When Liam McGee departed as president of Bank of America in August, his explanation was surprisingly straight up. Rather than cloaking his exit in the usual vague excuses, he came right out and said he was leaving "to pursue my goal of running a company. " Broadcasting his ambition was "very much my decision, " McGee says. Within two weeks, he was talking for the first time with the board of Hartford Financial Services Group, which named him CEO and chairman on September 29.
McGee says leaving without a position lined up gave him time to reflect on what kind of company he wanted to run. It also sent a clear message to the outside world about his aspirations. And McGee isn’t alone. In recent weeks the No. 2 executives at Avon and American Express quit with the explanation that they were looking for a CEO post. As boards scrutinize succession plans in response to shareholder pressure, executives who don’t get the nod also may wish to move on.
A. top performers used to cling to their posts.
B. loyalty of top performers is getting out-dated.
C. top performers care more about reputations.
D. it’s safer to stick to the traditional rules.
Since April, a new flu named A-H1 Nl(originally called swine flu)has affected over 100,000 people in more than 40 countries. Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of regular seasonal influenza. People with swine flu often get a fever, headache, cough, sore throat, body aches, vomiting, chills and fatigue. Study has showed, that swine flu is a virus that usually affects pigs but appears to have acquired the ability to pass from person to person, though it’ s unclear how easily it can be transmitted this way.
Usually, the best way to protect yourself contracting it or other infectious diseases is with a dose of common sense: Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water, cover your coughs and sneezes and stay home from work or school if you feel ill. These guidelines may seem basic, but they’ re effective in preventing the spread of infections. Richard Besser, acting director of the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), said, "Co
A. Swine flu call be transmitted easily among pigs but not among people
B. Swine flu is a virus that has acquired the ability to pass from person to person
C. People with swine flu often get a stomachache, headache and toothache.
D. Symptoms of swine flu are different from those of regular seasonal influenza.
Passage 9
One of the most pressing challenges that the United States--and indeed, the world--will face in the next few decades is how to alleviate the growing stress that human activities are placing on the environment. The consequences are just too great to ignore. Wildlife habitats are being degraded or disappearing altogether as new developments take up more land. Plant and animal species are becoming extinct at a greater rate now than at any time in Earth’s history. As many as 30 percent of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited. And the list goes on.
Yet, there is reason to have hope for the future. Advances in computing power and molecular biology are among the tremendous increases in scientific capability that are helping researchers gain a better understanding of these problems. Recent developments in science and technology could provide the basis for some major, and timely actions that would improve our understanding of how
A. there are many more ways in which humans are hurting the environment
B. environmental degradation is continuing unabated
C. the total of animal and plant species facing extinction are too numerous to list
D. in addition to fish, many other plant and animal species face over-exploitation by humans
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