TEXT 1
In spite of "endless talk of difference," American society is an amazing machine for homogenizing people. There is "the democratizing uniformity of dress and discourse, and the casualness and absence of deference"characteristic of popular culture.People are absorbed into"a culture of consumption" launched by the 19th century department stores that offered "vast arrays of goods in an elegant atmosphere. Instead of intimate shops catering to a knowledgeable elite" these were stores "anyone could enter, regardless of class or background. This turned shopping into a public and democratic act." The mass media, advertising and sports are other forces for homogenization.
Immigrants are quickly fitting into this common culture, which may not be altogether elevating but is hardly poisonous. Writing for the National Immigration Forum, Gregory Rodriguez reports that today’s immigration is neither at unprecedented levels nor resistant to assimilation. In 1998 immigrants were 9.8 percent of population; in 1900, 13.6 percent. In the 10 years prior to 1990, 3.1 immigrants arrived for every 1,000 residents; in the 10 years prior to 1890, 9.2 for every 1,000.Now, consider three indices of assimilation-language, home ownership and intermarriage.
The 1990 Census revealed that "a majority of immigrants from each of the fifteen most common countries of origin spoke English ‘well’ or ‘very well’ after ten years of residence." The children of immigrants tend to be bilingual and proficient in English. "By the third generation, the original language is lost in the majority of immigrant families." Hence the description of America as a "graveyard" for language. By 1996 foreign born immigrants who had arrived before 1970 had a home ownership rate of 75.6 percent, higher than the 69.8 percent rate among native born Americans.
Foreign born Asians and Hispanics "have higher rates of intermarriage than do US born whites and blacks." By the third generation, one third of Hispanic women are married to non Hispanics, and 41 percent of Asian American women are married to non Asians.
Rodriguez notes that children in remote villages around the world are fans of superstars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Garth Brooks, yet "some Americans fear that immigrants living within the United States remain somehow immune to the nation’s assimilative power."
Are there divisive issues and pockets of seething anger in America? Indeed. It is big enough to have a bit of everything. But particularly when viewed against America’s turbulent past, today’s social indices hardly suggest a dark and deteriorating social environment.
21. The word "homogenizing" (Line 2, Paragraph 1) most probably means .
［A］ identifying
［B］ associating
［C］ assimilating
［D］ monopolizing
22. According to the author, the department stores of the 19th century .
［A］ played a role in the spread of popular culture
［B］ became intimate shops for common consumers
［C］ satisfied the needs of a knowledgeable elite
［D］ owed its emergence to the culture of consumption
23. The text suggests that immigrants now in the US .
［A］ are resistant to homogenization
［B］ exert a great influence on American culture
［C］ are hardly a threat to the common culture
［D］ constitute the majority of the population
24. Why are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Garth Brooks mentioned in Paragraph 5?
［A］ To prove their popularity around the world.
［B］ To reveal the public’s fear of immigrants.
［C］ To give examples of successful immigrants.
［D］ To show the powerful influence of American culture.
25. In the author’s opinion, the absorption of immigrants into American society is .
［A］ rewarding
［B］ successful
［C］ fruitless
［D］ harmful
absence1 n.①缺席，不在场；②缺乏，没有
absorb3 v.①吸收；②吸引，使专心
act11 v.①行动，做事；②（on）起作用；③表演；④（for）代表，代替；n.①行为，动作；②（一）幕；③法令，条例
amaze5 v.使惊奇，使惊愕，使惊叹
array2 n.①一系列，大量；②排列；v.排列
assimilate2 v.①（被）吸收，（被）消化；②（使或被）同化
associate3 v.①（with）使联系，使联合；②交往，结合；n.合作人，伙伴，同事，同行；a.副的
atmosphere3 n.①大气（层）；②空气；③气氛，环境
author69 n.①作者；②创始人
background6 n.背景，经历
cater1 vi.备办食物，满足（需要），投合
census4 n.人口普查（调查）
characteristic8 a.（of）特有的，独特的；n.特征，特性
constitute4 v.组成，构成
consumption4 n.消费（量），消耗
culture21 n.①修养，教养；②文化，文明
democratic6 a.民主的
department5 n.①部，局，处，科，部门；②系，学部
description6 n.①描写，形容；②种类
deteriorate1 v.（使）恶化，（使）变坏
discourse1 n.演讲，论述，论文，讲道，谈话，谈论；vi.谈论，演说
elegant3 a.优雅的，优美的，精致的
elevate2 v.抬起，升高
elite4 n.①［总称］上层人士，掌权人物，实力集团；②出类拔萃的人（集团），精英
environment12 n.环境，外界
exert3 v.尽（力），施加（压力等）
forum1 n.论坛，讨论会
goods9 n.商品，货物
hence6 ad.①从此，今后；②因此
identify10 v.①识别，鉴别；②（with）把...和...看成一样，打成一片
immigrant10 a.（从国外）移来的，移民的；n.移民，侨民
immune3 a.①免疫的，有免疫力的；②有受影响的；③免除的，豁免的
index3 n.（［pl.］indexes，indices）①索引；②指数，指标，标志；v.附以索引，编入索引
influence17 n.①（on）影响，感化；②势力，权势；v.影响，感化
intimate1 a.亲密的，密切的
issue18 v.①流出，放出；②发行，发表，颁布；n.①发行（物），（报刊）期号；②问题，争论点，争端
launch4 v.①发射；②使（船）下水；③发动，开展；n.发射，下水
note9 n.①笔记，记录；②按语，注释；③便条，短笺；④钞票，纸币；⑤暗示，建议v.①记下，摘下；②表明，认为
origin5 n.①起源，由来；②出身，来历
original3 a.①最初的，原始的，原文的；②新颖的，有独创性的；n.原物，原作，原文
ownership4 n.所有（权），所有制
poisonous2 a.有毒的
powerful10 a.强大的，有力的，有权的
prior1 a./ad.①优先的，在前的；②（to）在...之前
rate31 n.①比率，率；②等级；③价格，费用；v.①估价；②评级，评价
regardless1 a.①不留心的，不注意的；②（of）不管
remote1 a.①远的，长久的；②偏远的，偏僻的；③关系疏远的
residence1 n.①住处，住宅；②居住
resident4 n.居民，常住者；a.居住的
resistant2 a.（to）抵抗的，有抵抗力的
reveal8 v.展现，显示，揭示，揭露，告诉，泄露
role22 n.①角色；②作用，任务
social38 a.①社会的；②社交的，交际的；n.社交活动
spite1 n.①恶意；②怨恨；③（in ～ of）尽管
tend26 v.①趋向，往往是；②照料，看护
threat9 n.①恐吓，威胁；②坏兆头，危险迹象
turbulent1 a.狂暴的，无秩序的
view28 n.①景象，风景；②观点，见解；③观察，观看；④眼界；v.看待，观察，考虑
absorption1 n.吸收
according47 ad.依照，根据
advertise12 v.做广告
assimilation3 n.同化，同化作用
assimilative1 a.同化的
bilingual1 a.能说两种语言的
casualness1 a.偶然的，不经意的
consumer20 n.消费者
deference1 n.顺从， 尊重
democratize1 v.（使）民主化
divisive1 a.分裂的
emergence5 n.浮现，出现
graveyard1 n.墓地
harmful5 a.有害的，伤害的
homogenization1 n.（均）匀化，同质化
homogenize1 v.均质化
immigration1 n.外来的移民，移居入境
intermarriage2 n.联姻，异族结婚
knowledgeable1 a.知识渊博的，有见识的
media9 n.媒体
monopolize1 vt.独占，垄断
popularity5 n.普及，流行
proficient1 a.精通的，熟练的 rewarding2 a.有益的， 值得的
seething1 a.火热的, 沸腾的
superstar2 n.超级明星
uniformity1 n.统一，一致
unprecedented1 a.空前的
