单选题Computer monitoring is most often intended to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace, but with good intentions comes the opportunity for abuse by employers and employees alike. Computer Monitoring in the 21st Century written by a futurist is an exceptional observation as to what the future may hold for those people choosing to enter the technological field such as industry, commerce, medicine and science. As computer monitoring increases, there comes a concern for the types of effects it may have in the workplace. The article says: "By the end of the decade, as many as 30 million people may constantly be monitored in their jobs." As computer systems become so sophisticated, this number will drastically increase. As we enter this new age of technology, we must remember that with more power comes more responsibility by employers and employees alike. Knowledge can be used as a weapon or as a tool. For instance, monitoring abuse can be found in the situation of airline agents. The agents discovered that by keeping customers on hold while finishing their work they could gain an extra 5-minute break. In the future, employees who are accustomed to evading the monitoring system may no longer be able to tolerate it. These types of employees may find they can no longer survive the added pressure of not being able to evade the system. While monitoring can add pressure to some employees, it can also be a relief to others. It is a relief to the employee, because it provides information readily at hand. With the use of prompts, acting as reminders to workers, the information needed is passed on efficiently allowing employees to do a better job. However, if prompts are used to tell an employee how much time has been wasted or how bad an employee is doing his job, it could cause the opposite effect. Monitoring can have a positive effect on workers by letting the employees access their own information. In a study, early information about job performance given by a computer is accepted better than a performance rating given by a boss. At this time, monitoring is based on the output of an employee's performance. In the future, there will be more freedom for employees to use their own ideas, therefore making monitoring more effective. One example of monitoring as a weapon is seen when a woman who took an extra minute in the bathroom was threatened with loosing her job. With this added stress she suffered a nervous breakdown. The company insisted that they were not "spying" but were only trying to improve their business. If monitoring is not used correctly, businesses will suffer with increases in operating costs because of increased turnover, absenteeism, medical costs and worker's compensation. Employers who use positive reinforcement with monitoring will guarantee better motivation. Legislation has the potential to help employees with issues of better treatment and the fight to privacy. In the new century, companies that succeeded will be the ones who learn from the past and from the "me boss and you employee" mentality. A good blacksmith can take a hammer and forge a weapon into a tool that can benefit the whole village. Employers are the blacksmiths; employees are the hammers. Monitoring is the tool. It takes both to make a tool to benefit the future.

单选题 Business Ideas A. What makes a business idea good? Have you ever thought you had a great idea for a business but didn't do anything about it, only to find out that, a short while later, someone else did? How do you know ff you'll be able to make the business work? B. If you think you want to start your own business you have to first eliminate any doubts you may have about yourself and your abilities. That means that you have to first identify your own strengths and decide if you're the type of person who can build a business and make it a success. Once you have determined that, then you need a good—no, make that a great—idea for a business. Do you have what it takes? C. There are some basic skills that you, as a potential business owner, should have. If you don't have them then you need to at least have a friend or family member who does or be willing to pay an outside service or consultant to do these things for you. D. Financial management and accounting—If you don't have the skills now, you either need to take the time to learn, or have someone else you can depend on to handle this side of the business for you. E. Marketing—You have to be able to sell yourself or your business. If people don't know about you then you won't get any business, and if you don't have any business then, technically, you aren't really in business. So, marketing is a very important part of your skill set. Fortunately, it is also an easy skill to farm out to experts. F. Management skills—You must have the management skills and organizational skills in order to run your business. If you have no management experience at least start reading management books of all types that would apply to your business. G. Determination, enthusiasm, energy—No one ever said being your own boss was easy! In fact, you'll probably work harder than ever—you'll just get to reap more of the benefits. You have to have the energy to make your business succeed. If you have any doubts then maybe you should rethink the idea. If you read the success stories behind many businesses, you'll see the recurring theme that the business owner had no doubts that he or she would succeed, or that the thought of failing never entered their minds. Identifying your talents H. For some, coming up with the business idea is the easy part. They simply turn a hobby, or something else that they love doing, into a business. In some cases, this works great. In other cases, it doesn't work so great. Why the difference? Because you can't just try on the pants when you want to buy the whole suit. In other words, there are a lot of different things to consider when you're trying to come up with an idea for a business that will fit you. I. Those people that have made a go of it by converting their hobby into a business were lucky in that there was a market for their business in the first place. It doesn't matter how skilled you are and how much you love building those miniature replicas (复制品) of Star Wars (tm) Millennium Falcons inside authentic 1940's 6-ounce Coca-Cola(tm) bottles, if there aren't people who want to buy them (i. e. a market) then you're not going to be able to support yourself doing it. It will still be a 'hobby'. J. It still makes sense, however, to start a business that is based on things you know and are good at. You just can't stop there. It is also possible to start a business based on something you know nothing about. In this case, however, you probably should try and learn as much as you can before you get in too deeply. Or, consider buying a franchise (特许经营权) that offers training, or an existing business from someone you can pump for information. You can also try working in the industry for a few months to pick up information. You may be surprised at how much you can learn even in low level positions. Finding business ideas that fit your talents K. The Internet is full of web sites that list page after page of business ideas. We don't list those ideas here, but have provided links to some sites that do on our Links page. What we want to do is to help you discover and evaluate the ideas that appeal to you and best fit you as an individual. L. Any list of business ideas you find will basically boil down to three types of businesses. Those business types are manufactured products that you build and sell yourself, distributed products or services that you buy wholesale and then resell at a higher price, and services that you provide. M. For those three business types, there are typically four possible strategies. The strategies you might use include inventing a completely new product for a completely new market, inventing a completely new product for an existing market, improving on an existing product and selling it to the existing market, and selling an existing product to a completely new market. N. Coming up with an idea for any of these areas requires some observation skills and creative thought. Start with the things you know about and enjoy and look for ways to make improvements, or sell them to new people. Be observant everywhere you go. Look at how existing businesses operate and make note of the problems you see. Can you come up with a way to eliminate those problems? Can you see a way to improve the service, product or marketability of it? Do you see trends in the market such as larger retired populations? Are there special products or services that that increasing market will need? O. Brainstorm with friends, write everything down, and study your list often. Make notes as you think of them. Ideas multiply into lots of new ideas. Evaluate these ideas based on what you like and what you know about. Once you've narrowed the list down to the finalists, read on to find out how to evaluate those ideas. Other deciding factors P. There are few more things to consider when thinking about starting your own business. They include the followings: Your own level of commitment—Consider the extent or length to which you would go to make your business work (i. e. travel, commuting, relocating, etc.) Your family's support and approval of your idea—Having the support of your family is very important to the success of your business, as well as the stress levels you endure in working to making it happen. Make sure you have the support you'll need both emotionally and from a workload standpoint. Zoning restrictions for the location you are looking at—Make sure you know the restrictions on the types of businesses that can occupy a space (particularly if you are operating your business out of your home). Your town planning office or City Hall can provide that information. Your willingness to seek outside help if you need it—Don't hesitate to get professional help for your business. There are many resources that can provide you with great ideas and information that can help manage more efficiently and perhaps even find that 'edge (优势)'. The compatibility of the business with your lifestyle—If you're a night person and hate mornings then you probably don't want to open a doughnut shop. Make sure your business idea fits the schedule you work best in. (选自The Washington Post)

单选题Bill Gates and Walt Disney are two people the magazine has ______ to be the Greatest American.

单选题The captain ______ the horizon for approaching ships.

单选题Dear Tom,You asked me why I like living in New Mexico.I like it（21）it is so beautiful.We havemountains,mesas平顶山,rivers,and forests.Mesa is the Spanish（22）for a broad,flat-toppedmountain.For 12 years,I

单选题Education cannot be ______ in any country.

单选题Woman: It's your own fault. You shouldn't let anyone in unless you are expecting him.Man: It's all very well to say that, but someone comes to the door saying "electricity" or "gas" while presenting you a card, and you automatically think he is OK.Question: What does the woman mean?

单选题The scientist decided he didn't want to be ______ with the project, and left.

单选题I knew ______ John Lennon ,but not ______ famous one. A. /, a B. a, the C. /, the D. the, a

单选题The author suggests which of the following about art historians?

单选题 A good night's sleep is believed to help slow the stomach's emptying, produce a smoother, less abrupt absorption of sugar, and will better ______ brain metabolism.

单选题No one thought that John's suggestion was worth ______.

单选题There are __________ fewer custom tailors and dressmakers in the U. S. than in European countries.

单选题"Any time, any place, any path, any pace" is______.

单选题 It's Time to Pay Attention to Sleep, the New Health Frontier A. Your doctor could soon be prescribing crucial sleep as treatment for everything from obesity to mental health as experts say carving out time for sleep is just as important as diet and exercise. B. After being diagnosed with brain and lung cancer in 2011, Lynn Mitchell, 68, was averaging about an hour of solid sleep a night. Stressed about her treatments, she was paying for it in hours of lost sleep. The brain cancer was already affecting her mobility—Mitchell was often dizzy and would lose her balance—but the lack of sleep was making things worse. Even walking became increasingly difficult. Exhausted in the mornings, she was practically incoherent. When her doctors recommended she see a sleep therapist, Mitchell was relieved at how benign it sounded in comparison to the chemotherapy (化疗) she had undergone, which had side effects like nausea and fatigue. C. For about nine weeks, Mitchell worked with the sleep therapist to adjust her sleep habits. She got under the covers only when she was extremely tired. She quit watching TV in bed. She stopped drinking caffeinated coffee in the evening. She also learned breathing exercises to relax and help her drift off. It was all quite simple and common sense, and, most importantly, noninvasive and didn't require popping any pills. D. 'It's common knowledge that sleep is needed for day-to-day function,' says Dr. David Rapoport, director of the Sleep Medicine Program at NYU School of Medicine. 'What isn't common knowledge is that it really matters—it's not just cosmetic.' Rapoport has long seen people seek sleep therapy because they're chronically tired or suffering from insomnia (失眠), but an increasing number of patients are being referred to his center for common diseases, disorders, and mental health. E. Researchers have known for some time that sleep is critical for weight maintenance and hormone balance. And too little sleep is linked to everything from diabetes to heart disease to depression. Recently, the research on sleep has been overwhelming, with mounting evidence that it plays a role in nearly every aspect of health. Beyond chronic illnesses, a child's behavioral problems at school could be rooted in mild sleep apnea (睡眠呼吸中止症). And studies have shown children with ADHD (注意力缺损多动障碍) are more likely to get insufficient sleep. A recent study published in the journal SLEEP found a link between older men with poor sleep quality and cognitive decline. Another study out this week shows sleep is essential in early childhood for development, learning, and the formation and retention of memories. Dr. Allan Rechtschaffen, a pioneer of sleep research at the University of Chicago, once said, 'If sleep does not serve an absolutely vital function, then it is the biggest mistake the evolutionary process ever made.' F. But to many of us, sleep is easily sacrificed, especially since lack of it isn't seen as life threatening. Over time, sleep deprivation can have serious consequences, but we mostly sacrifice a night of sleep here and there, and always say that we'll 'catch up'. Luckily, it is possible to make up for sleep debt (though it can take a very long time), but most Americans are still chronically sleep deprived. G. While diet and exercise have been a part of public health messaging for decades, doctors and health advocates are now beginning to argue that getting quality sleep may be just as important for overall health. 'Sleep is probably easier to change than diet or exercise,' says Dr. Michael Grandner, a sleep researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. 'It may also give you more of an immediate reward if it helps you get through your day.' And while there's more evidence linking diet and exercise as influential health factors, sleep is probably more important in terms of brain and hormonal function, Grandner says. 'Among a small group of sleep researchers, if it is always been said that eating, exercise, and sleep are the three pillars of health,' says Dr. Rapoport. H. In our increasingly professional and digital lives, where there are now more things than ever competing for the horns in our day, carving out time for sleep is not only increasingly difficult, but also more necessary. Using technology before bed stimulates us and interferes with our sleep, yet 95% of Americans use some type of electronics like a computer, TV, or cell phone at least a few nights a week within the hour before we go to bed, according to a 2011 National Sleep Foundation survey. 'Many doctors, lawyers, and executives stay up late and get up early and burn the candle at both ends,' says Dr. Richard Lang, chair of Preventative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. 'Making sure they pay attention to sleep in the same way they pay attention to diet and exercise is crucial.' I. To some, sleep has become a powerful medicine to mental health. Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, advocates that sleep is the secret to success, happiness, and peak performance. After passing out a few years ago from exhaustion and cracking a cheekbone (颧骨) against her desk, Huffington has become something of a sleep promoter. In a 2010 TED Women conference, Huffington said, 'The way to a more productive, more inspired, more joyful life is getting enough sleep.' Research linking high-quality sleep with better mental health is growing; a 2013 study found that treating depressed patients for insomnia can double their likelihood of overcoming the disorder. J. While 70% of physicians agree that inadequate sleep is a major health problem, only 43% counsel their patients on the benefits of adequate sleep. But there's growing pressure on primary care physicians to address, and even prescribe, sleep during routine check-ups. In a recent study published in the journal The Lancet Diabetes Endocrinology, the researchers concluded that health professionals should prescribe sleep to prevent and treat metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes. And overlooking sleep as a major health issue can also have deadly consequences. It was recently reported that the operator of the Metro-North train that derailed in New York last year, killing four people and injuring more than 70, had an undiagnosed case of sleep apnea. K. Sleep therapies can range from simply learning new lifestyle behaviors to promote sleep, to figuring out how to position oneself in bed. More drastic measures involve surgery to open up an airway passage for people suffering from disorders like sleep apnea. Sleeping pills can be prescribed too, to get much needed rest, but sleep therapists tend to favor other approaches because of possible dependencies developing. L. A large part of reaping the benefits of sleep is known when you're not getting the right amount. According to a 2013 Gallup survey, 40% of Americans get less than the recommended seven to eight hours a night. While the typical person still logs about 6-8 hours of sleep per night, that's a drop from the 7.9 Americans were getting in the 1940s. M. When it comes to adequate sleep, it's much more personalized than previously thought. Some people feel great on five hours of rest, while others need ten. The best way to determine if you're getting the right amount, doctors say, is to find out how many hours of sleep you need to be able to wake up without an alarm and feel rested, refreshed, and energetic throughout the day. N. Since reforming her sleep habits, Mitchell has been clocking up to seven hours of sleep a night for the past two months. 'I'm alert in the morning, my balance is better, and I feel peppier,' says Mitchell. Getting enough sleep has helped her better deal with her cancers, and its symptoms. The best news is that she recently found out that her brain tumor is shrinking, and there are fewer cancerous spots on her lungs.

单选题The same factors push wages and prices up together, the one ______ the other.

单选题 Which of the following sentences is NOT to make requests?