As is known to all, the organization and management of wages and salaries are very complex.
Generally speaking, the Accounts Department is responsible for calculations of pay, while the Personnel Department(人事部) is interested in discussions with the employees about pay.
If a firm wants to adopt a new wage and salary structure, it is essential that the firm should decide on a method of job evaluation(估價) and ways of measuring the performance of its employees. In order to be successful, that new pay structure will need agreement between Trade Unions and employers.
In job evaluation, all the requirements of each job are defined in a detailed job description. Each of those requirements is given a value, usually in “points”, which are added together to give a total value for the job. For middle and higher management, a special method is used to evaluate managers on their knowledge of the job, their responsibility, and their ability to solve problems.
Because of the difficulty in measuring management work, however, job grades for managers are often decided without reference to an evaluation system based on points.
In attempting to design a pay system, the Personnel Department should compare the value of each job with those in the job market. It should also consider economic factors such as the cost of living and the labor supply.
It is necessary that payment for a job should vary with any differences in the way that the job is performed. Where it is simply to measure the work done, as in the work done with the hands, monetary encouragement schemes are often chosen; for indirect workers, where measurement is difficult, methods of additional payments are employed.

1. 1.

   If a firm wants to establish a new pay structure, it is necessary to get the agreement between________.

   1. A.
      the Trade Unions and the Personnel Department
   2. B.
      the Personnel Department and the Accounts Department
   3. C.
      the employees and the Trade Unions.
   4. D.
      the employers and the Trade Unions
2. 2.

   What does the words “monetary encouragement schemes” in the last paragraph imply?

   1. A.
      They are plans in which much payment is encouraged.
   2. B.
      They are encouraging money schedules
   3. C.
      They are pay systems
   4. D.
      They are pay systems to encourage workers in that the more work is done, the more money will be paid.
3. 3.

   Methods of additional payments are adopted for indirect workers because________.

   1. A.
      their work is not important
   2. B.
      they have low wages
   3. C.
      the measurement of their work is difficult
   4. D.
      the company does not have enough money
4. 4.

   Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?

   1. A.
      In every company only the Accounts Department takes charge of the management of wages and salaries.
   2. B.
      Management work and the job done by workers can use the same evaluation system.
   3. C.
      If a job is done differently, the payment for the job should be different too.
   4. D.
      An evaluation system based on points is usually used to evaluate management work.
5. 5.

   The main purpose of the passage is to________.

   1. A.
      explain the responsibilities of both the Accounts Department and the Personnel Department.
   2. B.
      explain not to evaluate the performance of a job by points
   3. C.
      tell readers how a company should adopt a new payment system
   4. D.
      convince(使確信) readers that management work is more difficult to evaluate than the work done by workers

C

By far the most common difficulty in studying is simple failure to get down to regular concentrated work. This difficulty is much greater for those who do not work to a plan and have no regular routine of study. Many students muddle (胡亂對付) along, doing a bit of this subject or that, as the mood takes them, or letting their set work pile up until the last possible moment.

    Few students work to a set timetable. They say that if they did work out a timetable for themselves they would not keep to it, or would have to change it frequently, since they can never predict from one day to the next what their activities will be.

No doubt some students are more willing to accept a regular routine than others. There are many who shy away from a self-controlled weekly timetable, and dislike being tied down to a fixed program of work. Many able students state that they work in cycles. When they become interested in a topic, they work on it attentively for three or four days at a time. On other days they avoid work completely. It has to be admitted that we do not fully understand the motivation (動機)to work.. Most people over 25 years of age have become used to routine, and the majority of real productive workers set aside regular hours for the more important areas of their work. The “tough-minded” school doesn’t fully accept the idea that good work can only be done naturally, under the influence of inspiration.

Those who believe that they need only work and study as the fit takes them have a mistaken belief either in their own talent or in the value of “freedom”. In fact, freedom from control and discipline（紀(jì)律）leads to unhappiness rather than to “self-expression” or “personality development”. Our society insists on regular habits, timekeeping and punctuality (準(zhǔn)時), and whether we like it or not, if we mean to make our way in society, we have to meet its demands.

The most widespread problem in applying oneself to study is ______.

    A．changing from one subject to another

    B．the failure to keep to a set timetable of work

    C．the unwillingness to follow a systematic plan

    D．working on a subject only when one feels like it

Which of the following is true?

    A．Many students are not interested in using self-controlled timetable.

    B．Many students don’t like being told to study to a fixed timetable.

    C．Most people of over 25 years of age don’t work to a set timetable.

    D．Tough-minded people agree that good job is done naturally

The underlined part “as the fit takes them” in paragraph 4 probably means ______.

    A．when they have the energy   

    B．when they are in the mood

    C．when they feel fit      

    D．when they find conditions are suitable

A suitable title for the passage might be ______.

    A．Attitudes to Study   B．A study Plan

    C．The Difficulties in Studying D．Study and Self-discipline

A thief entered the bedroom of the 30th President of the United States, who met him and helped him escape punishment．

The event happened in the early morning hours in one of the first days when Calvin Coolidge came into power, late in August, 1923．He and his family were living in the same third-floor suite (套房) at the Willard Hotel in Washington that they had occupied several years before．The former President’s wife was still living in the White House．

Coolidge awoke to see a stranger go through his clothes, remove a wallet and a watch chain．

Coolidge spoke, “I wish you wouldn’t take that．”

The thief, gaining his voice,  said, “Why?”

“I don’t mean the watch and chain, only the charm (表墜)．Take it near the window and read what is impressed on its back, “ the President said．

The thief read, “Presented to Calvin Coolidge．”

“Are you President Coolidge ? “ he asked．

The President answered, “Yes, and the House of Representatives (眾議院) gave me that watch charm．I’m fond of it．It would do you no good．You want money．Let’s talk this over．”

Holding up the wallet, the young man said in a low voice, “I’ll take this and leave everything else．”

Coolidge, knowing there was ＄80 in it, persuaded the young man to sit down and talk．He told the President he and his college roommate had overspent during their holiday and did not have enough money to pay their hotel bill．

Coolidge added up the roommate and two rail tickets back to the college．Then he counted out ＄32 said it was a loan (借款)．

He then told the young man, “There is a guard in the corridor．” The young man nodded and left through the same window as he had entered．

What caused the thief to meet the President?

A．He knew the President had lots of money．

B．He knew the President lived in the suite．

C．He wanted to be a rich businessman．

D．He wanted to steal some money．

Why did Calvin Coolidge live at the Willard Hotel in those days?

A．Because the former President was still living in the White House．

B．Because the former First Lady hadn’t left the White House．

C．Because the First Lady liked to live there．

D．Because he liked there．

Coolidge counted out ＄32 ______．

A．in order not to be killed by the thief

B．in order to be out of danger

C．so as to help the young student overcome his difficulty

D．because he had no more money

The young man’s roommate went back to the college ______．

A．by air B．by water C．by bus D．by train

Which of the following might happen afterwards?

A．The young student repaid the＄32．

B．The thief was put into prison．

C．The President told many reporters the thief’s name．

D．The President ordered the young man to repay the money．

A powerful earthquake struck the northeastern coast of Japan at two forty-six p.m. local time on March eleventh.2011. Japan's Meteorological Agency released its first tsunami（海嘯） warnings just three minutes later. The country has one of the best earthquake early warning systems in the world.

There are more than four thousand Seismic Intensity Meters in place throughout Japan to measure earthquake activity. These meters provide information within two minutes of an earthquake happening. Information about the strength and the center of the earthquake can be learned within three minutes.

There are also concrete(混凝土) sea walls around much of the Japanese coastline. But these measures proved no match for the powerful earthquake and tsunami.

Costas Synolakis ，a tsunami expert at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles said，"Japan is one of those most well-prepared countries on earth in terms of tsunami warning. They had a warning. I think what went wrong is that they had not expected the size of this event."

He says there are two reasons for this. Japan has not had any event anywhere near as big as this one in the last one hundred fifty years. And scientists had not expected such a large earthquake happening off the coast of Japan.

The nine point zero magnitude earthquake was the fourth most powerful earthquake ever recorded worldwide. It was also the worst earthquake ever to hit Japan. The tsunami waves that followed were reported to have reached as high as thirteen meters in some areas.

Costas Synolakis says Japan's concrete sea walls were not built to handle such high waves.

Experts say early warning systems will continue to be limited by these facts until earthquakes and tsunamis can be predicted

Where can this passage probably be adapted from?

    A．A magazine on science       B．A fairy Tale 

C．A scientific fantasy book     D．A newspaper  

Which of the following statements NOT true ?

    A. A terrible earthquake hit the northeastern coast of Japan

    B. It was also the worst earthquake in Japan

C. The 9.0 earthquake was the fourth most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan

D. Japan's concrete sea walls was unable to handle such high waves.

According to Costas Synolakis, why did Japan suffer such a loss?

  A. The country has never experienced any event as big as this one over the past 150 years

B. Japan has the best earthquake early warning systems in the world.

C. There are not concrete sea walls around all of the Japanese coastline

D. The government didn’t announce its first tsunami warnings three minutes earlier.

What I Want for You and Every Child in America

Dear Malia and Sasha,

       I know that you've both had a lot of ___（31） these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have．But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't ____（32）for all the time we've been apart．I know ____（33）I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey．

       When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd___（34） my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want．But then the two of you came into my____（35） with all your curiosity and mischief （搗亂） and those smiles that never____（36） to fill my heart and light up my day．

       I want all our children to go to schools_____（37） of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill （灌輸） in them a sense of_____（38） about the world around them．I want them to have the chance to go to college____（39）their parents aren't rich．And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own_____（40）and retire with dignity．

       I want us to____（41） the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer．And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach _____（42）the divides of race and region, gender and religion that_____（43） us from seeing the best in each other．

       That was the_____（44） your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for_____（45） because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean_____（46）．

       She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better and that the_____（47）work of perfecting our union falls to each of us．It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to_____（48）we know America should be．

       These are the things I want for you, to_____（49）in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach．And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have．That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure．

       I am so proud of both of you．I love you______（50）you can ever know．And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise （自信）, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House．

       Love, Dad

A．play         B．fun        C．pain      D．gain

A．take up            B．pick up       C．make up     D．put up

A．how much      B．how many       C．how soon        D．how long

A．lose               B．make          C．take         D．walk

A．world            B．family          C．position         D．place

A．succeed          B．come        C．tend           D．fail

A．worth            B．worthless     C．worthwhile      D．worthy

A．humor             B．happiness       C．wonder         D．sadness

A．even if            B．a(chǎn)s if            C．though          D．a(chǎn)lthough

A．friends           B．kids            C．boys           D．girls

A．rush              B．catch           C．push            D．pull

A．to                B．in              C．into            D．beyond

A．keep              B．let              C．make           D．warn

A．way              B．method         C．means           D．lesson

A．quantity           B．quality          C．equality         D．quarter

A．everything         B．something       C．a(chǎn)nything        D．nothing

A．unfinished          B．finished        C．unfinishing      D．finishing

A．which             B．who            C．what            D．that

A．wake up           B．grow up        C．come up        D．get up

A．rather than        B．other than       C．less than         D．more than