McDonald's is the world single biggest food provider with annual sales of around $12.4bn. And the company's symbol Ronald McDonald is now （or so the company claims） the world's most recognized person after Santa Claus.
The first McDonald's restaurant was opened in San Bernardino, California, in 1948 by brothers Mac and Richard “Dick” McDonald. Mac ran the restaurant side; Dick was the marketing genius. He had already invented the drive-in laundry and had been the first person to use neon lights in advertising. Now he spotted the gap in the post-war, baby-boom market for cheap, family-orientated restaurants with simple menus, standardized food and efficient service.
After a slow start, business began to boom. By 1954, the brothers were joined by another entrepreneur, a kitchen equipment salesman called Ray A Kroc who owned the franchise to the Multimixer, milk shake maker used throughout the McDonald's chain. A year later, Kroc had bought the McDonald brothers' chain of 25 franchises for the equivalent of around $70m（￡44m）. Dick remained with the company until the Seventies, when he and Kroc fell out over Kroc's claim that the chain was his creation.
Today, an almost Stalinist cult of personality surrounds Kroc （who died in 1984） at McDonald's, while the brothers who gave the company its name have all but been written out of its history. But though Kroc did not found McDonald's, he was certainly responsible for the empire-building philosophy which led to its world domination. He ushered in such essential contributions to international cuisine as the Big Mac （1968） and the Egg McMuffin （1973）; and helped launch Ronald McDonald —— “in any language he means fun” —— on to television in 1963.
Every three hours, a new McDonald's franchise opens somewhere in the world; it can be found in more than 100 countries including India （vegetarian-only to avoid offending the non-beef-eating populace） and Israel （non kosher, despite fierce local objection）. McDonald's chain embodied the thrusting, can-do spirit of Fifties America with staff mottoes such as “If you've got time to lean, you've got time to clean.”McDonald's was founded _____.
| A．by a kitchen equipment salesman |
| B．in California |
| C．by a marketing genius called Dick McDonald |
| D．after the first World War |
What do we know about McDonald's brothers?
| A．They were not McDonald's founders although they named the restaurant. |
| B．Their business was still in depression after several years. |
| C．They had clear job separation on business. |
| D．They sold their restaurant to a salesman in 1954. |
Which is not Kroc's contribution to McDonald's ?
| A．He launched the restaurant image Ronald McDonald on to television. |
| B．Under his lead, international cuisine as the Big Mac and the Egg McMuffin earned worldwide fame |
| C．He spotted the gap in postwar market for cheap, family-orientated restaurants. |
| D．He built McDonald's empire with a philosophy which led to its world domination. |
Which statement is true according to the passage?
| A．The single biggest food provider was however, not named after its founder |
| B．The international cuisine as the Big Mac, a beef hamburger, is provided every chain restaurant in the world. |
| C．Employees in McDonald's have no time to lean. |
| D．The symbol Ronald McDonald, means fun in any language, is said to the world most recognized person after Santa Claus. |
Many immigrants(移民) to the United States find the decision to seek better lives for their families in America can have an unexpected and tragic consequence(后果). Deep differences with their children develop over language and culture.
“Many immigrants arrive here without much education. Their kids soon gain language skills and also street marts(耍时髦) on how to live in America, leaving the parents at a disadvantage,” Ileana , Roses, pastor of a Methodist church group operating in Virginia, said.
“Not only that but they find they cannot relate to children who quickly absorb American culture,” she said.
According to the US Census Bureau(人口调查局), the number of foreign born or first generation Americans reached 55 million last year, a record one in five of the total population.
A government survey of 922 immigrants in 2000 found that nearly 40 percent of those who had been in the United States for more than 15 years would still like to take English classes if they had the time.
Two thirds of low income households depended on their children for translation.
Psychologists(心理学家) and sociologists say parents can lose their position of authority(权威) in a family as a result and the effects of that can be far-reaching.
Children exposed to American pop culture that glorifies(颂扬) youth and sexuality(性感) often rebel when their parents try to impose the conservative values they brought with them.
“Americanization erodes(侵蚀) all important aspects of parenting,” said Richard Weissbourd, who teaches education at Harvard University.
“I feel a part of me is dying with my children. They don’t listen to my music. I have to play it on Sunday morning when they are not around,” said an immigrant. What troubles the immigrant parents most is ___________.
| A．that they can’t understand the English language |
| B．that they lose their position of authority in their families |
| C．that their children have lost sense of their own national values |
| D．how they can master the English language as soon as possible |
From the passage we can infer that the population of the states at present is about____.
| A．275 million | B．220 million | C．255 million | D．smaller than 250 million |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．All the immigrants had expected the troubles they would meet before they went to the US. |
| B．Two thirds of immigrant families are low income households. |
| C．American culture shows a spirit against conservative social and cultural values. |
| D．American pop culture puts the immigrant families at a disadvantage. |
Which of the following is probably the title of the report?
| A．The Result of the US Census |
| B．The Differences Between Parents and Children in the US |
| C．The Troubles of the American Immigrants |
| D．Role Reversal(颠倒) Troubles Many Parents and Children |
How many men do housework? Recently a European commission(委员会) tried to find out people’s ideas and reactions to the women’s movement. As part of their survey(调查), they asked many men and women the question, “Who does the housework?” The men answered very differently from the women!
The housework they asked people about was: preparing meals, washing dishes, cleaning the house and babysitting. 48% of British husbands said they did these things. 37% of Danish(丹麦的) men helped in the house. But only 15% of Italian men said they did the housework; many of them said they never helped at all!
But there was an interesting point of view from the wives. According to British wives, only 38% of their husbands helped in the house. And Italian wives said that their husbands hardly ever helped. The Italian and British men did not tell the truth! The Commission found that Danish men were the most truthful husbands; their answers were the same as their wives’ answers.
Do the men you know help in the house? Do you think the survey gives a true picture in your experience? Write and tell us what you think. The survey was carried out in _______.
| A．Britain | B．Italy | C．Denmark | D．Europe |
The subject for the survey is_______.
| A．how many boys do the housework? | B．who does the housework at home |
| C．how many women do the housework? | |
| D．who are more diligent, wives or husbands |
From the passage we can see that _______.
| A．there are more husbands who did the housework than wives |
| B．husbands do half of the housework all the time |
| C．there are more wives who do the housework than husbands |
| D．wives do almost all the housework at home |
More _______ husbands help in the house than _______ husbands.
| A．British; Danish | B．Italian; Danish |
| C．Danish; British | D．Italian; British |
Industrial pollution is not only a problem for the countries of Europe and North America but also an extremely serious problem in some developing countries. For these countries, economic growth is a very important aim. They want to introduce industries, and so they put few controls on the industries which cause pollution.
Cubatao, an industrial town of 85 000 people in Brazil, is an example of the connection between industrial development and pollution. In 1954, Cubatao had no industry. Today it has more than twenty large factories, which produce many pollutants(污染物). The people of the town are suffering from the poisonous matter in their environment and the bad effects can be clearly seen. Birth shortcomings are extremely common. Among children and adults, lung problems are sometimes twelve times more common in Cubatao than in other places.
It is true that Brazil, like many other countries, has laws against pollution, but these laws are not enforced strictly enough. It is cheaper for companies to take no notice of the laws and pay the fines(罚款) than to buy the expensive equipment that will reduce the pollution. It is clear, therefore, that economic growth is more important to the government than to the health of the workers. However, the responsibility(责任) does not completely lie with the Brazilian government. The example of Cubatao shows that international companies are not acting in a responsible way either. A number of the factories in the town are owned by large companies from France, Italy, and the U. S. They are doing things in Brazil that they would not be able to do at home. If they caused the same amount of pollution at home, they would be severely(严厉地) punished or even put out of business. Why don’t developing countries have strict pollution controls?
| A．The new industries they want to introduce do not cause much pollution. |
| B．Pollution is not a serious problem for developing countries. |
| C．They don’t realize the balance of nature will be destroyed by some pollutants. |
| D．If they put stricter controls on industry, fewer companies would build new plants in developing countries. |
What is the author’s purpose in taking Cubatao as an example?
| A．To show that industry can develop very fast in developing countries. |
| B．To show that the pollution problem in Brazil is extremely serious. |
| C．To show that industrial growth can cause pollution problems for developing countries. |
| D．To show that pollution is killing many people and destroying the whole economy of Brazil. |
How is the health of the population of Cubatao?
| A．There are more heart diseases among people who live near chemical factories. |
| B．More people suffer from lung diseases because of poisonous matter. |
| C．Their health is affected by pollutants the same way as that of other Brazilians. |
| D．Babies there are found not as bright as those who live in other places. |
Why do some foreign companies like to set up their plants in Brazil?
| A．The investment(投资) environment in Brazil is suitable for them. |
| B．They will not be severely punished if they cause pollution in Brazil. |
| C．They can make much money because they do not have to pay Brazilian workers much. |
| D．They can act in an irresponsible(不负责任的) way in Brazil because there are no pollution laws there. |
“Congratulations, Mr. Jones, it’s a girl.”
Fatherhood is going to have a different meaning and bring forth a different answer from every man who hears these words. Some feel proud when they receive the news, while others worry, wondering whether they will be good fathers. Although there are some men who like children and may have had considerable experience with them, others do not particularly care for children and spend little time with them. Many fathers and mothers have been planning and looking forward to children for some time. For other couples, pregnancy(怀孕) was an accident that both husband and wife have accepted willingly or unwillingly.
Whatever the reaction to the birth of a child, it is obvious that the change from the role of husband to that of father is a difficult task. Yet, unfortunately, few attempts have been made to educate fathers in this re-socialization process. Although many good books have been written about American mothers, only recently have some books discussed the role of a father.
It is argued by some writers that the transition to the father’s role, although difficult, is not nearly as great as the transition the wife must make to the mother’s role. The mother’s role seems to require a complete transformation of daily routine and adaptation to a new life, on the other hand, the father’s role is less demanding and immediate. However, even though we have mentioned the fact that growing numbers of women are working outside the home, the father is still thought by many as the breadwinner in the household. According to the author, being a father _______.
| A．brings a feeling of excitement to some men |
| B．has a different meaning for those who have daughters |
| C．makes some men feel proud and others uneasy |
| D．means nothing but more responsibilities. |
It is stated in the passage that ________.
| A．some parents are not prepared to have a child |
| B．young couples do not like children at all |
| C．working couples do not have much time to take care of their children |
| D．many parents look forward to having a boy as their first child |
The transition to the mother’s role requires that the wife _______.
| A．changes her life style in a quite different way |
| B．makes a complete change in her everyday life to deal with the new situation |
| C．stays at home to take care of the baby |
| D．helps her husband in his re-socialization process |
Some writers argue that with respect to the change of roles, fathers, compared with mothers, _______.
| A．have to do more in the household | B．have to make more difficult adaptations |
| C．have an easier job to do | D．can usually do a better job |
The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card (信用卡) fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site(非法网站).
Web sites offering cheap goods and services should be regarded with care.
On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought. The thieves then go shopping with your card number — or sell the information over the Internet. Computers hackers(黑客) have broken down security(安全) systems, raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25, 000 customers of CD Universe, an on-line music retailer(零售商), were not lucky. Their names, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a Web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157, 828 to get back the information.
Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Mastercard is working on plans for Web — only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated(欺骗).
Ask about your credit-card firm’s on-line rules: Under British law, cardholders have to pay the first US $78 of any fraudulent(欺骗性的) spending.
And shop only at secure sites; Send your credit-card information only if the Web site offers advanced secure system.
If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The Website address may also start https: //—the extra “s” stands for secure. If in doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone.
Keep your password(密码) safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your passwords with care.What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?
| A．A lot of stolen credit-cards were sold on the Internet. | B．Fraud on the Internet. |
| C．Many Web sites are destroyed. | D．Many illegal Web sites are on the Internet. |
What is the meaning of “fraud”?
| A．Cheating. | B．Sale. | C．Payment. | D．Safety. |
How can the thieves get the information of the credit card?
| A．The customers give them the information. |
| B．The thieves steal the information from Web sites. |
| C．The customers sell the information to them. |
| D．The thieves buy the information from credit-card firms. |
How many pieces of advice does the passage give to you?
| A．Four. | B．Three. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
You are shopping on the site: http: // www. Shopping. com, and you want to buy a TV set, what does this article suggest to do?
| A．Order the TV set at once. | B．Do not buy the TV set on this site. |
| C．E-mail the site your credit-card information. | |
| D．Tell the site your password and buy the TV set for you. |
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