because upstream use of river water can dramatically alter the potential downstream.

    Scarcity is only one element of the crisis. Inefficiency is another， as is the reluctance of some water – poor nations to change priorities from agriculture to less water – intensive enterprises. Some experts suggest that if nations would share both water technology and resources， they could satisfy the region‘s population， currently 159 million. But in this patchwork of ethnic and religious rivalries， water seldom stands alone as an issue. It is entangled in the politics that keep people from trusting and seeking help from one another. Here， where water， like truth， is precious， each nation tends to find its own water and supply its own truth.

    As Israeli hydrology professor Uri Shamir told me ：“ If there is political will for peace， water will not be a hindrance. If you want reasons to fight， water will not e a hindrance. If you want reasons to fight， water will give you ample opportunities.”

    1.Why “for next November” （para.1）？ Because________.

    A.according to the Ole Testament fresh water is available only in November

    B.rainfall comes only in winter starting form November

    C.running water systems will not be ready until next November

    D.it is a custom in that region that irrigation to crops is done only in November

    2.What is the cause for the imminent water war？

    A.Lack of water resources          B.Lack of rainfall

    C.Inefficient use of water           D.All the above

    3.One way for the region to use water efficiently is to _______

    A.develop other enterprises that cost less water

    B.draw a plan of irrigation for the various nations

    C.import water from water – rich nations

    D.stop wars of any sort for good and all

    4.Uri Shamir‘s viewpoint is that ________.

    A.nations in that region are just fighting for water

    B.people there are thirsty for peace instead of water

    C.water is no problem as long as there is peace

    D.those nations have every reason to fight for water

    5.The author‘s tone in the article can be described as ______-.

    A.depressing     B.urgent      C.joking       D.mocking

    答案：BDACB

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第二十九篇

     Drunken driving——sometimes called America‘s socially accepted form of murder——has become a national epidemic. Every hour of every day about three Americans on average are killed by drunken drivers， adding up to an incredible 250，000 over the past decade.

    A drunken driver is usually defined as one with a 0.10 blood alcohol content or roughly three beers， glasses of wine or shots of whisky drunk within two hours. Heavy drinking used to be an acceptable part of the American macho image and judges were lenient in most courts， but the drunken slaughter has recently caused so many well-publicized tragedies， especially involving young children， that public opinion is no longer so tolerant.


    Twenty states have raised the legal drinking age to 21， reversing a trend in the 1960s to reduce it to 18. After New Jersey lowered it to 18， the number of people killed by 18-20-year-old drivers more than doubled， so the state recently upped it back to 21.

    Reformers， however， fear raising the drinking age will have little effect unless accompanied by educational programs to help young people to develop “responsible attitudes” about drinking and teach them to resist peer pressure to drink.

    Though new laws have led to increased arrests and tests and， in many areas already， to a marked decline in fatalities. Some states are also penalizing bars for serving customers too many drinks. A tavern in Massachusetts was fined for serving six or more double brandies to a customer who “obviously intoxicated” and later drove off the road， killing a nine-year-old boy.

    As the fatalities continue to occur daily in every state， some Americans are even beginning to speak well of the 13 years of national prohibition of alcohol that began in 1919， what President Hoover called the “ noble experiment.” They forgot that legal prohibition didn‘t stop drinking， but encouraged political corruption and organized crime. As with the booming drug trade generally， there is no easy solution.

    1.Drunken driving had become a major problem in America because ___.

    A.most Americans are heavy drinkers.

    B.Americans are now less shocked by road accidents.

    C.accidents attract so much publicity.

    D.drinking is a socially accepted habit in America.

    2.Why has public opinion regarding drunken driving changed？

    A.Because detailed statistics are now available.

    B.Because the news media have highlighted the problem.

    C.Because judges are giving more severe sentences.

    D.Because drivers are more conscious of their image.

    3.Statistics issued in New Jersey suggested that ___.

    A.many drivers were not of legal age.

    B.young drivers were often bad drivers.

    C.the level of drinking increased in the 1960s.

    D.the legal drinking age should be raised.

    4.Laws recently introduced in some states have ___.

    A.reduced the number of convictions.

    B.resulted in fewer serious accidents.

    C.prevented bars from serving drunken customers.

    D.specified the amount drivers can drink.

    5.Why is the problem of drinking and driving difficult to solve？

    A.Because alcohol is easily obtained.

    B.Because drinking is linked to organized crime.

    C.Because legal prohibition has already failed.

    D.Because legislation alone is not sufficient.

    答案：DBDBD

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第二十八篇

     For four lonely years， Evelyn Jones of Rockford， Illinois， lived friendless and forgotten in one room of a cheap hotel. “I wasn‘t sick， but I was acting sick，” the 78-year-old widow says. “Every day was the same—I would just lie on my bed and maybe cook up some soup.” Then， six months ago， she was invited to “The Brighter Side”—Rockford’s day care center for the elderly. Every weekday morning since then， she has left her home to meet nine other old people in a church for a rich program of charity work， trips， games， and—most important of all—friendly companionship.  
    Just a few years ago， there were few choices for the elderly between a normal life in their own homes and being totally confined in nursing homes. Many of them were sent to rest homes long before they needed full-time care. Others like Mrs. Jones， were left to take care of themselves. But in 1971， the White House Conference on Aging called for the development of alternatives to care in nursing homes for old people， and since then， government-supported day-care programs like The Brighter Side have been developed in most big American cities.

    “This represents a real alternative to the feared institution and makes old people believe they have not left the world of living，” says Alice Brophy， 64， director of New York City‘s Office for the Aging. “They do well at the centers， and I hate it when people describe us as elderly playpens.” New York’s 138 centers encourage continuing contact for the aged with the community‘s life. The centers serve more than 15，000 members， and volunteer workers are always looking for new ones. If someone doesn’t show up at the center for several days in a row， a worker at the center calls to make sure all is well. And although participation in the center is free， those who want to can pay for their lunches.

    No normal studies have been made of these centers for the elderly， but government officials are enthusiastic. In the future， the Public Health Service will do a study to decide if the programs can receive federal Medicare money. And the old people themselves are very happy with the programs. “There is no way，” says Evelyn Jones， smiling at her new companions at the Brighter Side， “that I will ever go back to spending my day with all those loses at the hotel.”

    1.What is the main idea of the article？

    A.Day care centers may be able to receive federal Medicare money.

    B.Day care centers can make life better for elderly people.

    C.Many old people in the United States are lonely.

    D.Old people have no place in their society.

    2.According to Para 2， why did many old people have to go to nursing homes？

    A.They need full-time care.

    B.They wanted to go there.

    C.They were sent there.

    D.They were volunteers there.

    3.According to Alice Brophy （in Paragraph 3）___.

    A.the centers are like elderly playpens.

    B.the old people do well at the day care centers.

    C.old people like nursing institutions.

    D.outside the Brighter side they don‘t work for the old.

    4.“This represents a real alternative to the feared institution.” （in Paragraph 3） In the sentence “this” means ___.

    A.most big American cities.

    B.rest homes.

    C.day care programs.

    D.the White House Conference on aging.

    5.How does the writer of the article seem to feel about day care centers for the elderly？

    A.The writer approves of them.

    B.The writer disapproves of them.

    C.The writer thinks nursing homes are better.

    D.He doesn‘t say anything about it.

    答案：BCBCA

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第二十七篇

     How often do you sit still and do absolutely nothing？ The usual answer these days is “never”， or “hardly ever”。 As the pace of life continues to increase， we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life， being on the go from morning till night， it is hard to slow down and unwind. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.


    Stress is a natural part of everyday life. There is no way to avoid it， since it takes many and varied forms——driving in traffic， problems with personal relationships are all different forms of stress. Stress， in fact， is not the “baddy” it is often reputed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to level performance and ill health.

    The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people thrive on stress， and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others crumple at the sight of unusual difficulties.

    When exposed to stress， in whatever form， we react both chemically and physically. In fact， we invoke the “fight” mechanism， which in more primitive days made the difference between life and death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme， but however minimal the stress， it involves the same response. All the energy is diverted to cope with the stress， with the result that other functions， such as digestion， are neglected.

    It is when such a reaction is prolonged， through continued exposure to stress， that health becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure， coronary heart disease（冠心病）all have established links with stress. The way stress affects a person also varies with the individual. Stress in some people produces stomach disorders， while others succumb to tension headaches. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives， we need to find ways to cope with it.

    1.The reason that many people find it very difficult to relax these days is that ___.

    A.they are working harder than they used to be.

    B.they are often too busy to find the time.

    C.they are suffering from the effects of stress.

    D.they are not clear of how to relax by themselves.

    2.We learn from the passage that ___.

    A.how much stress one can bear depends greatly on whether he knows the art of relaxation.

    B.people in primitive days survived from stress because they found certain mechanism to cope with it.

    C.if one gets into the habit of relaxing every day he can overcome stress easily.

    D.stress can lead to serious health problem if one is exposed to it for too long.

    3.The sentence “Stress， in fact， is not the ‘baddy’ it is often reputed to be” suggests that ___.

    A.stress used to have a bad reputation of causing ill health.

    B.we should not take it for granted that stress is unavoidable.

    C.stress is not so terrible as people often believe it to be.

    D.people do not think stress is as harmful as it was before.

    4.The pronoun “it” at the end of the passage refers back to __.

    A.ill health

    B.exposure

    C.reaction

    D.stress.

    5.What is writer‘s attitude to stress according to the passage？

    A.Stress as well as relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.

    B.Stress produces both positive and negative effects on people.

    C.Stress should not be eliminated completely from the life.

    D.People usually work better under stress if they are healthy.

    答案：BDCDB

幽幽草

第二十六篇

     Improbable as it may seem， an increasing number of Germans are giving up their elegant Mercedeses， sleek BMWs and ferociously fast Porsches and getting behind the wheels of imported American models – fro plush Cadillacs to more prosaic Fords. Unlike the cars produced by Detroit‘s European subsidiaries， these cars are as American as apple pie and watery beer. And thanks to a favorable exchange rate， they are more affordable than ever Last year Germans bought 12 477 new U.S. –built cars； sales are expected to double this year.


    Like blue jeans， this buy – America fad appeals to Germans from all walks of life. Once regarded as faulty， flashy， gas – guzzling Goliaths， American autos are – thanks in large measure to foreign competition –more stylish and reliable than in years past. Tugged， off- road vehicles like the four-wheel drive Jeep Cherokee are now the hot wheels to drive among Germany‘s thirty- something set. Owners and Aficionados of American – made care also boast their cars are cheaper to maintain.

    But that‘s not the main reason German motorists are choosing U.S. imports – It’s their price. Even after the cost of overseas shipping is included， American – made cars offer more value – and deluxe features – for less money than German models. A Chrysler LeBaron convertible sells for 35 000 marks； a BMW 320i convertible， by comparison， commands 10 000 marks more. And U.S. autos come with standard equipment – electric windows， automatic locks and sun roofs – that‘s available only as expensive options on German models.

    Owning an American car in Germany is not for everybody. But the worst headaches come form the German bureaucracy. Johann Erben， a Greiburg dental lab technician， purchased a LeBaron convertible during a U.S. trip in November – and has yet to drive it one kilometer. First， he waited months for the proper registration documents to arrive； then he spent more than 1 000 marks to have it comply with German regulations. Even so， safety inspectors refused to approve it until he changed the headlights and windows to European Community standards. “There I was with my supermodern， $ 20，000 car and unable to get it through inspection，” Erben recalled.

    1.Detroit‘s European subsidiaries _______.

    A.produce the same models as Detroit supplies in the U.S. market

    B.provide cars of European styles

    C.produce cars that are thought to be un-American by Germans

    D.could hardly meet the demand for American cars last year

    2.The buy-American fad that appeals to Germans most seems to be _______.

    A.blue jeans                B.apple pie

    C.U.S.-made cars         D.watery beer

    3.As for Germans， American cars not only are cheaper but _______.

    A.endures wear and tear      B.are adaptable to road conditions

    C.provides greater space      D.offers more deluxe features

    4.Which of the following statements is true？

    A.American cars used to consume a lot of oil.

    B.Japanese cars still lead the German market.

    C.The U.S. motor industry is now confident to cope with recession.

    D.German cars are going to provide the same standard equipment as American-made cars.

    5.European Community standards probably are _______.

    A.a law to control the amount of imported goods from other continents

    B.a set of standards to inspect imported cars

    C.a system to regulate measures of manufactured goods

    D.a set of standards to control product quality

    答案：CADAC

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第二十五篇
    The government-run command post in Tunis is staffed around the clock by military personnel， meteorologists and civilians. On the wall are maps， crisscrossed with brightly colors arrows that painstakingly track the fearsome path of the enemy.


    What kind of invader gives rise to such high-level monitoring？ Not man， not beast， but the lowly desert locust.（蝗虫） In recent months， billions of the 3-inch-long winged warriors have descended on Algeria， Libya， Morocco and Tunisia， blackening the sky and eating up crops and vegetation. The insect invasion， the worst in 30 years， is already creating great destruction in the Middle East and is now treating southern Europe. The current crisis began in late 1985 near the Red Sea. Unusually rainy weather moistened the sands of the Sudan， making them ideal breeding grounds for the locust， which lays its eggs in the earth. The insect onslaught threatens to create yet another African famine. Each locust can eat its weight （not quite a tenth of an ounce） in vegetation every 24 hours. A good-size swarm of 50 billion insects eats up 100，000 tons of grass， trees and crops in a single night.

    All ﹩150 million may be needed this year. The U.S. has provided two spraying planes and about 50，000 gal. of pesticide. The European Community has donated ﹩3.8 million in aid and the Soviet Union， Canada， Japan and China have provided chemical-spraying aircraft to help wipe out the pests. But relief efforts are hampered by the relative mildness of approved pesticides， which quickly lose their deadly punch and require frequent replications. The most effective locust killer dieldrin has been linked to cancer and is banned by many Western countries and some of the affected African nations. More then 5 million acres have been dusted with locust-killing chemicals； another 5 million will be treated by the end of June.

    On May 30， representatives of Tunisia， Algeria， Libya， Morocco and Mauritania will meet in Algiers to discuss tactics to wipe out the ravenous swarms. The move is an important step， but whatever plan is devised， the locust plague promised to get worse before the insects can be brought under control.

    1.The main idea of the first sentence in the passage is that ___.

    A.the command post is stationed with people all the time.

    B.the command post is crowed with people all the time.

    C.there are clocks around the command post.

    D.the clock in the command post is taken care of by the staff.

    2.The favorable breeding ground for the locust is ___.

    A.rich soil.

    B.wet land

    C.paces covered crops and vegetation

    D.the Red Sea

    3.People are alert at the threat of the locust because ___.

    A.the insects are likely to create another African famine.

    B.the insects may blacked the sky.

    C.the number of the insects increases drastically.

    D.the insects are gathering and moving in great speed.

    4.Which of the following is true？

    A.Once the pesticides are used， locust will die immediately.

    B.Relief efforts are proved most fruitful due to the effectiveness of certain pesticides.

    C.Dieldrin， the most effective locust killer， has been widely accepted in many countries.

    D.Over 10 million acres of affected area will have been treated with locust-killing chemicals by the end of June.

    5.The purpose for affected nations to meet in Algiers on May 30 is ___.

    A.to devise antilocust plans.

    B.to wipe out the swarms in two years.

    C.to call out for additional financial aid from other nations.

    D.to bring the insects under control before the plague gets worse.

    答案：BBADA

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第二十四篇

     The American economic system is organized around a basically private-enterprise， market-oriented economy in which consumers largely determine what shall be produced by spending their money in the marketplace for those goods and services that they want most. Private businessmen， striving to make profits， produce these goods and services in competition with other businessmen； and the profit motive， operating under competitive pressures， largely determines how these goods and services are produced. Thus， in the American economic system it is the demand of individual consumers， coupled with the desire of businessmen to maximize profits and the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes， that together determine what shall be produced and how resources are used to produce it.

    An important factor in a market-oriented economy is the mechanism by which consumer demands can be expressed and responded to by producers. In the American economy， this mechanism is provided by a price system， a process in which prices rise and fall in response to relative demands of consumers and supplies offered by seller-producers. If the product is in short supply relative to the demand， the price will be bid up and some consumers will be eliminated from the market. If， on the other hand， producing more of a commodity results in reducing its cost， this will tend to increase the supply offered by seller-producers， which in turn will lower the price and permit more consumers to buy the product. Thus， price is the regulating mechanism in the America economic system.

    The important factor in a private-enterprise economy is that individual are allowed to own productive resources （private property）， and they are permitted to hire labor， gain control over natural resources， and produce goods and services for sale at a profit. In the American economy， the concept of private property embraces not only the ownership of productive resources but also certain rights， including the right to determine the price of a product or to make a free contract with another private individual.

    1.In Para. 1， “ the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes” means ___.

    A.Americans never feel satisfied with their incomes.

    B.Americans tend to overstate the amount of their incomes.

    C.Americans want to have their incomes increased.

    D.Americans want to increase the purchasing power of their incomes.

    2.The first two sentences in the second paragraph clarity the idea to us that ___.

    A.producers can satisfy the consumers by mechanized production.

    B.consumers can express their demands through producers.

    C.producers decide the prices of products.

    D.supply and demand regulate prices.

    3.The word “embraces” in Para. 3 probably parallels ___.

    A.enfold

    B.hug

    C.comprehend

    D.support

    4.According to the passage， a private-enterprise economy is characterized by ___.

    A.private property and rights concerned.

    B.manpower and natural resources control.

    C.ownership of productive resources

    D.free contracts and prices.

    5.The passage is mainly talking about ___.

    A.how American goods are produced.

    B.how American consumers buy their goods.

    C.how American economic system works.

    D.how American businessman make their profits.

    答案：DDCAC

幽幽草

第二十三篇

     There are various ways in which individual economic units can interact with one another. Three basic ways may be described as the market system， the administered system， and the traditional system.


    In a market system individual economic units are free to interact among each other in the marketplace. It is possible to buy commodities from other economic units or sell commodities to them. In a market， transactions may take place via barter or money exchange. In a barter economy， real goods such as automobiles， shoes， and pizzas are traded against each other. Obviously， finding somebody who wants to trade my old car in exchange for a sailboat may not always be an easy task. Hence， the introduction of money as a medium of exchange eases transactions considerably. In the modern market economy， goods and services are bought or sold for money.

    An alternative to the market system is administrative control by some agency over all transactions. This agency will issue edicts or commands as to how much of each good and service should be produced， exchanged， and consumed by each economic unit. Central planning may be one way of administering such an economy. The central plan， drawn up by the government， shows the amounts of each commodity produced by the various firms and allocated to different households for consumption. This is an example of complete planning of production， consumption， and exchange for the whole economy.

    In a traditional society， production and consumption patterns are governed by tradition； every person‘s place within the economic system is fixed by parentage， religion， and custom. Transactions take place on the basis of tradition， too. People belonging to a certain group or caste may have an obligation to care for other persons， provide them with food and shelter， care for their health， and provide for their education. Clearly， in a system where every decision is made on the basis of tradition alone， progress may be difficult to achieve. A stagnant society may result.

    1.What is the main purpose of the passage？

    A.To outline contrasting types of economic systems.

    B.To explain the science of economics.

    C.To argue for the superiority of one economic system.

    D.To compare barter and money-exchange markets.

    2.In the second paragraph， the word “real” in “real goods” could best be replaced by ___，

    A.high quality

    B.concrete

    C.utter

    D.authentic.

    3.According to the passage， a barter economy can generate ___.

    A.rapid speed of transactions.

    B.misunderstandings.

    C.inflation

    D.difficulties for the traders.

    4.According to the passage， who has the greatest degree of control in the administered system？

    A.Individual households

    B.Small businesses.

    C.Major corporations.

    D.The government.

    5.Which of the following is not mentioned by the author as a criterion for determining a person‘s position in a traditional society？

    A.Family background

    B.Age

    C.Religious beliefs.

    D.Custom

    答案：ABDDB

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第二十二篇

    Western airliner manufacturers seem to be tripping over themselves in their eagerness to sign collaborative agreements with Asian partners as a low-cost route to developing new airliners. Their potential Asian partners seem to be tripping over themselves to sign such agreements， as a low-cost route to acquiring new airliner technology. If they are not careful the two sides will end up tripping over each other： the one by selling its birth-right for short-term gain， the other by trying to break into a market which isn‘t big enough to sustain it.


    Technology transfer works in a growing market， where the aspirations of the new entrant receiving that technology can be met through expansion. The airliner market is not such a device.

    Even the most optimistic projections of airliner sales for the next 20 years show that airliner manufacture can only be profitable if a small number of aircraft builders share the available sales. It follows that if new manufacturers come into the market and take sales， their sales must come from substitution， not expansion.

    Given the complexity of today‘s airliners， it is unlikely that any new entrant will have both the financial and technical resources to come into the market without the involvement of an established manufacturer. In the short term， such involvement may not be to the exclusive benefit of the new entrant： most of the established manufacturers are searching for ways to reduce costs of manufacture.

    In the short term，， it can be of benefit to an established Western manufacturer to have either components of complete air – frames made or assembled in lower-wage economics such a China， Taiwan or Korea， while retaining the design， development and marketing of aircraft for itself. It would be a very unwise Western manufacturer which did not heed the fact that these developing economies are acquiring skills （ like computing ） at least as quickly as they are acquiring skills in metallbashing.

    The danger comes when the new entrant no longer needs the established Western partner because it has acquired the technical and intellectual ability to design and build its own aircraft. An Asian partner may well find itself in the happy position of having the low-cost labour base， the high-cost technology base and the vital financial base to build a new airliner.

    1.The author‘s attitude towards Western/eastern collaboration can be depicted as ________.

    A.positive        B.progressive         C.conservative        D.negative

    2.“The airliner market is not such a device ” means that the airliner market _______.

    A.does not encourage technology transfer

    B.is too limited to offer chances of success

    C.requires hi-tech rather than unaccepted devices

    D.is full of competitions even for new entrants

    3.Established manufacturers  search for partners in order to _______.

    A.save the cost of the airframe         B.improve some aircraft components

    C.save the cost of labour              D.develop new technology

    4.According to the author， a wise established manufacturer should ______.

    A.try to benefit from both financial and technical resources

    B.break up his partnership with the East once profits are made

    C：keep a tight told over hi-tech development and marketing of airliners

    D.collaborate with Asian partners for a short time

    5.The word “base” in the last paragraph represents_______.

    A.a production place

    B.the initial operation of building aircraft

    C.a research institute

    D.a position where to start building

    答案：CDADA

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第二十一篇

    Is it possible to persuade mankind to live without war？ War is an ancient institution， which has existed for at least six thousand years. It was always bad and usually foolish， but in the past human race managed to live with it. Modern ingenuity has changed this. Either man will abolish war， or war will abolish man. For the present， it is nuclear weapons that cause the most serious danger， but bacteriological or chemical weapons may， before long， offer an even greater threat. If we succeed in abolishing nuclear weapons， our work will not be done. It will never be done until we have succeeded in abolishing war. To do this， we need to persuade mankind to look upon international questions in a new way， not as contests of force， in which the victory goes to the side which is most skillful in killing people， but by arbitration in accordance with agreed principles of law. It is not easy to change very old mental habits， but this is what must be attempted.


    There are those who say that the adoption of this or that ideology would prevent war. I believe this to be a big error. All ideologies are based upon dogmatic statements that are， at best， doubtful， and at worst， totally false. Their adherents believe in them so fanatically that they are willing to go to war in support of them.

    The movement of world opinion during the past few years has been very largely such as we can welcome. It has become a commonplace that nuclear war must be avoided. Of course very difficult problems remain in the world， but the spirit in which they are being approached is a better one than it was some years ago. It has begun to be thought， even by the powerful men who decide whether we shall live or die， that negotiations should reach agreements even if both sides do not find these agreements wholly satisfactory. It has begun to be understood that the important conflict nowadays is not between different countries， but between man and the atom bomb.

    1.This passage implies that war is now ___.

    A.worse than in the past.

    B.as bad as in the past

    C.not so dangerous as in the past

    D.as necessary as in the past

    2.In the sentence “To do this， we need to persuade mankind” （Para 1）， “this” refers to ___.

    A.abolish war

    B.improve weapons

    C.solve international problems

    D.live a peaceful life

    3.From Paragraph 2 we learn that the author of the passage ___.

    A.is an adherent of some modern ideologies.

    B.does not think that adoption of any ideology could prevent war.

    C.believe that the adoption of some ideology could prevent war.

    D.does not doubt the truth of any ideologies.

    4.According to the author， ___.

    A.war is the only way to solve international disputes.

    B.war will be less dangerous because of the improvement of weapons.

    C.it is impossible for the people to live without war.

    D.war must be abolished if man wants to survive.

    5.The last paragraph suggests that ___.

    A.international agreements can be reached more easily now.

    B.man begins to realize the danger of nuclear war.

    C.nuclear war will definitely not take place.

    D.world opinion welcomes nuclear war

    答案：AABDB

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第二十篇：

     In general， our society is becoming one of giant enterprises directed by a bureaucratic（官僚主义的） management in which man becomes a small， well-oiled cog in the machinery. The oiling is done with higher wages， Nell-ventilated factories and piped music， and by psychologists and “human – relations” experts； yet all this oiling does not alter the fact that man has become powerless， that he is bored with it. In fact， the blue and the white-collar workers have become economic puppets who dance to the tune of automated machines and bureaucratic management.


    The worker and employee are anxious， not only because they might find themselves out of a job； they are anxious also because they are unable to acquire any real satisfaction of interesting life. They live an die without ever having confronted the fundamental realities of human existence as emotionally and intellectually independent and productive human beings.

    Those higher up on the social ladder are no less anxious. Their lives are no less empty than those of their subordinates. They are even more insecure in some respects. They are in a highly competitive race. To be promoted or to fall behind is not a matter of salary but even more a matter of self-respect. When they apply for their first job， they are tested for intelligence as well as for the right mixture of submissiveness and independence. From the moment on they are tested again and again – by the psychologists， for whom testing is a big business， and by their superiors， who judge their behavior， sociability， capacity to get along， etc. This constant need to prove that one is as good as or better than one‘s fellow – competitor creates constant anxiety and stress， the very causes of unhappiness and illness.

    Am I suggesting that we should return to the preidustrial mode of production or to nineteenth-century “free enterprise ” capitalism？ Certainly not. Problems are never solved by returning to a stage which one has already outgrown. I suggest transforming our social system form a bureaucratically managed industrialism in which maximal production and consumption are ends in themselves into a humanist industrialism in which man and full development of his potentialities – those of all love and of reason – are the aims of social arrangements. Production and consumption should serve only as means to this end， and should be prevented from ruling man.

    1.By “ a well-oiled cog in the machinery ” the author intends to deliver the idea that man is ____.

    A.a necessary part of the society though each individual‘s function is negligible

    B.working in complete harmony with the rest of the society

    C.an unimportant part in comparison with the rest of the society

    D.a humble component of the society， especially when working smoothly

    2.The real cause of the anxiety of the workers and employees is that ____.

    A.they are likely to lose their hobs

    B.they have no genuine satisfaction or interest in life

    C.they are faced with the fundamental realities of human existence

    D.they are deprived of their individuality and independence

    3.From the passage we can conclude that real happiness of life belongs to those _____.

    A.who are at the bottom of the society

    B.who are higher up in their social status

    C.who prove better than their fellow – competitors

    D.who could dip far away from this competitive world

    4.To solve the present social problems the author puts foruard a suggestion that we should ______.

    A.resort to the production mode of our ancestors

    B.offer higher wages to the workers and employees

    C.enable man to fully develop his potentialities

    D.take the fundamental realities for granted

    5.The author‘s attitude towards industrialism might best be summarized as one of ______.

    A.approval                B.dissatisfaction

    C.suspicion               D.susceptibility

    答案：CDDCB

幽幽草

第十九篇 ：

     Everyone has a moment in history， which belongs particularly to him. It is the moment when his emotions achieve their most powerful sway over him， and afterward when you say to this person “the world today” or “life” or “reality” he will assume that you mean this moment， even if it is fifty years past. The world， through his unleashed（释放的）emotions， imprinted itself upon him， and he carries the stamp of that passing moment forever.


    For me， this moment—four years in a moment in history—was the war. The war was and is reality for me. I still instinctively live and think in its atmosphere. These are some of its characteristics： Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the president of the United States， and he always has been. The other two eternal world leaders are Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. America is not， never has been， and never will be what the song and poems call it， a land of plenty. Nylon， meat， gasoline， and steel are rare. There are too many jobs and not enough workers. Money is very easy to earn but rather hard to spend， because there isn‘t very much to buy. Trains are always late and always crowded with “service men”。 The war will always be fought very far from America， and it will never end. Nothing in America stands still for very long， including the people who are always either leaving or on leave. People in America cry often. Sixteen is the key and crucial and natural age for a human being to be， and people of all other ages are ranged in an orderly manner ahead of and behind you as a harmonious setting for the sixteen-year-olds of the world. When you are sixteen， adults are slightly impressed and almost intimidated by you. This is a puzzle finally solved by the realization that they foresee your military future： fighting for them. You do not foresee it. To waste anything in America is immoral. String and tinfoil are treasures. Newspapers are always crowed with strange maps and names of towns， and every few months the earth seems to lurch（突然倾斜）from its path when you see something in the newspapers， such as the time Mussolini， who almost seemed one of the eternal leaders， is photographed hanging upside down on a meat hook.

    1.Which statement best depicts the main idea of the first paragraph？

    A.Reality is what you make of it.

    B.Time is like a river.

    C.Emotions are powerful.

    D.Every person has a special moment.

    2.Why does the author still clearly remember the war？

    A.Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President.

    B.It was his personal reality and part of his life.

    C.There was not much to buy.

    D.The war would never end.

    3.Which statement best describes the author‘s feelings about the war？

    A.It was ever real for him， yet he was not actively involved.

    B.It was real for him because he was a soldier at that time.

    C.It was very unreal to him.

    D.The war was very disruptive to the people at home.

    4.Why does the author think that adults are impressed with sixteen-year-olds？

    A.Adults would like to be young.

    B.Sixteen-year-olds do not waste things.

    C.Sixteen-year-olds read newspapers.

    D.They will be fighting soon for adults.

    5.Why does the author say that string and tinfoil are treasures？

    A.The war has made them scarce.

    B.They are useful to sixteen-year-olds.

    C.He liked them when he was sixteen.

    D.People are very wasteful.

    答案：DBADA