配套練習：

　　1. Interpersonal relationships are important because ________.

　　A) they are indispensable to people’s social well-being

　　B) they awaken people’s desire to exchange resources

　　C) they help people to cope with life in the information era

　　D) they can cure a range of illnesses such as heart disease, etc

　　2. Research shows that people’s physical and mental health ________.

　　A) relies on the social welfare systems which support them

　　B) has much to do with the amount of support they get from others

　　C) depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles

　　D) is closely related to their strength for coping with major changes in their lives

　　3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “cushions” (Line 1, Para. 2)?

　　A) Adds up to.

　　B) Does away with.

　　C) Lessens the effect of.

　　D) Lays the foundation for.

　　4. Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work is an example of ________.

　　A) instrumental support

　　B) informational support

　　C) social companionship

　　D) the strengthening of self-respect

　　5. Social companionship is beneficial in that ________.

　　A) it helps strengthen our ties with relatives

　　B) it enables us to eliminate our faults and mistakes

　　C) it makes our leisure-time activities more enjoyable

　　D) it draws our attention away from our worries and troubles

　　Americans are pound of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?

　　Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian (百姓的) clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity (身份) than to step out of uniform?

　　Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are tax-deductible (可減稅的). They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.

　　Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.

　　Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.

　　配套練習：

　　1. It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality ________.

　　A) still judge a man by his clothes

　　B) hold the uniform in such high regard

　　C) enjoy having a professional identity

　　D) will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform

　　2. People are accustomed to think that a man in uniform ________.

　　A) suggests quality work

　　B) discards his social identity

　　C) appears to be more practical

　　D) looks superior to a person in civilian clothes

　　3. The chief function of a uniform is to ________.

　　A) provide practical benefits to the wearer

　　B) make the wearer catch the pubic eye

　　C) inspire the wearer’s confidence in himself

　　D) provide the wearer with a professional identity

　　4. According to the passage, people wearing uniforms ________.

　　A) are usually helpful

　　B) have little or no individual freedom

　　C) tend to lose their individuality

　　D) enjoy greater popularity

　　5. The best title for this passage would be ________.

　　A) Uniforms and Society

　　B) The Importance of Wearing a Uniform

　　C) Practical Benefits of Wearing a Uniform

　　D) Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms