Manpower Inc., with 560 000 workers, is the world’s largest temporary employment agency. Every morning, its people 1 into the offices and factories of America, seeking a day’s work for a day’s pay.
One day at a time. 2 industrial giants like General Motors and IBM struggle to survive 3 reducing the number of employees, Manpower, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is booming.
4 its economy continues to recover, the US is increasingly becoming a nation of part- timers and temporary workers. This “ 5 ” work force is the most important 6 in American business today, and it is 7 changing the relationship between people and their jobs. The phenomenon provides a way for companies to remain globally competitive 8 avoiding market cycles and the growing burdens 9 by employment rules, health care costs and pension plans. For workers it can mean an end to the security, benefits and sense of 10 that came from being a loyal employee.
1.［A］ swarm ［B］ stride ［C］ separate ［D］ slip 2.［A］ For ［B］ Because ［C］ As ［D］ Since 3.［A］ from ［B］ in ［C］ on ［D］ by 4.［A］ Even though ［B］ Now that ［C］ If only ［D］ Provided that 5.［A］ durable ［B］ disposable ［C］ available ［D］ transferable 6.［A］ approach ［B］ flow ［C］ fashion ［D］ trend 7.［A］ instantly ［B］ reversely ［C］ fundamentally［D］ sufficiently 8.［A］ but ［B］ while ［C］ and ［D］ whereas 9.［A］ imposed ［B］ restricted ［C］ illustrated ［D］ confined 10.［A］ excitement［B］ conviction［C］ enthusiasm ［D］ importance
Passage 1
It was 3: 45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates, Australia’s Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10. Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on via the group’s on-line service, Death NET. Says Hofsess: “We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isn’t just something that happened in Australia. It’s world history.”
The full import may take a while to sink in. The NT Rights of the Terminally Ill law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implications. Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, right-to-life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia—where an aging population, life-extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part—other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia. In the US and Canada, where the right-to-die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling.
Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death—probably by a deadly injection or pill—to put an end to suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as terminally ill by two doctors. After a “cooling off” period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally Ill law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. “I’m not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I’d go, because I’ve watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks, ” he says.
11. From the second paragraph we learn that . ［A］ the objection to euthanasia is slow to come in other countries ［B］ physicians and citizens share the same view on euthanasia
［C］ changing technology is chiefly responsible for the hasty passage of the law
［D］ it takes time to realize the significance of the law’s passage
12. When the author says that observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling, he means . ［A］ observers are taking a wait-and-see attitude towards the future of euthanasia
［B］ similar bills are likely to be passed in the US, Canada and other countries ［C］ observers are waiting to see the result of the game of dominoes
［D］ the effect-taking process of the passed bill may finally come to a stop 13. When Lloyd Nickson dies, he will . ［A］ face his death with calm characteristic of euthanasia ［B］ experience the suffering of a lung cancer patient ［C］ have an intense fear of terrible suffering ［D］ undergo a cooling off period of seven days
14. The author’s attitude towards euthanasia seems to be that of . ［A］ opposition ［B］ suspicion ［C］ approval ［D］ indifference
Passage 2
A report consistently brought back by visitors to the US is how friendly, courteous, and helpful most Americans were to them. To be fair, this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians, and should best be considered North American. There are, of course, exceptions. Small-minded officials, rude waiters, and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the US. Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment.
For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another. Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion, and brought news of the outside world.
The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality. Someone traveling alone, if hungry, injured, or ill, often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement. It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely
a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers. It reflected the harshness of daily life: if you didn’t take in the stranger and take care of him, there was no one else who would. And someday, remember, you might be in the same situation.
Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the weary traveler. Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US, especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails. “I was just traveling through, got talking with this American, and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner—amazing.” Such observations reported by visitors to the US are not uncommon, but are not always understood properly. The casual friendliness of many Americans should be interpreted neither as superficial nor as artificial, but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition.
As is true of any developed society, in America a complex set of cultural signals, assumptions, and conventions underlies all social interrelationships. And, of course, speaking a language does not necessarily mean that someone understands social and cultural patterns. Visitors who fail to “translate” cultural meanings properly often draw wrong conclusions. For example, when an American uses the word “friend”, the cultural implications of the word may be quite different from those it has in the visitor’s language and culture. It takes more than a brief encounter on a bus to distinguish between courteous convention and individual interest. Yet, being friendly is a virtue that many Americans value highly and expect from both neighbors and strangers.
15. In the eyes of visitors from the outside world ,. ［A］ rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the US
［B］ small-minded officials deserve a serious comment ［C］ Canadians are not so friendly as their neighbors ［D］ most Americans are ready to offer help
16. It could be inferred from the last paragraph that . ［A］ culture exercises an influence over social interrelationship ［B］ courteous convention and individual interest are interrelated ［C］ various virtues manifest themselves exclusively among friends
［D］ social interrelationships equal the complex set of cultural conventions 17. Families in frontier settlements used to entertain strangers . ［A］ to improve their hard life
［B］ in view of their long-distance travel ［C］ to add some flavor to their own daily life ［D］ out of a charitable impulse
18. The tradition of hospitality to strangers . ［A］ tends to be superficial and artificial
［B］ is generally well kept up in the United States ［C］ is always understood properly
［D］ has something to do with the busy tourist trails
Passage 3
Technically, any substance other than food that alters our bodily or mental functioning is a drug. Many people mistakenly believe the term drug refers only to
some sort of medicine or an illegal chemical taken by drug addicts. They don’t realize that familiar substances such as alcohol and tobacco are also drugs. This is why the more neutral term substance is now used by many physicians and psychologists. The phrase “substance abuse” is often used instead of “drug abuse” to make clear that substances such as alcohol and tobacco can be just as harmfully misused as heroin and cocaine.
We live in a society in which the medical and social use of substances (drugs) is pervasive: an aspirin to quiet a headache, some wine to be sociable, coffee to get going in the morning, a cigarette for the nerves. When do these socially acceptable and apparently constructive uses of a substance become misuses? First of all, most substances taken in excess will produce negative effects such as poisoning or intense perceptual distortions. Repeated use of a substance can also lead to physical addiction or substance dependence. Dependence is marked first by an increased tolerance, with more and more of the substance required to produce the desired effect, and then by the appearance of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the substance is discontinued.
Drugs (substances) that affect the central nervous system and alter perception, mood, and behavior are known as psychoactive substances. Psychoactive substances are commonly grouped according to whether they are stimulants, depressants, or hallucinogens. Stimulants initially speed up or activate the central nervous system, whereas depressants slow it down. Hallucinogens have their primary effect on perception, distorting and altering it in a variety of ways including producing hallucinations. These are the substances often called psychedelic (from the Greek word meaning “mind-manifestation”) because they seemed to radically alter one’s state of consciousness.
19. “Substance abuse”(Line 5, Paragraph 1) is preferable to “drug abuse” in that . ［A］ substances can alter our bodily or mental functioning if illegally used ［B］ “drug abuse” is only related to a limited number of drugtakers ［C］ alcohol and tobacco are as fatal as heroin and cocaine
［D］ many substances other than heroin or cocaine can also be poisonous 20. The word “pervasive” (Line 1, Paragraph 2) might mean . ［A］ widespread ［B］ overwhelming ［C］ piercing ［D］ fashionable
21. Physical dependence on certain substances results from . ［A］ uncontrolled consumption of them over long periods of time ［B］ exclusive use of them for social purposes
［C］ quantitative application of them to the treatment of diseases ［D］ careless employment of them for unpleasant symptoms 22. From the last paragraph we can infer that . ［A］ stimulants function positively on the mind
［B］ hallucinogens are in themselves harmful to health
［C］ depressants are the worst type of psychoactive substances ［D］ the three types of psychoactive substances were commonly used in groups
Passage 4
No company likes to be told it is contributing to the moral decline of a nation. “Is this what you intended to accomplish with your careers?” Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week. “You have sold your souls, but must you corrupt our nation and threaten our children as well?” At Time Warner, however, such questions are simply the latest manifestation of the soul-searching that has involved the company ever since the company was born in 1990. It’s a self-examination that has, at various times, involved issues of responsibility, creative freedom and the corporate bottom line.
At the core of this debate is chairman Gerald Levin, 56, who took over for the late Steve Ross in 1992. On the financial front, Levin is under pressure to raise the stock price and reduce the company’s mountainous debt, which will increase to $ 17.3 billion after two new cable deals close. He has promised to sell off some of the property and restructure the company, but investors are waiting impatiently.
The flap over rap is not making life any easier for him. Levin has consistently defended the company’s rap music on the grounds of expression. In 1992, when Time Warner was under fire for releasing Ice-T’s violent rap song Cop Killer, Levin described rap as a lawful expression of street culture, which deserves an outlet. “The test of any democratic society, ”he wrote in a Wall Street Journal column, “lies not in how well it can control expression but in whether it gives freedom of thought and expression the widest possible latitude, however disputable or irritating the results may sometimes be. We won’t retreat in the face of any threats.”
Levin would not comment on the debate last week, but there were signs that the chairman was backing off his hard-line stand, at least to some extent. During the discussion of rock singing verses at last month’s stockholders’ meeting, Levin asserted that “music is not the cause of society’s ills” and even cited his son, a teacher in the Bronx, New York, who uses rap to communicate with students. But he talked as well about the “balanced struggle” between creative freedom and social responsibility, and he announced that the company would launch a drive to develop standards for distribution and labeling of potentially objectionable music.
The 15-member Time Warner board is generally supportive of Levin and his corporate strategy. But insiders say several of them have shown their concerns in this matter. “Some of us have known for many, many years that the freedoms under the First Amendment are not totally unlimited, ” says Luce. “I think it is perhaps the case that some people associated with the company have only recently come to realize this.”
23. Senator Robert Dole criticized Time Warner for . ［A］ its raising of the corporate stock price ［B］ its self-examination of soul
［C］ its neglect of social responsibility ［D］ its emphasis on creative freedom
24. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? ［A］ Luce is a spokesman of Time Warner. ［B］ Gerald Levin is liable to compromise.
［C］ Time Warner is united as one in the face of the debate.
［D］ Steve Ross is no longer alive
25. In face of the recent attacks on the company, the chairman . ［A］ stuck to a strong stand to defend freedom of expression ［B］ softened his tone and adopted some new policy ［C］ changed his attitude and yielded to objection
［D］ received more support from the 15-member board 26. The best title for this passage might be . ［A］ A Company under Fire ［B］ A Debate on Moral Decline ［C］ A Lawful Outlet of Street Culture ［D］ A Form of Creative Freedom
Passage 5
Much of the language used to describe monetary policy, such as “steering the economy to a soft landing” or “a touch on the brakes”, makes it sound like a precise science. Nothing could be further from the truth. The link between interest rates and inflation is uncertain. And there are long, variable lags before policy changes have any effect on the economy. Hence the analogy that likens the conduct of monetary policy to driving a car with a blackened windscreen, a cracked rear-view mirror and a faulty steering wheel.
Given all these disadvantages, central bankers seem to have had much to boast about of late. Average inflation in the big seven industrial economies fell to a mere 2.3% last year, close to its lowest level in 30 years, before rising slightly to 2.5% this July. This is a long way below the double-digit rates which many countries experienced in the 1970s and early 1980s.
It is also less than most forecasters had predicted. In late 1994 the panel of economists which The Economist polls each month said that America’s inflation rate would average 3.5% in 1995. In fact, it fell to 2.6% in August, and is expected to average only about 3% for the year as a whole. In Britain and Japan inflation is running half a percentage point below the rate predicted at the end of last year. This is no flash in the pan; over the past couple of years, inflation has been consistently lower than expected in Britain and America.
Economists have been particularly surprised by favourable inflation figures in Britain and the United States, since conventional measures suggest that both economies, and especially America’s, have little productive slack. America’s capacity utilisation, for example, hit historically high levels earlier this year, and its jobless rate (5.6% in August) has fallen below most estimates of the natural rate of unemployment—the rate below which inflation has taken off in the past.
Why has inflation proved so mild? The most thrilling explanation is, unfortunately, a little defective. Some economists argue that powerful structural changes in the world have up-ended the old economic models that were based upon the historical link between growth and inflation.
27. From the passage we learn that . ［A］ there is a definite relationship between inflation and interest rates ［B］ economy will always follow certain models ［C］ the economic situation is better than expected
［D］ economists had foreseen the present economic situation 28. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? ［A］ Making monetary policies is comparable to driving a car. ［B］ An extremely low jobless rate will lead to inflation. ［C］ A high unemployment rate will result from inflation. ［D］ Interest rates have an immediate effect on the economy.
29. The sentence “This is no flash in the pan” (Line 5, Paragraph 3) means that . ［A］ the low inflation rate will last for some time ［B］ the inflation rate will soon rise ［C］ the inflation will disappear quickly ［D］ there is no inflation at present
30. The passage shows that the author isthe present situation . ［A］ critical of ［B］ puzzled by ［C］ disappointed at ［D］ amazed at
Do animals have rights? This is how the question is usually put. It sounds like a useful, ground-clearing way to start. 31）Actually, it isn’t, because it assumes that there is an agreed account of human rights, which is something the world does not have.
On one view of rights, to be sure, it necessarily follows that animals have none.32）Some philosophers argue that rights exist only within a social contract, as part of an exchange of duties and entitlements. Therefore animals cannot have rights. The idea of punishing a tiger that kills somebody is absurd, for exactly the same reason, so is the idea that tigers have rights. However, this is only one account, and by no means an uncontested one. It denies rights not only to animals but also to some people—for instance, to infants, the mentally incapable and future generations. In addition, it is unclear what force a contract can have for people who never consented to it: how do you reply to somebody who says “ I don’t like this contract”?
The point is this: without agreement on the rights of people, arguing about the rights of animals is fruitless.33）It leads the discussion to extremes at the outset: it invites you to think that animals should be treated either with the consideration humans extend to other humans, or with no consideration at all. This is a false choice. Better to start with another, more fundamental, question: is the way we treat animals a moral issue at all?
Many deny it.34）Arguing from the view that humans are different from animals in every relevant respect, extremists of this kind think that animals lie outside the area of moral choice. Any regard for the suffering of animals is seen as a mistake—a sentimental displacement of feeling that should properly be directed to other humans.
This view, which holds that torturing a monkey is morally equivalent to chopping wood, may seem bravely “logical”. In fact it is simply shallow: the confused centre is right to reject it. The most elementary form of moral reasoning—the ethical equivalent of learning to crawl—is to weigh other’s interests against one’s own. This in turn requires sympathy and imagination: without which there is no capacity for moral thought. To see an animal in pain is enough, for most, to engage sympathy.35）
When that happens, it is not a mistake: it is mankind’s instinct for moral reasoning in action, an instinct that should be encouraged rather than laughed at. 全文翻译 拥有56万雇员的劳务公司是全球最大的临时就业中介机构。每天清晨，公司中大量的人员涌入美国的办公室和工厂中，为获得一天的收入来寻找一份工作，干一天算一天。当通用汽车公司和IBM等工业巨头靠减员而勉强支撑时，坐落于威斯康星州麦尔
乌柯市的劳务公司却在蓬勃地发展。
虽然美国的经济还在继续复苏，美国却日益成为一个兼职者和临时工的国家。这种“即用即抛型”劳动力已成为美国企业用人最为重要的趋势。它也正在从根本上改变人们和他们所从事的工作之间的关系。这一现象给公司提供了一种方式，使得它们能够在全球范围内具有竞争性，同时又可以避免市场的周期性和由就业法规、医疗保险和退休金方案所带来的逐渐加重的负担。对工人来说，这意味着作为一名忠实雇员所享有的安全感、福利以及从属带来的重要感都一去不复返了
核心词汇与超纲词汇
(1) vote（v.）投票，表决；（n.）选票；投票，表决；take/have a ～表决 (2) incurably（adv.）不可治愈地；in-（前缀）表示“不„”；如：innumerable无数的，数不清的；invalid无效的，作废的；instable不稳定的；intact完整无缺的，未经触动的，未受损伤的
(3) executive（a.）执行的，实施的；（n.）总经理，行政负责人 (4) physician（n.）内科医生
(5) implication（n.）暗示，含义；牵连；涉及；密切关系 (6) haste（n./v.）匆忙，急速，草率；in ～匆忙的，草率的 (7) euthanasia（n.）安乐死 (8) put an end to...使„结束 (9) diagnose（v.）诊断
(10) haunt（v.）常去；使苦恼，困扰；布满；～ing（a.）萦绕于心的，使人不安的
五、全文翻译
凌晨3：45进行了最终表决。经过6个月的争论和最后16个小时的国会激烈辩论，澳大利亚北部地区（澳北州）成为世界上第一个合法当局，允许医生根据绝症病人个人意愿来结束其生命。（长难句①）这一法案以令人折服的15票对10票通过。几乎同时，该消息就出现在互联网上，被身处地球另一端的加拿大死亡权利组织的执行主席约翰·霍夫塞斯收到。(长难句②)他便通过协会的在线服务“死亡之网”发了公告。他说：“我们一整天都在发布公告，因为这不仅仅是发生在澳大利亚的事情，而是整个世界历史中的一件大事。”
要充分理解这一法案的深刻意义可能需要一段时间。(佳句①)澳北州晚期病人权利法使得无论是内科医生还是普通市民都力图从道义和实际意义两方面来考虑这一问题。一些人如释重负，而另一些人，包括教会、生命权利组织以及澳大利亚医学会在内都对这一决议及其仓促的通过进行了猛烈的抨击。但这一潮流已无法逆转。(佳句②)在澳大利亚，人口老龄化、延长寿命技术和公众态度的变化都发挥着各自的作用，其他国家也将考虑制定类似的法律来处理安乐死问题。（长难句③）在美国和加拿大，死亡权利运动正在积蓄力量，观察家们正在等待多米诺骨牌开始倒下。(佳句③)
根据澳北州所通过的这项新法案，成年病人可以要求安乐死—可能是通过注射致死药剂或服用致死药片—来结束痛苦。不过，此前病人必须由两名医生诊断其确实已无法治愈。在经过7天的冷静思考期后，病人方可签署一份申请证明。48小时后，才可以满足其安乐死的愿望。对于居住于达尔文市现年54岁的肺癌患者利奥德·尼克森来说，这个法律意味着
他可以平静地生活下去而无须整天惧怕即将来临的苦难：因呼吸困难而在煎熬中痛苦地死去。（长难句④）“从精神层面说，我并不害怕死，但我怕的是怎样死，因为我在医院看到过病人在缺氧时苦苦挣扎，用手抓他们的面罩时的情景，”他说。
（1） artificial（a.）人工的，人造的；人为的，矫揉造作的
（2） charitable（a.）仁爱的，慈善的；charity（n.）慈善团体，仁慈，施舍
（3） courteous（a.）礼貌的，殷勤的；courtesy（n.）谦恭有礼，有礼貌的举止或言辞
（4） frontier（n.）国境，边境；边远地区，边疆 （5） harsh（a.）恶劣的，粗糙的，难听的，严酷的
（6） hospitality（n.）好客，殷勤，款待；hospitable（a.）好客的，殷勤的 （7） impulse（n.）冲动，驱使，推动，刺激；（v.）推动 （8） small-minded（a.）心胸狭隘的 （9） specialize（v.）（in）专门从事
（10） superficial（a.） 表面的，肤浅的，浅薄的
五、全文翻译
去过美国的人回来总是说大多数美国人对他们是多么友善、好客、乐于助人。公正的说，人们对加拿人也经常作出有这样的评论，因而，这应当被认为是北美的普遍现象。当然也有例外。在美国，心胸狭隘的官员，举止粗鲁的招待和毫无礼貌的出租车司机也并非罕见。尽管有不如人意的地方，但因为热情好客是人们常常作出的评论，所以值得讨论一番。(长难句①)
过去很长一段时间，在美国很多地方，旅行者的到来总是颇受观迎，因为他们打破了当地居民沉闷单调的生活。无聊、孤独是一般相互之间距离很远的家庭普遍存在的问题。陌生人和旅行者不仅转折了人们的注意力，他们还带来了外面世界的消息。
拓荒地区的严酷生活现实也促成了这一好客的传统的形成。单独旅行时，如果挨饿、受伤或生病，通常只能向最近的小屋或村落求助。对旅行者来说，这不是一个选择的问题；而对当地居民来说也，这也并非是行善的一时冲动。（佳句①）它反映了日常生活的严酷现实：如果你不收留陌生人，那他便无处求助了。请记住，有一天你也可能处于相同的境遇。
如今，有了很多的慈善组织专门帮助疲惫的旅行者。不过，热情接待陌生人的传统在美国仍然很盛行，尤其是在远离旅游热线的小城镇。“我只是路过，和这个美国人聊了聊。很快，他就请我到他家吃饭——这真令人惊奇。”去过美国的旅客的这种谈论很普遍，但并非都能被正确理解。很多美国人不经意表现的友好不应被看作是表面或虚假的应酬，而应该看成是文化传统的历史发展结果。（佳句②）
同任何发达国家一样，一系列复杂的文化符号、设想和习俗构成了美国所有社会关系的基础。(长难句②)当然，会讲一种语言并不意味着就理解其社会和其文化模式。不能正确“诠释”文化含义的旅行者往往得出错误的结论。例如，美国人所说的“朋友”一词，其文化含义可能与旅行者语言和文化中的“朋友”大相径庭。要想正确区分礼貌是出于文化习俗还是个人兴趣，单凭一次公共汽车上的邂逅是远远不够的。（长难句③）不过，友好是很多美国人推崇的美德，也是希望从邻居和陌生人那得到的。
四、核心词汇与超纲词汇
(1) addict（n.）入迷的人，上瘾的人（v.）使沉溺，使入迷，使上瘾；drug ～ 吸毒者
(2) alcohol（n.）酒精
(3) illegal （a.）非法的；il—前缀，表示“非，不”。如：illiterate 文盲的，未受教育的
(4) neutral（a.）中立的；中性的 (5) heroin（n.）海洛因
(6) constructive（a.）有建设性的 (7) excess（a.）过量的，额外的；（n.）过量，过剩；in ～过量 (8) negative（a.）否定的，消极的，反面的，负的；（n.）负数；（摄影）底片
(9) perceptual（a.）感觉的
(10) withdrawal（n.）收回，取回，撤回；戒毒（脱瘾）的过程；withdraw（v.）收回，撤回；退出，缩回
(11) nervous（a.）神经的；神经过敏的，紧张不安的；nerve（n.）神经；勇气，胆量
(12) psychoactive（a.）作用于神经的，影响或改变心理状态的；psycho—：前缀，表示“精神”，“心理”；如：psychoanalysis 精神分析；psychobiology 精神生物学
(13) hallucination（n.）幻觉；妄想
五、全文翻译
从专业角度说，除食品外，任何能改变我们生理和心理机能的物质都是药物。很多人错误地认为“药物”一词仅仅指某些药品或是吸毒者服用的违禁化学品。他们没有意识到诸如酒精、烟草这些我们熟悉的物质也是药物。这就是为什么现在许多内科医生和心理学家使用“物质”这个更加中性的词。他们常用“物质滥用”而不用“药物滥用”来清楚表示滥用酒精、烟草这样的物质可能如同滥用海洛因和可卡因一样有害。（长难句①）
我们生活在一个物质（药物）在医疗和社交方面使用广泛的社会里：用来缓解头痛的阿斯匹林，用来应酬的酒，早晨用来提神的咖啡，还有定神用的香烟。（长难句②）使用这些物质得到了社会认可，且显然具有积极的作用，但什么时候就变成滥用了呢？首先，大多数物质的过量使用都会产生负面影响，如中毒或严重的知觉错乱。反复使用一种物质可以导致成瘾或对该物质的依赖。依赖的最初表现是不断增长的耐药量，要产生预期的效果需要的药剂量越来越大，然后是一旦中断使用就会出现难受的停药症状。(长难句)
影响中枢神经系统，改变知觉、情绪和行为的药物（物质）被称为精神活性物质，它们通常按照功能被分为兴奋剂、镇静剂和幻觉剂。兴奋剂主要起到加速或激活中枢神经系统的作用，而镇静剂则减缓它的活动。（佳句）幻觉剂主要影响人的知觉，通过多种方式扭曲或改变知觉，其中包括产生幻觉。这些物质常被认为能“引起幻觉”（psychedelic一词源于希腊语，意为“心灵显现”），因为它们似乎能彻底改变人的意识状态。
四、核心词汇与超纲词汇
（1） come to realize 认识到，体会到
（2） comment（v.） （on）注释，评论；（n.）注释，评论，意见 （3） contend（v.）斗争，竞争；坚决主张 （4） contribute（v.）（to）贡献，捐助，捐献；投稿；contribution（n.）贡
献，捐献物；contribute to 促成，有助于
（5） financial（a.）财政的
（6） irritating（a.）令人恼火的；irritate（v.）激怒，恼火，使急躁 （7） latitude（n.）纬度；范围；言论行动等的自由 （8） launch（v.）发射；使（船）下水，发动，发展；（n.）发射，下水；launch a drive发起一场运动
（9） mountainous（a.）多山的，山一般的
（10） objectionable（a.）会引起反对的；objection（n.）（to） 反对，异议 （11） release（v.） 发行，发表；释放，解放
五、全文翻译
没有一家公司乐意听到别人说自己引起了社会的道德败坏。参议员罗伯特·多尔上星期质问时代—华纳公司管理人员时说：“难道这就是你们要成就的事业吗？你们已经出卖了自己的灵魂，难道还非要败坏我们的国家、威胁我们的孩子不成？”不过，对于成立于1990年的时代—华纳而言，这样的质问仅仅是公司进行反思的最新表现，是一种自我反省，在不同时代已涉及到责任、创作自由和公司底线等不同问题。（长难句①）
56岁的现任董事长杰拉德·列文是争论的焦点人物，他于1992年接替已故董事长斯蒂夫·罗斯。财政方面，他承受着使股价升值，减少公司巨额债务的压力。在两笔新的有线电视交易谈妥后，公司债务将达到173亿美元。他也允诺出售部分资产并对公司进行重组，但现在投资者们仍在焦急地等待着。
人们对说唱音乐的焦虑并没使他的日子好过一些。列文一向以表现方式为理由来捍卫公司的说唱音乐。1992年公司因出品Ice-T乐队暴力的说唱歌曲《警察杀手》后倍受谴责时，列文却将说唱音乐描述为街头文化的合法表达方式，并说它应该有自己的宣泄途径。他在《华尔街日报》一篇专栏文章中写道：“对任何一个民主社会的检验，不在于它能多有效的控制情感的表达，而在于是否给予了人们最广泛的思考和表达自由，尽管有时这种结果会引起争论和愤怒。我们不会在任何威胁面前退却。”（长难句②）
列文不愿对上周的辩论做任何评论，但有迹象表明，这位懂事长至少在某种程度上放弃了自己强硬的立场。(佳句)在上个月就摇滚乐的歌词进行讨论的股东会议上，列文宣称“音乐不是社会问题的病因”，他甚至还以自己的儿子为例，他儿子是纽约州布朗克斯的一名教师，上课时用说唱的形式与学生进行交流。（长难句③）但他也谈到了创作自由和社会责任之间要“保持平衡”的问题，还宣布对一些可能令人反感的音乐，公司将致力于制定一套发行和标识的标准。
一般来说，时代—华纳公司的15位董事是支持列文和他为公司制定的经营策略的。但内部人士透露其中几位对此事表示担忧。“我们中的一些人多年来一直知道，《宪法》第一修正案所规定的自由并非毫无限制”，鲁斯说，“我认为与公司有关系的一些人可能最近才意识到这一点”。
四、核心词汇与超纲词汇
（1） analogy（n.）比拟，类比
（2） faulty（a.）有过失的，有缺点的，不完美的；fault：（n.）过失，过错；缺点
（3） forecast（v./ n.）预测，预报 （4） inflation（n.）通货膨胀 （5） poll（n.）民意测验
（6） slack（a.）懈怠的，懒散的，松弛的，不紧的；萧条的；（n.）淡季，
萧条；（pl.）便裤，运动裤
（7） steer（v.）驾驶，掌舵
（8） thrilling（a.）令人震惊的；thrill（n.）令人激动的事；（v.）使激动，使兴奋；使毛骨悚然
（9） up-end（v.）颠倒，倒放；推翻，打倒 （10） utilization/ utilisation（n.）利用
五、全文翻译
很多用来描述货币政策的词，如“引导经济软着陆”，“触动经济刹车”，使货币政策听起来像是一门精确的科学。事实远非如此。(佳句①)利率和通货膨胀之间的关系难以确定。在政策改变对经济产生影响之前，会有一段较长时间且变化不定的后滞期。因此，才会有人将货币政策的制定比作是驾驶一辆汽车，这辆车挡风玻璃被涂黑了、后视镜裂了，方向盘也失灵了。(长难句①)
尽管有这么多不利因素，中央银行家们似乎对近来之形势有了不少值得夸耀的东西。（长难句②）西方七大工业国去年的平均通货膨胀降至仅2.3%，接近三十年来的最低水平。今年7月略微升高到2.5%。这远远低于许多国家在70年代和80年代早期经历的两位数的膨胀率。
这也低于许多预测者预测的数字。1994年底，每月接受《经济学家》意见调查的一组经济学家指出，美国在1995年的平均通货膨胀率将达到3.5%。实际上，8月份就降到了2.6%，而且有望全年仅为3%。去年年底，英国和日本的通货膨胀率实际上比预测的要低半个百分点。这不是昙花一现；在过去几年里，英国和美国的通货膨胀率始终低于预测水平。（佳句②）
经济学家对英美两国有利的通胀率特别感到诧异，因为传统的计量方法表明两国经济，特别是美国经济几乎没有出现生产萧条。（长难句③）比如，美国的生产力利用率在今年早些时候达到了历史最高水平，失业率（八月份为5.6%）已降到低于很多人对自然失业率的估测——过去，当比率低于自然失业率时，通货膨胀率早已迅速上升。(长难句④)
为何通货膨胀如此和缓？可惜的是，即使是最令人兴奋的解释也会有小的缺陷。一些经济学家认为，世界经济结构强有力的变化已经推翻了以往那种以经济增长和通货膨胀率的历史关联为基础的旧有的经济模式。（长难句⑤）
三、参考译文
动物有权利吗？人们通常这样提问。这像是一个实用且具创新的提问方式。（31）事实并非如此，因为这种问法是以人们对人的权利有一种共识为基础的，而这种共识并不存在。
诚然，根据对权利的一种看法，必然认为动物没有权利。（32）有些哲学家论证说，权利只存在于社会契约中，是责任与权益交换的一部分。因此动物不可能有权利。惩罚吃人的老虎的想法是荒谬的。同样，认为老虎有权利也是荒谬的。然而，这只是一种认识，而且是一种有争议的认识。这种认识不仅剥夺了动物的权利，而且也剥夺了某些人的权利，例如婴儿，这些还不会用大脑来思考问题的下一代。此外，谁也不清楚，对于从来就不同意契约的人来说，这项契约又具有多大约束力，如果有人说“我不喜欢这项契约”，那你又如何回答呢？
问题的症结在于，如果对人的权利没有一致的看法，争论动物的权利是徒劳无益的。（33）这种说法从一开始就将讨论引向两个极端，它使人们认为应该这样对待动物：要么像对人类自身一样关切体谅动物，要么完全冷漠无情。这是一种不真实的选择。这是一种错误的选择。最好以另一种更为根本性的提问开始：我们对待动物的方法是一个道德问题吗？
许多人否认这种提法。（34）这类人持极端看法，认为人与动物在各相关方面都不相同，
对待动物无须考虑道德问题。任何关心动物疾苦的想法都是错误的，因为它把应该用来关心其他人的同情心错误地用到动物身上。
这种观点认为，折磨猴子从道义上讲无异于劈柴，这种看法似乎是大胆的“逻辑推理”。实际上，这种看法非常肤浅，因为其中心混乱到应该被摒弃的程度。道德推理的最初级形式，和学习爬行的理论一样，是把自身利益和他人利益加以权衡考虑。那么，这就需要同情心和想象力。没有这两点，就无法用道德观念来进行思考。看到动物受苦足以使大多数人产生同情感。（35）这种反应并不是错误，这是人类用道德观念进行推理的本能在起作用。这种本能应该得到鼓励，而不应该遭到嘲笑。
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