Woodrow Wilson was referring
to the liberal idea of the economic market when he said that the free
enterprise system is the most efficient economic system. Maximum freedom means
maximum productiveness; our “openness” is to be the measure of our stability.
Fascination with this ideal has made americans defy the “old world” categories
of settled possessiveness versus unsettling deprivation, the cupidity of
retention versus the cupidity of seizure, a “ status quo” defended or
attackecd. The United States , it was believed , had no status qou ante. Our
only “station” was the turning of a stationary wheel, spinning faster and
faster. We did not base our system on property but opportunity – which meant we
based it not on stability but on mobility. The more things changed , that is,
the more rapidly the wheel turned, the steadier we would be. The conventional
picture of class politics is composed o the haves, who want a stability to keep
what they have, and the have- nots, who want a touch of intability and change in
which to scramble for the things they have not. But americans imagined a
condition in which speculators, self- makers, runners are always using the new
oppurtunities given by our land. These economic leaders (front-runners) would
thus be mainly agents of change. The nonstarters were considered the ones who
wanted stability, a strong referee to give them some position in the race, a
regulative hand to calm manic speculation ; an authority that can call things
to a halt, begin things again from compensatorily staggered “ starting lines.”
Reform” in americahas been sterile because it can imagine no change except
through the extension of this metaphor of a race, wider inclusion of
competitors, “ a piece of the action,” as it were, for the disenfranchised. There is no attempt to call off the race.
Since our only stability is change, america seems not to honor the quiet work
that achieves social interdependence and stability. There is, in our legends, no
heroism of the office clerk (office clerk;n), no stable industrial work force
of the people who actually make the system work. There is no pride in being an
employee ( wilson asked for a return to the time when everyone was an
employer). There has been no boasting about our social workers- they are merely
signs of the system’s failure, of oppurtinity denied or not taken, of things to
be eliminated. We have no pride in our growing interdependence, in the fact
that our system can serve others, that we are able to help those in need; empty
boasts from the past make us ashamed of our present achievements,make us try to
forget or deny them, move away from them. There is no honor but in the
wonderland race we must all run, all trying to win, none winning in the end (
for there is no end).
1.
The primary pupose of the passage is to ...
a.
Criticize the inflexibility
of american economic mythology *
b. Contrast “ old world” and “
new world” economic ideologies
c. Challenge the integrity of
traditional political leaders
d. Champion those americans whom
the author deems to be neglected
e. Suggest a substitute for the
traditional metaphor of a race
2. According to the passage , “
old world “ valeus were based on ...
a. Ability
b.
Property*
c. Family connections
d. Guild hierarchies
e. Education
3. In the context of author’s
discussion o regulating change, which of the following could be most probably
regarded as a “ strong referee” in the united states?
a. A school principal
b. A political theorist
c.
A federal court judge*
d. A social worker
e. A government inspector
4. The author sets off (set off
: to set apart: make distinct or outstanding ) the word “ reform” with
quotation marks in oredr to
a. Emphasize its departure from
the concept of settled possessiveness
b. Show his support for a systematic program of change
c. Underscore the flexibility
and even amorphousness of united states society
d. Indicate that the term was
one of wilson’s favorites
e.
Asserts that reform in the
united states has not been fundamental*
5. It can be inferred from the passage that the
author most probably thinks that giving the disenfranchised “ a piece of the
action” is...
a. A compassionate, if
misdirected, legislative measure
b.
An example of
americans’resistance to profound social change *
c. An innovative program for
genuine social reform
d. A monument to the efforts of
industrial reformers
e. A surprisingly “old world”
remedy for social ills
6. Which of the following
metaphors could the author most appropriately use to summarize his own
asessment of the american economic system?
a. A windmill
b. A waterfall
c.
A treadmill*
d. A gyroscope
e. A bellows
7. It can be inferred from the
passage that woodrow wilson’s ideas about the economic market...
a.
Encouraged those who “make the system work”
b.
Perpetuated traditional
legends about america*
c. Revealed the prejudices of a
man born wealthy
d. Foreshadowed the stock
marketbcrash of 1929
e. Began a tradition of
presidential proclamations on economics
8. The passage contains
informationnthat would answer which of the following question?
I. What techniques have industrialists used to manipulate a
free market?
II. In what ways are “ new world” and “ old world” economic
policies similiar?
III. has economic policy in the united states tended to
reward independent action?
a. I only
b. II Only
c.
III Only*
d. I and II Only
e. II and III only
9. Which of the following best
expresses the author’s main point?
a. Americans pride in their jobs
continues to give them stamina today
b. The absence of a status quo
ante has undermined united states economic structure
c. The free enterprise system
has been only a useless concept in the United States
d.
The myth of the american free
enterprise system is seriously flawed*
e. Fascination with the ideal of
“ openness” has made americans a progressive people
10. Who is the
main character from in the story…
a.
Wilson*
b.
Abrul
c.
James
d.
christian
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