Mr. Rector and others argued that once “the habit of dependency is cracked,” then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards.

　　56. From the passage, it can be seen that the author _______.

　　A) believes the reform has reduced the government’s burden

　　B) insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor

　　C) is overenthusiastic about the success of welfare reform

　　D) considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful

　　57. Why aren’t people enjoying better lives when they have jobs?

　　A) Because many families are divorced.

　　B) Because government aid is now rare.

　　C) Because their wages are low.

　　D) Because the cost of living is rising.

　　58. What is worth noting from the example of Athens County is that _______.

　　A) greater efforts should be made to improve people’s living standards

　　B) 70 percent of the people there have been employed for two years

　　C) 50 percent of the population no longer relies on welfare

　　D) the living standards of most people are going down

　　59. From the passage we know that welfare reform aims at _______.

　　A) saving welfare funds

　　B) rebuilding the work ethic

　　C) providing more jobs

　　D) cutting government expenses

　　60. According to the passage before the welfare reform was carried out, _______.

　　A) the poverty rate was lover

　　B) average living standards were higher

　　C) the average worker was paid higher wages

　　D) the poor used to rely on government aid

　　Passage Three

　　Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage:

　　Americans are pound of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?

　　Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian（百姓的）clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. the television repairman who wears uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity（身份）than to step out of uniform?

　　Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are tax-deductible（可减税的）. They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.

　　Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.