考博閱讀理解2

The economy of theUnited states after 1952 was the econnomy of a well-fed,almost fully employedpeople. Despit occasional alarms, the country escaped any postwar depressionand lived in a state of boom. A n economic survey of the year 1955, a typicalyear of the 1950’s, may be typical as illustrating the rapid economic growth ofthe decade. The national output was value at 10 percent above that of 1954(1955 output was estimated at 392 billion dollars). The production ofmanufacturers was about 40 percent more than it had averaged in the yearsimmediately following World War 2. The country’s business spent about 30billiondollars for new factories and machinery. National income available for spendingwas almost a third greater than it had been it had been in 1950. Consumersspent about 256 billion dollars; that is about 700 million dollars a day ,orabout twenty-five million dollars every hour , all round the clock. Sixty-fivemillion people held jobs and only a little more than two million wanted jobsbut could not find them . Only agriculture complained that it was not sharingin the room. To some observers this was an ominous echo of the mid-1920’s . Asfarmer’s shre of their products declined , marketing costs rose. But there were, among the observers of the national economy, a few who were not as confidentas the majority . Those few seemed to fear that the boom could not last andwould eventually lead to the oppsite-depression.
1.What is the best title of the passage?
a.The Agriculatural Trends of 1950’s
b.The Unemployment Rate of 1950’s
c.U.S. Economy in the 50’s
d.The Federal Budget of 1952
2.In Line 3, the word “boom” could best be replaced by______.
a.nearby explosion
b.thunderous noise
c.general public support
d.rapid economic growth
3.It can be inferred the national from the passage that most people in the UnitedStates in 1955 viewed the national economy with an air of _________.
a.confidence
b.confusion
c.disappointment
d.suspicion
4.Which of the following were LEAST satisfied with the national economy in the1950’s?
a.Economists
b.Frmaers
c.Politicians
d.Steelworkers
5.The passage states that incom available for spending in the U.S. was greater in1955 than in 1950 . How much was it ?
a.60%
b.50%
c.33%
d.90%
參考答案：1-5 cdabc

I live in the land ofDisney, Hollywood and year-round sun. You may think people in such a glamorous,fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideasabout the nature of happiness.
Manyintelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun andhappiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during anact. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more abidingemotion.
Goingto an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are funactivities that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe evenlaugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end whenthe fun ends.
Ihave often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teachus that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individualshave constant access to glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes,everything that spells “happiness”. But in memoir after memoir, celebritiesreveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism,drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and profound loneliness.
Aska bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less andless satisfying. If he’s honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making acommitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filledwith fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are notits most distinguishing features.
Similarly,couples that choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless funover painful happiness. They can dine out ever they want and sleep as late asthey want. Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleepor a three-day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word funto describe raising children.