Bill Gates, the billionaire Microsoft chairman without a single earned university degree, is by his success raising new doubts about the worth of the business world's favorite academic title: the MBA (Master of Business Administration). The MBA, a 20thcentury product, always has borne the mark of lowly commerce and greed on the tree-lined campuses ruled by purer disciplines such as philosophy and literature. But even with the recession apparently cutting down the hiring of business school graduates, about 79,000 people are expected to receive MBAs in 1993. This is nearly 16 times the number of business graduates in 1960. "If you are going into the corporate world it is still a disadvantage not to have one," said Donald Morrison, professor of marketing and management science. "But in the last five years or so, when someone says, 'Should I attempt to get an MBA?' the answer a lot more is: It depends." The success of Bill Gates and other non-MBAs, such as the late Sam Walton of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., has helped inspire self-conscious debates on business school campuses over the worth of a business degree and whether management skills can be taught. The Harvard Business Review printed a lively, fictional exchange of letters to dramatize complaints about business degree holders. The article called MBA hires "extremely disappointing" and said "MBAs want to move up too fast, they don't understand politics and people, and they aren't able to function as part of a team until their third year. But by then, they're out looking for other jobs." The problem, most participants in the debate acknowledge, is that the MBA has acquired an aura of future riches and power far beyond its actual importance and usefulness. Business people who have hired or worked with MBAs say those with the degrees of ten know how to analyze systems but are not so skillful at motivating people. "They don't get a lot of grounding in the people side of the business", said James Shaffer, vice-president and principal of the Towers Perrin management... . It seems that the argument over the value of MBA degrees had been fueled mainly by _ . A) the complaints from various employers B) the success of many non-MBAs C) the criticism from the scientists of purer disciplines D) the poor performance of MBAs at work
B
(Question)
What makes a house a home? Not size, of course. I've been in some of the grandest houses in America, and it's readily apparent that no one lives there. Earlier this year, I had dinner in a mud hut in Ethiopia, where we sat on chairs next to the hostess's bed --- a home that had more warmth than any house I've been in since. Now John Edwards is exploring what makes a house a home in his just-released Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives. There Edwards writes, "This is a book about homes, the values they rest on, the dreams they are filled with, and the people they have shaped. The houses and circumstances are different, but much of what you find inside will be familiar." Whether you're sitting in an airport right now, waiting to fly to your childhood home for Thanksgiving, or in your own home waiting for the s to arrive, you know what he's talking about. We've lived in our townhouse for 21 years. The loose windows make noise in the wind. The fireplace is so shallow it holds only one log. The kitchen window offers a view of the world passing by. It's where friends sit on the kitchen counter drinking wine while dinner is being fixed. I lived there for only 18 years, but it will always be my true home. Even the lamp in the west living room window, which I could see far down the road when driving home late at night, still shines. While all this talk about childhood memories can be warm and comforting, home is whom you're with, not where you are. As Edwards writes, "Home is family. Home is safety. Home is faith." Happy homecoming! About the book Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives, we know that _ . A) it was the description of Edwards's houses B) it is mainly about houses in America C) it helps us understand the concept of home D) it was written by the author of the text
(Answer)
C
Ques: Chris Medina was an outstanding star on a Monday night's audition of American Idol (,). He made the Americans moved for more than just his singing. Chris performed the famous band The Script's song "Breakeven" and he brought along his beloved fiancee , Juliana Ramos, who is limited to a wheelchair following a terrible car accident. There is a very touching emotional story behind them. Chris, an amazing singer, said he fell in love with Juliana the first moment he saw her and they became engaged soon afterwards. They had planned to get married two years after getting engaged. But shortly before they could hold each other's hands into the marriage hall, Juliana, suffered from a brain injury in a tragic car accident. On the exact day they were supposed to get married, Chris shared a song he wrote for his fiancee. "I'm giving all I've got to give/ To pull you through/ In your darkest hour, I will be your light," were some of his _ lyrics. Juliana's idol is Oprah Winfrey and Idol judge Steven could see that she remains a fan of Chris' music, accompanying him to the audition. Chris received a ticket to Hollywood, which Juliana proudly waved. While he is heading to Hollywood to pursue his dream of singing, Chris continues to take care of Juliana, alongside her mother. Chris' love story touched more than the Americans. It reached Irish rockers The Script, who spoke highly of the young man and his songs at the audition. "Chris Medina: not only are you a major talent, but you are one in a billion! Stay strong and never give up. This world needs more men like you." the band's guitarist, Mark Sheehan, said. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the passage? A) Chris touched the Americans mainly for his singing. B) Chris has always been Juliana's idol. C) Chris was an American idol because of his love for his fiancee. D) Chris' lyrics showed his true love for Juliana.
Ans: D
During the week days,they are luckily busy office people; but on weekends,they are just a brood of stay home animals.A recent survey shows that office workers in China prefer quiet and easy ways to spend their weekends. In the survey,conducted by job seeking and offering website Zhaopin.com,32.8 percent of the 6000 respondents choose to stay home at weekends and have a good rest,the Beijing Morning Post reported. Twenty percent use their days off to do housework. And only 19.3 percent are willing to have fun during the break time from work.Their first choice of fun is shopping. Other choices,though practiced by few,include meeting friends,accompanying the children,trips to the suburbs,and lessons for more skills. When they go shopping,54.5 percent of the white collars actually shop in supermarkets,while 27.9 percent attend other stores,especially when discounts are offered. These activities don't seem to cost much,as 60 percent spend average less than 200 yuan(US$26)during weekends,and 30 percent no more than 500 yuan. When asked whom they would spend the weekends with,about 40 percent mention their partners,and 30 percent prefer a weekend all by themselves.Less than 20 percent hang out with friends. Only 5.8 percent would kill the time with their colleagues.This is because we tend to avoid too many personal contacts with our coworkers when we don't have to work with them,according to some experts. Why will less than ten percent of office workers kill the time with their colleagues at weekends? A) Because they can't spare time to play with them. B) Because they tend to avoid too many personal contacts with them when they don't have to. C) Because they have many things to deal with at weekends. D) Because some experts suggest they should not keep in touch with their colleagues.
B