Everyone knows that the French are romantic, the Italian are fashionable and the Germans are serious. Or do they? Are these just stereotypes or is there really such a thing as national character? And if there is, can it affect how a nation succeed or fail?
At least one group of people is certain that it can. A recent survey of the top 500 entrepreneurs (实业家) in the UK found that 70 percent felt that their efforts were not appreciated by the B
ritish public .
Britain is hostile to success, they said. It has a culture of jealousy (嫉妒) . As a result, the survey said, entrepreneurs were “unloved, unwanted and misunderstood”. Jealousy is sometimes known as the “green-eyed monster” and the UK is its home. Scientists at Warwich University in the UK recently tested this idea. They gathered a group of people together and gave each an imaginary amount of money. Some were given a little, others a great deal. Those given a little money were given the chance to destroy the large amounts of money given to others—but at the cost of losing their own. Two thirds of the people tested agreed to do this.
This seems to prove the entrepreneurs were right to complain. But there is also conflicting evidence. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently reported that the UK was now the world’s fourth largest economy .That is not bad for people who are supposed to hate success. People in the UK also work longer hours than anyone else in Europe. So the British people are not lazy , either .
“It’s not really success that the British dislike,” says Carey Cooper, a Professor of management at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. “It’s people using their success in
a way that seems arrogant (傲慢) or unfair or which separates them from their roots .”
Perhaps it is the entrepreneurs who are the problem. They set out to do things in their way. They work long hours. By their own efforts they become millionaires. But instead of being happy they complain that nobody loves them. It hardly seems worth following their example. If they were more friendly, people would like them more. And more people want to be like them.What does the underlined “it” in the second paragraph refer to?
| A．One group of people | B．A great survey |
| C．National character | D．A nation |
Most entrepreneurs surveyed believe that
| A．they are not popular simply because they are successful |
| B．the British public are hardworking |
| C．love of success is Britain’s national character |
| D．they are considered as “green-eyed monsters” |
What does the result of the Warwich University test show?
| A．Two thirds of the people tested didn’t love money |
| B．Most people would rather fail than see others succeed |
| C．An imaginary amount of money does not attract people |
| D．Most people are willing to enjoy success with others |
The writer of the passage seems to suggest that .
A．Jealousy is Brit ain’s national character |
| B．British entrepreneurs are not fairly treated |
| C．the scientists are Warwich University did a successful test |
| D．the British dislike the entrepreneurs because they do not behave properly |
Having never met with such a _____ problem, he felt _____ and didn’t know how to solve it.
| A．puzzling; puzzled | B．puzzled; puzzling |
| C．puzzling; puzzling | D．puzzled; puzzled |
Officials believe that more than one person _____ for the big fire.
| A．is to be blamed | B．should blame | C．should be blaming | D．is to blame |
Do you think _____ true that _______is hard work that leads to success?
| A．it; it | B．it ; what | C．that; it | D．what which |
Officials believe that more than one person _____ for the big fire.
| A．is to be blamed | B．should blame | C．should be blaming | D．is to blame |
The purpose of technology is to make it easier, ______ it more difficult.
| A．not make | B．not to make | C．making not | D．do not make |
____ being too large, the color and the style of the dress suit me well.
| A．Apart from | B．As well as | C．Besides | D．Instead of |
Come and see me whenever _______.
| A．you are convenient | B．you will be convenient |
| C．it is convenient to you | D．it will be convenient to you |
As soon as she entered her own room, she caught sight of the gift _____ by her father.
| A．buying | B．bought | C．was bought | D．being bought |
Don’t say any more; we all believe the facts than your words. What you have explained doesn’t make _____.
| A．sense | B．fun | C．use | D．meaning |
___ the room, the nurse found the tape-recorder ___.
| A．Entering; stealing | B．Entering; gone |
| C．To have entered; being stolen | D．Having entered; to be stolen |
My grandfather is too old to care for himself, so my aunt is looking for someone to _____ him.
| A．treat | B．cure | C．attend | D．examine |
—I would like to pick up your sister for you. But I don’t know her. _____?
—A middle-aged woman with a round face, wearing a red blouse.
| A．How about your sister | B．What do you think of your sister |
| C．What is your sister like | D．What does your sister do |
Water problems in the future will become more intense and more complex. Our increasing population will tremendously increase urban wastes, primarily sewage. On the other hand, increasing demands for water will decrease substantially the amount of water available for diluting wastes. Rapidly expanding industries which inv
olve more and more complex chemical processes will produce larger volumes of liquid wastes, and many of these will contain chemicals which are noxious. To feed our rapidly expanding population, agriculture wil
l have to be intensified. This will involve ever - increasing quantities of agricultural chemicals. From this, it is apparent that drastic steps must be taken immediately to develop corrective measures for the pollution problem.
There are two ways by which this pollution problem can be dwindled(减少). The first relates to the treatment of wastes to decrease their pollution hazard . This involves the processing of solid wastes "prior to" disposal and the treatment of liquid wastes, or effluents, to permit the reuse of the water or minimize pollution upon final disposal .
A second approach is to develop an economic use for all or a part of the wastes. Farm manure is spread in fields as a nutrient or organic supplement. Effluents from sewage disposal plants are used in some areas both for irrigation and for the nutrients contained. Effluents from other processing plants may also be used as a supplemental source of water. Many industries, such as meat and poultry processing plants, are currently converting former waste products into marketable byproducts. Other industries are potential economic uses for waste products. The purpose of this passage is ________.
| A．to alert the reader to the dwindling water supply |
B．to explain industrial uses of water |
| C．to acquaint the reader with water pollution problems |
| D．to demonstrate various measures to solve the pollution problem |
Which of the following points is NOT included in the passage?
| A．Industrial development includes the simplification of complex chemical processes. |
| B．Diluting wastes needs certain amount of water. |
| C．Demands for water will go up along with the expanding population . |
| D．Intensive cultivation of land require more and more chemicals. |
The reader can conclude that _________.
| A．countries of the world will work together on pollution problems |
| B．byproducts from wastes lead to a more prosperous marketplace |
| C．science is making great progress in increasing water supplies |
| D．some industries are now making economic use of wastes |
The author gives substance to the passage through the use of________.
| A．interviews with authorities in the field of water controls |
| B．opinions and personal observations |
| C．definitions which clarify important terms |
| D．strong arguments and persuasions |
The underlined words "prior to"(para. 2)probably man________.
| A．after | B．during | C．before | D．beyond |
| Welcome to my Message Board! |
|
| Subject: Slimming down classics? |
|
| Mr. Handsome 2007-5-12  6: 34 AM |
Orion Books, which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics (经典著作), is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L. Tolstoy, M. Mitchell and C. Bronte. Now, each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to 40 pages per cent of original, with words, sentences, paragraphs and, in a few cases, chapters removed. The first six shortened editions, all priced at ￡6.99 and advertised as great reads “in half the time”, will go on sale next month, with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow. The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions. |
| Mr. Edwards 2007-5-12 9: 40 AM |
Well, I’m publisher of Orion Group. Thanks for your attention, Mr. Handsome. I must say, the idea developed from a game of “shame” in my office. Each of us was required to confess (承认) to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading. I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to  get through Gone with the Wind several times. One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping (跳读) Jane Eyre. We realized that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones.As a leading publishing house, we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions. They are still there if you want to read them. |
| Ms. Weir 2007-5-12 11:35 AM |
I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk Mr. Edwards, I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air. I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina, because it’s just so long. I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book. I am looking forward to more shortened classics! |
| Mr. Crockatt 2007-5-12 4:38 PM |
I’m from the London independent bookshop Corckatt & Powell. In my opinion, the practice is completely ridiculous. How can you edit t  he classics? I’m afraid reading some of these book is hard work, and that is why you have to develop as a reader. If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina, then fine. But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing. |
According to the message board, Orion Books ___________.
| A．opposes the reading of original classics |
| B．is embarrassed for cutting down classics |
| C．thinks cut-down classics have a bright future |
| D．is cautions in its decision to cut down classics |
In Mr. Edwards’ opinion, Orion Group is shortening classics to _________.
| A．make them easier to read | B．meet a large demand in the market |
| C．increase the sales of literary books | D．compete with their original versions |
By describing the shortened classics as “a breath of fresh air”, Ms. Weir ________.
| A．speaks highly of the cut-down classics |
| B．shows her love for original classics |
| C．feels guilty of not reading the classics |
| D．disapprove of shortening the classics |
Mr. Crockatt seems to imply that _________.
| A．reading the classic works is a confusing attempt |
| B．shortening the classics does harm to the original |
| C．publishing the cut-down classics is a difficult job |
| D．editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs |
How many classics are involved in the massage board?
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five |
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