People often say that money talks. They mean that a person with a lot of money can say how he or she wants things done. But it is not easy to earn enough money to gain this kind of power. Ask anyone in business. They will tell you that it is a jungle out there. The expression probably began because a jungle is filled with wild animals and unknown dangers that threaten people. People in business have to be careful if they are to survive the jungle out there. They must not be led into making bogus investments. Bogus means something that is not real. Nobody is sure how the word got started. But it began to appear in American newspapers in the 1800s. A newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts, said the word came from a criminal whose name was Borghese. Borghese wrote checks to people although he did not have enough money in the bank. After he wrote the checks, he would disappear. So, people who were paid with his checks received nothing. The newspaper said Americans shortened and changed the criminal's name Borghese to Bogus. People trying to earn money must be also aware of the risk of being ripped off. A writer for a magazine said he first saw the expression used in 1971. It was on a sign that a student carried during a protest demonstration at a university. The message on the sign was that the student felt cheated. To be successful, a person in business works hard and tries to get down to brass tacks. This expression means to get to the bottom or the most important part of something. For example, a salesman may talk about his product without saying the price. You get down to brass tacks when you say, "it sounds good, but how much does it cost?" Word expert Charles Funk thinks the expression comes from sailors on ships. They clean the bottom of a boat. When they have removed all the dirt, they are down to the copper pieces that hold the ship together. So, if we get down to brass tacks, we can prevent rip-offs and bogus ways of earning money in that jungle out there. And, some good luck will help, too. When you ask how much it cost, it means _ . A) you declare you won't be cheated B) you get down to the real issues C) you care nothing about the quality D) you are always caring about money
B
When people ask your children to "get an education", they tell you only half the truth. What they really mean is to get just enough education to give manpower for your society. Get a high school diploma, at least. Without that, you are occupationally dead, unless your name happens to be George Washington or Thomas Edison and you can successfully stop study in primary schools. Get a college degree, if possible. With a BA, you should start to find a job. You have to _ now. If you do go for a master's degree, make sure it is an MBA and only from a first - class university. Otherwise, the famous law of diminishing begins to work. Do you know, for example, that long - distance truck drivers make more money a year than full professors? Yes, each driver was paid $28,000 in 1997 while a full professor managed to get $27,930. A PhD is the highest degree you can get, but except in a few specialized fields such as physics or chemistry, where the degree can quickly be turned to industrial or commercial aim, you are facing a not very bright future. There are more PhDs unemployed in this country than in any other part of the world by far. If you became a PhD in English or history or political science or languages or - worst of all - in philosophy , you take the risk of becoming over - educated for our national demands. Thousands of PhDs are selling shoes, driving taxis, waiting on tables and filling out applications month after month, and then may be taking a job in some high school or college with the pay much less than a door-keeper makes. According to the writer, society expects education to turn out people who will_. A) raise their payment B) get employed C) become specialized in some field D) meet the demands as a source of manpower
D
Q: Organic foods are foods produced according to strict guidelines set forth by the government. These guidelines state that organic foods must be produced without modern man-made processes and materials, such as man-made pesticides and chemical fertilizers . For most of history, almost all foods were organic. However, during the 20th century, the principles of the Industrial Revolution were applied to agriculture. This led to the development of many man-made processes that were believed to improve farming techniques. In other words, small farms grew larger as the ideas that were used by factories and big business were put into action to grow more food. Over time, the organic movement started to get back to the old, traditional methods of farming. Those in favor of organic foods believe that man-made chemicals and pesticides used in modern farming can be harmful to your health. They also believe that organic foods are more nutritious . If you go to the store, you will notice that organic foods may be more expensive than non-organic foods. Are organic foods worth the extra cost? Some people believe they are. Despite the lack of scientific findings to support their thoughts, many people still prefer organic foods because they think they taste better, while others don't care much about that because they say they haven't found out the differences. If you wonder whether you should choose an organic food instead of a non-organic one, the best thing you can do is to try it by yourself and see which you prefer. Although organic foods were once only available in health food stores, you can find them today at most stores. From the passage, we know that _ . A) the principles of agriculture were once used in factories B) more farmers began to take up farming C) lots of small farms disappeared one by one D) almost all foods were organic in the past
A: D
Hans Christian Andersen put Denmark on the map of the world literature with his stories The Emperor's New Clothes,The Little MermaidandThe Ugly Duckling. Now Copenhagen, the country's capital, has become the center of the world political map, with 190 world leaders attending the climate talks there, not to mention thousands of reporters. Just how much do you know about the Scandinavian country? Denmark is famous for its design culture. At the heart of "Danish Design" is the idea that, as poet and designer Piet Hein puts it: "There is one art, not more, nor less, [and that is] to do all things with artlessness ." Danish design places equal emphasis on practicality and quality. From Lego toys to furniture, Danish products are known for their clean lines, simplicity and functionality. "Remove material where it's not needed. Keep things simple and functional and make them carefully," explained Hans J. Wegner, the first Danish designer to achieve worldwide fame: "The aim is not to create a work of art, but to produce a good chair." "The Danes have done a better job than most in promoting arts in Europe, considering their country's size and population, in the fields of architecture, sculpture and design," writes Helena Smith, reporter with British newspaper the Guardian. The simplicity of Danish design may extend to the quality of life there. Some even claim that the Danes have the highest quality of life of any nation in the world. Kate Vial, a 55-year-old American who has lived and worked in Denmark for more than 30 years, explaining why she chooses to live in Denmark rather than the US, told Germany's biggest news weekly Der Spiegel: "I just chose a simpler lifestyle, one where I could ride my bike all over and where I don't have to make a great living to survive." What's the writer's purpose of mentioning Denmark's literature? A) To show the readers that Denmark is best known for its stories. B) To arouse readers' interest in Denmark. C) To tell the readers that this passage is related to literature. D) To show why Denmark can attract so many political leaders.
B