下面是小编整理的，希望对大家有帮助。
The economy of the United States after 1952 was the economy of a well-fed, almost fully employed people. Despite 11 alarms, the country escaped any postwar depression and lived in a 12 ofboom. An economic survey of the year 1955, a typical year of the 1950's, may be typical as 13 the rapid economic growth of the decade. The national output was 14 at 10 percent above that of19541955 output was estimated at 392 billion dollars. The production of manufactures was about 40 percent more than it had 15 in the years immediately following World War I . The country'sbusiness spent about 30 billion dollars for new factories and machinery. National income 16 for spending was almost a third greater than it had been in 1950. Consumers spent about 256 billiondollars; that is about 700 million dollars a day, or about twenty-five million dollars every hour, all round the 17 . Sixty-five million people held jobs and only a little more than two millionwanted jobs but could not find them. Only agriculture 18 that it was not sharing in the boom. To some observers this was a sad reflection of the mid-1920's. As farmers' share of their products19 , marketing costs rose. But there were, among the observers of the national economy, a few who were not as confident as the majority. Those few seemed to fear that the boom could not lastlong and would 20 lead to the opposite—depression.
A. eventually
B. averaged
C. gradually
D. state
E. valued
F. form
G. declined
H. occasional
I. casual
J. argued
K. descended
L. complained
M. clock
N. available
O. illustrating
II. H 12. D 13. O 14. E 15. B 16. N 17. M 18. L 19. G 20. A
In the last two hundred years there have been great changes in the method of production of goods. This is now also true of the building industry; for mechanization has been introduced. Systembuilding can save both time and money. The principle of system building is that the building is made from a set of
standard units. These are either made at the building-site or at a factory. Some designers, in fact, are standardizing the dimensions of rooms. They are made in multiples of a single fixedlength, usually ten centimeters. This is called a modular 标准件的 system, and it means that manufactures can produce standardized fittings at a lower cost. The most important fact about systembuilding is its speed. A ten-storey flat, for example, can be completed in four months.
There are several new methods of system building. One is the panel method. In this case, the construction company sometimes erects a factory on the site. The walls and floors of the building,called panels, are cast in a horizontal or vertical position. Conduits for electrical wires and sleeves for pipes are cast in the panels when they are being made. The moulds for making thesecastings are situated all around the building.
After the concrete panels are cast, they are allowed to set and harden for a week. Next they are lifted by a tower crane on to any section of the building. There the panels are cementedtogether at their joints and the floor covering is laid.
After the panels have been cemented together, the crane lifts a case into the area. It contains all the fittings to be installed, such as wash-basins, radiators and pipes. Finishingtradesmen, such as plumbers, plasterers, painters and electricians, follow behind to complete the work.
In some building developments, in some countries, whole flats with internal features like their bathrooms, bedrooms and connecting stairs, and weighing as much as twenty tons, are carried tothe building-site ready-made. A giant overhead crane is used to lift them into position. In the future, this method may become more widespread.
1. The main difference between panel method and the method discussed in the last paragraph is_______.
A. the latter uses ready-made internal features
B. panels are cast in a level position
C. the former is used to build walls and floors while the latter to construct bathrooms or bedrooms
D. the former is more expensive than the latter
22. Which of these statements is TRUE of system building?
A. It employs more men. B. It is difficult and dangerous.
C. It can save both time and money. D. It means less mechanization.
23. According to the passage, the principle of system building is that_______.
A. construction methods are safer
B. buildings are made from a set of standardized units
C. similar buildings can be produced
D. all units are produced on the site
24. The usual fixed length in the modular system is_______.
A. twenty centimeters B. ten millimeters
C. fifty centimeters D. ten centimeters
25. What lifts the concrete panels onto the building?
A. Cranes. B. Man-power.
C. Pulleys. D. Hydraulic jacks.
21. A 22. C 23. B 24. D 25. A
