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Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.
Conventional wisdom about conflict seems pretty much cut and dried. Too little conflict breeds apathy (冷漠) and stagnation (呆滞). Too much conflict leads to divisiveness (分裂) and hostility. Moderate levels of conflict, however, can spark creativity and motivate people in a healthy and competitive way.
Recent research by Professor Charles R. Schwenk, however, suggests that the optimal level of conflict may be more complex to determine than these simple generalizations. He studied perceptions of conflict among a sample of executives. Some of the executives worked for profit-seeking organizations and others for not-for-profit organizations.
Somewhat surprisingly, Schwenk found that opinions about conflict varied systematically as a function of the type of organization. Specifically, managers in not-for-profit organizations strongly believed that conflict was beneficial to their organizations and that it promoted higher quality decision making than might be achieved in the absence of conflict.
Managers of for-profit organizations saw a different picture. They believed that conflict generally was damaging and usually led to poor-quality decision making in their organizations. Schwenk interpreted these results in terms of the criteria for effective decision making suggested by the executives. In the profit-seeking organizations, decision-making effectiveness was most often assessed in financial terms. The executives believed that consensus rather than conflict enhanced financial indicators.
In the not-for-profit organizations, decision-making effectiveness was defined from the perspective of satisfying constituents. Given the complexities and ambiguities associated with satisfying many diverse constituents executives perceived that conflict led to more considered and acceptable decisions.
31. In the eyes of the author, conventional opinion on conflict is ________.
A) wrong
B) oversimplified
C) misleading
D) unclear
32. Professor Charles R. Schwenk’s research shows ________.
A) the advantages and disadvantages of conflict
B) the real value of conflict
C) the difficulty in determining the optimal level of conflict
D) the complexity of defining the roles of conflict
33. We can learn from Schwenk’s research that ________.
A) a person’s view of conflict is influenced by the purpose of his organization
B) conflict is necessary for managers of for-profit organizations
C) different people resolve conflicts in different ways
D) it is impossible for people to avoid conflict
34. The passage suggests that in for-profit organizations ________.
A) there is no end of conflict
B) expression of different opinions is encouraged
C) decisions must be justifiable
D) success lies in general agreement
35. People working in a not-for-profit organization ________.
A) seem to be difficult to satisfy
B) are free to express diverse opinions
C) are less effective in making decisions
D) find it easier to reach agreement
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.
Imagine eating everything delicious you want-with none of the fat. That would be great, wouldn’t it?
New “fake fat” products appeared on store shelves in the United States recently, but not everyone is happy about it. Makers of the products, which contain a compound called olestra, say food manufacturers can now eliminate fat from certain foods. Critics, however, say the new compound can rob the body of essential vitamins and nutrients (营养物) and can also cause unpleasant side effects in some people. So it’s up to decide whether the new fat-free products taste good enough to keep eating.
Chemists discovered olestra in the late 1960s, when they were searching for a fat that could be digested by infants more easily. Instead of finding the desired fat, the researchers created a fat that can’t be digested at all.
Normally, special chemicals in the intestines (肠) “grab” molecules of regular fat and break them down so they can be used by the body. A molecule of regular fat is made up of three molecules of substances called fatty acids.
The fatty acids are absorbed by the intestines and bring with them the essential vitamins A, D, E, and K. When fat molecules are present in the intestines with any of those vitamins, the vitamins attach to the molecules and are carried into the bloodstream.
Olestra, which is made from six to eight molecules of fatty acids, is too large for the intestines to absorb. It just slides through the intestines without being broken down. Manufacturers say it’s that ability to slide unchanged through the intestines that makes olestra so valuable as a fat substitute. It provides consumers with the taste of regular fat without any bad effects on the body. But critics say olestra can prevent vitamins A, D, E, and K from being absorbed. It can also prevent the absorption of carotenoids (类胡萝卜素), compounds that may reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, etc.
Manufacturers are adding vitamins A, D, E, and K as well as carotenoids to their products now. Even so, some nutritionists are still concerned that people might eat unlimited amounts of food made with the fat substitute without worrying about how many calories they are consuming.
36. We learn from the passage that olestra is a substance that ________.
A) contains plenty of nutrients
B) renders foods calorie-free while retaining their vitamins
C) makes foods easily digestible
D) makes foods fat-free while keeping them delicious
37. The result of the search for an easily digestible fat turned out to be ________.
A) commercially useless
B) just as anticipated
C) somewhat controversial
D) quite unexpected
38. Olestra is different from ordinary fats in that ________.
A) it passes through the intestines without being absorbed
B) it facilitates the absorption of vitamins by the body
C) it helps reduce the incidence of heart disease
D) it prevents excessive intake of vitamins
39. What is a possible negative effect of olestra according to some critics?
A) It may impair the digestive system.
B) It may affect the overall fat intake.
C) It may increase the risk of cancer.
D) It may spoil the consumers’ appetite.
40. Why are nutritionists concerned about adding vitamins to olestra?
A) It may lead to the over-consumption of vitamins.
B) People may be induced to eat more than is necessary.
C) The function of the intestines may be weakened.
D) It may trigger a new wave of fake food production.
