Passage OneAnyone who doubts that global financial markets control national economies need only look at the crisis facing the "tigers" of the Far East. Last year, the value of their currencies dropped rapidly, after investors decided that their economic policies were not strong enough; now the region is suffering slower growth, lower living standards and rising unemployment.The situation in Asia shows how power has shifted from individual governments to the markets. In theory, governments are free to set their own economic policies; in practice, they must conform to a global economic model or risk being penalized by the markets.Adjusting to this new "economic order" is proving difficult. In the developed world, and in particular the European Union, globalization is facing widespread public resistance. Critics complain that, without the protection of trade barriers, jobs are being lost to workers in poorer countries, and wages for employees in rich countries are falling. Opponents in the European Union point to the effects that globalization has had in the U.S. and Britain. In those countries, wages are stagnant—except for a few privileged--and taxes and welfare benefits have been reduced to help companies compete with industries in the developing world.Those in favor of globalization accuse their critics of being shortsighted protectionists. They claim that a more integrated global economy will ultimately benefit everyone because it will enable countries to specialize in those areas where they perform best. Developing countries, with their higher populations and lower wages, will concentrate on labor-intensive industries. The richer countries, on the other hand, will diversify into high-tech industries, where high productivity and specialist knowledge are paramount. The effect of this will be to improve productivity in all countries, leading to higher living standards. The free movement of capital will also help poorer countries develop so that they can play a full and active role in the world economy.But how close are we to a truly global economy For those in favor of globalization, probably too close. But in terms of real economic integration, there are still many problems to be solved. A global economy would mean complete freedom of movement of goods and services, capital, and labor. Yet, even ignoring the tariffs and other restrictions still in place, cross-border trade remains tiny as compared with the volume of goods and services traded within countries; foreign investment is also extremely small, amounting to little more than five percent of the developed world’s domestic investments.But what is really holding globalization back is the lack of labor mobility. Labor markets remain overwhelmingly national~ even in areas like the European Union, where citizens can live and work in any EU country. The main reasons for this are language and cultural barriers; the lack of internationally recognized qualifications; and, in some cases, strict immigration controls. The main opposition to globalization is that ().
A. taxes and welfare in the developed countries are reduced without protection of trade barriers
B. there are too great economic differences between rich and poor countries
C. globalization is beneficial to the developing countries only
D. high productivity and specialist knowledge are not suitable to labor-intensive industries
Passage TwoMale chauvinism—the attitude that women are the passive and inferior servants of society and of men—sets women apart from the rest of the working class. Even when they do the same work as men, women are not considered workers in the same sense, with the need and right to work to provide for their families or to support themselves independently. They are expected to accept work at lower wages and without job security. Thus they can be used as a marginal or reserve labor force when profits depend on extra low costs or when men are needed for war.Women are not supposed to be independent, so they are not supposed to have any "right to work". This means, in effect, that although they do work, they are denied the right to organize and fight for better wages and conditions. Thus the role of women in the labor force undermines the struggles of male workers as well. The boss can break a union drive by threatening to hire lower paid women or blacks. In many cases, where women are organized, the union contract reinforces their inferior position, making women the least loyal and militant union members. (Standard Oil workers in San Francisco recently paid the price of male supremacy. Women at Standard Oil have the least chance for advancement and decent pay, and the union has done little to fight this. Not surprisingly, women formed the core of the back to work move that eventually broke the strike.)In general, because women are defined as docile, helpless, and inferior, they are forced into the most demeaning and mind rotting jobs—from scrubbing floors to filing cards—under the most oppressive conditions where they are treated like children or slaves. Their very position reinforces the idea, even among the women themselves, that they are fit for and should be satisfied with this kind of work.Apart from the direct, material exploitation of women, male supremacy acts in more subtle ways to undermine class consciousness. The tendency of male workers to think of themselves primarily as men (i.e., powerful) rather than as workers (i.e., members of an oppressed group) promotes a false sense of privilege and power, and an identification with the world of men, including the boss. The petty dictatorship which most men exercise over their wives and families enables them to vent their anger and frustration in a way which poses no challenge to the system. The role of the man in the family reinforces aggressive individualism, authoritarianism, and a hierarchical view of social relations—values which are fundamental to the perpetuation (不朽) of capitalism. In this system we are taught to relieve our fears and frustrations by brutalizing those weaker than we are: a man in uniform turns into a pig; the foreman intimidates the man on the line; the husband beats his wife, child, and dog. Unfair working status of women also produces negative effects on men in that ().
A. men face the threat of being replaced by low wage women
B. men have to deal with women’s complaints all the time
C. women’s low income often irritate their husbands
D. women’s inferior working condition worries their husbands
According to the speaker, the basis of British habits of politeness is______.
A. The fact that they observe principles strictly.
B. The colonist empire they founded.
C. The bravery and courage they showed in wars.
D. The precious art works from other countries in the British Museum.
The invention of both labor-saving tools and tools of intelligence is rarely accidental. Instead, it is usually the product of human need; (1) is truly the mother of invention. People usually devise tools to (2) for natural deficiencies. For example, people invented weapons to defend (3) from physically superior (4) . But (5) is only one incentive for inventions. People also invent (6) tools to (7) certain established tasks more efficiently. For instance, people developed the bow and arrow from the (8) spear or javelin in order to shoot (9) and strike with greater strength.(10) civilizations developed, greater work efficiency came to be demanded, and (11) tools became more (12) . A tool would (13) a function until it proved (14) in meeting human needs, at which point an improvement would be made. One impetus for invention has always been the (15) for speed and high-quality results—provided they are achieved (16) reasonable costs. Stone pebbles were sufficient to account for small quantities of possessions, (17) they were not efficient enough for performing sophisticated mathematics. However, beads arranged systematically evolved into the abacus. The (18) of this tool can be (19) to the development of commerce in the East around 3000 B.C. and the abacus is known (20) by the ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, Chinese, etc.. 19()
A. trailed
B. traced
C. trapped
D. tested