考试吧恩波：2008年12月六级预测试卷及解析(三)

　　Passage One

　　There are many ways to “get rich quick”. Numerous companies have promised customers that if you follow their guidelines or buy their goods you will be guaranteed to get rich quick. Although many of these methods don’t work, at least they are legal ways to get rich. Unfortunately many individuals prefer to use illegal methods of getting rich quick. There are many illegal ways of getting rich. Printing illegal money has been a method many criminals have chosen to get rich quick.

　　The printing of illegal money is one of the oldest crimes in history. It was a serous problem during the 19th century when banks issued their own money, at the time of the Civil War, it was estimated that one-third of all money in circulation was illegal, the introduction of U.S. dollars in 1863 was expected to solve the problem of illegal money. However, the dollar bills were soon copied so extensively it became necessary for the government to take action. On July 5, 1865, the United States Secret Service was established to stop people printing illegal money.

　　Although illegal printing of money is less of a problem now than it was one hundred years ago, it is still an issue that is being addressed worldwide. Advanced design, copying and publishing technology are making it easier to produce high-quality illegal money as well as commercial checks, traveler’s checks and money orders. A new generation of illegal money printing came when computerized color copiers became capable of producing high-quality copies.This allowed documents to be changed, and false documents to be produced without having the original one. These copiers can easily produce documents that look genuine.

　　As technology continues to improve, so does the ability of criminals to fool the police as well as the general public. This has become a worldwide method for criminals to get rich quick.

　　Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　26. What has become a worldwide method for criminals to get rich quick?

　　27. What did the United States first do to combat counterfeiting?

　　28. What allows for the creation of false documents without the original one?

　　Passage Two

　　Sex influences an individual’s attitude towards work. Studies show that for most women family comes first, and careers are less important to them compared with men. But women are, more than men, concerned with social relationships in the workplace, physical conditions of work, shorter working hours and work guarantees. These attitudes are related to traditional social roles, where professional work belongs to the man, as the main source of income for the family, and the woman stays at home.The results of studies in Eastern Europe show that when there are not enough jobs, society thinks that men have more right to them than women. But, generally, the higher the professional qualification of workers of both sexes, the more insignificant are those differences in their attitudes towards work.

　　In industrial countries the value of work to the individual is influenced by the occupational group to which that person belongs. We can divide workers into two broad groups: non-manual workers with higher education, and manual workers. The attitudes of these two groups are so-called “ideal” types.

　　For those doing non-manual work, which requires special training, the work itself is the highest value; it becomes their “way of living”. Even the time and way of their leisure is adapted to their work. For such people the main value of work is in possibilities of self-expression, self-realization and personal development. Work for them has social value as well—it is seen as work for the common good and social progress, duty, for human kind, and so on.

　　People doing manual work are rarely oriented to work itself. Their interests and desires are mainly directed to their family and circle of friends. Work for them is the possibility to maintain family, which is why insurance of their work, payment, work conditions are very important for them. Work is important as it fills their time, is the source of money, gives possibility for social integration and develops feeling of self-esteem.

　　Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　29. What factors shape attitudes towards work?

　　30. Where were the studies showing that society thought men had more right to a job carried out?

　　31. What is the highest value for people doing non-manual work?

　　Passage Three

　　During the 1950s in America, young people were encouraged to be active in society. Both political parties had organizations aimed at encouraging the very young to be involved in politics. The Democratic Party sponsored Teenage Democrats, or TADs as they were known, and the Republican Party sponsored Teenage Republicans or TARs. While adults served as their sponsors, both groups were encouraged to act independently.

　　They had their own local and state organizational structures with elected leadership. They planned and held events directly related to helping elect candidates of their respective parties. Members did a lot of the boring drudge work in campaigns, all the while learning how to effectively pursue electoral politics.

　　Then something happened. During the 1960s, vast movements for social change began to sweep across America. At first the traditional party elders must have seen their youth groups as shelters against change, as defenders of their traditional values. To their disappointment, this turned out not to be the case.