In the last 12 years total employment in the United States grew faster than at any time in the peacetime history of any country – from 82 to 110 million between 1973 and 1985 – that is, by a full one third. The entire growth, however, was in manufacturing, and especially in no – blue-collar jobs…
This trend is the same in all developed countries, and is, indeed, even more pronounced in Japan. It is therefore highly probable that in 25 years developed countries such as the United States and Japan will employ no larger a proportion of the labor force I n manufacturing than developed countries now employ in farming – at most, 10 percent. Today the United States employs around 18 million people in blue-collar jobs in manufacturing industries. By 2010, the number is likely to be no more than 12 million. In some major industries the drop will be even sharper. It is quite unrealistic, for instance, to expect that the American automobile industry will employ more than one –third of its present blue-collar force 25 years hence, even though production might be 50 percent higher.
If a company, an industry or a country does not in the next quarter century sharply increase manufacturing production and at the same time sharply reduce the blue-collar work force, it cannot hope to remain competitive – or even to remain “developed.” The attempt to preserve such blue – collar jobs is actually a prescription for unemployment…
This is not a conclusion that American politicians, labor leaders or indeed the general public can easily understand or accept. What confuses the issue even more it that the United States is experiencing several separate and different shifts in the manufacturing economy. One is the acceleration of the substitution of knowledge and capital for manual labor. Where we spoke of mechanization a few decades ago, we now speak of “robotization “ or “automation.” This is actually more a change in terminology than a change in reality. When Henry Ford introduced the assembly line in 1909, he cut the number of man – hours required to produce a motor car by some 80 percent in two or three years –far more than anyone expects to result from even the most complete robotization. But there is no doubt that we are facing a new, sharp acceleration in the replacement of manual workers by machines –that is, by the products of knowledge.
1.According to the author, the shrinkage in the manufacturing labor force demonstrates______.
A.the degree to which a country’s production is robotized
B.a reduction in a country’s manufacturing industries
C.a worsening relationship between labor and management
D.the difference between a developed country and a developing country
2.According to the author, in coming 25years, a developed country or industry, in order t remain competitive, ought to ______.
A.reduce the percentage of the blue-collar work force
B.preserve blue – collar jobs for international competition
C.accelerate motor – can manufacturing in Henry Ford’s style
D.solve the problem of unemployment
3.American politicians and labor leaders tend to dislike_____.
A.confusion in manufacturing economy
B.an increase in blue – collar work force
C.internal competition in manufacturing production
D.a drop in the blue – collar job opportunities
4.The word “prescription” in “a prescription for unemployment” may be the equivalent to ______
A.something recommended as medical treatment
B.a way suggested to overcome some difficulty
C.some measures taken in advance
D.a device to dire
5.This passage may have been excepted from ________
A.a magazine about capital investment
B.an article on automation
C.a motor-car magazine
D.an article on global economy
Part III Cloze
Directions: There are twenty blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices. Choose the one that best fits into the passage and then marks your answer on the Answer Sheet.
There are two factors which determine an individual’s intelligence. The first is the sort of brain he is born 61 . Human brains differ considerably, 62 being more capable than others. 63 no matter how good a brain he has to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence 64 he has opportunities to learn. So the second factor is what 65 to the individual—the sort of environment in which he is brought 66 . If an individual is handicapped (受阻碍) 67 , it is likely that his brain will 68 to develop and he will 69 attain the level of intelligence of which he is 70 .
The importance of environment in determining an individual’s intelligence can be 71 by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and John. When the twins were three months old, their parents died, and they are placed in 72 foster (寄养) homes. Peter was reared by parents of low intelligence in an 73 community with poor educational 74 . John, 75 , was educated in the home of well-to-do parents who has been to college. This environmental 76 continued until the twins were 77 their late teens, 78 they were given tests to 79 their intelligence. John’s I.Q. (智商) was 125, twenty-five points higher than the 80 and fully forty points higher than his identical brother.
61. A. for B. by C. with D. in
62. A. most B. some C. many D. few
63. A. But B. For C. Still D. And
64. A. if B. thought C. as D. unless
65. A. refers B. applies C. happens D. concerns
66. A. about B. up C. forward D. forth
67. A. relatively B. intelligently C. regularly D. environmentally
68. A. fail B. help C. manage D. stop
69. A. ever B. never C. even D. nearly
70. A. able B. capable C. available D. acceptable
71. A. demonstrated B. denied C. neglected D. ignored
72. A. separate B. similar C. remote D. individual
73. A. omitted B. isolated C. enclosed D. occupied
74. A. possibilities B. opportunities C. capacities D. responsibilities
75. A. moreover B. consequently C. then D. however
76. A. exception B. division C. difference D. alteration
77. A. in B. by C. at C. for
78. A. while B. since C. when D. because
79. A. estimate B. count C. decide D. measure
80. A. average B. common C. usual D. ordinary
Directions:
There are 5 incomplete statements here. You should fill in each blank with the proper form of the word given in brackets. Write the word or words in the corresponding space on the Answer Sheet.
31、 Our team will meet with each person to learn about his or her (person)______ and vocational goals.
32、 These questions enable the interviewer (know)______ how you previously reacted or behaved in certain types of situations.
33、 Before (ask) ______ for a promotion, try to find out how the decision makers in your company feel about you.
34、 They are under the (impress)______ that their communication ability is the most important factor in whether or not they will be hired.
35、 We believe that e-learning can be (effective) ______ than traditional instructions in the future.
Part IV Translation：
One of them was from my school days, when our ninth grade teacher, Miss Raber, would pick out words from the Reader’s Digest to test our vocabulary. (Passage Four)