[北京大学]2011年北大MBA考前英语强化讲义阅读理解

[北京大学]2011年北大MBA考前英语强化讲义阅读理解 年MBA考前辅导强化班阅读讲义 2011 Unit One Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or Part A unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. You should decide on the best choice . Passage 1 More and more, the operations of our businesses, governments, and financial institutions are controlled by information that exists only inside computer memories. Anyone clever enough to modify this information for his own purposes can reap substantial rewards. Even worse, a number of people who have done this and been caught at it have managed to get away without punishment. It’s easy for computer crimes to go undetected if no one checks up on what the computer is doing. But even if the crime is detected, the criminal may walk away not only unpunished but with a glowing recommendation from his former employers. Of course, we have no statistics on crimes that go undetected. But it’s disturbing to note how many of the crimes we do know about were detected by accident, not by systematic inspections or other security procedures. The computer criminals who have been caught may been the victims of uncommonly bad luck. For example, a certain keypunch operator complained of having to stay overtime to punch extra cards. Investigation revealed that the extra cards she was being asked to punch were for dishonest transactions. In another case, dissatisfied employees of the thief tipped off (向……透露) the company that was being robbed. Unlike other lawbreakers, who must leave the country, commit suicide, or go to jail, computer criminals sometimes escape punishment, demanding not only that they not be charged but that they be given good recommendations and perhaps other benefits. All to often, their demands have been met. Why? Because company executives are afraid of the bad publicity that would result if the public found out that their computer had been misused. They hesitate at the thought of a criminal boasting in open court of how he juggled (耍弄) the most confidential records right under the noses of the company’s executives, accountants, and security staff. And so another computer criminal departs with just the recommendations he needs to continue his crimes elsewhere. 1. It can be concluded from the passage that ______. A. it is still impossible to detect computer crimes today B. computer crimes are the most serious problem in the operation of financial institutions C. computer criminals can escape punishment because they can’t be detected D. people commit computer crimes at the request their company 2. It is implied in the third paragraph that ______. A. many more computer crimes go undetected than are discovered B. the rapid increase of computer crimes is a troublesome problem C. most computer criminals are smart enough to cover up their crimes D. most computer criminals who are caught blame their bad luck 3. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage? A. A strict law against computer crimes must be enforced. B. Companies need to impose restrictions on confidential information. C. Companies will guard against computer crimes to protect their reputation. D. Companies usually hesitate to uncover computer crimes. 4. What may happen to computer criminals once they are caught? A. With a bad reputation they can hardly find another job. B. They will be denied access to confidential records. C. They may walk away and easily find another job. D. They must leave the country or go to jail. 5. The passage is mainly about ______. A. why computer crimes are difficult to detect by systematic inspections B. why computer criminals are often able to escape punishment C. how computer criminals manage to get good recommendation from their former employers D. why computer crimes can’t be eliminated Passage 2 It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. We live in a consumer society where there is an enormous demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover, an increase in industrial production is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase presumes an abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy provides an inexhaustible and economical source of power and that it is therefore essential for an industrially developing society. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power, except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run and maintained by relatively few technical and administrative staff. The nuclear reactor represents an enormous step in our scientific evolution and, whatever the anti – nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel. However, opponents of nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to civil liberties. Furthermore, it is questionable whether ultimately nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have, for example, been very costly accidents in America, in Britain and, of course, in Russia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium (铀) in addition to the cost of greater safety provisions could price nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy wastes valuable resources and disturbs the ecology to an extent which could bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive, we cannot afford nuclear energy. In spite of the case against nuclear energy outlined above, nuclear energy programmes are expanding. Such an expansion assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. However, it is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue. Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and ecological reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power. 1. The writer’s attitude toward nuclear energy is ______. A. indifferent B. favorable C. tolerant D. negative 2. According to the opponents of nuclear energy, which of the following is true of nuclear energy? A. Primitive. B. Exhaustible. C. Cheap. D. Unsafe. 3. Some people claim that nuclear energy is essential because ______. A. it provides a perfect solution to mass unemployment B. it represents an enormous step forward in our scientific evolution C. it can meet the growing demand of an industrially developing society D. nuclear power stations can be run and maintained by relatively few technical and administrative staff 4. Which of the following statements does the writer support? A. The demand for commercial products will not necessarily keep increasing. B. Nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. C. Uranium is a good source of energy for economic and ecological reasons. D. Greater safety provisions can bring about the expansion of nuclear energy programmes. 5. The function of the last sentence is to ______. A. advance the final argument B. reflect the writer’s attitude C. reverse previously expressed thoughts D. show the disadvantages of nuclear power Passage 3 If sustainable competitive advantage depends on work – force skills, American firms have a problem. Human – resource management is not traditionally seen as central to the competitive survival of the firm in the United States. Skill acquistion is considered an individual responsibility. Labor is simply another factor of production to be hired – rented at the lowest possible cost – much as one buys raw materials or equipment. The lack of importance attached to human – resource management can be seen in the corporate hierarchy. In an American firm the chief financial officer is almost always second in command. The post of head of human – resource management is usually a specialized job, off at the edge of the corporate hierarchy. The executive who holds it is never consulted on major strategic decisions and has no chance to move up to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). By way of contrast, in Japan the head of human – resource management is central – usually the second most important executive, after the CEO, in the firm’s hierarchy. While American firms often talk about the vast amounts spent on training their work forces, in fact they invest less in the skills of their employees than do either Japanese or German firms. The money they do invest is also more highly concentrated on professional and managerial employees. And the limited investments that are made in training workers are also much more narrowly focused on the specific skills necessary to do the next job rather than on the basic background skills that make it possible to absorb new technologies. As a result, problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive. If American workers, for example, take much longer to learn how to operate new flexible manufacturing stations than workers in Germany (as they do), the effective cost of those stations is lower in Germany than it is in the United States. More time is required before equipment is up and running at capacity, and the need for extensive retraining generates costs and creates bottlenecks that limit the speed with which new equipment can be employed. The result is a slower pace of technological change. And in the end the skills of the population affect the wages of the top half. If the bottom half can’t effectively staff the processes that have to be operated, the management and professional jobs that go with these processes will disappear. 1. Which of the following applies to the management of human resources in American companies? A. They hire people at the lowest cost regardless of their skills. B. They see the gaining of skills as their employees’ own business. C. They attach more importance to workers than equipment. D. They only hire skilled workers because of keep competition. 2. What is the position of the head of human – resource management in an American firm? A. He is one of the most important executives in the firms. B. His post is likely to disappear when new technologies are introduced. C. He is directly under the chief financial executive. D. He has no say in making important decisions in the firm. 3. The money most American firms put in training mainly goes to ______. A. workers who can operate new equipment B. technological and managerial staff C. workers who lack basic background skills D. top executives 4. According to the passage, the decisive factor in maintaining a firm’s competitive advantage is ______. A. the introduction of new technologies B. the improvement of worker’s basic skills C. the rational composition of professional and managerial employees D. the attachment of importance to the bottom half of the employees 5. What is the main idea of the passage? A. American firms are different from Japanese and German firms in human – resource management. B. Extensive retraining is indispensable to effective human – resource management. C. The head to human – resource management must be in the central position in a firm’s hierarchy. D. The human – resource management strategies of American firms affect their competitive capacity. Passage 4 A few common misconceptions. Beauty is only skin – deep. One’s physical assets and liabilities don’t count all that much in a managerial career. A woman should always try to look her best. Over the last 30 years, social scientists have conducted more than 1,000 studies of how we react to beautiful and not – so – beautiful people. The virtually unanimous conclusion: Looks do matter, more than most of us realize. The data suggest, for example, that physically attractive individuals are more likely to be treated well by their parents, sought out as friends, and pursued romantically. With the possible exception of women seeking managerial jobs, they are also more likely to be hired, paid well, and promoted. Un – American, you say, unfair and extremely unbelievable? One again, the scientists have caught us mouthing pieties (虔诚) while acting just the contrary. Their typical experiment works something like this. They give each member of a group – college students, perhaps, or teachers or corporate personnel mangers – a piece of paper relating an individual’s accomplishments. Attached to the paper is a photograph. While the papers all say exactly the same thing the pictures are different. Some show a strikingly attractive person, some an average – looking character, and some an unusually unattractive human being. Group members are asked to rate the individual on certain attributes, anything from personal warmth to the likelihood that he or she will be promoted. Almost invariably, the better looking the person in the picture, the higher the person is rated. In the phrase, borrowed from Sappho, that the social scientists use to sum up the common perception, what is beautiful is good. In business, however, good looks cut both ways for women, and deeper than for men. A Utah State University professor, who is an authority on the subject, explains: In terms of their careers, the impact of physical attractiveness on males in only modest. But its potential impact on females can be tremendous, making it easier, for example, for the more attractive to get jobs where they are in the public eye. On another note, though, there is enough literature now for us to conclude that attractive women who aspire (追求) to managerial positions do not get on as well as women who may be less attractive. 1. According to the passage, people often wrongly believe that in pursuing a career as a manager ______. A. a person’s property or debts do not matter much B. a person’s outward appearance is not a critical qualification C. women should always dress fashionably D. women should not only be attractive but also high – minded 2. The result of research carried out by social scientists show that ______. A. people do not realize the importance of looking one’s best B. women in pursuit of managerial jobs are not likely to be paid well C. good – looking women aspire to managerial positions D. attractive people generally have an advantage over those who are not 3. Experiments by scientists have shown that when people evaluate individuals on certain attributes ______. A. they observe the principle that beauty is only skin – deep B. they do not usually act according to the views they support C. they give ordinary – looking persons the lowest ratings D. they tend to base their judgment on the individual’s accomplishments 4. ―Good looks cut both ways for women‖ (Line 1, Para. 5) means that ______. A. attractive women have tremendous potential impact on public jobs B. good – looking women always get the best of everything C. being attractive is not always an advantage for women D. attractive women do not do as well as unattractive women in managerial positions 5. It can be inferred from the passage that in the business world ______. A. handsome men are not affected as much by their looks as attractive women are B. physically attractive women who are in the public eye usually do quite well C. physically attractive men and women who are in the public eye usually get along quite well D. good looks are important for women as they are for men Part B Directions: Read the following passage carefully and then give short answers to the five questions in the fewest possible words For many women choosing whether to work or not to work outside their home is a luxury: they must work to survive. Others face a hard decision. Perhaps the easiest choice has to do with economics. One husband said, "Marge and I decided after careful consideration that for her to go back to work at this moment was an extravagance (奢侈) we couldn't afford." With two preschool children, it soon became clear in their figuring that with babysitters (临时照看小孩的人), transportation, and increased taxes, rather than having more money, they might actually end up with less. Economic factors are usually the first to be considered, but they are not the most important. The most important aspects of the decision have to do with the emotional needs of each member of the family. It is in this area that husbands and wives find themselves having to face many confusing and conflicting feelings. There are many women who find that homemaking is boring or who feel imprisoned (被囚禁) if they have to stay home with a young child or several children. On the other hand, there are women who think that homemaking gives them the deepest satisfaction. From my own experience, I would like to suggest that sometimes the decision to go back to work is made in too much haste. There are few decisions that I now regret more. I wasn't mature enough to see how much I could have gained at home. I regret my impatience to get on with my career. I wish I had allowed myself the luxury of watching the world through my little girl’s eyes. Questions: 1. Which word in the first two paragraphs best explains why many women have to work? _______________________________________________________________. 2. Why did Marge and her husband think it an extravagance for Marge to go back to work? _______________________________________________________________. 3. What are the two major considerations in deciding whether women should go out to work? _______________________________________________________________. 4. Some women would rather do housework and take care of their children than pursue a career because they feel ____________________________________________________. 5. If given a second chance, the writer would probably choose to __________________ _______________________________________________________________. Unit Two Part A Passage 1 Cyberspace (网络空间), data superhighways, multi media,for those who have seen the future, the linking of computers, television and telephones will change our lives for ever. Yet for all the talk of a forthcoming technological utopia (乌托邦), little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor. As with all new high technology, while the West concerns itself with the ―how‖, the question of ―for whom‖ is put aside once again. Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communications revolution has affected the world economy. Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries, and transnational corporations take full advantage of it. Terms of trade, exchange and interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods. The electronic economy made possible by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets,with destructive impact on the have –nots. For them the result is instability. Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine. As ―futures‖ (期货) are traded on computer screens, developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies. So what are the options for regaining control? One alternative is for developing countries to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications themselves,so-called ―development communications‖ modernization. Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints on developing countries’ economies. Communications technology is generally exported from the U.S., Europe or Japan; the patents, skills and ability to manufacture remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries. It is also expensive, and imported products and services must therefore be bought on credit,credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain. Furthermore, when new technology is introduced there is often too low a level of expertise to exploit it for native development. This means that while local elites, foreign communities and subsidiaries of transnational corporations may benefit, those whose lives depend on access to the information are denied it. 1. From the passage we know that the development of high technology is in the interests of _____. A. the rich countries B. scientific development C. the elite D. the world economy 2. It can be inferred from the passage that _____. A. international trade should be expanded B. the interests of the poor countries have not been given enough consideration C. the exports of the poor countries should be in creased D. communications technology in the developing countries should be modernized 3. Why does the author say that the electronic economy may have a destructive impact on developing countries? _____ A. Because it enables the developed countries to control the international market. B. Because it destroys the economic balance of the poor countries. C. Because it violates the national boundaries of the poor countries. D. Because it inhibits the industrial growth of developing countries. 4. The development of modern communications technology in developing countries may _____. A. hinder their industrial production B. cause them to lose control of their trade C. force them to reduce their share of exports D. cost them their economic independence 5. The author’s attitude toward the communications revolution is _____. A. positive B. critical C. indifferent D. tolerant Passage 2 When we talk about getting online, we mean being connected to the Internet –-- a giant network of computers that connects people and information all over the world. The Internet has a lot in common with other forms of communication: Like the U.S. Postal Service, the Internet allows anyone who knows your Internet address to send you a letter. (It’s called electronic mail, or e-mail for short.) Like the telephone, the Internet allows you to ―chat‖ with other people by participating in online discussion groups. Like the library, the Internet contains information on almost any topic you can imagine in many formats, including books, articles，videos, and music recordings. Like the newspaper, the Internet can give you new information every day, including world news, business, sports, travel, entertainment, and ads. In addition to words, one part of the Internet –-- the World Wide Web (often shortened to WWW or the Web) –-- is especially interesting to people because it includes pictures and sounds. The Internet began in the 1960s as a U.S. Department of Defense communication network. Soon after, university researchers and professors began to use it to communicate with others in their fields. Internet use really took off in the early 1990s with the arrival of the Web, which made it easier to find and view information online. Today, millions of people throughout the world are connected to the Internet. No one --– no country, organization, or company --– is in charge of the Internet; it’s growing and its format and content is being changed by its users every day. A computer that is connected to the Internet allows you to turn your home, community center, local library, or school into a place of unlimited information and communication. The Internet can help your family: Find educational resources, including up-to-the minute news, copies of important documents and photos, and collections of research information on topics ranging from weather conditions to population statistics. Get help with homework through online encyclopedias and other reference materials and access to experts. Increase reading skills by providing access to interesting materials and suggestions for additional reading. Improve technology and information skills necessary to find and use information, solve problems, communicate with others, and meet a growing demand for these skills in the workplace. Connect with places around the world to exchange mail with electronic pen pals and learn about other cultures and traditions. Locate parenting information and swap ideas with other families. Learn and have fun together by sharing interesting and enjoyable experiences. (418 words) 1. Which of the following is TRUE about the Internet? A. The Internet is a giant computer that connects people and information all over the world. B. The Internet allows anyone who knows your home address to send you a letter. C. The Internet contains information on almost any topic you can imagine. D. U.S. Department of Defense Communication Network is in charge of the Internet now. 2. Which of the following is NOT true about the web? A. Web is one part of the Internet and began in the 1960s. B. Web is especially interesting to people because it includes pictures and sounds. C. Web made it easier to find and view information online. D. No organization is in charge of the Web. 3. As the result of the arrival of the Web, ______. A. U.S. Department of Defense Communication Network began to use the Internet B. Internet began to be used widely by people C. University researchers and professors began to use the Internet D. Millions of people throughout the world began to use the Internet 4. This passage lays stress on ______. A. the use and history of the Internet B. the use of the Internet C. the history of the information superhighway D. the way of getting on line 5. Which of the following points is NOT included in the passage? A. The Internet can help your family find educational resources. B. The Internet can do your children’s homework. C. The Internet can help your family have fun together by sharing interest and enjoyable experiences. D. The Internet can help your children improve their reading skills. Passage 3 In general, our society is becoming one of giant enterprises directed by a bureaucratic management in which man becomes a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery. The oiling is done with higher wages, well-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 does not wholeheartedly participate in his work and 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 or interest in life. They live and 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 that 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 preindustrial 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 for 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 love and of reason — are the aims of all social arrangements. Production and consumption should serve only as means to this end, and should be prevented from ruling man. (395 words) 1. By ―a well-oiled cog in the machinery‖ the author intends to render 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, though functioning smoothly 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 jobs 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 infer 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 keep far away from this competitive world 4. To solve the present social problems the author suggests 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 B. suspicion D. tolerance Passage 4 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 elative 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 American economic system. The important factor in a private-enterprise economy is that individuals 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 Line 8-9, Para. 1, ―the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes‖ means ______. A. Americans are never satisfied with their incomes B. Americans tend to overstate 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 tell 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. According to the passage, a private-enterprise economy is characterized by ______. A. private property and rights concerned B. manpower and natural resources C. ownership of productive resources D. free contracts and prices 4. The passage is mainly about ______. A. how American goods are produced B. how American consumers buy their goods C. how American economic system works D. how American businessmen make their profits Part B In Britain, the old Road Traffic Act restricted speeds to 2 m.p.h. (miles per hour) in towns and 4 m.p.h. in the country. Later Parliament increased the speed limit to l4 m.p.h. But by l903 the development of the car industry had made it necessary to raise the limit to 20 m.p.h. By l930, however, the law was so wide1y ignored that speeding restrictions were done away with a1together. For five years motorists were free to drive at whatever speeds they liked. Then in l935 the Road Traffic Act imposed a 30 m.p.h. speed limit in built-up areas, along with the introduction of driving tests and pedestrian crossings. Speeding is now the most common motoring offence in Britain. Offences for speeding fall into three classes: exceeding the limit on restricted road, exceeding on any road the limit for the vehicle you are driving, and exceeding the 70 m.p.h. limit on any road. A restricted road is one where the street lamps are 200 yards apart, or more. The main controversy (争论) surrounding speeding laws is the extent of their safety value. The Ministry of Transport maintains that speed limits reduce accidents. It claims that when the 30 m.p.h. limit was introduced in 1935 there was a fall of 15 percent in fatal accidents. Likewise, when the 40 m.p.h. speed limit was imposed on a number of roads in London in the late fifties, there was a 28 percent reduction in serious accidents. There were also fewer casualties (伤亡) in the year after the 70 m.p.h. motorway limit was imposed in 1966. In America, however, it is thought that the reduced accident figures are due rather to the increase in traffic density. This is why it has even been suggested that the present speed limits should be done away with completely, or that a guide should be given to inexperience1drivers and the speed limits made advisory, as is done in parts of the USA. (325 words) Questions: 1. During which period could British motorists drive without speed limits? 2. What measures were adopted in 1935 in addition to the speeding restrictions? 3. Speeding is a motoring offence a driver commits when he ______. 4. What is the opinion of British authorities concerning speeding laws? 5. What reason do Americans give for the reduction in traffic accidents? Unit Three Passage 1 One hundred and thirteen million Americans have at least one bank-issued credit card. They give their owners automatic credit in stores, restaurants, and hotels, at home, across the country, and even abroad, and they make many banking services available as well. More and more of these credit cards can be read automatically, making it possible to withdraw or deposit money in scattered locations, whether or not the local branch bank is open. For many of us the ―cashless society‖ is not on the horizon-it’s already here. While computers offer these conveniences to consumers, they have many advantages for sellers too. Electronic cash registers can do much more than simply ring up sales. They can keep a wide range of records, including who sold what, when, and to whom. This information allows businessmen to keep track of their list of goods by showing which items are being sold and how fast they are moving. Decisions to reorder or return goods to suppliers can then be made. At the same time these computers record which hours are busiest and which employees are the most efficient, allowing personnel and staffing assignments to be made accordingly. And they also identify preferred customers for promotional campaigns. Computers are relied on by manufacturers for similar reasons. Computer-analyzed marketing reports can help to decide which products to emphasize now, which to develop for the future, and which to drop. Computers keep track of goods in stock, of raw materials on hand, and even of the production process itself. Numerous other commercial enterprises, from theaters to magazine publishers, from gas and electric utilities to milk processors, bring better and more efficient services to consumers through the use of computers. 1. According to the passage, the credit card enables its owner to ______. A. withdraw as much money from the bank as he wishes B. obtain more convenient services than other people do C. enjoy greater trust from the storekeeper D. cash money wherever he wishes to 2. From the last sentence of the first paragraph we learn that ______. A. in the future all the Americans will use credit cards B. credit cards are mainly used in the United States today C. nowadays many Americans do not pay in cash D. it is now more convenient to use credit cards than before 3. The phrase ―ring up sales‖ (Line 2, Para. 2) most probably means ―______‖. A. make an order of goods B. record sales on a cash register C. call the sales manager D. keep track of the goods in stock 4. What is this passage mainly about? A. Approaches to the commercial use of computers. B. Conveniences brought about by computers in business. C. Significance of automation in commercial enterprises. D. Advantages of credit cards in business. Passage 2 Among the many ways in which people communicate through speech, public speaking--- also called oratory--- has probably received more study and attracted more attention than any other. Politicians campaigning for public office, salespeople presenting products, and preachers delivering sermons all depend upon this form of public communication. Even people who do not make speaking a part of their daily work are often asked to make public speeches: students at graduation or at pep rallies, for instance, or members of churches, synagogues (犹太教会堂), clubs, or other organizations. Nearly everyone speaks in public at some time or other, and those who perform the task well often become leaders. Public speaking is not informal conversation between two people---nor is it free discussion in a small group or seminar. Speaking becomes public speaking when a person addresses a group of more than one, without interruption, and takes responsibility for the words and ideas being expressed. Public speaking always includes a speaker who has a reason for speaking, an audience that gives that speaker its attention, and a message meant to accomplish a purpose. There are many reasons for speaking in public. An orator may hope to teach an audience about new ideas, for example, or provide information about some topic. Creating a good feeling or entertaining an audience may be another purpose. Public speakers, however, most often seek to persuade an audience to adopt new opinions, to take certain actions, or to see the world in a new way. Public speakers usually know well in advance when they are scheduled to make an address. Consequently, they are able to prepare their message before they deliver it. Sometimes, though, speakers must deliver the message unprepared, or off the cuff, such as when they are asked to offer a toast at a wedding reception or to participate in a televised debate, or interview. Spontaneous speaking of this type is called extemporaneous, or impromptu (即席的, 无准备的) speaking. When they do not have to speak extemporaneously, most speakers write their own speeches. Politicians and business executives sometimes employ professional writers who prepare their speeches for them. These professional writers may work alone or in small teams. Although the speaker may have some input into the contents of the speech, the writers sometimes have a great influence over the opinions expressed by their employers. Regardless of how a speech is prepared, the person who delivers it is given credit for its effect upon its hearers. (410 words) 1. According to the passage, public speaking ________. A. is performed merely by politicians, sales-people and preachers B. is one of the most important ways communicating through speech C. is not only an informal conversation but also a free discussion D. is a kind speaking performed by the public 2. All of the following are mentioned as possible purposes for public speaking EXCEPT ________. A. to bring out a good feeling and amuse the listeners B. to publicize new ideas or broadcast some information C. to convince the audience of something or persuade the audience to do something D. to show off one's eloquence in public occasions 3. Public speakers ________. A. often deliver speeches to the audience extemporaneously B. are usually not able to make preparations in advance C. are not able to deliver a speech without preparation D. usually prepare their message ahead of schedule 4. The phrase "off the cuff" (Line 3, Para. 4) most probably means ________. A. off the subject B. at random C. without preparation D. out of breath 5. We can infer from the passage that the employed professional writers ________. A. always work in groups to prepare speeches for their employers B. are given credit for the effect of the speech upon the audience C. usually have no input into the contents of the speech D. may have indirect influence upon the listeners Passage 3 In 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded, China had just 207 higher educational institutions, and only 117,000 students. Today it has 1032 institutes, 3, 021,100 students, and 402,500 teachers. Despite such progress, reforming China's higher education is currently an issue of widespread concern. Students in China's middle schools learn how to achieve high test scores so they can attend colleges and universities. This learning continues throughout their college lives. The subject specialties at China's higher educational institutions are divided carefully, with no cross-communication among the subjects. This has caused students' knowledge to be restricted to their major subject. Even though students study hard in the classroom, achieve high test scores, and solve academic problems easily, they lack creativity and a working knowledge of other fields. Many suffer a lack of character because such humanistic topics as morality and ethics are omitted from their studies. In the hope of improving the moral awareness of its college graduates, China is reforming its higher educational system, adding more humanistic content to strengthen students' individuality, humanitarianism and creativity. If successful, future Chinese college students will not only be experts in their fields, they also will have knowledge in a broad range of topics, respect the dignity and worth of all creatures, and care about the environment. The State Education Commission has finally decided to adjust college and university subject majors with the intent of increasing students' exposure to the humanities. This will be an important reform in China's higher education. Another serious problem is that courses and textbooks at China's institutions of higher learning are out of date and do not report the latest academic and scientific achievements. In 1996, 221 reforms on college course content were approved for agriculture, the liberal arts, science and engineering, medical science, finance and law. The third problem is that the administration, management, enrollment and distribution systems at China's educational institutions are holdovers from the planned economy, and were designed to support those economic conditions. As China transforms itself from a planned to a market economy, reform of these systems is needed urgently to support the demands of employers. In the past, China's colleges and universities were managed by the State Education Commission and various Chinese ministries. This approach created a large number of single-field institutions. Since 1996, several reforms have been put in place, such as merging single-field institutions into comprehensive universities with broader subject majors, granting educational institutions more autonomy, allowing enterprises to help fund colleges and in return recruit graduates for work, transferring control to local administrations as a way to better serve local economic development. A more mature higher education system is now taking a shape as China approaches the 21st century. (451 words) 1. Which of the following best expresses what the article is about, A. China’s Higher Education has been successfully reformed and is now ready to prepare ststudents for the 21 Century. B. There have been reforms to make the Chinese university curriculum broader, more up-to-date, and more connected with private business enterprises. C. There have been reforms to make the Chinese university curriculum more specialized in areas of technology and science. D. China's Higher Education has great changes in the 21st Century. 2. The most proper title of passage is ________. A. Higher Education B. Reforming China's Higher Education C. The Change of China's Education D. The Problems of China's Education 3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. The courses and textbooks at China's institutions of higher learning are more up-to-date and do not report the latest academic and scientific achievements. B. The administration system at China's educational institutions is holdovers and is designed to support those economic conditions. C. In 1996, 221 reforms on university course content were agreed to agriculture. D. Since 1996, many reforms have merged single-field institutions into comprehensive universities wish broader subject majors, granting educational institutions more autonomy. 4. Which subject at China's higher educational institutions is divided carefully with no cross communication among the subjects? A. the liberal arts B. the humanities C. specialties D. majors 5. When the reforming of China's higher education succeeds, what will happen? A. If successful, college students will be experts. B. If successful, we all will become scholars. C. If successful, Chinese students will have knowledge in all fields. D. If successful, future Chinese college students will not only be experts in their fields, they also will have knowledge in a broad range of topic etc. Passage 4 All couples have problems and disagreements, so it's critical that they learn how to communicate about them in a way that will be helpful instead of making them worse. I do not believe that prescribing specific techniques for communicating is as helpful as focusing on the core attitudes behind the communication. My thoughts on effectively communicating about ANY difficult issue are in keeping with the ideas I used in the "assertiveness training" I did back in the 70s. What I learned was that I could tell people the "correct" words to use and "correct" body language, etc. to be "assertive"---but none of it worked unless it came from "inside" the person. In other words, your ability to communicate has more to do with your attitudes and beliefs about your "right to know" and the degree of "equality" in the relationship (or lack thereof) and the degree of "caring" involved between the two people than in whatever actual words or techniques you use. All these things are FAR more important than the "skills". You can't just "put on the skills like a coat" and have them work. As I said, the words need to come as an outgrowth of an attitude of genuinely wanting to effectively work on whatever problem is being discussed. Another similarity between learning how to effectively discuss a problem and how people learn to talk in an assertive manner is that even if you say everything "just right" (in accordance with the guidelines for using good communication skills), there is NO GUARANTEE that the other person will receive it in the way it is intended. For instance, with assertiveness, someone could perfectly execute an "assertive" conversation and still have it be interpreted as being "aggressive". One way of determining the specific words that are more likely to be effective is to think in terms of the "ego states" as defined by transactional analysis:" parent, adult, and child". You'll have more likelihood of success by approaching the discussion from an "adult", problem-solving way of talking, while avoiding using the "judgmental" words of a "parent" or the "hurt feelings" words of a "child". The bottom line is that you don't need specific communication skills so much as you need to approach any conversation with a certain attitude: that the clear goal is to "improve the relationship" rather than to just "criticize" and / or "change" the other person. With that spirit, you have a better chance of success; without it, all the communication skills in the world won't be enough. (423 words) 1. According to the author, "assertiveness" ________. A. refers to specific techniques for communicating B. means "using the language correctly and moving the body gracefully" C. makes the problems and disagreements between couples even worse D. does not work if it does not come as an outgrowth of a genuine attitude 2. What is considered by the author as much more important than specific techniques in effective communication? A. One's right to know. B. One's attitudes and beliefs behind the communication. C. The degree of "equality" in the relationship. D. The degree of "caring" involved between the two people. 3. Good communication skills cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the communication because ________. A. "assertiveness" may sometimes be interpreted as "aggressiveness" B. it is very difficult to talk in an assertive manner C. there are no guidelines for using the skills D. you may say wrong words and make the situation worse 4. By "think in terms of 'ego states'", the author means that ________. A. we should use the "judgmental" words of a "parent" or the "hurt feelings" words of a "child" B. we should try to "criticize" or "change" the other person C. we should avoid approaching the discussion with a certain attitude D. we should approach the discussion from an "adult", problem solving way of talking 5. The best title of the passage would be ________. A. Assertiveness Training B. Effectively Communicating about Problems C. Good Communication Skills D. How to Solve Problems Part B Would-be language teachers everywhere have one thing in common: they all want some recognition of their professional status and skills, and a job. The former requirement is obviously important on a personal level, but it is vital if you are to have any chance of finding work. Ten years ago, the situation was very different. In virtually every developing country, and in many developed countries as well, being a native English speaker was enough to get you employed as an English teacher. Now employers will only look at teachers who have the knowledge, the skills and attitudes to teach English effectively. The result of this has been to raise non-native English teachers to the same status as their native counterparts —something they have always deserved but seldom enjoyed. Non-natives are now happy-linguistic discrimination is a thing of the past. An ongoing research project, funded by the University of Cambridge, asked a sample of teachers, teacher educators and employers in more than 40 countries whether they regard the native / non-native speakers distinction as being at all important. ―NO‖ was the answer. As long as candidates could teach and had the required level of English, it didn’t matter who they were and where they came from. Thus, a new form of discrimination—this time justified because it singled out the unqualified—liberated the linguistically oppressed. But the Cambridge project did more than just that: it confirmed that the needs of native and non-native teachers are extremely similar. (246 words) 1. The selection of English teachers used to be mainly based on _______________________. 2. What did non-native English teachers deserve but seldom enjoy? 3. What kind of people can now find a job as an English teacher? 4. What is the result of the ―new form of discrimination‖(Line 5, Para.4)? 5. The phrase ―the linguistically oppressed‖ (Line 6, Para. 4) refers to those who were________. Unit Four Passage 1 A history of long and effortless success can be a dreadful handicap, but, if properly handled, it may become a driving force. When the United States entered just such a glowing period after the end of the Second World War, it had a market eight times larger than any competitor, giving its industrial unparalleled economies of scale. Its scientists were the world’s best, its workers the most skilled. America and Americans were prosperous beyond the dreams of the Europeans and Asians whose economies the war had destroyed. It was inevitable that this primacy should have narrowed as other countries grew richer. Just as inevitably, the retreat from predominance proved painful. By the mid-1980s, Americans had found themselves at a loss over their fading industrial competitiveness. Some huge American industries, such as consumer electronics, had shrunk or vanished in the face of foreign competition. By 1987 there was only one American television maker left, Zenith. (Now there is none: Zenith was bought by South Korea’s LG electronics in July.) Foreign-made cars and textiles were sweeping into the domestic market. America’s machine-tool industry was on the ropes. For a while it looked as though the making of semiconductors, which America had invented and which sat at the heart of the new computer age, was going to be the next casualty. All of this caused a crisis of confidence. Americans stopped taking prosperity for granted. They began to believe that their way of doing business was failing and that their incomes would therefore shortly begin to fall as well. The mid-1980s brought one inquiry after another into the cause of America’s industrial decline. Their sometimes sensational findings were filled with warnings about the growing competition from overseas. How things have changed! In 1995 the United States can look back on five years of solid growth while Japan has been struggling. Few Americans attribute this solely to such obvious causes as devalued dollar or the turning of the business cycle. Self-doubt has yield to blind pride. ―American industry has changed its structure, has gone on a diet, has learned to be more quick-witted.‖ According to Richard Cavanagh, executive dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. ―It makes me proud to be an American just to see how our business are improving their productivity.‖ Says Stephen Moore of the Cato Institute, a think-tank in Washington, D.C. And William Sahlman of the Harvard Business School believes that people will look back on this period as ―a golden age of business management in the United States.‖ (419 words) 1. The U.S. achieved its predominance after World War II because ________. A. it had made painstaking effort towards this goal B. its domestic market was eight times larger than before C. the war had destroyed the economies of most potential competitors D. the unparalleled size of its workforce had given an impetus to its economy 2. The loss of U.S. predominance in the world economy in the 1980s is manifested in the fact that American ________. A. TV industry had withdrawn to its domestic market B. semiconductor industry had been taken over by foreign enterprises C. machine-tool industry had collapsed after suicidal actions D. auto industry had lost part of its domestic market 3. What can be inferred from the passage? A. It is human nature to shift between self-doubt and blind pride. B. Intense competition may contribute to economic progress. C. The revival of economy depends on international cooperation. D. A long history of success may pave the way for further development. 4. The author seems to believe the revival of the U.S. economy in the 1990s can be attributed to the ________. A. turning of the business cycle B. restructuring of industry C. improved business management D. success in education Passage 2 Money spent on advertising is money spent as well as any I know of. It serves directly to assist a rapid distribution of goods at reasonable price, thereby establishing a firm home market and so making it possible to provide for export at competitive prices. By drawing attention to new ideas it helps enormously to raise standards of living. By helping to increase demand it ensures an increased need for labor, and is therefore an effective way to fight unemployment. It lowers the costs of many services: without advertisements your daily newspaper would cost four times as much, the price of your television license would need to be doubled, and travel by bus or tube would cost 20 per cent more. And perhaps most important of all, advertising provides a guarantee of reasonable value in the products and services you buy. Apart from the fact that twenty-seven acts of Parliament govern the terms of advertising, no regular advertiser dare promote a product that fails to live up to the promise of his advertisements. He might fool some people for a little while through misleading advertising. He will not do so for long, for mercifully the public has the good sense not to buy the inferior article more than once. If you see an article consistently advertised, it is the surest proof I know that the article does what is claimed for it, and that it represents good value. Advertising does more for the material benefit of the community than any other force I can think of. There is one more point I feel I ought to touch on. Recently I heard a well-known television personality declare that he was against advertising because it persuades rather than informs. He was drawing excessively fine distinctions. Of course advertising seeks to persuade. If its message were confined merely to information—and that in itself would be difficult if not impossible to achieve, for even a detail such as the choice of the color of a shirt is subtly persuasive — advertising would be so boring that no one would pay any attention. But perhaps that is what the well-known television personality wants. (358 words) 1. By the first sentence of the passage the author means that ________. A. he is fairly familiar with the cost of advertising B. everybody knows well that advertising is money consuming C. advertising costs money like everything else D. it is worthwhile to spend money on advertising 2. In the passage, which of the following is NOT included in the advantages of advertising? A. Securing greater fame. B. Providing more jobs. C. Enhancing living standards. D. Reducing newspaper cost. 3. The author deems that the well-known TV personality is ________. A. very precise in passing his judgment on advertising B. interested in nothing but the buyers’ attention C. correct in telling the difference between persuasion and information D. obviously partial in his views on advertising 4. In the author’s opinion, ________. A. advertising can seldom bring material benefit to man by providing information B. advertising informs people of new ideas rather than wins them over C. there is nothing wrong with advertising in persuading the buyer D. the buyer is not interested in getting information from an advertisement Passage 3 Could the bad old days of economic decline be about to return? Since OPEC agreed to supply-cuts in March, the price of crude oil has jumped to almost $26 a barrel, up from less than $10 last December. This near-tripling of oil prices calls up scary memories of the 1973 oil shock, when prices quadrupled, and 1979-80, when they also almost tripled. Both previous shocks resulted in double-digit inflation and global economic decline. So where are the headlines warning of gloom and doom this time? The oil price was given another push up this week when Iraq suspended oil exports. Strengthening economic growth, at the same time as winter grips the northern hemisphere, could push the price higher still in the short term. Yet there are good reasons to expect the economic consequences now to be less severe than in the 1970s. In most countries the cost of crude oil now accounts for a smaller share of the price of petrol than it did in the 1970s. In Europe, taxes account for up to four-fifths of the retail price, so even quite big changes in the price of crude have a more muted effect on pump prices than in the past. Rich economies are also less dependent on oil than they were, and so less sensitive to swings in the oil price. Energy conservation, a shift to other fuels and a decline in the importance of heavy, energy-intensive industries have reduced oil consumption. Software, consultancy and mobile telephones use far less oil than steel or car production. For each dollar of GDP (in constant prices) rich economies now use nearly 50% less oil than in 1973. The OECD estimates in its latest Economic Outlook that, if oil prices averaged $22 a barrel for a full year, compared with $13 in 1998, this would increase the oil import bill in rich economies by only 0.25-0.5% of GDP. That is less than one-quarter of the income loss in 1974 or 1980. On the other hand, oil-importing emerging economies—to which heavy industry has shifted—have become more energy-intensive, and so could be more seriously squeezed. One more reason not to lose sleep over the rise in oil prices is that, unlike the rises in the 1970s, it has not occurred against the background of general commodity-price inflation and global excess demand. A sizable portion of the world is only just emerging from economic decline. The Economist’s commodity price index is broadly unchanging from a year ago. In 1973 commodity prices jumped by 70%, and in 1979 by almost 30%. (427 words) 1. The main reason for the latest rise of oil price is ________. B. reduction in supply A. global inflation C. fast growth in economy D. Iraq’s suspension of exports 2. It can be inferred from the text that the retail price of petrol will go up dramatically if ________. A. price of crude rises B. commodity prices rise C. consumption rises D. oil taxes rise 3. The estimates in Economic Outlook show that in rich countries ________. A. heavy industry becomes more energy-intensive B. income loss mainly results from fluctuating crude oil prices C. manufacturing industry has been seriously squeezed D. oil price changes have no significant impact on GDP 4. We can draw a conclusion from the text that ________. A. oil-price shocks are less shocking now B. inflation seems irrelevant to oil-price shocks C. energy conservation can keep down the oil prices D. the price rise of crude leads to the shrinking of heavy industry 5. From the text we can see that the writer seems ________. A. optimistic B. sensitive C. gloomy D. scared Passage 4 The Shanghai Technical Supervision Bureau recently released the results of a sample survey of 486 Model computers being sold in the city's markets. The survey revealed that nine of 14 types, or 64 percent of imported brand-name computers fulfilled the standards. A large number of the low-quality "foreign" computers which were marketed as world-famous brands were actually counterfeited shoddy (假冒的) products lacking the necessary information such as registered trademarks, factory of origin, quality certifications and safety indices. In addition, a survey of Shanghai footwear markets conducted by the Bureau on 30-odd occasions since early this year indicated various brands of "foreign shoes," including Nike and Puma, were low-quality counterfeited goods. The allegedly world-famous brands, priced between 300,500 Yuan per pair, were actually worth only 40,60 Yuan. An official from the China Consumer Association pointed to the following complaints concerning "foreign goods": Quality problems related to individual commodities have developed into a universal problem directly relate to batch shipments of commodities. It is thus quite obvious that the crackdown on counterfeit shoddy foreign goods is a task requiring the utmost immediacy. The appearance of shoddy counterfeit foreign goods has adversely affected the normal operations of China's real foreign-goods markets, has greatly harmed the interests of consumers and resulted in substantial losses in state tax revenue. Officials have pointed out that the key to cracking down on counterfeit foreign goods is to attack illegal acts related to selling sham (虚假的) foreign goods at the prices applicable for authentic products. Officials recommend that commodity inspection, technical supervision and industrial and commercial departments should strengthen law enforcement efforts, increase the frequency, of inspections, and eliminate the sources of sham foreign goods. Enterprises producing and marketing sham foreign goods should be subject to severe punishment, with all cases referred to the judicial departments for adjudication (判决), and public supervision should be intensified. Consumers, on the other hand, should make every effort to constantly enhance their ability to discern counterfeit foreign goods, and should refrain from blindly purchasing such products simply because of their low price. (344 words) 1. The sample survey on computers discovered that ________. A. four hundred and eighty-six computers were counterfeited ones B. 64 percent of the imported computers were low-quality shoddy products C. nine types of imported computers were up to the standard of their brands D. large numbers of low-quality computers had been imported 2. The survey on Shanghai footwear markets showed that ________. A. "foreign shoes" of various brands were of low quality B. world-famous brands of shoes were actually worth 50 to 60 Yuan C. many of the world famous brand shoes sold were actually counterfeited ones D. people were paying much more than they should to buy foreign goods 3. An official from the China Consumer Association pointed out that ________. A. the quality of foreign goods should be improved immediately B. the problem of counterfeit shoddy foreign goods should be dealt with immediately C. more and more people were dissatisfied with the quality of foreign goods D. improper shipping could damage the quality of goods 4. One of the negative effects of counterfeit foreign goods was that ________. A. prices for foreign goods had to be kept low B. the government suffered great losses in tax collection C. consumers might lose interest in them D. the government might be forced to ban the import of all foreign goods 5. It is suggested in the passage that consumers ________. A. should resist the temptation to buy goods at low prices B. should report counterfeit goods by referring them to the judicial departments C. should perform the role of government inspection bodies to watch out for counterfeit goods D. should learn to distinguish fake foreign goods from real ones for themselves Part B As researchers learn more about how children’s intelligence develops, they are increasingly surprised by the power of parents. The power of the school has been replaced by the home. To begin with all the factors which are part of intelligence—the child’s understanding of language learning patterns curiosity—are established well before the child enters school at the age of six. Study after study has shown that even after school begins children’s achievements have been far more influenced by parents than by teachers. This is particularly true about learning that is language-related. The school rather than the home is given credit for variations in achievement in subjects such as science. In view of their power it’s sad to see so many parents not making the most of their child’s intelligence. Until recently parents had been warned by educators who asked them not to educate their children. Many teachers now realize that children cannot be educated only at school and parents are being asked to contribute both before and after the child enters school. Parents have been particularly afraid to teach reading at home. Of course children shouldn’t be pushed to read by their parents but educators have discovered that reading is best taught individually—and the easiest place to do this is at home. Many four and five-year-old who have been shown a few letters and taught their sounds will compose single words of their own with them even before they have been taught to read. (246 words) Questions: 1. What have researchers found out about the influence of parents and the school on children’s intelligence ? 2. What do researchers conclude about children’s learning patterns? 3. In which area may school play a more important role? 4. Why did many parents fail to make the most of their children’s intelligence? 5. The author suggests in the last paragraph that parents should be encouraged to ______. Unit Five Passage 1 While it is generally agreed that the power of large companies extends beyond the economic sphere, this influence is difficult to measure in any objective way. The processes of business entail (需要，使承担) at least some effort to ensure the sympathetic enactment (法律的制定) and enforcement of legislation, since costs and earnings are affected by tax rates and government regulations. Companies and business groups send agents to local and national capitals and use such vehicles as advertising to enlist (获得赞助、同情等) support for policies that they favor. Although, in many countries, companies may not legally contribute directly to candidates running for public office, their executives and stockholders may do so as individuals. Companies may, however, make payments to influence peddlers (小贩) and contribute to committees working to pass or defeat legislative proposals. In practical terms, many lawmakers look upon companies as part of their constituency (选民，支持者，赞助者), although, if their districts depend on local plants, these lawmakers may be concerned more with preserving jobs than with protecting company profits. In any case, limited-liability companies (有限责任公司) are central institutions in society; it would be unrealistic to expect them to remain aloof (远离，避开) from the political process that affects their operations, performance, and principles. The decisions made by company managements have ramifications throughout society. In effect, companies can decide which parts of the country or even which parts of the world will prosper and which will decline by choosing where to locate their plants and other installations. The giant companies not only decide what to produce but also help to instill (逐渐灌输) in their customers a desire for the amenities (使人愉快的环境，事物) that the companies make available. To the extent that large firms provide employment, their personnel requirements determine the curricula of schools and universities. For these reasons, individuals' aspirations and dissatisfactions are likely to be influenced by large companies. This does not mean that large business firms can influence the public in any way they choose; it is simply that they are the only institutions available to perform certain functions. Automobiles, typewriters, frozen food, and electric toasters (烤面包机) must come from company auspices ([复]保护，赞助) if they are to be provided at all. Understanding this dependence as a given, companies tend to create an environment congenial to the conduct of their business. (389 words) 1. According to the passage, which statement is true? A. The power of large companies is usually confined in the economic sphere. B. The operations of large companies are thoroughly controlled by government regulations. C. It is illegal for any large company to influence the enforcement of legislation. D. Large companies cannot be free from the influence of political processes. 2. All the following statements are true EXCEPT ________. A. Lawmakers may pay more attention to preserving jobs than protecting company profits. B. Few decisions made by large companies have profound ramifications in society. C. Large companies cannot influence the public in any way they like. D. The operations of large companies ale inevitably affected by government policies. 3. It is implied in the passage that all the following are likely to be influenced by large companies, except ________. A. the ambitions of students B. the dissatisfactions of the public C. the number of schools and universities in a specific area D. the curricula of schools and universities in a specific area 4. The best title for this passage should be ________. A. Company Management B. Limited liability Companies C. The Impact of the Large Company D. The Operations of Large Companies 5. The word "ramification" (Line l, Para. 2) most probably means ________. A. requirements B. consequence C. dissatisfactions D. sphere Passage 2 Every product on the market has a variety of costs built into it before it is ever put up for sale to a customer. There are costs of production, transportation, storage, advertising, and more. Each of these costs must bring in some profit at each stage: truckers must profit from transporting products, or they would not be in business. Thus, costs also include several layers of profits. The selling price of a product must take all of these costs (and built in profits) into consideration. The selling price itself consists of a markup over the total of all costs, and it is normally based on a percentage of the total cost. The markup may be quite high, 90 percent of cost, or it may be low. Grocery items in a supermarket usually have a low markup, while mink coats have a very high one. High markups, however, do not in themselves guarantee big profits. Profits come from turnover (营业额). If an item has a 50 percent markup and does not sell, there is no profit. But if a cereal has an 8 percent markup and sells very well, there are reasonable profits. While most pricing is based on cost factors, there are some exceptions. Prestige pricing means setting prices artificially high in order to attract select clientele (客户). Such pricing attempts to suggest that the quality or style of the product is exceptional or that the item cannot be found elsewhere. Stores can use prestige pricing to attract wealthy shoppers. Leader pricing and bait (诱饵) pricing are the opposites of prestige pricing. Leader pricing means setting low prices on certain items to get people to come into the stores. The products so priced are called loss leaders because little or no profit can be made on them. The profits are made from other products people buy while in the store. Bait pricing, now generally considered illegal, means setting artificially low prices to attract customers. The store, however, has no intention of selling goods at the bait prices. The point is to get people into the store and persuade them of the inferiority (次等) of the low priced item. Then a higher priced item is presented as a better alternative. A common retail tactic is odd priced products. For some products of $300, the store will set the price at $295 or $299.95 to give the appearance of a lower price. Automobiles and other high priced products are usually priced in this manner. For some reason $7995 has more appeal to a potential car customer than $8000. Bid pricing is a special kind of price setting. It is often used in the awarding of government contracts. Several companies are asked to submit bids on a job, and normally the lowest bidder wins. A school system may want to buy a large number of computers. Several companies are asked to submit prices, and the school district will decide on the best bid based as well on considerations of quality and service. (506 words) 1. In the first paragraph, "markup" most probably means ________. A. the amount by which a price is raised B. margin C. turnover D. net profits 2. The second paragraph most probably implies ________. A. reducing cost will increase profits certainly B. profits depend on how fast goods are selling C. fair markup promise the greatest profits D. lower markup brings reasonable profits 3. In a department store, the purpose of prestige pricing ________. A. demonstrate the bad quality of these items B. get them to purchase some other articles C. earn some dirty money from these items D. persuade the rich customers to buy 4. Odd-pricing method ________. A. is often used with very expensive items B. is only effective on potential car customers C. is the most popular way of pricing a product D. is the most effective way of selling low priced products 5. In a bidding transaction, ________. A. the buyer search from place to place for desired object B. the government selects the best items C. the government transacts with an individual D. the sellers compete with each other for the bid Passage 3 The traditional distinction between products that satisfy needs and those that satisfy wants is no longer adequate to describe classes of products. In today's prosperous societies the distinction has become blurred because so many wants have been turned into needs. A writer, for instance, can work with paper and pencils. These are legitimate needs for the task. But the work can be done more quickly and efficiently with a word processor. Thus a computer is soon viewed as a need rather than a want. In the field of marketing, consumer goods are classed according to the way in which they are purchased. The two main categories are convenience goods and shopping goods. Two lesser types are specialty goods and unsought goods. It must be emphasized that all of these types are based on the way shoppers think about products, not on the nature of the products themselves. What is regarded as a convenience item in France (wine, for example) may be a specialty good in the United States. People do not spend a great deal of time shopping for such convenience items as groceries, newspapers, toothpaste, razor blades, aspirin, and candy. The buying of convenience goods may be done routinely, as some families buy groceries once a week. Such regularly purchased items are called staples. Sometimes convenience products are bought on impulse: someone has a sudden desire for an ice cream sundae (圣代冰激凌) on a hot day. Or they may be purchased as emergency items. Shopping goods are items for which customers search. They compare prices, quality, and styles, and may visit a number of stores before making a decision. Buying an automobile is often done this way. Shopping goods fall into two classes: those that are perceived as basically the same and those that are regarded as different. Items that are looked upon as basically the same include such things as home appliances, television sets, and automobiles. Having decided on the model desired, the customer is primarily interested in getting the item at the most favorable price. Items regarded as inherently different include clothing, furniture, and dishes. Quality, style, and fashion will either take precedence over price, or they will not matter at all. Specialty goods have characteristics that impel customers to make special efforts to find them. Price may be no consideration at all. Specialty goods can include almost any kind of product. Normally, specialty goods have a brand name or other distinguishing characteristics. Unsought goods are items a consumer does not necessarily want or need or may not even know about. Promotion or advertising brings such goods to the consumer's attention. The product could be something new on the market as the Sony Walkman once was or it may be a fairly standard service, such as life insurance, for which most people will usually not bother shopping. (471 words) 1. A word processor can be looked on as satisfying ________ rather than ________ if it becomes the only means to an end. A. a want, a need B. a need, a want C. a machine, a tool D. a tool, a machine 2. The word "staples" (Line 4, Para. 3) most probably means ________. A. commodities that people buy constantly B. commodities that people do not really want C. commodities that people want but don't need D. commodities that are inconvenient to purchase 3. Shopping goods that are considered as basically the same are those ________. A. that satisfy similar needs of the consumer B. that consumers don't care where to buy them C. that consumers spend much time to look for D. that can be found in nearly every shop 4. Unsought goods refers to ________. A. items a consumer doesn't need B. new items C. life insurance D. All the above 5. From the following, choose the shopping goods that are considered as inherently different ________. A. refrigerator B. car C. dishes D. television set Passage 4 We all have offensive breath at one time or another. In most cases, offensive breath emanates from bacteria in the mouth, although there are other, more surprising causes. Until a few years ago, the most doctors could do was to counsel patients with bad breath about oral cleanliness. Now they are finding new ways to treat the usually curable condition. Bad breath can happen whenever the normal flow of saliva (唾液) slows. Our mouths are full of bacteria feeding on protein in bits of food and shed tissue. The bacteria emit evil- smelling gases, the worst of which is hydrogen sulfide (硫化物). Mouth bacteria thrive in airless conditions. Oxygen-rich saliva keeps their numbers down. When we sleep, for example, the saliva stream slows, and sulfide-producing bacteria gain the upper hand, producing classic ―morning breath‖. Alcohol, hunger, too much talking, breathing through the mouth during exercise – anything that dries the mouth produces bad breath. So can stress, though it’s not understood why. Some people’s breath turns sour every time they go on a job interview. Saliva flow gradually slows with age, which explains why the elderly have more bad- breath trouble than younger people do. Babies, however, who make plenty of saliva and whose mouths contain relatively few bacteria have characteristically sweet breath. For most of us, the simple, dry-mouth variety of bad breath is easily cured. Eating or drinking starts saliva and sweeps away many of the bacteria. Breakfast often stops morning breath. Those with chronic dry mouth find that it helps to keep gum, hard candy, or a bottle of water or juice around. Brushing the teeth wipes out dry-mouth bad breath because it clears away many of the offending bacteria. Surprisingly, one thing that rarely works is mouthwash. The liquid can mask bad-breath odor with its own smell, but the effect lasts no more than an hour. Some mouthwashes claim to kill the bacteria responsible for bad breath. The trouble is, they don’t necessarily reach all offending germs. Most bacteria are well protected from mouthwash under thick layers of mucus (粘液). If the mouthwash contains alcohol—as most do—it can intensify the problem by drying out the mouth. (376 words) 1. The phrase ―emanate from‖ in Paragraph 1 most probably means ―________‖. A. thrive on B. account for C. originate from D. descend from 2. Which of the following is mentioned as one of the causes of bad breath? A. Tooth trouble. B. Sulfur-rich food. C. Too much exercise D. Mental strain. 3. According to the passage, alcohol has something to do with bad breath mainly because ________. A. it keeps offending bacteria from reproducing B. its smell adds to bad breath C. it kills some helpful bacteria D. it affects the normal flow of saliva 4. Mouthwashes are not an effective cure for bad breath mainly because ________. A. they can’t mask the bad odor long enough B. they can’t get to all the offending bacteria C. their strong smell mixes with bad breath and makes it worse D. they can’t cover the thick layers of mucus 5. We can infer from this passage that ________. A. offensive breath can’t easily be cured B. elderly people are less offended by bad breath C. heavy drinkers are less offended by bad breath D. offensive breath is less affected by alcohol Part B Auctions are public sales of goods conducted by an officially approved auctioneer. He asks the crowd assembled in the auction-room to make offers, or "bids", for the various items on sale. He encourages buyers to bid higher figures, and finally names the highest bidder as the buyer of the good. Practically all goods whose qualities vary are sold by auction. Among these are coffee, skins, wool, tea, furs, spices, fruit and vegetables and wines. Auction sales are also useful for land and property, antique furniture, pictures, rare books, old china and works of art. An auction is usually advertised beforehand with full particulars of the articles to be sold and where and when they can be viewed by prospective buyers. If the advertisement cannot give full details, catalogues are printed, and each group of goods to be sold together, called a "lot", is usually given a number. The auctioneer need not be with Lot 1 and continue in numerical order, he may wait until he registers the fact that certain dealers are in the room and then produces the lots they are likely to be interested in. The auctioneer's services are paid for in the form of a percentage of the price the goods are sold for. The auctioneer therefore has a direct interest in pushing up the bidding as high as possible. The auctioneer must know fairly accurately the current market values of the goods he is selling, and he should be acquainted with regular buyers of such goods. He will not waste time by stating the bidding too low. He will also play on the rivals among his buyers and succeed in getting a high price by encouraging two business competitors to bid against each other. It is largely in his advice that a seller will fix a "reserved price", that is, a price below which the goods cannot be sold. Even the best auctioneers, however, find it difficult to stop a "knock-out", whereby dealers illegally arranged beforehand not to bid against each other, but nominate one of themselves as the only bidder, in the hope of buying goods at extremely low prices. If such a "knock-out" comes off, the real auction sale takes place privately afterwards among the dealers. (372 words) Questions: 1. What prices are auctioned goods usually sold? 2. What can the prospective buyer learn from an auction catalogue? 3. Why does the auctioneer decide to sell the "lots" out of their numerical order? 4. The reason why even the best auctioneer can not stop the "knock-out" is that ________. 5. The best title can be described as ________. Unit Six Passage 1 Disagreements among economists are legendary, but not on the issue of free trade. A recent survey of prominent economists both conservative and liberal concluded that an economist who argues for restricting international trade is almost as common today as a physician who favors leeching (用水蛭抽血). Why the consensus? International free trade, economists agree, makes possible higher standards of living all over the globe. The case for free trade rests largely on this principle: as long as trade is voluntary, both partners benefit, otherwise they wouldn’t trade. The buyer of a shirt, for example, values the shirt more than the money spent, while the seller values the money more. Both are better off (经济状况 好的，富裕的) because of the sale. Moreover, it doesn't matter whether the shirt salesman is from the United States or Hong Kong (or anywhere else). The vast majority of American manufactures face international competition. This competition forces companies to improve quality and cut costs. By contrast, protectionism encourages monopoly, lower quality and higher prices. Americans pay an enormous price for protectionism over $ 60 billion a year, or $ 1000 for a family of four. Thanks to protectionism (保护主义的), for example, American consumers pay twice the world price for sugar. Free trade also makes the world economy more efficient, by allowing nations to capitalize on their strengths. The United States has an advantage in food production, for instance, while Saudi Arabia (沙特阿拉伯) has an advantage in oil. The Saudis could undertake massive irrigation to become self-sufficient in food, but it is more economical for them to sell oil and purchase food from us. Similarly, we could become self-sufficient in petroleum by squeezing more out of oil shale (油母页岩). But it is much less costly to buy some of our oil from Saudi Arabia. Trade between our two countries improves the standard of living in both. Protectionism is both wasteful and unjust. It taxes most heavily the people who can least afford it. Thus, tariffs that raise the price of shoes burden the poor more than the rich. Despite the powerful case for free trade, the United States and the rest of the world have always been protectionist to some degree. This is because free trade benefits the general public, while protectionism benefits special interest groups, which are better organized, better financed and more informed. To make matters worse, much of what we hear on this issue is misinformation spread by the special interests themselves. (411 words) 1. The economists ________. A. agree on the restriction of internal trade B. disagree whether to restrict free trade or not C. hold different arguments because of their different interests D. agree on free trade 2. What is the author's attitude toward protectionism denoted from the fifth paragraph? A. Ironic. B. Sincere. C. Grateful. D. Appreciative. 3. According to the free trade principle, the author suggests that ________. A. Saudi Arabia build its own food industry B. Saudi Arabia import food from U. S. C. U. S. become self-sufficient with its oil D. U. S. explore its oil shale 4. Why has protectionism always been exercised even if it is wasteful and unjust? Because ________. A. it helps to establish national industry of one’s own B. it can achieve an independent economy C. it is favored by general public D. it benefits some privileged few 5. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? A. International free trade may improve the standard of living all over the world. B. Economists are all in favor of the free trade policy. C. International free trade may create international competition. D. Protectionism has been abolished due to encouraging monopoly, lower quality and higher prices. Passage 2 The single greatest shift in the history of mass communication technology occurred in the 15th century and was well described by Victor Hugo in a famous chapter of Notre-Dame de Paris. It was a Cathedral. On all parts of the giant building, statuary and stone representations of every kind, combined with huge windows of stained glass, told the stories of the Bible and the saints, displayed the intricacies of Christian theology, adverted to the existence of highly unpleasant demonic winged creatures, referred diplomatically to the majesties of political power, and in addition, by means of bells in bell towers, told time for the benefit of all of Pairs and much of France. It was an awesome engine of communication. In the last ten or twenty years, we have been undergoing a more or less equivalent shift― this time to a new life as a computer-using population. The gain in portability, capability, ease, orderliness, accuracy, reliability, and information storage over anything achievable by pen scribbling, typewriting, and cabinet filing is recognized by all. The progress for civilization is undeniable and, plainly, irreversible. Yet, just as the book's triumph over the cathedral divided people into two groups, one of which prospered, while the other lapsed into gloom, the computer's triumph has also divided the human race. You have only to bring a computer into a room to see that some people begin at once to buzz with curiosity and excitement, sit down to conduct experiments, ooh and ah at the boxes and beeps, and master the use of the computer or a new program as quickly as athletes playing a delightful new game. But how difficult it is―how grim and frightful―for the other people, the defeated class, whose temperament does not naturally respond to computers. The machine whirrs and glows before them and their faces twitch: They may be splendidly educated, as measured by book-reading, yet their instincts are all wrong, and no amount of manual studying and mouse-clic-king will make them right, computers require a sharply different set of aptitudes, and, if the aptitudes are missing, little can be done, and misery is guaranteed. Is the computer industry aware that computers have divided marking into two new, previously unknown classes, the computer personalities and the non-computer personalities? Yes, the industry knows this. Vast sums have been expended in order to adapt the computer to the limitations of non-computer personalities. Apple's Macintosh, with its zooming animations and pull-down menus and little pictures of files folders and watch faces and trash cans, pointed the way. Such seductions have soothed the apprehensions of a certain number of the computer averse. This spring, the computer industry's efforts are reaching a culmination of sorts. Microsoft, Bill Gates' giant corporation, is to bring out a program package called Microsoft Bob, designed by Mr. Gates' wife, Melinda French, and intended to render computer technology available even to people who are openly terrified of computers. Bob's principle is to take the several tasks of operating a computer, rename them in a folksy style, and assign to them the images of an ideal room in an ideal home, with furniture and bookshelves, and with chummy cartoon helpers (―Friends of Bob‖) to guide the computer user over the rough spots, and, in that way, simulate an atmosphere that feels nothing like computers. (555 words) 1. By ―It was an awesome engine of communication‖, the author implies that ________. A. the giant building is sacred B. the giant building is not only sacred, but also can be used to communicate C. the giant building is a mass-communicate technology D. the giant building can told the stories of the Bible 2.The word ―awesome‖ (L 8, Para 1) most probably means ________. A. frightening B. causing fear and respect C. amazingly new D. awful 3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. People who feel miserable with computers are those who love reading books and writing with a pen or a typewriter. B. People who feel miserable with computer are those who are born with a temperament that does not respond to computers. C. People who feel miserable with computers are those who begin to buzz with curiosity and excitement. D. People who feel miserable with computers are those who may be splendidly educated. 4. This spring, the computer industry’s efforts are reaching a culmination of sorts. This shows the author’s ________ attitude. A. confirmative B. skeptical C. frightening D. denying 5. Who designed Microsoft Bob? A. Bill Gates B. Bill Gates’ wife C. Friends of Bob D. Bob Passage 3 Not too many decades ago it seemed ―obvious‖ both to the general public and to sociologists that modern society has changed people’s natural relations, loosened their responsibilities to kin (亲戚) and neighbors, and substituted in their place superficial relationships with passing acquaintances. However, in recent years a growing body of research has revealed that the ―obvious‖ is not true. It seems that if you are a city resident, you typically know a smaller proportion of your neighbors than you do if you are a resident of a smaller community. But, for the most part, this fact has few significant consequences. It does not necessarily follow that if you know few of your neighbors you will know no one else. Even in very large cities, people maintain close social ties within small, private social worlds. Indeed, the number and quality of meaningful relationships do not differ between more and less urban people. Small-town residents are more involved with kin than are big-city residents. Yet city dwellers compensate by developing friendships with people who share similar interests and activities. Urbanism may produce a different stifle of life, but the quality of life does not differ between town and city. Nor are residents of large communities any likelier to display psychological symptoms of stress or alienation, a feeling of not belonging, than are residents of smaller communities. However, city dwellers do worry more about crime, and this leads them to a distrust of strangers. These findings do not imply that urbanism makes little or no difference. If neighbors are strangers to one another, they are less likely to sweep the sidewalk of an elderly couple living next door or keep an eye out for young trouble makers. Moreover; as Wirth suggested, there may be a link between a community’s population size and its social heterogeneity (多样性). For instance, sociologists have found much evidence that the size of a community is associated with bad behavior including gambling, drugs, etc. Large-city urbanites are also more likely than their small-town counterparts to have a cosmopolitan (见多识广者的) outlook, to display less responsibility to traditional kinship roles, to vote for leftist political candidates, and to be tolerant of nontraditional religious groups, unpopular political groups, and so-called undesirables. Everything considered, heterogeneity (异种，不同成分)and unusual behavior seem to be outcomes of large population size. (386 words ) 1. Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the first paragraph? A. Two contrasting views are presented. B. An argument is examined and possible solutions given. C. Research results concerning the quality of urban life are presented in order of time. D. A detailed description of the difference between urban and small-town life is given. 2. According to the passage, it was once a common belief that urban residents ________. A.did not have the same interests as their neighbors B. could not develop long-standing relationships C. tended to be associated with bad behavior D.usually had more friends 3. One of the consequences of urban life is that impersonal relationships among neighbor ________. A. disrupt people’s natural relations B. make them worry about crime C. cause them not to show concern for one another D. cause them to the suspicious of each other 4. It can be inferred from the passage that the bigger a community is ________. A. the better its quality of life B. the more similar its interests C. the more tolerant and open-minded it is D. the likelier it is to display psychological symptoms of stress 5. What is the passage mainly about? A. Similarities in the interpersonal relationships between urbanites and small town dwellers. B. Advantages of living in big cities as compared with living in small towns. C. The positive role that urbanism plays in modern life. D. The strong feeling of alienation of city inhabitants. Passage 4 Being the first black woman elected to Congress has made me some kind of phenomenon. There are nine other blacks in Congress; there are ten other women. I was the first to overcome both handicaps at once. Of the two handicaps, being black is much less of a drawback than being female. If I said that being black is a greater handicap than being a woman, probably no one would question me. Why? Because ―we all know‖ there is prejudice against black people in America. That there is prejudice against women is an idea that still strikes nearly all men—and, I am afraid, most women—as bizarre (异乎寻常的). Prejudice against blacks was invisible to most white Americans for many years. When blacks finally started to ―mention‖ it, with sit-ins (静坐示威), boycotts (抵制), and freedom rides, Americans were incredulous (怀疑的). ―Who, us?‖ they asked in injured tones. ―We're prejudiced?‖ It was the start of a long, painful reeducation for white America. It will take years for whites—including those who think of themselves as liberals—to discover and eliminate the racist attitudes they all actually have. How much harder will it be to eliminate the prejudice against women? I am sure it will be a longer struggle. Part of the problem is that women in America are much more brainwashed (被洗 脑的) and content with their roles as second-class citizens than blacks ever were. Let me explain. I have been active in politics for more than twenty years. For all but the last six, I have done the work—all the tedious details that make the difference between victory and defeat on election day—while men reaped the rewards, which is almost invariably the lot of women in politics. It is still women—about three million volunteers—who do most of this work in the American political world. The best any of them can hope for is the honor of being district or county vice-chairman, a kind of separate-but-equal position with which a woman is rewarded for years of faithful envelope stuffing and card party organizing. In such a job, she gets a number of free trips to state and sometimes national meetings and conventions, where her role is supposed to be to vote the way her male chairman votes. When I tried to break out of that role in 1963 and run for the New York State Assembly seat from Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant, the resistance was bitter. From the start of that campaign, I because of my sex. faced undisguised (不加掩饰的) hostility But it was four years later, when I ran for Congress that the question of my sex became a major issue. Among members of my own party, closed meetings were held to discuss ways of stopping me. Women have not even reached the level of tokenism (象征主义) that blacks are reaching. No women sit on the Supreme Court. Only two have held Cabinet rank, and none do at present. Only two women hold ambassadorial (大使的) rank. But women predominate in the lower-paying, menial (仆人), unrewarding, dead end jobs, and when they do reach better positions, they are invariably paid less than a man gets for the same job. If that is not prejudice, what would you call it? (552 words) 1. The author writes this passage mainly to ________. A. talk about American political system B. argue against the inequality between men and women C. tell of her experience of being elected to Congress D. criticize the racial prejudice in America 2. According to the author, being a woman is a greater drawback than being a black because ________. A. there is no more prejudice against black people in America B. sex prejudice is deeply rooted in people's minds C. not many women show interest in politics D. women are not as well educated as men 3. The phrase ―that role‖ (Line 1, Para. 7) most probably refers to ________. A. being a woman politician who keeps a separate but equal position B. being an office secretary that stuffs envelopes and organizes card parties C. being a voluntary worker in the election campaign D. being a second-class citizen that is supposed to have no prospects of political success 4. According to the passage, the author was most probably ________ before she was elected to the Congress? A. a county vice chair women B. a housewife C. a member of the New York State Assembly D. an ambassador 5. We can learn from the last paragraph that ________. A. prejudice against the blacks has been eliminated B. racial discrimination is a very serious social problem C. to eliminate prejudice against women is still a long struggle D. to run for high-rank positions is very difficult for women Part B The greatest advantage in making your will is that it enables you to name the person you would like to have charge of disposing of your property. It gives you the assurance of knowing that it will be in capable hands. You know that it will be done by someone who is a friend of yours and who will take a personal interest in seeing that your wishes are carried out. If the court has to appoint(任命)an administrator of your estate, while he is bound to follow the law, there is no assurance that it will be done the way you would have wanted it done. Secondly, there are many things you can do in a will that cannot be done under the mere operation of the law. If you want to favor one relative over another, you can do so if you write your will. If you wish to leave some of your property to a good friend, the will is the only way you can do it. If you want your business to be carried on by one of your heirs for a period of time after your death, it will have to be stated in a will. The mere operation of the state law would not allow these things to be done. Suppose you are killed in an automobile accident. You and your wife have no children, but both of you have parents living. Immediately upon your death your wife inherited all of your property by law. One month after your death, and before your wife has taken the time to write a will, she becomes suddenly ill and dies. Since she has no will, all of your property which she inherited from you now goes to her parents. Your parents are left without a cent. Certainly, you would not have wanted it this way had you taken the trouble to write your will and disposed of your property according to your wishes. ( 327 words ) 1. What is the best title for this passage? 2. If you die without a will left, then who will probably, according to the author, take charge of disposing of your property? 3. If you have no relatives, can your best friend obtain your property after your death? Through what way? 4. What does ―it‖ in ―… that it will be in capable hands‖ in Paragraph 1 refer to? 5. How does the author make his point easy to be understood?