74. It can be learned from the article that 　　　　.

　 A. drugs can be used to control people’s serotonin levels

　 B. happiness is more important than sadness

　 C. nothing can affect our mood

　 D. people with the short variant of 5-HTTLPR prefer a flower to a snake

73. Which of the following statements is true about “happiness workshops”?

　 A. Most people believe that they are a waste of money.

　 B. They will be beneficial in the long run.

　 C. The purpose of “happiness workshops” is to teach all Australians to be happy.

　 D. They are organized in the belief that happy staff can work more efficiently.

72. The “short” variants of 5-HTTLPR differ from the “long” variants of 5-HTTLPR in that 　　　　.

　 A. the former is connected with positive mood while the latter negative

　 B. the former is connected with negative mood while the latter positive

C. the former has a greater effect on one’s mood than the latter

　 D. the latter has a greater effect on one’s mood than the former

71. Various kinds of images were shown to the participants to 　　　　.

　 A. draw their attention

　 B. cater to their different tastes

　 C. find out about their reactions

　 D. teach them to improve their artistic appreciation

70. The author’s attitude to the coming age is 　　　　.

　 A. doubtful　　　 　　B. enthusiastic　　 　　　C. satisfied　　 　　D. uncertain

D

Some people may be born happy, while others are genetically negative, scientists have suggested in a study published late February in a British journal.

Earlier research had already established that the gene known as 5-HTTLPR plays a key role in determining how the neurotransmitter (神经传递素) serotonin works within the brain. Serotonin, a hormone (荷尔蒙), passes chemical messages between nerve cells. It has been closely linked to mood. Several anti-depressant (抗抑郁) drugs regulate serotonin levels. 　 Scientists had also identified three variants (变体) of the gene. Two so-called “short” variants were linked to a higher risk of depression and suicide (自杀) attempts. Unlike the two “short” variants, the “long” variant of 5-HTTLPR showed a clear dislike of negative images, such as fierce animals, and a clear liking for positive ones, such as flowers. 　 Researchers from the University of Essex in Britain showed participants a series of images, which were divided into three kinds: negative ones aimed at inspiring fear or stress such as a snake or person about to commit suicide, pleasant ones and neutral (中性的) ones. 　 The participants who had the long variant of the 5-HTTLPR gene “showed a clear dislike of negative material alongside a careful attention for positive material,” the researchers found. They paid close attention to the pretty pictures, and ignored the frightening ones. On the other hand, the short variant groups had the opposite reaction. 　 In January, the Australian government organized “happiness workshops”, teaching government staff how to be happy. The department that held the “happiness workshops” said unhappy staff weren’t productive staff. 　 Australian political opposition parties have argued that the “happiness workshops” are probably a waste of money and couldn’t increase productivity as intended. However, whether the workshop will have a happy or disappointing result, we will have to wait and see.

69. We may draw a conclusion from the passage that 　　　　.

　 A. information will play a greater role in people’s work and daily life in the future

　 B. we can foresee the future if technology develops fast enough

　 C. the ability of performing routine tasks gives you an advantage in work

　 D. robots will replace people to do all the work both in manufacturing and service industries

68. By mentioning the invention of “the chip”, the author means to say that　　　 .

　 A. we haven’t paid enough attention to the importance of high technology

　 B. the chip is the most important invention today

　 C. the power of science and technology is beyond our imagination

　 D. it’s a great challenge to apply new inventions to our life

67. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

　 A. People’s traditional concepts about jobs need changing.

　 B. The relation between employees and employers is becoming tense.

　 C. More women than men are in the work force.

　 D. Part-time jobs are more welcome than full-time jobs.

66. A characteristic of the new age mentioned in the passage is that 　　　　.

　 A. the service industry mainly relies on females

　 B. manufacturing industries are steadily increasing

　 C. more people are in the service industry than before

　 D. the work in the service industry is more comfortable than that in manufacturing industry

65. What is the passage mainly about?

A. The author’s experiences of using different Englishes.

B. The author’s misunderstanding of “limited” English.

C. The limitation of the author’s perception of her mother.

D. The changes of the author’s attitude to her mother’s English.

C

A new age is coming. Call it what you will: the service economy, the information age, the knowledge society. It all translates to a fundamental change in the way we work. Already we’re partly there, the percentage of people who earn their living by making things has fallen dramatically in the Western World. Today the majority of jobs in America, Europe and Japan are in the service industry, and the number is on the rise. More women are in the work force than ever before. There are more part-time jobs. More people are self-employed. But the range of the economic transformation can’t be measured by numbers alone, because it also is giving rise to important new way of thinking about the nature of work itself. Long-held ideas about jobs and careers, the skills needed to succeed, even the relation between individuals and employers - all these are being challenged.

We have only to look behind us to get some sense of what may lie ahead. No one looking ahead 20 years possibly could have foreseen the ways in which a single invention, the chip, would transform our world thanks to its applications in personal computers, digital communications and factory robots. Tomorrow’s achievements in biotechnology, artificial intelligence or even some still unimagined technology could produce a similar wave of dramatic changes. But one thing is certain: information and knowledge will become even more valid, and the people who possess it, whether they work in manufacturing or services, will have the advantage and produce the wealth. Computer knowledge will become as basic a requirement as the ability to read and write. The ability to solve problems by applying information instead of performing routine tasks will be valued above all else. If you cast your mind ahead 10 years, information service will be superior. It will be the way you do your job.