题目内容
Passing a store, you might just step in and see if the store has received any new CDs. Once in the store, you’re delighted to discover some new CDs that you must have. You could buy them later, of course, but you’re already here, so why not now? In the checkout line you wonder whether to write a check or pay with a credit card. Either way would be OK, you suppose. The trouble with writing a check, though, is that you don’t have much money left in your checking account. Using the credit card you won’t have to pay at once, and when you do pay, you will only have to pay a little a month. So you hand the salesperson your plastic card, and that’s the deal!
There are a few good things about credit cards. For one thing, it’s almost impossible to rent a car without a credit card. For another, they are helpful if you are in a situation where you don’t have your checkbook or you have little cash with you.
What are the disadvantages? One is that few people have the discipline to use their credit cards wisely. Instead, many fall into the buy-now-pay-later trap. Many become “addicted to plastic.” Another disadvantage is that credit cards are more abstract than money or checks and thus contribute to our having less control over our money. Bank notes are physical things, and you have to reconcile your checking account every month when you pay with a check. This takes a bit of work, and although it’s painful, it’s more realistic. Credit cards represent the abstract, lending a certain air of unreality to the stage of managing your finances. All you do is sign your name; someone else does the math for you.
60. What is the advantage of credit cards?
A. You can buy what you like at a lower price.
B. You can buy what you like without paying at all.
C. You can buy what you like more conveniently.
D. You can buy what you like more freely.
61. What is the disadvantage of the credit cards?
A. They will leave you buying more than what you can really afford.
B. They will leave you spending more than paying in cash or with checks.
C. They can save you some money sometimes but later cost more.
D. They can save you some money but increase interest in your bank account.
62. The underlined word “reconcile” in the last paragraph might mostly probably mean “______”.
A. balance B. increase C. check D. change
63. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A. The ABC of Credit Cards. B. Credit Cards, Checks or Cash.
C. Why Not Credit Cards? D. Watch out Your Credit Cards!
60-63 CAAD
阅读快车系列答案Recently there was a major discovery in the scientific research — the mapping of all DNA in a human gene(基因) is complete. Couple of years ago, this seems an impossible task for scientist to accomplish. All this progress in science leads us to believe that the day, when the human being will be cloned, is not far away. Human cloning has always been a topic of argument, in terms of morality(道德) or religion.
Taking a look at why cloning might be beneficial, among many cases, it is arguable that parents who are known to be at risk of passing a genetic limitation to a child could make use of cloning. If the clone was free of genetic limitations, then the other clone would be as well. The latter could be inserted in the woman and allowed to ripen to term. Moreover, cloning would enable women, who can’t get pregnant, to have children of their own.
Cloning humans would also mean that organs could be cloned, so it would be a source of perfect transfer organs. This surely would be greatly beneficial to millions of unfortunate people around the world that are expected to lose their lives due to failure of single (or more) organ(s). It is also arguable that a ban on cloning may be unlawful and would rob people of the right to reproduce and limit the freedom of scientists.
Arguments against cloning are also on a perfectly practical side. Primarily, I believe that cloning would step in the normal “cycle” of life. There would be a large number of same genes, which reduce the chances of improvement, and, in turn, development — the fundamental reason how living things naturally adapt to the ever-changing environment. Life processes failing to do so might result in untimely disappearance. Furthermore, cloning would make the uniqueness that each one of us possesses disappear, thus leading to creation of genetically engineered groups of people for specific purposes, and chances are that those individuals would be regarded as “objects” rather than people in the society.
Scientists haven’t 100% guaranteed that the first cloned humans will be normal. Thus, this could result in introduction of additional limitations in the human “gene-pool”.
Regarding such arguable topics in “black or white” approach seems very innocent to me personally. We should rather try to look at all “shades” of it. I believe that cloning is only legal if its purpose is for cloning organs; not humans. Then we could regard this as for “saving life” instead of “creating life”. I believe cloning humans is morally and socially unacceptable.
【小题1】 Which of the following is true according to the passage？
| A．Genetic limitation will be beneficial for some women |
| B．A large number of genes will prevent us from developing |
| C．Prohibition(禁止) of cloning might limit the freedom of scientists |
| D．First cloned humans might be normal according to scientists |
| A．Cloning should be entirely banned |
| B．Cloning should be used in creating life |
| C．Cloning will take away the right to reproduce |
| D．Cloning is acceptable if it is used for cloning organs |
ow – motion. She was waiting for her life to flash before her eyes like all those novels said it would – but it didn’t. The only thing she thought of was her dear husband. She recalled phoning him from work that very afternoon and joking about, of all things, the city killer. It was a night full of ironies.