基础提升考研真题阅读每日一篇(43)(2013418)

1、2007 Text 3 During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure had been transformed by economic risk and new realties. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from soli

2、dly middle class to newly poor in a few months.In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics. Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family

3、risk has risen as well. Todays families have budgeted to the limits of theirs new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachuted they once had in times of financial setback a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick

4、. This “added-worker effect” could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times. But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner.During the same period,

5、 families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income. Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirem

6、ent money. For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a saving-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost o

7、f healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen and newly fashionable health-saving plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families future healthcare. Even demographics are working against

8、 the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance have jumped eightfold in just one generation.From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise m

9、ore financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.31.Todays double-income families are at greater fina

10、ncial risk in thatA the safety net they used to enjoy has disappeared.B their chances of being laid off have greatly increased.C they are more vulnerable to changes in family economics.（C）D they are deprived of unemployment or disability insurance.32.As a result of President Bushs reform, retired pe

11、ople may haveA a higher sense of security.B less secured payments.C less chance to invest.（B）D a guaranteed future.33.According to the author, health-savings plans willA help reduce the cost of healthcare.B popularize among the middle class.C compensate for the reduced pensions.（D）D increase the fam

12、ilies investment risk.34.It can be inferred from the last paragraph thatA financial risks tend to outweigh political risks.B the middle class may face greater political challenges.C financial problems may bring about political problems.（C）D financial responsibility is an indicator of political statu

13、s.35.Which of the following is the best title for this text?A The Middle Class on the AlertB The Middle Class on the CliffC The Middle Class in Conflict（B）D The Middle Class in Ruins【答案解析】31.C细节事实题为什么今天的双职工家庭会面临更大的经济风险?根据原文第二段第四、五、六句可知选项C“他们更易于受到家庭经济变化的影响”是原文的同义替换，故为正确答案。选项A讲“过去的安全网已经消失了”。 disappear

14、是一个文中未提及的信息;选项B“被解雇的机会增加”属于答非所问;选项D“他们不能享受失业保险”与原文第五句中的“support”，明显相反。32.B细节事实题。由于布什总统的改革，退休职工可能会如何?根据题干中的布什总统定位到原文第三段。根据第二段第四句“For younger.families, the picture is not any better.年轻家庭日子也不会好过”，既然年轻人日子也不好过，马上得知退休职工日子不好过。选项B“安全性变差”与原文意思相符。选项A“更有安全感”和选项D“将来有保证”都说明退休职工过得好，与原文意思相反;选项C“更少的投资机会”文中未提及退休职工是否

15、投资。33.D细节事实题。根据作者观点，健康储蓄账户计划如何?选项A“有利于减少健康护理的成本”属于对词义的曲解，文中saving指的是“储蓄账户”，而非“减少成本”的概念;选项B“在中产阶级中非常普及”这一信息在文中未提及;原文第砚段第三句中“their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns”既然取决于投资，那么肯定是具有不确定性的，因此与选项C“补偿减少的养老金”意义相反;而选项D“增加了家庭投资的不确定性”是原文的同义替换。34.C推理题。从最后一段，我们推断出什么?根据选项，很明确应该对应原文末

16、句“The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.经济上的副作用已经显现，那政治上的副作用可能也不远了。”选项A“经济风险加剧了政治风险”与原文意思相反;选项B“中产阶级会面临更大的政治挑战”是一个无中生有的比较;选项D“经济责任心是政治身份的象征”，其中的“responsibility和status”是文中没有出现过的概念。选项C“经济问题可能引发政治问题”为原文的同义替换。35.B主旨题。文章最好的标题是什么?选项A "on the Alert警告”，既然是警告，说

17、明问题还没出现，与原文意义相反;选项C "in Conflict冲突”，文章中没有讲过冲突的概念;选项D"in Ruins毁灭”说明中产阶级已经崩溃，与原文不符。选项B "on the Cliff岌岌可危”符合原文，选项B为正确答案。【全文翻译】在过去的十几年里，美国那些曾经可以依靠辛勤劳动和公平条件以维持其收入稳定的中产阶层家庭被经济风险和新现实改变了。如今，一份解雇通知书、一个不利的诊断结果或者配偶的去世都可能在几个月之内将一个家庭从稳定的中产阶层家庭降格成为一个新贫困家庭。在仅仅一代人的时间里，数百万母亲出去工作，改变了基本的家庭经济状况。学者、决策者以及各

18、类批评人士对这些变化的社会意义争论不休，但是，很少有人关注这些变化的副作用：家庭的风险增加了。如今的家庭根据其新的双收入限度安排开支。因此，它们失去了它们在经济萧条时期曾经有过的缓解举措一个后备挣钱者（通常是妈妈），如果家庭的主要挣钱者失业了或者病倒了，她可以出去工作。这种“额外工人效应”可以支撑失业保险或残疾保险提供的安全网，以便帮助家庭渡过难关。但现在，家庭财产的损失再也不可能通过呆在家里的其他伴侣的额外收入弥补了。 在同一时期，要求家庭在其退休收入中承担更多风险。钢铁厂的工人、航空公司的职员以及汽车产业工人加入了数百万不得不担心利率、股市波动以及可能比其退休收入存在时间更长的严酷现实家庭

19、。在去年的大部分时间里，布什总统一直致力于将社会保险体制转变成一种储蓄存款账户模式，要求退休人员将其大多数或所有保障报酬用来交换依靠投资回报所得的报酬。对于更年轻的家庭来说，前景不容乐观。卫生保健和家庭承担份额的绝对成本都上涨了而且，最近实施的健康储蓄计划正在从立法机关扩展到沃尔玛员工，包含大量更高的减免，并且给家庭未来的卫生保健带来许多新投资风险。甚至人口统计状况也对中产阶层家庭不利，因为有一个体弱、年迈的父母以及由此而产生的所有物资和经济援助就在仅仅一代人的时间里增长了8倍。从中产阶层家庭的角度来看，大多数情况是可以理解的，这根本不像一种发挥更多支付能力的机会，而是像一种将经济风险大规模转

20、向那些已经负担过重的家庭的令人恐惧的加速行为。经济副作用已经开始，政治副作用可能也将开始。【难句注释】1、During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by economic risk and new realities.【译文】 在过去的一代，美国的中产阶级家庭曾经依靠努力工作和平等公正以保持财政安全，但是却被经

21、济风险和新的现实所改变。【析句】 句子的主干结构是the American middle-class family.has been transformed by economic risk and new realities，family后接一个定语从句。【讲词】 generation指一代人，一般为20年。count on表示"指望，依靠"，例如：You can count on my help.（你可以指望得到我的帮助。）fair play原是体育用语，意为"公平比赛"，转义指"公正的待遇"或"公平竞赛的条件"

22、;。secure作形容词表示"安全的,可靠的,放心的,无虑的"。transform意为"转变；转换；变形"，其名词是transformation。2、Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well.【译文】 学者、政策制定者和各行各业的批评者对这些变化的社

23、会意义进行了辩论，但是几乎没有人关注次要的影响：家庭风险也增加了。【析句】 全句是一个转折句，冒号之后的成分是一个完整的句子，作the side effect的同位语。【讲词】 stripe意为"斑纹,条纹"，all stripes意为all walks（各行各业）。implication表示"牵连，涉及；含意；暗示"，如：his implication in the crime（他涉及这起罪行）。It is important to consider the wider implications of making such a decision.（很

24、有必要考虑作出这一决定的深远意义。）implication的动词是implicate。side effect通常表示药物等的副作用，在句中表示"次要的影响"。3、As a result,they have lost the parachute they once had in times of financial setback-a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick.【译文】 因此，他们已经失

25、去了经济困难时曾有的保障，即家中主要的挣钱人一旦失业或生病，预备挣钱人（通常是妈妈）可以加入劳动大军。【析句】 as a result作状语，表示某种结果。a back-up earner (usually Mom)在句中作the parachute的同位语，后面接一个定语从句。【讲词】 parachute的字面意思是"降落伞"，但在句中表示"保障"。setback意为"挫折"，financial setback表示财政或经济上的困难。primary意为"主要的；首要的"，跟major，main等意思相近。如要表示

26、"次要的"，英文是secondary。earner在句中指wage earner，即挣钱人。workforce指"就业大军；劳动力（工人的总数）"。lay off意为"失业"。4、This"added-worker effect" could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times.【译文】 这种"附加工人效应&qu

27、ot;可以支持失业保险或残疾保险所提供的保障制度，以帮助家庭渡过困难时期。【析句】 句子的主干是This"added-worker effect" could support the safety net，过去分词offered引导的结构作定语修饰the safety net。【讲词】add意为"增加"，added可以表示"附加的"，如：added value（附加值，净增值）。safety net指社会保障制度。unemployment insurance指"失业保险"，disability insurance指

28、"残疾保险"。weather在句中作动词，表示"抵御；承受；平安渡过"，如：weather a crisis（渡过危机）。bad times意为"坏时光；艰苦的日子"，其反义词是good times。5、Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and

29、the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money.【译文】 钢铁工人、航空公司的雇员，以及在汽车工业中就业的人，他们现在和数百万的家庭一样，必须操心利率和股票市场的升降，担心他们的退休金不够用的严峻现实。【析句】 句子的主干结构是Steelworkers.are joining millions of families，families后面跟一个定语从句。而在定语从句中，主语是who，谓语是worry about，宾语是interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the

30、hash reality。that they may outlive their retirement money是一个定语从句，修饰the harsh reality。【讲词】worry about表示"操心；担心"。interest rates指"利率"，stock market指"股票市场"，fluctuation指股票市场的波动，retirement money指"退休金"。outlive意为"比.长命；比.耐久；经受住"，如：This regulation has outlived i

31、ts usefulness.（这一规则没用却仍然存在。）6、For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a savings-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns.【译文】 在过去的大部分时间中，布什总统推行社会保障制度的改革，力图把它变成储蓄帐户的模式，让退休人员拿出大部分或

32、所有的确定付款，以换取依赖于投资回报的付款。【析句】 句子的主干结构是President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a savings-account model，介词with所接的成分作状语，说明储蓄帐户模式。【讲词】campaign作名词表示"竞选；战役；政治或商业的活动"，作动词表示"打仗；竞选；开展某种活动"，如：campaigned for human rights（开展人权运动）。social security指"社会保障（制度）"。guarantee意为&quo

33、t;保证"，如：The government guaranteed to free the captives.（政府保证释放俘虏。）guarantee freedom of speech（保证言论自由）。7、Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen-and newly fashionable health savings plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with

34、 much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families future healthcare.【译文】 绝对医疗保险费用和家庭所承担的（部分）费用均已经上涨，而新型的医疗储蓄计划正从立法机构推广开来，（甚至）涵盖沃尔玛超市的工人，这一计划出现了更多的扣除条款，并给家庭未来的医疗保险又增加了一笔很大的投资风险。【析句】 全句包括两个并列分句，介词with所引导的成分说明newly fashionable health-savings plan的内容，一是更高的扣除条款（就像保险公司的做法一样，广告上

35、说大病保险，但实际上所谓的大病并不是所有的"大病"，保险合同中的扣除条款太多），一是增加了一笔很大的投资风险（缴纳的医疗保险费用被拿去投资）。【讲词】absolute意为"绝对的"，反义词是relative。healthcare（医疗保险），health-savings（医疗储蓄，类似中国的医保卡），legislative halls（立法机构，在美国指国会）。deductible"可减免的，可扣除的"，文中指"保险合同的扣除条款"。dose作名词表示"剂量；(一)服"，作动词表示"服

36、药"。a dose of表示"一定量的"。8、Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent-and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance-have jumped eightfold in just one generation.【译文】 甚至人口分布的数据也与中产阶级家庭作对，因为家中有一位体弱高龄的父亲或母亲的可能性在仅仅一代人的时间里增加了8倍，照顾家中的老人就需要体力和财力的付出。【析句】 全句是一个复合句，主句是Even demographics are working against the middle class family，as所引导的从句表示原因。两个破折号之间的成分和a wea