单选题It can be inferred from the passage that risk control of the financial market

单选题Text 2 In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the inadequacies of the judicial system in the United States. Costs are staggering both for the taxpayers and the litigants and, the litigants, or parties, have to wait sometimes many years before having their day in court. Many suggestions have been made concerning methods of ameliorating the situation but, as in most branches of government, changes come slowly. One suggestion that has been made in order to maximize the efficiency of the systems is to allow districts that have an overabundance of pending cases to borrow judges from other districts that do not have such a backlog. Another suggestion is to use pretrial conferences, in which the judge meets in his chambers with the litigants and their attorneys in order to narrow the issues, limit the witnesses, and provide for a more orderly trial. The theory behind pretrial conferences is that judges will spend less time on each case and parties will more readily settle before trial when they realize the adequacy of their claims and their opponents' evidence. Unfortunately, at least one study had shown that pretrial conferences actually use more judicial time than they save, rarely result in pretrial settlements, and actually result in higher damage settlements. Many states have now established another method, small-claims courts, in which cases over small sums of money can be disposed of with considerable dispatch. Such proceedings cost the litigants almost nothing. In California, for example, the parties must appear before the judge without the assistance of counsel. The proceedings are quite informal and there is no pleading—the litigants need to make only a one-sentence statement if their claim. By going to this type of courts, the plaintiff waives any right to jury trial anti the right to appeal the decision. In coming years, we can expect to see more and more innovations in the continuing effort to remedy a situation which must be remedied if the citizens who have valid claims are going to be able to have their day in court.

单选题 Questions 14 to 16 are based on a dialogue about a distance-learning course. You now have 15 seconds to read Questions 14 to 16.

单选题What does the author say about the emic approach and the eric approach?

单选题What's the author's advice to women who are absorbed in the idea of thinness?

单选题 Questions 11～13 are based on the following conversation. You now have 15 seconds to read Questions 11～13.

单选题What's the meaning of the word "bane" in the 6th line of the last paragraph?

单选题"It doesn't matter what ethical assumptions you use," says Michael Grubb, an expert on climate change policy, cold financial arguments are enough to decide what to do about global warming. As arguments over the science behind climate change have cooled, the question of how much nations should be willing to pay has come to dominate the debate. Now Martin Weitzman has developed the first thorough method for including unlikely but extreme events in cost-benefit analyses. When you take into account extreme temperature rises of more than around 6℃, he says, they dominate all other options and effectively demand that investment aimed at stopping them be made now. Economists say that such events are theoretically possible but are so unlikely and lie so far in the future that it is not cost-effective to spend money to prevent them. Computer models also suggest that using more renewable energy and reducing emissions in other ways would almost certainly avoid extreme temperature increases. But Weitzman's results are so dramatic that some economists, many of whom argued in favour of caution, are shifting their position. Environmental groups argue that the risk of extreme events justifies large investment now, but other groups, notably industry-orientated think tanks and many Republican politicians, have resisted such calls. "In the United States, cost-benefit analyses have been used to back up questions about whether investment is worth much mow," says Grubb. "This throws a pretty fundamental spanner in the works." The new method also backs up the conclusions of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, albeit via different methods. Stem's cost-benefit analysis, which was published in October 2006, did not consider extreme events. Even so, he found that the benefits of investing now would be enormous: The world could save $2.5 trillion a year if the rise in CO2 was halted at levels around 50 percent greater than today. But when Stern put a price on the damages that rising temperatures could cause, he valued future costs in today's money. Many economists, including Weitzman, criticized that assumption, arguing that it ignores the fact that investments made now are expected to be worth more in the future. The debate remains unresolved, as ethical arguments continue to rage about how to value future generations. But Weitzman's study shows that once extreme evens are included, the argument becomes irrelevant. This is because the potential cost of extreme evens is so great that they come to dominate the assessment of risk, whatever method is used to compare the value of present and future generations. "Weitzman's work' would have received substantial attention in the Stem report. He would have used it as supporting evidence." Says Grubb. Weitzman could also create a headache for policy-makers. The analysis shows that traditional cost-benefit calculations are getting it wrong, but it does so only by providing that extreme events dominate the costs when included in the calculations. It cannot put a figure on how much should be spent now, unlike the old techniques.

单选题Therearenow31millionkidsinthe12-to-19agegroup,anddemographerspredictthattherewillbe35millionteensby2010,apopulationbulgebiggerthaneventhebabyboomatitspeak.Inmanyways,theseteensareuniquelyprivileged.They'vegrownupinaperiodofsustainedprosperityandhaven'thadtoworryaboutthedraft(astheirfathersdid)orcataclysmicglobalconflicts(astheirgrandparentsdid).CableandtheInternethavegiventhemaccesstoanalmostinfiniteamountofinformation.Mostexpecttogotocollege,andgirls,inparticular,haveunprecedentedopportunities,theycandreamofcareersineverythingfromprofessionalsportstopolitics,withplentyoffemalerolemodelstofollow.ButthispositiveimageofAmericanadolescencein1999isalittlelikeyearbookphotosthatdepicteverykidashappyandblemish-free.Afterthelittletown,Colo,tragedy,it'sclearthere'sanotherdimensiontothispicture,andit'sfarmoretroubled.Insurveyaftersurvey,manykids--eventhoseonthehonorroll--saytheyfeelincreasinglyaloneandalienated,unabletoconnectwiththeirparents,teachersandsometimesevenclassmates.They'redesperateforguidance,andwhentheydon'tgetwhattheyneedathomeorinschool,theyclingtocliquesorimmersethemselvesinauniverseoutoftheirparents'reach,aworlddefinedbycomputergames,TVandmovies,wherebrutalityissocommonithasbecomemundane.TheparentsofEricHarrisandDyalnKleboldhavetoldfriendstheyneverdreamedtheirsonscouldkill.It'sanextremecase,butithasmadealotofparentswonder:dowereallyknowourkids?Manyteenssaytheyfeeloverwhelmedbypressureandresponsibilities.Theyarejugglingpart-timejobsandhoursofhomeworkeverynight,sometimesthey'resoexhaustedthatthey'renearlyasleepinearly-morningclasses.Halfhavelivedthroughtheirparents'divorce.Sixty-threepercentareinhouseholdswherebothparentsworkoutsidethehome,andmanylookafteryoungersiblingsintheafternoon.Stillothersarehomebythemselvesafterschool.Thatunwelcomesolitudecanextendwellintotheevening,mealtimeforthisgenerationtoooftenbeginswithaforlorntouchofthemicrowave.Infact,ofalltheissues.thattroubleadolescents,lonelinessranksatthetopofthelist.UniversityofChicagosociologistBarbaraSchneiderhasbeenstudying7000teenagersforfiveyearsandhasfoundtheyspendanaverageofhoursaloneeveryday.Teenagersmayclaimtheywantprivacy,buttheyalsocraveandneedattention--andthey'renotgettingit.AuthorPatriciaHerschprofiledeightteenswholiveinanaffluentareaofnorthernVirginiaforher1998book,"ATribeApart."EverykidItalkedtoatlengtheventuallycamearoundtosayingwithoutmyaskingthattheywishedtheyhadmoreadultsintheirlives,especiallytheirparents,"shesays.

单选题Most embedded clauses require an introductory word called a subordinator, such as "that, until, before, ______," and so on. A. so B. if C. for D. but

单选题 BQuestions 17 ～ 20 are based on the following conversation. You now have 20 seconds to read Questions 17 ～ 20./B

单选题The word "assembling" in line 13 is closest in meaning to ______ .

单选题{{B}}Text 3{{/B}} Many parents, teachers, and community leaders are eager for some sign of a decline in drug use among teenagers that it's worth citing a recent survey by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. This group's polls show drug are gradually losing their aura of "coolness" and acceptability. The statistical declines are hardly startling-40 percent of teens surveyed saying that really cool kids don't use drugs, compared with 35 percent a year ago; experimentation with marijuana is down to 41 percent, from 44 percent in 1997. A few more kids are trying to talk friends out of using drugs. More are saying they couldn't be talked into it. Considerably more say they're aware of antidrug messages in the media. Skeptics are prone to sneer at such findings. They point to continued high drug use generally. But changes in attitudes toward drugs shouldn't be discounted. Altered attitudes lead to altered behavior, as shown by dropping cigarette use among youths in states making a consistent effort to discourage smoking. Perhaps most importantly, anti-addiction drives-whether against drugs, tobacco, or alcohol-have to credit the people they want to stay with intelligence and common sense. Those faculties may need to be awakened, Kids, and adults for that matter, have to be moved to the question, " Do I really want to do this to myself?" and, "Do I want to set this example for others?" Helping young people towards the right answers early is at the heart of the country's against drugs. The ads being aired as part of the government's National Youth Anti-Media Campaign have their part to play. So, citically, do parents and other influential adults. It's encouraging that an increased proportion of teens surveyed (50 percent versus 27 percent last year) said their parents had informed them of the dangers of drugs. The glimpses of hope seen in this survey and other recent ones demand diligent follow-up. Reducing demand is the most critical front in the drug "war". Among youths, whether urban, suburban, or rural, that means education, with an emphasis on moral reasoning-making decisions that help oneself and others.

单选题 As the 2lst century begins, a number of leaders in politics, education, and other professions believe that the United States must adopt some new values to go along with the old traditional ones. What new values should Americans adopt? This is a very difficult question to answer. Certainly, a greater value should be placed on the conservation of natural resources; Americans should learn to use less and waste less. But conservation has never been a strong value to Americans, who have believed that their country offered an endless, abundant supply of natural resources.Recently, progress has been made--more and more Americans are recycling their paper, cans, bottles, and other goods--but old wasteful habits die hard. Furthermore, the need to protect the environment may conflict with the need for jobs, as in the Northwest, where conservationists battle lumber companies that want to cut down ancient redwood trees. A belief in the value of conservation is still compared with other American values; it can become stronger only as Americans see the need for it more clearly.In addition, Americans may need to place a strong value on cooperation on a national scale to achieve important national objectives. The American idea of the national good has never been based on national cooperation but rather on the freedom of the individual, maintaining those conditions that provide the greatest freedom and prosperity for the individual. It is far more difficult for Americans to accept shared sacrifice for the common good and well-being of the entire country. For example, although the majority of Americans believe that it is extremely important to balance the national budget and reduce the deficit, they do not want to see cuts in government programs that benefit them personally.The American value of competition also hinders the development of a spirit of national cooperation. Competition sometimes encourages feelings of suspicion rather than the mutual trust that is necessary for successful national cooperation. Although Americans often cooperate successfully on the local level--in neighborhood groups and churches, for example—they become suspicious when the national government becomes involved. For example, on the national level, they may see themselves as part of an interest group that is competing with other interest groups for government funds. A request by the national government for shared sacrifice may be seen as coercive and destructive rather than voluntary and constructive. However, the demands of the 21st century may compel Americans to place a greater value on national cooperation to solve problems that affect them all, directly and indirectly.

单选题Why could not ceramics be used widely in the past?

单选题{{B}}{{I}}Questions 11～13 are based on the following talk. You now have 15 seconds to read Questions 11～13.{{/I}}{{/B}}

单选题How are icebergs formed?

单选题 {{I}}Questions 14～16 are based on a report on the worm changing climate. You now have 15 seconds to read Questions 14～16.{{/I}}

单选题 Conventional wisdom about conflict seems pretty much cut and dried. Too little conflict breeds apahty and stagnation. Too much conflict leads to divisiveness and hostility. Moderate levels of conflict, however, can spark creativity and motivate people in a healthy and competitive way. Recent research by Professor Charles R. Schwenk, however, suggests that the optimal level of conflict may be more complex to determine than these simple generalizations. He studied perceptions of conflict among a sample of executives. Some of the executives worked for profit seeking organizations and other for not-for-profit organizations. Somewhat surprisingly, Schwenk found that opinions about conflict varied systematically as a function of the type of organization. Specifically, managers in not-for-profit organizations strongly believed that conflict was beneficial to their organizations and that it promoted higher quality decision-making than might be achieved in the absence of conflict. Managers of for-profit organizations saw a different picture. They believed that conflict generally was damaging and usually led to poor-quality decision-making in their organizations. Schwenk interpreted these results in terms of the criteria for effective decision-making suggested by the executives. In the profit-seeking organizations, decision-making effectiveness was most often assessed in financial terms. The executives believed that consensus rather than conflict enhanced financial indicators. In the not-for-profit organizations, decision-making effectiveness was defined from the perspective of satisfying constituents. Given the complexities and ambiguities associated with satisfying many diverse constituents, the executives perceived that conflict led to more considered and acceptable decisions.

单选题 War may be a natural expression of biological instincts and drives toward aggression in the human species. Natural impulses of anger, hostility, and territoriality are expressed through acts of violence. These are all qualities that humans share with animals. Aggression is a kind of innate survival mechanism, an instinct for self-preservation, that allows animals to defend themselves from threats to their existence. But, on the other hand, human violence shows evidence of being a learned behavior. In the case of human aggression, violence cannot be simply reduced to an instinct. The many expressions of human violence are always conditioned by social conventions that give shape to aggressive behavior. In human societies violence has a social function: It is a strategy for creating or destroying forms of social order. Religious traditions have taken a leading role in directing the powers of violence. We will look at the ritual and ethical patterns within which human violence has been directed. The violence within a society is controlled through institutions of law. The more developed a legal system becomes, the more society takes responsibility for the discovery, control, and punishment of violent acts. In most tribal societies the only means to deal with an act of violence is revenge. Each family group may have the responsibility for personally carrying out judgment and punishment upon the person who committed the offense. {{U}}But in legal systems, the responsibility for revenge becomes depersonalized and diffused.{{/U}} The society assumes the responsibility for protecting individuals from violence. In cases where they cannot be protected, the society is responsible for imposing punishment. In a state controlled legal system, individuals are removed from the cycle of revenge motivated by acts of violence, and the state assumes responsibility for their protection. The other side of a state legal apparatus is a state military apparatus. While the one protects the individual from violence, the other, sacrifices the individual to violence in the interests of the state. In war the state affirms its supreme power over the individuals within its own borders. War is not simply a trial by combat to settle disputes between states; it is the moment when the state makes its most powerful demands upon its people for their commitment, allegiance, and supreme, sacrifice. Times of war test a community's deepest religious and ethical commitments.