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..英语六级阅读训练●Thestandardoflivingofanycountrymeanstheaverageperson'sshareofthegoodsandserviceswhichthecountryproduces.Acountry'sstandardofliving,therefore,dependsfirstandforemostonitscapacitytoproducewealth.Wealthinthissenseisnotmoney,forwedonotliveonmoneybutonthingsthatmoneycanbuy:goodssuchasfoodandclothing,andservicessuchastransportandentertainment.Acountry'scapacitytoproducewealthdependsuponmanyfactors,mostofwhichhaveaneffectononeanother.Wealthdependstoagreatextentuponacountry'snaturalresources,suchascoal,gold,andotherminerals,watersupplyandsoon.Someregionsoftheworldarewellsuppliedwithcoalandminerals,andhaveafertilesoilandafavorableclimate;otherregionspossessperhapsonlyoneofthesethings,andsomeregionspossessnoneofthem.TheU.S.Aisoneofthewealthiestregionsoftheworldbecauseshehasvastnaturalresourceswithinherborders,hersoilisfertile,andherclimateisvaried.TheSaharaDesert,ontheotherhand,isoneoftheleastwealthy.Nexttonaturalresourcescomestheabilitytoturnthemtouse.ChinaisperhapsaswelloffastheU.S.A.innaturalresources,butsufferedformanyyearsfromcivilandexternalwars,andforthisandotherreasonswas.unabletodevelopherresources.Soundandstablepoliticalconditions,andfreedomfromforeigninvasion,enableacountrytodevelopitsnaturalresourcespeacefullyandsteadily,andtoproducemorewealththananothercountryequallywellservedbynaturebutlesswellordered.Anotherimportantfactoristhetechnicalefficiencyofacountry'speople.Oldcountriesthathave,throughmanycenturies,trainedupnumerousskilledcraftsmenandtechniciansarebetterplacedtoproducewealththancountrieswhoseworkersarelargelyunskilled.Wealthalsoproduceswealth.Asacountrybecomeswealthier,itspeoplehavealargemarginforsaving,andcanputtheirsavingsintofactoriesandmachineswhichwillhelpworkerstoturnoutmoregoodsintheirworkingday.1.Acountry'swealthdependsupon______.,A.itsstandardoflivingB.itsmoneyC.itsabilitytoprovidegoodsandservicesD.itsabilitytoprovidetransportandentertainment2.Thewordforemostmeans______.A.mostimportantlyB.firstlyC.largelyD.forthemostpart3.Themainideaofthesecondparagraphisthat______.A.acountry'swealthdependsonmanyfactorsB.theU.S.A.isoneofthewealthiestcountriesintheworldC.theSaharaDesertisaverypoorregionD.naturalresourcesareanimportantfactorinthewealthorpovertyofacountry4.Thethirdparagraphmentionssomeoftheadvantageswhichonecountrymayhaveoveranotherinmakinguseofitsresources.Howmanysuchadvantagesarementionedinthisparagraph?A.2B.3C.4D.55.Thesecondsentence.inParagraph3is______.A.themainideaoftheparagraphB.anexamplesupportingthemainideaoftheparagraphC.theconclusionoftheparagraphD.notrelatedtotheparagraph1.C2.A3.A4.B5.B..●TheproductivityofAmericansemployedinprivatebusinesseshasdeclined.TheproductivityofworkersincountriessuchasJapanandGermanyisincreasing.Americanmachinetools,onaverage,areold,relativelyinefficient,andrapidlybecomingobsolete,whereasthoseofourcompetitorsoverseas,incomparison,arenewerandmoreefficient.Wearenolongerthemostproductiveworkersintheworld.Wearenolongertheleadersinindustrialinnovation(革新).Weareanimmenselywealthynationofeducatedmenandwomenwhoseemtohavelostsightofthefactthateverything—fromthesimplestnecessitiestothefinestluxuries—mustbeproducedthroughourowncollectivehardwork.Wehavecometoexpectautomaticincreasesinourcollectivestandardofliving,butweseemtohaveforgottenthattheseincreasesarepossibleonlywhenourproductivitycontinuestogrow.Onethingthatmustchangeistherateatwhichwesubstitutecapitalequipmentforhumanlabor.Simplyput,ourlaborforcehasincreasedatafargreaterratethanhasourstockofcapitalinvestment.Weseemtohaveforgottenthatourpastproductivitygains,toalargeextent,wererealizedfromsubstitutionsofcapitalforhumanlabor.Today,3timesasmanyrobotsarelistedascapitalassetsbyJapanesefirmsasbyUnitedStatesfirms.ThereisnodoubtthatrobotswillbecomeacommonsightinAmericanfactories.Representinganewgenerationoftechnology,robotswillreplacefactorylabormuchasthefarmtractorreplacedthehorse.Robottechnologyhasmuchtooffer.Itoffershigherlevelsofproductivityandqualityatlowercosts;inpromisestofreemenandwomenfromthedull,repetitioustoilofthefactory,itislikelytohaveanimpactonsocietycomparabletothatmadebythegrowthofcomputertechnology.1.Thewordobsolete(Para.1)mostprobablymeans_______.A.weakB.oldC.newD.outofdate2.Theauthorisanxiousabout_______.A.hispeoplenolongertakingtheleadinindustrialinnovationB.hiscountrynolongerbeingawealthynationC.hispeopleforgettingtoraisetheirproductivityD.hiscountryfallingbehindotherindustrialnations3.Accordingtotheauthor,inhiscountry_______..A.theproportionoflaborforcetocapitalinvestmentisquitelowB.thegrowthrateoflaborforceshouldbegreaterthanthatofcapitalinvestmentC.theproductivityincreasesshouldbeachievedbytheincreasesoflaborforceD.capitalinvestmentshouldhaveincreasedmorerapidlythanlaborforce4.Sofarastheinfluenceonsocietyisconcerned,_______.A.robottechnologyseemstobemuchmorepromisingthancomputertechnologyB.computertechnologyhaslesstoofferthanrobottechnologyC.robottechnologycanbecomparedwithcomputertechnologyD.robottechnologycannotbecomparedwithcomputertechnology5.Thepurposeoftheauthorinwritingth