There is a saying in French—“Si vieillesse pouvait, si jeunesse savait”—which means roughly “if age had the ability, if youth had the knowledge.” I was reminded of this saying the other day when I saw an interview with a distinguished Asian neurosurgeon(神经外科医生), now retired, about the impact of computer technology on modern surgery.

He was referring to the difficulty people of his age had in using the new techniques, but also to the fact that younger surgeons, who are more comfortable with the technology, lack some of the wisdom of experience.

It struck me that this problem is not just confined(局限于) to specialized fields such as medicine, but is widespread in modern life. There are many areas where the rapid growth of technology has widened the generation gap.

Young people are at ease with modern technology and propose all sorts of ways for using and developing it. But they often lack the experience needed to see further into the future to the possible dangers that a particular development may cause.

Older people see all sorts of difficulties and dangers, but are sometimes ignored, or even accused of being against progress, if they point out potential problems. Equally, they may see potential uses, but not have the technical skills to put them into practice themselves or the trust in the younger generation to do so.

Enthusiasm and inexperience come into conflict with caution and arrogance, usually with unsatisfactory results for both sides.

What is needed is the development of a partnership, based on mutual respect, which can deliver real progress by combining enthusiasm and caution in a constructive way, rather than in conflict with each other. The old need to give the younger generation the time, the resources and, above all, the authority to develop new ideas and use their skills. In exchange, the young need to turn more actively to the older generation to seek their advice and exploit their greater experience of the world in foreseeing and overcoming potential problems.

1.The passage is mainly about ________.

A．the impact of computer technology on modern surgery

B．an interview with a distinguished Asian neurosurgeon

C．new generation gap between the old and the young

D．a conflict between knowledge and experience

2.The French saying in the first paragraph is used to ________.

A．introduce the topic

B．show the difference between French and English

C．make readers confused

D．prove the writer’s wisdom

3.What did the retired neurosurgeon probably mention in his interview?

A．Old people’s enthusiasm in obtaining new technology.

B．Old people’s difficulty in using computers.

C．Young surgeons’ bad manners in working.

D．Young surgeons’ difficulty in getting experience.

4.In the writer’s view, what advantage do the older generation have?

A．They are happy with modern technology.

B．They are easy to learn new techniques.

C．They can foresee the future of the young generation.

D．They are rich in work experience.

5.What conclusion can be drawn from the last paragraph?

A．The young and the old should respect and learn from each other.

B．The young should teach the old modern technology.

C．The old should maintain their authority in every field.

D．The young and the old should work independently.

Decision-making can be extremely difficult. Decision-making styles are significantly different in different cultures.
In any approach to a problem and in any negotiations, the Western world turns to the“I to you” approach while Japan，the “you to you” approach. The former means both sides present their arguments openly from their own point of view. Naturally, often comes a confrontation(冲突) situation, which Westerners are very skillful in dealing with.The latter is based on each side trying to understand the other person’s point of view. Thus, the direction of the meeting is a mutual(相互的) attempt to reduce confrontation and achieve harmony.
Besides, Western decision-making goes mostly from top management(管理人员) and often does not consult middle management or the worker. However, in Japan great consideration is given to the thoughts and opinions of everyone at all levels. Based on “bottom-up direction”, ideas can be created at the lowest levels, travel upward through an organization and have an effect on the final decision.
Difference in decision-making also comes from different communication styles. The Japanese business person works to achieve harmony, even if the deal fallsthrough, and will spend whatever time is necessary to determine a “you to you” approach, communicating personal views only indirectly. They put a thorough job above the Western deadline approach. So the Japanese are thorough in their meetings. Thus Americans are often annoyed by the many meetings in many Japanese businesses. But where the American is pressingfor a specific decision, the Japanese is trying to think up a rather broad direction.
On the other hand, once a given agreement is made, it is the Japanese who sometimes wonderat the slow pace in which Westerners carry out the decision. The Japanese are eager to move forward and Westerners, perhaps, lag(落后)behind as they take the time for in-depth planning.
【小题1】 The text mainly tells us that Japan and the Western world         .

There are many different ways of seeing a town for the first time. One of them is to walk around it, guide-book  26  hand. Of course, we may  27  with our guide-books the history and  28  developments of a town and get to know them.

 29  then, if we take our time and  30  in a town for a while, we may get to know it better. When we  31  it as a whole, we begin to have some  32 , which even the best guide-books do not

answer. Why is the town just  33  this —— this shape, this plan, this size? Why do its streets  34  in this particular way, and not in any  35  way?

Here even the best guide-book  36  us. One can’t find the information in it about how a town has developed to the  37  appearance. It may not describe the original  38  of a town. However, one may get some idea of what it  39  look like by walking around the town. One can also imagine  40  the town was first planned and built. Then one can learn more about in what direction the town  41  to develop.

What is the  42  of studying towns in this way？For me, it is  43  a matter that one gets a greater depth of pleasure by visiting and seeing a town with one’s own eyes. A  44  visit to a town may help one better understand why it is attractive  45  just reading about it in a guide-book.

There are many different ways of seeing a town for the first time. One of them is to walk around it, guide-book   36  hand. Of course, we may   37  with our guide-books the history and   38  developments of a town and get to know them.   39  then, if we take out time and  40  in a town for a while, we may get to know it better. When we   41  it as a whole, we begin to have some   42  ,which even the best guide-books do not answer. Why is the town just  43  this, this shape, this plan, this size? Why do its streets   44   in this particular way, and not in any   45  way?

Here even the best guide-book   46  us. One can’t find in it the information about how a town has developed to the   47  appearance. It may not describe the original (最初的)   48  of a town. However, one may get some idea of what it   49  look like by walking around the town. One can also imagine   50  the town was first planned and built . Then one can learn more about in what direction the town   51  to develop.

What is the   52  of studying towns in the way? For me, it is   53  that one gets a greater depth of pleasure by visiting and seeing a town with one’s own eyes. A   54  visit to a town may help one better understand why it is attractive   55  just reading about it in a guide-book.

 (08·安徽)

There are many different ways of seeing a town for the first time．One of them is to walk around it，guide-book  36  hand. Of course，we may  37  with our guide-books the history and   38   developments of a town and get to know them.

  39  then，if we take our time and   40  in a town for a while，we may get to know it better. When we   41   it as a whole，we begin to have some  42  ，which even the best guide-books do not answer．Why is the town just   43   this，this shape，this plan，this size? Why do its streets   44  in this particular way, and not in any

  45  way?

Here even the best guide-book   46   us．One can’t find in it the information about how a town has developed to the  47  appearance. It may not describe the

original（最初的）  48  of a town．However，one may get some idea of what it

  49   look like by walking around the town. One can also imagine   50   the town was first planned and built．Then one can learn more about in what direction the town  51  to develop．

What  is  the   52   of studying towns in this way？For me，it is   53  that one gets a greater depth of pleasure by visiting and seeing a town with one’s own eyes．A   54   visit to a town may help one better understand why it is attractive

  55   just reading about it in a guide-book．

36．A．in                        B．at                        C．by                        D．on

37．A．write                B．study                C．tell                      D．remember

38．A. strange                  B．similar                 C．separate              D．special

39．A．But                      B．Before                 C．Since                    D．Until

40．A．march                 B．work                   C．stay                     D．wait

41．A．look at                 B．1ook after        C．1ook  for            D．1ook up

42. A．ideas                  B．opinions               C．feelings                D．questions

43．A．of                       B．for                      C．1ike                    D．as

44．A．open                    B．run                      C．begin                    D．move

45．A．one                     B．more                   C．other                    D．such

46．A．helps                B．tricks                C．fails                     D．satisfies

47．A．old                      B．normal                 C．first                  D．present

48．A．capital                 B．meaning               C．design                   D．change

49．A．used to                B．seemed to           C．had to                    D．happened to

50．A．what                   B．how                    C．when                   D．where

51．A．stops                B．appears                C. starts                          D．continues

52．A. point                  B．view                    C．problem                 D．difficulty

53．A．nearly                  B. simply                C．generally             D. hardly

54．A. costly                B．formal                 C．group                    D．personal

55. A. from                       B．than                     C．through                  D．with