［００９］

   Beauty has always been regarded as something praiseworthy. Almost everyone thinks attractive people are happier and healthier, have better marriages and have more respectable occupations. Personal consultants give them better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive defendants. But in the executive circle, beauty can become a liability.

26. The word "liability" (Para. 1) most probably means "______".

A) misfortune

B) instability

C) disadvantage

D) burden

［０１０］

   The question of whether war is inevitable is one which has concerned many of the world's great writers. Before considering this question, it will useful to introduce some related concepts. Conflict, defined as opposition among social entities directed against one another is distinguished from competition, defined as opposition among social entities independently striving for some thing which is in inadequate supply. Competitors may not be aware of one another, while the parties to a conflict are. Conflict and vice of one another. Opposition is thus contrasted with cooperation, the process by which social entities function in the service of one another. These definitions are necessary because it is important to emphasize that competition between individuals or groups is inevitable in a world of limited resources, but conflict is not. Conflict, nevertheless, is very likely to occur, and is probably an essential and desirable element of human societies.

28. The phrase "function in the disservice of one another" (Para. 1) most probably means "_______".

A) betray each other

B) harm one another

C) help to collaborate with each other

D) benefit on another

［０１１］

   In the workplace, men have long had well defined precedents and role models for achieving success. It has been otherwise for women. A good many women in the business world are uncertain about the appropriate mixture of "masculine" an d "feminine" attributes they should convey by their professional clothing. The variety of clothing alternatives to women has also been greater than that avail able for men. Male administrators tend to judge women more favorably for managerial positions when the women display less "feminine" grooming(打扮)-shorter hair, moderate use of make up, and plain tailored clothing. As one male administrator confessed, "An attractive woman is definitely going to get a longer interview, but she won't get a job."

33. The word "precedent" (Line 1, Para.4) probably refers to __________.

A) early acts for men to follow as examples

B) particular places for men to occupy especially because of their importance

C) things that men should agree upon

D) men's beliefs that everything in the world has already been decided

［０１２］

   This means one has to feed approximately 9--10 times as much food value to the animal than one can consume from the carcass. As a system for feeding the hungry, the effects can prove disastrous. At times of crisis, grain is the food of life.

29. The word "carcass"(Line 2, Para.3) most probably means"__________ ".

A) vegetables preserved for future use

B) the dead body of an animal ready to be cut into meat

C) expensive food that consumers can hardly afford

D) meat canned for future consumption

［０１３］

We all have offensive breath（口臭） at one time or another. In most cases, offensive breath emanates from bacteria in the mouth, although there are other more causes. Until a few years ago, the most doctors could do was to counsel patients with bad breath about oral cleanliness. Now they are finding new ways to treat the usually curable condition.

31. The phrase "emanate from"in Paragraph 1 most probably means "______".

A) thrive on

B) account for

C) originate from

D) descend from