填空题 A．effortlessly B．alterations C．appraisal D．presented
E．easy F．assume G．relation H．various
I．presume J．attempt to K．that L．variations
M．what N．property O．aim to
Statuses are marvelous human inventions that enable us to get along with one another and to determine where we "fit" in society. In our everyday lives, we mentally 31 place people in terms of their statuses. For example, we must judge whether the person in the library is a reader or a librarian, whether the telephone caller is a friend or a salesman, whether the unfamiliar person on our 32 is a thief or a meter reader, and so on. The statuses we 33 often vary with the people we encounter, and change throughout life.
Most of us can, at very high speed, assume the statuses that 34 situations require. Much of social interaction consists of identifying and selecting among appropriate statuses and allowing other people to assume their statuses in 35 to us. This means that we fit our actions to those of other people based on a constant mental process of 36 and interpretation. Although some of us find the task more difficult than others, most of us perform it rather 37 .
A status has been compared to ready-made clothes. Within certain limits, the buyer can choose style and fabric. But an American is not free to choose the costume of a Chinese peasant or that of a Hindu prince. We must choose from among the clothing 38 by our society. Furthermore, our choice is limited to a size that will fit, as well as by our pocketbook. Having made a choice within these limits, we can have certain 39 made, but apart from minor adjustments, we tend to be limited to 40 the stores have on their racks. Statuses too come ready made, and the range of choice among them is limited.