A. cropped B. home C. desirable D. issue E. illegal
F. scene G. presented H. worsening I. urban J. endure K. disturbed
If this summer you pay a visit to Milan, the fashion center of Italy, make sure you’re not caught eating ice cream in the streets after midnight as doing so is now ___41___.
A new law was passed by Milan’s city council banning the sale of take-away food and drinks after midnight in some districts which are famous for their nightlife ___42___. The purpose of this unusual move is, according to the city council, to discourage night gathering in downtown areas.
The law inevitably has given rise to a number of protests, accusing that the government has ___43___ people’s normal lives. However, if you take into consideration the country’s ___44___ economy and its high unemployment rate, the local government’s fear of ‘night assembling’may be reasonable.
In fact, Milan’s law is only the strangest of a host of restrictions on nightlife that have ___45___ up in European cities recently. Madrid’s city center was declared a ‘low-noise zone’ last September and the city council has been refusing to ___46___ bar and club licenses ever since.
Why do European cities deal so strictly with nightlife? It may be because Europe’s population is getting older and can no longer ___47___ late night activities within the neighborhood.
In the past, bars and clubs bloomed in European city centers, which were ___48___ to working class populations. But gradually, these people began to move out of the city centers and into the suburbs. Only the wealthy and the upper-class people can afford to live in ___49___ centers now. But these people don’t go to bars and clubs to socialize. Instead, they consider fun-seekers who wander in their neighborhoods annoying. They also worry that bars and clubs will make their neighborhoods less ___50___ and devalue their housing property.
E F K H A D J B I C
Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people traditionally prioritize caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-concerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life. They say that it is a jungle out there. To survive, you have to fight with whatever means that come handy. Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then. But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.
In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
Main comparisons | Contexts |
__76__ are changing | In the past people put caring, sharing and generosity in the first ___77____. |
Nowadays, people seem to be more ____78____about themselves. | |
___79___are changing too. | People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing(谦让的). |
People may strive to achieve their own __80___ at the price of their coworkers. | |
The author’s understanding | |
___81____ for the changes in author’s eyes | Fierce __82___ and great __83___on modern people may be responsible for the changes. |
The author’s ___84____towards topic | A relationship which can ___85___ two sides should be established. |