Passage 2
Americans are too busy for lunch breaks, reports AOL. Rather than leaving the office for some much needed relaxation, most workers are opting to dine at their desks. According to a survey, 62% of American office workers usually eat their lunch in the same spot they work all day.
In a weakened economy, many employees feel a heightened need to prove their worth or look like a superstar worker who goes above and beyond to get the job done. Plus, when coworkers are working through their lunch breaks, no one wants to be the person who looks like a slacker.
For others, it is not just a matter of saving time, but saving money. Eating out routinely gets expensive, so bringing a lunch to eat at the desk is also the thrifty choice for the American worker.
On a national level, the United States does not mandate that businesses allow their employees a lunch break. However, 22 states do have explicit laws on the books stating that workers must take a half hour to hour lunch break. Nonetheless, even workers in these states often find themselves ignoring the law to chow down next to their computers.
In addition to lunch, 27% will eat breakfast at their desk (at least they are not skipping it altogether), and 50% will snack at their desk throughout the workday. Unfortunately, using the desk as a dining table could be a health hazard. With about two in three workers admitting they clean their desk less than once a month, the unsanitary surface leaves workers susceptible to foodborne illnesses.
1. According to the report by AOL, most American office workers usually ( )
A. take lunch at their desks.
B. take a nap after lunch.
C. go out to eat at lunch time.
D. enjoy free lunch.
2. ( ) makes the American employees feel a heightened need to prove their worth.
A. The employers’ encouragement
B. An upturn in economy
C. The cozy working environment.
D. A downturn in economy.
3. According to Paragraph 4, ( )?
A. most states of America have passed the laws stating that workers must take some lunch break.
B. the workers in the 22 states work fewer hours than those in the other states.
C. the workers in the 22 states do not necessarily take a better lunch break than those in the other states.
D. the workers in the 22 states take a longer lunch break than those in the other states.
4. What is a disadvantage of taking lunch at the desk?
A. It may save time for the employees.
B. It may do harm to the employees’ health.
C. It may save money for the employees.
D. It may help the employees reduce their weight.
参考答案：
Passage 2
1.A
根据第一段第二句(Rather than leaving the office…)可知，大部分美国办公室员工通常在办公桌前吃午饭，所以选A。
2.D
根据第二段第一句(In a weakened economy…)可知，经济的不景气使美国员工感觉更有必要证明自己的价值，所以选D。
3.C
根据第四段最后一句话(Nonetheless, even workers…)可知，即使在这22个州，许多工人们还是忽略了这条法律，他们未必比其它州的工人中午休息得好，所以选C。
4.B
本题问的是在办公桌前吃午饭的弊端，根据最后一段第二句话(Unfortunately, using the desk…)可知，在办公桌前吃午饭对员工的健康有一定危害，所以选B。
