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.1ife.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(大量地)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 I 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.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
科目:高中英语 来源:陕西省西工大附中2010届高考下学期第四次模拟考试试卷(英语) 题型:阅读理解
When early colonial settlers went to America, they took many forms of dance to their new home. Square dancing, one of the oldest forms of American folk dancing, developed from several different Old World group dances, mainly English country dances, and the French quadrille(四对方舞).
In the American version of square dancing, four couples form a square and dance to music. An American addition to square dancing is the caller. What do you think a caller does?
The callers---someone who calls out the dance steps in time to the music--- was a completely American invention. At first dancers memorized all the steps for a particular dance, but eventually the dances became so complicated that it was necessary to have someone call out cues (提示) so that dancers didn’t have to remember so many steps. The caller didn’t just call out “do-se-do your partner”; a good caller also came up with colourful sayings or witty lines that he said in between the cues such as “Don’t be shy and don’t be afraid. Swing on the corner in a waltz promenade (步伐).” A caller might also come up with new dance steps and routines.
Although popular for years, square dancing seemed to be going out of style and fading away until the early 1930s, when Henry Ford helped revive interest in it. Ford, the automobile manufacturer, used to vacation at the Wayside Inn in Massachusetts, where he enjoyed the dance programme run by a man named Benjamin Lovett. Ford asked Lovett to come to Detroit and teach dances, but Lovett said he couldn’t because he had a contract with the inn. Ford solved that problem by buying the inn and Lovett’s contract. He took Lovett back to Detroit, where together they established a programme for teaching squares and rounds. Square dancing was updated and groups began forming all over the country.
53. What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Different Steps of Square Dancing
B. The Origin and Development of Square Dancing
C. Who Was the Inventor of Square Dancing?
D. Why Did Square Dancing Go Out of Style?
54. What does the underlined part “their new home” refer to?
A. The United Kingdom. B. France.
C. Africa. D. America.
55. Why did the caller call out the steps for the dancers?
A. Because the dance was invented by the caller.
B. Because the dancers didn’t know the names of the steps.
C. Because the steps were very particular.
D. Because it was hard for the dancers to remember all the steps.
56. Why did the author mention Henry Ford in the last paragraph?
A. Because he was the man who made the first car.
B. Because he was vey fond of dancing.
C. Because he helped make square dancing popular again.
D. Because he taught people how to dance.
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科目:高中英语 来源:湖北省武汉市武昌区2010届高三下学期五月调研测试试卷(英语) 题型:阅读理解
Barack Obama
In the past hundred years, the U.S. presidency has turned more and more to the left – not in policy, but in handedness. Barrack Obama is the latest to join a long list of left – handed presidents from the 20th century: James Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Henry Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were all southpaws.
What makes lefties so electable? Some experts think left-handed people have a greater aptitude for language skills, which may help them craft the rhetoric necessary for political office. And as for the bout of recent left-handed presidents, some think it’s because teachers only recently stopped working to convert lefties to rightist at an early age.
Bill Gates
Claiming the nation’s richest man among their number is a source of considerable pride for America’s society of southpaws. In fact, the Microsoft titan and philanthropist(巨头兼慈善家) is one of a surprising number of U.S. business moguls to be left-handed, including Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller and former IBM head Lou Gerstner. But the club seems to be a guys-only fraternity — research suggests that while left-handed men tend to earn more than their right-handed colleagues, there is no similar advantage for women. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research floated the idea that left-handed men favor "divergent" thinking, a form of creativity in which the brain moves "from conventional knowledge into unexplored association." Maybe that’s what it takes to develop a net worth estimated at $ 57 billion.
Oprah Winfrey
The talk-show queen doesn’t need much more to set her apart from the rest — what with her estimated $ 2.7 billion fortune and a magic ability to sell books just by glancing at them — but she also has the distinction of being a member of the left-handed club. Since men are more likely to be left-handed than women, that makes Oprah doubly impressive. She’s in good company: Other show-business ladies of the left – handed persuasion include Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie
Marie Curie
Not only was atomic scientist Marie Curie left-handed, but she was the matriarch of a whole family of accomplished, southpaw scientists. Curie, who discovered the principles of radioactivity and won two Nobel Prizes, was married to fellow lefty Pierre Curie, who was instrumental in helping Marie’s atomic research and shared one of her Nobel awards. Historians believe their daughter, Irene, was also left-handed. Irene went on to win a Nobel Prize of her own with her husband — who, you guessed it, was also left-handed.
59.The underlined word “southpaws” in the last sentence of Paragraph 1 means_______.
A.people coming from the south B.powerful presidents
C.people who use their left hand D.forceful speakers
60.What makes it so easy for lefties to be elected as presidents according to the passage?
A.Their great gift for foreign language.
B.Their great language skills to make speeches.
C.The need of left – hinders in the political office.
D.Teachers stopping to force them to use their right hand.
61.It can be implied that Bill Gates, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller and Lou Gerstne_______.
A.have creative thinking B.have formed a special club.
C.earn more money than their wives D.are wealthy philanthropists
62.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 “She is in good company” means “_______”.
A.she works in a very good company B.she has many good friends
C.she has got on well with others D.she is among many female lefties
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科目:高中英语 来源:2011—2012学年江西省赣县中学南北校区高一9月联考英语试卷 题型:阅读理解
Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap,strong and fast.He was able to se11 millions of cars because he could produce them in large numbers at a time;that is,he made many cars of the same kind.Ford’s father hoped that his son would become a farmer,but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit(底特律)where he worked as a mechanic(机械师).By the age of 29,in 1892,he had built his first car.However,the car made in this way,the famous “ Model T ” did not appear until 1908. Five years ago, Ford started his great motor car factory.This kind of car showed to be well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty year.Since Ford’s time,this way of producing cars in large numbers has become common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would be very expensive.
【小题1】Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars.
A.cheap and strong | B.cheap and long |
C.fast and expensive | D.strong and slow |
A.he made many cars | B.his cars are many |
C.he made lots of cars of the same kind | D.both A and B |
A.which was his father’s will | B.which was against his own will |
C.which was against his father’s will | D.which was his teacher’s will |
A.before 1908 | B.between 1982 and 1908 |
C.before 1892 | D.after 1908 |
A.in 1903 | B.in 1908 | C.in 1913 | D.in 1897 |
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科目:高中英语 来源:2011-2012学年江西省会昌中学高一第一次月考英语卷 题型:阅读理解
Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap,strong and fast.He was able to se11 millions of cars because he could produce them in large numbers at a time;that is,he made many cars of the same kind.Ford’s father hoped that his son would become a farmer,but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit(底特律)where he worked as a mechanic(机械师).By the age of 29,in 1892,he had built his first car.However,the car made in this way,the famous “ Model T ” did not appear until 1908. Five years ago, Ford started his great motor car factory.This kind of car showed to be well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty year.Since Ford’s time,this way of producing cars in large numbers has become common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would be very expensive.
【小题1】Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars.
A.cheap and strong | B.cheap and long |
C.fast and expensive | D.strong and slow |
A.he made many cars | B.his cars are many |
C.he made lots of cars of the same kind | D.both A and B |
A.which was his father’s will | B.which was against his own will |
C.which was against his father’s will | D.which was his teacher’s will |
A.before 1908 | B.between 1982 and 1908 |
C.before 1892 | D.after 1908 |
A.in 1903 | B.in 1908 | C.in 1913 | D.in 1897 |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
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