Traditional methods of teaching no longer suffice in this technological world.Currentl

Companies often find it easy to adapt to the rapid technological change in the world.

A．Right

B．Wrong

C．Doesn't Say

U.S. No Longer Tallest Country in the World

America used to be the tallest country in the world. From the days of the founding fathers right on through the industrial revolution and two world wars, Americans literally towered over other nations. In a land of boundless open spaces and limitless natural abundance, the young nation transformed its increasing wealth into human growth. However, just as it has in so many other arenas, America's predominance in height has faded. Americans reached a height plateau after World War II, gradually falling behind the rest of the world as it continued growing taller.

By the time the baby boomers reached adulthood in the 1960s, most northern and western European countries had caught up with and surpassed the United States. Young adults in Japan and other prosperous Asian countries now stand nearly as tall as Americans do. Even residents of the formerly communist East Germany are taller than Americans today. In Holland, the tallest country in the world, the typical man now measures 6 feet, a good two inches more than his average American counterpart. Compare that to 1850, when the situation was reversed. Not just the Dutch, but all the nations of western Europe, stood 2 1//2 inches (6.25 em) shorter than their American brethren.

Does it really matter? Does being taller give the Dutch any advantage over say, the Chinese (men 5 feet, 4.9 inches; women 5 feet, 0.8 inches) or the Brazilians (men 5 feet, 6.5 inches; women 5 feet, 3 inches)? Many economists would argue that it does matter, because height is correlated with numerous measures of a population's well being. Tall people are healthier, wealthier and live longer than short people. Some researchers have even suggested that tall people are more intelligent. It's not that being tall actually makes you smarter, richer or healthier. It's that the same things that make you tall—a nutritious diet, good prenatal care and a healthy childhood—also benefit you in those other ways.

That makes height a good indicator for economists who are interested in measuring how well a nation provides for its citizens during their prime growing years. With one simple, easily collected statistic, economists can essentially measure how well a society prepares its children for life. This is the part of the society that usually eludes economists, because economists are usually thinking about income. This is the part of the society that doesn't earn an income. Height tells you about a segment of the population that is invisible to traditional economic statistics. Children don't have jobs or own houses. They don't buy durable goods, or invest in the stock market. Obviously, investments in their well being are critical to a nation's economic future.

For several years now, researchers have been trying to figure out exactly why the United States fell behind. How could the wealthiest country in the world, during the most robust economic expansion in its history, simply stop growing? Maybe we've reached the point where we're going to go backwards in height. Like many human waits, an individual's height is determined by a mix of genes and environment. Some experts put the contribution of genes at 40%, some at 70%, some even higher. However, they all agree that aside from African pygmies and a few similar exceptions, most populations have about the same genetic potential for height. That leaves environment to determine the differences in height between populations around the world, specifically the environment children experience from the moment of conception through adolescence. Any deficiency along the way, from poor prenatal care to early childhood disease or malnutrition, can prevent a person from reaching his or her full genetic height potential. We know environment can affect heights by three to five inches (7.5 to 12.5 cm). The earliest stages of life are the most important to the human growth machine; at age 2 there is

A．shorter than

B．about the same height as

C．taller than

In science museums today, people no longer feel strange in the world Of science but gain scientific knowledge by themselves.

A．Right

B．Wrong

C．Not mentioned

In science museums today, people no longer feel strange in the world of science but gain scientific knowledge by themselves.

A．Right

B．Wrong

C．Not mentioned

In science museums today, people no longer feel strange in the world of science but gain scientific knowledge by themselves.

A．Right

B．Wrong

C．Not mentioned

听力原文： Somehow the old male and female stereotypes no longer fit. Men and women in this country haven't been fulfilling their traditional roles for some time now. And there seem to be fewer and fewer differences between the sexes. For instance, even though more women than men are still homemakers without paying jobs, women have been taking over more responsibility in the business world, earning higher salaries than ever before and entering fields of work that used to be exclusively male areas At office meetings and in group discussions, they might speak up more often, express stronger opinions and come up with more creative and practical ideas than their male colleagues. Several days ago, my 23-year-old daughter came to me with some important news. Not only had she found the highest paying job of her career, but she'd also accepted a date with the most charming men she'd ever met.

"Really?" I responded," tell me about them. "

" Receptionist in an attorney's office and a welder at a construction site. " She answered in a matter-of-fact way. The interesting thing is my daughter's date is the receptionist and my daughter is the welder. The old stereotypes of men's and women's work have been changing more quickly than ever before, except perhaps in my own marriage.

"Who's going to mow the lawn?" I asked my husband this morning.

"Oh, I will," he answered politely, "That's men's work.

"What?" Irritated, I raised my voice, "That's a ridiculous stereotype. I'll show you who can do the best job on the lawn. "

The work took 3 hours and I did it all myself.

Questions:

29. What is the speaker mainly talking about?

30. What might women do at office meetings nowadays according to the speaker?

31. Why did the speaker mow the Lawn herself that morning?

(30)

A．The old stereotypes about men and women.

B．The changing roles played by men and women.

C．The division of labor between men and women

D．The widespread prejudice against women.

听力原文： Somehow the old male and female stereotypes no longer fit. Men and women in this country haven't been fulfilling their traditional roles for some time now. And there seem to be fewer and fewer differences between the sexes. For instance, even though more women than men are still homemakers without paying jobs, women have been taking over more responsibility in the business world, earning higher salaries than ever before and entering fields of work that used to be exclusively male areas At office meetings and in group discussions, they might speak up more often, express stronger opinions and come up with more creative and practical ideas than their male colleagues. Several days ago, my 23-year-old daughter came to me with some important news. Not only had she found the highest paying job of her career, but she'd also accepted a date with the most charming men she'd ever met.

"Really?" I responded," tell me about them. "

" Receptionist in an attorney's office and a welder at a construction site. " She answered in a matter-of-fact way. The interesting thing is my daughter's date is the receptionist and my daughter is the welder. The old stereotypes of men's and women's work have been changing more quickly than ever before, except perhaps in my own marriage.

"Who's going to mow the lawn?" I asked my husband this morning.

"Oh, I will," he answered politely, "That's men's work.

"What?" Irritated, I raised my voice, "That's a ridiculous stereotype. I'll show you who can do the best job on the lawn. "

The work took 3 hours and I did it all myself.

Questions:

29. What is the speaker mainly talking about?

30. What might women do at office meetings nowadays according to the speaker?

31. Why did the speaker mow the Lawn herself that morning?

(30)

A．The old stereotypes about men and women.

B．The changing roles played by men and women.

C．The division of labor between men and women

D．The widespread prejudice against women.

In the Age of Genetics, you no longer have to try to cut out smoking or think twice

about gobbling that candy bar in your desk drawer. And forget jogging in a cold morn-【M1】_____

lng. The die was cast long ago,

from the moment when the parental sperm and egg first 【M2】_____

integrate. The resulting package of chromosomes

has programmed every step of your life. So sit 【M3】_____

back, relax and leave the driving with someone else.

But one problem remains: this new world order 【M4】_____

is at sharp odd with an older theism,

that blame can and must be assigned in every human transac- 【M5】_____

tion. We have built a vast judicial-industrial complex that offers lawsuits for every need, satisfying

various urges like the wish for fairness or revenge,

for getting rich quick or simply getting your due. 【M6】_____

This all-blame all-the-time approach applies to

much more than determining culpability would a 【M7】_____

neighbor trip on your lawn and break an arm. It also says that people are responsible for their own

health-and illness.

It is your error if you develop cancer or a heart attack because you didn't eat, 【M8】_____

think or breathe right. You have allowed the corrosive effect of unresolved anger or stress or poor

self-esteem undermine your health.

So if you are sick or miserable or both, it's your own darned 【M9】_____

fault. No wonder we fled. The transition from the chaotic, barking family feud character of lawsuitsto the sleek silence of a future devotes to

cloning and splicing genes surely derives from something 【M10】_____

larger than scientific opportunity or our fascination with"Star Trek. "

【M1】

It can be concluded front the text that the contribution of technological progresses to world peace will ultimately depend upon______

A．smooth applications.

B．universal access.

C．global news services.

D．human factors.