Part II Reading Comprehension
　　(35 minutes)
　　irections: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.
　　Passage One
　　Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
　　I’m usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concluded that today’s children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
　　Why are America’s kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation—brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other things—and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
　　Given that we can’t turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation cope.
　　At the top of the list is nurturing (培育) a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
Limit the amount of virtual (虛擬的) violence your children are exposed to. It’s not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
　　Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.
　　Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesn’t have to ruin your life.
　　21. The author thinks that the conclusions of any research about people’s state of mind are ________.
　　A) surprising B) confusing C) illogical D) questionable
　　22. What does the author mean when he says, “we can’t turn the clock back” (Line 1, Para. 3)?
　　A) It’s impossible to slow down the pace of change.
　　B) The social reality children are facing cannot be changed.
　　C) Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten.
　　D) It’s impossible to forget the past.{來源：考{試大}
　　23. According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentally ill 50 years ago ________.
　　A) were less isolated physically
　　B) were probably less self-centered
　　C) probably suffered less from anxiety
　　D) were considered less individualistic
　　24. The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is ________.
　　A) to provide them with a safer environment
　　B) to lower their expectations for them
　　C) to get them more involved socially
　　D) to set a good model for them to follow
　　25. What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
　　A) Anxiety, though unavoidable, can be coped with.
　　B) Children’s anxiety has been enormously exaggerated.
　　C) Children’s anxiety can be eliminated with more parental care.
　　D) Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature.
　　Passage Two
　　Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
　　It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints (約束) influence wage increases. One thing, however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don’t at least ask for it. Men tend to ask for more, and they get more, and this holds true with other resources, not just pay increases. Consider Beth’s story:
　　I did not get what I wanted when I did not ask for it. We had cubicle (小隔間) offices
　　and window offices. I sat in the cubicles with several male colleagues. One by one they were moved into window offices, while I remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to offices. One in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the job. I guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since I did not voice my opinion either way.
　　It would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit, but “nice” isn’t a quality attributed to most organizations. If you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you’ll probably have to ask for it.
　　Performance is your best bargaining chip (籌碼) when you are seeking a raise. You must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. Timing is also a good bargaining chip. If you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are being made, you are more likely to get the raise you want.
　　Use information as a bargaining chip too. Find out what you are worth on the open market. What will someone else pay for your services?
　　Go into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared to use communication style to guide the direction of the interaction.
　　26. According to the passage, before taking a job, a person should ________.
　　A) demonstrate his capability
　　B) give his boss a good impression
　　C) ask for as much money as he can
　　D) ask for the salary he hopes to get
　　27. What can be inferred from Beth’s story?
　　A) Prejudice against women still exists in some organizations.
　　B) If people want what they deserve, they have to ask for it.
　　C) People should not be content with what they have got.
　　D) People should be careful when negotiating for a job.
　　28. We can learn from the passage that ________.
　　A) unfairness exists in salary increases
　　B) most people are overworked and underpaid
　　C) one should avoid overstating one’s performance
　　D) most organizations give their staff automatic pay raises
　　29. To get a pay raise, a person should ________.
　　A) advertise himself on the job marketwww.Ｅxamda.CoM考試就上考試大
　　B) persuade his boss to sign a long-term contract
　　C) try to get inside information about the organization
　　D) do something to impress his boss just before merit pay decisions
　　30. To be successful in negotiations, one must ________.
　　A) meet his boss at the appropriate time
　　B) arrive at the negotiation table punctually
　　C) be good at influencing the outcome of the interaction
　　D) be familiar with what the boss likes and dislikes

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