In 1926, US automaker Henry Ford shortened it...

In 1926, US automaker Henry Ford shortened its employees' workweek from six eight-hour days to five, with no pay cuts. It's something workers and labor unions had been calling for. Ford wasn't responding to worker demands； he was being a businessman. He expected increased productivity and knew workers with more time and money would buy and use the products they were making.　 It was a way of encouraging consumerism and productivity to increase profits, and it succeeded.

Since standardization of the 40-hour workweek in the mid-20th century, everything has changed but the hours. If anything, many people are working even longer hours, especially in North America. This has a severe influence on human health and well-being, as well as the environment. Until the Second World War, it was common for one person in a family, usually the oldest male, to work full-time. Now, women make up 42 percent of the world's full-time workforce. Technology has made a lot of work unnecessary, with computers and robots doing many tasks previously performed by humans.

Well into the 21st century, we continue to work the same long hours as 20th century laborers, using up ever more of Earth's supply to produce more goods that we must keep working to buy, use and replace in a seemingly endless cycle of hard work and consumption. It's time to pause and consider better ways to live like shifting from fossil-fueled lifestyles with which our consumer-based workweeks are connected.

The UK think tank, New Economics （经济学）Foundation, argues that a standard 21-hour workweek would address a number of interconnected problems： "overwork, unemployment, over-consumption, high carbon emissions, low well-being, and the lack of time to live sustainably, to care for each other, and simply to enjoy life".

Economic systems that require constant growth on a finite （有限的）planet don't make sense. It's time for a change in our economic thinking.

1.Why did Ford decide to shorten the workweek?

A.To cut workers' pay.

B.To make more profits.

C.To respond to worker demands.

D.To meet labor unions, requirements.

2.What change in the workforce happened after World War Ⅱ ?

A.More women worked full-time.

B.The number of laborers decreased.

C.Technology enabled people to work shorter hours.

D.It was unnecessary for a family's oldest male to work.

3.What can we infer from the third paragraph?

A.Longer working hours means better consumption ability.

B.The 21st century sees the longest working hours in history.

C.The cycle of hard work and consumption should be changed.

D.Pausing our way of living can change the present workweek.

4.New Economics Foundation thinks a 21-hour workweek will _______.

A.increase unemployment

B.cause various problems

C.encourage people to enjoy life

D.challenge the economic growth

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

阅读理解。

Since Henry Ford turned it into a mass­market product a century ago, the car has delivered many benefits. It has promoted economic growth, increased social mobility and given people a lot of fun. But the car has also brought many problems. It pollutes the air, creates traffic jams and kills people. An astonishing 1.24 million people die, and as many as 50 million are hurt, in road accidents each year.

Drivers and passengers waste around 90 billion hours in traffic jams each year. In some car­choked cities as much as a third of the petrol used is burned by people looking for a space to park.

Fortunately, a new technology promises to make motoring safer, less polluting and less tendency to hold­ups. “Connected cars” — which may eventually develop into driverless cars but for the foreseeable future will still have a human at the wheel — can communicate wirelessly with each other and with traffic management systems, avoid walkers and other vehicles and find open parking spots.

Some parts of the transformation are already in place. Many new cars are already being fitted with equipment that lets them keep their distance and stay in a motorway automatically at a range of speeds. Soon, all new cars in Europe will have to be able to warn the emergency services if their on­board sensors (传感器) discover a crash. Singapore has led the way with using variable tolls (道路通行费) to smooth traffic flows during rush hours; Britain is pioneering “smart motorways”， whose speed limits vary constantly to achieve a_similar_effect. These new inventions could create a much more highly effective system in which cars and their drivers are constantly warned of dangers and showed the ways. Traffic always flows at the proper speed and vehicles can travel closer together, yet with less risk of crashing.

In the past, more people driving meant more roads, more jams, more death and more pollution. In future, the connected car could offer mankind the pleasures of the road with rather less of the pain.

1.According to Paragraph 2, the problem of parking has resulted in ________.

A.more time on the road

B.a great waste of fuel

C.even heavier traffic jams

D.increased death and injuries

2.What does “a similar effect” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A.Reducing traffic jams.

B.Building smart motorways.

C.Setting proper speed limits.

D.Keeping steady traffic flows.

3.What is the author's attitude towards connected cars?

A.Curious.　　　 　　　　 B.Doubtful.

C.Supportive.　　 　　　　 D.Disappointed.

4.Which of the following can be the best title of the text?

A.The Future of Cars: Wireless Wheels

B.The Future Traffic Management System

C.The Benefits and Problems of Cars

D.The Promising Future of Car Production

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Since Henry Ford turned it into a mass-market product a century ago, the car has delivered many benefits. It has promoted economic growth, increased social mobility and given people a lot of fun. But the car has also brought many problems. It pollutes the air, creates traffic jams and kills people. An astonishing 1.24 million people die, and as many as 50 million are hurt, in road accidents each year.

Drivers and passengers waste around 90 billion hours in traffic jams each year. In some car-choked cities as much as a third of the petrol used is burned by people looking for a space to park.

Fortunately, a new technology promises to make motoring safer, less polluting and less tendency to hold-ups. “Connected cars”--which may eventually develop into driverless cars but for the foreseeable future will still have a human at the wheel-can communicate wirelessly with each other and with traffic-management systems, avoid walkers and other vehicles and find open parking spots.

Some parts of the transformation are already in place. Many new cars are already being fitted with equipment that lets them keep their distance and stay in a motorway automatically at a range of speeds. Soon, all new cars in Europe will have to be able to warn the emergency services if their on-board sensors(传感器) discover a crash. Singapore has led the way with using variable tolls(道路通行费) to smooth traffic flows during rush-hours; Britain is pioneering “smart motorways”, whose speed limits vary constantly to achieve a similar effect. Combined, these new inventions could create a much more highly effective system in which cars and their drivers are constantly warned of dangers and showed the ways, traffic always flows at the proper speed and vehicles can travel closer together, yet with less risk of crashing.

In the past, more people driving meant more roads, more jams, more death and more pollution. In future, the connected car could offer mankind the pleasures of the road with rather less of the pain.

1.According to Paragraph 2, the problem of parking has resulted in ______.

A. more time on the road

B. a great waste of fuel

C. even heavier traffic jams

D. increased death and injuries

2.What does “a similar effect” in the Paragraph 4 refer to?

A. Reducing traffic jams.

B. Building smart motorways.

C. Setting proper speed limits.

D. Keeping steady traffic flows.

3.What is the author’s attitude towards connected cars?

A. Curious.　　 　　 B. Doubtful.

C. Supportive.　 D. Disappointed.

4.Which of the following can be the best title of the text?

A. The Future of Cars: Wireless Wheels

B. The Future Traffic Management System

C. The Benefits and Problems of Cars

D. The Promising Future of Car Production

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Many people believe Henry Ford invented the automobile (汽车). But Henry Ford did not start to build his first car until 1896. That was eleven years after two Germans developed the world's first automobile. Many people believe Henry Ford invented the production line that moved a car's parts to the worker, instead of making the worker move to the parts. That is not true, either. Many factory owners used methods of this kind before Ford. What Henry Ford did was to use other people's ideas and make them better. And he made the whole factory a moving production line.

In the early days of the automobile, almost every car maker raced his cars. It was the best way of gaining public notice. Henry Ford decided to build a racing car. Ford's most famous race was his first one. It was also the last race in which he drove the car himself.

The race was in 1901, at a field near Detroit. All of the most famous cars had entered, but only two were left: the Winton and Ford's. The Winton was famous for its speed. Most people thought the race was over before it began.

The Winton took an early lead. But halfway through the race, it began to lose power. Ford started to gain. And near the end of the race, he took the lead. Ford won the race and defeated the Winton. His name appeared in newspapers and he became well-known all over the United States. Within weeks of the race, Henry Ford formed a new automobile company. In the 1903, a doctor in Detroit bought the first car from the company. That sale was the beginning of Henry Ford's dream. Ford said: "I will build a motor car for the great mass of people. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for one person to operate and care for. It will be built of the best materials. It will be built by the best men to be employed. And it will be built with the simplest plans that modem engineering can produce. It will be so low in price that no man making good money will be unable to own one."

The Model T was a car of that kind. It only cost $850. It was a simple machine that drivers could depend on. Doctors bought the Model T. So did farmers. Even criminals.They considered it the fastest and surest form of transportation. Americans loved the Model T. They wrote stories and songs about it. Thousands of Model T's were built in the first few years.

1.

What do we know about Henry Ford from Paragraph 1?

A. He made good use of ideas from others.

B. He produced the first car in the world.

C. He knew how to improve auto parts.

D. He invented the production line.

2.

Why did Henry Ford take part in the 1901 car race?

A. To show off his driving skills.

B. To draw public attention.

C. To learn about new technology.

D. To raise money for his new company.

3.

“That sale” in Paragraph 4 refers to________ .

A. the selling of Ford cars at reduced prices

B. the sale of Model T to the mass of people

C. the selling of a car to a Detroit doctor

D. the sales target for the Ford Company

4.

What was Henry Ford's dream according to the text?

A. Producing cars for average customers.

B. Building racing cars of simple design.

C. Designing more car models.

D. Starting more companies.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Many people believe Henry Ford invented the automobile (汽车). But Henry Ford did not start to build his first car until 1896. That was eleven years after two Germans developed the world's first automobile. Many people believe Henry Ford invented the production line that moved a car's parts to the worker, instead of making the worker move to the parts. That is not true, either. Many factory owners used methods of this kind before Ford. What Henry Ford did was to use other people's ideas and make them better. And he made the whole factory a moving production line.

In the early days of the automobile, almost every car maker raced his cars. It was the best way of gaining public notice. Henry Ford decided to build a racing car. Ford's most famous race was his first one. It was also the last race in which he drove the car himself.

The race was in 1901, at a field near Detroit. All of the most famous cars had entered, but only two were left: the Winton and Ford's. The Winton was famous for its speed. Most people thought the race was over before it began.

The Winton took an early lead. But halfway through the race, it began to lose power. Ford started to gain. And near the end of the race, he took the lead. Ford won the race and defeated the Winton. His name appeared in newspapers and he became well-known　 all over the United States. Within weeks of the race, Henry Ford　 formed a new automobile company. In 1903, a doctor in Detroit bought the first car from the company. That sale was the beginning of Henry Ford's dream. Ford said: "I will build a motor car for the great mass of people. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for　 one person to operate and care for. It will be built of the best materials. It will be built by the best men to be employed. And it will be built　 with the simplest plans that modern engineering can produce. It will be so low in price that no man making good money will be unable to own one."

The Model T was a car of that kind. It only cost $850. It was a simple machine that drivers could depend on. Doctors bought the Model T. So did farmers. Even criminals. They considered it the fastest and surest form of transportation. Americans loved the Model T. They wrote stories and songs about it. Thousands of Model T's were built in the first few years.

1.What do we know about Henry Ford from Paragraph 1?

A. He made good use of ideas from others.

B. He produced the first car in the world.

C. He knew how to improve auto parts.

D. He invented the production line.

2.Why did Henry Ford take part in the 1901 car race?

A. To show off his driving skills.

B. To draw public attention.

C. To learn about new technology.

D. To raise money for his new company.

3.“That sale” in Paragraph 4 refers to　 　　　　 .

A. the selling of Ford cars at reduced prices

B. the sale of Model T to the mass of people

C. he selling of a car to a Detroit doctor

D. the sales target for the Ford Company

4.What was Henry Ford's dream according to the text?

A. Producing cars for average customers.

B. Building racing cars of simple design.

C. Designing more car models.

D. Starting more companies.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It’s really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty． They have tried a range of tricks in recent years．

But there should be a moral bottom line． Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo – Micro blog． And Hyundai Motor followed suit．

On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun． The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby’s father called the local police and radio station for help． The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief． The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences．

The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. “A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it's entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology,” said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is “marketing at the cost of lives” and “extremely despicable.”

Worse was the post on Hyundai's off icial Weibo account that advertised the anti - theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers.

Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists.

The two brands probably didn’t expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line． They certainly ruined their own brand images．

The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language – a little leak will sink a great ship． It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely．

For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks．

Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart． Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man．

1.Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage?

A．The baby’s father　　 B．Buick and Hyundai dealership

C．Weibo　　　　　　　　　　　 D．Not clear

2.Which of the following statements is correct?

A．The missing infant was found alive in the stolen car．

B．Micro blog marketing of tragic infant death fuels firestorm of criticism．

C．People can’t see the two posts any more because they were deleted．

D．The two car brands mentioned in the passage spoiled their own reputation by selling the stolen car．

3.What does the underlined word – “despicable” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Immoral　　　　 　　 　 B．Important

C．Distinguished　　　　 D．Considerable

4.The reason why Hyundai’s post was worse than Buick’s is that _________．

A．Hyundai dealership didn’t make an apology on Weibo

B．Buick dealership expressed its deeply sympathy and condolences

C．Hyundai’s post was made after people knew the infant had died

D．Buick’s car was more advanced on its GPS system

5.In the last paragraph, the author encourages people _____________．

A．not to sink below the moral bottom line

B．not to sympathize our fellow man

C．to think twice before making decision

D．to magnify the mistakes people make

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It’s really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty. They have tried a range of tricks in recent years.

But there should be a moral bottom line. Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo – Micro blog. And Hyundai Motor followed suit.

On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun. The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby’s father called the local police and radio station for help. The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief. The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences.

The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. “A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it’s entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology,” said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is “marketing at the cost of lives” and “extremely despicable.”

Worse was the post on Hyundai’s official Weibo account that advertised the anti – theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers.

Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists.

The two brands probably didn’t expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line. They certainly ruined their own brand images.

The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language – a little leak will sink a great ship. It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely.

For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks.

Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart. Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man.

1.Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage?

A. The baby’s father　　 B. Buick and Hyundai dealership　　 C. Weibo　　 D. Not clear

2.Which of the following statements is correct?

A. The missing infant was found alive in the stolen car.

B. Micro blog marketing of tragic infant death fuels firestorm of criticism.

C. People can’t see the two posts any more because they were deleted.

D. The two car brands mentioned in the passage spoiled their own reputation by selling the stolen car.

3.What does the underlined word – “despicable” in paragraph 4 mean?

A. Immoral　　 B. Important　　　 C. Distinguished　　　 D. Considerable

4.The reason why Hyundai’s post was worse than Buick’s is that _________.

A. Hyundai dealership didn’t make an apology on Weibo

B. Buick dealership expressed its deeply sympathy and condolences

C. Hyundai’s post was made after people knew the infant had died

D. Buick’s car was more advanced on its GPS system

5.In the last paragraph, the author encourages people _____________.

A. not to sink below the moral bottom line　　

B. not to sympathize our fellow man

C. to think twice before making decision　　　

D. to magnify the mistakes people make

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It’s really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty． They have tried a range of tricks in recent years．

But there should be a moral bottom line． Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo – Micro blog． And Hyundai Motor followed suit．

On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun． The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby’s father called the local police and radio station for help． The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief． The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences．

The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. “A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it's entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology,” said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is “marketing at the cost of lives” and “extremely despicable.”

Worse was the post on Hyundai's off icial Weibo account that advertised the anti - theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers.

Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists.

The two brands probably didn’t expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line． They certainly ruined their own brand images．

The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language – a little leak will sink a great ship． It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely．

For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks．

Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart． Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man．

1.Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage?

A．The baby’s father　　 B．Buick and Hyundai dealership

C．Weibo　　　　　　　　　　　 D．Not clear

2.Which of the following statements is correct?

A．The missing infant was found alive in the stolen car．

B．Micro blog marketing of tragic infant death fuels firestorm of criticism．

C．People can’t see the two posts any more because they were deleted．

D．The two car brands mentioned in the passage spoiled their own reputation by selling the stolen car．

3.What does the underlined word – “despicable” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Immoral　　　　　　 B．Important

C．Distinguished　　　　 D．Considerable

4.The reason why Hyundai’s post was worse than Buick’s is that _________．

A．Hyundai dealership didn’t make an apology on Weibo

B．Buick dealership expressed its deeply sympathy and condolences

C．Hyundai’s post was made after people knew the infant had died

D．Buick’s car was more advanced on its GPS system

5.In the last paragraph, the author encourages people _____________．

A．not to sink below the moral bottom line

B．not to sympathize our fellow man

C．to think twice before making decision

D．to magnify the mistakes people make

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It’s really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty. They have tried a range of tricks in recent years.

But there should be a moral bottom line. Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo – Micro blog. And Hyundai Motor followed suit.

On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun. The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby’s father called the local police and radio station for help. The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief. The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences.

The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. “A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it’s entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology,” said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is “marketing at the cost of lives” and “extremely despicable.”

Worse was the post on Hyundai’s official Weibo account that advertised the anti – theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers.

Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists.

The two brands probably didn’t expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line. They certainly ruined their own brand images.

The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language – a little leak will sink a great ship. It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely.

For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks.

Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart. Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man.

1.Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage?

A．The baby’s father                      B．Buick and Hyundai dealership

C．Weibo                                D．Not clear

2.Which of the following statements is correct?

A．The missing infant was found alive in the stolen car.

B．Micro blog marketing of tragic infant death fuels firestorm of criticism.

C．People can’t see the two posts any more because they were deleted.

D．The two car brands mentioned in the passage spoiled their own reputation by selling the stolen car.

3.What does the underlined word – “despicable” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Immoral          B．Important         C．Distinguished       D．Considerable

4.The reason why Hyundai’s post was worse than Buick’s is that _________.

A．Hyundai dealership didn’t make an apology on Weibo

B．Buick dealership expressed its deeply sympathy and condolences

C．Hyundai’s post was made after people knew the infant had died

D．Buick’s car was more advanced on its GPS system

5.In the last paragraph, the author encourages people _____________.

A．not to sink below the moral bottom line

B．not to sympathize our fellow man

C．to think twice before making decision

D．to magnify the mistakes people make

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Henry Ford, the famous U.S. inventor and car manufacturer, once said, "The business of America is business." By this he meant that the U.S. way of life is based on the values of the business world.

Few would argue with Ford's statement. A brief glimpse at a daily newspaper vividly shows how much people in the United States think about business. For example, nearly every newspaper has a business section, in which the deals and projects, finances and management, stock prices and labor problems of corporations are reported daily. In addition, business news can appear in every other section. Most national news has an important financial aspect to it. Welfare, foreign aid, the federal budget, and the policies of the Federal Reserve Bank are all heavily affected by business. Moreover, business news appears in some of the unlikeliest places. The world of arts and entertainment is often referred to as “the entertainment industry " or "show business."

The positive side of Henry Ford's statement can be seen in the prosperity that business has brought to U.S. life. One of the most important reasons so many people from all over the world come to live in the United States is the dream of a better job. Jobs are produced in abundance because the U.S. economic system is driven by competition. People believe that this system creates more wealth, more jobs, and a materially better way of life.

The negative side of Henry Ford's statement, however, can be seen when the word business is taken to mean big business. And the term big business—referring to the biggest companies, is seen in opposition to labor. Throughout U.S. history working people have had to fight hard for higher wages, better working conditions, and the fight to form unions. Today, many of the old labor disputes are over, but there is still some employee anxiety. Downsizing—the laying off of thousands of workers to keep expenses low and profits high—creates feelings of insecurity for many.

1.The United States is a typical country ________.

A. which encourages free trade at home and abroad

B. where people's chief concern is how to make money

C. where all businesses are managed scientifically

D. which normally works according to the federal budget

2.The influence of business in the U.S. is evidenced by the fact that ________.

A. most newspapers are run by big businesses

B. even public organizations concentrate on working for profits

C. Americans of all professions know how to do business

D. even arts and entertainment are regarded as business

3.According to the passage, immigrants choose to settle in the U.S., dreaming that ________.

A. they can start profitable businesses there

B. they can be more competitive in business

C. they will make a fortune overnight there

D. they will find better chances of employment

4.Henry Ford's statement can be taken negatively because ________.

A. working people are discouraged to fight for their fights

B. there are many industries controlled by a few big capitalists

C. there is a conflicting relationship between big corporations and labor

D. public services are not run by the federal government

5.A company's efforts to keep expenses low and profits high may result in ________.

A. reduction in the number of employees

B. improvement of working conditions

C. fewer disputes between labor and management

D. a rise in workers' wages

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