阅读理解In ancient Greek, the term euthanatos meant "easy death". Today euthanasia (安乐死) generally refers to mercy killing, the voluntary (自愿) ending of the life of someone who is terminally ill. Like abortion, euthanasia has become a legal, medical, and moral issue over which opinion is divided. Euthanasia can be either active or passive. Active euthanasia means that a physician or other medical personnel takes an action that will result in death, such as giving an overdose of deadly medicine. Passive euthanasia means letting a patient die for lack of treatment, or stopping the treatment that has begun. Examples of passive euthanasia include taking patients off a breathing machine or removing other life-support systems. Stopping the food supply is also considered passive. A good deal of the debate about mercy killing originates from the decision-making process. Who decides whether a patient is to die? This issue has not been solved legally in the United States. The matter is left to state law, which usually allows the physician in charge to suggest the option of death to a patient''s relatives, especially if the patient is brain dead. In an attempt to make decisions about when their own lives should end, several terminally ill patients in the early 1990s used a controversial suicide device, developed by Dr. Jack Kevorkian, to end their lives. In parts of Europe, the decision-making process has become very flexible. Even in cases where the patients are not brain dead, patients have been put to death without their approval at the request of relatives or at the suggestion of physicians. Many cases of passive euthanasia involve old people or newborn infants. The principle justifying this practice is that such individuals have a "life not worthy of life". In countries where passive euthanasia is not legal, the court systems have proved very tolerant in dealing with medical personnel who practice it. In Japan, for example, if physicians follow certain guidelines they may actively carry out mercy killings on hopelessly ill people. Courts have also been somewhat tolerant of friends or relatives who have assisted terminally ill patients to die.

阅读理解For the first nine months of Sam Berns'' life, everything seemed normal. He learned to walk, but then his parents noticed something different. After a year, doctors ultimately diagnosed (诊断) him with a genetic disease so rare that it affects just one in 8 million children. Only 40 children in the world are known to have the disease. The disease, progeria, ages children at up to 10 times the normal rate. They stop growing prematurely, then lose their hair and get arthritis. Some children suffer strokes by the time they are 4 or 5. There is no known treatment or cure, and most patients die of heart disease by the age of 13. Progeria is a gene mutation (突变). But scientists had not identified which gene or genes were responsible for the disease, so they had no idea even how to start hunting for a cure. With most genetic diseases, researchers are able to examine family trees to see how diseases recur, cross-referencing the information to narrow the hunt. But with progeria sufferers seldom living into their teens, there were no family trees to study. But not long ago, NIH (National Institutes of Health) called Sam''s parents with good news: by comparing the genetic samples of progeria sufferers with a normal human gene structure, they had found a common chromosome (染色体) fault that almost all of the progeria-suffered children shared. The discovery could potentially be the first step toward finding a cure for the rare disease and possibly even a way to fight the disease of aging in the general population. Now 7, Sam acts just like any child of his age. However, Sam has the body of a 70-year-old, and is starting to feel, some of the effects of premature aging, including poor eyesight and stiffness his joints.

阅读理解According to the author , Americans’ chance of taking a long vacation is ______.

阅读理解In the last decade the mass media have grown worldwide to be larger, more influential and more powerful. After it was possible in the Federal Republic of Germany in the 60s to receive one TV program and in the 60s and 70s to receive three TV programs, the number of receivable TV programs has risen for a huge part of the population in western Europe through cable TV to eleven or even more programs in the last years. More TV channels are announced. Additionally there is the huge offer of videos. The distribution of video recorders in the population is increasing. Worldwide we are on the way to communication to a mass media society in which fiction, fantasy, the definition of reality assumes a greater role than reality itself, where people want to be permanently entertained, and where the description of the content gains more emphasis than the content itself. For centuries news on crime have greatly attracted the population, In the Middle Ages ballad singers moved very successfully from town to town in order to spread their ballads which were to a great part murder stories. Criminal stories are not a new development because they do not report anything really new. They are regularly told according to the pattern of the "familiar sensation" because they have a function of relief for the society, because through them, the "law-abiding citizen" can set himself apart from the criminal, because they prove to him that his behavior is "normal" and because he can be content to feel that he is better than the criminals and that he successfully managed to escape the criminal act. There is a huge demand in the population for crime news because they are entertaining and remove the boredom of everyday life. The mass media willingly fulfill this demand because crime news are cheap and easy to get hold of and because they help sell almost any product. That is why there is a symbiosis, an unholy alliance between mass media and society against which the critical criminologist advances his objections almost in vain.

阅读理解Not so long ago almost any student who successfully completed a university degree could find a good career quite easily. Companies toured the academic institutions, competing with each other to select graduates. However, those days are gone, even in Hong Kong, and nowadays graduates often face strong competition in the search for jobs. Most careers organizations highlight three stages for graduates to follow in the process of securing a suitable career: recognizing abilities, matching these to available jobs and presenting them well to possible employers. Job seekers have to make a careful assessment of their own abilities. One area of assessment should be of their academic qualifications, which would include special skills within their subject area. Graduates should also consider their own personal values and attitudes. An honest assessment of personal interests and abilities such as creative skills, or skills acquired from work experience, should also be given careful thought. The second stage is to study the opportunities available for employment and to think about how the general employment situation is likely to develop in the future. To do this, graduates can study job and position information in newspapers, or they can visit a careers office, write to possible employers for information or contact friends or relatives who may already be involved in a particular profession. After studying all the various options, they should be in a position to make informed comparisons between various careers. Good personal presentation is essential in the search for a good career. Job application forms and letters should, of course, be filled in carefully and correctly, without grammar or spelling errors. Where additional information is asked for, job seekers should describe their abilities and work experience in more depth, with examples if possible. They should try to balance their own abilities with the employer''s needs, explain why they are interested in a career with the particular company and try to show that they already know something about the company and its activities. When graduates go to an interview, they should prepare properly by finding out all they can about the possible employer. Dressing suitably and arriving for the interview on time are also important. Interviewees should try to give positive and helpful answers and should not be afraid to ask questions about anything they are unsure about. This is much better than pretending to understand a question and giving an unsuitable answer.

阅读理解There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degrees of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, the other becomes miserable. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, and events, and the resulting effects upon their minds. The people who are to be happy fix their attention on the conveniences of things: the pleasant pars of conversation, the well-prepared dishes, the goodness of the wines, and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the contrary things. Therefore, they are continually discontented. By their remarks, they sour the pleasures of society, offend many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind were founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be critical. The tendency to criticize and be disgusted is perhaps taken up originally by imitation. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it are convinced of its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit. Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious consequences in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others, nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect, and scarcely that. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at obtaining some advantage in rank or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone stir a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public disapproval, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their misconduct. These people should change this bad habit and condescend (俯就) to be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.

阅读理解Americans are often contrasted with the rest of the world in terms of material possessions. We are accused of being materialistic, gadget crazy. And, as a matter of fact, we have developed material things for some very interesting reasons. Lacking a fixed class system and having all extremely mobile population, Americans have become highly sensitive to how others make use of material possessions. We use everything from clothes to houses as a highly evolved and complex means of ascertaining each other''s status. Ours is a rapidly shifting system in which both styles and people move up or down. For example: The Cadillac (卡迪拉客克) ad men feel that not only is it natural but quite insightful of them to show a picture of a Cadillac and a well-turned out gentleman in his early fifties opening the door. The caption (标题) underneath reads, "You already know a great deal about this man." Following this same pattern, the head of a big union spends an excess of $100,000 furnishing his office so that the president of United States Steel cannot look down on him. Good materials, large space, and the proper surroundings signify that the people who occupy the premises (建筑物及其周围所属土地) are solid citizens, that they are dependable and successful. The French, English, and the Germans have entirely different ways of using their material possessions. What stands for the height of dependability and respectability with the English would be old-fashioned and backward to us. The Japanese take pride in often inexpensive but tasteful arrangements that are used to produce the proper emotional setting. Middle East businessmen look for something else—family, connections, friendship. They do not use the furnishings of their office as part of their status system; nor do they expect to impress a client by these means or to fool a banker into lending more money than he should. They like good things, too, but feel that they, as persons, should be known and not judged solely by what the public sees. One of the most common criticisms of American relations abroad, both commercial and governmental, is that we usually think in terms of material things. "Money talks," says the American, who goes on talking the language of money abroad, in the belief that money talks the same language all over the world. A common practice in the United, States is to try to buy loyalty with high salaries. In foreign countries, this maneuver almost never works, for money and material possessions stand for something different, there than they do in America.

阅读理解Most of the plans and programs for diminishing crime by means of comprehensive community organization have made prevention their major purpose. However, the underlying concepts on which such programs are based suffer from inconsistency (不一致，矛盾) and confusion. It would be inaccurate to speak as if concise, clear, and explicit models for crime prevention existed especially since writing and discussion on the subject often have been more ideological than scientific. One conception heavily weighted with ideology is the argument that crime can be prevented by massive or total programs of social and economic improvement directed at the root causes of crime in society as a whole. The assumption is that eliminating harmful social conditions such as poverty, malnutrition, disease, poor housing, family disorganization, unemployment, and racial discrimination will make crime disappear. Crime is traced to a pathological (病态的) or broken social structure, and only a thorough renovation or replacement of that structure will usher in a crimeless society. This conception has revolutionary implications going back to older socialist beliefs that poverty or class exploitation causes crime. Among the methods it advocates to solve social problems is the activation of some forms of popular democracy. Another form of social improvement more sophisticated in conception has been loosely designated as "opportunity theory". This conception holds that crime results from psychic pressures in individuals who are culturally indoctrinated (灌输) with achievement values and yet have no opportunity for upward mobility because of their unfortunate position in a rigid social structure. Those so disadvantaged are primarily youths in the lower socio-economic strata. Amelioration (改善) inspired by opportunity theory employs vaguely martial imagery: it speaks of the "mobilization" of community resources to make "war" on poverty. Broad-scale programs of social and cultural improvement may be desirable or necessary at times, but since they fail to explain why some poverty-stricken youths turn to crime while others do not, their efficacy (功效) in eradicating and preventing crime is questionable at best. So far only one country, the Soviet Union, has conducted a large-scale revolutionary experiment in social improvement, and the results have not been affirmative: Soviet authorities are still plagued by juvenile crime. This experiment suggests that social improvement is too scattered in its impact to be an effective means of crime prevention.

阅读理解By the time the Olympics begin in Atlanta this summer, the business world will have spent more than $1 billion to link their names and products to the Olympic Games. There are 10 Worldwide Sponsors, 10 Centennial Olympic Partners, about 20 regular sponsors and more than a hundred licensees (领有执照者). The Atlanta Games will boast an "official" timepiece (clock), two official game shows, and two official vehicles: a family car, and a luxury sedan (轿车). But what exactly do these companies reap for their huge investment? At the very least, they command tickets to the most popular events, invitations to the best parties and prime hotel rooms. But most of all, according to US Postal Service, it is purchasing the right to spend money. And the right to spend money is expensive. The biggest backers, Olympic sponsors like Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, McDonald''s and Xerox, commit up to $40 million. But, getting the rights to the Olympic rings is only half the battle. The other half is the challenge to sort of wrap their product brands around that image. Often that means TV time. And at roughly $400,000 per 30-second slot, some of the biggest sponsors have already locked up every commercial slot in their product categories that NBC has to sell. Not everyone is convinced that the Games are worth the price of business admission. The biggest and most conspicuous naysayer (反对者) is Nike. Its spokesman says: "If I see a Reebok official who may not be in the best shape firing the starting pistol and Carl Lewis wearing Nike shoes, I''m going to go with Carl because that''s the authentic link." Nike''s strategy is hard to argue with—instead of sponsoring the Olympics, it sponsors Olympians. Yet even Nike wants a piece of the Atlantic action. Along with some other non-sponsors, Nike is trying to dot downtown Atlanta with billboards. Advertisement, it''s another Olympic event.

阅读理解PartBYouaregoingtoreadanextractabouttheworkoftheMasterofCeremony.Sixparagraphshavebeenremovedfromtheextract.ChoosefromParagraphsA-Gtheonewhichfitseachgap(27-32).Thereisoneextraparagraphwhichyoudonotneedtouse.PreparationfortheMasterofCeremonyTheMasterofCeremony(MC)performsavarietyofdutiesduringaprogram.AstheMCyouareresponsibleforgettingthingsstarted,keepingtheprogrammoving,andclosingthemeeting.Allthatoccursbetweentheopeningandclosingisyourresponsibility.Asinpreparingforanyspeakingsituation,itmayworktoyouradvantagetooutlinetheprogramandthenthe“body”ofthepresentationbeforeyouprepareyourintroductionandconclusion.Insomeinstances,however,yourwelcomemaybeanestablishedcustom,anditspreparationmaywellbeyourfirstandeasiesttask.Inpreparingthewelcome,remembertostartontime.Then,greetyourguestsandfellowmembers.Brieflymakeyourremarkswelcomingallpresent.Neverletyourwelcomebepresentedimpromptu.Planthewordingcarefullyasyourbeginningislikelytosetthemoodfortheentireprogram.Ifyouareseriousorhumorous,theatmospherewillhavethusbeensetfortheoccasion.Ontheotherhand,youdon’twantpeoplewaitingforaspeakerlongaftertheyhavecompletedtheirdesert.Itisbesttoprepareatimescheduleforyourentireprogram,checkitwithyourcatererandspeakers,andthensticktoitascloselyasyoucan.Asyouarrangetheprogram,haveareasonforputtingoneeventorspeakerfirst,anothersecond,andsoon.Thiswillhelpyouprovidecontinuityandwillhelptheaudiencetoseeconnectionsbetweenspeakers.Insomeinstances,youmayneedtoprovideimprompturemarkstotieonespeaker’spresentationtothenextspeaker/Finally,asyoupreparefortheclosing,reviewthesuggestionsinchapter33forthefarewellspeech.Whilethetwoarenotexactlythesame,therearesimilarities.Eventhebestprogramneedssomesenseoffinality.Don’tsimplydismissyouraudience;youneedtotakeafewsecondsandthanktheaudienceandtietheprogramtothemonefinaltime.Planawayoftyingtheprogramtosomethinginthefuture,andpointoutthebenefitsofhavingattendedthemeeting.Asyoucansee,thepreparationforbeinganMCisveryextensiveandneedstobeplannedcarefully.Nothingshouldbelefttochance.Ontheotherhand,youshouldalsopreparetospeak,change,andadapttothecircumstancesofthesituationathand.Adapttothespecificremarksofthespeakers.ANext,prepareyourintroductionsandtransitionalremarkssotheytieyourprogramtogetherandprovidecontinuity.Whenyouspeak,makeyourcommentsbriefandrelatedtothespeechesoreventsthathavejustoccurredorareabouttotakeplace.BItisessentialthatyoukeepaconstantreminderthatyourpurposeasMCisto:getthingsstarted,keeptheprogrammoving,andclosethemeeting.Resistanytemptationduringyourpreparationtothinktheaudiencehascometohearyou.Whatevertheoccasion,youarenotthefeaturedspeaker,soyouwillnotwantto“spotlight”yourspeeches.CAsyouintroducespeakers,remember,itisyourresponsibilityinintroducingspeakerstoarouseinterestinthespeakerandthespeaker’stopic.Again,trytoavoidlengthyortoobriefintroductions.Otherwise,youmayfindyourselfinapredicamentbyhavingusedtoomuchofthespeaker’stimeornothaveproperlypreparedtheaudienceforthespeaker.DAsafollow-up,stopandshakehandsandthankallofyourguestspeakersagain.Letthemknowthatyouarepleasedwiththeirperformanceandappreciatetheirhelpinmakingyourjobeasyandenjoyable.Waituntilallguestshavedepartedbeforeleaving.ItisgenerallyrudeandimpolitefortheMCtoleavethebanquetordinnerbeforethespecialguests.ESometimestheMChasotherresponsibilitieswithintheorganization.Thesedutiesmustalsobemaintained.Handlethesedutiesfirst,sothedutiesdonotinterferewithyourresponsibilitiesasMC.Onceyouhaveaccountedforyourofficialduties,youcanbegintopreparefortheresponsibilitiesofbeingMC.FOncetheprogramisunderway,itisyourresponsibilitytoseethatthingskeepmoving.Trytoavoidlonggapsoftimebetweenevents,butyoudon’twanttorushthingstooquicklyeither.Ifitisadinnerorbanquet,youdon’twanttohavepeopleeatingtheirmaincoursewhiletheguestisspeaking.GOnsomeoccasions,youmayalsoneedtoprepareyourselfforeitherpresentingorreceivingawardsorgifts.AsintheotherspeechesbytheMC,thesespeechesaregenerallybrief.Allyouneedtodoistohighlightthehonoreeandstimulatetheaudiencetoappreciatethepersonbeinghonored.

阅读理解The differences in living standards around the world are vast. In 1993, the average American had an income of about $25,000. In the same year, the average Mexican earned $7,000, and the average Nigerian earned $1,500. Not surprisingly, this large variation in average income is reflected in various measures of the quality of life. Changes in living standards over time are also large. In the United States, incomes have historically grown about 2 percent per year (after adjusting for changes in the cost of living). At this rate, average income doubles every 35 years. In some countries, economic growth has been even more rapid. In Japan, for instance, average income has doubled in the past 20 years, and in South Korea it has doubled in the past 10 years. What explains these large differences in living standards among countries and over time? The answer is surprisingly simple. Almost all variation in living standards is attributable to differences in countries'' productivity—that is, the amount of goods and services produced from each hour of a worker''s time. In nations where workers can produce a large quantity of goods and services per unit of time, most people enjoy a high standard of living; in nations where workers are less productive, most people must endure a more meager existence. Similarly, the growth rate of a nation''s productivity determines the growth rate of its average income. The fundamental relationship between productivity and living standards is simple, but its implications are far-reaching. If productivity is the primary determinant of living standards, other explanations must be of secondary importance. For example, people might think that labor unions or minimum-wage laws contributed to the rise in living standards of American workers over the past century. Yet the real hero of American workers is their rising productivity. The relationship between productivity and living standards also has great implications for public policy. When thinking about how any policy will affect living standards, the key question is how it will affect our ability to produce goods and services. To improve living standards, policymakers need to raise productivity by ensuring that workers are well educated, have the tools needed to produce goods and services, and have access to the best available technology.

阅读理解Why do teachers give their students a huge lot of homework and examinations?

阅读理解Andrea had never seen an old lady hitchhiking (搭车) before. However, the weather and the coming darkness made her feel sorry for the lady. The old lady had some difficulty climbing in through the car door, and pushed her big brown canvas shopping bag down onto the floor under her feet. She said to Andrea, in a voice that was almost a whisper, "Thank you dearie —I''m just going to Brockbourne." Something in the way the lady spoke, and the way she never turned her head, made Andrea uneasy about this strange hitchhiker. She didn''t know why, but she felt instinctively that there was something wrong, something odd, something dangerous. But how could an old lady be dangerous? It was absurd. Careful not to turn her head, Andrea looked sideways at her passenger. She studied the hat, the dirty collar of the dress, the shapeless body, the arms with their thick black hairs. Thick black hairs? Hairy arms? Andrea''s blood froze. This wasn''t a woman. It was a man. At first, she didn''t know what to do. Then suddenly, an idea came into her racing, terrified brain. Swinging the wheel suddenly, she threw the car into a skid(刹车), and brought it to a halt. "My God!" she shouted, "A child! Did you see the child? I think I hit her?" The "old lady" was clearly shaken by the sudden skid. "I didn''t see anything dearie," she said. "I don''t think you hit anything. "I''m sure it was a child!" insisted Andrea. "Could you just get out and have a look? Just see if there''s anything on the road?" She held her breath. Would her plan work? It did. The passenger slowly climbed out to investigate. As soon as she was out of the vehicle, Andrea gunned the engine and accelerated madly away, and soon she had put a good three miles between herself and the awful hitchhiker. It was only then that she thought about the bag lying on the floor in front of her. Maybe the bag would provide some information about the real identity about the man. Pulling into the side of the road, Andrea opened the heavy bag curiously. It contained only one item—a small hand axe, with a razor-sharp blade. The axe, and the inside of the bag, were covered with the dark red stains of dried blood. Andrea began to scream.

阅读理解Internet shopping is a new way of shopping. Nowadays, you can shop for just about anything from your armchair. All you need is a computer which is linked to the Internet. Shopping on the Internet is becoming increasingly popular. In the United States people spent over US$2.5 billion on Internet shopping in 1998. This figure is expected to reach US$11 billion by the year 2004. People can shop for a variety of products on the Internet. Physical products include items such as books, CDs, clothes and foods. These types of products are the most common purchases through the Internet. You can also buy information products such as on-line news or magazine stories, or you can download computer software through the Internet. Services such as booking airline tickets, reserving hotels or renting cars are also available on the Internet. You can also go shopping off the Internet for entertainment services and take part in on-line games. Internet shopping offers a number of benefits for the shopper. The most important advantage is convenience. You can shop when you like as the on-line shops are open 24 hours a day and you don''t have to queue with other shoppers at the checkout counters. Secondly, it is easy to find what you are looking for on the Internet. Even out of print books may be ordered on line. Finally, it is often cheaper to buy goods through the Internet, and you can tell the shop exactly what you want. The main disadvantage of Internet shopping is that you cannot actually see the products you are buying or check their quality. Also, many people enjoy shopping in the city and miss the opportunity to talk to friends. Some people are worded about paying for goods using credit cards, so Internet companies are now finding ways to make on-line payment safe. Internet shopping is sure to become more and more popular in the years ahead. It promises to change the way we buy all kinds of things—from tonight''s dinner to a new car.

阅读理解A supermarket is a large-area, low-cost, high-volume, self-service operation designed to serve the consumers'' various needs for food, clothes and other useful products in our daily life. A supermarket store can be independently owned, although most supermarket stores are operated by supermarket chains. Supermarkets have moved in several directions to further build their sales volume. They have opened much larger stores, with today''s selling space occupying about 18,000 square feet as compared to 11,700 square feet in the 1950s. Most of the supermarket chains now operate fewer but larger stores. Supermarkets deal in a great number and variety of items. A typical supermarket handled 3,000 items in 1946 and now handles around 8,000. Nowadays, supermarkets have been hit hard by a number of competitors meeting better defined customer needs with respect to the variety of products and price levels. So they are trying to improve their marketing positions. The most important increase has been in the number of non-food items such as carried-drugs, beauty aids, magazines, books and toys— which now account for 8 percent of the whole supermarket sales. This trend is continuing, and many supermarkets are moving into records, sporting goods, hardware, fresh flowers, garden supplies, and even cameras, hoping to find high profit lines. Supermarkets are also improving their jobs through more expensive locations, larger parking lots, longer store hours and Sunday openings, and a wide variety of customer services, such as check cashing, rest rooms, and background music. Supermarkets have also increased selling competition in the form of heavy advertising, trading stamps, and games of chance. Supermarket chains are now trying to expand their sales volume in Asian countries where economic growth is stronger.

阅读理解The best title for this passage is _____.

阅读理解The last paragraph implies that __________.

阅读理解A rapid means of long-distance transportation became a necessity for the United States as settlement (新拓居地) spread ever farther westward. The early trains were impractical curiosities, and for a long time the railroad companies met with troublesome mechanical problems. The most serious ones were the construction of rails able to bear the load, and the development of a safe, effective stopping system. Once these were solved, the railroad was established as the best means of land transportation. By 1860 there were thousands of miles of railroads crossing the eastern mountain ranges and reaching westward to the Mississippi. There were also regional southern and western lines. The high point in railroad building came with the construction of the first transcontinental system. In 1862 Congress authorized two western railroad companies to build lines from Nebraska westward and from California eastward to a meeting point, so as to complete a transcontinental crossing linking the Atlantic seaboard with the Pacific. The Government helped the railroads generously with money and land. Actual work on this project began four years later. The Central Pacific Company, starting from California, used Chinese labor, while the Union Pacific employed crews of Irish laborers. The two groups worked at remarkable speed, each trying to cover a greater distance than the other. In 1869 they met at a place called Promontory in what is now the state of Utah, many visitors came there for the great occasion. There were joys all over the country, with parades and the ringing of church bells to honor the great achievement. The railroad was very important in encouraging westward movement. It also helped build up industry and farming by moving raw materials and by distributing products rapidly to distant markets. In linking towns and people to one another it helped unify the United States.

阅读理解Matching the influx of foreign immigrants into the larger cities of the United States during the late nineteenth century was a domestic migration, from town and farm to city, within the United States. The proportion of urban population began to grow remarkably after 1840, increasing from 11 percent that year to 28 percent by 1880 and to 46 percent by 1900. A country with only 6 cities boasting a population of more than 8,000 in 1800 had become one with 545 such cities in 1900. Much of the migration producing an urban society came from smaller towns within the United States, but the combination of new immigrants and old American "settlers" on America''s "urban frontier" in the late nineteenth century proved extraordinary. The growth of cities and the process of industrialization fed on each other. The agricultural revolution stimulated many people in the countryside to seek a new life in the city and made it possible for fewer farmers to feed the large concentrations of people needed to provide a workforce for growing numbers of factories. Cities also provided ready and convenient markets for the products of industry, and huge contracts in transportation and construction—as well as the expanded market in consumer goods—allowed continued growth of the urban sector of the overall economy of the United States. Technological developments further stimulated the process of urbanization. One example is the Bessemer converter(an industrial process of manufacturing steel), which provided steel girders for the construction of skyscrapers. The refining of crude oil into kerosene, and later the development of electric lighting as well as of the telephone, brought additional comforts to urban areas that well unavailable to rural Americans and helped attract many of them from the farms into the cities. In every era the lure of the city included a major psychological element for country people; the bustle and social interaction of urban life seemed particularly intriguing to those raised in rural isolation.

阅读理解In a democratic society citizens are encouraged to form their own opinions on candidates. The opinions held by any population are shaped and controlled by several factors: individual circumstances, the mass media, special interest groups, and opinion leaders. Wealthy people tend to think differently on social issues from poor people. Factory workers probably do not share the same views as white-collar workers. Women employed outside their homes sometimes have perspectives different from those of fulltime homemakers. In these and other ways individual status shapes one''s view of current events. The mass media, especially television, are powerful influences on the way people think and act. Government officials realize that the public tends to "follow the headlines". Whatever is featured in newspapers and magazines and on television attracts enough attention. The mass media have also created larger audiences for government and a wider range of pubic issues than existed before. Prior to television and the national editions of newspapers, issues and candidates tended to remain localized. Today''s elections are seen as struggles between party leaders and programs. In the United States radio and television have been beneficial to the presidency. Since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt and his "fireside chats", presidents have appealed directly to a national audience over the heads of Congress to advocate their programs. Special groups spend vast money annually trying to influence public opinion. Public utilities, for instance, tried to sway public opinion in favor of nuclear power plants. Opposed to them were citizens'' organizations that persuaded to halt the use of nuclear power. Opinion leaders are usually such prominent public figures as politicians, show business personalities, and celebrity athletes. The opinions of these individuals, whether informed and intelligent or not, carry weight with some segments of the population. Some individuals, such as Nobel Prize winners, are suddenly thrust into public view by the media. By quickly reaching a large audience, their views gain a hearing and are perhaps influential in shaping views on complex issues.