问答题Practice 4 The answer is, in a sense, all in our minds. For the last century, our society’s basic drive has been toward more—toward a bigger national economy, toward more stuff for each of us. And it’ s worked. Our economy is enormous; our houses are enormous. We are living large. All that more is created by using cheap energy and hence built on carbon dioxide (CO2)—which makes up 72% of all greenhouse gases. Some pollutants decrease as we get richer. But carbon dioxide consistency tracks economic growth. As Harvard economist Friedman concluded last year, CO2 is “the one major environmental contaminant for which no study has ever found any indication of improvement as living standards rise.” This means that if we’re going to cope with global warming, we may also have to cope with the end of infinite economic expansion. That sounds gloomy, but maybe not. New data suggest that we’ve been overstating the issue for many decades. We made an assumption that more was better. It seemed a reasonable thinking. But in recent years, economists, sociologists and other researchers have begun to question that link. Indeed, they’re finding that at least since the 1950’s, more material prosperity has yielded little increase in humans’ satisfaction.
问答题
Practice 4 The answer is, in a sense, all in our minds. For the last century, our society’s basic drive has been toward more—toward a bigger national economy, toward more stuff for each of us. And it’ s worked. Our economy is enormous; our houses are enormous. We are living large. All that more is created by using cheap energy and hence built on carbon dioxide (CO2)—which makes up 72% of all greenhouse gases. Some pollutants decrease as we get richer. But carbon dioxide consistency tracks economic growth. As Harvard economist Friedman concluded last year, CO2 is “the one major environmental contaminant for which no study has ever found any indication of improvement as living standards rise.” This means that if we’re going to cope with global warming, we may also have to cope with the end of infinite economic expansion. That sounds gloomy, but maybe not. New data suggest that we’ve been overstating the issue for many decades. We made an assumption that more was better. It seemed a reasonable thinking. But in recent years, economists, sociologists and other researchers have begun to question that link. Indeed, they’re finding that at least since the 1950’s, more material prosperity has yielded little increase in humans’ satisfaction.
参考解析
解析：
暂无解析
相关考题：
I hope to see much () of you as our countries work toward a better future.A、plentyB、moreC、mostD、less
In the interim, our economy will not have access to all of the credit it needs and may __________, at great cost to our society. A、undertakeB、overperformC、overtakeD、overperform
According to our usual practice we prefer our export shipment to be insured by the People’s Insurance Company of China.(英译中)
We will still have to practice economy, ( ) our income for this year has risen 30 percent compared with that of last year. A.even ifB.evenC.thoughD.even thenE. as though
根据下列材料，请回答 36～40 题：The great recession may be over, but this era of high joblessness is probably beginning. Before it ends,It will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults. And ultimately, it is likely to reshape our politics, our culture, and the character of our society for years.No one tries harder than the jobless to find silver linings in this national economic disaster. Many said that unemployment, while extremely painful, had improved them in some ways; they had become less materialistic and more financially prudent; they were more aware of the struggles of others. In limited respects, perhaps the recession will leave society better off. At the very least, it has awoken us from our national fever dream of easy riches and bigger houses, and put a necessary end to an era of reckless personal spending.But for the most part, these benefits seem thin, uncertain, and far off. In The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth, the economic historian Benjamin Friedman argues that both inside and outside the U.S. , lengthy periods of economic stagnation or decline have almost always left society more mean-spirited and less inclusive, and have usually stopped or reversed the advance of rights and freedoms. Anti-immigrant sentiment typically increases, as does conflict between races and classes.Income inequality usually falls during a recession, but it has not shrunk in this one. Indeed, this period of economic weakness may reinforce class divides, and decrease opportunities to cross them--- especially for young people. The research of Till Von Wachter, the economist in Columbia University, suggests that not all people graduating into a recession see their life chances dimmed: those with degrees from elite universities catch up fairly quickly to where they otherwise would have been if they had graduated in better times; it is the masses beneath them that are left behind.In the internet age, it is particularly easy to see the resentment that has always been hidden within American society. More difficult, in the moment, is discerning precisely how these lean times are affecting society’s character. In many respects, the U.S. was more socially tolerant entering this recession than at any time in its history, and a variety of national polls on social conflict since then have shown mixed results. We will have to wait and see exactly how these hard times will reshape our social fabric. But they certainly it, and all the more so the longer they extend.第 36 题 By saying “to find silver linings”（Line 1,Para.2）the author suggest that the jobless try to___.[A]seek subsidies from the government[B]explore reasons for the unemployment[C]make profits from the troubled economy[D]look on the bright side of the recession
Had Paul received six more votes in the last election, he ________ our chairman now.[A] must have been[B] would have been[C] were[D] would be
A suitable title for this text might be（ ）[A] How to Develop U.S. Economy[B] The Relation between American Industry and New Economy[C]Digital Engine Powers New Economy[D] Our New Policy on Economy
Love Animal ShelterFoster Owner ProgramYou can help save a dog's life by becoming a foster owner until we find a loving owner to adopt your pet or until we reunite them with their original owner. We have dogs of all ages for you to care for, and many require special attention.Although being a foster owner is one of the most rewarding experiences in the world, its emotional, physical, and financial demands should be given careful consideration. For this reason, we require all of our applicants go through an orientation program at our shelter so that they can get used to the responsibilities of caring for a dog and decide for themselves if they would like to continue doing it. We will also have one of our staff conduct a home and lifestyle evaluation to determine if each applicant's living situation is suitable for one of our dogs. Additionally, once a dog has been placed in your care, our adoption center will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help with any situations that arises.For more information on our foster owner program, including testimonials from current and previous foster owners, visit www.loveanimalshelter.com.According to the advertisement, what is available on the Web site?A. FormsB. PicturesC. GuidelinesD. Testimonials.
It has always been our company's ( ) to encourage employeesto use their talents and create more wealth.A. policyB. procedureC. campaignD. Plan
Text 4 The great recession may be over,but this era of high joblessness is probably beginning.Before it ends,it will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults.And ultimately,it is likely to reshape our politics,our culture,and the character of our society for years.No one tries harder than the jobless to find silver linings in this national economic disaster.Many said that unemployment,while extremely painful,had improved them in some ways:they had become less materialistic and more financially prudent;they were more aware of the struggles of others.In limited respects,perhaps the recession will leave society better off.At the very least,it has awoken us from our national fever dream of easy riches and bigger houses,and put a necessary end to an era of reckless personal spending.But for the most part,these benefits seem thin,uncertain,and far off.In The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth,the economic historian Benjamin Friedman argues that both inside and outside the U．S.,lengthy periods of economic stagnation or decline have almost always left society more meanspirited and less inclusive,and have usually stopped or reversed the advance of rights and freedoms.Antiimmigrant sentiment typically increases,as does conflict between races and classes.Income inequality usually falls during a recession,but it has not shrunk in this one.Indeed,this period of economic weakness may reinforce class divides,and decrease opportunities to cross them—especially for young people.The research of Till Von Wachter,the economic at Columbia University,suggests that not all people graduating into a recession see their life chances dimmed:those with degrees from elite universities catch up fairly quickly to where they otherwise would have been if they had graduated in better times;it is the masses beneath them that are left behind.In the Internet age,it is particularly easy to see the resentment that has always been hidden within American society.More difficult,in the moment,is discerning precisely how these lean times are affecting society's character.In many respects,the U.S.was more socially tolerant entering this recession than at any time in its history,and a variety of national polls on social conflict since then have shown mixed results.We will have to wait and see exactly how these hard times will reshape our social fabric.But they certainly will reshape it,and all the more so the longer they extend.The author thinks that the influence of hard times on society is____A.certainB.positiveC.trivialD.destructive
Amold Schwarzenegger.Dia Mirza and Adrian Grenier have a message for you.It’s easy to beat plastic.They’re part of a bunch of celebrities starring in a new video for World Environment Day-encouraging you,the consumer,to swap out your single-use plastic staples like straws and cutlery to combat the plastics crisis.The key messages that have been put together for World Environment Day do include a call for governments to enact legislation to curb single-use plastics.But the overarching message is directed at individuals.My concern with leaving it up to the individual,however,is our limited sense of what needs to be achieved.One their own,taking our own bags to the grocery store or quitting plastic straws,for example,will accomplish little and require very little of us.They could even be detrimental,satisfying a need to have“done our bit”without ever progressing onto bigger,bolder,more effective actions-a kind of“moral licensing”that allays our concerns and stops us doing more and asking more of those in charge.While the conversation around our environment and our responsibility toward it remains centered on shopping hags and straws,we’re ignoring the balance of power that implies that as“consumers”we must shop sustainably,rather than as“citizens”hole our governments and industries to account to push for real systemic change.It’s important to acknowledge that the environment isn’t everyone’s priority-or even most people’s.We shouldn’t expect it to be.In her latest book,Why Good People Do Bad Environmental Things.Wellesley College professor Elizabeth R.DeSombre argues that the best way to collectively change the behavior of large numbers of people is for the change to be structural.This might mean implementing policy such as a plastic tax that adds a cost to environmentally problematic action,or banning single-use plastics altogether.India has just announced it will“eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022.”There are also incentive-based ways of making better environmental choices easier,such as ensuring recycling is at least as easy as trash disposal.DeSombre isn’t saying people should stop caring about the environment.It’s just that individual actions are too slow,she says,for that to be the only,or even primary,approach to changing widespread behavior.None of this is about writing off the individual.It’s just about putting things into perspective.We don’t have time to wait.We need progressive policies that shape collective action(and rein in polluting businesses),alongside engaged citizens pushing for change. The author is concerned that“moral licensing”may_____《》（）A.mislead us into doing worthless thingsB.prevent us from making further effortsC.weaken our sense of accomplishmentD.suppress our desire for success
Text 4 The great recession may be over,but this era of high joblessness is probably beginning.Before it ends,it will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults.And ultimately,it is likely to reshape our politics,our culture,and the character of our society for years.No one tries harder than the jobless to find silver linings in this national economic disaster.Many said that unemployment,while extremely painful,had improved them in some ways:they had become less materialistic and more financially prudent;they were more aware of the struggles of others.In limited respects,perhaps the recession will leave society better off.At the very least,it has awoken us from our national fever dream of easy riches and bigger houses,and put a necessary end to an era of reckless personal spending.But for the most part,these benefits seem thin,uncertain,and far off.In The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth,the economic historian Benjamin Friedman argues that both inside and outside the U．S.,lengthy periods of economic stagnation or decline have almost always left society more meanspirited and less inclusive,and have usually stopped or reversed the advance of rights and freedoms.Antiimmigrant sentiment typically increases,as does conflict between races and classes.Income inequality usually falls during a recession,but it has not shrunk in this one.Indeed,this period of economic weakness may reinforce class divides,and decrease opportunities to cross them—especially for young people.The research of Till Von Wachter,the economic at Columbia University,suggests that not all people graduating into a recession see their life chances dimmed:those with degrees from elite universities catch up fairly quickly to where they otherwise would have been if they had graduated in better times;it is the masses beneath them that are left behind.In the Internet age,it is particularly easy to see the resentment that has always been hidden within American society.More difficult,in the moment,is discerning precisely how these lean times are affecting society's character.In many respects,the U.S.was more socially tolerant entering this recession than at any time in its history,and a variety of national polls on social conflict since then have shown mixed results.We will have to wait and see exactly how these hard times will reshape our social fabric.But they certainly will reshape it,and all the more so the longer they extend.The research of Till Von Wachter suggests that in the recession graduates from elite universities tend to____A.lag behind the others due to decreased opportunitiesB.catch up quickly with experienced employeesC.see their life chances as dimmed as the others'D.recover more quickly than the others
Text 4 The great recession may be over,but this era of high joblessness is probably beginning.Before it ends,it will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults.And ultimately,it is likely to reshape our politics,our culture,and the character of our society for years.No one tries harder than the jobless to find silver linings in this national economic disaster.Many said that unemployment,while extremely painful,had improved them in some ways:they had become less materialistic and more financially prudent;they were more aware of the struggles of others.In limited respects,perhaps the recession will leave society better off.At the very least,it has awoken us from our national fever dream of easy riches and bigger houses,and put a necessary end to an era of reckless personal spending.But for the most part,these benefits seem thin,uncertain,and far off.In The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth,the economic historian Benjamin Friedman argues that both inside and outside the U．S.,lengthy periods of economic stagnation or decline have almost always left society more meanspirited and less inclusive,and have usually stopped or reversed the advance of rights and freedoms.Antiimmigrant sentiment typically increases,as does conflict between races and classes.Income inequality usually falls during a recession,but it has not shrunk in this one.Indeed,this period of economic weakness may reinforce class divides,and decrease opportunities to cross them—especially for young people.The research of Till Von Wachter,the economic at Columbia University,suggests that not all people graduating into a recession see their life chances dimmed:those with degrees from elite universities catch up fairly quickly to where they otherwise would have been if they had graduated in better times;it is the masses beneath them that are left behind.In the Internet age,it is particularly easy to see the resentment that has always been hidden within American society.More difficult,in the moment,is discerning precisely how these lean times are affecting society's character.In many respects,the U.S.was more socially tolerant entering this recession than at any time in its history,and a variety of national polls on social conflict since then have shown mixed results.We will have to wait and see exactly how these hard times will reshape our social fabric.But they certainly will reshape it,and all the more so the longer they extend.According to Paragraph 2,the recession has made people_____A.realize the national dreamB.struggle against each otherC.challenge their prudenceD.reconsider their lifestyle
Amold Schwarzenegger.Dia Mirza and Adrian Grenier have a message for you.It’s easy to beat plastic.They’re part of a bunch of celebrities starring in a new video for World Environment Day-encouraging you,the consumer,to swap out your single-use plastic staples like straws and cutlery to combat the plastics crisis.The key messages that have been put together for World Environment Day do include a call for governments to enact legislation to curb single-use plastics.But the overarching message is directed at individuals.My concern with leaving it up to the individual,however,is our limited sense of what needs to be achieved.One their own,taking our own bags to the grocery store or quitting plastic straws,for example,will accomplish little and require very little of us.They could even be detrimental,satisfying a need to have“done our bit”without ever progressing onto bigger,bolder,more effective actions-a kind of“moral licensing”that allays our concerns and stops us doing more and asking more of those in charge.While the conversation around our environment and our responsibility toward it remains centered on shopping hags and straws,we’re ignoring the balance of power that implies that as“consumers”we must shop sustainably,rather than as“citizens”hole our governments and industries to account to push for real systemic change.It’s important to acknowledge that the environment isn’t everyone’s priority-or even most people’s.We shouldn’t expect it to be.In her latest book,Why Good People Do Bad Environmental Things.Wellesley College professor Elizabeth R.DeSombre argues that the best way to collectively change the behavior of large numbers of people is for the change to be structural.This might mean implementing policy such as a plastic tax that adds a cost to environmentally problematic action,or banning single-use plastics altogether.India has just announced it will“eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022.”There are also incentive-based ways of making better environmental choices easier,such as ensuring recycling is at least as easy as trash disposal.DeSombre isn’t saying people should stop caring about the environment.It’s just that individual actions are too slow,she says,for that to be the only,or even primary,approach to changing widespread behavior.None of this is about writing off the individual.It’s just about putting things into perspective.We don’t have time to wait.We need progressive policies that shape collective action(and rein in polluting businesses),alongside engaged citizens pushing for change. By pointing out out identity“citizens”,the author indicates that_____《》（）A.our focus should be shifted to community welfareB.our relationship with local industries is improvingC.We have been actively exercising our civil rightsD.We should press our government to lead the combat
Text 4 The great recession may be over,but this era of high joblessness is probably beginning.Before it ends,it will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults.And ultimately,it is likely to reshape our politics,our culture,and the character of our society for years.No one tries harder than the jobless to find silver linings in this national economic disaster.Many said that unemployment,while extremely painful,had improved them in some ways:they had become less materialistic and more financially prudent;they were more aware of the struggles of others.In limited respects,perhaps the recession will leave society better off.At the very least,it has awoken us from our national fever dream of easy riches and bigger houses,and put a necessary end to an era of reckless personal spending.But for the most part,these benefits seem thin,uncertain,and far off.In The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth,the economic historian Benjamin Friedman argues that both inside and outside the U．S.,lengthy periods of economic stagnation or decline have almost always left society more meanspirited and less inclusive,and have usually stopped or reversed the advance of rights and freedoms.Antiimmigrant sentiment typically increases,as does conflict between races and classes.Income inequality usually falls during a recession,but it has not shrunk in this one.Indeed,this period of economic weakness may reinforce class divides,and decrease opportunities to cross them—especially for young people.The research of Till Von Wachter,the economic at Columbia University,suggests that not all people graduating into a recession see their life chances dimmed:those with degrees from elite universities catch up fairly quickly to where they otherwise would have been if they had graduated in better times;it is the masses beneath them that are left behind.In the Internet age,it is particularly easy to see the resentment that has always been hidden within American society.More difficult,in the moment,is discerning precisely how these lean times are affecting society's character.In many respects,the U.S.was more socially tolerant entering this recession than at any time in its history,and a variety of national polls on social conflict since then have shown mixed results.We will have to wait and see exactly how these hard times will reshape our social fabric.But they certainly will reshape it,and all the more so the longer they extend.By saying“to find silver linings”（Line 1,Para.2）the author suggests that the jobless try to_____A.seek subsidies from the governmentB.explore reasons for the unemploymentC.make profits from the troubled economyD.look on the bright side of the recession
资料：Procrastination comes in many disguises. We might resolve to tackle a task, but find endless reasons to defer it. We might prioritize things we can readily tick off our to-do list- answering emails, say- while leaving the big, complex stuff untouched for another day. We can look and feel busy. while artfully avoiding the tanks that really matter. And when we look at those rolling, long untouched items at the bottom of our to-do list, we can't help but feel a little disappointed in ourselves.The problem is our brains are programmed to procrastinate. In general, we all tend to struggle with task that promise future upside in return for efforts we take now. That's because it's easier for our brains to process concrete rather than abstract things, and the immediate hassle is very tangible compared with those unknowable, uncertain future benefits. So the short-term effort easily dominates the long-term upside in our minds--an example of something that behavioral scientists call present bias.How can you become less myopic about your elusive tasks? It's all about rebalancing the cost benefit analysis: make the benefits of action feel bigger, and the costs of action feel smaller. The reward for doing a pestering task needs to feel larger than the immediate pain of tacking it.To make the benefits of action feel bigger and more real:Visualize how great it will be to get it done. Researchers have discovered that people are more likely to save for their future retirement if they're shown digitally aged photographs of themselves. Why? Because it makes their future self feel more real-making the future benefits of saving also feel more weighty.Which one is TRUE about our brain?A.Concrete things are more attractive than the abstract things.B.The long term upside is easily dominated by short-term effort in our minds.C.We cannot avoid present bias in our brain.D.The brain can be trained to procrastinate often.
单选题The author's description of Ginny suggests all of the following EXCEPT ______.AAphra felt amicably toward GinnyBNathaniel and Ginny appear of similar ageCRachel's beauty is more appreciated than Ginny'sDGinny's appearance is in harmony with her surroundingsEGinny has impeccable taste in clothing
单选题_____ our great surprise, our company has made much more profit than we expected last year.AForBInCWithDTo
单选题______ our great surprise, our company has made much more profit than we expected lastyear.AForBInCWithDTo
单选题If there’s one man ______ opinion matters more than any others’, it’s our manager.AwhomBwhichCwhoDwhose
单选题What is the speaker’s attitude toward individualism?AFamilies and troops should not be influenced by individualism, which is very strong in our society.BWe should nurture virtues like self-sacrifice, loyalty and love to phase out individualism.CIndividualism is so strong in our society that it will replace virtues like self-sacrifice, loyalty and love even in families.DAn individualistic society is not what we want, though it’s powerful.
单选题The coming of the railways in the 1830s（）our society and economy.AtransferredBtransformedCtransmittedDtransported
问答题Practice 7 That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far- reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. (Barack Obama: Inaugural Address)
问答题Is More Growth Really Better? A number of writers have raised questions about the desirability of faster economic growth as an end in itself, at least in the wealthier industrialized countries. Yet faster growth does mean more wealth, and to most people the desirability of wealth is beyond question. “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor—and I can tell you, rich is better,” a noted stage personality is said to have told an interviewer, and most people seem to have the same attitude about the economy as a whole. To those who hold this belief, a healthy economy is one that is capable of turning out vast quantities of shoes, food, cars, and TV sets. An economy whose capacity to provide all these things is not expanding is said to have succumbed to the disease of stagnation. Economists from Adam Smith to Karl Marx saw great virtue in economic growth. Marx argued that capitalism, at least in its earlier historical stages, was a vital form of economic organization by which society got out of the rut in which the medieval stage of history had trapped it. Marx believed that “the development of the productive powers of society... alone can form the real basis of a higher form of productive powers of society”. Marx went on to tell us that only where such great productive powers have been unleashed can one have “a society in which the full and free development of every individual forms the ruling principle.” In other words, only a wealthy economy can afford to give all individuals the opportunity for full personal satisfaction through the use of their special abilities in their jobs and through increased leisure activities. Yet the desirability of further economic growth for a society that is already wealthy has been questioned on grounds that undoubtedly have a good deal of validity. It is pointed out that the sheer increase in quantity of products has imposed an enormous cost on society in the form of pollution, crowding, proliferation of wastes that need disposal, and debilitating psychological and social effects. It is said that industry has transformed the satisfying and creative tasks of the artisan into the mechanical and dehumanizing routine of the assembly line. It has dotted our roadsides with junkyards, filled our air with smoke, and poisoned our food with dangerous chemicals. The question is whether the outpouring of frozen foods, talking dolls, radios, and headache remedies is worth its high cost to society. As one well-known economist put it: The continued pursuit of economic growth by Western Societies is more likely on balance to reduce rather than increase social welfare... Technological innovations may offer to add to men’s material opportunities. But by increasing the risks of their obsolescence it adds also to their anxiety. Swifter means of communications have the paradoxical effect of isolating people; increased mobility has led to more hours commuting; increased automobilization to increased separation; more television to less communication. In consequence, people know less of their neighbors than ever before. Virtually every economist agrees that these concerns are valid, though many question whether economic growth is their major cause. Nevertheless, they all emphasize that pollution of air and water, noise and congestion, and the mechanization of the work process are very real and very serious problems. There is every reason for society to undertake programs that grapple with these problems. 11
问答题Practice 3 What today’s global market economy teaches many of us who are involved in political life, is that even when they are inconvenient, the laws of economics, like the laws of physics, cannot be repealed for the convenience of governments. The economic principles for national success are as difficult to implement as they are easy to state. There is a paradox in all our countries at this moment. Just as a new global economy creates more to look forward to than ever before, it also brings more uncertainty and more change to worry about than ever before. That is why the challenge of crafting economic policy in your country as in mine is one of balance. A balance between moving toward necessary objectives and maintaining stability. A balance between responding to global realities and upholding domestic traditions. And a balance between the virtues of competition as the best known motivator and driver of success, and the importance of cohesion and cooperation as sources of strength for our societies. These balances will have to be struck and calibrated every year in every country in this new global economy. These measures are what one might call the intangible infrastructure of a modern market economy.
问答题Practice 4 The answer is, in a sense, all in our minds. For the last century, our society’s basic drive has been toward more—toward a bigger national economy, toward more stuff for each of us. And it’ s worked. Our economy is enormous; our houses are enormous. We are living large. All that more is created by using cheap energy and hence built on carbon dioxide (CO2)—which makes up 72% of all greenhouse gases. Some pollutants decrease as we get richer. But carbon dioxide consistency tracks economic growth. As Harvard economist Friedman concluded last year, CO2 is “the one major environmental contaminant for which no study has ever found any indication of improvement as living standards rise.” This means that if we’re going to cope with global warming, we may also have to cope with the end of infinite economic expansion. That sounds gloomy, but maybe not. New data suggest that we’ve been overstating the issue for many decades. We made an assumption that more was better. It seemed a reasonable thinking. But in recent years, economists, sociologists and other researchers have begun to question that link. Indeed, they’re finding that at least since the 1950’s, more material prosperity has yielded little increase in humans’ satisfaction.
问答题Working Together Against the Infectious Diseases There is another area that really may sound like it’s outside the range of politics and Iraqi people where we’re cooperating together, but it’s an area that is vital to the well-being of the Chinese people, the American people, the people in the world, and it’s now we’re working together to deal with the dangers inherent in infectious diseases. China’s sobering experience with SARS stands as a lesson to all countries on the challenge of infectious diseases. I have called HIV/AIDS the world’s greatest weapon of mass destruction today. It threatens to kill tens of millions of men, women and children—in the Caribbean, in Latin America, in the subcontinent, especially in Africa—and yes, it is a danger to China as well. And China’s government is facing up to this crisis, working with us. The United States has told China we are ready to help. Last month, our Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson spoke in China of President Bush’s interest in furthering our practical cooperation on HIV/AIDS and other health issues. Specialists from our Centers for Disease Control are working on the ground with their Chinese counterparts. Our National Institute of Health has granted $14.8 million to help China upgrade its health care infrastructure. My friends, it is upon such concrete forms of cooperation on issues of regional and global importance that a 21st century US-China relationship will be built, issue by issue, experience by experience, challenge by challenge, initiative by initiative, program by program. As China participates more actively in world affairs, we will extend our welcome. Building and sustaining a healthy overall relationship is good for America, it is good for China, it is good for the region, and good for the international community.
问答题Practice 8 I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you’ve bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land—a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face arc real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America—they will be met.