We live in a materialistic society and are trained from our earliest years to be acquisitive.
Our possessions, “mine” and “yours”, are clearly 62 from early childhood. When we grow older enough to earn a living, 63 does not surprise us to discover that success is measured 64 the money we earn. We spend the whole of our lives keeping 65 our neighbors, the Joneses. If we buy a new television set, Jones is 66 to buy a bigger and better one.
It is not only in affluent societies 67 people are obsessed with the idea of making more money. Consumer goods are 68 everywhere and modern industry deliberately sets out to create new markets. 69 are the days 70industrial good are made to 71 forever. The wheels of industry must be kept turning. “Built-in obsolescence” provides the means: goods are made to be 72 . Cars get tinnier and tinnier. You no sooner acquire this year’s model 73 you are thinking about its replacement.
This materialistic outlook has seriously influenced education. Fewer and fewer young people these days 74 knowledge only for its own 75 . Every course of studies must lead somewhere: i.e. to a bigger wage packet. The demand for skilled personnel far 76 the supply and big companies compete with each other to recruit students 77 they have completed their studies. Tempting salaries and “fringe benefits” are 78 to them. Recruiting tactics of this kind have led to the “brain drain”, the process 79 highly skilled people offer their services to the highest 80 . The wealthier nations 81 their poorer neighbors of their most able citizens. While Mammon is worshipped as never before, the rich get richer and the poor, poorer.
62. A) signed C) impressed B) noted D) labeled
63. A) this C) that B) it D) what
64. A) with respect to C) in terms of B) in regard to D) on behalf of
65. A) up with C) on about B) away from D) out of
66. A) bound C) doomed B) destined D) determined
67. A) what C) if B) which D) that
68. A) desirable C) desired B) desirous D) desiring
69. A) Done C) vanished B) Gone D) passed
70. A) where C) as B) when D) while
71. A) last C) endure B) survive D) stand
72. A) damaged C) discarded B) destroyed D) deteriorated
73. A) than C) rather than B) when D) then
74. A) learn C) take B) acquire D) pick
75. A) sake C) reason B) cause D) justification
76. A) exceeds C) undermines B) overtakes D) underestimates
77. A) before C) when B) after D) as soon as
78. A) offered C) rewarded B) awarded D) presented
79. A) for which C) with which B) in which D) by which
80. A) opponent C) negotiator B) bidder D) competitor
