50. By what means did Japan grab its large market share by the 1970s and the 1980s?

A. Its products were cheaper in price and better in quality.

B. Its advertising was most successful.

C. The US hardware industry was lagging behind

D. Japan hired a lot of Indian software specialists.

49. Which of the following statements about Humphrey is true?

A. He is now still an IBM employer.　　　　　　　 B. He has worked for IBM for 37 years.

C. The US pays much attention to his quality advice.　 D. India honors him highly.

48. What country has more highest-rating companies in the world than any other country has?

A. The US. 　　　　　　　　 B. India. 　　　　　　　 　　　 C. Brazil. 　　　　　　　　　　 D. Germany.

47. What are volunteers for an experiment over the Internet supposed to do?

A. To interview people online. 　　　　　　 B. To do some house work.

C. To offer advice on Child Aid　　　 D. To provide language exercises.

C

If U. S. software companies don’t pay more attention to quality, they could kiss their business good-bye. Both India and Brazil are developing a world-class software industry. Their weapon is quality and one of their jobs is to attract the top U. S. quality specialists whose voices are not listened to in their country.

Already, of the world’s 12 software houses that have earned the highest rating in the world, seven are in India. That’s largely because they have used new methods rejected by American software specialists. For example, for decades, quality specialists, W. Edwards Deming and J. M. Juran had urged U. S. software companies to change their attitudes to quality. But their quality call mainly fell on deaf ears in the U. S -- but not in Japan. By the 1970s and 1980s, Japan was grabbing market share with better, cheaper products. They used Deming’s and Juran’s ideas to bring down the cost of good quality to as little as 5% of total production costs. In U. S. factories, the cost of quality then was 10 times as high: 50%. In software, it still is.

Watts S. Humphrey spent 27 years at IBM heading up software production and then quality assurance. But his advice was seldom paid attention to. He retired from IBM in 1986. In 1987, he worked out a system for assessing and improving software quality. It has proved its value time and again. For example, in 1990 the cost of quality at Raytheon Electronics Systems was almost 60% of total software production costs. It fell to 15% in 1996 and has since further dropped to below 10%.

Like Deming and Juran, Humphrey seems to be winning more praises overseas than at home. The Indian government and several companies have just founded the Watts Humphrey Software Quality Institute at the Software Technology Park in Chennai, India. Let’s hope that U. S. lead in software will not be eaten up by its quality problems.

46. If Mrs. Black in the US hopes to learn some Chinese at home, she may contact _______.

A. takeaction@betterworld. com　　 B. ram3462@hotmail. com

C. club3864@hotmail. com　　　　 D. staff@youth. org

45. Where will jack, a volunteer, receive the training before he is sent to work in Malawi?

A. In some local offices in the US.　　　　 B. In an ESL organization in China.

C. In a preparation program in Demark.　　 D. In an exchange student center in Africa.

44. Who is suitable to work as a Community Representative in YOUTH International?

A. One who enjoys working with teenagers from different countries.

B. One who hopes to take action in fighting against diseases.

C. One who has a strong desire to improve his or her English.

D. One who wants to earn some pocket money in the program.

43. How many people in the Wolong reserve’s location did the May 12, 2008, quake leave dead?

A. 90,000　　　　　　　 B. 1,590　　　　 C. 12　　　　　　 D. 63

B

Take Action for a Better World: Volunteers Needed Six months’ preparation in Denmark: Africa studies, team work combined with social work with risk group teenagers. Six months’ community work in Malawi in People to People Projects: Child Aid, HIV / AIDS. Fights and Teacher Training. Qualifications: 18 years, hard working and social engagement. Please contact us by e-mail: takeaction@ betterworld. com.

Part-time work with Exchange Students YOUTH International is a non-profit high school foreign exchange students organization. We welcome teenagers from over 80 countries worldwide and provide host families. The community Representative is a part-time position designed for people with a strong desire to do something rewarding in the community and earn some extra money. Applicants best suited for this work should enjoy teenagers; have a strong interest in cross-cultural communication and feel comfortable networking. Full training and support will be provided through branch offices throughout the US. Positions available in most states. If interested, please email staff@ youth. org or call 888-123-9872.

International Summer Job Hi, I’m an ESL student in China. I’m 20, quiet and polite, and I speak reasonable English. I’m looking for a summer job in an English-speaking country. I can teach Chinese or do house and garden work and cook Chinese dished. Can anybody offer me a job? I don’t need to earn much, just enough in two months( July --- August)to pay for my return ticket to China. My goal is to improve my English and see a bit more of the world. My email is: ram3462@ hotmail. com.

Call for Native Speaker of English I am looking for native speakers of English to join in an experiment. This experiment is carried out over the Internet. You don’t need nay specific knowledge other than understanding and speaking English at a native level. The first task will take you around 15 minutes. After this task, you can decide whether you want to continue the experiment. The tasks involve reading texts and designing questions and answers. If you are willing to help me, then please email us: club3864@ hotmail. com

42. How many pandas were left in the Wolong reserve’s location after this earthquake ?

A. 52　　　　　　 B. 45　　　　　　　 C. 35　　　　　　 D. 60

41. Which statement below is the best title of this passage?

A. The Wolong Reserve’s Location Is Being Rebuilt.

B. Pandas to Return to Famous China Reserve in 2012.

C. People Are Concerned The Breeding Center.

D. Pandas Are Living Happily In The Breeding Center.