单选题
They Say Ireland's the Best

Ireland is the best place in the world to live in for 2005, according to a life quality ranking that appeared in Britain's Economist magazine last week.
The ambitious attempt to compare happiness levels around the world is based on the principle that wealth is not the only measure of human satisfaction and well-being.
The index of 111 countries uses data on incomes, health, unemployment, climate, political stability, job security, gender equality as well as what the magazine calls "freedom, family and community life".
Despite the bad weather, troubled health service, traffic congestion (拥挤) , gender inequality and the high cost of living. Ireland scored an impressive 8.33 points out of 10.
That put it well ahead of second-place Switzerland, which managed 8.07. Zimbabwe, troubled by political insecurity and hunger, is rated the gloomiest (最差的), picking up only 3.89 points.
"Although rising incomes and increased individual choices are highly valued." the report said, "some of the factors associated with modernization such as the breakdown (崩溃) in traditional institutions and family values in part take away from a positive impact."
"Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new with the preservation of certain warm elements of the old, such as stable family and community life".
The magazine admitted measuring quality of life is not a straightforward thing to do, and that its findings would have their critics.
No. 2 on the list is Switzerland. The other nations in the top 10 are Norway, Luxembourg, Sweden, Australia, Iceland, Italy, Denmark and Spain.
The UK is positioned at No. 29, a much lower position chiefly because of the social and family breakdown recorded in official statistics. The US, which has the second highest per capita GDP (人均国内生产总值) after Luxembourg, took the 13th place in the survey. China was in the lower half of the league at 60th.

单选题 For 2, 005 years, Ireland has been the best place for humans to live in.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】文章首句有相关信息：爱尔兰是2005年世界上最适合居住的地方。显然不合文意。
单选题 Job security is the least important measure of life quality.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】题干说的是：工作稳定是生活质量中最不重要的衡量标准。文章第三段提到了工作稳定(job security)，但是没有提及工作稳定与生活质量的关系，因此选择C。
单选题 Cost of living in Ireland is pretty high.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】题干说的是：在爱尔兰生活费用相当高。这一信息可以从第四段中的词组“the high cost of living”(很高的生活费用)中找到。故选A。
单选题 Family life in Zimbabwe is not stable.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】题干说的是：津巴布韦的家庭生活不稳定。文章没有提到。
单选题 Ireland is positioned at No. 1 because it combines the most desirable elements of the new with some good elements of the old.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】题干说的是：爱尔兰名居榜首是因为它把新时期最佳的成分和一些好的传统结合在一起。这一信息可以从第七段中找到。
单选题 To measure life quality is easy.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】题干说的是：评价生活质量很容易。第八段有相关信息：The magazine admitted measuring quality of life is not a straightforward thing to do.该杂志承认评价生活质量不是一件简单的事。显然信息不合文意。
单选题 The United States of America is among the top 10 countries.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】题干说的是：美国在前十名。有关此信息可以在最后一段找到：事实是它排在第十三名。因此答案选B。