题目内容
In the U.S.,the public has tended to believe that all motorcycles are ridden by wild,irresponsible lawless young men.
There are several things about motorcycling that the average citizen dislikes.A cyclist's appearance has something to do with this dislike.Motorcyclists frequency look dirty;in fact,they are dirty.0n the road there is little to protect them from mud,crushed insects and bird droppings.For practical reasons they are often dressed in old clothing which looks much less respectable than the clothing of people who ride in cars.For the same reason motorcyclists usually wear dark colors.Perhaps this helps to explain why they are sometimes suspected of having evil natures. In old plays of long ago,evil characters usually wore black. In cowboy movies the“bad guys”usually wear black hats while the“good guys”wear lighter colors.Something else about their appearance makes an unfavorable impression. In their practical,protective clothing they look very much like the men on military motorcycles in the movies of World War II―cruel enemies who roared into peaceful villages filling people's hearts with fear.
Probably the machine itself also produces anger and fear. Motorcycles are noisy,though some big trucks are even noisier.But trucks are big and carry heavy loads;they are accepted(if not really welcomed)because they perform a needed service,making America move.Motorcycles,on the other hand,make all unpleasant noise just to give their riders pleasure.That is what is commonly thought.In the woods motorcycles,frighten animals.Roaring along quiet streets, they wake sleeping families and make babies cry.
Of course the danger of motorcycling,also helps account for many people's low opinion of the sport.Its defenders, however,claim that careful cyclists are in less danger than commonly behaved.
A cyclist must drive as if everybody around him wanted to kill him.He must pay careful attention to his driving.From that point of view,a man on a motorcycle is safer than,a man in a car.
56.According to the passage,the average Americans believe that_____.
A.motorcyclists are all blue-collar workers
B.motorcycling has become one of
C.only wild,irresponsible,lawless young men enjoy motorcycling
D.motorcyclists can't afford to buy cars
57.From the passage we know that good characters of old American movies_____.
A.usually wore lighter colors
B.had no difference from evil characters
C.looked gracious
D.often rode horses
58.It Can be inferred that______
A.there existed different opinions towards motorcycling sport
B.all good guys in cowboy movies weal white
C.animals in the woods like motorcycles because motorcyclists usually feed crashed insects to them
D.motorcycles will make noise as soon as people go to sleep
59.Some people claim that a man on a motorcycle is safer than a man in a car because______.
A.car race is a sport with several disadvantages
B.motorcyclists must drive very carefully
C.most people want to keep a distance from the dirty motorcycles for fear that they should lose dignity
D.motorcycles tend to be accepted by more and more people
60.The average citizen dislikes the motorcyclists because______
A.all motorcycles are wild young men
B.all motorcycles are irresponsible young men
C.all motorcycles are lawless young men
D.they frequently look dirty,they often make an unpleasant noise,and their appearance contributes to people's terrible imagination
According to the United States government, people are classified as homeless if they have no place to stay and no expectation of finding a place for the next thirty days.Although technically accurate, that is an impersonal assessment of an enormous and very human problem.
The homeless population represents all of us Americans.It includes men and women, the elderly, children, and infants.Its members are from all ethnic groups.What they have in common is poverty.
Currently in the U.S., thirty-nine million people live in poverty.When money is really tight, paying the rent or buying food often becomes a choice.Government assistance in the form of food stamps does help but, as one homeless man explains, you can’t pay the rent with food stamps.
With no money for rent, the streets and homeless shelters become the alternative.
Although men constitute the largest group within the homeless population, homeless women with children are rapidly joining them.In fact, one quarter of the homeless people in the U.S.are teenagers and young children.
People may become homeless for numerous reasons.However, there are certain factors that many of these individuals have in common.They include a lack of adequate education and job skills.A majority of the teenagers and adults have not completed high school.
The abuse of alcohol and drugs is also a common factor.One third of the adult homeless population abuses alcohol.While one quarter of the same group uses drugs.
Some members of this population suffer mental health problems.Within the past several years many institutions for the mentally ill have been closed and their patients sent “home”.Unfortunately, a number of those people have no home to go to and they are unable to adequately look after themselves.
Job loss in today’s economy has also become a real factor in the loss of people’s homes.The breakup of families through abandonment and divorce are also contributing factors, particularly when there are children involved.The parent who is left to care for the kids with inadequate income may be forced to depend on the homeless shelters to put a roof over their heads.
【小题1】The writer thinks that the U.S.government’s definition for the homeless reveals ________.
A.an insincere attitude toward the homeless |
B.an unbearable attitude toward the homeless |
C.an uncivilized attitude toward the homeless |
D.an unsympathetic attitude toward the homeless |
A.giving them homeless allowance |
B.giving them food stamps |
C.finding jobs for them |
D.finding residence for them |
A.the lack of adequate education |
B.the abuse of alcohol and drugs |
C.the closure of institutions for the mentally ill |
D.the poor performance of economy |
A.lose his or her job in today’s economy |
B.be unable to look after the kids |
C.not have enough income |
D.find residence at a homeless shelter |
Made In The USA: An Export Boom
In his State of the Union address two years ago, President Obama argued that in order to recover from the economic recession, one of the few things the U.S. needed to do was to export more goods around the world. That night, the president unveiled a new goal: to double U.S. exports over the next five years. It would be an increase that the president said would “support two million jobs in America.”
Most economists dismissed the promise at the time as something unrealistic, but two years later, the U.S. is on pace to meet that goal. American exports are up 34 percent since the president gave that speech, and the number continues to rise.
Competitive In A Global Market
Marlin Steel, a metal working business in Baltimore, makes parts that ship all across the world. “We export to 36 countries,” owner Drew Greenblatt tells All Things Considered Host Guy Raz. “We're working around the clock, and we're growing.”
It's not just advanced manufacturing exports on the rise, but pork, cattle and all kinds of agricultural exports are up as well. Even American craft beer has found an export market.
Flying Dog CEO Jim Caruso says that increasingly, people all over the world are trying the beer from the Maryland-based brewery. Caruso says,“Even in those top beer-producing countries, a competitive American product is finding a market.”
Services Are Exports, Too
Another place exports are coming from is New York City—in particular, the 30th floor of a Manhattan skyscraper on 5th Avenue and 52nd Street. That's where the consulting firm Kurt Solomon lies. It doesn't actually produce a product for export; it provides management advice and strategy.
“Four out of every five Americans is now employed in the service industry,” the nation's top trade official, Ron Kirk says, “Services are a significant part of our exports, and make up about a quarter of our exported goods.” These services can include everything from legal consulting, finance, information technology and even engineering.
And There Are Other Factors
So why has there been an increase of more than 30 percent for exports in almost everything? Part of the increase, at least for the manufacturing side, is due to better technology, says Tyler Cowen, an economist. “A lot of it is being driven by smart machines,” he tells Raz,“The U.S. has high wage rates, which is a disadvantage, but if machines are doing a lot of the work, that doesn't matter.”
China factors a lot in America's export economy, too. “Wages in China have been going up as the country becomes more productive. Thus China is losing the cheap labor advantage it has held for some time.” Cowen says.
Will Jobs Grow, too?
“Companies have become more productive by dismissing workers and lowering costs.” Cowen says. “So I don't view exporting as a way of creating a very large number of jobs, but it will create more profits.”
So not every business or worker is necessarily benefiting from the export boom in the U.S., and Cowen says that could ultimately lead to a polarization (两极) of economic outcomes.
Made In the USA: An Export Boom
Outline |
Details |
|
The purpose of increasing exports |
*To help America make a (1)______ from the economic recession. *To help increase the nation's (2)______ . |
|
The current situation |
*American exports have risen (3)______ thirty-four percent up to now. *There has been an increase in exports in everything. *The export boom does not necessarily (4)______ every business or worker. |
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(5)______ contributing to the export boom |
(6)______products |
Even in those top beer-producing countries, people try craft beer from Flying Dog, a brewery (7)______ in Maryland. |
Various products |
A variety of products are provided around the world,services (8)______ for 25%. |
|
Lower costs |
*(9)______ take the place of labor, helping companies reduce wages. *China, who used to take (10)______ of cheap labor, has given way to America in exports to some extent because of its increasing production. |