Passage Five
Californian Michael Schwabe said goodbye to the gas pump two years ago. He leased an electric car. Schwabe says he gets more out of driving an electric car than just a charge.
"With the price of gasoline and with the problems with clean air, it’s important we get electric vehicles out on the road."
On California roads there are about two thousand electric cars. By 2003, ten percent of all new cars may be required to have zero emissions. This is a mandate automakers say it is way ahead of its time.
Gloria Bergquist of the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers says, "The technology (for zero emissions) isn’t here yet; it still needs advancement in driving range to make it more appealing to a wider consumer audience".
Automakers blame it on the batteries. Power runs out on most cars after about 70 miles. However, some cars can now go more than 100 miles on a charge. Batteries are expensive. Carmaker
A. 1%.
B. 5%.
C. 10%.
D. 100%.
Passage 2
One in three Americans said that money was a crucial factor in their decision to work for pay (or have a spouse work) rather than stay home to raise the children, with Baby Boomer women most likely to have made that choice. Forty-five percent of Baby Boomer women—compared with just 32 percent of those 55 and over—said they went to work. "Baby Boomer women, especially the older ones, grew up expecting to replicate the pattern of their mothers’ lives," suggests Hochschild. "But then the bills started coming in and more job opportunities opened up, and these women moved into a life they hadn’t anticipated."
Money played a great role in marriage—even an unhappy one. Approximately 18 percent of all those interviewed said they stayed married because they lacked money to get a divorce, while less than 8 percent said that financial strain in their marriage has caused them to divorce.
Lack of money
A. the 14-year-old son did not enjoy his work
B. without money you never make education choices
C. most Gen-Xers wanted to change their college plans
D. most Gen-Xers did not change their college plans
Passage One
A man once said how useless it was to put advertisements in the newspapers. "Last week," said he, "my umbrella was stolen from a London Church. As it was a present, I spent twice its worth in advertising, but didn’t get it back."
"How did you write your advertisement" asked one of the listeners, a merchant.
"Here it is," said the man, taking out of his pocket a slip cut from a newspaper. The other man took it and read, "Lost from the City Church last Sunday evening, a black silk umbrella. The gentleman who finds it will receive ten shillings on leaving it at No. 10 Broad Street."
"Now," said the merchant, "I often advertise, and find that it pays me well. But the way in which an advertisement is expressed is of great importance. Let us try for your umbrella again, and if it fails, I’ll buy you a new one." The merchant then took a slip of paper out o
A. a useless advertisement
B. how to make an effective advertisement
C. how the man lost and found his umbrella
D. what the merchant did for the umbrella owner
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