Interviewer: Albert White is a driver on the London Underground. Albert, tell us about a typical working day in your job.Albert: Well, if you’re on the morning shift, you might have to get up as early as four to be at work by five, you know, which is when the first train leaves. But, you know, not all the trains starting that early, er … they leave every ten minutes or so up to about 7. So if you’re driving a later train, you wouldn’t report for work until, oh … you know, 6:45 … in the case of driving at 7 o’clock. But … it all depends, you know. You know, I find the work itself is quite tiring. Even though you’re sitting down all the time, you have to remain alert the whole time and it’s a big responsibility because there are only two or three minutes between each station. This means you’re always starting and stopping or accelerating and slowing down. I … I wouldn’t say it’s a very healthy job, really, you know because … you know, the lack of air and lack of ventilation. You know, although the line I’m on at the moment, it runs as much above ground as it does below ground. You know, it’s quite nice out in the country there sometimes. But … er … more because of… er … because of the strain on the nerves is the health thing really. It’s the strain on the nerves. You get … er … headaches quite often. On the whole, though, I don’t mind the work. Though I don’t suppose I … I don’t really enjoy it. I don’t mind being on my own most of the time, you know. You get a chance to chat to your mates in the refreshments breaks you get between journey. But … er … I suppose the advantage of the work is that you … you don’t have to answer to anyone. You know, you’re your own boss, there’s no one telling you what to do the whole time.Interviewer: What’s the pay likeAlbert: Oh, the pay is very good. I think it’s very fair for what … for what we do. And the other advantage is if you’re on the morning shift you’re free the whole afternoon, you know, with my hobbies and … er … all that kind of thing, helping the wife out with the shopping, it’s great. But if you’re on the evening work it can be a real problem.Interviewer: Why … why is thatAlbert: Well … you know, because you’re too tired, you know, working and this means you can’t spend … er … time with your mates except on your days off, as well, that’s another thing. I … I suppose I get about two days off a week, sometimes three. And four weeks holiday. You … you try to take the … er … the family to the seaside on one of those weeks, really. Because, you know, I get er … I get free travel anywhere in London for my family, and myself that’s another thing. So on rest days we try to go out for the day with the family if the weather’s nice and we take a picnic to the park or something like that. Interviewer: Well, thank you very much, Albert. Next we have Gordon Spencer, who is the well-known author of best-selling thrillers. His latest thriller is Mirror Image, which is just out in paperback, Gordon, would you tell us how you spend a typical working dayGordon: Yes, indeed, the … er … I suppose the only time I ever stick to a really strict routine is when I’m actually writing a book. I suppose I get up at six, yes, it’s always fairly early, have breakfast, swim and then off I go to my writing hut which is about five miles from home.Interviewer: A writing hutGordon: Yes, it’s marvelous, you see. It’s a little place where I can actually shut myself away, be absolutely private and quiet. There’s no telephone or anything like that and I can really concentrate on writing.Interviewer: Oh, I see.Gordon: Er … work, yes, well, I suppose it starts round about … about seven and I make rough drafts in longhand and…er…type up these drafts every day immediately afterwards. You see. I don’t leave anything over until the next day. I always sort of complete what I’m doing on the day. Now the books,as you’ll know if you’ve read them,are always based very carefullyInterviewer:I think that’s quite evident from the sort of stories that you write.Gordon:Well,I have notebooks absolutely chock full of information about people and places kept locked away in the writing hut. I keep them all in a big safe there. Now. 1 work through the day for about eight hours and I stop only to make tea or have some biscuits or something like that. And then I stop at 3 o’clock. And stop at 3 O’clock and home I go,home I go cycle home and I have a swim and a…and a sauna.Interviewer:I expect you need it after that,don’t youGordon:At…er…5 o’clock,you see,I then eat. My wife’s got the meal ready. And,er… well,after that we settle down and relax a bit.Interviewer:And what sort of time do you go to bed What time does your day actuallyGordon:Oh,I suppose,not too late,about 10 o’clock if I’ve got to be up at…er…6 the next morning.Interviewer:Mm. How long on average would you say it takes you to write a bookGordon:Well now, the actual writing of a book takes,what,about 5 or 6 weeks,I suppose if you…if I work 7 days a week. Er…my output is one book a year and that’s always in July and August. And the best of the year I spend…well, what do I spend…I spend it relaxing at home or traveling abroad doing research for the next one.Interviewer:I see,well,thank you very much,Gordon Spencer.Gordon:A pleasure. Which shift does Albert prefer working on
Directions: For each numbered blank in, the following passage there are four choices marked A, B, C and D listed below. Choose the correct answer.Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change (1) the years within the same society, how certain behavior and attitudes (2) considered taboo can become perfectly (3) and natural (4) another point in time. Topics such as death, fro example, were once considered so (5) and unpleasant that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the (6) of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more (7) of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, (8) a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject. One of the newest taboos in American society is the topic of fat. (9) many other taboos, fat is a topic that Americans talk about constantly. It’s not taboo to talk about fat; it’s taboo to fat. The " (10) " look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, trim executives to sell their (11) as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought (12) as lazy and (13) in energy, self-discipline and self-respect. After all, people think, how can people who care about themselves, and therefore the way. they look, permit themselves to become fat In an image-conscious society like the U. S. , thin is "in", fat is "out". It’s not surprising, then, that millions of Americans have become (14) with staying slim and "in shape". The (15) of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, their sole reason for America’s obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the (16) importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style Of North Americans has changed dramatically during the course of the last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor that people were once forced to do (17) hand. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people’s bodies can easily become weak and (18) to disease. In an effort to avoid such a fate, millions of Americans are spending more of their time exercising. The effect of this new appreciation of the importance of exercise is evident: parks are filled with runners and bicyclists, physical education programs are enjoying a newly found (19) , and many companies are providing special exercise (20) for their employees to use during the work day.
A. prestige
B. presence
C. superiority
D. prestigious