学位英语

They Say Ireland's the Best

Ireland is the best place in the world to live for 2005, according to a life quality ranking that appeared in Britain’s Economist magazine last week.

The ambitious attempt to compare happiness levels around the world is based on the principle that wealth is not the only measure of human satisfaction and well-being.

The index of 111 countries uses data on incomes, health, unemployment, climate, political stability, job security, gender equality as well as what the magazine calls "freedom, family and community life".

Despite the bad weather, troubled health service, traffic congestion (拥挤), gender inequality, and the high cost of living, Ireland scored an impressive 8.33 points out of 10.

That put it well ahead of second-place Switzerland, which managed 8.07. Zimbabwe, troubled by political insecurity and hunger, is rated the gloomiest (最差的), picking up only 3.89 points.

"Although rising incomes and increased individual choices are highly valued," the report said, "some of the factors associated with modernization such as the breakdown (崩溃) in traditional institutions and family values in part take away from a positive impact."

"Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new with the preservation of certain warm elements of the old, such as stable family and community life."

The magazine admitted measuring quality of life is not a straightforward thing to do，and that its findings would have their critics.

No. 2 on the list is Switzerland. The other nations in the top 10 are Norway, Luxembourg, Sweden, Australia, Iceland, Italy, Denmark and Spain.

The UK is positioned at No. 29, a much lower position chiefly because of the social and family breakdown recorded in official statistics. The US, which has the second highest per capita GDP (人均国内生产总值) after Luxembourg, took the 13th place in the survey. China was in the lower half of the league at 60th.For 2,005.

1 Years, Ireland has been the best place for humans to live in.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

2 Job security is the least important measure of life quality.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

3 Costs Of Living in Ireland is pretty high.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

4 Family life in Zimbabwe is not stable.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

5 Ireland is positioned at No. 1 because it combines the most desirable elements of the new with some good elements of the old.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

6 To measure life quality is easy.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

7 The United States of America is among the top 10 countries.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

参考答案：

1.B 2.C 3.A 4.C 5.A 6.B 7.B

相关推荐：2017年职称英语报名时间及入口

报考条件：综合类，理工类，卫生类考试原则上没有严格的界限。职称英语考试报名可在单位报，评职称与户口无关，主要看你的工作单位，所以你可以直接咨询单位的人事部门，如果他们说可以就行，每个省规定不大一样。【查看详情】

报考选择：职称英语报考科目|级别选择|报名条件及相关问题解答

免考规定：取得外语(从事翻译工作人员及外语教师第二外语)专业专科及以上学历的人员申报中、高级职称评审……。【查看详情】

（责任编辑：hbz）