Passage Three
 
　　The differences in living standards around the world are vast. In 1993, the average American had an income of about $25,000. In the same year, the average Mexican earned $7,000, and the average Nigerian earned $1,500. Not surprisingly, this large variation in average income is reflected in various measures of the quality of life. Changes in living standards over time are also large. In the United States, incomes have historically grown about 2 percent per year (after adjusting for changes in the cost of living). At this rate, average income doubles every 35 years. In some countries, economic growth has been even more rapid. In Japan, for instance, average income has doubled in the past 20 years, and in South Korea it has doubled in the past 10 years.

　　What explains these large differences in living standards among countries and over time? The answer is surprisingly simple. Almost all variation in living standards is attributable to differences in countries’ productivity—that is, the amount of goods and services produced from each hour of a worker’s time. In nations where workers can produce a large quantity of goods and services per unit of time, most people enjoy a high standard of living; in nations where workers are less productive, most people must endure a more meager existence. Similarly, the growth rate of a nation’s productivity determines the growth rate of its average income.

　　The fundamental relationship between productivity and living standards is simple, but its implications are far-reaching. If productivity is the primary determinant of living standards, other explanations must be of secondary importance. For example, people might think that labor unions or minimum-wage laws contributed to the rise in living standards of American workers over the past century. Yet the real hero of American workers is their rising productivity.

　　The relationship between productivity and living standards also has great implications for public policy. When thinking about how any policy will affect living standards, the key question is how it will affect our ability to produce goods and services. To improve living standards, policymakers need to raise productivity by ensuring that workers are well educated, have the tools needed to produce goods and services, and have access to the best available technology.

46. Which of the following countries has enjoyed the fastest economic growth in history?
      A. Mexico.      B. The United States.   C. Japan.        D. South Korea.

47. The word “meager” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to“       ”
      A. modest          B. poor            C. meaningless      D. plentiful

48. What is the most important factor that leads to the rise in living standards of average people?
      A. Labor unions.                       B. Minimum-wage laws.
      C. Rising productivity.                   D. Favorable public policy.

49. The study of the relationship between productivity and living standards is significant in that     .
      A. it calls policymakers’ attention to a qualified work force
      B. it encourages workers to get better education
      C. it helps improve the workers’ ability to produce goods and services
      D. it enables policymakers to access the latest technology

50. The passage mainly discusses      .
      A. the differences in average income among countries
      B. the relationship between productivity and living standards
      C. the causes of the rise in living standards
      D. the importance of raising productivity
                                        
Passage Four
 
　　Not so long ago almost any student who successfully completed a university degree could find a good career quite easily. Companies toured the academic institutions, competing with each other to select graduates. However, those days are gone, even in Hong Kong, and nowadays graduates often face strong competition in the search for jobs.

　　Most careers organizations highlight three stages for graduates to follow in the process of securing a suitable career：recognizing abilities, matching these to available jobs and presenting them well to possible employers.

　　Job seekers have to make a careful assessment of their own abilities. One area of assessment should be of their academic qualifications, which would include special skills within their subject area. Graduates should also consider their own personal values and attitudes. An honest assessment of personal interests and abilities such as creative skills, or skills acquired from work experience, should also be given careful thought.

　　The second stage is to study the opportunities available for employment and to think about how the general employment situation is likely to develop in the future. To do this, graduates can study job and position information in newspapers, or they can visit a careers office, write to possible employers for information or contact friends or relatives who may already be involved in a particular profession. After studying all the various options, they should be in a position to make informed comparisons between various careers.

　　Good personal presentation is essential in the search for a good career. Job application forms and letters should, of course, be filled in carefully and correctly, without grammar or spelling errors. Where additional information is asked for, job seekers should describe their abilities and work experience in more depth, with examples if possible. They should try to balance their own abilities with the employer’s needs, explain why they are interested in a career with the particular company and try to show that they already know something about the company and its activities.

　　When graduates go to an interview, they should prepare properly by finding out all they can about the possible employer. Dressing suitably and arriving for the interview on time are also important. Interviewees should try to give positive and helpful answers and should not be afraid to ask questions about anything they are unsure about. This is much better than pretending to understand a question and giving an unsuitable answer.

51. “Those days are gone, even in Hong Kong” in Paragraph 1 suggests that      .
     A. finding a good career used to be easier in Hong Kong than elsewhere
     B. now everyone in Hong Kong has an equal chance of finding a good job
　　C. graduates now face stronger competition in Hong Kong than elsewhere
     D. even in Hong Kong companies tour universities trying to select graduates

52. It is implied in Paragraph 3 that graduates should      .
     A. aim to give a balanced account of what the employer needs
     B. consider careers which suit their values, interests and abilities
     C. recognize their own abilities regardless of what the employer looks for
     D. stress their personal attitudes and values in job applications

53. According to Paragraph 4, graduates should      .
     A. find a good position and then compare it with other careers
     B. ask friends or relatives to secure them a good job
     C. get information about a number of careers before making comparisons
     D. study the opportunities and the kinds of training that will be available

54. In the last paragraph, the writer seems to suggest that      .
     A. interviewees should appear humble if they can’t give an answer
     B. dressing properly is more important than being able to give an answer
     C. it is better for interviewees to be honest than to pretend to understand
     D. it is a good idea for interviewees to be boastful in their answers

55. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
     A. Until recently it was quite easy for graduates to get good jobs in Hong Kong.
     B. Job seekers should consider as many related factors as possible.
     C. Businesses used to visit the universities in Hong Kong to select graduates.
     D. Graduates used to compete with each other for a good job in Hong Kong.

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