Text 3

　　If sustainable competitive advantage depends on work-force skills, American firms have a problem. Human-resource management is considered an individual responsibility. Labour is simply another factor of production to be hired—rented at the lowest possible cost—much as one buys raw materials or equipment.

　　The lack of importance attached to human-resource management can be seen in the corporate hierarchy. In an American firm the chief financial officer is almost always second in command. The post of head of human-resource management is usually a specialized job, off at the edge of the corporate hierarchy. The executive who holds it is never consulted on major strategic decisions and has no chance to move up to Chief Executive Officer(CEO). By way of contrast, in Japan the head of human-resources management is central—usually the second most important executive, after the CEO, in the firm's hierarchy.

　　While American firms often talk about the vast amounts spent on training their work forces, in fact they invest less in the skills of their employees than do either Japanese of German firms. The money they do invest is also more highly concentrated on professional and managerial employees. And the limited investments that are made in training workers are also much more narrowly focused on the specific skills necessary to do the next job rather than on the basic background skills that make it possible to absorb new technologies.

　　As a result, problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive. If American workers, for example, take much longer to learn how to operate new flexible manufacturing stations than workers in Germany(as they do), the effective cost of those stations is lower in Germany than it is in the United States. More time is required before equipment is up and running at capacity, and the need for extensive retraining generates costs and creates bottlenecks that limit the speed with which new equipment can be employed. The result is a slower pace of technological change. And in the end the skills of the population affect the wages of the top half. If the bottom half can't effectively staff the processes that have to be operated, the management and professional jobs that go with these processes will disappear.

　　31.Which of the following applies to the management of human resources in American companies?

　　[A]They hire people at the lowest cost regardless of their skills.

　　[B]They see the gaining of skills as their employees' own business.

　　[C]They attach more importance to workers than equipment.

　　[D]They only hire skilled workers because of keen competition.

　　32.What is the position of the head of human-resource management in an American firm?

　　[A]He is one of the most important executives in the firms.

　　[B]His post is likely to disappear when new technologies are introduced.

　　[C]He is directly under the chief financial executive.

　　[D]He has no say in making important decisions in the firm.

　　33.The money most American firms put in training mainly goes to ______.

　　[A]workers who can operate new equipment

　　[B]technological and managerial staff

　　[C]workers who lack basic background skills

　　[D]top executives

　　34.According to the passage, the decisive factor in maintaining a firm's competitive advantage is ______.

　　[A]the introduction of new technologies

　　[B]the improvement of worker's basic skills

　　[C]the rational composition of professional and managerial employees

　　[D]the attachment of importance to the bottom half of the employees

　　35.What is the main idea of the passage?

　　[A]American firms are different from Japanese and German firms in human-resource management.

　　[B]Extensive retraining is indispensable to effective human-resource management.

　　[C]The head of human-resource management must be in the central position in a firm's hierarchy.

　　[D]The human-resource management strategies of American firms affect their competitive capacity.

　　Text 4

　　The public holiday on the last Monday of August marks, in most British minds, the unofficial end of summer. A vast migration takes place, as millions take advantage of the long weekend to visit seaside resorts or fly to Europe in a final sun-seeking cheer. Once the festivities are over, gloom descends: workers face four months of uninterrupted labor until Christmas Eve, their next official day off.

　　This depression often provokes calls for more public holidays, and this year the clamor has been louder than usual. David Cameron's new Conservatives have been forced to deny rumors that they would recommend three new public holidays. Earlier in the summer, two ministers suggested a worthy sounding “Britain Day”, intended to inspire civil pride. On August 27th the Institute for Public Policy Research, a worthy think-tank, called for a new day off to “celebrate community heroes”.

　　To the idlers, the case for more time off looks persuasive. By European standards at least, Britain is a nation of workaholics, with only the Austrians labouring as many hours per week. Workers are entitled to 20 working days of leave a year, the European Union's required minimum. Other countries are more generous. France and Denmark give at least 25 days in leave, and many Finns get 30. Britons celebrate a miserably eight national holidays a year; in Europe only the Romanians, with five, have fewer. Even significant national events are celebrated grudgingly. ： the British were given two days off to celebrate the queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, but had to forfeit an existing public holiday to make up for it.

　　National holidays are illogical as well as scarce. The queen's official birthday(a moveable holiday unrelated to her date of birth)is seen as a good excuse for a holiday in most of Britain's former colonies, but not in Her Majesty's homeland. Distribution is also badly distorted: seven of the eight holidays fall between December and May, leaving only August's to break up the rest of the year.

　　There are plenty of things that a new holiday might celebrate. Patriots suggest that England should honour St George(the patron saint of the place), just as Scotland takes time off for St Andrew. The historically minded argue for a Magna Carta(The charter of liberties)day, whereas the politically correct suggest holidays celebrating “communities” and “volunteering”.

　　Sadly, not everyone is keen on increasing public holidays. The CBI, a business lobbying group, points out that legal leave is already planned to rise to 28 working days by 2009, and says that an extra public holiday would cost up to ￡6 billion($ 12.1 billion). In the face of such tough objections, concerns about leisure and the quality of life may seem vague and idealistic.

　　36.What is the passage mainly talking about?

　　[A]Different attitudes towards public holidays in Britain.

　　[B]The increase of national holidays in Britain.

　　[C]The problem of public holidays in Britain.

　　[D]The call for more public holidays in Britain.

　　37.The calls for more public holidays in Britain could be the results of ______.

　　[A]the economic depression

　　[B]the 4-month work without a rest

　　[C]the long wait for an official day off

　　[D]recommendation of two ministers

　　38.What does the word “workaholics” most probably mean(Line 2, Paragraph 3)?

　　[A]Compulsive workers.

　　[B]Idle workers.

　　[C]Lazy workers.

　　[D]Irrational workers.

　　39.According to the passage, the increase of British working days of leave ______.

　　[A]is supported by all British people

　　[B]is planned by CBI to be carried out by 2009

　　[C]is challenged by some opponents

　　[D]is likely to result in economic recession

　　40.Which of the following conclusions can we draw from the text?

　　[A]From June to December, there is only one British national holiday.

　　[B]British national holidays are unsatisfactory for the quantity and the allocation.

　　[C]The queen’s official birthday is celebrated in England.

　　[D]People suggest new holidays for their own convenience.