6. The earthen floor, beaten hard by countless feet, deadens the sound of footsteps, and the vaulted mudbrick walls and roof have hardly any sounds to echo 7. The shop-keepers speak in slow, measured tones, and the buyers, overwhelmed by the sepulchral atmosphere, follow suit 8. It is a point of honour with the customer not to let the shopkeeper guess what it is she really likes and wants until the last moment 9. One of the most picturesque and impressive parts of the bazaar is the copper-smiths 10. Elsewhere there is the carpet-market with its profusion of rich colours, varied textures and regional designs---some bold and simple, others unbelievable detailed nd yet harmonious IV Reading Comprehension(20%) Directions: There are five passages in this section. read the passages and choose the best answer to each question During the 19n century, the Industrial Revolution gained momentum. While there were mass dislocations of people, and laborers were not treated kindly, the net effect over time was to increase the demand for labor. The aged were not given special attention, except through the poor Laws and the poorhouses and asylums developed under those laws. This same pattern carried over to America. Respectable American opinion in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries held that there was work for all who would work, and personal or family charity for those who could not, including the displaced aged. The fact that, periodically at least, there were conditions when labor power was in surplus, when there were more adults than the economy required, was ignored Work to the end of one's days was an economic and socially imposed standard By 1900, Simon Patten, professor of economics at the Wharton School, developed the thesis that America was entering a period when all people's needs could be met with less and less manpower. He anticipated a time when there would be an excess of labor, when working time could be drastically reduced, and when adults would have large amounts of leisure time at thei disposal. His concern with this coming situation was focused on how to prepare people psychologically for a constructive social use of the new leisure. In many ways he was a prophet of the view that our 20th century economy would be one with many"surplus"people, at least in elation to the production of goods During most of these centuries, the aged as a group did not play a central role in the evolution of ideas beyond those of the original biblical injunctions: work and family obligations. However with the twentieth century the capacity of the American economy to produce more goods with less labor was matched by a major change in the demographic nature of its population. Life expectancy grew rapidly as infant mortality declined. Other improvements in health care meant that the elderly became not only more numerous but more healthy, vigorous, and able-bodied. The first policy approach to this evolution was the enactment by many states of old age pension laws and, during the depression of the 1930s, the national Social Security Act with its provision for almost universal retirement income. Public policy provided an income base to help the no-longer-needed older worker leave the labor force 1. By saying that"the Industrial Revolution gained momentum", the author means that th6. The earthen floor, beaten hard by countless feet, deadens the sound of footsteps, and the vaulted mudbrick walls and roof have hardly any sounds to echo. 7. The shop-keepers speak in slow, measured tones, and the buyers, overwhelmed by the sepulchral atmosphere, follow suit. 8. It is a point of honour with the customer not to let the shopkeeper guess what it is she really likes and wants until the last moment. 9. One of the most picturesque and impressive parts of the bazaar is the copper-smiths’ market. 10. Elsewhere there is the carpet-market, with its profusion of rich colours, varied textures and regional designs---some bold and simple, others unbelievable detailed and yet harmonious. IV. Reading Comprehension（20%）. Directions: There are five passages in this section. Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question. Passage 1 During the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution gained momentum. While there were mass dislocations of people, and laborers were not treated kindly, the net effect over time was to increase the demand for labor. The aged were not given special attention, except through the Poor Laws and the poorhouses and asylums developed under those laws. This same pattern carried over to America. Respectable American opinion in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries held that there was work for all who would work, and personal or family charity for those who could not, including the displaced aged. The fact that, periodically at least, there were conditions when labor power was in surplus, when there were more adults than the economy required, was ignored. Work to the end of one’s days was an economic and socially imposed standard. By 1900, Simon Patten, professor of economics at the Wharton School, developed the thesis that America was entering a period when all people’s needs could be met with less and less manpower. He anticipated a time when there would be an excess of labor, when working time could be drastically reduced, and when adults would have large amounts of leisure time at their disposal. His concern with this coming situation was focused on how to prepare people psychologically for a constructive social use of the new leisure. In many ways he was a prophet of the view that our 20th century economy would be one with many “surplus ” people, at least in relation to the production of goods. During most of these centuries, the aged as a group did not play a central role in the evolution of ideas beyond those of the original biblical injunctions: work and family obligations. However, with the twentieth century the capacity of the American economy to produce more goods with less labor was matched by a major change in the demographic nature of its population. Life expectancy grew rapidly as infant mortality declined. Other improvements in health care meant that the elderly became not only more numerous but more healthy, vigorous, and able-bodied. The first policy approach to this evolution was the enactment by many states of old age pension laws and, during the Depression of the 1930s, the national Social Security Act with its provision for almost universal retirement income. Public policy provided an income base to help the no-longer-needed older worker leave the labor force. 1. By saying that “the Industrial Revolution gained momentum”, the author means that the