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大学英语四级考试阅读材料每日一练(十二)

Passage 12
For any given task in Britain there are more men than are needed. Strong unions keep them there in Fleet Street, home of some London’s biggest dailies, it is understood that when two unions quarrel over three jobs, the argument is settled by giving each union two. Thru means 33 per cent over manning, 33 per cent less productivity than could be obtained.
A reporter who has visited plants throughout Europe has an impression that the pace of work is much slower here. Nobody tries tm hard. Tea breaks do matter and are frequent. It is hard to measure intensity of work, but Britons give a distinct impression of going at their tasks in a more leisurely way.
But is all this so terrible? It certainly does not improve the gross national product or output per worker. Those observant visitors, however, have noticed something else about Britain. It is a pleasant place.
Street crowds in Stockholm. Paris and New York move quickly and silently heads down, all in a hurry. London crowds tend to walk at an easy pace (except in the profitable, efficient City, the financial district).
Every stranger is struck by the patient and orderly way in which Britons queue for a bus; if the saleswoman is slow and out of stock she will likely say, ‘oh dear, what a pity’; the rubbish collectors stop to chat and call the housewives “Luv”. Crime rises here as in every city but there still remains a gentle tone and temper that is unmatched in Berlin, Milan or Detroit.
It short, what is wrong with Britain may also be what is right. Having reached a tolerable standard, Britons appear to be choosing leisure over goods.
56. What happens when disputes over job opportunities arise among British unions?
A) Thirty-three per cent of the workers will be out of work
B) More people will be employed than necessary
C) More jobs will be created by the government
D) The unions will try to increase productivity.
57. What does the reporter who has visited plants throughout Europe think about Britain?
A) Tea breaks do not affect the intensity of work in Britain
B) Britons do their work in an unhurried sort of way
C) The pace of work in Continental Europe is much slower than in Britain
D) Britons give the impression of working intensively
58. “The breaks do matter” ( Para.2 Line 2) indicates that________
A) they are an important aspect of the British way of life
B) they are greatly enjoyed by British workers
C) they can be used by the workers as excuse to take time off from work
D) they help the workers to be on good terms with each other
59. The word “this” (Para.3 Line.1) refers to the fact that______
A) there are more men on any given job than are needed
B) 33 per cent over manning leads to 33 per cent less productivity
C) it is difficult to measure the intensity of work
D) Britons generally do not want to work too hard
60. By “what is wrong with Britain may also be what is right” (Para.6, Line.1) the author means to say that_______
A) quarrels between unions will help create jobs
B) a leisurely way of life helps Britons increase productivity
C) the gentle tone and temper of the people in Britain makes it a pleasant place
D) Britons will not sacrifice their leisure to further in crease productivity

Passage 12
在英国做任何一项工作所用的人都比需要的多。强大的工会组织让他们待在旗舰街，伦敦一些最大的报纸所在地。人们认为，（５６）当两个工会为了三个就业机会而争执不休时，解决方法就是分给每个工会各两个。这就意味着多用了３３％的人，比本应达到的生产力水平降低了３３％
（５７）一位参观过全欧洲各地工厂的记者有这样一种印象，就是这里的工作节奏要慢得多。没有人会工作得过分卖力。茶点休息很是郑重其事，而且是经常性的。很难判断工作的强度，但英国人令人明显地感觉到他们的工作更加轻闲。

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