Social mobility is the extent to which _____________ can move out of the strata into

A.Because it is the vehicle that represents resourcefulness

B.Because the car is blue

C.Because it gives Eddoes his social status

D.Because it is the vehicle that represents mobility

d to be shorter and more casual than friendships among people from other cultures.It is not uncommon for Americans to have only one close friend during their lifetime, and consider other “friends” to be just social acquaintances.This attitude probably has something to do with American mobility and the fact that Americans do not like to be dependent on other people.They tend to “compartmentalize” (划分) friendships, having “friends at work”, “friends on the softball team”, “family friends”, etc.

Because the United States is a highly active society, full of movement and change, people always seem to be on the go.In this highly charged atmosphere, Americans can sometimes seem brusque (无礼的) or impatient.They want to get to know you as quickly as possible and then move on to something else.Sometimes, early on, they will ask you questions that you may feel are very personal.No insult is intended; the questions usually grow out of their genuine interest or curiosity, and their impatience to get to the heart of the matter.And the same goes for you.If you do not understand certain American behavior. or you want to know more about them, do not hesitate to ask them questions about themselves.Americans are usually eager to explain all about their country or anything “American” in which you may be interested.So much so in fact that you may become tired of listening.It doesn't matter, because Americans tend to be uncomfortable with silence during a conversation.They would rather talk about the weather or the latest sports scores, for example, than deal with silence.

On the other hand, don't expect Americans to be knowledgeable about international geography or world affairs, unless those subjects directly involve the United States.Because the United States is not surrounded by many other nations, some Americans tend to ignore the rest of the world.

1.The general topic of the passage is （）.

A.American culture B.American society

C.Americans' activitiesD.Americans' personality

2.Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage？

A.Americans do not like to depend on other people.

B.Friendships among Americans tend to be casual.

C.Americans know a lot about international affairs.

D.Americans always seem to be on the go.

3.The phrase “highly charged” (Passage 2) most probably means （）.

A.extremely freeB.highly responsible

C.very cheerful D.full of mobility and change

4.It can be inferred from the passage that （）.

A.Americans want to participate in all kinds of activities

B.Americans' character is affected by their social and geographical environment

C.Americans do not know how to deal with silence

D.Curiosity is characteristic of Americans

5.According to the passage, Americans tend to ignore the rest of the world because （）.

A.they are not interested in other countries

B.they are too proud of themselves

C.their country does not have many neighboring nations

D.they are too busy to learn about other countries

Why will business transformation remain a buzzword of the moment？

A.Because channel firms of all stripes continue to assess the direction of their companies in the age of cloud computing, mobility, managed services, big data, social median and other market and technology forces.

B.Because each segment of this technology framework has contributed to economic growth and the well being of society.

C.Because the magnificent advances in medicine, transportation, safety, manufacturing, agriculture, media and communication are almost difficult to comprehend.

D.Because globalization, driven largely by technology, becomes ever more pervasive and influential with each passing year.

to be shorter and more casual than friendships among people from other cultures. It is not uncommon for Americans to have only one close friend during their lifetime, and consider other "friends" to be just social acquaintances. This attitude probably has something to do with American mobility and the fact that Americans do not like to be dependent on other people. They tend to "compartmentalize" (划分) friendships, having "friends at work", "friends on the softball team", "family friends", etc..

Because the United States is a highly active society, full of movement and change, people always seem to be on the go. In this highly charged atmosphere, Americans can sometimes seem brusque (无礼的) or impatient. They want to get to know you as quickly as possible and then move on to something else. Sometimes, early on, they will ask you questions that you may feel are very personal. No insult is intended; the questions usually grow out of their genuine interest or curiosity, and their impatience to get to the heart of the matter. And the same goes for you. If you do not understand certain American behavior. or you want to know more about them, do not hesitate to ask them questions about themselves. Americans are usually eager to explain all about their country or anything "American" in which you may be interested. So much so in fact that you may become tired of listening. It doesn't matter because Americans tend to be uncomfortable with silence during a conversation. They would rather talk about the weather or the latest sports scores, for example, than deal with silence.

On the other hand, don't expect Americans to be knowledgeable about international geography or world affairs, unless those subjects directly involve the United States. Because the United States is not surrounded by many other nations, some Americans tend to ignore the rest of the world.

The general topic of the passage is______.

A．American culture

B．American society

C．Americans' activities

D．Americans' personality

precedented change in the nation's economy would bring social chaos. In the years following 1820 after several decades of relative stability the economy entered a period of sustained and extremely rapid growth that continued to the end of the nineteenth century. Accompanying that growth was a structural change that featured increasing economic diversification and a gradual shift in the nation's labor force from agriculture to manufacturing and other nonagricultural pursuits.

Although the birth rate continued to decline from its high level of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the population roughly doubled every generation during the rest of the nineteenth century. As the population grew, its make up also changed. Massive waves of immigration brought new ethnic groups into the country. Geographic and social mobility — downward as well as upward — touched almost everyone. Local studies indicate that nearly three quarters of the population in the North and South, in the emerging cities — the Northeast and in the restless rural counties of the West — changed their residence each decade. As a consequence, historian David Donald has written, "Social atomization affected every segment of society," and it seemed to many people that "all the recognized values of orderly civilization were gradually being eroded.

Rapid industrialization and increased geographic mobility in the nineteenth century had special implications for women because these changes tended to magnify social distinctions. As the roles of men and women played in society became more rigidly defined, so did the roles they played in the home. In the context of extreme competitiveness and dizzying social change, the household lost many of its earlier functions and the home came to serve as a haven of tranquility and order. As the size of families decreased, the roles of husband and wife became more clearly differentiated than ever before. In the middle class especially, men participated in the productive economy while women ruled the home and served as the custodians of civility and culture. The intimacy of marriage that was common in earlier periods was rent, and a gulf that at times seemed unbridgeable was created between husbands and wives.

What does the passage mainly discuss？

A．The economic development of the United States in the eighteenth century.

B．Ways in which economic development led to social changes in the United States.

C．Population growth in the western United States.

D．The increasing availability of industrial jobs for women in the United States.

e complicated. Many of life's problems which were solved by asking family members, friends or colleagues are beyond the capability of the extended family to resolve. Where to turn for expert information and how to determine which expert advice to accept are questions facing many people today.

In addition to this, there is the growing mobility of people since World War II. As families move away from their stable community, their friends of many years, their extended family relationships, the informal flow of information is cut off, and with it the confidence that information will be available when needed and will be trustworthy and reliable has lost. The almost unconscious flow of information about the simplest aspects of living can be cut off. Thus, things once learned subconsciously through the casual communications of the extended family must be consciously learned.

Adding to social changes today is an enormous stockpile of information, The individual now has more information available than any generation, and the task of finding that one piece of information relevant to his or her specific problem is complicated, time-consuming and sometimes even overwhelming.

Coupled with the growing quantity of information is the development of technologies which enable the storage and delivery of more information with greater speed to more locations than has ever been possible before. Computer technology makes it possible to store vast amounts of data in machine-readable files, and to program computers to locate specific information, Telecommunications developments enable the sending of messages via television, radio, and very shortly, electronic mail to bombard people with multitudes of messages. Satellites have extended the power of communications to report events at the instant of occurrence. Expertise can be shared worldwide through teleconferencing, and problems in dispute can be settled without the participants leaving their homes and/or jobs to travel to a distant conference site. Technology has facilitated the sharing of information and the storage and delivery of information, thus making more information available to more people.

In this world of change and complexity, the need for information is of greatest importance. Those people who have accurate, reliable up-to-date information to solve the day-to-day problems, the critical problems of their business, social and family life, will survive and succeed. "Knowledge is power" may well be the truest saying and access to information may be the most critical requirement of all people.

The word "it" (Line 3, Para. 2) most probably refers to ______.

A．the lack of stable communities

B．the breakdown of informal information channels

C．the increased mobility of families

D．the growing number of people moving from place to place

s are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn't the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe's new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, real-estate developers and ad executives alike. The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the "irresistible momentum of individualism" over the last century. The communications revolution, the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on Europeans' private byes.

Europe's new economic climate has largely fosterd the trend toward independence, the current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe's shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American-style. capitalism. Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice, today's tech-savvy workers have embraced a free market in love as well as economics. Modern Europeans are rich enough to afford to live alone, and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so.

Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage-twentysometing professionals or widowed senior citizens, while pensioners, particularly elderly women, make up a large proportion of those living alone, the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle. choice. Living alone was conceived to be negative-dark and cold, while being together suggested warmth and light. But then came along the idea of singles. They were young, beautiful, strong! Now, young people want to live alone.

The booming economy means people are working harder than ever. And that doesn't leave much room for relationships. Pirnpi Arroyo, a 35-year-old composer who lives alone in a house in Paris, says he hasn't got time to get lonely becanse he has too much work. "I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult. Only an Iddeal Woman would make him change his lifestyle," he says. Kaufmann, author of a recent book called "The Single Woman and Prince Charming", thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expext morn and more of mates, so relationships don't last long--if they start at all. Eppendorf, a blond Berliner with a deep tan, teaches grade school in the mornings. In the afternoon she sunbarthes or sleeps, resting up for going dancing. Just shy of 50, she says she'd never have wanted to do what her mother did--give up a career to raise a family. Instead, "I've always done what I wanted to do: live a self-determined life."

More and more young Europeans remain single because ______.

A．they have entered the workforce at a much earlier age

B．they are pessimistic about their economic future

C．they have embraced a business culture of stability

D．they are driven by an overwhelming sense of individualism

r 35 million Americans have physical,【C2】______ , or other disabilities. About half of these disabilities are "developmental", i.e., they【C3】______ prior to the individual's twenty second birthday, often from genetic conditions, and are【C4】______ enough to affect three or more areas of development, such as mobility, communication, employment, etc. Most other disabilities are considered "adventitious", i.e.,【C5】______ or caused by outside forces.

Prior to the 20th century, only a small percent age of people with disabilities【C6】______ for long. Medical treatment for these disabilities was【C7】______ Advancements in medicine and social services have【C8】______ a climate in which people with disabilities can expect to have such basic needs as food, shelter, and medical treatment.【C9】______ , these basics are often not available.【C10】 ______ liberties such as the right to vote, marry, get an education, and gain employment have historically been【C11】______ on the basis of disability.

In recent decades, the disability rights movement has been organized to fight【C12】______ these infringements (侵害) of civil right. Congress responded by passing major【C13】______ recognizing people with disabilities【C14】 ______ a protected class under civil rights statutes.

【C15】______ today, people with disabilities must fight to live their lives independently. It is estimated that more than half of qualified Americans with disabilities are unemployed, and a【C16】______ of those who do work are underemployed. About two-thirds live at or below the official poverty level.

Significant barriers, especially in transportation and public【C17】______ , prevent disabled people from taking part in society. For example, while no longer【C18】______ by law from marrying, a person with no【C19】______ to transportation is effectively excluded from community and social activities Which might lead to the development of long-term relationships.

It will only be when public attitude advance as far as laws have【C20】______ disabled people will be fully able to take their rightful place in society.

【C1】

A．estimated

B．eliminated

C．evaluated

D．esteemed

th to adulthood is now a quarter of amillion dollars and projected to double by the time today&39;s toddlers reach their teens.

Will having kids soon be out of reach economically formany American families？ A recent report from the Center for American Progress found that middle-class families are feeling an unprecedented economic squeeze- caught between stagnating wages and the exploding cost of basics like housing, health care and children&39;s education. Most families, it seems, are getting by on less and living closer to the financial edge to help their kids grow up healthy and get ahead.

The most striking growth in costs to families has beenin child care, where expenses have climbed about $200 annually in each of thelast dozen years, with nearly ten fold growth since the 1960s. Child care, on average, consumes $1 of every $5 in a family&39;s budget and exceeds the typical rent in every state.

In terms of their kids&39; health, families increasingly have to choose between treating their children&39;s medical needs and paying household bills. Despite gains in the percentage of children with health insurance, per capita medical spending on kids has quietly ballooned faster than for any other age group, with families paying more for premiums and steeper out-of-pocket expenses.

For evidence to suggest that middle-class parents might already be getting priced out of parenthood, look to the national birth rate. It fell sharply in the recession but, unlike in previous economicre bounds, has continued to drop. This makes sense in financial context, given that most families haven&39;t seen their incomes grow since the recovery began andthe median net worth of households has actually fallen below what it was 15years ago. Most families today don&39;t have enough saved to meet basic needs for three months, let alone save for college or retirement.

For folks in the middle class, the economic calculus of raising kids must be daunting. Not only are the costs unaffordable, but parents also face a harsh ultimatum: "Keep up with the Gateses" or risk your children&39;s health, achievement and long-term well-being.

Higher-income families spend six times more than working-class families on child care and educational resources, such ashigh-quality day care, summer camps, computers and private schools, which are increasingly indispensable investments in long-term success. This spendingine quity has tripled over the last four decades and is only accelerating, which is likely to widen the achievement gap, creating a vicious cycle.

The public education infrastructure, designed generations ago to drive a strong economy and give every child an equal footing for success, is crumbling from neglect - stuck between those who argue for repair and those who argue for redesign. As a consequence, it is unable to prepare most kids for the new economy. The statistics are grim: Two-thirds of preschoolers don&39;t have access to high-quality child care, two-thirds of public school students fail to meet math and language proficiency by eighth grade, and two-thirds of public high schoolers aren&39;t ready for college when they graduate.

To solve these problems we have increasingly relied on a public safety net designed to catch what used to be a small number of kids falling through the cracks. But over the last 50 years those cracks have become chasms. When funding constraints force programs such as Early Head Start toenroll just 4 percent of eligible children needing early intervention and half of pediatricians opt out of accepting kids on Medicaid, these are clear signsthat it&39;s time to rethink our approach.

These economic realities are contributing to a swift loss of academic opportunity, health prospects and upward mobility among children whose parents cannot afford to spend top dollar. With this de factoeconomic segregation of opportunity leaving working families in the economic dust, we are risking the prosperity and social mobility of our kids for yearsto come.

We should be reinvesting in working families and modernizing our public infrastructure. Not only would this make parenthood more feasible, it also makes good economic sense. We know that investing early in kids yields considerable savings by reducing chronic health problems, building stable families and increasing earning potential.The opportunity to raise healthy, smart and successful kids shouldn&39;t be an economic luxury. It&39;s time we made parenthood affordable again by investing more in kids and families.Given that what&39;s at stake is the success of our country, the alternative is unaffordable.

A.on

B.with

C.by

D.in