Fast Reading 汇总

1、Part II Reading (skimming and scanning) (15 minutes)Directions：In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For question 1-7,choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）,B）,C）,and D）.For questions 8-10, complete the sente

2、nces with the information given in the passage.Passage One Beauty and Body Image in the MediaImages of female bodies are everywhere. Womenand their body partssell everything from food to cars. Popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner. Some have even been known t

3、o faint on the set from lack of food. Womens magazines are full of articles urging that if they can just lose those last twenty pounds, theyll have it allthe perfect marriage, loving children, great sex, and a rewarding career.Why are standards of beauty being imposed on women, the majority of whom

4、are naturally larger and more mature than any of the models? The roots, some analysts say, are economic. By presenting an ideal difficult to achieve and maintain, the cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and profits. And its no accident that youth is increasingly promoted, alon

5、g with thinness, as an essential criterion of beauty. If not all women need to lose weight, for sure theyre all aging, says the Quebec Action Network for Womens Health in its 2001 report. And, according to the industry, age is a disaster that needs to be dealt with.The stakes are huge. On the one ha

6、nd, women who are insecure about their bodies are more likely to buy beauty products, new clothes, and diet aids. It is estimated that the diet industry alone is worth anywhere between 40 to 100 billion (U.S.) a year selling temporary weight loss (90 to 95% of dieters regain the lost weight).On the

7、other hand, research indicates that exposure to images of thin, young, air-brushed female bodies is linked to depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls.The American research group Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that

8、one out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight controlincluding fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative (泻药) abuse, and self-induced vomiting. The pressure to be thin is also affecting young girls: the Canadian Womens Health Network warns that weight control

9、measures are now being taken by girls as young as 5 and 6. American statistics are similar. Several studies, such as one conducted by Marika Tiggemann and Levina Clark in 2006 titled “Appearance Culture in Nine- to 12-Year-Old Girls: Media and Peer Influences on Body Dissatisfaction,” indicate that

10、nearly half of all preadolescent girls wish to be thinner, and as a result have engaged in a diet or are aware of the concept of dieting. In 2003, Teen magazine reported that 35 per cent of girls 6 to 12 years old have been on at least one diet, and that 50 to 70 per cent of normal weight girls beli

11、eve they are overweight. Overall research indicates that 90% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance in some way.Media activist Jean Kilbourne concludes that, “Women are sold to the diet industry by the magazines we read and the television programs we watch, almost all of which make us feel

12、anxious about our weight.”Unattainable BeautyPerhaps most disturbing is the fact that media images of female beauty are unattainable for all but a very small number of women. Researchers generating a computer model of a woman with Barbie-doll proportions, for example, found that her back would be to

13、o weak to support the weight of her upper body, and her body would be too narrow to contain more than half a liver and a few centimeters of bowel. A real woman built that way would suffer from chronic diarrhea ( 慢性腹泻) and eventually die from malnutrition. Jill Barad, President of Mattel (which manuf

14、actures Barbie), estimated that 99% of girls aged 3 to 10 years old own at least one Barbie doll.Still, the number of real life women and girls who seek a similarly underweight body is epidemic, and they can suffer equally devastating health consequences. In 2006 it was estimated that up to 450, 000

15、 Canadian women were affected by an eating disorder.The Culture of ThinnessResearchers report that womens magazines have ten and one-half times more ads and articles promoting weight loss than mens magazines do, and over three-quarters of the covers of womens magazines include at least one message a

16、bout how to change a womans bodily appearanceby diet, exercise or cosmetic surgery.Television and movies reinforce the importance of a thin body as a measure of a womans worth. Canadian researcher Gregory Fouts reports that over three-quarters of the female characters in TV situation comedies are un

17、derweight, and only one in twenty are above average in size. Heavier actresses tend to receive negative comments from male characters about their bodies (“How about wearing a sack?”), and 80 per cent of these negative comments are followed by canned audience laughter.There have been efforts in the m

18、agazine industry to buck ( 抵制，反抗) the trend. For several years the Quebec magazine Coup de Pouce has consistently included full-sized women in their fashion pages and Châtelaine has pledged not to touch up photos and not to include models less than 25 years of age. In Madrid, one of the worlds

19、biggest fashion capitals, ultra-thin models were banned from the runway in 2006. Furthermore Spain has recently undergone a project with the aim to standardize clothing sizes through using a unique process in which a laser beam is used to measure real life womens bodies in order to find the most tru

20、e to life measurement.EthicsAnother issue is the representation of ethnically diverse women in the media. A 2008 study conducted by Juanita Covert and Travis Dixon titled “A Changing View: Representation and Effects of the Portrayal of Women of Color in Mainstream Womens Magazines” found that althou

21、gh there was an increase in the representation of women of colour, overall white women were overrepresented in mainstream womens magazines from 1999 to 2004. Self-Improvement or Self-Destruction?The barrage of messages about thinness, dieting and beauty tells “ordinary” women that they are always in

22、 need of adjustmentand that the female body is an object to be perfected. Jean Kilbourne argues that the overwhelming presence of media images of painfully thin women means that real womens bodies have become invisible in the mass media. The real tragedy, Kilbourne concludes, is that many women inte

23、rnalize these stereotypes, and judge themselves by the beauty industrys standards. Women learn to compare themselves to other women, and to compete with them for male attention. This focus on beauty and desirability “effectively destroys any awareness and action that might help to change that climat

24、e.”注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1 上作答。1. Womens magazines are full of articles to urge women to _.A) eat less sweet food C) marry a rich husband B) lose weight D) have at least two kids2. The cosmetic and diet product industries gain profits by _.A) exaggerating the goodness about their products B) targeting at chi

25、ldren and femalesC) presenting an ideal image difficult to achieveD) distributing free samples from home to home3. Canadian Womens health Network warns that weight control measures are now being taken by girls _.A) at age 5 or 6 C) at age 13 or 14B) at age 9 or 10 D) at age 16 or 174. In 2003, Teen

26、magazine reported that _ percent of normal weight girls believe they are overweight.A) 35 to 50 C) 50 to 70B) 50 D) 905. Researchers found that a real woman with Barbie-doll proportions would _.A) suffer from heart disease C) live a more rewarding lifeB) be very popular with males D) die from malnut

27、rition6. Television and movies emphasize that a womans worth can be judged by _.A) the cosmetics she uses C) the thinness of her bodyB) the jewelry she wears D) the wealth of her husband7. Spain has recently undergone a project to _.A) include full-sized women in its fashion magazinesB) standardize

28、clothing sizesC) ban ultra-thin models from the runwayD) promote weight loss among men8. In mainstream womens magazines from 1999 to 2004, _ were overrepresented.9. Jean Kilbourne concludes that many women judge themselves by _.10. The focus on _ destroys any awareness and action that might help to

29、change the trend.1. B 2. C 3. A. 4. C 5. D 6. C. 7. B 8. over all white women 9. the beauty industrys standards10. beauty and desirability Passage II. Time Off from Work Gains in ImportanceAmerican workers are saying they need a break. As their number of hours clocked on the job has crept higher, mo

30、re time off has become a bigger priority. In the past few years, human resources experts say time off has consistently placed among the top three employee concerns, along with compensation and staffing levels, whereas it used to be farther down the list. In a S poll taken online in November 2004, 39

31、% of workers said if given the choice, they would choose time off over the equivalent in additional base salary. Of course, most of the 4,600 respondents are still opting for the bigger paycheck, but the desire for time off is up almost 20% from just three years ago when S conducted a similar poll.T

32、he reasons for this shift are many and varied. Some have to do with the way a new generation is thinking about work, while others are driven by how companies are responding to recent economic pressures.A New GenerationThe results may in part represent the needs of a new breed of workers. The average

33、 American is working one month (160 hours) more each year than a generation ago. According to recruiting and human capital management expert John Sumser, younger workers work for meaning first and money second. He goes on to warn employers that these are the people who are the foundation for the nex

34、t workforce and they may not buy the existing paradigm (范例). A study released in late 2004 by the New York-based Families and Work Institute concludes that the new brand of young workers is rejecting the work-centric style of their parents generation. The study, which examines changes in the workfor

35、ce over the past 25 years, found that younger workers are more likely to be “family-centric” or “dual-centric” (with equal priorities on both career and family) rather than “work-centric” when compared to members of the Boomer Generation.September 11th and the End of the Roaring NinetiesThe impact o

36、f the terrorist attacks of September 11th cut across all age groups of the workforce. We collectively entered a new era, reevaluating lifes priorities and making changes in our attitude toward time spent at work versus hobbies and family. “I started looking at things completely differently. Ive been

37、 far less willing to put in the 14-hour days necessary to get noticed and climb the corporate ladder,” said Tony Jackson, a 43-year-old employee of a New York City-based financial services company. “Frankly, I cant see that changing.”Even before September 11th, some experts say the slow shift in wor

38、ker attitudes was already underway due to the end of the roaring 1990s, when hours were long and significant personal wealth was created. For those who fared well financially, some opted for careers of contract work where they could call more of the shots pertaining to (与有关的) time off, or new occupa

39、tions with greater personal rewards. For others, even if their bank accounts were not spilling over from Americas economic heyday (全盛时期), their own energy had been depleted due to unrelenting (毫不松懈的) years of work hours and high stress. They were ready for something less taxing.Families and Work Ins

40、titute President and co-founder Ellen Galinsky agrees. She says the S poll numbers show evidence of an increase in need for time off and a shift in thinking due to the fact that workers have been pushed to their limit in recent years. “This new generation of workers is at the edge of how long they c

41、an work. It just feels like too much. They are not slackers (懒虫); they just dont want more,” says Galinsky.Monetary Needs Less Intense Due to Dual Income Households“Weve decided we prefer to have more time to ourselves,” says Carol Kornhaber, a New England software programmer in her late twenties. K

42、ornhaber and her husband are both working but have sought out jobs where they are not pressed to put in long hours. Instead, they have insisted upon eight-hour days and having enough vacation time to travel, a major interest they share. Financial pressures are eased by both of them working and keepi

43、ng a careful watch on their expenses. “We are lucky in a lot of ways to have found bosses who understand our needs.”BurnoutTrying to squeeze more productivity out of workers may be nothing new, but it has become particularly acute in recent years. This has been due in large measure to recession-indu

44、ced layoffs and other trends such as the rising cost of healthcare benefits. After a layoff, workers who remain behind are often asked to pick up most or even all the load of the people who were let go, requiring more and more hours at the office. As new corporate initiatives are planned, the invers

45、e is also true. As Sumser observes, “the additional workload, which runs across the economy from the office worker to the manufacturing line, seems to be a function of the cost of benefits. The regulations make it cheaper to add workload for existing employees than to hire new players.” The Families

46、 and Work Institute reports that nearly one third of U.S. employees often or very often feel overworked or overwhelmed by how much work they have to do. Nearly three out of four report that they frequently dream about doing something different from their current job.Show Me the MoneyOverworked or no

47、t, the majority in the S poll still chose to fatten their paycheck if given the choice. For many, it was a practical matter. Says Peggy Jones, an accountant in a Boston area business services company, “I already get three weeks a year that I cant use up because Im so busy. Id definitely go for the e

48、xtra money to pay some bills or make a big purchase Ive been holding off on.” For Jones, the realities of running a household and saving up for college for her children simply need to take precedence over extra free time.Companies Are Already RespondingTo many human resources experts it is inevitabl

49、e that, given the growing health of the economy and the upcoming population-driven labor shortages as the Boomer Generation moves into retirement, the pendulum of control in the employee-employer relationship will swing back to the employee side. That is expected to begin in just a few years. Accord

50、ing to human resources expert, Larry Schumer, at S, “since most companies succeed based on a motivated and capable workforce, they have offered and will continue to offer more paid flexibility, whether it be through tried and tested time-off programs or the next great idea.” Where will that new bala

51、nce of employer versus employee needs lie? Time, or perhaps time off, surely will tell.1. Which of the following has been rising in importance in the past few years?A) Compensation. B) Time off. C) Right to vote. D) Staffing levels.2. According to the passage, we know that the Boomer Generation is c

52、oncerned _.A) about family and work equally B) more about workC) more about family D) about neither work nor family3. What can be inferred about Tony Jackson?A) He is 43 years old. B) He works in a financial services company.C) He has changed his life and work attitude. D) He spends 14 hours a day o

53、n his work.4. When did American workers gradually begin to change their attitudes towards work?A) After September 11. B) In November 2004.C) In late 2004. D) At the end of the roaring 1990s.5. According to Ellen Galinsky, why did workers change their mind about work?A) They have been pushed to the l

54、imit of their working hours.B) They increased their need to enjoy life.C) They have more rights than before.D) They dont want to work for a living.6. Carol Kornhaber and her husband dont have too much financial pressure because _.A) they have parents who are rich B) they dont have children to feedC)

55、 they both have a high salary D) they both have work and they are thrifty7. After a layoff, the employees who keep their jobs usually have to _.A) find another job in case they are fired B) do what their bosses tell them toC) work longer hours to avoid being fired D) do the work left by the laid-off

56、 workers8. According to S, compared with three years ago, the desire for time off is up almost _.9. According to the poll from S, the majority of employees preferred to _ if they had the choice.10. Larry Schumer said that most companies succeeded based on a motivated and capable _.1. B)。参见第一段中“In th

57、e past few years, human resources experts say time off has consistently placed among the top three employee concerns, along with compensation and staffing levels .”可知，过去几年中雇员对休息时间的关注程度有所提高。2. B)。参见A New Generation 小标题下“. younger workers are more likely to be family-centric or dual-centric (with equal priorities on both career and family) rather than work-centric when compared to members of the Boomer Generation.”可知，出生在生育高峰期的那代人与当代的年轻人相比，他们对工作的重视程度要大于对家庭的重视程度。3. C)。参见September 11th and the End of the Roaring Nineties小标题下“I started looking at things completely differently.”可知，Tony Jack