Before the widespread use of computers, managers could not make full use of large amounts of valuable information about a company’s activities. The information either reached managers too late or was too expensive to be used. Today, managers are facing a wide range of data processing and information instruments. In place of a few financial controls, managers can draw on computer-based information systems to control activities in every area of their company. On any kinds at performance measures, the information provided by these systems helps managers compare standards with actual results, find out problems, and take corrective action before it is too late to make changes.
The introduction of computerized information systems has sharply changed management control in many companies. Even a neighborhood shopkeeper may now use computers to control sales and other activities. In large companies, electronic data processing systems monitor entire projects and sets of operations.
Now, there are about 24 million microcomputers in use in the United States, one for every 10 citizens. It is estimated that by 1996, 61 percent of American managers will be using some sort of electronic workstation. In order for managers to be sure that the computer-based information they are receiving is accurate, they need to understand how computers work. However, in most cases they do not need to learn how to program computers. Rather, managers should understand how computerized information systems work; how they are developed; their limitations and costs; and the manner in which information system may be used. Such an understanding is not difficult to achieve.
One research found that business firms were more successful in teaching basic information about computers to business graduates than they were in teaching business subjects to computer science graduates.
46. In the second paragraph the author mentions a neighborhood shopkeeper to show that _____.
A. few people could afford a computer
B. computer is now becoming more and more widely used in business
C. only shopkeepers are wealthy enough to buy computers
D. computer is far more intelligent than man as far as business is concerned
47. From the third paragraph we learn that ________.
A. it is essential that managers know how to program computers
B. managers may sometimes receive inaccurate information from computers
C. in most companies, an employee has to share a computer with at least 9 other employees
D. computerized information system is perfect in every way
48. All of the following statements are true EXCEPT that _________.
A. computer science graduates are quick to learn business subjects because of their professional knowledge about computers
B. with the help of computers, company mangers are now more informed of what’s going on in their companies
C. computer is a great help for business management
D. computerized information enables managers to take timely measures to prevent possible mistakes
49. According to the passage, which of the following statements is right?
A. It’s a difficult task for the managers to deal with a wide range of computer-based information daily.
B. The introduction of computerized information system is a revolution in management
C. In order to perform good management, managers need to have much knowledge about computer.
D. A good knowledge of computer leads managers to success
50. What is the passage mainly about?
A. How to teach information about computers to business graduates.
B. Computer’s growing popularity nationwide.
C. Application of computer in business management.
D. Computer training program for mangers.
TOURNAMENT OF ROSES ----5 Days Los Angeles
Day 1 Los Angeles.( Sun.Dec.30)
Welcome to Los Angeles! This evening mixes with your traveling friends at the welcome reception.
Day 2 Los Angeles.( Mon.Dec.31)
Head to Pasadena for the always colorful ROSE BOWL FAMILY FESTIVAL and watch the floats (彩车)decorated with tens of thousands of flowers.This afternoon, you can take the included visit to the GETTY MUSEUM.This evening, join your travelling friends at a special New Year’s Eve DINNER AND DANCE GALA (盛会), complete with hats, party favors and live music.You’ll toast the New Year a little early tonight to consider an early morning departure (离开) to the Rose Parade.
Day 3 Los Angeles.Tournament of Roses Parade ( Tue.Jan.1)
Happy New Year! Get ready for one of the world’s most popular parades, and you’ll see it live! Globus has booked the GRANDSTAND SEATS at the beginning of the parade route for a good view.See the wonderful colorful floats, marching bands from around the world, and the famous people.
Day 4 Los Angeles.( Wed.Jan.2)
This morning view the individual floats in the POST PARADE VIEWING AREA.For many this is the most exciting part of the entire event.Be sure to bring your camera and plenty of film! Another special dinner tonight—a special GLOBUS FAREWELL CELEBRATION DINNER.
Day 5 Los Angeles.( Thu.Jan.3)
The tour ends today, with tour guests departing on individual schedules.What activity can visitors enjoy on Dec.31?
| A．Tournament of Rose Parade. |
| B．A farewell celebration dinner. |
| C．Post parade viewing area. |
| D．A dinner and dance gala. |
The underlined word “Globus” in Paragraph 3 refers to ________.
| A．the travel agency | B．the local government |
| C．Los Angeles | D．Roses Parade |
According to the passage, you should bring your camera on ________.
| A．Day 2. | B．Day 4 | C．Day 3 | D．Day 5 |
You can most probably read the passage in a ________.
| A．textbook | B．news report |
| C．travel guide | D．history magazine |
If you saw another kid ride her bike too fast around a corner and fall down, you might ride your bike more slowly on that turn.Yes, we humans are very sensitive to others’ mistakes.And the same is true for other animals.Animals mess up all the time.They might eat poisonous leaves, fall off a tree or let their prey(猎物) escape.By watching others fail, an animal can avoid making the same mistakes, thus improving its chance of survival.
Scientists believe that one part of the brain helps animals process information about others’ mistakes.Cells(细胞) in that part appear to become more active when a person sees someone else making a mistake.But researchers didn’t know whether individual cells in this part of the brain play different roles in discovering mistakes.
To investigate（调查） the brain’s response(反应) to mistakes in more detail, the researchers taught a game to two macaques, a type of monkey.One monkey could press a yellow or green button while the other watched.If the first monkey pressed the right button, the team gave both animals a treat.Every couple of rounds, the two monkeys switched roles.Meanwhile, the scientists watched individual cells in the animal’s brains.
When the first monkey messed up the game by pressing the wrong button, a group of cells in the second monkey’s brain fired.But if the second monkey also made the wrong choice during its turn, some of the cells in that group didn’t respond.Those unresponsive cells reacted specifically to mistakes made by others, not to the monkey’s own mistakes.
Scientists believe other parts of the brain also might help people process information about another’s mistakes.“You start to think about this other person and see things from his angle.” Ellen de Brujin, told Science News.She studies the brain at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.According to Paragraph 1, animals’ ability to learn from others’ mistakes______.
| A．helps them to survive better |
| B．used to be ignored by humans |
| C．is being lost because of humans |
| D．ensures that they will never fail |
From the game the scientists taught to two macaques, we can see ______.
| A．animals can avoid the same mistakes |
| B．which part of the brain is more active |
| C．how the brain processes information. |
| D．how the brain responds to mistakes |
In the experiment mentioned, those unresponsive cells are only sensitive to _____.
A.the same buttons
B.the monkey’s brain
C others’ mistakes
D.one’s own mistakes
Gordon Brown was born in Scotland in 1951.His childhood was a brilliant success because of his intellectual strength.He was accepted into middle school at 10.At 16 he became the youngest student at Edinburgh University.
“At that time, he was a lucky boy, good at almost everything,” said his old friend Murray Elder.However, setbacks (挫折) fell on the brilliant boy.After a rugby injury, he became blind in his left eye.Before long, similar symptoms (症状) developed in his right eye.“I lay in the hospital bed in total darkness, uncertain about my future,” said Brown.
Looking back into the past, Brown didn’t complain about his bad luck.He even said: “One door closes; you can’t play rugby any more, so you focus on other things.”
Brown was interested in student politics in university, which helped a lot in his political career later in life.
In 1997, Brown was made Chancellor of the Exchequer (财政大臣).He has succeeded in giving the country a high rate of employment and the longest period of economic growth in its history.
Compared with his successful career, Brown’s family life is full of downs.He lost his first daughter ten days after her birth.His one-year-old youngest son has a deadly disease.“These accidents make me appreciate my life more,” he said.Gordon Brown was successful in his childhood because he _____.
| A．was very intelligent |
| B．went to middle school at 10 |
| C．played rugby very well |
| D．became the youngest student at Edinburgh University |
When Gordon Brown looked back on the past, he _____.
| A．still had hope for the future |
| B．wished that he had not played rugby |
| C．believed that his door was closed |
| D．felt very sad about his misfortune |
Which of the following is TRUE about Gordon Brown?
| A．He didn’t like politics in university. |
| B．He became Chancellor of the Exchequer at 48. |
| C．He did a good job to improve the national economy. |
| D．He didn’t do well for the country’s employment. |
From the last paragraph, we learn that Brown’s family life _____.
| A．is as successful as his career. |
| B．is full of accidents |
| C．makes him upset about his life |
| D．is filled with good luck |
Do you know that Street Sense is? It’s a newspaper in Washington D.C. about homeless people and problems that affect them Homeless, or formerly homeless, Washingtonians write many of the articles. The newspaper’s business model is based on homeless sellers who sell the newspaper. You can hear them call out “Street Sense for sale!” near subway entrances, lunch places and other areas around the city.
The Street Sense newspaper is housed in an office in a Christian church in Washington. Every other Wednesday about fourteen thousand copies are printed. The newspaper expresses the thoughts and experiences of people who call the streets home.
Four staff members work at Street Sense, Tow of them are paid. The staff members write the first two pages of the paper. Interns—students working as part of their studies—and volunteers help. Homeless writers provide the rest of the material. This includes poems, stories and essays.
Street Sense provides training for the homeless people who want to become part of the sales team, After the training, each student is given ten free copies of Street Sense. Once those are sold, trainees become real salespeople. They buy papers for thirty-five cents each and sell them for a dollar.
Lisa Gillespie is the managing editor of Street Sense, She says the newspaper plays a part in homeless people’s lives that other media can not. With the help of the newspaper, a lot of homeless people have become confident again, and their lives have also been improved a lot.What does the writer mainly tell us in Paragraph 1?
A. Something about the Street Sense.
B. Homeless people in Washington D.C.
C. How Street Sense solves homeless people’s problems.
D. Street Sense is very interesting. How often is Street Sense printed?
| A．Once a week | B．Twice a week |
| C．Every two weeks | D．once a month |
What do the staff members mainly do at Street Sense?
| A．They sell newspapers along the street. |
| B．They write the first two pages of the material. |
| C．They edit the newspaper after they receive articles. |
| D．They provide the last two pages of the material. |
What can we infer from this passage?
A. If you are one of the trainees of Street sense, you can get ten dollars from selling all of your newspapers.
B. There are too many homeless people in Washington D.C. for the government to help.
C. Most articles of Street Sense are about Washingtonians’ lives.
D. If you become real salespeople of Street Sense, you can get thirty-five cents from a copy of the newspaper.
Every year, I tell my sons what I'd like for Mother's Day: a letter, something written from the heart and offered freely rather than bought from a store and wrapped neatly. I don't always get my wish, nor do I always take the time to write to my own mother.
This year, my boys will be in two different states on Mother's Day. My mom and dad will be away together, and I'll be driving home from a writer's workshop in Massachusetts. Thinking of the fact that many friends have already lost their mothers and that a few have lost children, I am deeply grateful that what separates us, for now at least, is only distance. It won't always be so, and there is no way to prepare for that fact other than to appreciate the moment that is. My sons know that they can please me on Sunday with a phone call or an e-mail, and that is enough as I love their words. The very best gift they can possibly give me is their own happiness, the very fact of their busy, full and well-lived lives.
Still, knowing that my years of staying with my sons are over, I do feel doleful. The truth is, I miss being the center of the universe to two little boys. And this holiday can be a bit painful.
I wonder if my own mother ever felt nostalgic (怀旧的，乡愁的) for the passing of my childhood. I wonder if she realizes that she is still at the center of my universe and always has been. I don't often pause to think about it, but of course she is the one who has been right there, at my side from the moment I drew my very first breath. How to ever fully appreciate the woman whose presence and love and example have shaped me into the adult I am? How to describe even a small part of the sharing, sacrificing, and support she has given me over the years?The author mainly wants to tell us through the first paragraph that_______.
| A．she hopes to get her son's letters very much |
| B．her sons don't often write to her on Mother's Day |
| C．Mother's Day is the very date that she looks forward to most |
| D．Children are often careless about their parents’ request (请求). |
The author is deeply grateful for the present life because_______.
| A．her sons don't live far away from her home |
| B．her parents and children are still alive |
| C．her parents are coming to her house to spend Mother's Day |
| D．her sons can please her on Sunday with a phone call |
What does the underlined word "doleful" in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A．sad | B．disappointed |
| C．exhausted | D．amused |
What will the author probably tell about after the last paragraph?
| A．She'll tell the reader about her mother's present situation. |
| B．She'll describe the reunion of her family on Mother's Day. |
| C．She'll talk about how her mother educated and cared for her. |
| D．She'll tell the reader about her mother's achievements in her career. |