Made In The USA: An Export Boom
In his State of the Union address two years ago, President Obama argued that in order to recover from the economic recession, one of the few things the U.S. needed to do was to export more goods around the world. That night, the president unveiled a new goal: to double U.S. exports over the next five years. It would be an increase that the president said would “support two million jobs in America.”
Most economists dismissed the promise at the time as something unrealistic, but two years later, the U.S. is on pace to meet that goal. American exports are up 34 percent since the president gave that speech, and the number continues to rise.
Competitive In A Global Market
Marlin Steel, a metal working business in Baltimore, makes parts that ship all across the world.“We export to 36 countries,” owner Drew Greenblatt tells All Things Considered Host Guy Raz.“We're working around the clock, and we're growing.”
It's not just advanced manufacturing exports on the rise, but pork, cattle and all kinds of agricultural exports are up as well. Even American craft beer has found an export market.
Flying Dog CEO Jim Caruso says that increasingly, people all over the world are trying the beer from the Maryland-based brewery. Caruso says,“Even in those top beer-producing countries, a competitive American product is finding a market.”
Services Are Exports, Too
Another place exports are coming from is New York City—in particular, the 30th floor of a Manhattan skyscraper on 5th Avenue and 52nd Street. That's where the consulting firm Kurt Solomon lies. It doesn't actually produce a product for export; it provides management advice and strategy.
“Four out of every five Americans is now employed in the service industry,” the nation's top trade official, Ron Kirk says, “Services are a significant part of our exports, and make up about a quarter of our exported goods.” These services can include everything from legal consulting, finance, information technology and even engineering.
And There Are Other Factors
So why has there been an increase of more than 30 percent for exports in almost everything? Part of the increase, at least for the manufacturing side, is due to better technology, says Tyler Cowen, an economist.“A lot of it is being driven by smart machines,” he tells Raz,“The U.S. has high wage rates, which is a disadvantage, but if machines are doing a lot of the work, that doesn't matter.”
China factors a lot in America's export economy, too.“Wages in China have been going up as the country becomes more productive. Thus China is losing the cheap labor advantage it has held for some time.” Cowen says.
Will Jobs Grow, too?
“Companies have become more productive by dismissing workers and lowering costs.”Cowen says.“So I don't view exporting as a way of creating a very large number of jobs, but it will create more profits.”
So not every business or worker is necessarily benefiting from the export boom in the U.S., and Cowen says that could ultimately lead to a polarization(两极) of economic outcomes.
Made In the USA: An Export Boom
Outline |
Details |
|
The purpose of increasing exports |
*To help America make a (1)______ from the economic recession *To help raise the nation's (2)______ rate |
|
The current situation |
*American exports have risen (3)______ thirty-four percent up to now *There has been an increase in exports in everything *The export boom does not necessarily (4)______ every business or worker |
|
(5)______ contributing to the export boom |
(6)______products |
Even in those top beer-producing countries, people try craft beer from Flying Dog, a brewery (7)______ in Maryland |
Various products |
A variety of products are provided around the world,services (8)______ for 25% |
|
Lower costs |
*(9)______ take the place of labor, helping companies reduce wages *China, who used to take (10)______ of cheap labor, has given way to America in exports to some extent because of its increasing production |
In the Harry Potter films, Hermione Granger is better than her male friends and is considered the brightest pupil in her grade. Isn’t it often the same in schools of our real world? A great many boys fall behind their female classmates.
“It’s surprising but true that most of the top students have been girls since primary school. Girls are class leaders, club presidents and the top ones in exams,” said Wang Feixuan, 15, who studies at a Chengdu school. By any measure, Wang herself is a high-achiever. She is a top student, a team leader in her school’s sports club and a winner in national English and IT competitions.
But why do so many girls outperform their male peers(同辈)?
In Sun Yunxiao’s latest book Save Our Boys, he points out that the education system is “more suited to girls, who are good at memorizing and like to sit quietly and read.” Yet he also says that girls have to do so much more when they compete with males for honors, top universities and later good jobs. They can feel great pressure(压力)nearly every day.
This seems to be the same in most countries in the world. Young women in the United States are also reported to feel the same pressure to be perfect.
“Let’s look at what we ask of our teenage girls,” says an American professor Stephen Hinshaw in an interview.
He thinks that it’s no longer enough that a girl does well in school and is a caring friend. On the TV, on the Internet, and everywhere, girls see images of impossible perfection(完美).
Today’s young women must be good learners, good athletes, and fill their after-school lives with other activities. But they’re also asked to have the styles and looks of popular stars. “Be pretty, sweet and nice. Be athletic, competitive and get straight. Be impossibly perfect.” Stephen Hinshaw sums up.The passage suggests that________.
A.our society asks far too much of teenage girls |
B.teenage girls shouldn’t be so perfect at school |
C.boys are always lazy ones rather than girls |
D.American girls have less pressure than Chinese girls |
According to the passage, it is true that.
A.boys are less smart than girls throughout school life |
B.boys usually don’t have so much pressure as girls do |
C.girls are all fond of the Chinese education system |
D.girls are better at school because boys don’t work hard |
The underlined word outperform means_________.
A.mistake | B.misunderstand | C.ignore | D.defeat |
What’s the best title for the passage_________?
A.Impossibly Perfect Is Possible. | B.Why Are Girls So Perfect? |
C.Perfect? Pressure Every Day! | D.Perfect: Boys or Girls? |
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Call Toll Free 1-800-475-0100 or visit www. athome. comBy dialing 414-479-9860, a fan of Michael Jackson can buy________ from the seller.
A.an iPod | B.a CD player | C.a Thriller album | D.a music skin featuring the star |
Which of the following descriptions of "Music skins–Vinyl protective covers" is true?
A.They are of the best quality. |
B.They need to be changed constantly. |
C.They have skins for all laptop models. |
D.They don't have skins for classical musicians. |
How much do you have to pay for a "Michael09" T- shirt in red (size XL) and two music skins with images of Madonna?
A.$39.99 | B.$83.97 | C.$61.98 | D.$101.79 |
The best title of the 3rd advertisement would be ________.
A.Training at Home | B.Working at Home | C.Recording Work | D.Learning at Home |
Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1897, Irene Curies was the first of the Curies’ two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sevigne in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother’s assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity (辐射能). Irene Joliot-Curie died from leukemia on March 17, 1956.Why was Irene Curie awarded a Military Medal?
A.Because she received a degree in mathematics. |
B.Because she contributed to saving the wounded. |
C.Because she won the Nobel Prize with Frederic |
D.Because she worked as a helper to her mother. |
Where did Irene Curie meet her husband Frederic Joliot?
A.At the Curie Institute. | B.At the University of Paris. |
C.At a military hospital. | D.At the College of Sevigne. |
When was the second child of Irene Curie and Frederic Joliot born?
A.In 1932. | B.In 1927. | C.In 1897. | D.In 1926. |
In which of the following aspects(方面)was Irene Curie different from her mother?
A.Irene worked with radioactivity. |
B.Irene combined family and career. |
C.Irene won the Nobel Prize once. |
D.Irene died from leukemia. |
If English is not your first language, it is a good idea to take English language classes to improve your written and spoken communication skills. There are many ways to learn English. You can learn from a book, a DVD, on the Internet or by attending classes. One of the most successful ways to improve your English is to join a course in a country where English is widely spoken. The more you practice, the more you will learn. But why learn the English language? English is an important language for anyone who is planning to travel or become involved in business.
Many people love traveling, but if their English is poor, it can be difficult to understand signs, read directions and make themselves understood. Before traveling, it is important to understand the culture and customs of the places you visit. Learning basic English before you travel will help you to understand these customs and avoid mistakes that could be embarrassing. When you are traveling, you will also enjoy meeting new people. If you can speak English, you will have a better chance of being able to communicate with the people you meet. Many of your new friends will speak English and others will have English as a second language. Without English, your friendships will be limited as you travel around the world.
If you are involved in business, it is important to be able to communicate in English. The Internet, world travel and modern communication systems have made the world seem like a much smaller place. These days business people interact with customers and other business people from all over the world. That makes your English language skills more important than ever. There are many English language courses that major in business communications. Improving your English skills is one of the best things you could ever do to increase your chances of business success.What kind of people is English important to according to the passage?
A.Travelers. | B.Teachers. | C.Students. | D.Language experts. |
Which of the following is the best way to learn English well?
A.Traveling around the world with English-speakers. |
B.Taking a course in an English-speaking country. |
C.Learning from all kinds of books or DVDs. |
D.Learning on the Internet by yourselves. |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the aim of learning basic English?
A.To have more opportunities to communicate with others. |
B.To understand the customs of your destination. |
C.To avoid embarrassing mistakes on your journey. |
D.To research the causes of cultural differences. |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
A.The more you practice, the more you will learn. |
B.Doing business helps to improve your communication skills. |
C.English is important for anyone who is involved in business. |
D.The Internet has made the world become smaller and smaller. |
We can infer from the passage that _____.
A.learning English well will make you achieve goals more easily |
B.learning English only aims at achieving business success |
C.without learning English, your friendships will be limited wherever you are |
D.you needn’t learn English if you don’t want to travel |
It had been three months since Ms Miller had started teaching. She was gradually being able to understand all her students, except one, Bob. Bob was the only boy who came to school dressed untidily and sat in the class completely lost in his own world. His performance had been deteriorating gradually with every single day.
Ms Miller searched through the progress reports of Bob and was shocked to see Bob used to be the topper in his class. Bob's performance began to slowly decline when his mother fell ill. He was doing badly in each and every subject when his mother died leaving him alone with his father, who was a businessman and had to travel always. Apart from his performance worsening gradually, Bob's nature too began to change. He had forgotten to laugh and showed no interest in any activity. All his friends had abandoned him.
One day, Bob was asked to stay back.Ms Miller asked him if he had any problem understanding his lessons. Gradually she began to give him a comfort zone so that he could talk and share. After three weeks, she found Bob gradually improving. He was being able to answer the questions he previously failed. Every day after all the students went away, Ms Miller gave personal attention to Bob and began to spend time with him. Bob improved a lot over the next semester, showing definite signs of progress in his performance.
On a Friday, Bob came up to Ms Miller, handed her a box and requested her to open the box on Sunday. On Sunday morning, curious, she opened it and saw a bottle of perfume, half filled. Together with it was a small letter, saying that this bottle of perfume used to be his mother's and he wished Ms Miller to wear it so that every time she was around, he could feel his Mom near him. He thanked her for everything. Ms Miller took the bottle of perfume in her hand and saw a new tag attached to it; it said "Happy Mother's Day”!
Ms Miller suddenly realized that it was not she who had made a difference to Bob's life but it was Bob who made her realize what true humanity is!According to the text, Bob________.
A.wore clean clothes all the time |
B.was taller than any other one in his class |
C.lost all of his friends after his mother's death |
D.could always have his father for company at home |
The underlined word "deteriorating" in Paragraph l probably means________.
A.worsening | B.changing | C.thrilling | D.Improving |
Paragraph 3 is mainly about________.
A.why Ms Miller would like to help Bob. |
B.what Ms Miller did to help Bob. |
C.how Bob attracted Ms Miller’s attention. |
D.where Bob could sit comfortably |
The bottle of perfume given to Ms Miller______.
A.showed Bob was thankful for Ms Miller’s help |
B.was given on Mother’s Day |
C.made Bob a different student |
D.was new and never used before |
What does the author wanted to tell us ______.
A.a teacher can totally change a student’s life |
B.family is the most important place for kids |
C.children don’t have to solve problems by themselves |
D.one should have sympathy for another’s suffering and offer help |