单选题In the United States, the first day-nursery was opened in 1854. Nurseries were established in various areas during the (1) half of the 19th century; most of (2) were charitable. Both in Europe and in the U. S. , the day nursery movement received great (3) during the First World War, when (4) of manpower caused the industrial employment unprecedented numbers of women. In some European countries nurseries were established (5) in munitions plants, under direct government sponsorship. (6) the number of nurseries in the U. S. also rose (7) , this rise was accomplished without government aid of any kind. During the years following the First World War, (8) , Federal, State, and local governments gradually began to exercise a measure of control (9) the day-nurseries, chiefly by (10) them and by inspecting and regulating the conditions within the nurseries. The (11) of the Second World War was quickly followed by an increase in the number of day-nurseries in almost all countries, as women were (12) called upon to replace men in the factories. On this (13) the U.S. government immediately came to the support of the nursery schools, (14) $ 6,000,000 in July, 1942, for a nursery school program for the children of working mothers. Many States and local communities (15) this Federal aid. By the end of the war, in August, 1945, more than 100,000 children were being cared (16) in day-care centers receiving Federal (17) . Soon afterward, the Federal government (18) cut down its expenditures for this purpose and later (19) them, causing a sharp drop in the number of nursery schools in operation. However, the expectation that most employed mothers would leave their (20) at the end of the war was only partly fulfilled.

单选题In the expression "On the other side of the coin "in par

单选题{{B}}Text 4{{/B}} For centuries, explorers have risked their lives venturing into the unknown for reasons of economic benefit and national glory. Following the lunar missions of the early 1970s, Mars now looms as humanity's next great, unknown land. But with dubious prospects for short-term financial return and with international competition in space a receding memory, it is clear that imperatives other than profit or national pride will have to compel human beings to leave their tracks on the planet's red surface. With Mars the scientific benefits are perhaps higher than they have ever been. The issue of whether life ever existed on the planet, and whether it persists to this day, has been highlighted by accumulating evidence that Mars once had abundant liquid water and by the controversy over suggestions that fossils of bacteria rode to Earth on a rock ejected from Mars during its early history. A definite answer about life on Mars, past or present, would give researchers invaluable data about the range of conditions under which a planet can generate the complex chemistry that leads to life. The revelation that life arose independently on Mars and on Earth would provide the first concrete clue in one of the deepest mysteries in all of science: how prevalent is life in our galaxy? One of the reasons why the idea of sending people to Mars strikes a chord in so many people is that it is already possible—the U.S. has the money and the fundamental technology needed to do it. More important, recent discoveries about the planet's environment in the distant past have presented a clear and compelling scientific incentive for sending people: to search for evidence of life. The thesis that liquid water was once stable on Mars has been strengthened by aerial photographs taken last year that showed what appeared to be a drainage channel cut deeply by water flowing for hundreds if not thousands of years. A thorough hunt for any life on Mars that might be hanging on—despite the present deficit of water—would also have to be undertaken by humans, according to some experts. Such life will be hidden and probably tiny. "Finding it will require surveying vast tracts of territory," one expert explains. "It will require the ability to cover long distances and adapt to different conditions." Robots might be up to the task sometime in the distant future, making human explorers redundant, he concedes. But relying on them to survey Mars during periodical missions to the planet would take a very long time— "decades if not centuries," he believes.

单选题[BI in favor of the educational practice in primitive cultures.

单选题{{B}}Text 4{{/B}} With a series of well-timed deals, private-equity firms are giving traditional media- managers cause to be envious. The Warner Music transaction, in which Edgar Bronfman junior and three private-equity firms paid Time Warner ＄ 2.6 billion for the unit in 2003, is already judged a financial triumph for the buyers. Their success is likely to draw still more private -equity into the industry. And the investments are likely to get bigger: individual private- equity funds are growing—a ＄10 billion fund is likely this year—so even the biggest media firms could come within range, especially if private-equity investors club together. Some private-equity firms have long put money in media assets, but mostly reliable, relatively obscure businesses with stable cash flows. Now, some of them are placing big strategic bets on the more volatile bits, such as music and movies. And they are currently far more confident than the media old guard that the advertising cycle is about to turn sharply up- wards. One reason why private-equity is making its presence felt in media is that it has a lot of money to invest. Other industries are feeling its weight too. But private-equity's buying spree (狂购乱买) reveals a lot about the media business in particular. Media conglomerates (联合公司) lack the confidence to make big acquisitions, after the last wave of deals went wrong. Executives at Time Warner, for instance, which disastrously merged with AOL in 2000, wanted to buy MGM, a movie studio, but the board (it is said) were too nervous. Instead, private-equity firms combined with Sony, a consumer-electronics giant, to buy MGM late last year. Private-equity's interest also reflects the fact that revenue growth in media businesses such as broadcast TV and radio is now hard to come by. The average annual growth rate for 12 categories of established American media businesses in 1998-2003, excluding the internet, was just 3.4%, says Veronis Suhler Stevenson, an investment bank. Private-equity puts a higher value on low-growth, high cashflow assets than the public stockmarket, says Jonathan Nelson, founder of Providence Equity Partners, a media-focused private-equity firm. What private-equity men now bring to the media business, they like to think, is financial discipline plus an enthusiastic attitude towards new technology. Old-style media managers, claim the newcomers, are still in denial about how technology is transforming their industry. Traditional media managers grudgingly agree that, so far, private-equity investors are doing very nicely indeed from their entertainment deals. The buyers of Warner Music have already got back most of their $ 2.6 billion from the firm by cutting costs, issuing debt and making special payouts to shareholders. This year, its investors are expected to launch an initial public offering, which could bring them hundreds of millions more.

单选题The domestic economy in the United States expanded in a remarkably vigorous and steady fashion. The revival in consumer confidence was reflected in the higher proportion of incomes spent for goods and services and the marked increase in consumer willingness to take on installment debt. A parallel strengthening in business psychology was manifested in a stepped-up rate of plant and equipment spending and a gradual pickup in expenses for inventory. Confidence in the economy was also reflected in the strength of the stock market and in the stability of the bond market. For the year as a whole, consumer and business sentiment benefited from the ease in East-West tensions. The bases of the business expansion were to be found mainly in the stimulative monetary and fiscal policies that had been pursued. Moreover, the restoration of sounder liquidity positions and tighter management control of production efficiency had also helped lay the groundwork for a strong expansion. In addition, the economic policy moves made by the President had served to renew optimism on the business outlook while boosting hopes that inflation would be brought under more effective control. Finally, of course, the economy was able to grow as vigorously as it did because sufficient leeway existed in terms of idle men and machines. The United States balance of payments deficit declined sharply. Nevertheless, by any other test, the deficit remained very large, and there was actually a substantial deterioration in our trade account to a sizable deficit, almost two-thirds of which was with Japan. While the overall trade performance proved disappointing, there are still good reasons for expecting the delayed impact of devaluation to produce in time a significant strengthening in our trade picture. Given the size of the Japanese component of our trade deficit, however, the outcome will depend importantly on the extent of the corrective measures undertaken by Japan. Also important will be our own efforts in the United States to fashion internal policies consistent with an improvement in our external balance. The underlying task of public policy for the year ahead--and indeed for the longer run-- remained a familiar one.- to strike the right balance between encouraging healthy economic growth and avoiding inflationary pressures. With the economy showing sustained and vigorous growth, and with the currency crisis highlighting the need to improve our competitive posture internationally, the emphasis seemed to be shifting to the problem of inflation. The Phase Three program of wage and price restraint can contribute to reducing inflation. Unless productivity growth is unexpectedly large, however, the expansion of real output must eventually begin to slow down to the economy's larger run growth potential if generalized demand pressures on prices are to be avoided.

单选题One of the odd things about some business organizations is that they spend so much money to lure new customers and spend so little to keep them after they've been landed. It just doesn't make sense. Taking customers for granted is routine in some larger organizations, where mere bigness generates an attitude of indifference. Loyal customers are an organization's only protection against bankruptcy, and losing them because of neglect or indifference is downright sinful. Not only do satisfied customers continue to fatten the till, they often encourage others to buy. This is advertising that doesn't cost a penny. And although there are always problems in giving good service to customers, maintaining their patronage (光顾) isn't all that difficult. It's a matter of attitude, of believing that everyone who buys from you is entitled to the best treatment you can deliver. Plus giving just a little morethan you have to. We said there are always problems in giving good service to customers. The reason, of course, is that no organization is perfect, and there's many a slip: unreasonable delays in filling orders, shipping the wrong merchandise, failing to answer letters promptly, and so on. Sometimes these errors or failures can't be helped. For example, if you can't get parts because of material shortages or a transportation strike, customers may be denied the goods they'veordered. And not infrequently the customer is to blame--for example, failing to clearly identify the article or servjce required. Yet no matter who is at fault, customers whom you value highly should generally be given the benefit of the doubt. Note that we said "customers whom you value highly." The old saying (格言) goes that all customers should be treated alike is a myth. Customers who repeatedly place large orders and pay for them will naturally, get more attention than those who buy infrequently and have to be badgered to pay what they owe. However, you have to make the assumption that all customers are good unless proved otherwise.

单选题{{B}}Text 2{{/B}} For me, scientific knowledge is divided into mathematical sciences, natural sciences or sciences dealing with the natural world (physical and biological sciences), and sciences dealing with mankind (psychology, sociology, all the sciences of cultural achievements, every kind of historical knowledge). Apart from these sciences is philosophy, about which we will talk later. In the first place, all this is pure of theoretical knowledge, sought only for the purpose of understanding, in order to fulfil the need to understand what is intrinsic and consubstantial to man. What distinguishes man from animal is that he knows and needs to know. If man did not know that the world existed, and that the world was of a certain kind, that he was in the world and that he himself was of a certain kind, he wouldn't be man. The technical aspects or applications of knowledge are equally necessary for man and are of the greatest importance because they also contribute to defining him as man and permit him to pursue a life increasingly more truly human. But even while enjoying the results of technical progress, he must defend the primacy and autonomy of pure knowledge. Knowledge sought directly for its practical applications will have immediate and foreseeable success, but not the kind of important result whose revolutionary scope is in large part unforeseen, except by the imagination of the Utopians. Let me recall a well-known example. If the Greek mathematicians had not applied themselves to the investigation of conic sections, zealously and without the least suspicion that it might someday be useful, it would not have been possible centuries later to navigate far from shore. The first man to study nature of electricity could not imagine that' their experiments, carried on because of mere intellectual curiosity, would eventually lead to modern electrical technology, without which we can scarcely conceive of contemporary life. Pure knowledge is valuable for its own sake, because the human spirit cannot resign itself to ignorance. But, in addition, it is the foundation for practical results that would not have been reached if this knowledge had not been sought disinterestedly.

单选题{{B}}Text 3{{/B}} In a world where bad news has become everyday news, people are turning to an ancient technique to deal with stress: meditation. At meditation centers, prayer groups and yoga studios around the United States, more and more are finding peace of mind by being quiet. Some use meditation to help deal with life changes; others, to process the painful reality of political and social unrest around the world of the type that has been experienced more recently. Stress from the September 11 terrorist attacks is probably "about 70 percent" of the reason one Chicago man started meditating and practicing yoga with his new wife. He became so emotionally affected that he realized he needed help in managing his stress. The yoga classes he takes begin and end with meditation. This "quiet time" helps him feel a lot more relaxed and gives him more breath control. The fact is, though, that he is not alone. Across the country, many are turning to more meditative exercise as they seek both psychological and physiological relief. In addition to helping people work out their stress, these classes bring people together, in the same way that religious Services or other community activities have done in the past. Different schools of meditation teach particular techniques, but they share a common basis-focusing attention on something your mind can return to if you are distracted. This may be the rhythm of breathing, an object such as a candle flame, or a repetitive movement, as in walking or taiji. Regardless of the specific technique or mode that is followed, meditation has well-documented benefits. Medical research indicates that it causes a sharp decrease in metabolic activity, reduced muscle tension, slower breathing, and a shift from faster brainwaves to slower waves, it also reduces high blood pressure. Practitioners are convinced that meditation is good for health because it relaxes the body. For ages, meditation has been a core practice of many groups meeting in their communal or religious centers. However, let's not forget that this is the twenty-first century. So, for those people who are too shy or busy to go to the nearest meditation center, there are Internet sites that offer online guided meditation. One has a variety of meditations from various religious traditions. At another, Jesuit priests post meditations and readings from the Scriptures everyday, and at still another, Buddhist and Hindu practitioners include music and visuals to accompany their offerings. These websites 'allow anyone with a computer access to meditation at any time. The fact is that whether online, at yoga classes, or at local spiritual centers, more people are turning to the practice of meditation.

单选题{{B}}Text 3{{/B}} Historically, the European Union has not bothered with funding much basic scientific research. Such activities have mainly remained the preserve of national governments, not least because giving scientists free rein can lead to discoveries that not only make money but ultimately enhance military might. That attitude is now changing. The European Commission proposes to establish a European Research Council(ERC) that would spend a maximum of 12 billion( $14 billion) over seven years on" blue skies" research. While the plans are being generally welcomed by Europe's member states, their details are problematic. The proposed ERC is intended to make Europe more competitive. Europe has some first-class universities, scientific institutions and research organisations, But, the ERC' s proponents argue, their activities are fragmented, so they are not reaching their full potential. In America, teams from across the country compete with each other for grants from the National Science Foundation. The proposed ERC is modelled on this scheme, It would award grants to individual research teams for a specific project, solely on the basis of scientific merit judged by peer review, If the ERC were created, scientists from across Europe would compete with each other for funds, rather than merely competing with their fellow countrymen, as hap pens at present. This compares with the limited funding for basic research that currently exists in the EU, which places its emphasis on collaboration between researchers. It is open only to researchers in a narrow range of disciplines chosen by the European Parliament and the commission. The ERC would be quite different, placing its emphasis on competition between researchers and leaving scientists themselves to decide which areas of science to pursue. Helga Nowotny, who chairs the European Research Advisory Board--an advisory body to the commission— says that winning a grant from the ERC could come to be seen as unmistakable recognition of research excellence. The quality of European research needs to be stepped up a notch. Between 1980 and 2003, Europe had 68 Nobel laureates in medicine, physics and chemistry compared with 154 in America. With competition from China and India, Europe' s share could fall further. One of the reasons for Europe' s relatively weak performance is thought to be a lack of genuine competition between Europe' s researchers. Another is its poor ability to attract young people into a research career. Recent estimates suggest that Europe needs an extra 700,000 researchers if it is to meet its overall target of raising spending (private, national and EU) on research and development to 3% of GDP by 2010. Many young scientists leave Europe for America once they have finished their training. Dr Nowotny says the ERC could help here too. It could establish a scheme to give young researchers the opportunity to follow their own ideas and become independent at an earlier stage in their careers, encouraging talent to stay in Europe. The crucial issue now is whether the ERC will be able to set its own research agenda, free from the interference and bureaucracy of the commission and influence of member states. Last month,22 leading European scientists charged with shaping the ERC's scientific strategy met for the first time to start hammering out a charter and constitution. Serious concerns remain over the legal structure of the body. The final decision on the ERC's legal form, on a date yet unspecified, rests with the European Parliament and member states in the European Council. If both are genuine in their support for the ERC and Europe' s aim of becoming more competitive ,then they must find a way of keeping the ERC free from political interference. Europe would benefit from a competition for its best researchers which rewards scientific excellence. A quasi-competition that recognizes how many votes each member state is allotted would be pointless.

单选题"Ah, yes, divorce", Robin Williams once mused, "from the Latin word meaning to rip out a man"s genitals through his wallet". The derivation may not be found in dictionaries, but he was on well-trodden ground in linking divorce to money. This month a survey conducted among financial analysts, stockbrokers and hedge-fund managers by Mishcon de Reya, a law firm, suggested that the economic downturn will prompt an upsurge in divorces among highearners in London"s financial centre. This pattern is not without precedent: Sandra Davis, who commissioned the study, says that the recession of the early 1990s led to a wave of divorces among the city"s wealthy people. A third of current inquiries to lawyers by those deciding to break the knot, she claims, are linked to the credit crunch. One explanation is that the defecting spouses of high earners are getting out before the crunch reduces the potential for profitable settlements. As the city boom turns to bust, redundancies are becoming commonplace and huge bonuses a distant dream. Since recent earnings are one of the factors taken into account in divorce settlements, it makes sense to divorce sooner rather than later. Others argue that money and the distractions it buys allow couples to avoid addressing difficulties in their relationship, which come to the fore in more financially-distressed times. For middle earners, the link between divorce rates and economic conditions is less clear-cut, not least since the main marital asset is houses rather than spouses. Rising inflation and falling house prices put pressure on marriages and might thus contribute to higher divorce rates. Yet the same factors also make splitting up more complicated. Falling property prices mean that selling the family home may not provide sufficient funds for two separate homes, especially now that lenders have become much more choosy. "A flagging economy clearly leads to an increase in misery; whether or not it causes a rise in the divorce rate is a debatable point," sums up Stephen Jenkins, director of the Institute for Social and Economic Research. One consequence is that more couples are living together after divorce, which raises its own problems. Godfrey Freeman, chairman of Resolution, an association of family lawyers, points out that the lower-earning partners in such couples may find it harder to claim benefits. They are usually refused help, he says, on the grounds that their mortgage paid, even if they have no cash of their own to cover everyday expenses.

单选题{{B}}Text 4{{/B}} Cillian Shephard is to announce a review of examination standards today as controversy surrounding university entrance procedures brings criticism over Britain's educational performance. The Education and Employment Secretary is worried that continuing uncertainty over a levels in particular will undermine the Government's drive to meet ambitious targets for improvement. She postponed an announcement until this year's candidates had received their results, but is now determined to clear the air. Mrs. Shepard's main advisers on schools have already asked her to sanction a 100,000 research project, comparing papers over the past 20 years. But she is expected to go further. Reports of universities admitting A-level failures to foundation courses will be referred to officials carrying out a review of higher education. Further research will focus on school examinations. Mrs. Shepard returned {mm holiday last week to find critics chiming that a seventh successive rise in pass rates indicated falling standards at A level, while new vocational equivalents had an alarming drop-out rate. Since then, she has become embroiled in controversy over higher education admissions, insisting that it was not the role of universities to prepare students for degree courses. Yesterday a retired mathematics lecturer said he had been ordered to admit students to a foundation course after rejecting: them for a degree, David Srnalley, who teaches part-time at Brunel University in west London, said many of the students who were accepted subsequently would never be capable of degree-level mathematics. Mr. Smalley said a course for those without the necessary grades to study science had been set up earlier than planned when undergraduate recruitment dried up. He had been told to approach potential students from a pile of rejected applications. A university spokeswoman said students entering Brunel's foundation courses in science and engineering had an average of two Cs at A level, enough to win a place on many degree courses. Half of the first in take in engineering secured upper second class degrees alter passing the foundation year. But Mr. Smalley said he was convinced standards had plummeted since the introduction of pre-degree courses. "We have had one or two success stories on them, but others could not add fractions. Some of the work would make your hair curl." Ian Wood, who set up Brunel' s first foundation course, m engineering, said some older lecturers found it difficult to adapt to teaching less able students. He added: "This year 26 students out of 60 got through a foundation year and one ended up with a first-class degree. I am sure there are spurious courses elsewhere put on just to bump up numbers, but our standards are high." The Higher Education Funding Council for England said it had no reason to question standards on foundation courses.

单选题There is virtually no limit to how one can serve community interests, from spending a few hours a week with some charitable organization to practically full-time work for a social agency. Just as there are opportunities for voluntary service (1) (VSO) for young people before they take up full-time employment, (2) there are opportunities for overseas service for (3) technicians in developing countries. Some people, (4) those who retire early, (5) their technical and business skills in countries (6) there is a special need. So in considering voluntary or (7) community service, there are more opportunities than there (8) were when one first began work. Most voluntary organizations have only a small full-time (9) , and depend very much on volunteers and part-timers. This means that working relationships are different from those in commercial organizations, and values may be different. (10) some ways they may seem more casual and less efficient, but one should not (11) them by commercial criteria. The people who work with them do so for different reasons and with different (12) , both personal and (13) . One should not join them (14) to arm them with professional experience; they must be joined with commitment to the (15) , not business efficiency. Because salaries are (16) or non-existent, many voluntary bodies offer modest expense. But many retired people take part in community service for (17) , simply because they enjoy the work. Many community activities possible (18) retirement were also possible during one's working life, but they are to be undertaken (19) seriously for that. Retired people who are just looking for something different or unusual to do should not consider (20) community service.