From the passage we know that welfare ...

Thirty-one million Americans are over 60 years of age, and twenty-nine million of them are healthy, busy, productive citizens. By the year 2030, one in every five people in the United States will be over 60. people are members of the fastest-growing minority in this country. Many call this the "graying of America". In 1973, a group called the "Gray Panthers" was organized. This group is made up of young and old citizens. They are trying to deal with the special problems of growing old in America. The Gray Panthers know that many elderly people have health problems; some cannot walk well, others cannot see or hear well. Some have financial problems; prices are going up so fast that the elderly can’’t afford the food, clothing, and housing they need. Some old people are afraid and have safety problems. Others have emotional problems. Many elderly are lonely because of the death of a husband or a wife. The Gray Panthers know another fact, too. Elderly people want to be as independent as possible. So, the Gray Panthers are looking for ways to solve the special problems of the elderly. The president of the Gray Panthers is Maggie Kuhn, an active woman in her late 70s. She travels across the United States, educating both young and old about the concerns of elders. One of the problems she talks about is where and how elders live. She says that Americans do not encourage elders to live with younger people. As far as Maggie Kuhn is concerned, only elders who need constant medical care should be in nursing homes. Maggie Kuhn knows that elders need education, too. She spends lots of time talking to groups of older Americans. She encourages them to continue to live in their own houses if it is possible. She also tells them that it is important to live with younger people and to have children around them. This helps elders to stay young at heart. What health problems do many elderly have

A．They feel lonely.
B．They are suffering from cancer.
C．They cannot walk or see or hear well.
D．They have got heart problems.

单项选择题

In recent years many countries of the world have been faced with the problem of how to make their workers more productive. Some experts claim the answer is to make jobs more varied. But do more varied jobs lead to greater productivity The evidence shows that while variety certainly makes the worker’’ s life more enjoyable, it does not actually make him work harder. As far as increasing productivity is concerned, then, variety is not an important factor. Other experts feel that giving the worker freedom to do his job in his own way is important. There is no doubt that this is true. The problem is that this kind of freedom cannot easily be given in the modern factory with its complicated machinery which must be used in a fixed way. Thus, although freedom of choice may be important, usually very little can be done to create it. Another important consideration is how much a worker contributes to the product he is making. In most factories the worker sees only one small part of the product. Some car factories are now experimenting with having many small production lines rather than a large one, so that each worker contributes more to the production of the cars on his line. It would seem that not only is degree of the worker’’s contribution an important factor, therefore, but it is also one we can do something about. To what extent does more money lead to greater productivity The workers themselves certainly think this is important. But perhaps they want more money only because the work they do is so boring. Money just lets them enjoy their spare time more. A similar argument may explain demands for shorter working hours. Perhaps if we make their jobs more interesting, they will want neither more money nor shorter working hours. Varied jobs, in writer’s opinion, will______.

A．offer greater productivity
B．drive workers to work harder
C．make workers more productive
D．make worker’s life more enjoyable, but do not make them more hardworking

单项选择题

Violin prodigies (神童) , I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’’s greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. "It is very clear," he told me. "They were all Jews (犹太人) and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage." As a result, every Jewish parent’’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West. Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours," says Isaac Stem, "children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese." That’’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music. Jewish parents in Eastern Europe longed for their children to attend music school because ______.

A．it would allow them access to a better life in the West
B．Jewish children are born with excellent musical talent
C．they wanted their children to enter into the professional field
D．it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country

单项选择题

While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states, at least in getting people off welfare. It’’s estimated that more than 2 million people have left the rolls since 1994. In the past four years, welfare rolls in Athens County have been cut in half. But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $6 an hour. The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent—twice the national average. For advocates (代言人) for the poor, that’’s an indication much more needs to be done. "More people are getting jobs, but it’’s not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington. A center analysis of US Census data nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed households were earning money on their own, but that average income for these households actually went down. But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory. "Welfare was a poison. It was a toxin (毒素) that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst. "The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities. It’’s beginning to rebuild the work ethic (道德观), which is much more important." Mr. Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked", then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards. From the passage, it can be seen that the author______.

A．believes the reform has reduced the government’s burden
B．insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor
C．is overenthusiastic about the success of welfare reform
D．considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful

单项选择题

While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states, at least in getting people off welfare. It’’s estimated that more than 2 million people have left the rolls since 1994. In the past four years, welfare rolls in Athens County have been cut in half. But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $6 an hour. The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent—twice the national average. For advocates (代言人) for the poor, that’’s an indication much more needs to be done. "More people are getting jobs, but it’’s not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington. A center analysis of US Census data nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed households were earning money on their own, but that average income for these households actually went down. But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory. "Welfare was a poison. It was a toxin (毒素) that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst. "The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities. It’’s beginning to rebuild the work ethic (道德观), which is much more important." Mr. Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked", then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards. Why aren’t people enjoying better lives when they have jobs

A．Because many families are divorced.
B．Because government aid is now rare.
C．Because their wages are low.
D．Because the cost of living is rising.

单项选择题

Thirty-one million Americans are over 60 years of age, and twenty-nine million of them are healthy, busy, productive citizens. By the year 2030, one in every five people in the United States will be over 60. people are members of the fastest-growing minority in this country. Many call this the "graying of America". In 1973, a group called the "Gray Panthers" was organized. This group is made up of young and old citizens. They are trying to deal with the special problems of growing old in America. The Gray Panthers know that many elderly people have health problems; some cannot walk well, others cannot see or hear well. Some have financial problems; prices are going up so fast that the elderly can’’t afford the food, clothing, and housing they need. Some old people are afraid and have safety problems. Others have emotional problems. Many elderly are lonely because of the death of a husband or a wife. The Gray Panthers know another fact, too. Elderly people want to be as independent as possible. So, the Gray Panthers are looking for ways to solve the special problems of the elderly. The president of the Gray Panthers is Maggie Kuhn, an active woman in her late 70s. She travels across the United States, educating both young and old about the concerns of elders. One of the problems she talks about is where and how elders live. She says that Americans do not encourage elders to live with younger people. As far as Maggie Kuhn is concerned, only elders who need constant medical care should be in nursing homes. Maggie Kuhn knows that elders need education, too. She spends lots of time talking to groups of older Americans. She encourages them to continue to live in their own houses if it is possible. She also tells them that it is important to live with younger people and to have children around them. This helps elders to stay young at heart. Nursing homes_____.

A．are good for elders who need constant medical care
B．help keep elders young
C．are set up for training nurses
D．are places where small children are taken care of

单项选择题

Violin prodigies (神童) , I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’’s greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. "It is very clear," he told me. "They were all Jews (犹太人) and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage." As a result, every Jewish parent’’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West. Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours," says Isaac Stem, "children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese." That’’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music. Nurturing societies as mentioned in the passage refer to societies that ______.

A．enforce strong discipline on students who want to achieve excellence
B．treasure talent and provide opportunities for its full development
C．encourage people to compete with each other
D．promise talented children high positions

单项选择题

In recent years many countries of the world have been faced with the problem of how to make their workers more productive. Some experts claim the answer is to make jobs more varied. But do more varied jobs lead to greater productivity The evidence shows that while variety certainly makes the worker’’ s life more enjoyable, it does not actually make him work harder. As far as increasing productivity is concerned, then, variety is not an important factor. Other experts feel that giving the worker freedom to do his job in his own way is important. There is no doubt that this is true. The problem is that this kind of freedom cannot easily be given in the modern factory with its complicated machinery which must be used in a fixed way. Thus, although freedom of choice may be important, usually very little can be done to create it. Another important consideration is how much a worker contributes to the product he is making. In most factories the worker sees only one small part of the product. Some car factories are now experimenting with having many small production lines rather than a large one, so that each worker contributes more to the production of the cars on his line. It would seem that not only is degree of the worker’’s contribution an important factor, therefore, but it is also one we can do something about. To what extent does more money lead to greater productivity The workers themselves certainly think this is important. But perhaps they want more money only because the work they do is so boring. Money just lets them enjoy their spare time more. A similar argument may explain demands for shorter working hours. Perhaps if we make their jobs more interesting, they will want neither more money nor shorter working hours. According to the passage, freedom can not be easily given since ______.

A．it is in not what workers care about
B．it has nothing to do with increasing productivity
C．freedom will do harm to the management
D．machines in modem factories must be organized in a fixed way

单项选择题

While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states, at least in getting people off welfare. It’’s estimated that more than 2 million people have left the rolls since 1994. In the past four years, welfare rolls in Athens County have been cut in half. But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $6 an hour. The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent—twice the national average. For advocates (代言人) for the poor, that’’s an indication much more needs to be done. "More people are getting jobs, but it’’s not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington. A center analysis of US Census data nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed households were earning money on their own, but that average income for these households actually went down. But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory. "Welfare was a poison. It was a toxin (毒素) that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst. "The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities. It’’s beginning to rebuild the work ethic (道德观), which is much more important." Mr. Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked", then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards. What is worth noting from the example of Athens County is that ______.

A．greater efforts should be made to improve people’s living standards
B．70 percent of the people there have been employed for two years
C．40 percent of the population no longer relies on welfare
D．the living standards of most people are going down

单项选择题

Thirty-one million Americans are over 60 years of age, and twenty-nine million of them are healthy, busy, productive citizens. By the year 2030, one in every five people in the United States will be over 60. people are members of the fastest-growing minority in this country. Many call this the "graying of America". In 1973, a group called the "Gray Panthers" was organized. This group is made up of young and old citizens. They are trying to deal with the special problems of growing old in America. The Gray Panthers know that many elderly people have health problems; some cannot walk well, others cannot see or hear well. Some have financial problems; prices are going up so fast that the elderly can’’t afford the food, clothing, and housing they need. Some old people are afraid and have safety problems. Others have emotional problems. Many elderly are lonely because of the death of a husband or a wife. The Gray Panthers know another fact, too. Elderly people want to be as independent as possible. So, the Gray Panthers are looking for ways to solve the special problems of the elderly. The president of the Gray Panthers is Maggie Kuhn, an active woman in her late 70s. She travels across the United States, educating both young and old about the concerns of elders. One of the problems she talks about is where and how elders live. She says that Americans do not encourage elders to live with younger people. As far as Maggie Kuhn is concerned, only elders who need constant medical care should be in nursing homes. Maggie Kuhn knows that elders need education, too. She spends lots of time talking to groups of older Americans. She encourages them to continue to live in their own houses if it is possible. She also tells them that it is important to live with younger people and to have children around them. This helps elders to stay young at heart. Maggie Kuhn travels across the United States in order to _____elders.

A．collect money for
B．show concerns for
C．find houses for
D．educate people to help

单项选择题

In recent years many countries of the world have been faced with the problem of how to make their workers more productive. Some experts claim the answer is to make jobs more varied. But do more varied jobs lead to greater productivity The evidence shows that while variety certainly makes the worker’’ s life more enjoyable, it does not actually make him work harder. As far as increasing productivity is concerned, then, variety is not an important factor. Other experts feel that giving the worker freedom to do his job in his own way is important. There is no doubt that this is true. The problem is that this kind of freedom cannot easily be given in the modern factory with its complicated machinery which must be used in a fixed way. Thus, although freedom of choice may be important, usually very little can be done to create it. Another important consideration is how much a worker contributes to the product he is making. In most factories the worker sees only one small part of the product. Some car factories are now experimenting with having many small production lines rather than a large one, so that each worker contributes more to the production of the cars on his line. It would seem that not only is degree of the worker’’s contribution an important factor, therefore, but it is also one we can do something about. To what extent does more money lead to greater productivity The workers themselves certainly think this is important. But perhaps they want more money only because the work they do is so boring. Money just lets them enjoy their spare time more. A similar argument may explain demands for shorter working hours. Perhaps if we make their jobs more interesting, they will want neither more money nor shorter working hours. Degree of the worker’s contribution is greater when ______.

A．a factory possesses more experts
B．a factory has many small production lines
C．workers enjoy more freedom
D．workers work at a large production line

单项选择题

Violin prodigies (神童) , I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’’s greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. "It is very clear," he told me. "They were all Jews (犹太人) and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage." As a result, every Jewish parent’’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West. Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours," says Isaac Stem, "children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese." That’’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music. Japan is described in the passage as a country that attaches importance to ______.

A．all round development
B．the learning of Western music
C．strict training of children
D．variety in academic studies

单项选择题

Thirty-one million Americans are over 60 years of age, and twenty-nine million of them are healthy, busy, productive citizens. By the year 2030, one in every five people in the United States will be over 60. people are members of the fastest-growing minority in this country. Many call this the "graying of America". In 1973, a group called the "Gray Panthers" was organized. This group is made up of young and old citizens. They are trying to deal with the special problems of growing old in America. The Gray Panthers know that many elderly people have health problems; some cannot walk well, others cannot see or hear well. Some have financial problems; prices are going up so fast that the elderly can’’t afford the food, clothing, and housing they need. Some old people are afraid and have safety problems. Others have emotional problems. Many elderly are lonely because of the death of a husband or a wife. The Gray Panthers know another fact, too. Elderly people want to be as independent as possible. So, the Gray Panthers are looking for ways to solve the special problems of the elderly. The president of the Gray Panthers is Maggie Kuhn, an active woman in her late 70s. She travels across the United States, educating both young and old about the concerns of elders. One of the problems she talks about is where and how elders live. She says that Americans do not encourage elders to live with younger people. As far as Maggie Kuhn is concerned, only elders who need constant medical care should be in nursing homes. Maggie Kuhn knows that elders need education, too. She spends lots of time talking to groups of older Americans. She encourages them to continue to live in their own houses if it is possible. She also tells them that it is important to live with younger people and to have children around them. This helps elders to stay young at heart. One of the problems Maggie Kuhn talks about is_____.

A．why elders should be taken care of
B．where and how elders live
C．who needs medical care
D．how to improve education in the USA

单项选择题

While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states, at least in getting people off welfare. It’’s estimated that more than 2 million people have left the rolls since 1994. In the past four years, welfare rolls in Athens County have been cut in half. But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $6 an hour. The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent—twice the national average. For advocates (代言人) for the poor, that’’s an indication much more needs to be done. "More people are getting jobs, but it’’s not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington. A center analysis of US Census data nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed households were earning money on their own, but that average income for these households actually went down. But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory. "Welfare was a poison. It was a toxin (毒素) that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst. "The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities. It’’s beginning to rebuild the work ethic (道德观), which is much more important." Mr. Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked", then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards. From the passage we know that welfare reform aims at ______.

A．saving welfare funds
B．rebuilding the work ethic
C．providing more jobs
D．cutting government expenses

单项选择题

Violin prodigies (神童) , I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’’s greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. "It is very clear," he told me. "They were all Jews (犹太人) and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage." As a result, every Jewish parent’’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West. Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours," says Isaac Stem, "children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese." That’’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music. Which of the following contributes to the emergence of musical prodigies according to the passage

A．A natural gift.
B．Extensive knowledge of music.
C．Very early training.
D．A prejudice free society.

单项选择题

Thirty-one million Americans are over 60 years of age, and twenty-nine million of them are healthy, busy, productive citizens. By the year 2030, one in every five people in the United States will be over 60. people are members of the fastest-growing minority in this country. Many call this the "graying of America". In 1973, a group called the "Gray Panthers" was organized. This group is made up of young and old citizens. They are trying to deal with the special problems of growing old in America. The Gray Panthers know that many elderly people have health problems; some cannot walk well, others cannot see or hear well. Some have financial problems; prices are going up so fast that the elderly can’’t afford the food, clothing, and housing they need. Some old people are afraid and have safety problems. Others have emotional problems. Many elderly are lonely because of the death of a husband or a wife. The Gray Panthers know another fact, too. Elderly people want to be as independent as possible. So, the Gray Panthers are looking for ways to solve the special problems of the elderly. The president of the Gray Panthers is Maggie Kuhn, an active woman in her late 70s. She travels across the United States, educating both young and old about the concerns of elders. One of the problems she talks about is where and how elders live. She says that Americans do not encourage elders to live with younger people. As far as Maggie Kuhn is concerned, only elders who need constant medical care should be in nursing homes. Maggie Kuhn knows that elders need education, too. She spends lots of time talking to groups of older Americans. She encourages them to continue to live in their own houses if it is possible. She also tells them that it is important to live with younger people and to have children around them. This helps elders to stay young at heart. Maggie Kuhn encourages elders to_____.

A．live in nursing homes
B．travel more
C．live with younger people
D．do some house work

单项选择题

While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states, at least in getting people off welfare. It’’s estimated that more than 2 million people have left the rolls since 1994. In the past four years, welfare rolls in Athens County have been cut in half. But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $6 an hour. The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent—twice the national average. For advocates (代言人) for the poor, that’’s an indication much more needs to be done. "More people are getting jobs, but it’’s not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington. A center analysis of US Census data nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed households were earning money on their own, but that average income for these households actually went down. But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory. "Welfare was a poison. It was a toxin (毒素) that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst. "The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities. It’’s beginning to rebuild the work ethic (道德观), which is much more important." Mr. Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked", then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards. According to the passage, before the welfare reform was carried out, ______.

A．the poverty rate was lower
B．average living standards were higher
C．the average worker was paid higher wages
D．the poor used to rely on government aid

单项选择题

In recent years many countries of the world have been faced with the problem of how to make their workers more productive. Some experts claim the answer is to make jobs more varied. But do more varied jobs lead to greater productivity The evidence shows that while variety certainly makes the worker’’ s life more enjoyable, it does not actually make him work harder. As far as increasing productivity is concerned, then, variety is not an important factor. Other experts feel that giving the worker freedom to do his job in his own way is important. There is no doubt that this is true. The problem is that this kind of freedom cannot easily be given in the modern factory with its complicated machinery which must be used in a fixed way. Thus, although freedom of choice may be important, usually very little can be done to create it. Another important consideration is how much a worker contributes to the product he is making. In most factories the worker sees only one small part of the product. Some car factories are now experimenting with having many small production lines rather than a large one, so that each worker contributes more to the production of the cars on his line. It would seem that not only is degree of the worker’’s contribution an important factor, therefore, but it is also one we can do something about. To what extent does more money lead to greater productivity The workers themselves certainly think this is important. But perhaps they want more money only because the work they do is so boring. Money just lets them enjoy their spare time more. A similar argument may explain demands for shorter working hours. Perhaps if we make their jobs more interesting, they will want neither more money nor shorter working hours. Workers want more money and shorter working hours to ______.

A．enjoy themselves more after work
B．produce greater work flow
C．show their great abilities
D．challenge the management

单项选择题

Violin prodigies (神童) , I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’’s greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. "It is very clear," he told me. "They were all Jews (犹太人) and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage." As a result, every Jewish parent’’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West. Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours," says Isaac Stem, "children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese." That’’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music. Which of the following titles best summarizes the main idea of the passage

A．Jewish Contribution to Music.
B．Training of Musicians in the World.
C．Music and Society.
D．The Making of Prodigies.

单项选择题

In recent years many countries of the world have been faced with the problem of how to make their workers more productive. Some experts claim the answer is to make jobs more varied. But do more varied jobs lead to greater productivity The evidence shows that while variety certainly makes the worker’’ s life more enjoyable, it does not actually make him work harder. As far as increasing productivity is concerned, then, variety is not an important factor. Other experts feel that giving the worker freedom to do his job in his own way is important. There is no doubt that this is true. The problem is that this kind of freedom cannot easily be given in the modern factory with its complicated machinery which must be used in a fixed way. Thus, although freedom of choice may be important, usually very little can be done to create it. Another important consideration is how much a worker contributes to the product he is making. In most factories the worker sees only one small part of the product. Some car factories are now experimenting with having many small production lines rather than a large one, so that each worker contributes more to the production of the cars on his line. It would seem that not only is degree of the worker’’s contribution an important factor, therefore, but it is also one we can do something about. To what extent does more money lead to greater productivity The workers themselves certainly think this is important. But perhaps they want more money only because the work they do is so boring. Money just lets them enjoy their spare time more. A similar argument may explain demands for shorter working hours. Perhaps if we make their jobs more interesting, they will want neither more money nor shorter working hours. According to the passage, the statement that best describes the writer’s attitude is______.

A．there are no ways to make workers more productive
B．workers want more variety, freedom and money, but shorter working time and less contribution
C．variety, freedom, contribution, more money and shorter working time seem possible factors leading to greater productivity, actually they are not or they are impossible
D．it is impossible to make workers work more productively, because the work they do is so boring

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