Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has good heart, but always feared applying for a new job.
One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment(约会) was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre(轮胎) of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, “Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It’s the least I could do. Please. I insist.” Jimmy agreed.
Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of job hunters waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease(油渍) on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the job hunters left the interviewer’s office with disappointment. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, “Do you really need to be interviewed?” Jimmy’s heart sank. “With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?” he thought to himself.
Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy’s surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company.
“Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into the office. I just know you’d be a worker who is worth trusting. Congratulations!” Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job. Why did Jimmy apply for a new job?
| A．He was out of work | B．He was bored with his job |
| C．He wanted a higher position | D．He hoped to find a better boss |
What did Jimmy see on the way to the interview?
| A．A friend’s car had a flat(瘪的) tyre |
| B．a wild man was pushing a car |
| C．a terrible accident happened |
| D．an old man’s car broke down |
How did Jimmy feel on hearing the interviewer’s question?
| A．He was sorry for the other job hunters |
| B．There was no hope for him to get the job |
| C．He regretted （后悔）helping the old man |
| D．The interviewer was very rude |
Why did the old man offer Jimmy a ride?
| A．He was also to be interviewed |
| B．He needed a traveling companion |
| C．He always helped people in need |
| D．He was thankful to Jimmy |
What can we learn from Jimmy’s experience？
| A．Where there is a will, there’s a way |
| B．A friend in need is a friend indeed |
| C．Good is rewarded with good. |
| D．Two heads are better than one |
When several different people look at the same person, it is not unusual for each of them to see different things; when you alone observe one behavior or one person at two different times, you may see different things. The following are only some of the factors that lead to these varying perceptions(感知, 认知):
(1) Each person’s perceptions of others are formed by his or her own cultural conditioning education and personal experiences.
(2) Sometimes perceptions differ because of what we choose to observe and how we deal with what we’ve observed. It is not necessarily true that a person's perception is based on observations of a particular person. Your observations may be totally controlled by what others have told you about this person, or you may focus(聚焦) primarily on the situation or role relationship. Most people do not use the same standard to measure their parents, their friends and strangers.
(3) Sometimes we see only what we want to see or don’t see what may be obvious to others because of our own needs, desires, or temporary emotional states. This is a process known as selective perception. Selective perception is obviously more difficult when contradictory(矛盾的) information is particularly obvious, but it can be done. We can ignore(忽视) the misdeed — “He’s basically a good boy so what I saw was not shoplifting(入店行窃).” We can reduce the importance of the contradictory information— “All kids are naughty. Taking a book from the bookstore isn’t such a big deal.” We can change the meaning of the contradictory information — “It wasn’t shoplifting because he was going to pay for it later.” … The first factor given by the author that affects our perception is _______.
| A．what we see and what we hear | B．cultural background and personal experiences |
| C．experiences one learns from others | D．critical measures taken by other people |
While one observes a particular person, _______.
| A．he is likely to take everything into consideration |
| B．he pays more attention to the person's advantages |
| C．children often differ from grown-ups in perception |
| D．his perception may be affected by other people's opinions |
Observation of the same person by two people at the same time may differ because _______.
| A．their measuring standards are not the same |
| B．either of them may be slow to catch information |
| C．the time for observation is not long enough |
| D．each of them uses different languages to express his / her impressions |
The worst thing in selective perception is that ________.
| A．perceived information runs against your desire |
| B．it contains some private feelings that may be wrong |
| C．importance of the contradictory information can be praised |
| D．the same information may not be dealt with in the same way |
Doomed beauties such as Cleopatra and Manilyn Monroe were far from alone in their misery. Very attractive people tend to form partnerships that are less stable and satisfying than those enjoyed by plain Janes.
According to research by Dr John Blaine of the University of Southern California, relationships between people whose professions largely depend on their appearances, such as models or actors, tend to end much faster than those between lawyers, doctors or students.
Blaine said the beautiful felt different from childhood. They are treated as special, which may create both arrogance(傲慢) and insecurity. All too often, beauty can be used as an alternative to education. Often they are pushed out of their class or town, told to go off and make their fortune in Hollywood or London and, when the majority fail, they have few talents(才能) to make a living.
Blaine added that beautiful people score poorly on the “big five” — the key factors American experts consider when helping distressed couples. These are neuroticism(神经过敏), including anger and anxiety; extroversion(性格外向); openness to new experiences; agreeableness; and conscientiousness, or sticking by agreements they have made. Attractive people often see no reason to try to change until their looks start to fade.
Krista Sutherland, of the University of California Los Angeles, said partnerships that appeared to be perfect from the outside, such as the former “dream teams” of Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise or Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley, where backgrounds and aspirations(抱负) are often shared, did not necessarily lead to happiness.What does the underlined sentence “Doomed beauties such as Cleopatra and Manilyn Monroe were far from alone in their misery. ” means?
| A．Beautiful women always felt lonely. |
| B．Beautiful women always were alone. |
| C．Many beautiful women didn’t end up with a happy life. |
| D．Beautiful women always lived a happy life. |
The underlined phrase “plain Janes” in the passage refer to ________.
| A．ordinary-looking women | B．women called Jane |
| C．common people | D．attractive women |
We can infer in the passage that ________.
| A．Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley were a couple |
| B．Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were very satisfied with their life |
| C．When they fail in Hollywood, the beautiful have little trouble in making a living |
| D．The marriage of the beautiful often last long |
Which of the following is the best title?
| A．Five key factors affecting the partnership | B．Beauties are doomed to fail in love |
| C．Beauties or common? | D．The beautiful are different. |
Large companies need a way to reach the savings of the public at large. The same problem, on a smaller scale(小规模地), faces practically every company trying to develop new products and create new jobs. There can be little hope of raising the money needed from friends and people we know, and while banks may agree to provide short-term finance(资金), they are generally unwilling to provide money, for long-term projects. So companies turn to the public, inviting people to lend them money, or take a share(股份) in the business in exchange for a share in future interests. This they do by issuing(发行) stocks(股票) and shares in the business through the Stock Exchange. By doing so they can put into circulation(流通) the savings of single persons and institutions, both at home and abroad.
When the saver(储蓄者) needs his money back, he does not have to go to the company with whom he originally placed it. Instead he sells his shares through a stockbroker(证券经纪人) to some other saver who is seeking to invest his money.
Many of the services needed both by industry and by each of us are provided by the government or by local organizations. Without hospitals, roads, electricity, telephones and railways, this country could not work. All these require continuous spending on new equipment and new development if they are to serve us properly, requiring more money than it is raised through taxes alone. The government, local organizations and nationalized industries therefore frequently need to borrow money to finance(给…提供资金) major capital spending, and they, too, come to the Stock Exchange.
There is hardly a man or woman in this country whose standard of living does not depend on the ability of his or her employers to raise money to finance new development. In one way or another his new money must come from the savings of the country. The Stock Exchange exists to provide a channel through which these savings can reach those who need finance.The money which enables these companies to go ahead with their projects is _______.
| A．exchanged for part ownership in the Stock Exchange |
| B．raised by the selling of shares in the companies |
| C．repaid to its original owners as soon as possible |
| D．invested in different companies in the Stock Exchange |
All the basic services on which we depend are _______.
| A．unable to provide for the needs of the population |
| B．financed wholly by rates and taxes |
| C．in constant need of financial support |
| D．run by the government or local organizations |
The Stock Exchange makes it possible for the government, local organizations and nationalized industries _______.
| A．to make certain everybody saves money |
| B．to borrow as much money as they wish |
| C．to make certain everybody lends money to them |
| D．to raise money to finance new development |
The underlined word invest probably means _______.
| A．give more money with | B．provide less money with |
| C．borrow less money with | D．make more money with |
Work is a very important part of life in the United States. When the early Protestant immigrants(新教徒移民) came to this country, they brought the idea that work was the way to God and heaven. This attitude, the Protestant Work Ethic(道德规范), still influences America today. Work is not only important for economic benefits, the salary, but also for social and psychological needs, the feeling of doing something for the good of the society. Americans spend most of their lives working, being productive. For most Americans, their work defines(给…下定义) them: they are what they do. What happens then, when a person can no longer work? Almost all Americans stop working at age sixty-five or seventy and retire. Because work is such an important part of life in this culture, retirement can be very difficult. Retirees often feel that they are useless and unproductive. Of course, some people are happy to retire; but leaving one’s job, whatever it is, is a difficult change, even for those who look forward to retiring. Many retirees do not know how to use their time or they feel lost without their jobs. Retirements can also bring financial problems. Many people rely on Social Security checks every month. During their working years, employees contribute a certain percentage of their salaries to the government. Each employer also gives a certain percentage to the government. When people retire, they receive this money as income. These checks do not provide enough money to live on, however, because prices are increasing very rapidly. Senior citizens, those over sixty-five, have to have savings in the bank or other retirement plans to make ends meet. The rate of inflation(通货膨胀) is forcing prices higher each year; Social Security checks alone cannot cover these growing expenses. The government offers some assistance(补助), Medicare(health care)and welfare(general assistance), but many senior citizens have to change their life styles after retirement. They have to spend carefully to be sure that they can afford to buy food, fuel and other necessities.
Of course, many senior citizens are happy with retirement. They have time to spend with their families or enjoy their hobbies. Some continue to work part time, others do volunteer(志愿) work. Some, like those in the Retired Business Executives Association, even help young, people to get started in new business. Many retired citizens also belong to “Golden Age” groups. These organizations plan trips and social events. There are many chances for retirees.
American society is only beginning to be concerned about the special physical and emotional needs of its senior citizens. The government is taking steps to ease the problem of limited income. They are building new housing, offering discounts(折扣) in stores and museums and on buses, and providing other services such as free courses, food service, and help with housework. Retired citizens are a rapidly growing percentage of the population. This part of the population is very important and we must meet their needs. After all, every citizen will be a senior citizen some day.The author believes that work first became important to Americans because of _______.
| A．religion | B．economy | C．psychology | D．family |
The passage is mainly about _______.
| A．money and check | B．senior and junior |
| C．work and retirement | D．Protestants and Americans |
When Americans stop work, it’s difficult for them to _______.
| A．get Social Security checks | B．feel productive |
| C．enjoy themselves | D．be religious |
The author mentions _______ examples of the government' steps to ease the problem of limited income.
| A．two | B．four | C．five | D．three |
The U.S. Department of Labor statistics(统计) show that there is an oversupply of college trained workers and that this oversupply is increasing. Already there have been more than enough teachers, engineers, physicists, aerospace experts, and other specialists. Yet colleges and graduate schools continue every year to turn out highly trained people to compete for jobs that aren’t there. The result is that graduates cannot enter the professions for which they were trained and must take temporary jobs which do not require a college degree.
On the other hand, there is a great need for skilled workers of all sorts: carpenters, electricians, mechanics, plumbers, TV repairmen. These people have more work than they can deal with, and their annual incomes are often higher than those of college graduates. The old gap that white —collar workers make a better living than blue collar workers no longer holds true. The law of supply and demand now favors the skilled workmen.
The reason for this situation is the traditional myth that college degree is a passport to a prosperous future. A large part of American society matches success in life equally with a college degree. Parents begin indoctrinating(灌输) their children with this myth before they are out of grade school. High school teachers play their part by acting as if high school education were a preparation for college rather than for life. Under this pressure the kids fall in line. Whether they want to go to college or not doesn’t matter. Everybody should go to college, so of course they must go. And every year college enrollments(入学) go up and up, and more and more graduates are overeducated for the kinds of jobs available to them.
One result of this emphasis on a college education is that many people go to college who do not belong there. Of the sixty percent of high school graduates who enter college, half of them do not graduate with their class. Many of them drop out within the first year. Some struggle on for two or three years and then give up. It’s implied but not stated in the passage that _______.
| A．many other countries are facing the same problem |
| B．white-collar workers in the US used to make more money than blue-collar workers |
| C．fewer students will prefer to go to college in the future |
| D．the law of supply and demand has a strong effect on American higher education |
Which of the following is NOT a reason why college enrollments go up every year？
| A．Many people believe that the only way to success is a college education. |
| B．Many parents want their children to go to college. |
| C．High school teachers urge their students to go to college. |
| D．Every young man and woman wants to go to college. |
By saying that “many people go to college who do not belong there”, the author means that _______.
| A．many people who are not fit for college education go to college |
| B．many people who do not have enough money go to college |
| C．many people who go to college drop out within the first year |
| D．many people who go to college have their hopes destroyed |
We can infer from the passage that the author believes that _______.
| A．every young man and woman should go to college |
| B．college education is a bad thing |
| C．people with a college education should receive higher pay |
| D．fewer people should go to college while more should be trained for skilled jobs |