Theonlysoundsarebirdcallsandthesoftnoise________________(当水缓缓推动草时草所发出的)

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

PartIReadingComprehension

Directions:Inthisparttherearefourpassages.Eachpassageisfollowedbyfourcomprehensionquestions.Readthepassageandanswerthequestions.ThenmarkyouranswerontheAnswerSheet.

Passage1

Questions1to5arebasedonthefollowingpassage:

Askthreepeopletolookthesamewindowatabusystreetcornerandtellyouwhattheysee.Chancesareyouwillreceivethreedifferentanswers.Eachpersonseesthesamescene,buteachperceivessomethingdifferentaboutit.

Perceivinggoesoninourminds.Ofthethreepeoplewholookoutthewindow,onemaysaythatheseesapolicemangivingamotoristaticket.Anothermaysaythatheseesarush-hourtrafficjamattheintersection.Thethirdmaytellyouthatheseesawomantryingtocrossthestreetwithfourchildrenintow.Forperceptionisthemind’sinterpretationofwhatthesenses—inthiscaseoureyes—tellus.

Manypsychologiststodayareworkingtotrytodeterminejusthowapersonexperiencesorperceivestheworldaroundhim.Usingascientificapproach,thesepsychologistssetupexperimentsinwhichtheycancontrolallofthefactors.Bymeasuringandchartingtheresultsofmanyexperiments,theyaretryingtofindoutwhatmakesdifferentpeopleperceivetotallydifferentthingsaboutthesamescene.

1.Seeingandperceivingare.

A.thesameaction

B.twoseparateactions

C.twoactionscarriedonentirelybyeyes

D.severalactionsthattakeplaceatdifferenttimes

2.Perceivingisanactionthattakesplace.

A.inoureyes

B.onlywhenwethinkveryhardaboutsomething

C.onlyunderthedirectionofapsychologist

D.ineveryperson’smind

3.Peopleperceivedifferentthingsaboutthesamescenebecause.

A.theyseedifferentthingsB.somehavebettereyesight

C.theycannotagreeaboutthingsD.noneofthese

4.Whichofthefollowingisimpliedbutnotstatedinthepassage?

A.Psychologistsdonotyetknowpeoplesee.

B.Theexperimentsinwhichallfactorsarecontrolledarebetter.

C.Thestudyofperceptionisgoingonnow.

D.Perceptiondoesnotinvolvepsychologicalfactors.

5.Thebesttitleforthisselectionis.

A.HowWeSee

B.LearningaboutOurMindsthroughScience

C.WhatPsychologistsPerceive

D.HowtoBecauseanExperimentalPsychologist

Recentresearchhasclaimedthatanexcessofpositiveionsintheaircanhaveanilleffectonpeople’sphysicalorpsychologicalhealth.Whatarepositiveions?Well,theairisfullofions,electricallychargedparticles,andgenerallythereisaroughbalancebetweenthepositiveandthenegativecharged.Butsometimesthisbalancebecomesdisturbedandalargerproportionofpositiveionsarefound.Thishappensnaturallybeforethunderstorm,earthquakeswhenwindssuchastheMistral,HamsinorSharavareblowingincertaincountries.Oritcanbecausedbyabuild-upofstaticelectricityindoorsfromcarpetsorclothingmadeofman-madefibres,orfromTVsets,duplicatorsorcomputerdisplayscreens.

Whenalargenumberofpositiveionsarepresentintheairmanypeopleexperienceunpleasanteffectssuchasheadaches,fatigue,irritability,andsomesensitivepeoplesuffernauseaorevenmentaldisturbance.Animalsarealsoaffected,particularlybeforeearthquakes,snakeshavebeenobservedtocomeoutofhibernation,ratstofleefromtheirburrows,dogshowlandcatsjumpaboutunaccountably.ThishasledtheUSGeographicalSurveytofundanetworkofvolunteerstowatchanimalsinanefforttoforeseesuchdisastersbeforetheyhitvulnerableareassuchasCalifornia.

Conversely,whenlargenumbersofnegativeionsarepresent,thenpeoplehaveafeelingofwell-being.Naturalconditionsthatproducetheselargeamountsarenearthesea,closetowaterfallsorfountains,orinanyplacewherewaterissprayed,orformsaspray.Thisprobablyaccountsforthebeneficialeffectofaholidaybythesea,orinthemountainswithtumblingstreamsorwaterfalls.

Toincreasethesupplyofnegativeionsindoors,somescientistsrecommendtheuseofionisers:smallportablemachines,whichgeneratenegativeions.Theyclaimthationisersnotonlycleanandrefreshtheairbutalsoimprovethehealthofpeoplesensitivetoexcesspositiveions.Ofcourse,therearethedetractors,otherscientists,whodismisssuchclaimsandareskepticalaboutnegative/positiveionresearch.Thereforepeoplecanonlymakeuptheirownmindsbyobservingtheeffectsonthemselves,oronothers,ofanegativerichorpoorenvironment.Afterallitisdebatablewhetherdependingonseismicreadingstoanticipateearthquakesismoreeffectivethanwatchingthecat.

1.Whateffectdoesexceedingpositiveionizationhaveonsomepeople?

A.Theythinktheyareinsane.

B.Theyfeelratherbad-temperedandshort-fussed.

C.Theybecomeviolentlysick.

D.Theyaretootiredtodoanything.

2.Inaccordancewiththepassage,staticelectricitycanbecausedby___.

A.usinghome-madeelectricalgoods.

B.wearingclothesmadeofnaturalmaterials.

C.walkingonartificialfloorcoverings.

D.copyingTVprogramsonacomputer.

3.Ahighnegativeioncountislikelytobefound___.

A.nearapoundwithawaterpump.

B.closetoaslow-flowingriver.

C.highinsomebarrenmountains.

D.byarotatingwatersprinkler.

4.Whatkindofmachinecangeneratenegativeionsindoors?

A.Ionisers.

B.Air-conditioners.

C.Exhaust-fans

D.Vacuumpumps.

5.Somescientistsbelievethat___.

A.watchinganimalstoanticipateearthquakesismoreeffectivethandependingonseismography.

B.theunusualbehaviorofanimalscannotbetrusted.

C.neitherwatchingnorusingseismographsisreliable.

D.earthquake

Whichfactorpusheduphouseprices?