IV Reading Comprehension (60 points)

　　Directions: There are five reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by four questions. For each question there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose one best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the answer sheet.

　　Passage one

　　Japan’s post-World War II value system of diligence, cooperation and hard work is changing. Recent surveys show that Japanese youth have become a “Me Generation” that rejects traditional values.

　　“Around 1990 many Japanese, especially young people, abandoned the values of economic success and began searching for new sets of values to bring them happiness,” writes sociologist Yasuhiro Yoshizaki. Japanese youth are placing more importance on the individual’s pursuit of happiness and less on the values of work, family and society.

　　Japanese students seem to be losing patience with work, unlike their counterparts in the United States and Korea. In a 2003 survey of college students in the tree countries, only 10% of the Japanese regarded work as a primary value, compared with 47% of Korean students and 27% of American students. A greater proportion of Japanese aged 18 to 24 also preferred easy jobs without heavy responsibility.

　　Concern for family values is waning among younger as they pursue an inner world of private satisfaction. It appears that many younger-generation Japanese are losing both respect for their parents and a sense of responsibility to the family. Author Yoshizaki attributes the change to Japanese parents’ over indulgence (溺爱)of their children, material affluence and growing concern for private matters.

　　Diminishing social responsibility, according to Yoshizaki, is tied to the growing interest in pleasure and personal satisfaction. A study comparing society-conscious youth from 1987 to 2000 found that the Japanese had slipped far behind American and Australian students. Yoshizaki concludes that the entire value system of Japanese youth is undergoing major transformation, but the younger generation has not yet found a new organized value system to replace the old.

　　36. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? _______

　　A. A “Me Generation”

　　B. A Shift to Individualism of Japanese Youth

　　C. The Comparison between Japanese Youth and American Youth

　　D. The Result of a Survey Made by Yoshizaki

　　37. What can be inferred from the passage? ________.

　　A. The Japanese new generation find more ways to satisfy themselves.

　　B. Japanese new generation has become less competitive than American one.

　　C. Generally speaking, the generation in the 1960s was more diligent, hard-working and cooperative than the one in the 1990s.

　　D. In Japan, a new values system has been rooted in the nation.

　　38. The underlined word “waning” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by ________.

　　A. improving B. lost C. decreasing D. strengthening

　　39. According to Yoshizaki, what may cause the change of the Japanese youth in a degree?

　　A. Social responsibility B. The pressure of study

　　C. Foreign culture D. Their parents’ over-indulgence

　　Passage Two

　　Zhao Wenxuan, a film star from Taiwan had been fond of seeing films since his childhood. He would sometimes go to the cinema for the same film four or five times. He also enjoys literature and art. Before he took the film acting as his career, he has been on the staff of an airline in Taibei. His change of job to acting was quite by chance.

　　One day, he came across in the paper an advertisement for a leading actor to appear in the film named “Wedding Feast”. Full of excitement, he answered the job ad by telephoning the director of the film, Mr. LiAn. It was this telephone call that had changed all his life. At last the director decided him to be the very person for the role. That he could be chosen owed much to his good command of English, natural manners and low pay for this work in the film.

　　The film “Wedding Feast” proved to be a hit. It won the German Golden Bear Award and entered the competition for one of the Oscar Academy Awards. Also, it was the first Taiwan film that was permitted to be shown in the US. Thanks to the film, Zhao Wenxuan became popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

　　In 1994, Mr. Zhao acted as leading role in the Hong Kong film “Red Rose and White Rose”, in which many film stars like Ms. Chen Chong from US and Mr. Ye Yuqing form the local area took parts in it. This film was named for 10 prizes of the Taiwan Golden Horse Prize and at last it was awarded five prizes for the best play, actress and music. Zhao has regarded the film as one of his favorite films since he stepped into the acting circle.

　　Since 1993, Mr. Zhao has taken part in the shooting of 13 films, most of which are highly thought of.

　　Mr. Zhao said that Taiwan should think to cooperate (合作) much with the mainland in the film producing industry and it would benefit each other. In recent years he often came to the mainland for film shooting. He has just completed his performance in the film “Love Affairs” directed by Mr. Li Xin, a director from Shanghai Film Studio.

　　40. When he was a child, he would sometimes go to the cinema for the same film ______times.

　　A. one or two B. two or three C. three or four D. four or five

　　41. When he was very young, Zhao Wenxuan _________.

　　A. was a movie fan B. wanted to be a photographer

　　C. would love to be an actor D. was eager to be a painter

　　42. Why could Zhao Wenxuan play the leading role in the movie “Wedding Feast”?________.

　　A. Because he liked to see films very much.

　　B. Because he could English very well, acted naturally and cared little about the pay for his work.

　　C. Because he was a famous actor at that time.

　　D. Because the director of the movie knew him very well.

　　43. The text suggests that __________.

　　A. “Wedding Feast” is just an ordinary film.

　　B. the film “Wedding Feast” disappointed people greatly.

　　C. Zhao Wenxuan became a famous movie star because of the movie “Wedding Feast”.

　　D. a lot of Taiwan films are shown in the US every year.