passage 8
manpower inc., with 560,000 workers, is the world’s largest temporary employment agency. every morning, its people __1__ into the offices and factories of america, seeking a day’s work for a day’s pay. one day at a time,__2__ industrial giants like general motors and ibm struggle to survive __3__ reducing the number of employees, manpower, based in milwaukee, wisconsin, is booming.
4 its economy continues to recover, the us is increasingly becoming a nation of part-timers and temporary workers. this “ 5 ” work force is the most important __6__ in american business today, and it is 7 changing the relationship between people and their jobs. the phenomenon provides a way for companies to remain globally competitive __8__ avoiding market cycles and the growing burdens 9 by employment rules, healthcare costs and pension plans. for workers it can mean an end to the security, benefits and sense of __10__ that came from being a loyal employee.
1. a. swarm b. stride c. separate d. slip
2. a. for b. because c. as d. since
3. a. from b. in c. on d. by
4. a. even though b. now that c. if only d. provided that
5. a. durable b. disposable c. available d. transferable
6. a. approach b. flow c. fashion d. trend
7. a. instantly b. reversely c. fundamentally d. sufficiently
8. a. but b. while c. and d. whereas
9. a. imposed b. restricted c. illustrated d. confined
10. a. excitement b. conviction c. enthusiasm d. importance
passage 9
until recently most historians spoke very critically of the industrial revolution. they __1__ that in the long run industrialization greatly raised the standard of living for the __2__ man. but they insisted that its 3 results during the period from 1750 to 1850 were widespread poverty and misery for the 4 of the english population. 5 contrast, they saw in the preceding hundred years from 1650 to 1750, when england was still a __6__ agricultural country, a period of great abundance and prosperity.
this view, __7__, is generally thought to be wrong. specialists __8__ history and economics have 9 two things: that the period from 1650 to 1750 was 10 by great poverty, and that industrialization certainly did not worsen and may have actually improved the conditions for the majority of the populace.
1. a. admitted b. believed c. claimed d. predicted
2. a. plain b. average c. mean d. normal
3. a. momentary b. prompt c. instant d. immediate
4. a. bulk b. host c. gross d. magnitude
5. a. on b. with c. for d. by
6. a. broadly b. thoroughly c. generally d. completely
7. a. however b. meanwhile c. therefore d. moreover
8. a. at b. in c. about d. for
9. a. manifested b. approved c. shown d. speculated
10. a. noted b. impressed c. labeled d. marked
passage 10
if a farmer wishes to succeed, he must try to keep a wide gap between his consumption and his production. he must store a large quantity of grain __1__ consuming all his grain immediately. he can continue to support himself and his family 2 he produces a surplus. he must use this surplus in three ways: as seed for sowing, as an insurance 3 the unpredictable effects of bad weather and as a commodity which he must sell in order to __4__ old agricultural implements and obtain chemical fertilizers to 5 the soil. he may also need money to construct irrigation 6 and improve his farm in other ways. if no surplus is available, a farmer cannot be 7 . he must either sell some of his property or 8 extra funds in the form of loans. naturally he will try to borrow money at a low 9 of interest, but loans of this kind are not 10 obtainable.
1. a. other than b. as well as c. instead of d. more than
2. a. only if b. much as c. long before d. ever since
3. a. for b. against c. of d. towards
4. a. replace b. purchase c. supplement d. dispose
5. a. enhance b. mix c. feed d. raise
6. a. vessels b. routes c. paths d. channels
7. a. self-confident b. self-sufficient c. self-satisfied d. self-restrained
8. a. search b. save c. offer d. seek
9. a. proportion b. percentage c. rate d. ratio
10. a. genuinely b. obviously c. presumably d. frequently
passage 11
adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. this is often done in the workplace, or 1___ “continuing education” courses at secondary schools, or at a college or university.
educating adults differs from educating __2___ in several ways. one of the most important 3____ is that adults have gained knowledge and experience which can ___4 _add value to a learning experience or interfere with it.
another important difference is that adults frequently must apply their knowledge in some
__5__ fashion in order to learn effectively: there must be a __6__ and a reasonable expectation that the new knowledge will help them further that goal. one example, _7_ in the 1990s, was the spread of computer training courses in __8__ adults, most of them office workers, could enroll. these courses would teach basic use of the operating system or specific application __9__.because the skill __10__ to interact with a pc were so new, many people who had been working white-collar jobs for ten years or more eventually took such training courses, either of their own will (to gain computer skills and thus can higher pay)or at the request of their managers
1. a . by b. from c. on d. through
2. a. children b. students c. worker d. employees
3. a. signs b. features c. differences d. practices
4. a. either b. neither c. both d. so
5. a. probable b. practical c. modern d. routine
6.a. plan b. prospect c. goal d. possibility
7. a. normal b. common c. regular d. profitable
8. a. that b. which c. those d. whose
9. a. software b. hardware c. technology d. framework
10. a. related b. designed c. expected d. required