We’ve considered several ways of paying to cut in line: hiring line standers, buying tickets from scalpers (票贩子), or purchasing line-cutting privileges directly from, say, an airline or an amusement park. Each of these deals replaces the morals of the queue (waiting your turn) with the morals of the market (paying a price for faster service).
Markets and queues — paying and waiting — are two different ways of allocating things, and each is appropriate to different activities. The morals of the queue, “First come, first served, have an egalitarian (平等主义的) appeal. They tell us to ignore privilege, power, and deep pockets.
The principle seems right on playgrounds and at bus stops. But the morals of the queue do not govern all occasions. If I put my house up for sale, I have no duty to accept the first offer that comes along, simply because it’s the first. Selling my house and waiting for a bus are different activities, properly governed by different standards.
Sometimes standards change, and it is unclear which principle should apply. Think of the recorded message you hear, played over and over, as you wait on hold when calling your bank: “Your call will be answered in the order in which it was received.” This is essential for the morals of the queue. It’s as if the company is trying to ease our impatience with fairness.
But don’t take the recorded message too seriously. Today, some people’s calls are answered faster than others. Call center technology enables companies to “score” incoming calls and to give faster service to those that come from rich places. You might call this telephonic queue jumping.
Of course, markets and queues are not the only ways of allocating things. Some goods we distribute by merit, others by need, still others by chance. However, the tendency of markets to replace queues, and other non-market ways of allocating goods is so common in modern life that we scarcely notice it anymore. It is striking that most of the paid queue-jumping schemes we’ve considered — at airports and amusement parks, in call centers, doctors’ offices, and national parks — are recent developments, scarcely imaginable three decades ago. The disappearance of the queues in these places may seem an unusual concern, but these are not the only places that markets have entered.
1.63.According to the author, which of the following seems governed by the principle “First come, first served”?
A. Flying with an airline B. Buying houses
C. Taking buses D. Visiting amusement parks
2.64.The example of the recorded message in Paragraphs 4 and 5 shows ______.
A. the necessity of patience in queuing
B. the advantage of modern technology
C. the uncertainty of allocation principle
D. the fairness of telephonic services
3.65.The passage is meant to ______.
A. discuss the morals of allocating things
B. justify paying for faster services
C. analyze the reason for standing in line
D. criticize the behavior of queue jumping
If you hear the sound of running water the next time you call a co-worker on his or her mobile phone, don’t be surprised. Three-fourths of Americans with mobile phones say they use them in the bathroom, a new study shows.
Approximately the same number of men and women have used the phone in the bathroom, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans by 11mark, an integrated marketing agency, although men seem more attached to IT in the toilet: 30 percent of men versus 20 percent of women agreed with the statement, "I don't go to the bathroom without my mobile phone."
More than half the surveyed users (63 percent) said they have answered a phone call in the bathroom, and almost half (41 percent) reported initiating a phone call. That's not all, however. What goes on behind the walls of the stalls is anything a mobile phone is capable of. Sixty-seven percent said they have read a text, and 39 percent have surfed the Web. Men work more from the bathroom — 20 percent said they have participated in work-related calls, versus 13 percent of their female colleagues.
As expected, Gen Y respondents are the pacesetters in the "mobile everywhere" movement, with 91 percent using their phone in the bathroom. Still, older generations are not far behind. Eighty percent of Gen X(1961-1981) reported using the phone in the bathroom, as did 65 percent of Baby Boomers and 47 percent of the Silent Generation.
While online, they are doing more than just surfing; 16 percent of Gen Y report they have made an online purchase while in the bathroom. Users of iPhones are particularly likely to browse and buy in the bathroom – 22 percent have made a purchase, versus 10 percent of Americans with mobile phones overall.
"The writing is on the stall," said 11mark principal Nicole Burdette. "This study confirms what we all know: that the last private place is no longer private."
In the process, high-tech hygiene(卫生) is taking a hit, the survey found. While 92 percent of mobile phone users said they wash their hands after using the bathroom, only 14 percent said they wash their phones.
1.59.Which is the best word to replace the underlined word "initiating"?
A. receiving B. experiencing C. ending D. beginning
2.60.According to his words, Nicole Buedette mainly wants to tell us that .
A. no wonder mobile phones are used in the bathroom
B. the bathroom is a private place for people
C. it makes people have no privacy at all
D. more men have used the phone in the bathroom
3.61.What does the last paragraph of the passage imply?
A. Using phones in the bathroom has a bad effect on hygiene
B. Mobile phones should not be allowed to use in the bathroom
C. Most people care about the hygiene after using the bathroom
D. Few people wash their phones after using the bathroom
4.62.The attitude of the author to the use of phones in the bathroom is ______
A. supportive B. disapproval
C. subjective(主观的) D. objective(客观的)
In July 1994 Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, was struck by 21 pieces of a comet (彗星). When the fragments (碎片) landed in the southern part of the giant planet, the explosions were watched by scientists here on earth. But what if our own planet was hit by a comet?
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two fragments will probably hit the southern part of the Earth. The news has caused panic.
On 17 July, a fragment four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a huge explosion. About half of the fragment is destroyed. But the major part survives and hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and an enormous wave is created and spreads. The wall of water rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometres an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. The wave moves into the Indian Ocean and heads towards Asia.
Millions of people are already dead in the southern part of the Earth, but the north won't escape for long. Tons of broken pieces are thrown into the atmosphere by the explosions. As the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later civilization has collapsed. No more than 10 million people have survived.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a space fragment. The dinosaurs couldn't survive in the cold climate that followed and they became extinct. Will we meet the same end?
【小题１】55.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the author's description of the disaster in 2094?
A. The whole world becomes extremely cold
B. All the coastal cities in Africa are destroyed
C. The visit of the comet results in wars
D. The whole mankind becomes extinct
【小题２】56.Why does the author mention dinosaurs at the end of the passage?
A. Because they could only live in the warm climate
B. Because their extinction indicates future disasters
C. Because they once dominated the earth
D. Because dinosaurs and humans never live in the same age
【小题３】57.In writing the passage, the author intends to ______.
A. give an accurate description of the possible disaster in the future
B. prove that humans will sooner or later be destroyed
C. warn of a possible disaster in the future
D. tell the historical development of the Earth
58.It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a(n) ______.
A. article of popular science B. news report
C. research paper D. horror story
One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister. On this occasion, the work was made less troublesome by the presence of his girlfriend. I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children and the younger children would do a wonderful job of accompanying the older ones. Later, I discovered that complete confidence was the last thing I should have left home with.
I had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out. I called home with this happy news. But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing.
It was, I should point out, after 10 p.m., when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone. “I’ll give him a lesson,” I said. I decided they must be outside. Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a wintry night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with.
Finally, in desperation, I called his girlfriend’s house. After what seemed like countless rings, his girlfriend answered. “Yes,” she said brightly, “He’s right here.”
He came on the phone. I was not my usual calm, rational(理智的) self. After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can’t trust modern teenagers. “Where are the children?” I said. He said they were with him. They had done nothing wrong. My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake. This was too good to be believed. Well, it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it. It was only part of the truth.
The following Saturday evening we were at my parents’ home, celebrating my birthday. My oldest son gave me the children’s gifts. Mounted and framed were a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions. They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend.
1.51.The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because ______.
A. she knew that his girlfriend was a good baby-sitter
B. she believed he could take good care of the younger ones with the help of his girlfriend
C. the older children have always loved the younger ones
D. she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night
2.52.Shortly after the author left home one evening, she discovered that ______.
A. she shouldn’t have completely trusted her son
B. her son had left home with his girlfriend
C. her son had brought his girlfriend home
D. she should have taken the children along with her
3.53.The sentence “It was only part of the truth.” (Para. 5) implies that the children not only enjoyed ice-cream but also ______.
A. had their pictures taken B. had a birthday party
C. framed some photographs D. showed off their best clothes
4.54.Which of the following possible titles best expresses the main idea of this passage?
A. An Evening Out B. Modern Teenagers
C. A Precious Birthday Gift D. Mother and Children
Joe Biggs was a butcher. His shop was in a village in the beautiful south of England, and he 31 in it for many years while his father was there. Then when his father reached the age of 65, he stopped working in the shop, and Joe was alone in it, so he had to work 32 .
Joe worked five and a half days a week. His shop 33 at one o’clock on Thursday, and it was closed the whole of Sunday. Saturdays were the 34 days.
Most of Joe’s 35 came to his shop from the nearest town, but sometimes he got up earlier than usual in the morning and 36 into the city to choose meat. It was 37 there.
Joe had a big 38 in his shop, but he tried not to buy too 39 meat at a time, and to 40 it before he bought more.
One 41 a woman came into the shop at five minutes to one. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, “but some friends have just telephoned to say that they are coming to 42 tonight, and I need more 43 .”
Joe only had one piece of meat in the shop. He had sold all the others 44 in the day. He took the piece 45 and said to the woman, “This is 6.5 pounds.”
“That piece is too 46 .” the woman said. “Haven’t you got anything bigger?”
Joe went 47 the room behind his shop, opened the refrigerator, put the piece of meat into it, took it out 48 and shut the door of the refrigerator 49 , then he brought the piece of meat back to the woman and said, “This piece is bigger and more expensive. It’s 8.75 pounds.”
“Good,” the woman answered with a smile, “give me 50 of them, please.”
1.A. lived B. studied C. worked D. played.
2.A. more B. harder C. later D. again
3.A. shut B. started C. opened D. served
4.A. hardest B. easiest C. quietest D. busiest
5.A. customers B. meat C. buyers D. friends
6.A. walked B. flew C. drove D. ran
7.A. easier B. fresher C. nearer D. cheaper
8.A. refrigerator B. room C. kitchen D. cupboard
9.A. much B. expensive C. fresh D. adequate
10.A. eat B. cook C. sell D. freeze
11.A. Thursday B. Sunday C. Monday D. Saturday
12.A. party B. dinner C. lunch D. dance
13.A. food B. vegetable C. meat D. fruit
14.A. later B. earlier C. quicker D. cheaper
15.A. in B. up C. away D. out
16.A. small B. large C. cheap D. bad
17.A. outside B. from C. into D. through
18.A. still B. again C. even D. back
19.A. carefully B. quickly C. lightly D. heavily
20.A. both B. none C. each D. all
I’m afraid I _______ people always complaining. They just ruin the mood of the people around them.
A. have no use for B. have no trouble with
C. have no mercy for D. have no thirst for
