第二篇
The English Weather
"Other countries have a climate：in England we have weather." This statement，often made by Englishmen to describe the strange weather conditions of their country，is both revealing and true. It is revealing because in it we see the Englishman insisting once again that what happens in England is not the same as what happens elsewhere. Its truth can be proved by any foreigner who stays in the country for longer than a few days.
In no country other than England，it has been said，can one experience four seasons in the course of a single day! Day may break as a warm spring morning an hour or so later black clouds may have appeared from nowhere and the rain may be pouring down。At midday it may be really winter with the temperature down by about eight degrees or more centigrade(攝氏度). And then，in the late afternoon the sky will clear，the sun will begin to shine，and for an hour or two before darkness falls，it will be summer. 醫(yī)學(xué)全在,線f1411.cn
In England one can experience almost every kind of weather except the most extreme. (Some foreigners seem to be under the impression that for ten months of the year the country is covered by a dense blanket of fog；this is not true. )The problem is that we never can be sure when the different types of weather will occur. Not only do we get several different sorts of weather in one day，but we may very well get a spell（持續(xù)的一段時(shí)間)of winter in summer and a spell of summer in winter.
The uncertainty about the weather has had a definite effect upon the Englishman's character. It tends to make him cautious(小心謹(jǐn)慎的)，for example. The foreigner may laugh when he sees the Englishman setting forth on a brilliantly sunny morning wearing a raincoat and carrying an umbrella，but he may well regret his laughter later in the day!
And，of course，the weather's variety provides a constant topic of conversation. Even the most taciturn(沉默寡言的)of Englishmen is always prepared to discuss the weather. And，though he sometimes complains bitterly of it，he would not，even. if he could，exchange it for the more predictable climate of other lands.
36 "other countries have a climate; in Eng1and we have weather." This statement suggests that
A other countries do not have fine weather.
B you cannot experience four seasons in a year in England.
C the weather in England often changes and is therefore unique.
D the weather in England never changes. 醫(yī)學(xué)全在,線f1411.cn
37 A special feature of the weather in England is that
A you can experience four seasons every day throughout the year.
B it does not have four seasons as other countries do.
C winter there is the coldest in the world.
D you may experience different types of weather in a single day.
38 What makes the Englishman cautious，according to the passage?
A The foreigner's laughter. f1411.cn
B The cold weather in winter.
C The uncertainty about the weather.
D The predictable climate. f1411.cn
39 Which of the following statements is NOT true of the weather in England?
A England is covered by heavy fog for ten months of the year.
B It tends to make the Englishman cautious.
C One cannot be sure when the different types of weather will occur.
D You may have a spell of winter in summer.
40 The word "lands" in the last sentence could best be replaced by
A "soil".
B "earth".
C "countries".
D "parts".
第三篇
Lifetime Employment in Japanese Companies
In most large Japanese companies，there is a policy of lifetime employment. What this means is that when people leave school or university to join an enterprise，they can expect to remain with that organization until they retire. In effect，the employee gets job security for lire，and can only be fired for serious mistakes in work. Even in times of business recession，he or she is free from the fear of being 1aid off. f1411.cn
One result of this practice is that the Japanese worker identifies closely with his company and feels strong loyalty to it. By working hard for the company，he believes he is safeguarding his Own future. It is not surprising that devotion to one's company is considered a great virtue in Japan. A man is often prepared to put his firm's interests before those of his immediate family.
The j ob security guaranteed by this system influences the way employees approach their work. They tend to think in terms of what they can achieve throughout their career. This is because they are not judged on how they are performing during a short period of time. They can afford to take a longer perspective than their Western counterparts.
This marriage between the employee and the company-the consequence of lifetime employment--may explain why Japanese workers seem positively to love the products their company is producing and why they are willing to stay on after work，for little overtime pay，to participate in earnest discussions about the quality control of their products.
41 Lifetime employment in the Japanese company means that the employee
A leaves his company only when business is bad.
B gets a job soon after he leaves school or university.
C can work there throughout his career.
D can have his serious mistakes in work corrected.
42 Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
A Family and company interests are equally important•
B The Japanese worker is very loyal to his company•
C One's future is guaranteed through hard work.
D Devotion to one's company is encouraged.
43 Lifetime employment influences one's
A achievements at work. f1411.cn
B performance at work.
C career options. 醫(yī)學(xué)全在線,搜集整,理f1411.cn
D attitude toward work.
44 The Japanese worker is fond of his company's products because of
A his marriage with the daughter of the president.
B the close link between him and his company.
C his willingness to work overtime.
D his active participation in quality control.
45 The passage mainly discusses醫(yī)學(xué)全在,線f1411.cn
A how lifetime employment works in Japan.
B what benefits lifetime employment has brought to Japanese workers.
C what lifetime employment is.
D how lifetime employment is viewed.
