单选题Nuclear weapons were first developed in the United States during the Second World War, to be used against Germany. However, by the time the first bombs were ready for use, the war with Germany had ended and, as a result, the decision was made to use the weapons against Japan instead. Hiroshima and Nagasaki have suffered the consequences of this decision to the present day. The real reasons why bombs were dropped on two heavily-populated cities are not altogether clear. A number of people in 1944 and early 1945 argued that the use of nuclear weapons would be unnecessary, since American Intelligence was aware that some of the most powerful and influential people in Japan had already realized that the war was lost, and wanted to negotiate a Japanese surrender. It was also argued that, since Japan has few natural resources, a blockade by the American navy would force it to surrender within a few weeks, and the use of nuclear weapons would thus prove unnecessary. If a demonstration of forcewas required to end the war, a bomb could be dropped over an unpopulated area like a deserr, in front of Japanese observers, or over an area of low population inside Japan, such as a forest. Opting for this course of action might minimize the loss of further lives on all sides, while the power of nuclear weapons would still be adequately demonstrated. All of these arguments were rejected, however, and the general consensus was that the quickest way to end the fighting would be to use nuclear weapons against canters of population inside Japan. In fact, two of the more likely reasons why this decision was reached seem quite shocking to us now. Since the beginning of the Second World War both Germany and Japan had adopted a policy of genocide (i. e. killing as many people as possible, including civilians). Later on, even the US and Britain had used the strategy of fire bombing cities (Dresden and Tokyo, for example) in order to kill, injure and intimidate as many civilians as possible. Certainly, the general public in the West had become used to hearing about the deaths of large numbers of people, so the deaths of another few thousand Japanese, who were the enemy in any case, would not seem particularly unacceptable—a bit of "justifiable" revenge for the Allies' own losses, perhaps. The second reason is not much easier to comprehend. Some of the leading scientists in the world had collaborated to develop nuclear weapons, and this development had resulted in a number of major advances in technology and scientific knowledge. As a result, a lot of nor-mal, intelligent people wanted to see nuclear weapons used; they wanted to see just how destructive this new invention could be. It no doubt turned out to be even more "effective" than they had imagined.

单选题 Many foreigners who have not visited Britain call all the inhabitants English, for they are used to thinking of the British Isles as England.{{U}} (1) {{/U}}, the British Isles contain a variety of peoples, and only the people of England call themselves English. The others{{U}} (2) {{/U}}to themselves as Welsh, Scottish, or Irish,{{U}} (3) {{/U}}the case may be; they are often slightly annoyed{{U}} (4) {{/U}}being classified as "English".Even in England there are many{{U}} (5) {{/U}}in regional character and speech. The chief{{U}} (6) {{/U}}is between southern England and northern England. South of a{{U}} (7) {{/U}}going from Bristol to London, people speak the type of English usually learnt by foreign students,{{U}} (8) {{/U}}there are local variations. Further north, regional speech is usually"{{U}} (9) {{/U}}"than that of southern Britain. Northerners are{{U}} (10) {{/U}}to claim that they work harder than Southerners, and are more{{U}} (11) {{/U}}They are openhearted and hospitable; foreigners often find that they make friends with them{{U}} (12) {{/U}}. Northerners generally have hearty{{U}} (13) {{/U}}: the visitor to Lancashire or Yorkshire, for instance, may look forward to receiving generous{{U}} (14) {{/U}}at meal times. In accent and character the people of the Midlands{{U}} (15) {{/U}}a gradual change from the southern to the northern type of Englishman. In Scotland the sound{{U}} (16) {{/U}}by the letter "R" is generally a strong sound, and "R" is often pronounced in words in which it would be{{U}} (17) {{/U}}in southern English. The Scots are said to be a serious, cautious, thrifty people,{{U}} (18) {{/U}}inventive and somewhat mystical. All the Celtic peoples of Britain (the Welsh, the Irish, the Scots) are frequently{{U}} (19) {{/U}}as being more "fiery" than the English. They are{{U}} (20) {{/U}}a race that is quite distinct from the English.

单选题St. Paul didn't like it. Moses warned his people against it. Hesiod declared it "mischievious” and "hard to get rid of it", but Oscar Wilder said, "Gossip is charming." "History is merely gossip," he wrote in one of his famous plays. "But scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. ' In times past, under Jewish law, gossipmongers might be fined or flogged. The Puritans put them in stocks or ducking stools, but no punishment seemed to have the desired effect of preventing gossip, which has continued uninterrupted across the back fences of the centuries. Today, however, the much-maligned human foible is being looked at in a different light. Psychologists, sociologists, philosophers, even evolutionary biologists are concluding that gossip may not be so bad after all. Gossip is "an intrinsically valuable activity", philosophy professor Aaron Ben-Ze'ev states in a book he has edited, entitled Good Gossip. For one thing, gossip helps us acquire information that we need to know that doesn't come through ordinary channels, such as: "What was the real reason so and-so was fired from the office?" Gossip also is a form of social bonding, Dr. Ben-Ze'ev says. It is "a kind of sharing" that also "satisfies the tribal need-- namely, the need to belong to and be accepted by a unique group". What's more, the professor notes, "Gossip is enjoyable." Another gossip groupie, Dr. Ronald De Sousa, a professor of philosophy at the University of Toronto, describes gossip basically as a form of indiscretion and a "saintly virtue", by which he means that the knowledge spread by gossip will usually end up being slightly beneficial. "It seems likely that a world in which all information were universally available would be preferable to a world where immense power resides in the control of secrets," he writes. Still, everybody knows that gossip can have its ill effects, especially on the poor wretch being gossiped about. And people should refrain from certain kinds of gossip that might be harmful, even though the ducking stool is long out of fashion. By the way, there is also an interesting strain of gossip called medical gossip, which in its best form, according to researchers Jerry M. Suls and Franklin Goodkin, can motivate people with symptoms of serious illness, but who are unaware of it, to seek medical help. So go ahead and gossip. But remember, if (as often is the case among gossipers) you should suddenly become one of the gossipees instead, it is best to employ the foolproof defense recommended by Plato, who may have learned the lesson from Socrates, who as you know was the victim of gossip spread that he was corrupting the youth of Athens: When men speak ill of thee, so live thiat nobody will believe them. Or, as Will Rogers said, "Live so that you wouldn't .be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip./

单选题My inspiration is my grandmother, who's still alive at 96. She raised me from the time I was 8 on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. In another era she could have done what I do, although I didn't know what a CEO was then. I'm a real go-getter and don't know any other way. I tell my 12-year-old daughter, if you have a test, why not try for an A? I don't believe in half doing something. In my career, the biggest shock came in my 20's. I loved my job as a field systems analyst at 3M, and wanted my first manager's job at headquarters. They even told me I was the best candidate, totally qualified. Then they told me, "It's not possible because you're a woman." I was so shocked that I quit. I had this feeling of being totally blown away as I crawled back to Atlanta. I preach to people: there are no bad bosses. You learn how not to treat people. My worst boss was full of himself and wanted to micromanage. The man didn't have a complimentary bone in his body. I still have my performance review he wrote in small anal print. It was winter in Minnesota. I didn't want to drive. I was out the door at 5 p.m. because the bus left the front door at 5: 06. He put that down in my review how fast I was out the door. It didn't matter the rest of the year I was there until 6 or 7. Later, when I switched companies. I attended an off-site strategy meeting in Florida. There was a barbecue and the meeting continued on into the evening. My boss' boss threw a towel across the room and said, "Clean up, Carol." I caught the towel, went over and scrubbed his face. Everybody in the room went "Ohhhh." The luckiest thing in my career is that I have a computer science degree. Doors opened wide at a time when it wasn't necessarily great for women. If I could wave a magic wand, I'd have every girl pass college freshman calculus.

单选题Why does the conclusion dram from Bahn's words seem contradictory?

单选题The tone of the text can best described as______.

单选题Patrick Moorer seemed to believe that putting men on Mars within the next few decades was ______.

单选题As Philadelphia grew from a small town into a city in the first half of the eighteenth century, it became an increasingly important marketing center for a vast agricultural hinterland. Market days (1) the crowded city even more crowded, as farmers from within a (2) of 24 or more kilometers brought their sheep, vegetables, cider and other products for direct sale to the (3) . The High Street Market was continuously (4) throughout the period until 1736, (5) it (6) from Front Street to Third. By 1745 New Market was opened on Second Street. The next year the Callow Hill Market began (7) . Along with market days, the (8) of twice-yearly fairs persisted in Philadelphia (9) after similar trading days had been discontinued in other colonial cities. The (10) provided a means of bringing handmade goods from (11) places to would-be buyers in the city. Linens and stockings from Germantown, (12) , were popular items. Auctions were another popular (13) of trade. Because of the competition, retail (14) opposed these as well as the fairs. (15) governmental attempts to eradicate fairs and auctions were less than successful, the ordinary (16) of economic development was on the merchants'side, as increasing business specialization became the (17) of the day. Export merchants became differentiated from their importing counterparts, and specialty shops began to appear (18) general stores selling a variety of goods. One of the reasons Philadelphia's merchants prospered was because the surrounding area was undergoing tremendous economic and demographic growth. They did their business, (19) , in the capital city of the province, (20) to not only the governor and his circle, but citizens from all over the colony.

单选题The author does not include among the sciences the study of