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ThediscoveryoftheAntarcticnotonlyprovedoneofthemostinterestingofallgeographicaladventures,butcreatedwhatmightbecalled“theheroicageofAntarcticexploration”.Bytheirtremendousheroism,mensuchasShakleton,Scott,andAmundsencausedanewcontinenttoemergefromtheshadows,andyetthatheroicage,littlemorethanacenturyold,isalreadypassing.Modernscienceandinventionsarerevolutionizingtheendurance,futurejourneysintotheseicywasteswillprobablydependonmotorvehiclesequippedwithcaterpillartractionratherthanonthedogsthatearlierdiscoverersfoundsoinvaluableandhardlycomparable.
FewrealizethatthisAntarcticcontinentisalmostequalinsizetoSouthAmerica,andenormousfieldofworkawaitsgeographersandprospectors.Thecoastsofthiscontinentremaintobeaccuratelycharted,andthemapingofthewholeoftheinteriorpresentsaformidabletasktothecartographerswhoundertakethework.Oncetheirlaborsarecompleted,itwillbepossibletoprospectthevastnaturalresourceswhichscientistsbelievewillfurnishoneofthelargesttreasurehoardsofmetalsandmineralstheworldhasyetknown,andalmostinexhaustiblesourcesofcopper,coal,uranium,andmanyotheroreswillbecomeavailabletoman.SuchdiscoverieswillusherinaneraofpracticalexploitationoftheAntarcticwastes.
Thepolardarknesswhichhidesthiscontinentforthesixwintermonthswillbedefeatedbyhugebatteriesoflight,andmakepossibletheestablishingofair-fieldsforthefutureinter-continentalairservicesbymakingtheseareasaslightasday.Presentflyingrouteswillbecompletelychanged,fortheAntarcticrefuelingbaseswillmakeflightsfromAustraliatoSouthAmericacomparativelyeasyoverthe5,000milesjourney.
Theclimateisnotlikelytoofferaninsuperableproblem,fortheexplorerAdmiralByrdhasshownthattheclimateispossibleevenformencompletelyuntrainedforexpeditionsintothosefrozenwastes.Someofhispartiesweremenwhohadneverseensnowbefore,andyetherecordsthattheysurvivedtherigorsoftheAntarcticclimatecomfortably,sothat,providedthattheappropriateinstallationsaremade,wemayassumethathumanbeingsfromallcountriescouldlivetheresafely.Byrdevenaffirmsthatitisprobablythemosthealthyclimateintheworld,fortheintensecoldofthousandsofyearshassterilizethiscontinent,andrendereditabsolutelygermfree,withtheconsequencesthatordinaryandextraordinarysicknessanddiseasesfromwhichmansuffersinotherzoneswithdifferentclimatesarehereutterlyunknown.Thereexistnoproblemsofconservationandpreservationoffoodsupplies,forthelatterkeepindefinitelywithoutanysignsofdeterioration;itmayevenbethatlatergenerationswillcometoregardtheAntarcticasthenaturalstorehouseforthewholeworld.
Plansarealreadyonfoottosetuppermanentbasesontheshoresofthiscontinent,andwhatsofewyearsagowasregardedasa“deadcontinent”nowpromisestobeamostactivecenterofhumanlifeandendeavor.
1.WhendidmanbegintoexploretheAntarctic?
A.About100yearsago.
B.Inthiscentury.
C.Atthebeginningofthe19thcentury.
D.In1798.
2.Whatmusttheexplorersbe,eventhoughtheyhavemodernequipmentandtechniques?
A.Braveandtough
B.Stubbornandarrogant.
C.Well-likedandhumorous.
D.Stoutandsmart.
3.Themosthealthyclimateintheworldis___.
A.inSouthAmerica.
B.intheArcticRegion.
C.intheAntarcticContinent.
D.intheAtlanticOcean.
4.WhatkindofmetalsandmineralscanwefindintheAntarctic?
A.Magnetite,coalandores.
B.Copper,coalanduranium.
C.Silver,naturalgasanduranium.
D.Aluminum,copperandnaturalgas.
5.Whatisplannedforthecontinent?
A.Buildingdamsalongthecoasts.
B.Settingupseveralsummerresortsalongthecoasts.
C.Mappingthecoastandwholeterritory.
D.Settinguppermanentbasesonthecoasts.
Inthelast12yearstotalemploymentintheUnitedStatesgrewfasterthanatanytimeinthepeacetimehistoryofanycountry–from82to110millionbetween1973and1985–thatis,byafullonethird.Theentiregrowth,however,wasinmanufacturing,andespeciallyinno–blue-collarjobs…
Thistrendisthesameinalldevelopedcountries,andis,indeed,evenmorepronouncedinJapan.Itisthereforehighlyprobablethatin25yearsdevelopedcountriessuchastheUnitedStatesandJapanwillemploynolargeraproportionofthelaborforceInmanufacturingthandevelopedcountriesnowemployinfarming–atmost,10percent.TodaytheUnitedStatesemploysaround18millionpeopleinblue-collarjobsinmanufacturingindustries.By2010,thenumberislikelytobenomorethan12million.Insomemajorindustriesthedropwillbeevensharper.Itisquiteunrealistic,forinstance,toexpectthattheAmericanautomobileindustrywillemploymorethanone–thirdofitspresentblue-collarforce25yearshence,eventhoughproductionmightbe50percenthigher.
Ifacompany,anindustryoracountrydoesnotinthenextquartercenturysharplyincreasemanufacturingproductionandatthesametimesharplyreducetheblue-collarworkforce,itcannothopetoremaincompetitive–oreventoremain“developed.”Theattempttopreservesuchblue–collarjobsisactuallyaprescriptionforunemployment…
ThisisnotaconclusionthatAmericanpoliticians,laborleadersorindeedthegeneralpubliccaneasilyunderstandoraccept.WhatconfusestheissueevenmoreitthattheUnitedStatesisexperiencingseveralseparateanddifferentshiftsinthemanufacturingeconomy.Oneistheaccelerationofthesubstitutionofknowledgeandcapitalformanuallabor.Wherewespokeofmechanizationafewdecadesago,wenowspeakof“robotization“or“automation.”Thisisactuallymoreachangeinterminologythanachangeinreality.WhenHenryFordintroducedtheassemblylinein1909,hecutthenumberofman–hoursrequiredtoproduceamotorcarbysome80percentintwoorthreeyears–farmorethananyoneexpectstoresultfromeventhemostcompleterobotization.Butthereisnodoubtthatwearefacinganew,sharpaccelerationinthereplacementofmanualworkersbymachines–thatis,bytheproductsofknowledge.
1.Accordingtotheauthor,theshrinkageinthemanufacturinglaborforcedemonstrates______.
A.thedegreetowhichacountry’sproductionisrobotized
B.areductioninacountry’smanufacturingindustries
C.aworseningrelationshipbetweenlaborandmanagement
D.thedifferencebetweenadevelopedcountryandadevelopingcountry
2.Accordingtotheauthor,incoming25years,adevelopedcountryorindustry,inordertremaincompetitive,oughtto______.
A.reducethepercentageoftheblue-collarworkforce
B.preserveblue–collarjobsforinternationalcompetition
C.acceleratemotor–canmanufacturinginHenryFord’sstyle
D.solvetheproblemofunemployment
3.Americanpoliticiansandlaborleaderstendtodislike_____.
A.confusioninmanufacturingeconomy
B.anincreaseinblue–collarworkforce
C.internalcompetitioninmanufacturingproduction
D.adropintheblue–collarjobopportunities
4.Theword“prescription”in“aprescriptionforunemployment”maybetheequivalentto______
A.somethingrecommendedasmedicaltreatment
B.awaysuggestedtoovercomesomedifficulty
C.somemeasurestakeninadvance
D.adevicetodire
5.Thispassagemayhavebeenexceptedfrom________
A.amagazineaboutcapitalinvestment
B.anarticleonautomation
C.amotor-carmagazine
D.anarticleonglobaleconomy
Passage4
Questions16to20arebasedonthefollowingpassage:
Successfulinnovationshavedrivenmanyoldertechnologiestoextinctionandhaveresultedinhigherproductivity,greaterconsumptionofenergy,increaseddemandofrawmaterials,acceleratedflowofmaterialsthroughtheeconomyandincreasedquantitiesofmetalsandothersubstancesinuseeachperson.Thehistoryofindustrialdevelopmentaboundswithexamples.
In1870,horsesandmulesweretheprimesourceofpoweronU.S.farms.Onehorseormulewasrequiredtosupportfourhumanbeingsaratiothatremainedalmostconstantformanydecades.Atthattime,hadanationalcommissionbeenaskedtoforecastthepopulationfor1970,itsanswerprobablywouldhavedependedonwhetheritsconsultantswereofaneconomicortechnologicalturnofmind.Hadtheybeen“economists”,theywouldprobablyhaveprojectedthe1970horsesormulepopulationtobemorethan50million.Hadtheybeen“technologists”,theywouldhaverecognizedthatthepowerofsteamhadalreadybeenharnessedtoindustryandtolearnandoceantransport.Theywouldhaverecognizedfurtherthatitwouldbetheprimesourceofpoweronthefarm.Itwouldhavebeendifficultforthemtoavoidtheconclusionthatthehorseandmulepopulationwoulddeclinerapidly.
16.Accordingtothepassage,whatsuppliedmostofthepoweronU.S.farmsin1870?
A.AnimalsB.HumansC.EnginesD.Water
17.WhichofthefollowingisNOTmentionedbytheauthorasaconsequenceofnewtechnologicaldevelopments?
A.Oldertechnologiesdieaway.
B.ThequalityoflifeisImproved.
C.Overallproductivityincrease.
D.Morerawmaterialsbecomenecessary.
18.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassagethatby1870.
A.technologybegantobemoreeconomical
B.thesteamenginehadbeeninvented
C.theU.S.horsepopulationwasabout10million
D.anationalcommissionwasabout10million
19.Inthesecondparagraph,theauthorsuggeststhat“economists”would.
A.plantheeconomythroughyearlyforecasts
B.failtoconsidertheinfluenceoftechnologicalinnovation
C.valuetheeconomiccontributionoffarmanimals
D.consultthenationalcommissionontheeconomy
20.Whatistheauthor’sattitudetowardchangesbroughtonbytechnologicalinnovations?
A.Heisexcitedaboutthem.
B.Heacceptthemasnatural.
C.Heisdisturbedbythem.
D.Hequestionstheirusefulness.
Passage3
Questions11to15arebasedonthefollowingpassage:
About70millionAmericansaretryingtolossweight.Thatisalmost1outofevery3peopleintheUnitedStates.Somepeoplegoonideas.Thismeanstheyeatlesscertainfoods,especiallyfatsandsugars.Otherpeopleexercisewithespecialequipment,takedietpills,orevenhavesurgery.Losingweightishardwork,anditcanalsocostalotofmoney.SowhydosomanypeopleintheUnitedStateswanttoloseweight?
ManypeopleintheUnitedStatesworryaboutnotlookingyoungandattractive.Formanypeople,lookinggoodalsomeansbeingthin.Otherpeopleworryabouttheirhealth.Manydoctorssaybeingoverweightisnothealthy.ButareAmericansreallyfat?Almost30millionAmericansweightatleast20percentmorethantheiridealweight.Infact,theUnitedStateisthemostoverweightcountryinthewild.“ThestoredfatofadultAmericansweight2.3trillionpounds,”saysUniversityofMassachusettsanthropologist(人类学家)GeorgeArmelagos.Hesaysburningoffthatstoredenergywouldproduceenoughpowerfor900,000carstogo12,000miles.
Losingweightishardwork,butmostpeoplewanttofindafastandeasywaytotakeofffat.Bookstoresselllotsofdietbooks.Thesebookstellreadershowtoloseweight.Eachyear,dozensofnewbookslikethesearewritten.Eachoneboaststohelppeopletogetridoffat.
11.WhichofthefollowingisNOTmentionedasawayoflosingweight?
A.Toeatlessfatsandsugars.B.Toworkhard.
12.ManyAmericansaretryingtoloseweightbecause.
A.theywanttolookattractiveB.theyaremisledbydoctors
C.theywanttokeepfitD.bothAandC
13.Thefiguresgiveninthesecondparagraphsuggestthat.
A.AmericansaredependentoncarsB.carsconsumealotofmoney
C.AmericansneedloseweightD.excessoffatcanbeasourceofenergy
14.Itcanbeinferredfromthelastparagraphthat.
A.dietbooksarenotalwayseffectiveB.dietbooksareusuallyhelpful
C.therearelotsofwaysoflosingweightD.bookstoresarekeepingtheirpromises
15.Itcanbeconcludedfromthepassagethat.
A.peoplethinktoomuchoftheirappearance
B.thereisnotasurewayoflosingweightasyet
C.surgeryisthefastestwayoflosingweight
D.goingondietisasafewayoflosingweight
