填空题Respiration plays a key role ______.

填空题阅读下面的短文，文章中有5处空白，文章后有6组文字，请根据文章的内容选择5组文字，将其分别放回文章原有位置，以恢复文章原貌。 {{B}} "Happy Birthday to You"{{/B}} The main problem in discussing American popular culture is also one of its main characteristics: it won't stay American. No matter what it is, whether it is films, food and fashion, music, casual sports or slang, it's soon at home elsewhere in the world. There are several theories why American popular culture has had this appeal. One theory is that it has been "advertised" and marketed through American films, popular music, and more recently, television. {{U}}(46) {{/U}} They are, after all, in competition with those produced by other countries. Another theory, probably amore common one, is that American popular culture is internationally associated with something called "the spirit of America." {{U}}(47) {{/U}} The final theory is less complex: American popular culture is popular because a lot of people in the world like it. Regardless of why it spreads, American popular culture is usually quite rapidly adopted and then adapted in many other countries. {{U}}(48) {{/U}} "Happy Birthday to You," for instance, is such an everyday song that its source, its American copyright, so to speak, is not remembered. Black leather jackets worn by many heroes in American movies could be found, a generation later, on all those young men who wanted to make this manly-look their own. Two areas where this continuing process is most clearly seen are clothing and music. Some people can still remember a time when T-shirts, jogging clothes, tennis shoes, denim jackets, and blue jeans were not common daily wear everywhere. Only twenty years ago, it was possible to spot an American in Paris by his or her clothes. No longer so: those bright colors, checkered jackets and trousers, hats and socks which were once made fun of in cartoons are back again in Pads as the latest fashion. {{U}}(49) {{/U}} The situation with American popular music is more complex because in the beginning, when it was still clearly American, it was often strongly resisted. Jazz was once thought to be a great danger to youth and their morals, and was actually outlawed in several countries. Today, while still showing its rather American roots, it has become so well established. Rock 'n' roll and all its variations, country & western music,4 all have more or less similar histories. They were first resisted, often in America as well, as being "low-class," and then as "a danger to our nation's youth." {{U}}(50) {{/U}} And then the music became accepted and was extended and developed, and exported back to the US. A As a result, its American origins and roots are often quickly forgotten. B But this theory fails to explain why American films, music, and television programs are so popular in themselves. C American in origin, informal clothing has become the world's first truly universal style. D The BBC, for example, banned rock and roll until 1962. E American food has become popular around the world too. F This spirit is variously described as being young and free, optimistic and confident, informal and disrespectful.

填空题阅读下面的短文，文章有5处空白，文章后面有6组文字，请根据文章的内容选择5组文字，将其分别放回文章原有位置，以恢复文章原貌。 How One Simple Movement Can Let Slip the Secrets of the Mind Body language is the quiet, secret and most powerful language of all! It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 percent of what we really mean while words themselves only express 7 percent. So, while your mouth is closed, just what is your body saying. Arms. {{U}}(46) {{/U}}. If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back, this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. {{U}}(47) {{/U}}. If someone upsets you, just cross your arms to show you're unhappy! Head. When you want to appear confident, keep your head level. If you are monitor in class, you also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. {{U}}(48) {{/U}}. Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews, try to keep them still! Posture. A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. {{U}}(49) {{/U}}. This makes breathing more difficult, which in turn can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable. When you are thinking, you often purse your lips. You might also use this position to hold back all angry comment you don't wish to show. {{U}}(50) {{/U}}. A. If you are feeling down, you normally don't sit straight, with your shoulders inwards B. If you are pleased, you usually open your eyes wide and people can notice this C. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements, while quieter people keep them close to their bodies D. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet E. However, it will probably still be noticed, and people will know you're not pleased F. However, to be friendly in listening or speaking, you must move your head a little to one side

填空题A．a stranger's less mature type of thinking B．the most complex areas of our cortex C．the immature form of thinking of a very young child D．the meaning, of incoming sensory information E the sights and sounds of the world F an opportunity to analyze different forms of thinking

填空题A make new materials B preserve wetland and animals C have clean air D have clean water E collect cigarette butts F collect disposed oil

填空题A to discover sentence patterns and grammatical rules B to expand vocabulary C to use the target language D to encourage unsuccessful language learners to learn independently, actively and purposefully E from clues F to say strange things

填空题The Building of the Pyramids The oldest stone buildings in the world are the pyramids. 1 There are over eighty of them scattered along the banks of the Nile, some of which are different in shape from the true pyramids. The most famous of these are the "Step" pyramid and the "Bent" pyramid. Some of the pyramids still look much the same as they must have done when they were built thousands of years ago. Most of the damage suffered by the others has been at the hands of men who were looking for treasure or, more often, for stone to use in modern buildings. 2 These are good reasons why they can still be seen today, but perhaps the most important is that they were planned to last for ever. 3 However, there are no writings or pictures to show us how the Egyptians planned or built the pyramids themselves. 4 Nevertheless, by examining the actual pyramids and various tools which have been found, archaeologists have formed a fairly clear picture of them. One thing is certain: there must have been months of careful planning before they could begin to build. 5 You may think this would have been easy with miles and miles of empty desert around, but a pyramid could not be built just anywhere. Certain rules had to be followed, and certain problems had to be overcome. A. The dry climate of Egypt has helped to preserve the pyramids, and their very shape have made them less likely to fall into ruin. B. It is practically certain that plans were made for the building of the pyramids because the plans of other large works have fortunately been preserved. C. The first thing they had to do was to choose a suitable place. D. Consequently, we are only able to guess at the methods used. E. Many people were killed while building the pyramids. F. They have stood for nearly 5,000 years, and it seems likely that they will continue to stand for thousands of years yet.

填空题Hurricanes (龙卷风) 1. Did you know that before 1950, hurricanes had no names? They were simply given numbers. The first names were simply Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, etc. But in 1953, females names were given because of the unpredictability (不可预知) factor of the storms. In 1979, realizing the sexist (性别歧视的) nature of such names, the lists were expanded to include both men and women. 2. Hurricanes and typhoons (台风) are the same things. If they form in the Atlantic, we call these strong storms hurricanes, from the West Indian word hurricane, meaning "big wind". And if they are Pacific storms, they are called typhoons from the Chinese taifeng, meaning "great wind". To be classified as a hurricane, the storm must have maximum winds of at least 75 mph. These storms are big, many hundreds of miles in diameter. 3. Hurricanes get their power from water vapor as it gives out its stored-up energy. All water vapor gives out heat as it condenses (凝结) from a gaseous state to a liquid state over fixed points on the equator (赤道). To make a hurricane, you must have extremely wet, warm air, the kind of air that can only be found in tropical region. 4. Scientists have determined that the heat given out in the process of water condensation can be as high as 95 billion kilowatts per hour. In just one day alone, the storm can produce more energy than many industrialized nations need in an entire year! The problem is that we don't know how to make sure such great energy work for us. 5. Predicting the path of a hurricane is one of the most difficult tasks for forecasters. It moves at a typical speed of 15 mph. But not always. Some storms may race at twice this speed, then suddenly stop and remain in the same location for several days. It can be maddening (发疯的) if you live in a coastal area that may be hit. 6. The biggest advance in early detection is continuous watch from weather satellites. With these, we can see the storms form and track them fully, from birth to death. While they can still kill people and destroy property, hurricanes will never surprise any nation again.

填空题阅读下面的短文，文章中有5处空白，文章后面有6组文字，请根据文章的内容选择5组文字，将其分别放回文章原有位置，以恢复原文章原貌。 Who is Uncle Sam? "Uncle Sam", of course, stands for the United States. It is the nickname(绰号) of the country. It is hard to believe that this nickname arose quite by accident and there was a man called "Uncle Sam"{{U}} (46) {{/U}}. The man was called Uncle Sam Wilson. He was born in Arlington, Massachusetts (马萨诸塞州) , September 13,1766. At the age of 14 Sam joined the American Revolutionary War, and served in the army under George Washington until the end of the war. He then moved to Troy, New York State and began a meat-packing business in the year 1812 war broke out between the United States and Great Britain.{{U}} (47) {{/U}}.Among them was Governor Daniel Tompkings of New York State. He noticed the capitalized letters EAUS on the packages of meat and asked what they stood for. A workman replied that EA stood for Elbert Anderson, the businessman for whom Sam was working. {{U}}(48) {{/U}}.In May 1813, this story appeared in a newspaper published in New York.{{U}} (49) {{/U}}. By the end of the War of 1812, "Uncle Sam " had come to symbolize (象征)the character of the nation and the government.{{U}} (50) {{/U}} A) And he added jokingly that US (actually it was the short form for the United States stood for Uncle Sam Wilson. ) B) However, not many people have ever heard of such a man. Not even most young Americans. C) He did his bit to support the American army. D) In 1961 the US Congress(国会) made a decision that "Uncle Sam " is the America's national symbol. E) On October 2 that year, a group of visitors came to Sam's meat-packing plant. F) Since Uncle Sam was an example of a hard-working man and a lover of America, the idea of "Uncle Sam" as the name for this kind of man became well-known rapidly.

填空题下面的短文后有2项测试任务：(1)第23-26题要求从所给的6个选项中为第2-5段每段选择1个最佳标题；(2)第27-30题要求从所给的6 个选项中为每个句子确定1个最佳选项。 Face Masks may not Protect from Super-flu 1 If a super-flu strikes, face masks may not protect you. Whether widespread use of masks will help, or harm, during the next worldwide flu outbreak is a question that researchers are studying furiously. No results have come from their mask research yet. 2 However, the government says people should consider wearing them in certain situations anyway, just in case. But it's a question the public keeps asking while the government is making preparations for the next flu pandemic. So the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) came up with preliminary guidelines. "We don't want people wearing them everywhere. " said the CDC．"The overall recommendation really is to avoid exposure. " 3 When that's not possible, the guidelines say to consider wearing a simple surgical mask if you are in one of the three following situations. First, you're healthy and can't avoid going to a crowded place. Second, you're sick and think you may have close contract with the healthy, such as a family member checking on you. Third, you live with someone who's sick and thus might be in the early stages of infection, but still need to go out. Influenza pandemics can strike when the easy-to- mutate flu virus shifts to a strain that people never have experienced. Scientists cannot predict when the next pandemic will arrive, although concern is rising that the Asian bird flu might trigger one if it starts spreading easily from person to person. 4 During the flu pandemic, you should protect yourself. Avoid crowds, and avoid close con tract with the sick unless you must care for someone. Why can't mask added to this self-protection list? Because they help trap virus-laden droplets flying through the air with a cough or sneeze. Simple surgical masks only filter the larger droplets. Besides, the CDC is afraid masks may create a false sense of security. Perhaps someone who should have stayed home would don an ill-fitting mask and hop on the subway instead. 5 Nor does flu only spread through the air. Say someone covers a sneeze with his or her hand, then touches a doorknob or subway pole. If you touch that spot next and then put germy hands on your nose or mouth, you've been exposed. It's harder to rub your nose while wearing a mask and so your face may get pretty sweaty under masks. You reach under to wipe that sweat, anal may transfer germs caught on the outside of the mask straight to the nose. These are the problems face masks may create for their users. Whether people should or should not use face masks still remains a question. The general public has to wait patiently for the results of the mask research scientists are still doing.A．Reasons for Excluding Masks from the Self-protection ListB．Effort to Stop Flu SpreadingC．When to Use Face MasksD．Guidelines on Mask UseE. Warnings from the CDCF. Danger of Infection through Germy Hands and Masks

填空题The Mysteries of Nazca In the desert of Peru, 300 kilometers from Lima, one of the most unusual artworks in the world has mystified (迷惑) people for decades. 1 But from high above, these marks are huge images of birds, fish, seashells, all beautifully carved into the earth. The Nazca lines are so difficult to see from the ground that they weren"t discovered until the 1930s, when pilots spotted them while flying over the area. In all, there are about 70 different human and animal figures on the plain, along with 900 triangles, circles, and lines. Researchers have figured out that the lines are at least 1,500 years old, but their purpose is still a mystery. 2 However, it would probably be very tricky to land a spaceship in the middle of pictures of dogs and monkeys. In the 1940s, an American explorer named Paul Kosok suggested that the drawings are a chronicle (记录) of the movement of the stars and planets. 3 later, an astronomer tested his theory with a computer, but he couldn"t find any relation between the lines and movements in space. Another explanation is that the lines may have been made for religious reasons. British researcher Tony Morrison investigated the customs of people in the Andes Mountain and learned that they sometimes pray by the side of the road. It"s possible that in the post, the lines of Nazca were created for a similar purpose. 4 But the local people have never constructed anything this big. Recently, two other scientists, David Johnson and Steve Mabee, have speculated that lines could have been related to water. Nazca is one of the driest places in the world and receives only 2cm of rain every year. While Johnson was searching for ancient water sources in the area, he noticed that some waterways built ancient people were connected with the lines. Johnson believes that the Nazca lines are a giant map of the underground water in the area. 5 A. A Swiss writer named Erich yon Daniken wrote that the Nazca lines were designed as a landing place for UFOs. B. Other scientists are now searching for evidence to prove this. C. Seen from the ground, it looks like lines scratched into the earth. D. He called Nazca "the largest astronomy book in the world". E. Scholars differ in interpreting the purpose of the designs. F. The largest picture may have been the sites for special ceremonies.

填空题A a stranger's less mature type of thinking B the Most complex areas of our cortex C the immature form of thinking of a very young child D tire meaning of incoming sensory information E the sights and sounds of the world F an opportunity to analyze different forms of thinking

填空题UV Light Causes Skin Cancer Don"t laugh if you hear about kids hiding in their basement this summer. They might have been frightened by a recent report from Europe that liquid sunscreens don"t protect people from the sun"s harmful rays. Researchers kept track of 631 children, some of whom used sunscreen and 1 . The researchers found that the kids who used sunscreen got more sun-caused moles than did the kids who didn"t use sunscreen. Kids with sun-caused moles are more likely to develop skin cancer later in life. Did sunscreen harm the children? Probably not, the researchers concluded. They believe that the children relied too much on their sunscreen and stayed in the sun too long. Sunscreen is still safe to use, say skin experts, as long as it is used sensibly. Solar Cares Using sunscreen sensibly is more important than ever. Why? Skin experts like Martin Weinstock believe that 2 . Earth"s ozone layer appears to be getting thinner. Ozone is a gas. In the upper atmosphere, ozone blocks much of the sun"s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Polluting chemicals are thought to be destroying the ozone in some places. Even though the world"s wealthy countries agreed to stop making polluting chemicals a few years ago, ozone is still disappearing. And that"s bad news, skin experts say, because UV light causes skin cancer, and skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the United States. More than a million new cases of skin cancer are showing up in the United States every year. Scientists are looking at kids to reverse that trend. Why? Because getting too much sun when you"re a kid seems to set the stage for getting skin cancer when 3 . According to Weinstock, three-quarters of all skin cancers might never develop if people under the age of 18 avoided overexposure to the sun. Glaring Facts What happens when skin meets sun? Light rays, which come in varying wavelengths, strike the skin. Visible light consists of wavelengths 4 . Ultraviolet light consists of waves too short to be seen. UV light comes in several varieties, among them UVB and UVA. UVB wavelengths are slightly shorter than UVA wavelengths. Scientists once thought that UVB light was harmful and that UVA light produced a healthful tan. But opinions have changed. Scientists still agree that UVB light causes sunburns. But now they suspect that both kinds of UV light damage the DNA of cells. Moreover, scientists believe that either UVA light or UVB light or both weaken the body"s disease-fighting immune system. The body becomes less capable of repairing damaged cells, and such cells may go on to divide uncontrollably. In other words, 5 . Three Little Words To help people avoid getting harmed by the sun, the American Cancer Society has summed up its advice in three words-Slip, Slop and Slap. The words are short for "Slip on a shirt! Slop on the sunscreen! Slap on a hat!" A. they may become cancerous B. people can see C. you"re older D. UVA is different from UVB E. sunlight is growing more hazardous F. some of whom didn"t

填空题Independent language learners rely on themselves ______.

填空题下面短文有5处空白，短文后有6个句子，其中5个取自短文，请根据短文内容将其分别放回原位置，发恢复文章原貌。 Public Relations Public relations is a broad set of planned communications about the company, including publicity releases , designed to promote (促进) goodwill and a favorable image. Publicity then is part of public relations when it is initiated by the firm,{{U}} (46) {{/U}}. Since public relations involves communications with stockholders, financial analysts, government officials, and other noncustomer groups, it is usually placed outside the marketing department, perhaps as a staff department or outside consulting firm reporting to top management. This organizational placement can be a limitation because the public relations department or consultant (顾问) will likely not be in tune with marketing efforts . Poor communication and no coordination may be the consequences.{{U}} (47) {{/U}}, this influence generally may be less than that provided by the other components of the public image mix. Publicity may be in the form of news releases{{U}} (48) {{/U}}. Publicity on the other hand should not be divorced from the marketing department, as it can provide a useful adjunct to the regular advertising. Furthermore,{{U}} (49) {{/U}}; some can result from an unfavorable press as a reaction to certain actions or lack of actions that are controversial (争论的) or even downright ill-advised. The point we wish to emphasize (强调) is that a firm is deluding (迷惑) itself if it thinks its public relations function, whether within the company or an outside firm, can take care of public image problems and opportunities. Many factors impact on the public image. Many of these have to do with the way the firm does business,{{U}} (50) {{/U}}. Public relations and directed publicity may help highlight favorable newsworthy events, and may even succeed in toning down the worst of unfavorable publicity, but the other components of the public image mix create more lasting impressions. A. that have favorable overtones for the company initiated by the public relations department B. not all publicity is initiated by the firm C. usually in the form of press releases or press conferences D. such as its product quality, the servicing and handling of complaints, and the tenor of the advertising E. what it means to the company is F. Although the basic purpose of public relations is to provide positive influence on the public image

填空题Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven, a major composer of the nineteenth century, overcame many personal problems to achieve artistic greatness. Bona in Bonn, Germany, in 1770, he first studied music with the court organist, Gilles van der Eeden. His father was excessively strict and given to heavy drinking. 1 Appointed deputy court organist to Christian Gottlob Neefe at a surprisingly early age in 1782, Beethoven also played the harpsichord and the viola. In 1792 he was sent to Vienna by his patron, Count Ferdinand Waldstein, to study music under Haydn. Beethoven remained unmarried. 2 Continually plagued by ill health, he developed an ear infection which led to his tragic deafness in 1819. 3 He completed mature masterpieces of great musical depth: three piano sonatas, four string quartets, the Missa Solemnis, and the 9th Symphony. He died in 1827. 4 Noting that Beethoven often flew into fits of rage, Goethe once said of him, "I am astonished by his talent, but he is unfortunately an altogether untamed personality. " 5 A. In spite of this handicap, however, he continued to write music. B. Because of irregular payments from his publishers and erratic support from his patrons, he was troubled by financial worries throughout his adult life. C. His life was marked by a passionate dedication to independence. D. When his mother died, Beethoven, then a young man, was named guardian of his two younger brothers. E. Today his music is still being played all over the world. F. Although Beethoven"s personality may have been untamed, his music shows great discipline and control, and this is how we remember him best.

填空题How One Simple Movement Can Let Slip the Secrets of the Mind Body language is the quiet, secret and most powerful language of all! It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 per cent of what we really mean while words themselves only express 7 per cent. So, while your mouth is closed, just what is your body saying... Arms. 1 If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back, this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. 2 If someone upsets you, just cross your arms to show you"re unhappy! Head. When you want to appear confident, keep your head level. If you are monitor in class, you cart also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. 3 Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews, try to keep them still! Posture. A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. 4 This makes breathing more difficult, which in turn can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable. Mouth. When you are thinking, you often purse your lips. You might also use this position to hold back all angry comment you don"t wish to show. 5 A. If you are feeling down, you normally don"t sit straight, with your shoulders inwards. B. If you are pleased, you usually open your eyes wide and people can notice this. C. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements, while quieter people keep them close to their bodies. D. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet. E. However, it will probably still be noticed, and people will know you"re not pleased. F. However, to be friendly in listening or speaking, you must move your head a little to one side.

填空题The Roadrunner The roadrunner (走雀) lives in the desert zone of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. 6 People gave it its name because they usually see it running across a road, but of course, it spends more time among the plants of the desert than it does on roads. The roadrunner is quite a large bird-about 45 centimeters long and 25 centimeters high. 7 It holds its head straight out in front and its tail sticks straight out in back. It takes long steps and can run 30 kilometers an hour. It eats an amazing variety of food. Although it eats plants once in a while, it is mostly a meat eater. Most of its diet is insects, but it also catches birds, mice, and other small animals. It is even brave enough to catch snakes and black widow spiders (蜘蛛). 8 When he finds one, he gives her presents—a snake to eat or a tiny branch of a tree to use in building a nest. Then they build their nest, the female lays eggs, and they raise their young. 9 One couple in Arizona feeds a pair of roadrunners that come once at a time every day and make a noise outside the window. If someone doesn"t give the bird a piece of hamburger immediately, the bird knocks on the window with its beak (喙). Roadrunners are not shy. 10 They will stand on a chair or table and watch television, and they seem really interested in what is happening on the program. A. Roadrunners can also become friendly with people. B. People laugh when it runs because it looks so funny. C. It is a bird, but it can only fly about as much as a chicken can. D. In early spring, the bird doesn"t eat anything. E. Another couple feeds a pair of roadrunners that go right into the house. F. In the spring, a male roadrunner begins looking for a female as a mate.

填空题Screen Test 1 Every year millions of women are screened with X-rays to pick up signs of breast cancer. If this happens early enough, the disease can often be treated successfully. According to a survey Australia, Canada, the US and Spain, screen women under 50. 2 But the medical benefits of screening these younger women are controversial, partly because the radiation brings a small risk of inducing cancer. Also, younger women must be given higher doses of X-rays because their breast tissue is denser. 3 Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Valencia analysed the effect of screening more than 160,000 women at 11 local clinics. After estimating the women"s cumulative dose of radiation, they used two models to calculate the number of extra cancers this would cause. 4 The mathematical model recommended by Britain"s National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) predicted that the screening programme would cause 36 cancers per 100,000 women, 18 of them fatal. The model preferred by the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation led to a lower figure of 20 cancers. 5 The researchers argue that the level of radiation-induced cancers is "not very significant" compared to the far larger number of cancers that are discovered and treated. The Valencia programme, they say, detects between 300 and 450 cases of breast cancer in every 100,000 women screened. 6 But they point out that the risk of women contracting cancer from radiation could be reduced by between 40 and 80 percent if screening began at 50 instead of 45, because they would be exposed to less radiation. The results of their study, they suggest, could help "optimize the technique" for breast cancer screening. 7 "There is a trade-off between the diagnostic benefits of breast screening and its risks," admits Michael Clark of the NRPB. But he warns that the study should be interpreted with caution. "On the basis of the current data, for every 10 cancers successfully detected and prevented there is a risk of causing one later in life. That"s why radiation exposure should be minimized in any screening programme."

填空题Ceding to Wear Ties It"s useless. It"s dirty. It spreads disease. That"s why the British Medical Association in the UK recently called for hospital doctors to stop wearing ties. That leads to another question. Why does anyone wear a tie? Ties serve no purpose. They do not cover any part of your body and keep you warm. They always seem to get covered in food stains. Perhaps that is the purpose of the tie. It lets everyone know what you just ate. Ties have an odd history. Soldiers from Croatia, in Eastern Europe, served as mercenaries (雇佣军) in various conflicts in the 17th century. They were identified by brightly colored pieces of silk worn around the neck. Known as cravats (围巾), these became a popular fashion item in France and eventually evolved into the tie. It"s an interesting story, but it doesn"t tell us why men want to put useless pieces of cloth or silk around their necks. The answer seems to be about identification (身份证明). In the 19th-century Britain, ties were used by universities, military regiments (团), sports clubs, schools and gentleman"s clubs. Each tie was in a particular set of colors which identified the wearer as a member of that organization. Wearing ties was also the mark of Britain"s most powerful classes. That made the tie itself a symbol of power and respect. And that led it to be adopted by a much larger class—the business class. You cannot wear a tie if you work with machinery, so wearing a tie became a sign that you were a man who used his brain to make a living, rather than his hands. It showed you were serious. It showed you were a professional. It meant that everyone who wanted a job in business had to wear one. It was just impossible to take seriously a man who did not wear a piece of colored silk around his neck. This is how millions of people came to wear ties across the world. Is there a future for ties? The signs are not promising. Many political leaders, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, now go without ties.