But the most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the
accumulated wisdom of the ages, we improve our moral sense. I saw a cartoon recently
which shows a group of businessmen looking puzzled as they sit around a conference
table; one of them is talking on the intercom (对讲机): “Miss Baxter,” he says, “could you
please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong?”
From the long-term point of view, that’s what education really ought to be about.
16. According to the author’s observation, college students ________.
A) have never been so materialistic as today
B) have never been so interested in the arts
C) have never been so financially well off as today
D) have never attached so much importance to moral sense
17. The students’ criteria for selecting majors today have much to do with ________.
A) the influences of their instructors
B) the financial goals they seek in life
C) their own interpretations of the courses
D) their understanding of the contributions of others
18. By saying “While it’s true that... be they scientific or artistic” (Lines 1-3, Para. 5),
the author means that ________.
A) business management should be included in educational programs
B) human wisdom has accumulated at an extraordinarily high speed
C) human intellectual development has reached new heights
D) the importance of a broad education should not be overlooked
19. Studying the diverse wisdom of others can ________.
A) create varying artistic interests
B) help people see things in their right perspective
C) help improve connections among people
D) regulate the behavior of modern people
20. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A) Businessmen absorbed in their career are narrow-minded.
B) Managers often find it hard to tell right from wrong.
C) People engaged in technical jobs lead a more rewarding life.
D) Career seekers should not focus on immediate interests only.
Passage Three
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
New technology links the world as never before. Our planet has shrunk. It’s now a
“global village” where countries are only seconds away by fax or phone or satellite link.
And, of course, our ability to benefit from this high-tech communications equipment is
greatly enhanced by foreign language skills.
Deeply involved with this new technology is a breed of modern businesspeople who
have a growing respect for the economic value of doing business abroad. In modern
markets, success overseas often helps support domestic business efforts.
Overseas assignments are becoming increasingly important to advancement within
executive ranks. The executive stationed in another country no longer need fear being
“out of sight and out of mind.” He or she can be sure that the overseas effort is central to
the company’s plan for success, and that promotions often follow or accompany an
assignment abroad. If an employee can succeed in a difficult assignment overseas,
superiors will have greater confidence in his or her ability to cope back in the United
States where cross-cultural considerations and foreign language issues are becoming more
and more prevalent (普遍的).
Thanks to a variety of relatively inexpensive communications devices with business
applications, even small businesses in the United States are able to get into international
markets.
English is still the international language of business. But there is an ever-growing
need for people who can speak another language. A second language isn’t generally
required to get a job in business, but having language skills gives a candidate the edge
when other qualifications appear to be equal
The employee posted abroad who speaks the country’s principal language has an
opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations, and cam have the cultural insight to
know when it is better to move more slowly. The employee at the home office who can
communicate well with foreign clients over the telephone or by fax machine is an obvious
asset to the firm.
21. What is the author’s attitude toward high-tech communications equipment?