2009考研英语考前模拟题练习（四）

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1、2009考研英语考前模拟题练习（四）　　Text3　　AmericanshavealwaysbeenexcessiveworshippersofwhatWilliamJamescalled“thebitchgoddesssuccess”.Self-helpgurushavetoppedthebestsellerlistssinceBenjaminFranklinpublishedhisautobiography.AmericansaremuchmorelikelythanEuropeanstobelievethatpeoplecangetaheadinlifesolongas

2、theyarewillingtoworkhard.Andtheyaremuchmorelikelytochooseahigh-payingjobthatcarriesariskofredundancythanalower-paidjobthatguaranteessecurity.　　Butyoucan'thavewinnerswithoutlosers(orhowwouldyouknowhowwellyouaredoing?).Andyoucan'tbroadenopportunitywithoutalsobroadeningtheopportunitytofail.For

3、instance,untilrelativelyrecently,blackscouldnotblamethemselvesfortheirfailureinthe“raceoflife”,inAbrahamLincoln'sphrase,becausetheyweredebarredfromsomanypartsofit.Nowthebarriersarelifted,thepictureismorecomplicated.　　Allofwhichcreatesahugeproblem:howexactlyshouldahyper-competitivesocietydea

4、lwithitslosers?It'sallverywelltonotethatdrunkardsandslackersgetwhattheydeserve.Butwhataboutthehonesttoilers?Onewaytodealwiththeproblemistoofferpeopleasmanysecondchancesaspossible.Inhisintriguingnewbook“BornLosers:AHistoryofFailureinAmerica”,ScottSandagearguesthatthemid-nineteenthcenturysawa

5、redefinitionoffailure—fromsomethingthathaddescribedalousybusinesstosomethingthatdefinedawholelife.　　YetoneofthestrikingthingsaboutAmericaishowvaliantlyithasresistedtheideathatthereisanysuchthingasabornloser.AmericanschoolsresiststreamingtheirpupilsmuchlongerthantheirEuropeancounterparts:the

6、wholepointistofitinratherthanstandout.Americanhighereducationhasnumerouspointsofentryandreentry.AndtheAmericanlegalsystemhassomeofthemostgenerousbankruptcyrulesintheworld.InEurope,abankruptisoftenstillaruinedman;inAmerica,heisarisk-takingentrepreneur.　　Americanhistory—nottomentionAmericanfo

7、lklore—isrepletewithexamplesofpeoplewhotriedandtriedagainuntiltheymadeasuccessoftheirlives.Lincolnwasabankruptstorekeeper.HenryFordwasaserialfailure.At40,ThomasWatson,thearchitectofIBM,facedprison.America'spastisalsofullofpeoplewhocamebackfromthebrink.As