Passage Thirteen (The Neutrality of American in the Early World War II)
The establishment of the Third Reich influenced events in American history by starting a chain of events which culminated in war between Germany and the United States. The compete destruction of democracy, the persecution of Jews, the war on religion, the cruelty and barbarism of the Nazis, and especially the plans of Germany and her allies, Italy and Japan, for world conquest caused great indignation in this country and brought on fear of another world war. While speaking out against Hitler’s atrocities, the American people generally favored isolationist policies and neutrality. The Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1936 prohibited trade with any belligerents or loans to them. In 1937 the President was empowered to declare an arms embargo in wars between nations at his discretion.
American opinion began to change somewhat after President Roosevelt’s “quarantine the aggressor” speech at Chicago (1937) in which he severely criticized Hitler’s policies. Germany’s seizure of Austria and the Munich Pact for the partition of Czechoslovakia (1938) also aroused the American people. The conquest of Czechoslovakia in March, 1939 was another rude awakening to the menace of the Third Reich. In August,1939 came the shock of the Nazi-soviet Pact and in September the attack on Poland and the outbreak of European war. The United States attempted to maintain neutrality in spite of sympathy for the democracies arrayed against the Third Reich. The Neutrality Act of 1939 repealed the arms embargo and permitted “cash and carry” exports of arms to belligerent nations. A strong national defense program was begun. A draft act was passed (1940) to strengthen the military services. A Lend Act (1941) authorized the President to sell, exchange, or lend materials to any country deemed necessary by him for the defense of the United States. Help was given to Britain by exchanging certain overage destroyers for the right to establish American bases in British territory in the Western Hemisphere. In August, 1940 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met and issued the Atlantic Charter which proclaimed the kind of a world which should be established after the war. In December, 1941, Japan launched the unprovoked attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor. Immediately thereafter, Germany declared war on the United States.
1.One item occurring before 1937 that the author does not mention in his list of actions that alienated the American public was
A.the burning of the Reichstag.
B.German plans for conquest.
C.Nazi barbarism.
D.the persecution of religious groups.
2.The Lend-Lease Act was designed to
A.help the British.
B.strengthen the national defense of the United States.
C.promote the Atlantic Charter.
D.avenge Pearl Harbor.
3.American Policy during the years 1935-1936 may be described as being
A.watchful.
B.isolationist.
C.peaceful.
D.indifferent.
4.The Neutrality Act of 1939
A.permitted the selling of arms to belligerent nations.
B.antagonized Japan.
C.permitted the British to trade only with the Allies.
D.led to Lend-Lease Act.
5.We entered the war against Germany
A.because Germany declared war.
B.because Japan was an ally of Germany.
C.after Germany had signed the Nazi-soviet Pact.
D.after peaceful efforts had failed.

I had applied for the nuclear（核）submarine(潜艇) program, and Admiral Rickover was interviewing me for the job. It was the first time I met Admiral Rickover, and we sat in a large room by ourselves for more than two hours, and he let me choose any subjects I wished to discuss. Very carefully, I chose those about which I knew most at the time – recent events, seamanship, music, literature, naval tactics(海军战术), electronics, gunnery(射击学) – and he began to ask me a lot of questions that were more difficult. Every time after my answers, he soon showed that I knew rather little about the subjects I had chosen.
He always looked right into my eyes, and he never smiled. I was saturated with cold sweat.
Finally, he asked me a question and I thought it was my turn to show myself off. He said, “How did you stand in your class at Georgia Tech before entering Annapolis as a first year student?” I had done very well, and I threw my chest with pride and answered, “Sir, I stood thirty-ninth in a class of 820!” I sat back to wait for the congratulations – which never came. Instead, the question: “Did you do your best?” I started to say, “Yes, sir,” but I remembered who this was, and thought of several of my times at the Academy when I could have learned more about our allies(二战时的同盟国), our enemies, weapons strategy(战略) and so on, so I finally said, “No, Sir, I didn’t always do my best.”
He looked at me for a long time, and then turned his chair around to end the interview. He asked one final question, which I have never been able to forget – or to answer. He said, “Why not?” I sat there for a while, shaken, and then slowly left the room.
【小题1】The passage suggests that ___.

1During the First World War, some Americans indirectly benefited because of the war. With two million white men fighting in Europe and no new immigrants entering the country, many jobs in the United States became available to blacks and women for the first time.

2Both groups proved their ability to do any kind of job. Women became railway conductors, brick layers, and factory workers. Their presence in traditionally male workplace produced many problems. Men were annoyed by women’s higher productivity and willingness to work for lower pay. Working mothers were often criticized for leaving their families. But many women welcomed the responsibilities. “It was not until our men were called overseas,” said one woman bank executive, “that we make any real onslaught on the realm of finance, and became tellers, managers of departments, and junior and senior officers.”

3Women who did not take jobs helped in the war effort in other ways. They made uniforms, rolled bandages, and campaigned for the sale of Liberty Bonds to help finance the war.

4American manufacturers offered jobs to large numbers of black Americans for the first time as a result of the war. Most factories were located in the North. To take advantage of these new job opportunities, many black families moved from their homes in the South to the Northern cities such as Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, Chicago, and Detroit.

5White Americans were of two minds about the role of black Americans in the war effort. On the one hand, black workers’ ability to learn new jobs quickly and do them well strengthened the home front, and the black men’s fighting ability helped the Allies win the war. However, many whites did not want to acknowledge that blacks were capable, effective workers. White soldiers returning from the war had no desire to compete for jobs with blacks on equal terms. At the same time, many blacks were not willing to a lesser role once the war had ended.

1.Why could American women and backs find jobs during World War I?

A. They were taken to serve the war.                B. They had their equal right at that time.

C. Workforce was in great need.               D. They had better productivities.

2.Which of the following is Untrue according to the above passage?

A. Blacks women were not allowed to fight in World War I.

B. All American women went to work during World War I.

C. Northern cities applied more blacks during World War I.

D. Women and blacks earned a lot during World War I.

3.Which of the following is the main idea of the whole passage?

A. Americans benefited a lot from World Ward I.

B. World War I had strong effect on America.

C. Some Americans benefited from World War I indirectly.

D. U.S.A. women and blacks contributed much in World War I.

4.Which of the following shows the right structures of the above passage?

A. 1→23→45             B. 1→2→3→4→5

C. 1→23→4→5                     D. 123→4→5

However important we may regard school life to be, there is always the fact that children spend more time at home than in the classroom. Therefore, the teacher should realize that parents have a great influence on their children. Parents can become strong allies (助手) of the school or they can get in the way of the school education.

Experts have realized the need to keep parents informed of the newer methods used in schools. Many headmasters have conducted workshops explaining such matters as the reading readiness, program writing and mathematics to parents.

Moreover, the classroom teacher, with the permission of the supervisors(管理者), can also play an important part in giving more knowledge to reporting pupils progress, teachers can help parents a lot in educating their children and parents can give much help to teachers.

Suppose that a father has been drilling Junior arithmetic lessons night after night. In a friendly talk between the teacher and the father, the teacher can help the parent to make Junior interested in it. He might be persuaded to let Junior join in discussing the family budget, buying the food, using a ruler or measuring cup at home, setting the clock, calculating the distance of a trip and engaging in scores of other activities that have a mathematical basis.

If the father follows the advice, it is reasonable to say that he will soon realize that his son is making satisfactory progress in mathematics, and at the same time, enjoying the work.

Too often, however, teachers’ talks with parents are devoted to small accounts of children’s misdemeanors(不良行为). They talk about the laziness and poor work habits of the children.

What is needed is a more creative way in which the teacher, as an adviser, plants ideas in parents’ minds to make sure that the child spends the many hours out of the classroom learning something useful.

In this way the school and the home join forces in educating children.

1.The main idea of the passage is that ____.

A. home training is more important than school training

B. parents should help their children to do their homework

C. there’re many ways in which the mathematics program can be carried out at home

D. teachers can and should help parents to use better ways to teach their children 2.From this passage we can know that the writer ____.

A. is satisfied with the relationship between school and home

B. feels that parent-teacher talks can be made much more constructive

C. believes that schools can’t teach pupils well

D. calls on parents to teach their children mathematics at home

3.What way that the writer doesn’t talk about can improve the present situation?

A. Classes for parents.         B. New type of report card.

C. Parent-teacher talk.         D. Dinner or party.

4.The writer implies that ____.

A. interesting activities can improve one’s achievement

B. too many children are lazy and have poor work habits

C. teachers should often make home visits to parents

D. headmasters do more than teachers in this area

5.We can infer from the passage that the writer does not favor ____.

A. father’s helping his son with his study

B. written reports to the parents from the teachers

C. talking about children’s shortcomings

D. having the parents help their children with their lessons

However important we may regard school life to be, there is always the fact that children spend more time at home than in the classroom. Therefore, the teacher should realize that parents have a great influence on their children. Parents can become strong allies (助手) of the school or they can get in the way of the school education.
Experts have realized the need to keep parents informed of the newer methods used in schools. Many headmasters have conducted workshops explaining such matters as the reading readiness, program writing and mathematics to parents.
Moreover, the classroom teacher, with the permission of the supervisors(管理者), can also play an important part in giving more knowledge to reporting pupils progress, teachers can help parents a lot in educating their children and parents can give much help to teachers.
Suppose that a father has been drilling Junior arithmetic lessons night after night. In a friendly talk between the teacher and the father, the teacher can help the parent to make Junior interested in it. He might be persuaded to let Junior join in discussing the family budget, buying the food, using a ruler or measuring cup at home, setting the clock, calculating the distance of a trip and engaging in scores of other activities that have a mathematical basis.
If the father follows the advice, it is reasonable to say that he will soon realize that his son is making satisfactory progress in mathematics, and at the same time, enjoying the work.
Too often, however, teachers’ talks with parents are devoted to small accounts of children’s misdemeanors(不良行为). They talk about the laziness and poor work habits of the children.
What is needed is a more creative way in which the teacher, as an adviser, plants ideas in parents’ minds to make sure that the child spends the many hours out of the classroom learning something useful.
In this way the school and the home join forces in educating children.
【小题1】The main idea of the passage is that ____.