大学英语四级考试阅读材料练习(六)

Passage 6
For any given task in Britain there are more men than are needed. Strong unions keep them there in Fleet Street, home of some London’s biggest dailies, it is understood that when two unions quarrel over three jobs, the argument is settled by giving each union two. Thru means 33 per cent over manning, 33 per cent less productivity than could be obtained.
A reporter who has visited plants throughout Europe has an impression that the pace of work is much slower here. Nobody tries tm hard. Tea breaks do matter and are frequent. It is hard to measure intensity of work, but Britons give a distinct impression of going at their tasks in a more leisurely way.

But is all this so terrible? It certainly does not improve the gross national product or output per worker. Those observant visitors, however, have noticed something else about Britain. It is a pleasant place.

Street crowds in Stockholm. Paris and New York move quickly and silently heads down, all in a hurry. London crowds tend to walk at an easy pace (except in the profitable, efficient City, the financial district).

Every stranger is struck by the patient and orderly way in which Britons queue for a bus; if the saleswoman is slow and out of stock she will likely say, ‘oh dear, what a pity’; the rubbish collectors stop to chat and call the housewives “Luv”. Crime rises here as in every city but there still remains a gentle tone and temper that is unmatched in Berlin, Milan or Detroit.

It short, what is wrong with Britain may also be what is right. Having reached a tolerable standard, Britons appear to be choosing leisure over goods.
56. What happens when disputes over job opportunities arise among British unions?
A) Thirty-three per cent of the workers will be out of work 
B) More people will be employed than necessary
C) More jobs will be created by the government
D) The unions will try to increase productivity.

57. What does the reporter who has visited plants throughout Europe think about Britain?
A) Tea breaks do not affect the intensity of work in Britain 
B) Britons do their work in an unhurried sort of way
C) The pace of work in Continental Europe is much slower than in Britain 
D) Britons give the impression of working intensively

58. “The breaks do matter” ( Para.2 Line 2) indicates that________
A) they are an important aspect of the British way of life
B) they are greatly enjoyed by British workers
C) they can be used by the workers as excuse to take time off from work
D) they help the workers to be on good terms with each other

59. The word “this” (Para.3 Line.1) refers to the fact that______
A) there are more men on any given job than are needed
B) 33 per cent over manning leads to 33 per cent less productivity
C) it is difficult to measure the intensity of work
D) Britons generally do not want to work too hard

60. By “what is wrong with Britain may also be what is right” (Para.6, Line.1) the author means to say that_______
A) quarrels between unions will help create jobs
B) a leisurely way of life helps Britons increase productivity
C) the gentle tone and temper of the people in Britain makes it a pleasant place
D) Britons will not sacrifice their leisure to further in crease productivity
Passage 6
在英国做任何一项工作所用的人都比需要的多。强大的工会组织让他们待在旗舰街，伦敦一些最大的报纸所在地。人们认为，（５６）当两个工会为了三个就业机会而争执不休时，解决方法就是分给每个工会各两个。这就意味着多用了３３％的人，比本应达到的生产力水平降低了３３％
（５７）一位参观过全欧洲各地工厂的记者有这样一种印象，就是这里的工作节奏要慢得多。没有人会工作得过分卖力。茶点休息很是郑重其事，而且是经常性的。很难判断工作的强度，但英国人令人明显地感觉到他们的工作更加轻闲。
所有这些岂不是糟糕透顶吗？（５９）这当然不会提高国民生产总值或是每个工人的产出量。然而，那些参观者也注意到了英国的另一面。这是一个令人愉快的地方。

在斯德哥尔摩，街道十分拥挤。巴黎和纽约的人们在一片匆忙中默默向前奔走着。伦敦的人群则倾向于以一种自在的步伐行走（除了在有利润可赚的高效城金融区中）。

所有的外国人都会为英国人在排队等车时那种耐心而有序的方式而震惊；如果女售货员动作不快而东西又卖完了，她很可能会说，“噢天哪，真遗憾”。收破烂的人会停下来相互闲聊，并且和家庭妇女叫“亲爱的”。这儿也有犯罪事件发生，像在所有的城市一样，但在这儿却有一种与柏林、米兰或是底特律不同的温和的氛围

简言之，英国不好的地方也许就正是它的好处所在。在可以忍受的标准下，（６０）英国人看来对休闲比对货物更感兴趣。
５６、在英国的工会之前发生了对就业机会的争执时，结果会怎样？
Ａ）３３％的工人会失业　　　　　　　
Ｂ）会雇用比所需要的更多的人
Ｃ）政府会创造更多的就业机会　　　　
Ｄ）工会将努力提高生产力

５７、那位曾参观过全欧洲各地工厂的记者怎样看待英国？
Ａ）茶点休息并不影响英国的工作强度　
Ｂ）英国人以一种不慌不忙的方式工作
Ｃ）在欧洲大陆工作节奏比英国慢得多　
Ｄ）英国人给人工作强度大的感觉

５８、“茶点休息很是郑重其事”表示___________
Ａ）茶点休息是英国式生活的重要方面　
Ｂ）英国工人非常喜欢茶点休息
Ｃ）工人们可以以茶点休息为借口少工作一会
Ｄ）茶点休息有助于工人这间保持良好关系

５９、“this”这个词（第三段第１行）指这样一种事实，即________
Ａ）在所有给定的工作中所用的人都比实际需要的要多
Ｂ）多用３３％的人导致生产力水平降低了３３％
Ｃ）很难判断工作强度　　　　　　　　
Ｄ）英国人通常不愿工作过分卖力

６０、作者使用“英国不好的地方也许就正是它的好处所在”这句话（第六段第１－２行）是为了说明___________
Ａ）工会之间的争执有助创造就业机会
Ｂ）轻闲的生活方式有助于英国人提高生产力
Ｃ）英国人民温和的态度和脾气使英国成为一个令人愉快的地方
Ｄ）英国人不会牺牲他们的休闲来进一步提高生产力