快速導航
學歷類
職業資格
公務員
醫衛類
建筑工程
外語類
外貿類
計算機類
財會類
技能鑒定
In the last 12 years total employment in the United States grew faster than
at any time in the peacetime history of any country – from 82 to 110 million
between 1973 and 1985 – that is, by a full one third. The entire growth,
however, was in manufacturing, and especially in no – blue-collar jobs…
This trend is the same in all developed countries, and is, indeed, even more
pronounced in Japan. It is therefore highly probable that in 25 years developed
countries such as the United States and Japan will employ no larger a proportion
of the labor force I n manufacturing than developed countries now employ in
farming – at most, 10 percent. Today the United States employs around 18 million
people in blue-collar jobs in manufacturing industries. By 2010, the number is
likely to be no more than 12 million. In some major industries the drop will be
even sharper. It is quite unrealistic, for instance, to expect that the American
automobile industry will employ more than one –third of its present blue-collar
force 25 years hence, even though production might be 50 percent higher.
If a company, an industry or a country does not in the next quarter century
sharply increase manufacturing production and at the same time sharply reduce
the blue-collar work force, it cannot hope to remain competitive – or even to
remain “developed.” The attempt to preserve such blue – collar jobs is actually
a prescription for unemployment…
This is not a conclusion that American politicians, labor leaders or indeed
the general public can easily understand or accept. What confuses the issue even
more it that the United States is experiencing several separate and different
shifts in the manufacturing economy. One is the acceleration of the substitution
of knowledge and capital for manual labor. Where we spoke of mechanization a few
decades ago, we now speak of “robotization “ or “automation.” This is actually
more a change in terminology than a change in reality. When Henry Ford
introduced the assembly line in 1909, he cut the number of man – hours required
to produce a motor car by some 80 percent in two or three years –far more than
anyone expects to result from even the most complete robotization. But there is
no doubt that we are facing a new, sharp acceleration in the replacement of
manual workers by machines –that is, by the products of knowledge.
1.According to the author, the shrinkage in the manufacturing labor force
demonstrates______.
A.the degree to which a country’s production is robotized
B.a reduction in a country’s manufacturing industries
C.a worsening relationship between labor and management
D.the difference between a developed country and a developing country
2.According to the author, in coming 25years, a developed country or
industry, in order t remain competitive, ought to ______.
A.reduce the percentage of the blue-collar work force
B.preserve blue – collar jobs for international competition
C.accelerate motor – can manufacturing in Henry Ford’s style
D.solve the problem of unemployment
3.American politicians and labor leaders tend to dislike_____.
A.confusion in manufacturing economy
B.an increase in blue – collar work force
C.internal competition in manufacturing production
D.a drop in the blue – collar job opportunities
4.The word “prescription” in “a prescription for unemployment” may be the
equivalent to ______
A.something recommended as medical treatment
B.a way suggested to overcome some difficulty
C.some measures taken in advance
D.a device to dire
5.This passage may have been excepted from ________
A.a magazine about capital investment
B.an article on automation
C.a motor-car magazine
D.an article on global economy
Passage 4
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage:
I recently wrote an autobiography in which I recalled many old memories. One
of them was from my school days, when our ninth grade teacher, Miss Raber, would
pick out words from the Reader’s Digest to test our vocabulary.
Today, more than 45 years later, I always check out “It pays to Enrich Your
Word Power” first when the Digest comes each month. I am impressed with that
idea, word power. Reader’s Digest knows the power that words have to move
people—to entertain, inform, and inspire. The Digest editors know that the big
word isn’t always the best word. Take just one example, a Quotable Quote form
the February 1985 issue: ”Time is a playful thing. It slips quickly and drinks
the day like a bowl of milk.”
Nineteen words, only two of them more than one syllable, yet how much they
convey! That’s usually how it is with Reader’s Digest. Small and simple can be
profound.
As chairman of a foundation to restore the Statue of Liberty, I’ve been
making a lot of speeches lately. I try to keep them fairly short. I use small
but vivid words: words like “hope”, “guts”, “faith”, “dreams”. Those are words
that move people and say so much about the spirit of America.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against using big words, when it is right to do
so, but I have also learned that a small word can work a small miracle—if it’s
right word, in the right place, at the right time. It’s a “secret” that I hope
never forget.
16. The passage is mainly about .
A. one of the many old memories
B. using simple words to express profound ideas
C. Reader’s Digest and school speeches
D. how to make effective speeches
17. It seems that Reader’s Digest is a magazine popular with .
A. people of all ages B. teenagers C. school teachers D. elderly readers
18. The example the author gives in the second paragraph might mean .
A. one spends his day playing and drinking
B. don’t waste your time as one does
C. time slips easily if you don’t make good use of it
D. time is just like drinking milk from a bowl
19. The author’s “secret” is .
A. to avoid using big words at any time
B. to use words that have the power to move people
C. to work a miracle by using a small word
D. to use small and simple words where possible
20. Accoeding to the author, well-chosen words can give people .
A. hope, courage and ideas
B. confidence, determination and strength
C. pleasure, knowledge and encourage
D. entertainment, information and power
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage:
