【正文】 t hi s e x am ar e 150 poi nts I . R ea di ng C om pr ehensi o n ( 50 poi nts ) A Mul t i pl e C hoi ce ( 24 p oi n t s) Ple ase r ead t he pass a ges an d choos e A 、 B 、 C or D t o bes t pl et e t he st at em ent s about t hem . T he Q ui et C ri si s C l ose gam es f or t he A m er i cans w er e r ar e i n pr ev i ous O l y m pi cs , but now i t appear s t o be som et hi ng t he A m er i cans shoul d get use d t o . Y ou coul d f i nd no bet t er m et aphor f or t he w ay t he r es t of t he w or l d can now pet e head to head m or e ef f ect i v e l y t han ev er w i t h A m er i ca t han t he st r uggl es of t he U . S. O l y m pi c bas ket bal l t eam i n 200 4. Th e A m er i can t eam , m ade up of N B A st ar s , l i m ped hom e t o a br onz e m edal af t er l os i ng t o P u er t o R i co , L i t huani a , and A r gent i na. P r ev i ousl y , t he U ni t ed S t at es O l y m pi c bas ket bal l t eam had l ost onl y one gam e i n t he hi st or y of t he m oder n O l y m pi cs . R em em ber w hen A m er i ca se nt onl y N C A A s t ar s t o t he O l y m pi c bas ket bal l ev ent s? F or a l ong t i m e t hes e t eam s t ot al l y do m i nat ed al l cor ner s . Then t hey st ar t ed get t i ng c hal l enged. So w e se nt our pr os. A nd t hey st ar t ed get t i ng chal l enged. B ecaus e t he w or l d keeps l ear n i ng , t he di f f usi on of k now l e dge ha ppens f as t e r。 t r ank w el l v er sus t he A m er i cans , but w hen t h e y pl a y as a t eam — w hen t he y col l abor at e bet t er t han w e do , t hey ar e ext r em el y pet i t i v e. ” There i s som et hi ng about p ost w or l d W ar Ⅱ A m er i ca t hat r em i nds m e of t he cl as si c w eal t h y f am i l y t hat b y t he t hi r d g ener at i on st ar t s t o squa nde r i t s w eal t h. The m e m ber s of t he f i r st gener at i on ar e nose to t he g r i ndst one i nnov at or s , t he se cond gen er at i on hol ds i t al l t oget her t he n t hei r ki ds e al ong and g et f at , dum b , and l azy and sl ow l y squa nder i t al l . I know t hat i s bot h ov er l y har sh and a gr oss g ener al i zat i on , but t her e i s , nev er t hel es s , som e t r ut h i n i t . A m er i can soc i et y st ar t ed t o coas t i n t he 1990s , w hen our t hi r d post w ar gener at i on cam e of ag e. The d ot boom l ef t t oo m an y peopl e w i t h t he i m pr es s i on t hat t hey coul d get r i ch w i t hout i nv es t i ng i n har d w or k. A l l i t t ook w as an M B A a nd a q ui ck I PO , or o ne N B A c ont r act , and y ou w er e se t f or l i f e. B ut w hi l e w e w er e adm i r i ng t he f l at w or l d w e had cr eat ed , a l ot of peopl e i n I ndi a , C hi na , and East er n Euro pe w er e bus y f i gur i ng out how t o t ake adv a nt age of i t . L uck y f or us , w e w er e t he onl y econom y st andi ng af t er W or l d W ar Ⅱ , an d w e ha d no se r i ous c om pet i t i on f or f or t y y ear s. That g av e us a hu ge h ead of st eam but al so a hu ge se nse of e nt i t l e m ent and c om pl acenc y — not t o m ent i on a cer t ai n t endency i n r ecent y ear s t o ext ol cons u m pt i on ov er har d w or k , i nv es t m ent , and l ong t er m t hi nki ng. When w e got hi t w i t h 9 ／ 11 , i t w as a once in a gener at i on oppor t uni t y t o sum m on t he nat i on t o sa cr i f i ce , t o addr es s som e of i t s pr es si ng f i sc al , ener g y , sc i ence , an d educat i on shor t f al l s — al l t he t hi ngs t hat w e had l et sl i de. B ut our pr es i d ent di d not s um m on us t o sa cr i f i ce. H e s um m oned us t o go sho ppi ng. The t r ut h i s , w e ar e i n a cr i si s now , but i t i s a cr i si s t hat i s unf ol di ng v er y sl ow l y a nd v er y qui et l y . I t i s a qui et cr i si s an d t hi s qui et cr i si s i nv ol v es t he st eady er osi on of A m er i ca 39。 t r an k w el l v er sus t he A m er i cans , b ut w hen t hey pl a y as a t eam — w hen t hey col l abor at e bet t er t han w e do — t hey ar e ext r em el y co m pet i t i v e. I n t hi s s ent ence , “ S t ar f or st ar ... ” m eans ＿＿＿＿ . A . w he n one t eam pl ay s a gai nst anot her B . T he pl ace of t he st ar s i n a t eam C . T he t i m e t he s t ar i s on t he cour t D . W he n i ndi v i dual pl a y er s of t he t eam s a r e pl a y i ng agai nst each ot her ( 3) I t i s s t at ed i n par agr aph 3 t hat peopl e ar e a dm i r i ng t he f l at w or l d. What does “f l at ” m ean ? A . I t m eans t hat t he w or l d i s get t i ng bi gger and bi gger an d peopl e ar e l osi ng a l ot of c hoi ces . B . I t m eans t hat t he w or l d i s ge t t i ng sm al l er and gl obal i zat i on i s t he dom i nant t r end. C . I t m eans t hat t he w or l d i s ge t t i ng sm al l er and eas i er t o cont r ol . D . I t m eans t hat t he w or l d st ops be i ng a r ound gl obe. ( 4) The aut hor t hi nks t hat t he t hi r d gener at i on of A m er i cans ＿＿＿＿ . A . a r e nose to t he gr i ndst one i nnov at or s B . ar e h ol di ng t he w eal t h al l t oget he r C . ar e b e i ng m or e di l i ge nt and har d w or ki ng D . ar e s t ar t i ng t o squ ander t h ei r w eal t h ( 5) What can be i nf er r ed of t he aut hor ? s f eel i ng about t he f act t hat m an y b i g pani es ar e headquar t er ed i n A m er i ca ? A . N egat i v e. B . I ndi f f er ent . C . P osi t i v e. D . W or r i ed. ( 6) What does t he w or d apt l y i n par agr aph 7 m ean ? A . S ui t abl y . B . F or t unat el y . C . A dapt i v el y . D . I nappr opr i at el