单选题 {{B}}Task 1{{/B}} {{B}}Directions: {{/B}}{{I}}After reading the following passage,
you will find 5 questions or unfinished statements, numbered 36 to 40. For each
question or statement there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. You should make
the correct choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a
single line through the center.{{/I}}
Most men and more than half of the
women in North America work. In fact, many people who are lazy and don't work
for a living are looked down upon, such as people who have got a fortune from
their parents, or those who receive money from the government when they are
young enough to take a job. Americans usually are expected to
work hard at their regular jobs. They have believed that they felt shameful if
they did not work as hard and carefully as they could, and God would punish
those who were careless or lazy in their work. This is called the "work ethic".
Its roots are in the Bible's teachings: "If a man will not work, he shall not
eat." and "Do not work to please men, but just please God." For 400 years or
more, it has been a characteristic of Americans. Historians say that this "work
ethic" was perhaps the single most important reason for the rapid economic
growth and continuing success of the United States. For the sake
of better work, now companies are much more flexible in the number of days and
hours their employees work. Many offices now allow their employees to choose the
time they begin in the morning, so long as they arrive before 10:00 am and work
for 8 hours. In America, there are women who choose to stay home
as homemakers rather than to pursue a career. This is possible if the husband's
salary is enough to support the family. These women value family over career,
and are not considered lazy by any means.