Ford Abandons Electric Vehicles         

       The Ford motor company’s¹ abandonment of electric cars effectively signals the end of the road for the technology，analysts say．
　　General Motors² and Honda³ ceased production of battery-powered cars in 1 999, to focus on fuel cell⁴ and hybrid electric gasoline engines⁵, which are more attractive to the consumer．Ford has now announced it will do the same．

　　Three years ago．the company introduced the Think City two—seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor⁶．It hoped to sell 5，000 cars each year and 10，000 carts．But a lack of demand means only about l，000 of the cars have been produced，and less than 1，700 carts have been sold so far in 2002．
　　“The bottom line is⁷ we don’t believe that this is the future of environment transport for the mass market．”Tim Holmes of Ford Europe said on Friday．“We feel we have given electric our best shot⁸”
　　The Think City has a range of only about 53 miles and up to a six-hour battery recharge time．General Motors’EVI electric vehicle also had a limited range，of about 100 miles．
　　The very expensive batteries also mean electric cars cost much more than petrol-powered alternatives．An electric Toyot⁹ RAV4 EV vehicle costs over$42，000 in the US, compared with just $17，000 for the petrol version．Toyota and Nissan¹⁰ are now the only major auto manufacturers to produce electric vehicles．
　　“There is a feeling that battery electric has been given its chance．Ford now has to move on with its hybrid program¹¹，and that is what we will be judging them on，”Roger Higman，a senior transport campaigner at UK Friends of the Earth，told the Environment News Service．

　　Hybrid cars introduced by Toyota and Honda in the past few years have sold well．Hybrid engines Offer Greater mileage than petrol—only engines , and the batteries recharge themselves. Ford says it thinks such vehicles will help it meet planned new guidelines ¹² on vehicle emissions¹³ in theU.S.

　　However, it is not yet clear exactly what those guidelines will permit．In June，General Motors and Daimler Chrysler¹⁴ won a court injunction，delaying by two years Californian legislation requiring car—makers to offer 100，000 zero-emission and other low—emission vehicles in the state by 2003．Car manufacturers hope the legislation will be rewritten to allow for more low--emission，rather than zero—emission，vehicles．

词汇：

hybrid / "haɪbrɪd / n.杂种，混合物；adj. 杂种   

Mileage/ ˈmaɪlɪdʒ/n.英里数，英里里程的；混合的

Injunction / ɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃən/ n命令；指令

注释:  

1. The Ford motor company:福特汽车公司。Henry Ford (1863--1947)美国汽车制造商，他改进了以汽油为燃料的汽车，成立了福特汽车公司(1903年)，并大量生产最早的大众负担得起且广泛使用的T型车。

2. General Motors:美国通用汽车公司

3. Honda:日本本田汽车公司

4. fuel cell:燃料电池，一种化学电池。 

5. hybrid electric gasoline engines:电池和内燃机混杂使用的发动机，使用这种发动机的汽车被称为: Hybrid electric vehicles，或HEVs。 

6. … the company introduced the Think City two-seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think Neighbor:福特汽车公司计划在公司内开发一种全新的品牌，建立了Think Group.该研究机构分为两部分: Think Mobility和Think Technologies。Think Mobility开发the Think City (一种电动汽车)，Think Neighbor (一种高尔夫车)，以及Think Bike (一种电动自行车)。Think Technologies开发燃料电池技术。 

7. The bottom line is:在此的意思是“the main or essential point”，即“关键之处是，实质问题是”。

8. shot: an attempt, a try (尝试)。

9. Toyota:日本丰田汽车公司

10. Nissan:日本日产汽车公司 

11. hybrid program:指上文提到的电池和内燃机混杂使用的新型汽车开发项目。

12. guideline:指导方针，规定

13. vehicle emissions:车辆排放物 

14. Daintier Chrysler:戴姆勒克莱斯勒汽车公司。德国戴姆勒·奔驰公司集团与克莱斯勒汽车公司合并。

What have the Ford motor company．General Motor’s and Honda done concerning electric cars?

A:They have started to produce electric cars． B:They have done extensive research on electric Cars C:They have given up producing electric cars． D:They have produced thousands of electric Cars

The Workers" Role in Management

    Traditionally, it has been the workers" role to work and management"s role to manage. Managers have planned and directed the firm"s operations with little thought to consulting the labor force. Managers have rarely felt compelled to 1obtain the workers" opinions or to explain their decisions to their employees. At most, companies have provided"suggestion boxes" in which workers could place ideas for improving procedures. In recent years, however, many management specialists have been arguing that workers are more than sellers of labor一they have a vital stake in the company 2 and may be able to make significant contributions to its management. Furthermore, major company decisions profoundly affect workers 3 and their dependents. This is particularly true of plant closings, which may put thousands on the unemployment lines. Should workers, then, play a stronger role in management?

    Workers should have a role in management. At the very least, the labor force should be informed of major policy decisions (A common complaint among rank-and-file workers is the lack of information about company policies and actions). Between 1980 and 1985 about five million workers were the victims of plant closings and permanent layoffs, often with no warning. At least 90 days" notice ought to be given in such instances so that workers have time to adjust. Management should consult workers before closing a plant, because the workers might be able to suggest ways of improving productivity and reducing costs and might be willing to make concessions that will help keep the plant operating.

    It should become a general practice to include work&s in some managerial decision making 4. There ought to be representatives of the workers on the firm"s board of directors or other major policymaking groups. if rank-and-file workers are given a voice in 5 the planning and management of the work flow, they will help to make improvements, their morale will rise 6, and their productivity will increase. As a further incentive, they must be given a share in the company"s profits. This can be done through employee stockownership plans, bonuses, or rewards for efficiency and productivity. Finally, when a plant can no longer operate at a profit, the workers should be given the opportunity to purchase the plant and run it themselves.

词汇：

suggestion box 意见箱，建议箱

concession /kən"seʃən/ n．让步

dependent /di"pendənt /=dependant n．受扶养者，受扶养的家属

employee stockownership 雇员持股权

layoff /"leiɔf/ n．停工，停歇；临时解雇（期）；失业期

注释：

1.    Managers have rarely felt compelled to...：管理者们很少觉得应该……。feel compelled to do 的意思是“觉得被迫干……”，在本文拟译为“觉得应该……”更合适些。

2.    ... they have a vital stake in the company:……他们对公司有很大的利害关系。have a stake in 的意思是“对……（或在……方面）有利害关系”。例如：Each of us has a stake in the outcome of the conference.会议结果对我们每一个人都有利害关系。 这个短语也有“……有股份”的意思。例如：They have a large stake in the oil industly．他们在石油业有大量股份。

3.    rank-and-file workers：普通工人

4.    managerial decision making：管理决策的制定

5.    give sb. a voice in：在……方面给某人发言权，即发表意见的权利。例如：His parents give him "voice in almost anything．几乎任何事情他父母都让他有发言权。

6.    ... their morale will rise:……他们的士气会增加

In recent years many management specialists have been arguing for the workers" role in management with two major reasons.

A:Right B:Wrong C:Not mentioned

Text 4
Over the past few decades, there has been a considerable increase in the use of mathematical analysis, both for solving everyday problems and for theoretical developments of many disciplines. For example, economics, biology, geography and medicine have all seen a considerable increase in the use of quantitative techniques. Twenty years ago applied mathematics meant the application of mathematics to problems in mechanics and little else--now, applied mathematics, or as many people prefer to call it, applicable mathematics, could refer to the use of mathematics in many varied areas. The one unifying theme that these applications have is that of mathematical modeling, by which we mean the construction of a mathematical model to describe the situation under study. This process of changing a real life problem into a mathematical one is not at all easy, we hasten to add, although one of the overall aims of this book is to improve your ability as a mathematical modeler.
There have been many books written during the past decade on the topic of mathematical modeling; all these books have been devoted to explaining and developing mathematical models, but very little space has been given to how to construct mathematical models, that is, how to take a real problem and convert it into a mathematical one. Although we appreciate that we might not yet have the best methods for teaching how to tackle real problems, we do at least regard this mastery of model formulation as a crucial step, and much of this book is devoted to attempting to make you more proficient in this process.
Our basic concept is that applied mathematicians become better modelers through more and more experience of tackling real problems. So in order to get the most out of this book, we stress that you must make a positive effort to tackle the many problems posed before looking at the solutions we have given. To help you to gain confidence in the art of modeling we have divided the book into four distinct sections.
In the first section we describe three different examples of how mathematical analysis has been used to solve practical problems. These are all true accounts of how mathematical analysis has helped to provide solutions. We are not expecting you to do much at this stage, except to read through the case studies carefully, paying particular attention to the way in which the problems have been tackled--the process of translating the problem into a mathematical one.
The second section consists of a series of real problems, together with possible solutions and related problems. Each problem has a clear statement, and we very much encourage you to try to solve these problems in the first place without looking at the solutions we have given. The problems require for solution different levels of mathematics, and you might find you have not yet covered some of the mathematical topics required. In general we have tried to order them, so that the level of mathematics required in the solutions increase as you move through the problems. Remember that we are only giving our solutions and, particularly if you don’ t look at our solution, you might well have a completely different approach which might provide a better solution.
Here, in the third section, we try to give you some advice as to how to approach the tackling of real problem solving, and we give some general concepts involved in mathematical modeling. It must, though, again be stressed that we are all convinced that experience is the all-important ingredient needed for confidence in model formulation. If you have just read Sections I and 11 without making at least attempts at your own solutions to some of the problems set, you will not have gained any real experience in tackling real problems, and this section will not really be of much help. On the other hand, if you have taken the problem solving seriously in Section Ⅱ , you might find the general advice given here helpful.
Provided you have gained some confidence in tackling real problem solving in the earlier parts, you will be able to dabble with those problems in this section which appeal to you. Don’t feel you must work systematically through this section, but look for problems you want to solve--these are the ones that you will have most success in solving.
We hope that this book will at least point you in this direction. We are aware that this is not a finalized precise sort of text, but then using mathematics in practical problem solving is not a precise art. It is full of pitfalls arid difficulties; but don’t despair, you will find great excitement and satisfaction when you have had your first success at real problem solving!

A:to become a good mathematical modeler B:to tackle as many mathematical problems as possible C:to do the problems given in the book on one's own D:to have confidence in constructing mathematical models

With 22 years on the job, Jackie Bracey could be considered a career employee of the Internal Revenue Service. But she defies any stereotype of an over-eager agent running down a reluctant taxpayer. Instead, she spends her time defending people who owe the government money. Ms. Bracey, based in Greensboro N. C., is a taxpayer advocate, a created by Congress in 1998 as part of the kinder, gentler theme adopted by the tax collection agency. Bracey and advocates at 73 Other offices nationwide, backed by 2,100 field workers and staff, go to bat for taxpayers who are in financial straits because of something the agency has done or is about to do.
Though it may seem contrary to the IRS, the advocate service not only helps taxpayers, but identifies procedural problems. The main goal, though, is for the ombudsman to step into a dispute a taxpayer is having with the IRS when it appears that something the IRS is doing, or planning, would create an undue hardship on the taxpayer. This can range from speeding up resolution of a dispute that has dragged on too long, to demanding that the IRS halt a collection action that the taxpayer can show he or she “is suffering or is about to suffer a significant hardship.”
Taxpayer ombudsmen have been around in one form or another since 1979, says Nina Olson, the national taxpayer advocate. But they were given much more power in 1998 when Congress decided that the workers would no longer report to regional directors but to her office. While this gave them a great deal more authority, outside watchdogs say more can be done. “There is a long way to go to get an agency that feels independent and emboldened to work for taxpayers”, says Joe Seep, a vice president of the Washington-based tax-advocacy group.
The taxpayers union also has complained that Congress and the Bush administration don’t seem to be taking the advocates seriously enough. Each year, the IRS group reports to Congress on the top problems that advocates see. Many of these are systemic problems that can gum up the works for both taxpayer and collector, such as a December notice from Ms. Olson that the IRS should have just one definition of a dependent child, rather than the three definitions currently used. While taxpayer advocates can help smooth things out in many cases, they cannot ignore laws.
If taxpayers haven’t made legitimate claims for credits, there’s nothing the advocate can do to reverse that course. And Olson says that while taxpayers are free to use her service, they should keep in mind that it does not replace the normal appeals process and should be the last place a citizen calls upon for help, not the first. “We’re really there for .when the processes fall down,” she says. Every state has at least one taxpayer-advocate service office.
According to Paragraph 3, which of the following is correct

A:Taxpayer ombudsmen have been around and given much power since 1979. B:Taxpayers had to report to the regional directors before 1998. C:Taxpayers have no worries since 1998. D:More efforts are needed before an independent agency is established.

Cyberspace, data superhighways, multi media—for those who have seen the future, the linking of computers, television and telephones will change our lives forever. Yet for all the talk of a forthcoming technological utopia, little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor. As with all new high technology, while the West concerns itself with the "how", the question of "for whom" is put aside once again.
Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communications revolution has affected the world economy. Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries, and transnational corporations take full advantage of it. Terms of trade, exchange and interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods. The electronic economy made possible by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets—with destructive impact on the have-nots.
For them the result is instability. Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine. As "futures" are traded on computer screens, developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies.
So what are the options for regaining control One alternative is for developing countries to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications themselves—so called "development communications" modernization. Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints on developing countries’ economies.
Communications technology is generally exported from the U.S., Europe or Japan; the patents, skills and ability to manufacture remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries. It is also expensive, and imported products and services must therefore be bought on credit—credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain.
Furthermore, when new technology is introduced there is often too low a level of expertise to exploit it for native development. This means that while local elites, foreign communities and subsidiaries of transnational corporations may benefit, those whose lives depend on access to the information are denied it.
It can be inferred from the passage that

A:international trade should be expanded. B:the interests of the poor countries have not been given enough consideration. C:the exports of the poor countries should be increased. D:communications technology in the developing countries should be modernized.

I have given up trying to convince him; there is no point ______ with him.

A:on arguing B:in arguing C:to argue D:for arguing

Many economists have given in to the fatal {{U}}lure{{/U}} of mathematics．

A:error B:puzzle C:attraction D:contradiction

Many economists have given in to the fatal {{U}}lure{{/U}} of mathematics.

A:simplicity B:attraction C:power D:rigor

When the order given by bridge may have bad results, the duty engineer should .

A:inform the captain for a further consideration, then perform it B:inform the captain, and not perform it C:stop the M/E immediately, and then inform the chief engineer D:stop the M/E immediately, and then inform the captain