GMAT考试阅读资料(一)b

Passage 2
　　Woodrow Wilson was referring to the liberalidea of the economic market when he said thatthe free enterprise system is the most efficienteconomic system. Maximum freedom means（5） maximum productiveness； our “openness” is tobe the measure of our stability. Fascination¹ withthis ideal has made Americans defy the “OldWorld” categories of settled possessiveness versusunsettling deprivation³， the cupidity⁴ of retention（10） versus² the cupidity of seizure⁵， a “status quo”defended or attacked. The United States， it wasbelieved， had no status quo ante. Our only “sta-tion” was the turning of a stationary⁶ wheel， spin-ning faster and faster. We did not base our（15） system on property but opportunity——whichmeant we based it not on stability but on mobil-ity. The more things changed， that is， the morerapidly the wheel turned， the steadier we wouldbe. The conventional picture of class politics is（20） composed of the Haves， who want a stability tokeep what they have， and the Have-Nots， whowant a touch of instability and change in whichto scramble⁷ for the things they have not. ButAmericans imagined a condition in which spec-（25） ulators， self-makers， runners are always using thenew opportunities given by our land. These eco-nomic leaders （front-runners） would thus hemainly agents of change. The nonstarters wereconsidered the ones who wanted stability， a（30） strong referee⁸ to give them some position in therace， a regulative hand to calm manic specula-tion； an authority that can call things to a halt，begin things again from compensatorily stag-gered “starting lines.”
　　（35）“Reform” in America has been sterile⁹ becauseit can imagine no change except through theextension of this metaphor¹⁰ of a race， wider inclu-sion of competitors， “a piece of the action，” as itwere， for the disenfranchised. There is no（40） attempt to call off the race. Since our only sta-bility is change， America seems not to honor thequiet work that achieves social interdependenceand stability. There is， in our legends， no hero-ism of the office clerk， no stable industrial work（45） force of the people who actually make the systemwork. There is no pride in being an employee（Wilson asked for a return to the time wheneveryone was an employer）。 There has been noboasting about our social workers——they are（50） merely signs of the system‘s failure， of opportu-nity denied or not taken， of things to be elimi-nated. We have no pride in our growinginterdependence， in the fact that our system canserve others， that we are able to help those in（55） need； empty boasts from the past make usashamed of our present achievements， make ustry to forget or deny them， move away fromthem. There is no honor but in the Wonderlandrace we must all run， all trying to win， none（60） winning in the end （for there is no end）。

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
　（A） criticize the inflexibility¹¹ of American economic mythology¹³
　（B） contrast “Old World” and “New World” economic ideologies¹⁴
　（C） challenge the integrity of traditional political leaders
　（D） champion those Americans whom the author deems to be neglected
　（E） suggest a substitute for the traditional metaphor of a race

2. According to the passage，“Old World” values were based on
　（A） ability
　（B） property
　（C） family connections
　（D） guild¹⁵ hierarchies¹⁶
　（E） education

3. In the context of the author‘s discussion of　regulating change， which of the following could be　most probably regarded as a “strong referee” （line　30） in the United States？
　（A） A school principal
　（B） A political theorist
　（C） A federal court judge
　（D） A social worker
　（E） A government inspector¹⁷

4. The author sets off the word “Reform” （line 35） with　quotation¹⁸ marks in order to
　（A） emphasize its departure from the concept of　settled possessiveness
　（B） show his support for a systematic¹⁹ program of　 change
　（C） underscore the flexibility¹² and even amorphousness²⁰　of United States society.
　（D） indicate that the term was one of Wilson‘s favorites　
　（E） assert that reform in the United States has not　 been fundamental

5. It can be inferred from the passage that the author　most probably thinks that giving the disenfranchised　“a piece of the action ” （line 38） is
　（A） a compassionate²¹， if misdirected，legislative　measure　
　（B） an example of Americans‘ resistance to profound　social change
　（C） an innovative²² program for genuine social reform
　（D） a monument to the efforts of industrial reformers
　（E） a surprisingly “Old World” remedy for social ills

6. Which of the following metaphors²³ could the author　most appropriately use to summarize his own　assessment²⁴ of the American economic system　（lines 35-60）？
　（A） A windmill　
　（B） A waterfall
　（C） A treadmill²⁵
　（D） A gyroscope　
　（E） A bellows²⁶

7. It can be inferred from the passage that Woodrow Wilson‘s ideas about the economic market
　（A） encouraged those who “make the system work”　（lines 45-46）
　（B） perpetuated²⁷ traditional legends about America
　（C） revealed the prejudices of a man born wealthy
　（D） foreshadowed the stock market crash of 1929
　（E） began a tradition of presidential proclamations on economics

8. The passage contains information that would answer　which of the following questions？
　Ⅰ.What techniques have industrialists²⁸ used to　mani
　Ⅱ.In what ways are “ New World” and “ Old World”economic policies similar？
　Ⅲ. Has economic policy in the United States tended　to reward independent action？
　（A） Ⅰonly　
　（B） Ⅱonly
　（C） Ⅲ only　
　（D） Ⅰand Ⅱ only
　（E） Ⅱand Ⅲ only

9. Which of the following best expresses the author‘s　 main point？
　（A） Americans‘ pride in their jobs continues to give　them stamina²⁹ today.　
　（B） The absence of a status quo ante has　undermined United States economic structure.
　（C） The free enterprise system has been only a　useless concept in the United States
　（D） The myth of the American free enterprise system　is seriously flawed.
　（E） Fascination with the ideal of “openness” has　made Americans a progressive people.