2014年12月英语四级冲刺全真模拟试题一

　　根据以下资料，回答56-75题：

　　In the late years of the nineteenth century."capital"and"labour"were enlarging and perfecting their

　　rival organizations on modem lines.Many an old firm was replaced by a limited liability company wi

　　th a bureaucracy of salaried managers.The change met the technical requirements of the new age by e

　　ngaging a large professional element and prevented the decline in efficiency that so commonly spoile

　　d the fortunes of family firms in the second and third generation after the energetic founders.It w

　　as moreover a step away from individual initiative，towards collectivism and municipal and state-own

　　ed business.The railway companies，though still private business managed for the benefit of shareho

　　lders，were very unlike old family business.Meanwhile the great municipalities went into business t

　　o supply lighting，trams and other services to the taxpayers.

　　The growth of the limited liability company and municipal business had important consequences.S

　　uch large，impersonal manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importa

　　nce of shareholders as a class，an element in national life representing irresponsible wealth detach

　　ed from the land and the duties of the landowners;and almost equally detached from the responsible

　　management of business.During the nineteenth century，America，Africa，India， Australia and parts

　　of Europe were being developed by British capital，and British shareholders were thus enriched by th

　　e world's movement towards industrialization.Towns like Bournemouth and Eastbourne sprang up to hou

　　se large"comfortable"classes who had retired on their incomes，and who had no relation to the rest o

　　f the community except that of drawing dividends and occasionally attending a shareholders'meeting t

　　o dictate their orders to the management.On the other hand"shareholdin9"meant leisure and freedom w

　　hich was used by many of the later Victorians for the highest purpose of a great civilization.

　　The"shareholders"as such had no knowledge of the lives，thoughts or needs of employees in the co

　　mpany in which they held shares，and their influence on the relations of capital and labour was not

　　good.The paid manager acting for the company was in more direct relation with the work-ers and thei

　　r demands，but even he had seldom familiar personal knowledge of the workmen which the employers had

　　often had under the more patriarchal system of the old family business.Indeed the mere size of ope

　　rations and the number of workmen involved rendered such personal relations　impossible.Fortunately

　　，however，the increasing power and organization of the trade unions，at least in all skilled trades

　　.enabled the workmen to meet on equal terms the managers of the companies who employed them.The cr

　　uel discipline of the strike and lockout taught the two parties to respect each other's strength and

　　understand the value of fair negotiation.

　　56、The author says that old family firms_______.

　　A.were mined by the younger generations

　　B.failed for lack of individual initiative

　　C.lacked efficiency compared with modem companies

　　D.were able to supply adequate services to taxpayers

　　57、 The growth of limited liability companies resulted in_______.

　　A.the separation of capital from management

　　B.the ownership of capital by managers

　　C.the emergence of capital and labour as two classes

　　D.the participation of shareholders in land ownership

　　58、 The text indicates that_______.

　　A.some countries developed quickly because of the emergence of the limited liability companies

　　B.the tide of industrialization would widely benefit British shareholders greatly

　　C.shareholders contributed a lot to the fast growth of the British economy

　　D.the system of shareholding impaired the management of modem companies

　　59、 We learn from the text that_______.

　　A.shareholders often cast negative influence on the well-being of workers

　　B.owners of traditional finns enjoyed a good relationship with their employees

　　C.limited liability companies were too large to run smoothly

　　D.trade unions had a positive role on workers and the management

　　60、 The author appears to be very critical of_______.

　　A.family finn owners

　　B.shareholders

　　C.managers

　　D.landowners