President Coolidge’s statement, “The business of America is business,” still points to an important truth today—that business institutions have more prestige（威望）in American society than any other kind of organization, including the government. Why do business institutions possess this great prestige?
One reason is that Americans view business as being more firmly based on the ideal of competition than other institutions in society. Since competition is seen as the major source of progress and prosperity by most Americans, competitive business institutions are respected. Competition is not only good in itself, it is the means by which other basic American values such as individual freedom, equality of opportunity, and hard work are protected.
Competition protects the freedom of the individual by ensuring that there is no monopoly（垄断）of power. In contrast to one all-powerful government, many businesses compete against each other for profits. Theoretically, if one business tries to take unfair advantage of its customers, it will lose to competing business which treats its customers more fairly. Where many businesses compete for the customers’ dollars, they cannot afford to treat them like inferiors or slaves.
A contrast is often made between business, which is competitive, and government, which is a monopoly. Because business is competitive, many Americans believe that it is more supportive of freedom than government, even though government leaders are elected by the people and business leaders are not. Many Americans believe, then, that competition is as important, or even more important, than democracy（民主）in preserving freedom.
Competition in business is also believed to strengthen the ideal of equality of opportunity. Competition is seen as an open and fair race where success goes to the swiftest person regardless of his or her social class background. Competitive success is commonly seen as the American alternative to social rank based on family background. Business is therefore viewed as an expression of the idea of equality of opportunity rather than the aristocratic（贵族的）idea of inherited privilege.
小题1:The statement “The business of America is business” probably means ________.
A．America is a great power in world business
B．Business is of primary concern to Americans
C．The business institutions in America are concerned with commerce
D．Business problems are of great importance to the American government小题2:Americans believe that they can realize their personal values only _______.
A．by protecting their individual freedom
B．when given equality of opportunity
C．by way of competition
D．through doing business小题3:Who can benefit from business competition?
A．People with ideals of equality and freedom.
B．Both business institutions and government.
C．Honest businessmen.
D．Both businessmen and their customers.小题4:Government is believed to differ strikingly from business in that government is characterized by ________.
A．its role in protecting basic American values
B．its absolute control of power
C．its democratic way of exercising leadership
D．its function in preserving personal freedom小题5:It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes ___________.
A．in many countries success often depends on one’s social status
B．businesses in other countries are not as competitive as those in America
C．American businesses are more democratic than those in other countries
D．Americans are more ambitious than people in other countries
小题1:B
小题2:C
小题3:D
小题4:B
小题5:A
题目分析：本文介绍了在美国社会商业机构比包括政府在内的其他任何类型的组织,有更多的威望。美国人认为以竞争为基础的商业比其他机构更加坚定。美国人可以通过商业竞争实现他们的个人价值。竞争不仅保护顾客的利益，也会保护商业机构。竞争的工商业与垄断的政府经常形成鲜明对照。在这样的社会体制下，美国人不依靠家庭背景决定社会地位。
小题1:语义理解题。第一段的that business institutions have more prestige（威望）in American society than any other kind of organization, including the government.在美国社会商业机构比包括政府在内的其他任何类型的组织,有更多的威望。说明美国人很关注商业。故选B。
小题2:细节理解题。第二段的Competition is not only good in itself, it is the means by which other basic American values such as individual freedom, equality of opportunity, and hard work are protected竞争不仅本身是良好的,它还是保护手段,其他基本的美国价值观如个人自由、机会均等和努力工作是受它的保护。可知美国人可以通过商业竞争实现他们的个人价值。故选C。
小题3:细节理解题。从第三段的 if one business tries to take unfair advantage of its customers, it will lose to competing business which treats its customers more fairly.可知只有公正的对待顾客的商业机构才会在竞争中获胜。可以看出竞争不仅保护顾客的利益，也会保护商业机构。故选D。
小题4:细节理解题。第四段的A contrast is often made between business, which is competitive, and government, which is a monopoly. 竞争的工商业与垄断的政府经常形成鲜明对照。因为工商业是竞争的，政府是all-powerful全能的，垄断的，他们的区别在于权利的操控上。故选B。
小题5:推理判断题。最后一段的Competitive success is commonly seen as the American alternative to social rank based on family background.竞争的成功被视为美国人基于家庭背景而产生的社会地位的替代。从中可知美国不依靠家庭背景决定社会地位，反过来，其他国家就要依靠了。故选A。
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