Japan"s post-World War II value system of diligence, cooperation, and hard work

Japan"s post-World War II value system of diligence, cooperation, and hard work

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Japan"s post-World War II value system of diligence, cooperation, and hard work is changing. Recent surveys show that Japanese youth have become a "Me Generation" that rejects traditional values.
"Many Japanese, especially young people, abandoned the values of economic success and began searching for new sets of values to bring them happiness," writes sociologist Yasuhiro Yoshizaki in Comparative Civilizations Review. Japanese youth are placing more importance on the individual"s pursuit of happiness and less on the values of work, family, and society. Japanese students seem to be losing patience with work, unlike their counterparts in the United States and Korea. In a recent survey of college students in the three countries, only 10% of the Japanese regarded work as a primary value, compared with 47% of their Korean counterparts and 27% of American students. A greater proportion of Japanese aged 18 to 24 also preferred easy jobs without heavy responsibility.
Concern for family values is waning among younger Japanese as they pursue an inner world of private satisfaction. Data collected by the Japanese government in 2005 shows that only 23% of Japanese youth are thinking about supporting their aged parents, in contrast to 63% of young Americans. It appears that many younger-generation Japanese are losing both respect for their parents and a sense of responsibility to the family. Author Yoshizaki attributes the change to Japanese parents" over-indulgence of their children, material affluence, and growing concern for private matters.
The shift toward individualism among Japanese is most pronounced among the very young. According to 2003 data from the Seimei Hoken Bunka Center of Japan, 75% of Japanese youth aged 16 to 19 can be labeled "self-centered", compared with 53% among those aged 25 to 29. To earn the self-centered label, the young people responded positively to such ideas as "I would like to make decisions without considering traditional values" and "I don"t want to do anything I can"t enjoy doing".
Diminishing social responsibility, according to Yoshizaki, is tied to the growing interest in pleasure and personal satisfaction. Yoshizaki concludes that the entire value system of Japanese youth is undergoing major transformation, but the younger generation has not yet found a new organized value system to replace the old.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “waning” in paragraph 3?
A. becoming less          B. increasing      C. missing         D. becoming popular
2. What is Yoshizaki’s attitude towards most Japanese parents’ way of parenting?
A. Supportive     B. Negative        C. Satisfied        D. Worried
3. What might be one of the possible reasons of Japanese young people’s change?
A. World War II leaves such a heavy impact on them that they have lost the interest of work.
B. Most of them are the only child at home so they don’t need to work hard.
C. Japanese younger generation place too much emphasis on personal satisfaction and interest now.
D. Most of the younger generation lose the confidence in their own country so they don’t work hard.
4. Why do we say that Japanese youth have become a “Me Generation”?
a. Because they don’t regard a better education a pride.
b. Because a greater proportion of Japanese young people prefer easy jobs without heavy       responsibility.
c. Because most of the teenagers become self-centered according to the 2003 survey.
d. Because only 10% of the Japanese young people regard work as a primary value.
A. a           B. a, b                  C. b, d           D. b, c, d
5. According to the survey, which country’s young people work harder?
A. Japanese          B. Korean             C. American        D. Chinese
答案

小题1:A
小题2:B
小题3:C
小题4:D
小题5:B
解析

举一反三

Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand and remember.Churchill warned the British to expect “blood, toil, tears and sweat”; Roosevelt told the Americans that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”; Lenin promised the war-weary Russians peace, land and bread.Straightforward but effective messages.
We have an image of what a leader ought to be.We even recognize the physical signs; leaders may not necessarily be tall, but they must have bigger-than-life, commanding features -- Lyndon Baines Johnson’s nose and ear lobes, Ike’s broad grin.A trade-mark also comes in handy; Lincoln’s stovepipe hat, Kennedy’s rocking chair.We expect our leaders to stand out a little, not to be like an ordinary man.Half of President Ford’s trouble lay on the fact that, if you closed your eyes for a moment, you couldn’t remember his face, figure of clothes.A leader should have an unforgettable identity, instantly and permanently fixed in people’s minds.
It also helps for a leader to be able to do something most of us can’t: FDR overcame polio; Mao swam the Yangtze River at the age of 72. We don’t want our leaders to be "just like us." We want them to be like us but better, special more so. Yet if they are too different, we reject them.
A Chinese philosopher once remarked that a leader must have the grace of a good dancer, and there is a great deal of wisdom to this. A leader should know how to appear relaxed and confident. His walks should be firm and purposeful. He should be able, like Lincoln, Roosevelt, Truman, Lke and JFK, to give a good, hearty, belly laugh, instead of the sickly grin that passes for good humor in Nixon or Carter. Ronald Reagan’s training as an actor showed to good effect in the debate with Carter, when by his easy manner and apparent affability, he managed to convey the impression that in fact he was the president and Carter the challenger.
The every simple truth about leadership is that people can only be led where they want to go. The leader follows, though a step ahead. Americans wanted to climb out of the Depression and needed someone to tell them they could do it, and Roosevelt did. The British believed that they could still win the war after the defeats of 1940, and Churchill told them they were right.
A leader rides the waves, moves with the tides, understands the deepest yearning of his people. He cannot make a nation that wants peace at any price go to war, or stop a nation determined to fight from doing so. His purpose must match the national mood.
1.The underlined word “yearning” in the last paragraph probably means_________.
A.love  B.trouble     C.desire       D.feeling
2.From the fourth paragraph we can learn that_________.
A.leaders usually look special or different
B.leaders don’t have to be tall
C.most leaders look ordinary
D.leaders should always have trademarks
3.According to the article, a leader_________.
A.usually tries to simplify our messages
B.tell us what we want to hear
C.encourages us to think about things in a new way
D.is usually confident and handsome
4.From the passage we can infer that          .
A.it helps for a leader to be able to dance or act well
B.great leaders are usually totally different from us
C.Carter was humorous and made good speeches
D.it is the people rather than the president that makes what a nation is
5.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A.Want to be a leader?
B.What makes a leader?
C.What does a leader look like?
D.What must a leader do?
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British researchers are looking for volunteers willing to eat a piece of chocolate daily for a year in the name of science. The trial(实验) will explore whether flavonoids (类黄酮) found in chocolate and other foods can reduce the risk of heart disease.
“We are looking at a high risk group first,” said Aedin Cassidy, a biochemist who will lead the study.
Previous studies have suggested dark chocolate is rich in the beneficial flavonoids linked with heart health, but experts note the high sugar and fat content of most commercially available chocolate might cancel out some of the advantages. Other research has also shown dark chocolate appears to lower blood pressure, improve the function of blood vessels (血管)and reduce the risk of heart attack.
This has encouraged companies to market specific products containing dark chocolate. Mars Inc has introduced Cocoa Via, a line of dark and premium chocolates that plays up such health advantages.
Cassidy said her team will also publish findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing that flavonoids found in soy and cocoa appear to have the strongest effects of reducing risk of heart disease.
The next step will organize 150 women volunteers with a specific illness. The researchers will look at whether flavonoids help reduce blood pressure, cut cholesterol levels and improve the condition of blood vessels.
Half the women in the year-long study will eat chocolate containing 30 grams of flavonoids found in soy, cocoa and other fruits and vegetables. The others will get chocolate without the active flavonoids.
“This could help doctors give advice to patients on the type and amount of foods to eat to reduce heart disease risk—and it does not necessarily need to be chocolate,” Cassidy said. “If this trial works we will be able to advise on a whole range of foods. People won"t have to go around eating specially designed chocolate.”
1. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Volunteers wanted for chocolate study.           B. Chocolate is good for health.
C. A new research on heart attacks.                 D. Flavonoids found in chocolate.
2. What’s the purpose of the trial?
A. To test the advantages of a new kind of chocolate.
B. To find cures for heart disease.
C. To discover how to control blood pressure.
D. To explore the advantages of flavonoids.
3. From Paragraph 3 we can infer that __________.
A. Cassidy’s team has done several studies on chocolate
B. dark chocolate has proved beneficial to health
C. people should eat much chocolate with high sugar and fat
D. most commercially available chocolate doesn’t contain flavonoids
4. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. All the volunteers will eat the same chocolate.
B. CocoaVia is a company that produces dark chocolate.
C. People who want to take part in the trial should be healthy.
D. Soy, cocoa, some fruit and vegetables contain flavonoids.
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There is that great idea that in an information and knowledge based economy, the most important thing for companies is attracting and holding outstanding talented guys. Obviously I will not say that is not important, but in my opinion a successful and groundbreaking company cannot be built just from the collection of high talented people, as a great sports team can"t be constructed only by the collection of great players.
It is more important to build teams of people that achieve the goals according to the company"s organizational vision. It is necessary to create organizations where everybody (with outstanding talent or not) can develop their best personal capabilities and that these capacities are addressed to achieve the corporate goals and mission. The company efforts must be addressed to design an organizational system that produces and uses talent from everyone in the company.
Trying to get the best from our people through corporate team building policies, establishing a concrete corporate culture and values, making our company a place where people want to work because it is a good place to stay and develop their capacities, is the best way to compete in the knowledge economy. That will keep us out of the obligation to constantly seek for the "best players" and entering in the retribution auctions(拍卖).
We have to take into account that, nowadays, the real talented and creative people, like to work or engage themselves in projects where they can develop their capacities, they can be involved in the organizational goals and vision, and where they are treated with respect and dignity. Definitively, they want to be happy doing their jobs. And we have to build organizations where they can find that.
小题1:
The underlined word that in Paragraph 1 refers to ________.
A.information and knowledgeB.the great idea
C.the collection of talented peopleD.attracting and holding talented people
小题2:
In the author’s opinion, a good company should consist of ________.
A.only outstanding peopleB.both talented and common people
C.only common peopleD.more talented people than common people
小题3:
The most important thing a successful company should do is ________.
A.constantly seek for talented people
B.employ people with different abilities
C.make the company a place where employees are glad to devote themselves to work
D.make the company a place where employees can get the best pay and great respect
小题4:
According to Paragraph 3, the company can get the best from its employees in the following ways EXCEPT ________.
A.making corporate team building rules
B.forming corporate culture and values
C.encouraging them to develop their abilities
D.competing in the knowledge economy
小题5:
How is the text organized?
(1)—Paragraph 1   (2)—Paragraph 2          (3)—Paragraph 3          (4)—Paragraph 4
A.(1)→(2)→(3)→(4)B.(1)(2)→(3)(4)
↗(2) (1)↘
C.(1)→(3)D. (2)→(4)
↘(4)                               (3)↗
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Though it is mere 1 to 3 percent of the population,the upper class possesses at least 25 percent of the nation’s wealth.This class has two segments:upper-upper and lower- upper.Basically,the upper-upper class is the“old rich”-families that have been wealthy for several generations-an aristocracy of birth and wealth.Their names are in the Social Register,a listing of acceptable members of high society.A few are known across the nation,such as the Rockefellers,Roosevelts,and Vanderbilts.Most are not visible to the general public.They live in grand seclusion(深居简出),drawing their income from the investment of their inherited wealth.In contrast,the lower-upper class is the“new rich”. Although they may be wealthier than some of the old rich,the new rich are anxious to make their money like everybody else lower than their class.Thus their prestige(威望) is generally lower than that of the old rich,who have not found it necessary to lift a finger to make their money,and who tend to look down upon the new rich.
However its wealth is acquired,the upper class is very,very rich.They have enough money and leisure time to cultivate an interest in the arts and to collect rare books, paintings,and sculptures.They generally live in exclusive areas,belong to exclusive social clubs,communicate with each other,and marry their own kind-all of which keeps them so distant from the common people that they have been called the out-of-fight class.More than any other class,they tend to be conscious of being members of a class.They also command an enormous amount of power and influence here and abroad,as they hold many top government positions,run the Council on Foreign Relations,and control multinational corporations.Their actions affect the life of millions.
小题1:
According to the author,the“old rich”get riche_________.
A.through the Social RegisterB.through their reputation
C.by investing their inherited wealthD.by collecting paintings and sculptures
小题2:
The reason why the“old rich”look down upon the‘new rich’is that         .
A.the former are wealthier than the latter
B.the latter sweat themselves to make money
C.the“new rich”have no interest in arts
D.the“old rich”are conscious of being members of the upper class
小题3:
The upper class is also called the out-of-sight class because_________.
A.they keep away from the general public
B.they spend most of their time abroad.
C.they don’t communicate with any people
D.they move frequently from place to place
小题4:
We can learn from the passage that_________.
A.the upper class is powerful and influential
B.the upper class collects rare books to make money
C.the upper class holds all top government positions
D.the“old rich”make much more money than the“new rich”

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Toyota recalls cars in safety alert.
Toyota is recalling more than two million cars in thief fears of sticking accelerator pedals, (踏板) just months after another major problem affected huge numbers.
The latest recall is due to potential problems with the pedal device that can cause the accelerator to become stuck.
The earlier issue affected 4.2m vehicles which we at the risk of the pedal becoming trapped under floor mats.
This time Toyota said in rare cases, the pedal mechanism were down, causing the accelerator to become harder to press, slower to return or, in some cases, stuck
It"s said the problem appeared to be related to the potential build-up of condensation (压缩) on sliding surfaces in the accelerator system that helps drivers push down or release the pedal. A spokesman said the company did not yet have a solution to the latest problem but is working on it.
The recall affects the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia. Of these, the Avalon, Camry and Tundra models -- encompassing (包含) about 1.7 million vehicles -- were also included in the previous pedal recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement that the problem is "a serious safety issue and we are pleased Toyota is taking immediate action to address it".
Toyota said drivers in the recalled vehicles whose pedals become stuck should firmly apply their brakes, drive the car to a safe location, shut off the engine and contact the nearest dealer.
Toyota"s latest recall in November was blamed for several crashes, including an accident involving a Lexus that accelerated to more than 120 mph before crashing in San Diego, killing four people.
1. Why is Toyota recalling so many ears in the US?
A. To reduce price                                B. To reduce pollution   
C. for the sake of safety                   D. For the sake of economy
2. Which statement is true according to the passage?
A. It"s the first time for Toyota to recall cars
B. The reason of the latest recall is different from that of the earlier one
C. The Toyota company has found a good solution to the problem.
D. The recall only affects the cars made between 2009-2010
3. What shouldn"t the driver in the recalled vehicles whose pedals get stuck do?
A. Turn on the car engine          B. Get in touch with the nearest dealers immediately
C. Drive the ear to a safe location immediately          D. Firmly apply their brakes
4. What can we infer from the The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration"s statement?
A. It"s too dangerous for the company to recall the cars
B. It"s a waste of money for the company to recall the cars
C. It"s not hard to solve the safety problem.
D. It"s a relief to see that the company can face the problem.
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