Passage Four
There was once a man who spent all his time in his glasshouse. Flowers was his name, and flowers were his main joy in life. He grew flowers of every color under the sun. He grew these flowers in order to enter them for competition. His greatest hope in life was to grow a rose of an entirely new color that would win him the silver cup for the Rose of the Year.
Mr. Flowers’ glasshouse was close to a public path, which was always used by children walking to and from school. Boys were often attracted to throw a stone or two at his glasshouse. So Mr. Flowers did his best to be in or close by his glasshouse at the beginning and end of the school day.
However, it was not convenient or possible to be on guard all the time. Mr. Flowers had tried in many ways to prevent harm to his glass; but nothing that he had done had been successful.
Then, just as he was giving up hope of ever winning the battle, and of growing the Rose of the Y
A. to grow beautiful flowers
B. to grow the Rose of the Year and win a prize
C. to grow all kinds of flowers in the world
D. to take part in the competition
As a wise man once said, we are all ultimately alone. But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn’t the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe’s new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, realestate developers and ad executives alike. The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the "irresistible momentum of individualism" over the last century. The communications revolution, the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on (扰乱) Europeans’ private lives.
Europe’s new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence. The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe’s shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American-style capitalism. Raised in
A. It has fostered the trend towards small families.
B. It is getting closer to American-style capitalism.
C. It has limited consumer choice despite a free market.
D. It is being threatened by irresistible privatization.
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