单选题What is the purpose of this study?

单选题It took no time at all for the native Americans who first greeted Christopher Columbus to be all but erased from the face of the earth. For about a thousand years the peaceful people known as the Taino had thrived in modern-day Cuba and many other islands. But less than 30 years after Columbus' arrival, the Taino would be destroyed by Spanish weaponry, forced labor and European diseases. Unlike their distant cousins, the Inca, Aztecs and Maya, the Taino left no pyramids or temples—no obvious signs that they had ever existed. But it is a mistake to assume—as many scholars have until quite recently—that the absence of abundant artifacts meant the Taino were necessarily more primitive than the grander civilizations of Central and South America. They simply used less durable materials: the Taino relied on wood for building and most craftwork, and much of what they made has disintegrated over the centuries. However, thanks largely to two remarkable digs undertaken recently, archaeologists will be able to enrich their knowledge of the Taino. There nearly intact remains of a Taino dwelling buried in the dirt. This site may have been one of the Taino's major centers. Meanwhile, deep in the forests of the Dominican Republic, a U. S.-Dominican team has also made an important discovery: a 240-ft. deep Taino cenote, or ceremonial well, where hundreds of objects thrown in as offerings have been preserved in the oxygen-poor water. It will take a much longer time to understand the Taino fully, but they have been rescued from the ignoble status of footnotes in the chapter of history that began with the arrival of Columbus.

单选题"Sloganeering" did not originate in the 1960s. The term has a rich history. It originated from the Gaelic word slaughgharim, which signified a "host-shout." "war cry," or "gathering word or phrase of one of the old Highland clans; hence the shout or battle cry of soldiers in the field." English-speaking people began using the term by 1704. The term at the time meant "the distinctive note, phrase, or cry of any person or body of persons." Slogans were common throughout the European continent during the middle ages, and they were utilized primly as "passwords to insure proper recognition of individuals at night or in the confusion of battle." The American revolutionary rhetoric would not have been the same without "the Boston Massacre," "the Boston Tea Party," "the shot heard around the world," and shouts of "no taxation without representation." Slogans operate in society as "social symbols" and, as such, their intended or perceived meaning may be difficult to grasp and their impact or stimulation may differ between and among individuals and groups. Because slogans may operate as "significant symbols" or as key words that have a standard meaning in a group, they serve both expressive and persuasive functions. Harold Lasswell recognized that the influencing of collective attitudes is possible by the manipulation of significant symbols such as slogans. He believed that a verbal Symbol might evoke a desired reaction or organize collective attitudes around a symbol. Murray Edelman writes that "to the political scientist patterning or consistency in the context in which specific groups of individuals use symbols is crucial, for only through such patterning do common political meaning and claims arise." Thus, the slogans a group uses to evoke specific responses may provide us with an index for the group's norm, values, and conceptual rationale for its claims. Slogans are so pervasive in today's society that it is easy to underestimate their persuasive power. They have grown in significance because of the medium of television and the advertising industry. Television, in addition to being the major advertising medium, has altered the nature of human interaction. Political images are less personal and shorter. They function as summaries and conclusions rather than bases for public interaction and debate. The style of presentation in television is more emotional, but the content is less complex or ideological. In short, slogans work well on television. The advertising industry has made a science of sloganeering. Today, communication itself is a problem because we live in an "overcommunicated" society. Advertisers have discovered that it is easier to link product attributes to existing beliefs, ideas, goals, and desires of the consumer rather than to change them. Thus, to say that a cookie tastes "homemade" or is as good as "Mom used to make" does not tell us if the cookie is good or bad, hard or soft, but simply evokes the fond memories of Mother's baking. Advertisers, then, are more successful if they present a product in a way that capitalizes on established beliefs or expectations of the consumer. Slogans do this well by crystallizing in a few words the key idea or theme one wants to associate with an issue, group, product, or event. "Sloganeering" has become institutionalized as a virtual art form, and an advertising agency may spend months testing and creating the right slogan for a product or a person. Slogans have a number of attributes that enhance their persuasive potential for social movements. They are unique and readily identifiable with a specific social movement or social movement organization. "Gray Power," for instance, readily identifies the movement for elderly Americans, and "Huelga" (strike in Spanish) identifies the movement to aid Mexican American field workers in the west and southwest.

单选题Our hotel can______double the number of guests participating in your conference.

单选题The baby seems content; he must have ______ his new nursemaid. A. taken to B. taken after C. taken from D. taken in

单选题That sound doesn't ______ in his language, so it's difficult for him to pronounce it. A. happen B. occur C. have D. take place

单选题Desert soils break up and crack because of ______.

单选题She was the most______customer the salesman had to deal with that day.

单选题The early retirement of experienced workers is seriously harming the U. S. economy, according to a new report from the Hudson Institute, a public policy research organization. Currently, many older experienced workers retire at an early age. According to the recently issued statistics, 79 percent of qualified workers begin collecting retirement benefits at age 62; if that trend continues, there will be a labor shortage that will hinder the economic growth in the twenty-first century. Older Americans constitute an increasing proportion of the population, according to the U. S. Census Bureau, and the population of those over age 65 will grow by 60% between 2001 and 2020. During the same period, the group aged 18 to 44 will increase by only 4%. Keeping older skilled workers employed, even part time, would increase U. S. economic output and strengthen the tax base; but without significant policy reforms, massive early retirement among baby boomers seems more likely. Retirement at age 62 is an economically rational decision today. Social Security and Medicaid earnings limits and tax penalties subject our most experienced workers to marginal tax rates as high as 67%. Social Security formulas encourage early retirement. Although incomes usually rise with additional years of work, any pay increases after the 35-year mark result in higher social Security taxes but only small increases in benefits. Hudson Institute researchers believe that federal tax and benefit policies are at fault and reforms are urgently needed, but they disagree with the popular proposal that much older Americans will have to work because Social Security will not support them and that baby boomers are not saving enough for retirement. According to the increase in 401(k) and Keogh retirement plans, the ongoing stock market on Wall Street, and the likelihood of large inheritances, there is evidence that baby boomers will reach age 65 with greater financial assets than previous generations. The Hudson Institute advocates reforming government policies that now discourage work and savings, especially for older workers. Among the report' s recommendations. Tax half of all Social Security benefits, regardless of other income; provide 8% larger benefits for each year beyond 65; and permit workers nearing retirement to negotiate compensation packages that may include a lower salary but with greater healthcare benefits. However, it may take real and fruitful planning to find the right solution to the early retirement of older experienced workers; any measures taken must be allowed to prolong the serviceability of older experienced workers.

单选题The speaker was very much______by rude words and behavior of the audience in the hall. A. jerked B. incensed C. laced D. limped

单选题Terrorism proves to be a more serious problem than anticipated, and it challenges both policymakers burdened with the design of countermeasures and social scientists who are called upon to explain it. Terrorism"s unique nature is revealed by two phenomena. First, public perception of threat and danger seems to be disproportionate to terrorists" actual capabilities. Second, terrorism, more than any other form of warfare, has an impact on a target group immensely larger than that of the immediate victims and often on populations beyond that terrorism bears primarily on individuals" perceptions, on the "public mind"; in other words, it is a form of psychological warfare. The psychological impacts of political terrorism are potentially manifest in individuals" emotional and attitudinal responses. In the realm of emotions, the fear and concern for personal safety, which terror tactics might give rise to, is a revealing indicator of their effectiveness. One could argue, of course, that terrorists" ability to sow widespread fear hardly needs proof as it is obvious that violence and particularly the terrorists" hallmark, randomly targeted violence, are anxiety inducing. It should be noted, however, that terrorism has claimed relatively few casualties to date, and that in most countries the actual probability of incurring harm from terroristic activity is only a fraction of, say, the risk of death or injury in vehicle accidents or common crimes. Hence, the power of terrorism to intimidate should not be taken for granted. Intimidation and the induction of fear are not the ends of terrorists" activity but rather means to effect political change. Their violence is predicated on two assumptions: (a) Violent action can force the causes pursued by terrorists into the forefront of an indifferent public"s awareness; (b) faced with the choice between continuing violence and acceptance of the terrorists" demands, the public might opt for the latter. Thus, the attitudes that the targets of political terrorism develop toward its perpetrators, their objectives, and the actions that ought to be undertaken vis-à-vis them constitute telling measures of the effectiveness of terrorism. The present investigation sought to assess the psychological reactions of a public which has been exposed for a considerable length of time to the threats and actions of terrorist. Regarding emotional impacts, the data suggest that terrorism"s ability to intimidate, to induce worry and concern, disproportionally exceeds the actual damage it causes. According to the data gathered, the actual probability of being victimized by terrorist activity was extremely low; estimated at less than 1/20 of the likelihood of being hurt in a road accident. Yet a large majority of the respondents expressed worry about the risk of personally incurring the consequences of terrorism. It might be uncontrollability dramatically enhance its impact. Thus, while the risk of vehicle driving might be far greater than the danger of terrorism, the car driver is usually reassured by a subjective feeling of control which the potential victim of terrorism lacks. The survey results indicate that terrorism has failed to produce the change in attitudes sought by its perpetrators. Most respondents favored, instead, the reliance on extreme counterterrorist measures. The hardening of Israelis attitudes toward terrorists and their objectives was also revealed by the respondents" unanimity of opinion. Taken together, the data concerning the emotional impact of terrorism and its effects on attitudes did not bear out the rationale which governs terroristic action. Despite the widespread concern and worry revealed by these data, there was no evidence of any willingness to politically concede to terrorists. On the contrary, and as already noted, the majority advocated the adoption of harsh measures against terrorists. Thus, at least insofar as Palestinian terrorism and the Israeli public are concerned, proves to be counterproductive. Comprehension Questions..

单选题 (21) summary of the physical and chemical (22) of life must begin, not on the Earth, but (23) the Sun; in fact, (24) the Sun's very center. (25) is here that is to be found the (26) of the energy that the Sun constantly (27) space (28) light and heat. This energy is liberated at the center of the Sun as billions upon billions of nuclei hydrogen atoms (29) each other and (30) to form nuclei of helium, and, (31) doing so, (32) some of the energy that is stored in the nuclei of atoms. The output of light and heat of the Sun (33) that some 600 million tons of hydrogen (34) helium in the Sun every second. This the Sun (35) for several thousands of millions of years.

单选题Even if she is responsible for the mistake, she is not likely to ______ it. A. own up to B. live up to C. hold on to D. get down to

单选题For reasons yet to be fully understood, one out of ten human beings in the world is left-handed, and from one generation to the next, this ratio is roughly preserved. As we know, left-handedness cuts across socioeconomic, ethnic, and gender lines. Yet throughout history prominent figures in science—to say nothing of religion—have identified in left-handedness signs of viciousness or worse. In 1903, Italian physician Cesare Lombroso identified left-handedness as one of the degeneracy signs of the born criminals. Three years later, Dr. Wilhelm Fliess suggested that left-handedness was a reliable identification of homosexuality. And in 1937 British psychologist Cyril Burt declared left-handedness to be a mark of an ill-organized nervous system. As demonstrated by all the "therapeutic" coercion that left-handed children were subjected to during the first half of the 20th century, these biases had more than just a theoretical impact. Yet even when this gauche predilection was being discouraged, handism was certainly never taken as seriously as racism or sexism now is. Perhaps it's the arbitrary nature of the trait that has militated against meaningful discrimination. After all, even when both parents are right-handed, there is still a 10 percent chance that they will bring a left-handed baby into the world. Moreover, a white baby born in Scaresdale is just as likely to be left-handed as a black baby in Harlem. Hence when the left-handed George Bush became President of the United States, it was hardly interpreted as a blow against prejudice. Nor was much attention paid to the fact that Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford were also southpaws.

单选题On an average of six times a day, a doctor in Holland practices "active" euthanasia: intentionally administering a lethal(致死的)drug to a terminally ill patient who has asked to be relieved of suffering. Twenty times a day, life-prolonging treatment is withheld or withdrawn when there is no hope that it can effect an ultimate cure. "Active" euthanasia remains a crime on the Dutch statute books, punishable by 12 years in prison. But a series of court cases over the past 15 years has made it clear that a competent physician who carries it out will not be prosecuted. Euthanasia, often called "mercy killing" is a crime everywhere in Western Europe. But more and more doctors and nurses readily admit to practicing it, most often in the "passive" form of withholding or withdrawing treatment. The long simmering euthanasia issue has lately boiled over into a, sometimes, fierce public debate, with both sides claiming the mantle of ultimate righteousness. Those opposed to the practice see themselves upholding sacred principles of respect for life, while those in favor raise the banner of humane treatment. After years on the defensive, the advocates now seem to be gaining ground. Recent polls in Britain show that 72 percent of British subjects favor euthanasia in some circumstances. An astonishing 76 percent of respondents to a poll taken last year in France said they would like the law changed to decriminalize mercy killings. Euthanasia has been a topic of controversy in Europe since at least 1936, when a bill was introduced in the House of Lords that would have legalized mercy killing under very tightly supervised conditions. That bill failed, as have three others introduced in the House of Lords since then. Reasons for the latest surge of interest in euthanasia are not hard to find. Europeans, like Americans, are now living longer. Therefore, lingering chronic diseases have replaced critical illnesses as the primary cause of death. And the euthanasists argue that every human being should have the right to "die with dignity," by which they usually mean the right to escape the horrors of a painful or degrading hospitalization(住院治疗). Most experts believe that euthanasia will continue to be practiced no matter what the law says.

单选题When a newspaper prints an inaccurate date for an event, universal Uchagrin/U results.

单选题{{B}}Passage Two{{/B}} As one works with color in a practical or experimental way, one is impressed by two apparently unrelated facts. Color as seen is a mobile changeable thing depending to a large extent on the relationship of the color to other colors seen simultaneously. It is not fixed in its relation to the direct stimulus which creates it. On the other hand, the properties of surfaces that give rise to color do not seem to change greatly under a wide variety of illumination colors, usually (but not always) looking much the same in artificial light as in daylight. Both of these effects seem to be due in large part to the mechanism of color adaptation mentioned earlier. When the eye is fixed on a colored area, there is an immediate readjustment of the sensitivity of the eye to color in and around the area viewed. This readjustment does not immediately affect the color seen but usually does affect the next area to which the gaze is shifted. The longer the time of viewing, the higher the intensity, and the larger the area, the greater the effect will be in terms of its persistence in the succeeding viewing situation. As indicated by the work of Wright and Schouten, it appears that, at least for a first approximation, full adaptation takes place over a very brief time if the adapting source is moderately bright and the eye has been in relative darkness just previously. As the stimulus is allowed to act, however, the effect becomes more persistent in the sense that it takes the eye longer to regain its sensitivity to lower intensities. The net result is that, if the eye is so exposed and then the gaze is transferred to an area of lower intensity, the loss of sensitivity produced by the first area will still be present and appear as an "afterimage" superimposed on the second. The effect not only is present over the actual area causing the "local adaptation" but also spreads with decreasing strength to adjoining areas of the eye to produce "lateral adaptation." Also, because of the persistence of the effect if the eye is shifted around from one object to another, all of which are at similar brightness or have similar colors, the adaptation will tend to become uniform over the whole eye.

单选题Scientists are often {{U}}fascinated {{/U}}by phenomena that many ordinary people ignore.

单选题 People with a history of recurrent infections are warned that the use of personal stereos with headsets is likely to ______ their hearing.