Henry Ford, the famous U.S. inventor and car manufacturer, once said, The business of America is business. By this he meant that the U.S. way of life is based on the values of the business world.
Few would argue with Ford’s statement. A brief glimpse at a daily newspaper vividly shows how much peoplein the United States think about business. For example, nearly every newspaper has a business section, in which the deals and projects, finances and management, stock prices and labor problems of corporations arereported daily. In addition, business news can appear in every other section. Most national news has an important financial aspect to it. Welfare, foreign aid, the federal budget, and the policies of the Federal Reserve Bank are all heavily affected by business. Moreover, business news appears in some of the unlikeliest places. The world of arts and entertainment is often referred to as the entertainment industry or show business.
The positive side of Henry Ford’s statement can be seen in the prosperity that business has brought to U.S. life. One of the most important reasons so many people from all over the world come to live in the United States is the dream of a better job. Jobs are produced in abundance (大量地) because the U.S. economic system is driven by competition. People believe that this system crates more wealth, more jobs, and a materially better way of life.
The negative side of Henry Ford’s statement, however, can be seen when the word business is taken to meanbig business. And the term big business—referring to the biggest companies, is seen in opposition to labor. Throughout U.S. history working people have had to fight hard for higher wages, better working conditions, and the fight to form unions. Today, many of the old labor disputes are over, but there is still some employee anxiety. Downsizing—the laying off of thousands of workers to keep expenses low and profits high—creates feelings of insecurity for many.
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1. The United States is a typical country ________.
A. which encourages free trade at home and abroad
B. where people’s chief concern is how to make money
C. where all businesses are managed scientifically
D. which normally works according to the federal budget
2. The influence of business in the U.S. is evidenced by the fact that ________.
A. most newspapers are run by big businesses
B. even public organizations concentrate on working for profits
C. Americans of all professions know how to do business
D. even arts and entertainment are regarded as business
3. According to the passage, immigrants choose to settle in the U.S., dreaming that ________.
A. they can start profitable businesses there
B.they can be more competitive in business
C. they will make a fortune overnight there
D. they will find better chances of employment
4. Henry Ford’s statement can be taken negatively because ________.
A. working people are discouraged to fight for their fights
B. there are many industries controlled by a few big capitalists
C. there is a conflicting relationship between big corporations and labor
D. public services are not run by the federal government
5. A company’s efforts to keep expenses low and profits high may result in ________.
A. reduction in the number of employees
B. improvement of working conditions
C. fewer disputes between labor and management
D. a rise in workers’wages
答案：
1.[B] 推理判断题。根据第2段第2句随便翻下一家日报就可美国人有多么重视商业可推断出B符合题意。
2.[D] 事实细节题。第2段大量列举了 business的影响的例子，特别是根据最后一句艺术和娱乐界就常被称为‘娱乐业’或‘展览业’ 可知D正确，而A、B、C均与原文信息不符。
3.[D] 事实细节题。第3段第2句谈到如此多的人从世界各地来美国生活，其最重要的原因之一就是梦想找到一份更好的工作，故选D。
4.[C] 推理判断题。本文第4段是在讲Henry Ford的言论的消极面，根据该段中的the biggest companies... in opposition to labor可看出C与之相符，故选C。
5.[A] 事实细节题。根据文章的最后一句，可知downsizing—the laying off of thousands of workers正是一些公司节约成本提高利润的手段，A为原文该句的同义改写，故选A。
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