单选题America's Federal Reserve cut interest rates by another quarter-point, to 3.75%. Wall Street, which had been (1) for a sixth half-point cut, was disappointed. The Dow fell by 2% (2) the week. The past week's economic statistics gave mixed signals. Exports dropped by 2% in both March and April, largely (3) a decline in high-tech investment (4) ; the merchandise-trade (5) widened to $458 billion in the 12 months (6) April. (7) , the Conference Board's index of consumer confidence was higher than (8) in June. Concerns (9) inflation in the euro area (10) . Preliminary data (11) that German consumer- price inflation fell to 3.1% in the year to June, from 3.5% in May; wage growth (12) to 1.4% in April, a real pay cut of 1.5%. Some economists fear that Germany is on the (13) of recession. The IFO index of business confidence dropped more (14) than expected in May, and the institute has cut its forecast of GDP (15) this year to only 1.2%, well (16) the German government's forecast of 2%. The euro area's current-account deficit narrowed to $30 billion in the 12 months to April. Britain's deficit in the first quarter was its smallest (17) 1998, (18) record investment income. There was more bad news from Japan, (19) retail sales in large stores fell by 3.2% in May, the 37th consecutive monthly fall. The yen fell (20) the dollar, touching almost Yen 125 on one point.

单选题The material in the text would be most relevant to a long discussion of which of the following topics?

单选题{{B}}Part B{{/B}}Directions: The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For questions 41--45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent article by choosing from the list A--G to fill in each numbered box. The first and the last paragraphs have been placed for you in boxes. [A] In our time women have an average lifespan of almost 80 years; double of what it was in the last century. Motherhood can be postponed and in theory marriage can be postponed. Women in the US are studying more than men and they may become main breadwinner in the near future. [B] Many women go through life thinking, consciously or unconsciously, that a man will solve all their problems, "Once we are married, everything will be OK. " This attitude only set us up for failure. Men are not princes ready to take any challenge to rescue the princesses; they are human beings with their own needs and fears. [C] Carrie was wondering in her bedroom about the comment that her friend, New York socialite Charlotte York, made "Women want to be rescued. " Carrie wonders, "Is that true? Is that the only thing women want? Rescued by whom? If the prince did not kiss Snow White, would she have been frozen forever or would she have woken up anyway and moved on?" Snow White probably had no other chance, but we do. [D] No wonder our society has changed. On the other hand, our values have not fast enough and many women, more so Hispanic women, are just waiting to be rescued by the prince. These women have not realized they no longer need to be rescued; they need a man for other reasons, not to take care of them. [E] Women in our society have so many options that we do not need anybody else to rescue us; we are the only ones that can rescue ourselves. If you have areas of your life that you want to improve, go ahead; do it for you and for you only, or accept yourself as you are. Do not be so naive that you think someone else can take care of all your problems. Life does not work like that. Live life to the fullest, be happy with who you are and you will see that if you are happy with yourself, you will make others happy, including your man. [F] Our society has changed in a remarkable way in the last 50 years or so. And there are many reasons for it. At the beginning of the 20th century women's lifespan was about 40 years. Therefore, life needed to start earlier if a woman were going to live for only 40 years; motherhood was a priority. Men used to work and women stayed at home and took care of them and their kids. Women could not survive without a man; women needed to be rescued. [G] Women are caregivers. We are strong and smart and we have the ability to take care of ourselves; we do not need to be rescued by anyone. When we are giving our power to others in exchange for security, we are also giving up our freedom. Are you waiting to be rescued? Do you ever think like that? Order:

单选题It"s generally been said that history is written by the winners. This was never more true than on March 12, when the Texas board of education voted 10-5 in favour of curriculum standards that would promote conservative takes on controversial issues in the pages of the state"s textbooks. The changes, expected to win final approval in May, include an increased emphasis on and sympathetic treatment of such Republican standards as the National Rifle Association and the Moral Majority. They also boast the advantage of capitalism and the role of Christianity in the nation"s founding. Even Thomas Jefferson"s profile will be reduced; some board members were less than fond of his ideas about the division of church and state. This is not Texas" first such skirmish. Since the 1970s, the state has tried to drop books that were seen as too liberal or anti-Christian, to omit passages on the gay-rights movement and to tone down global-warming arguments. But the nation"s battle over textbooks stretches back almost half a century earlier. In 1925, Tennessee"s Butler Act (which was abolished in 1967) made it illegal to teach "any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible ." The Scopes "monkey trial" famously followed. In 1974, a clash erupted in Kanawha County, West Virginia, over the controversial writings of such authors as George Orwell, Arthur Miller and Allen Ginsberg. Opposition was so heated that some schools were firebombed. As one of America"s largest textbook buyers, the Longhorn State has a good deal of sway over what is sold to schools nationwide. And while Napoleon may have maintained that "history is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon," getting Texans to come together on the past may prove to be their Waterloo.

单选题According to the passage when putting paint on the outside of your house, you should be careful ______.

单选题According to the text, what annoys the Euro area is that France and Germany refuse to

单选题{{B}}Text 3{{/B}} A curious election will take place in St Louis on April 3rd. Seven candidates will compete for two seats on the city's school board. The polls will open at 6am and stay open until 7pm. Staffing the polling stations and counting the electronic ballots will cost taxpayers at least $260,000. Two happy candidates will celebrate and take office-just in time to have the state of Missouri complete the takeover of the district's schools and give them and the other board members nothing to do for several years. This election to nothing comes after years of falling test scores, revolving superintendents, screaming matches between board members at public meetings and a growing dissatisfaction with every aspect of public education. The state board of education voted on March 22nd to take over the school district, effective in mid-June. Some prominent figures endorsed this course, including the mayor of St Louis, and even some members of the St Louis school board. Others in the city, though, are deeply opposed and ready to fight about it. Although the city schools overall have an amply deserved reputation for low standards, there are some good schools and many good students. The best students have the most to lose, fearing that the turmoil could damage their chances of getting into good universities. When the state education board voted on the takeover, a group of angry students, teachers and other members of the public tried to disrupt the meeting. Protesters are still trying to use the courts to stop the action, and the teachers' union has threatened a strike. Under Missouri law the city's schools will now be placed under a three-member board appointed by the governor, the mayor and the president of the board of aldermen. Governor Matt Blunt's choice of Rick Sullivan, the head of a building firm, has already been attacked because of Mr Sullivan's lack of experience in education and because he lives in one of the wealthiest suburbs outside the city. Mr Sullivan and the other members, who have yet to be appointed, have an almost impossible task before them. The district, which in the past five years has turned a $52m surplus into a $24.5m deficit, has already closed schools, cut services and squeezed spending hard. But as its critics point out, the elected school board still found plenty of money for tours and public relations. The trickle of voters turning out for the pointless board election will pass banners celebrating the new season of the world baseball champions. St Louis has made huge progress in attracting a new generation of young professionals to its downtown area, building new business developments and installing new infrastructure. The great failure in its schools puts all that in danger.

单选题In par

单选题It can be inferred that the term "public duty" denotes

单选题Today Americans have different eating habits than in the past. There is a wide selection of food available. They have a broader knowledge of nutrition, so they buy more fresh fruit and vegetables than ever before. At the same time, Americans purchase increasing quantities of sweets, snacks and sodas. Statistics show that the way people live determines the way they eat. American life styles have changed. They now include growing numbers of people who live alone, single parents and children, and double-income families. These changing life styles are responsible for the increasing number of people who must rush meals or sometimes skip them altogether. Many Americans have less time than ever before t9 spend preparing food. Partly as a consequence of this limited time, 60 percent of all American homes now have microwave ovens. Moreover, Americans eat out nearly four times a week on the average. It is easy to study the amounts and kinds of food that people consume. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the food industry-growers, processors, marketers and restaurant managers compile sales statistics and keep accurate records. This information not only tells us what people are eating but also tells us about the changes in attitudes and tastes. Red meat, which used to be the most popular choice for dinner, is no longer an American favorite. Instead, chickens, turkey, and fish have become more popular. Sales of these foods have greatly increased in recent years. This is probably a result of the awareness of the dangers of eating food which contains high levels of cholesterol, or animal fat. Doctors believe that cholesterol is a threat to human health. According to a recent survey, Americans also change their eating patterns to meet the needs of different situations. They have certain ideas about which foods will increase their athletic ability, help them lose weight, make them alert for business meetings, or put them in the mood for romance. For example, Americans choose pasta, fruit, and vegetables, which supply them with carbohydrates, to give them strength for physical activity, such as sports. Adults choose food rich in fiber, such as bread and cereal, for breakfast, and salads for lunch to prepare them for business appointment. For romantic dinners, however, Americans choose shrimp and lobster. While many of these ideas are based on nutritional facts, some are not. Americans" awareness of nutrition, along with their changing tastes and needs, leads them to consume a wide variety of foods—foods for health, for fun, and simply for good taste.

单选题What does "S. P. Q. R" suggest according to the text?

单选题Of all the areas of learning the most important is the development of attitudes.. emotional reactions as well as logical thought processes affect the behavior of most people. "The burnt child fears the fire" is one instance; another is the rise of despots like Hitler. Both these examples also point up the fact that attitudes come from experience. In the one case the experience was direct and impressive; in the other it was indirect and cumulative. The Nazis were influenced largely by the speeches they heard and the books they read. The classroom teacher in the elementary school is in a strategic position to influence attitudes. This is true partly because children acquire attitudes from those adults whose words are highly regarded by them. Another reason it is true is that pupils often devote their time to a subject in school that has only been touched upon at home or has possibly never occurred to them before. To a child who had previously acquired little knowledge of Mexico his teacher's method of handling such a unit would greatly affect his attitude toward Mexicans. The media through which the teacher can develop wholesome attitudes are innumerable. Social studies (with special reference to races, creeds and nationalities), science matters of health and safety, the very atmosphere of the classroom... these are a few of the fertile fields for the inculcation of proper emotional reactions. However, when children go to school with undesirable attitudes, it is unwise for the teacher to attempt to change their feelings by cajoling or scolding them. She can achieve the proper effect by helping them obtain constructive experiences. To illustrate, first-grade pupils afraid of policemen will probably alter their attitudes after a classroom chat with the neighborhood officer in which he explains how he protects them. In the same way, a class of older children can develop attitudes through discussion, research, outside reading and all-day trips. Finally, a teacher must constantly evaluate her own attitudes, because her influence can be negative if she has personal prejudices. This is especially true in respect to controversial issues and questions on which children should be encouraged to reach their own decision as a result of objective analysis of all the facts.

单选题If such unhappy persons don't change their bad behaviour, what should people do according to the author?______

单选题The marvelous telephone and television network that has now enmeshed the whole world, making all men neighbors, cannot be extended into space. It will never be possible to converse with anyone on another planet. Even with today"s radio equipment, the messages will take minutes—sometimes hours—on their journey, because radio and light waves travel at the same limited speed of 186, 000 miles a second. Twenty years from now you will be able to listen to a friend on Mars, but the words you hear will have left his mouth at least three minutes earlier, and your reply will take a corresponding time to reach him. In such circumstances, an exchange of verbal messages is possible—but not a conversation. To a culture which has come to take instantaneous communication for granted, as part of the very structure of civilized life, this "time barrier" may have a profound psychological impact. It will be a perpetual reminder of universal laws and limitations against which not all our technology can ever prevail. For it seems as certain as anything can be that no signal--still less any material object—can ever travel faster than light. The velocity of light is the ultimate speed limit, being part of the very, structure of space and time. Within the narrow confines of the solar system, it will not handicap us too severely. At the worst, these will amount to twenty hours—the time it takes a radio signal to span the orbit of Pluto, the outer-most planet. It is when we move out beyond the confines of the solar system that we come face to face with an altogether new order of cosmic reality. Even today, many otherwise educated men—like those savages who can count to three but lump together all numbers beyond four—cannot grasp the profound distinction between solar and stellar space. The first is the space enclosing our neighboring worlds, the planets; the second is that which embraces those distant suns, the stars, and it is literally millions of times greater. There is no such abrupt change of scale in the terrestrial affairs. Many conservative scientists, appalled by these cosmic gulfs, have denied that they can ever be crossed. Some people never learn ; those who sixty years ago scoffed at the possibility of flight, and ten years ago laughed at the idea of travel to the planets, are now quite sure that the stars will always be beyond our reach. And again they are wrong, for they have failed to grasp the great lesson of our age— that if something is possible in theory, and no fundamental scientific laws oppose its realization, then sooner or later it will be achieved. One day we shall discover a really efficient means of propelling our space vehicles. Every technical device is always developed to its limit and the ultimate speed for spaceships is the velocity of light. They will never reach that goal, but they will get very near it. And then the nearest star will be less than five years voyaging from the earth.