You hear the comment all the time: the U.S. economy looks good by figures, but it doesn’t feel good. Why doesn’t ever-greater wealth promote ever-greater happiness? It is a question that dates at least to the appearance in 1958 of The Wealthy Society by John Kenneth Galbraith, who died recently at 97.
The Wealthy Society is a modern classic because it helped describe a new moment in the human condition. For most of history, “hunger, sickness, and cold” threatened nearly everyone, Galbraith wrote. “Poverty was found everywhere in that world. Obviously it is not of ours.” After World War II, the fear of another Great Depression gave way to an economic growth. By the 1930s unemployment had averaged 18.2 percent; in the 1950s it was 4.5 percent.
To Galbraith, materialism had gone mad and would cause discontent. Through advertising, companies conditioned consumers to buy things they didn’t really want or need. Because so much spending was artificial, it would be unsatisfying. Meanwhile, government spending that would make everyone better off was being cut down because people wrongly considered government only as “a necessary bad.”
It’s often said that only the rich are getting ahead; everyone else is standing still or falling behind. Well, there are many undeserving rich — overpaid chief managers, for instance. But over any meaningful period, most people’s incomes are increasing. From 1995 to 2004, people feel “squeezed” because their rising incomes often don’t satisfy their rising wants — for bigger homes, more health care, more education, and faster Internet connections.
The other great disappointment is that it has not got rid of insecurity. People regard job stability as part of their standard of living. As company unemployment increased, that part has gradually become weaker. More workers fear they’ve become “the disposable American,” as Louis Uchitelle puts it in his book by the same name.
Because so much previous suffering and social conflict resulted from poverty, the arrival of widespread wealth suggested utopian (烏托邦式的) possibilities. Up to a point, wealth succeeds. There is much less physical suffering than before. People are better off. Unfortunately, wealth also creates new complaints.
Advanced societies need economic growth to satisfy the multiplying wants of their citizens. But the search for growth cause new anxieties and economic conflicts that disturb the social order. Wealth sets free the individual, promising that everyone can choose a unique way to self-accomplishment. But the promise is so unreasonable that it leads to many disappointments and sometimes inspires choices that have anti-social consequences, including family breakdown. Figures indicate that happiness has not risen with incomes.
Should we be surprised? Not really. We’ve simply confirmed an old truth: the seeking of wealth does not always end with happiness.
【小題1】The Wealthy Society is a book ______.

A．a(chǎn)bout previous suffering and social conflict in the past

B．written by Louis Uchitelle who died recently at 97

C．indicating that people are becoming worse off

D．a(chǎn)bout why happiness does not rise with wealth

【小題2】According to Galbraith, people feel discontented because ______.

A．materialism has run wild in modern society

B．they are in fear of another Great Depression

C．public spending hasn’t been cut down as expected

D．the government has proved to be necessary but ugly

【小題3】Why do people feel“squeezed”when their average income rises considerably?

A．They think there are too many overpaid rich.

B．There is more unemployment in modern society.

C．Their material demands go faster than their earnings.

D．Health care and educational cost have somehow gone out of control.

【小題4】What does Louis Uchitelle mean by “the disposable American” ?  

A．People with a stable job.

B．Workers who no longer have secure jobs.

C．Those who see job stability as part of their living standard.

D．People who have a sense of security because of their rising incomes.

【小題5】What has wealth brought to American society?

A．Stability and security.

B．Materialism and content.

C．A sense of self-accomplishment.

D．New anxiety, conflicts and complaints.

Until 1954 it was thought that no man could run one mile in less than four minutes.As years went by, the record came closer and closer to four minutes and Roger Bannister，a young English athlete, began to believe he might __11__ this almost magic barrier.

It was a cold afternoon on May 6th, 1954, when Bannister knew he had a __12__ chance.Bannister had been __13__ hard and was very fit, but the weather conditions were a real __14__ to him.Describing the __15__ later, Bannister said, “On the way to the track the wind blew strongly.As I __16__ up for the start I glanced at the flag.It moved __17__ now.This was the moment when I made my decision.”

“The gun fired.My legs seemed to meet no resistance，as if I was __18__ forward by some unknown force.The noise from the faithful __19__ gave me greater strength.I felt the __20__ of a lifetime had come.”

“I was driven on by a __21__ of fear and pride.My body had long since used up all its energy but it went on running just the same.This was the critical moment when my legs were strong enough to carry me over the last few yards as they never could have done in previous years.When I leapt at (沖向) the __22__ tape, I fell, almost __23__.”

“I knew I had done it, even before I __24__ the time.The announcement came, ‘Result of the one mile...Time，three minutes...’ the rest was __25__ in the noise of excitement.”

11．A.defeat  B．move  C．take       D．break

12．A.real     B．lucky     C．serious    D．false

13．A.competing   B．training  C．fighting     D．a(chǎn)ttending

14．A.root  B．pleasure    C．relief  D．worry

15．A.accident   B．event  C．issue    D．topic

16．A.did        B．made     C．put      D．lined

17．A.safely    B．heavily   C．thinly     D．gently

18．A.dragged   B．drawn     C．pulled  D．pushed

19．A.mass     B．residents  C．crowd  D．team

20．A.moment   B．period   C．while    D．date

21．A.concentration  B．collection  C．combination  D．satisfaction

22．A.starting   B．lasting    C．finishing   D．running

23．A.unconcerned   B．unconscious  C．unknown  D．unnoticed

24．A.offered    B．told   C．a(chǎn)nnounced  D．heard

25．A.stuck   B．involved   C．lost   D．spread

　　July 6, 1994 was a day of nightmare(噩夢(mèng)）that I'll never forget. That afternoon when I was making up my 1 in a dressing tent at the moment, I suddenly heard someone run past shouting,“Fire!”Fire was what we circus(馬戲團(tuán)）people most 2 , for there was a large audience(觀眾）in the tent, including many children. I rushed towards the tent with a 3 but I could do nothing with it since the tent was burning too high and the flames spreading 4 .

　　In the burning tent was a 5 of panic(恐慌）: people rushed towards the exits, and some even jumped twelve feet from the top rows of the grandstand to the ground 6 . Some people, after 7 , tried to reenter to help their relatives or friends. Yet it was 8 for them to get through the crowd, instead, they blocked the 9 . I fought at one exit, shouting at the top of my lungs,“Go on! Keep 10 !”At every exit, circus people were doing the same thing. In the midst(中間）of this scene, the 11 kept on playing 12 the tent was a fire overhead.

　　City fire equipment 13 arrived and put out the fire. All the circus people were 14 though some were bruised (撞傷) or burned during the rescue 15 . The audience, however, were not that 16 . In a panic, they all tried to use the regular 17 through which they had 18 the tent . As a result, 168 people had died in the 19 －the worst circus disaster (災(zāi)難) in 20 .

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He wasn’t sick. He wasn’t old. And he wasn’t losing. He had a very good final season and won his last game in 2008. And then he walked away.

Lloyd Carr was 62. That’s a few years earlier than retirement(退休) age in America and many years earlier than some college football coaches say goodbye. How was Carr, who coached University of Michigan, able to leave so easily?

“ It can be intoxicating,” Carr admits. “The Saturday afternoons and the crowds. And when you win, there’s nothing like it.”

But the job needs hard work. The pressure to win. The endless training. The hours are so long that sleeping at the office is a normal thing. I reported Carr’s career at Michigan from 1995 to 2007. I saw him run onto the field before 100,000 cheering fans, saw him enjoy a share of a national championship with a 12-0 season.

And when I visited him recently in retirement, the difference was noticeable. He seems much calmer, relaxed, more at peace. He says, “As much fun as it is, there’s a period when you have other things to deal with.”

Carr knew he wanted to travel, see the world, read more, do other work. He is now connected with a children’s hospital, does some speaking, plays golf, and enjoys relaxing with his wife, Laurie, and their many grandchildren.

Several of today’s big-name coaches are all about Carr’s retirement age. Nick Saban turns 59 this month. Jim Tressel is 57. Frank Beamer is already 63. None of them seems to be slowing down.

So when, I ask Carr, is the right moment to leave such a great job?

He thinks. Finally, he says, “When you love it and can still walk away from it. That’s the right moment.”

1.Lloyd Carr stopped working as a coach because he _______.

A．was too old                            B．was injured seriously

C．had other things to experience             D．followed others’ examples

2.The underlined word “intoxicating” in Paragraph 3 probably means ______.

A．exciting           B．disappointing       C．surprising         D．puzzling

3.It can be inferred from the text that Lloyd Carr ________.

A．was always free after retirement

B．was a failure as a football coach

C．missed the time when he coached

D．enjoyed his retirement life very much

4.The author is most probably ________.

A．a(chǎn) football player                        B．Lloyd Carr’s assistant

C．a(chǎn) retired coach                         D．a(chǎn) sports reporter

 

Until 1954 it was thought that no man could run one mile in less than four minutes. As years 31 , the record came closer and closer to four minutes and Roger Bannister, a young English    32  , began to believe he might  33  this almost magic barrier.

It was a cold afternoon on May 6th, 1954, when Bannister knew he had a   34  chance. Bannister had been  35  hard and was very fit, but the weather conditions were a real  36 to him. Describing the   37   later, Bannister said,” On the way to the track the wind blew strongly. As I  38  for the start I glanced at the flag. It moved  39  now. This was the moment when I made my decision.”

“The gun fired. My legs  40  to meet no resistance, as if I was  41  forward by some unknown force. The noise from the faithful  42 gave me greater strength. I felt the  43  of a lifetimes had come.”

“I was driven on by a  44  of fear and pride. My body had long since used up all its energy   45   it went on running just the same. This was the critical moment when my legs were strong enough to carry me over the last few yards as they  46  could have done in previous years. When I leapt at（沖向）the    47  tape, I fell, almost   48  .

“I knew I had done it, even before I  49  the time. The announcement came. ‘Result of the one mile…Time, three minutes…’the test was  50  in the noise of excitement.”

1.                A．passed along     B．passed down     C．went by  D．went over

 

2.                A．coach          B．a(chǎn)thlete         C．captain   D．judge

 

3.                A．defeat         B．move          C．beat D．break

 

4.                A．real           B．lucky           C．serious   D．false

 

5.                A．competing      B．training         C．fighting   D．a(chǎn)ttending

 

6.                A．eagerness       B．pleasure        C．relief D．worry

 

7.                A．a(chǎn)ccident        B．event          C．issue D．topic

 

8.                A．did up          B．made up        C．put up    D．lined up

 

9.                A．safely          B．heavily         C．thinly D．gently

 

10.               A．seemed        B．used           C．happened D．had

 

11.               A．dragged        B．drawn          C．pulled D．pushed

 

12.               A．mass           B．residents       C．crowd D．team

 

13.               A．moment        B．period         C．while D．date

 

14.               A．concentration   B．collection       C．combination    D．classification

 

15.               A．so             B．but            C．or    D．a(chǎn)s

 

16.               A．never          B．ever           C．even D．still

 

17.               A．starting         B．lasting          C．finishing   D．running

 

18.               A．unconcerned    B．unconscious     C．unknown  D．unnoticed

 

19.               A．offered        B．told           C．a(chǎn)nnounced D．heard

 

20.               A．stuck          B．involved        C．lost   D．spread