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Unit 8
Passage One
Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask:What is a hero?
Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.
A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame.
Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people.
The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve?What are they willing to live and die for?If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?
Heroes are catalysts for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. , we might still have segregated buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.
11.Although heroes may come from different cultures, they ________.
A) generally possess certain inspiring characteristics
B) probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people
C) are often influenced by previous generations
D) all unknowingly attract a large number of fans
12.According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that ________.
A) they have a vision from the mountaintop
B) they have warm feelings and emotions
C) they can serve as concrete examples of noble principles
D) they can make people feel stronger and more confident
13.Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because ________.
A) they are popular only among certain groups of people
B) their performances do not improve their fans morally
C) their primary concern is their own financial interests
D) they are not clear about the principles they should follow
14.Gandhi and Martin Luther King are typical examples of outstanding leaders who ________.
A) are good at demonstrating their charming characters
B) can move the masses with their forceful speeches
C) are capable of meeting all challenges and hardships
D) can provide an answer to the problems of their people
15.The author concludes that historical changes would ________.
A) be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities
B) not happen without heroes making the necessary sacrifices
C) take place ff there were heroes to lead the people
D) produce leaders with attractive personalities
Passage Two
According to a survey, which was based on the responses of over 188, 000 students, today s traditional-age college freshmen are more materialistic and less altruistic than at any time in the 17 years of the poll.
Not surprising in these hard times, the student s major objective is to be financially well off. Less important than ever is developing a meaningful philosophy of life. It follows then that today the most popular course is not literature or history but accounting.
Interest in teaching, social service and the altruistic fields is at a low. On the other hand, enrollment in business programs, engineering and computer science is way up.
That s no surprise either. A friend of mine was making twice the salary of her college instructors her first year on the job even before she completed her two-year associate degree.
While it s true that we all need a career, it is equally true that our civilization has accumulated an incredible amount of knowledge in fields far removed from our own and that we are better for our understanding of these other contributions be they scientific or artistic. It is equally true that, in studying the diverse wisdom of others, we learn how to think. More important, perhaps, education teaches us to see the connections between things, as well as to see beyond our immediate needs.
Weekly we read of unions who went on strike for higher wages, only to drive their employer out of business. No company;no job. How shortsighted in the long run!
But the most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the accumulated wisdom of the ages, we improve our moral sense. I saw a cartoon recently which shows a group of businessmen looking puzzled as they sit around a conference table;one of them is talking on the intercom : Miss Baxter, he says, could you please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong?
From the long-term point of view, that s what education really ought to be about.
16.According to the author s observation, college students ________.
A) have never been so materialistic as today
B) have never been so interested in the arts
C) have never been so financially well off as today
D) have never attached so much importance to moral sense
17.The students criteria for selecting majors today have much to do with ________.
A) the influences of their instructors
B) the financial goals they seek in life
C) their own interpretations of the courses
D) their understanding of the contributions of others
18.By saying While it s true that. . . be they scientific or artistic , the author means that ________.
A) business management should be included in educational programs
B) human wisdom has accumulated at an extraordinarily high speed
C) human intellectual development has reached new heights
D) the importance of a broad education should not be overlooked
19.Studying the diverse wisdom of others can ________.
A) create varying artistic interests
B) help people see things in their right perspective
C) help improve connections among people
D) regulate the behavior of modern people
20.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A) Businessmen absorbed in their career are narrow-minded.
B) Managers often find it hard to tell right from wrong.
C) People engaged in technical jobs lead a more rewarding life.
D) Career seekers should not focus on immediate interests only.