We lived in a technological society where most goods are mass-produced by unskilled labor. Because of this, most people think that craft(手艺) no longer exists.

    One of the ways these people wrongly support their view is by pointing to 100-year-old homes which are still solid, and arguing that it is the craftsmanship that is responsible for their durability(持久性). “Homes in those days were well-built,” they say. No doubt these homes were well-built, but what these people have done is mix up the quality of material used in the house with the quality of the craftsmanship.

    Homes today could be built to last just as long as those old homes if people were willing or able to pay the price. For example, more people can no longer afford solid oak stairways, although they were once fairly common in older homes. Nor can they afford the high labor cost of employing a carpenter to build the stairway. Yet if someone can pay the high cost, there are still plenty of carpenters around able to make those stairways. And not only would these carpenters know how to build them, they would probably do a better job than carpenters of old.

    One thing the modern carpenter has which enables him to do a better job is much more advanced tools. Such tools as laser beams and power planes help them lay out a house better and make more precision cuts on the wood. Also, it is not uncommon any more to find carpenters with college degrees and carpenters with a solid knowledge of mathematics, which would enable them to deal with more difficult house designs.

The problems of modern quality, then, really  boils down to the problem of material, for the modern carpenter is just as able to produce craftsmanship as the carpenter of fifty years ago, but only if given proper material.

1. Compared to the carpenters in the past, modern carpenters are _______.

  A. more successful           B. more learned

  C. more imaginative          D. more hardworking

2. What does the underlined word “they” (paragraph 2) refer to?

carpenters who are fond of oak stairways.

carpenters who have college degrees.

people who think highly of carpenters of old.

people who think that modern material is of low quality.

3. What does the third paragraph mainly discuss?

People in the past preferred to use oak to build stairways.

It is now expensive to employ a carpenter.

Modern houses last as long as the old one.

Good carpenters still exist in modern times.

4. What would be the best title for the text?

Is Craft Dead?

Craft, Back to life?

History of craftsmanship

Carpenters Today and Yesterday

第二节 (共5小题;每小题2分,满分10分)

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

    Shoppers who carefully plan their visit to the grocery store can save money on their grocery bills.   71 

Shoppers should visit the grocery store on a full stomach by scheduling their trip immediately after a large meal. If that’s not possible, they should find something healthy to eat while preparing a grocery list.   72  

    Although having a list and sticking to it is the most important factor in saving money, shoppers must prepare lists wisely in order to save.   73  Many special buys are announced through the local newspapers, so buying the “grocery issue” is worth the investment(投资). However, it’s important to remember that many newer, more expensive products first offered through coupons may not yield enough savings for shoppers to give up the product they usually buy.

      74  Once at the store, the shopper who wants to save money should follow a few more rules. The shopper should not stay longer than necessary, because bills go up each minute the shopper is in the store. So, setting a time limit and a cost limit can hold down the bill.   75   If the grocery list is a short one, some shoppers choose to use the small hand-held basket instead of the roomy grocery cart.

       A.A carefully planned list should include in – season produce and any items on sale or discounted through coupons (优惠券).

       B.Of course, the shopper should stick strictly to the shopping list and resist the temptation to buy additional items.

       C.People who are full are less tired and more likely to buy what they want.

       D.Now that the shopper has completed the grocery list, it’s time to leave for the store.

       E.You should keep your shopping list carefully in case you can exchange it for coupons.

       F.Most shoppers are less persuaded to buy extra goods when they are not hungry.

       G.Shopping when not hungry, sticking to a grocery list, and following a few simple rules will cut down the grocery bill.

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