From bankers to factory staff, employees in the West face a cold  _ of losing their jobs as a global recession  starts to bite. For colleagues in the East, the pain is more likely to come through a pay cut. Human resource experts say cultural differences explain why Asian companies try harder to preserve jobs in difficult times, which will prevent unemployment and may help Asian economies survive at a time of slowing exports. The East Asian attitude may also make it easier for companies to recover quickly from the economic downturn since they will not need to rehire or train new staff, but build up a more loyal and devoted group. "In the Confucian mindset, the right thing to do is to share the burden, which is the sense of collective  responsibility. While in the West, it's more about individual survival," said Michael Benoliel, associate professor of organizational behavior at Singapore Management University (SMU). In contrast, local Western companies from General Motors to Goldman Sachs plan to lay off workers by the thousand, but at the Asian units of Western multinationals or western units of Asian groups, job cuts will probably be less severe. Japan's jobless rate was 4 percent in September, up from 3.8 percent in January, while Hong Kong's was flat at 3.4 percent. But US unemployment is expected to have jumped to 6.3 percent last month from below 5 percent in January. Experts say that while there are noticeable differences in labor practices in East and West, the gap will narrow as more firms become more multinational and competition forces firms to adopt the best practices of rivals from abroad. In which company can we infer the job cuts will be probably the most severe? A) A local American group. B) A small Japanese company. C) A German branch of a Korean multinational. D) A Hong Kong's unit of a French company.
A


(Question)
It's baseball season again,and Hank Snydder is back on the field.He has been back from the accident that kept him out of the game for the season last year,and that cost the Muggers last year's championship.Baseball fans in the city of Midvale are happy and George Brenner,the Muggers' owner,is happy too, because when Hank plays the team wins and the games sell out."Last year's attendance was all time low when Hank was out,"said Brenner."We're glad to have him back in uniform." Needless to say,the Muggers pay Hank well.But other teams have offered him a million dollars.Still,Hank has been faithful to the Muggers up to now.But there is a rumor that Hank might play for the Suffers of Sun City next year.A newspaper reporter asked Hank if there was any truth in it.He said."Nothing has been decided,but I have to admit that I could be leaving Midvale after this season."What about another rumor that Hank might be getting married? "That's true." Hank replied,"and I'm very happy about it." There is no need to ask how Midvale or George Brenner would feel about losing Hank.But is Hank completely happy about the changes that may be taking place in his life? "Only one thing troubles me,"he said."I've always loved the Muggers' blue uniforms.It will take me some time to get used to the Suffers' green and gold uniforms." If Hank Snydder joins the Suffers of Sun City next year,  _  . A) the owner of the Muggers will feel happy B) the owner of the Muggers will require him to return all the money C) it may be a great loss to the Muggers D) he will play for the baseball team for nothing
(Answer)
D


Ques: I was born in New York, but I grew up in San Francisco. I began to live in London 25 years ago. If I am asked now where I want to live forever, I would say London. But I will always be American. San Francisco, like London, has many parks. Every day my sisters and I were taken to play in the parks as children. I didn't go to school. I only had three hours of formal education when I was five. I was sent to school in the morning but came home at noon on the first day. I said I didn't enjoy it and hadn't learned anything. My parents thought that school was unsuitable for me. They agreed with me, so I never went back to school. Then my mother taught me and my two sisters at home, in the way of an English lady who had good education. We learned languages and reading more than sciences and maths. Sometimes she taught us herself, but we also had other teachers. They asked us to take lessons every day. About once a week we walked to Golden Gate Park. While we were walking, my mother taught me to read music. One day I noticed a little toy train in the window of a shop and I remember now how I'd like to have it. I couldn't say "r" when I was small. My mother said if I could say an "r" well, I would have the toy train. I practiced and practiced. Then one morning I woke everybody up with my "r"s. I got the toy train. I usually get the things I want in life -- but I work hard for them. Which of the following is TRUE? A) The writer was taught by his mother and other teachers. B) The writer had no education at all. C) The writer didn't have lessons every day. D) The writer walked to the park to learn languages once a week.
Ans: A


Question: Dior was born in Normandy in 1905, and his family's original plans for him included a career in the diplomatic service, but by the time he was twenty-three, with his parents'money, he opened a small art gallery in Paris. By 1931, the money had been used up. Dior's friends in the art gallery, asked him to draw and he took his first step at designing and drawing. His first job was with Lucien Lelong from whom Dior learned his craft . In February,1947, Dior started the New Look in his first major Paris collection. He was backed by a famous textile producer, Boussac, who looked after the dollars, while Dior looked after the fashions. Dior knew nothing about cutting and sewing, but he was good at fashion design. The New Look started an entirely different look to costume, with a tiny waist, a rounded shoulder and a shapely bust , usually with a low-cut neckline and a long full skirt. To women who had lived through the war years, the femaleness of the New look was a great success, for people were tired of tile extremely plain, wartime restrictive fashions. It is said that dresses by Dior were "constructed like buildings", but young people were attracted to his design, and all over the western world, manufacturers plunged  into the production of his new style. Dior's revolutionary designs lighted up a whole cycle of fashion, rounded, gentle, feminine, a delight in elegance. A New Look House of Dior opened in 1948, followed by one in London. Considered as King of Couture(women's clothing)for years, the Dior empire grew until it covered every country in the western world, and included furs, hosiery, jewelry, perfumes, men's wear and on and on. More than 1,000 people worked at the Paris headquarters then. His sudden death in 1957 when he was 53 years old did not stop the growth of the House of Dior. Even now, so many years after his death, his name is closely connected with fashion throughout the world, and indeed is one of the most recognized names in the world, His first, great New Look, with its long skirts was an... What is probably the best title for the passage?_. A) The History of the New Look B) The Growth of the Dior Empire C) An Expression of Freedom--Dior D) The Founder of the New Look-Dior
Answer:
D