III. Reading Comprehension (30 points, 2 points for each)
从下列每篇短文的问题后所给的四个选择项中选出一个最佳答案。
Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
The problem of leisure is new. Until very recent times people worked each day to the limit of their strength. Of course there were always a privileged (有特权的)few who had leisure; but most men had to work 12, 14, or even 16 hours a day, six days a week. As late as 1840 the average factory worker labored 72 hours a week. "Sunup to sundown" was the farmer's day, or as another phrase puts it, "from can to can't". Today, working less than a 40-hour week, people enjoy more leisure time. Hence, the wise use of leisure time has become an important problem for everyone, young or old. It is a particularly difficult problem for the sick, the aged, and those who have retired from earning a living. Those people have so much leisure that it is hard for them to find interesting and worthwhile ways to use it.
However short the work week becomes, work is still the most important part of life. We do not work to get leisure and the pleasures leisure brings us; rather, we use leisure wisely so that work itself can become awarding and enjoyable. The feeling of success at doing one's daily work—whether it is a job, maintaining a home, or going to school—depends largely on coming to it each day with fresh energy and active interest.
Leisure and recreation (消遣) go together, though they are not necessarily the same thing. "Recreation" has an obvious meaning. It is the kind of leisure activity that brings "re-creation" of strength and spirit. When one speaks of making good use of leisure, he means choosing recreational activities which contribute to health, growth, and spirit.
21. The phrase "from can to can't" in Paragraph 1 means .
A. from beginning to end B. from birth to death
C. from morning to night D. from time to time
22. How to spend leisure time wisely is not a particularly difficult problem for people .
A. who are very busy everyday B. who are sick in bed
C. who are aged and in good health D. who have retired from work
23. How does the author look at work and leisure?
A. We work hard so that we can enjoy more leisure.
B. We enjoy leisure so that we can come back to work with fresh energy.
C. Leisure can bring us a lot of pleasures that work can not.
D. The success of work has little to do with how we spend our leisure time.
24. What is the relationship between leisure and recreation, according to the author?
A. Leisure and recreation are closely related.
B. Leisure and recreation are identical.
C. Recreation covers all kinds of leisure activities.
D. Recreation does not belong to any leisure activity.
25. From the passage we know that .
A. leisure has been an old problem since ancient times
B. leisure can not be replaced as the most important part of life
C. our success in work is mostly determined by whether we use leisure wisely
D. good recreational activities contribute greatly to health, growth and spirit
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Each nation has its own peculiar character which distinguishes it from others. But the peoples of the world have more points in common than points in which they differ. One type of person that is common in every country is the one who always tries to do as little as possible and to get as much as possible in return. His opposite, the man who is in the habit of doing more than is strictly necessary and who is ready to accept what is offered in return, is rare everywhere.
Both these types are usually unconscious of their character. The man who avoids effort is always talking about his "rights": he appears to think that society owes him a pleasant, easy life. The man who tries to do as little as he can is always full of excuses: if he has neglected to do something, it was because he had a headache, or the weather was too hot—or too cold—or because he was prevented by bad luck. At first, other people, such as his friends and his employer, generously accept his stories; but soon they realize what kind of person he is. In the long run he deceives only himself. When his friends become cool towards him and he fails to make progress in his job, he is surprised and hurt. He blames everyone and everything except himself. He feels that society is failing in its duties towards him, and that he is being unjustly treated.
26. The central idea of Paragraph 1 is that .
A. each nation is peculiar enough to enable us to distinguish it from others
B. the peoples of the world are as alike as they are different
C. the peoples of the world have more similarities than differences
D. those who do more than is strictly necessary are common in every country
27. According to Paragraph 1, the man who does more than is required .
A. is ready to accept what the society offers him B. expects nothing in return for his work
C. feels that he is under heavy debt D. thinks this makes his life easy
28. Those who try to do as little as possible .
A. envy others' good luck B. are good story-tellers
C. supply false reasons for their lack of responsibility D. think that their opposites owe them a pleasant life
29. The phrase "in the long run" (Paragraph 3) is closest in meaning to " ."
A. in practice B. in the end C. in effect D. in no time
30. It can be inferred from the passage that people who cheat .
A. will be unjustly treated B. will cheat only themselves eventually
C. will change their behavior D. will get surprised by their own stories
Passage Three
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.
The government may control prices when there is a problem such as rapidly increasing rents or a rise in the cost of living. When the government controls prices, there is no longer a normal relationship between the price of a product and the quantity consumers will buy. Government controls may help in an emergency(紧急情况). However, some economists believe that controls can have negative effects over a long period of time.
In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord (房主) can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartments. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics (评论者) say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.
Economic theory predicts the results of economic decisions such as decisions about rent control, price control and the minimum wage. The predictions may be correct only if "other things are equal."
Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.
31. According to Paragraph 1, price control ____.
A. does more harm than good B. is good in every sense
C. is necessary but harmful in the long term D. should be avoided
32. It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that ____.
A. thanks to rent control, it would be easier for many to find apartments
B. landlords may take back their apartments if the rent is too low
C. the tighter the rent control is, the less new apartments will be built
D. landlords will not invest in other businesses after price control is approved by the government
33. Which of the following do all economists agree on?
A. Controls can have negative effects over a long period of time.
B. The government must take measures to control rent increase.
C. The maximum rent system protects people who don't have their own houses.
D.Economic questions are difficult to deal with.
34. The attitude of the author to price control is ____.
A. subjective B. objective C. indifferent D. supportive
35. The purpose of this passage is to ____.
A. argue B. persuade C. analyze D. describe
