2013.12月级英语预测6

PartⅢReadingComprehension(40minutes)SectionB

Directions:Inthissection,youaregoingtoreadapassagewithtenstatementsattachedtoit.Eachstatementcontainsinformationgiveninoneoftheparagraphs.Identifytheparagraphfromwhichtheinformationisderived.Youmaychooseaparagraphmorethanonce.Eachparagraphismarkedwithaletter.AnswerthequestionsbymarkingthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet2.

IntotheUnknown

Theworldhasneverseenpopulationageingbefore.Canitcope?

[A]Untiltheearly1990snobodymuchthoughtaboutwholepopulationsgettingolder.TheUNhadtheforesighttoconvenea“worldassemblyonageing”backin1982,butthatcameandwent.By1994theWorldBankhadnoticedthatsomethingbigwashappening.Inareportentitled“AvertingtheOldAgeCrisis”,itarguedthatpensionarrangementsinmostcountrieswereunsustainable.

[B]Forthenexttenyearsasuccessionofbooks,mainlybyAmericans,soundedthealarm.TheyhadtitleslikeYoungOld,GrayDawnandTheComingGenerationalStorm,andtheirmessagewasblunt:health-caresystemswereheadingfortherocks,pensionersweretakingyoungpeopletothecleaners,andsoontherewouldbeintergenerationalwarfare.

[C]Sincethenthedebatehasbecomelessemotional,notleastbecausealotmoreisknownaboutthesubject.Books,conferencesandresearchpapershavemultiplied.InternationalorganisationssuchastheOECDandtheEUissueregularreports.Populationageingisoneveryagenda,fromG8economicconferencestoNATOsummits.TheWorldEconomicForumplanstoconsiderthefutureofpensionsandhealthcareatitsprestigiousDavosconferenceearlynextyear.Themedia,includingthisnewspaper,aregivingthesubjectextensivecoverage.

[D]Whetherallthatattentionhastranslatedintosufficientactionisanotherquestion.Governmentsinrichcountriesnowacceptthattheirpensionandhealth-carepromiseswillsoonbecomeunaffordable,andmanyofthemhaveembarkedonreforms,butsofaronlytimidly.Thatisnotsurprising:politicianswithaneyeonthenextelectionwillhardlyrushtointroduceunpopularmeasuresthatmaynotbearfruitforyears,perhapsdecades.

[E]Theoutlineofthechangesneededisclear.Toavoidfisca(财政的）meltdown,publicpensionsandhealth-careprovisionwillhavetobereinedbackseverelyandtaxesmayhavetogoup.Byfarthemosteffectivemethodtorestrainpensionspendingistogivepeopletheopportunitytoworklonger,becauseitincreasestaxrevenuesandreducesspendingonpensionsatthesametime.Itmayevenkeepthemalivelonger.JohnRother,theAARP’sheadofpolicyandstrategy,pointstostudiesshowingthatotherthingsbeingequal,peoplewhoremainatworkhavelowerdeathratesthantheirretiredpeers.

[F]Youngerpeopletodaymostlyacceptthattheywillhavetoworkforlongerandthattheirpensionswillbelessgenerous.Employersstillneedtobepersuadedthatolderworkersareworthholdingonto.Thatmaybebecausetheyhavehadplentyofyoungeronestochoosefrom,partlythankstothepost-warbaby-boomandpartlybecauseoverthepastfewdecadesmanymorewomenhaveenteredthelabourforce,increasingemployers’choice.Butthereservoirofwomenableandwillingtotakeuppaidworkisrunninglow,andthebaby-boomersaregoinggrey.

[G]Inmanycountriesimmigrantshavebeenfillingsuchgapsinthelabourforceashavealreadyemerged(andrememberthattherealshortageisstillaroundtenyearsoff).Immigrationinthedevelopedworldisthehighestithaseverbeen,anditismakingausefuldifference.Instill-fertileAmericaitcurrentlyaccountsforabout40%oftotalpopulationgrowth,andinfast-ageingwesternEuropeforabout90%.

[H]Onthefaceofit,itseemstheperfectsolution.Manydevelopingcountrieshavelotsofyoungpeopleinneedofjobs;manyrichcountriesneedhelpinghandsthatwillboosttaxrevenuesandkeepupeconomicgrowth.Butoverthenextfewdecadeslabourforcesinrichcountriesaresettoshrinksomuchthatinflowsofimmigrantswouldhavetoincreaseenormouslytocompensate:toatleasttwicetheircurrentsizeinwesternEurope’smostyouthfulcountries,andthreetimesintheolderones.Japanwouldneedalargemultipleofthefewimmigrantsithasatpresent.Publicopinionpollsshowthatpeopleinmostrichcountriesalreadythinkthatimmigrationistoohigh.Furtherbigincreaseswouldbepoliticallyunfeasible.

[I]Totackletheproblemofageingpopulationsatitsroot,“old”countrieswouldhavetorejuvenate(使年轻)themselvesbyhavingmoreoftheirownchildren.Anumberofthemhavetried,somemoresuccessfullythan

others.Butitisnotasimplematterofofferingfinancialincentivesorprovidingmorechildcare.Modernurbanlifeinrichcountriesisnotwelladaptedtolargefamilies.Womenfindithardtocombinefamilyandcareer.Theyoftencompromisebyhavingjustonechild.

[J]Andiffertilityinageingcountriesdoesnotpickup?Itwillnotbetheendoftheworld,atleastnotforquiteawhileyet,buttheworldwillslowlybecomeadifferentplace.Oldersocietiesmaybelessinnovativeandmorestronglydisinclinedtotakerisksthanyoungerones.By2025atthelatest,abouthalfthevotersinAmericaandmostofthoseinwesternEuropeancountrieswillbeover50—andolderpeopleturnouttovoteinmuchgreaternumberthanyoungerones.Academicstudieshavefoundnoevidencesofarthatoldervotershaveusedtheirpowerattheballotboxtopushforpoliciesthatspecificallybenefitthem,thoughifinfuturetherearemanymoreofthemtheymightstartdoingso.

[K]Noristhereanysignoftheintergenerationalwarfarepredictedinthe1990s.Afterall,olderpeoplethemselvesmostlyhavefamilies.Inarecentstudyofparentsandgrown-upchildrenin11Europeancountries,KarstenHankofMannheimUniversityfoundthat85%ofthemlivedwithin25kmofeachotherandthemajorityofthemwereintouchatleastonceaweek.

[L]Evenso,theshiftinthecentreofgravitytoolderagegroupsisboundtohaveaprofoundeffectonsocieties,notjusteconomicallyandpoliticallybutinallsortsofotherwaystoo.RichardJacksonandNeilHoweofAmerica’sCSIS,inathoughtfulbookcalledTheGrayingoftheGreatPowers,arguethat,amongotherthings,theageingofthedevelopedcountrieswillhaveanumberofserioussecurityimplications.

[M]Forexample,theshortageofyoungadultsislikelytomakecountriesmorereluctanttocommitthefewtheyhavetomilitaryservice.Inthedecadesto2050,Americawillfinditselfplayinganever-increasingroleinthedevelopedworld’sdefenceeffort.BecauseAmerica’spopulationwillstillbegrowingwhenthatofmostotherdevelopedcountriesisshrinking,Americawillbetheonlydevelopedcountrythatstillmattersgeopoliticallyi地缘政治上）.

Askmein2020

[N]Thereislittlethatcanbedonetostoppopulationageing,sotheworldwillhavetolivewithit.Butsomeoftheconsequencescanbealleviated.Manyexpertsnowbelievethatgiventherightpolicies,theeffects,thoughgrave,neednotbecatastrophic.Mostcountrieshaverecognisedtheneedtodosomethingandarebeginningtoact.

[O]Buteventhenthereisnoguaranteethattheireffortswillwork.Whatishappeningnowishistoricallyunprecedented.RonaldLee,directoroftheCentreontheEconomicsandDemographyofAgeingattheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,putsitbrieflyandclearly:“Wedon’treallyknowwhatpopulationageingwillbelike,becausenobodyhasdoneityet.”

46.Employersshouldrealiseitisimportanttokeepolderworkersintheworkforce.

47.ArecentstudyfoundthatmostoldpeopleinsomeEuropeancountrieshadregularweeklycontactwiththeiradultchildren.

48.Fewgovernmentsinrichcountrieshavelaunchedboldreformstotackletheproblemofpopulationageing.

49.Inareportpublishedsome20yearsago,thesustainabilityofoldagepensionsystemsinmostcountrieswascalledintodoubt.

50.Countriesthathaveashortageofyoungadultswillbelesswillingtosendthemtowar.

51.One-childfamiliesaremorecommoninageingsocietiesduetothestressofurbanlifeandthedifficultiesofbalancingfamilyandcareer.

52.Aseriesofbooks,mostlyauthoredbyAmericans,warnedofconflictsbetweentheolderandyoungergenerations.

53.Comparedwithyoungerones,oldersocietiestendtobelessinnovativeandtakefewerrisks.

54.Thebestsolutiontothepensioncrisisistopostponetheretirementage.

55.Immigrationasameanstoboosttheshrinkinglabourforcemaymeetwithresistanceinsomerichcountries.PartⅣTranslation(30minutes)Directions:Forthispart,youareallowed30minutestotranslateapassagefromChineseintoEnglish.YoushouldwriteyouransweronAnswerSheet2.

中国新年是中国最重要的传统节日，在中国也被称为春节。新年的庆祝活动从除夕开始一直延续到元宵节(theLanternFestival)，即从农历(lunarcalendar)最后一个月的最后一天至新年第一个月的第十五天。各地欢度春节的习俗和传统有很大差异，但通常每个家庭都会在除夕夜团聚，一起吃年夜饭。为驱厄运、迎好运，家家户户都会进行大扫除。人们还会在门上粘贴红色的对联(couplets)，对联的主题为健康、发财和好运。其他的活动还有放鞭炮、发红包和探亲访友等。PartⅡListeningComprehensionSectionC

26.arelikelyto有可能

27.astonishing使人吃惊的，惊人的

28.conventional传统的，习惯的

29.accordingto根据，按照

30.crucial至关重要的

31.examination调查；考试

32.varied有差异，不同

33.interpersonal人与人之间的，人际的

34.inthecaseof至于，就来说

35.counterparts对应的人或物SectionB

46.[F]。题干意为，雇主们应该意识到留住老龄员工很重要。注意抓住题干中的关键词employers和olderworkers。文章段落中，谈及雇主和老龄员工关系的内容在[F]段出现，该段第二句提到，我们仍需说服雇主们继续雇用老龄员工是值得的。由此可知，题干是对原文的同义转述，故答案为[F]。

47.[K]。题干意为，最近的一项研究发现，在一些欧洲国家，大多数的老年人每周都会联系他们的成年子女。注意抓住题干中的关键词arecentstudy,Europeancountries和adultchildren。文章段落中，有关欧洲国家老人及其成年子女的研究的内容在[K]段出现，该段第三句提到，在最近的一项关于11个欧洲国家的父母及其

成年子女的研究中，……他们中的大多数至少每周都会联系一次。由此可知，题干是对原文的同义转述，故答案为[K]。题干中的adultchildren对应原文中的grown-upchildren，题干中的hadregularweeklycontact对应原文中的wereintouchatleastonceaweek，同时还用someEuropeancountries替代了原文中的11Europeancountries。

48.[D]。题干意为，很少有发达国家的政府开展大胆的改革去解决人口老龄化的问题。注意抓住题干中的关键词governmentsinrichcountries和reforms。文章段落中，谈及发达国家政府和改革的内容在[D]段出现，该段第二句提到，发达国家的政府已经承认自己很快就会无法负担其退休金，无法兑现医疗保障承诺，许多国家也已开始着手改革，但迄今为止都是畏首畏尾的改革。由此可知，题干是对原文的同义转述，故答

案为[D]。

49.[A]。题干意为，大概20年前发表的一份报告中指出，大多数国家的养老金系统的可持续性受到质疑。注意抓住题干中的关键词20yearsago,areport和oldagepension。文章段落中，谈及质疑养老金报告的内容在文章第一段出现，该段最后两句中提到，到1994年，……它在一份题为“避免老龄化危机”的报告中指出，大多数国家的养老金计划无法维持下去。由此可知，题干是对原文的同义转述，故答案为[A]。此处需要注意的是题干提到了20yearsago，数字是浏览信息时需要注意的重要信息，此处为时间概念，快速浏览涉及时间的段落，可较快地做出解答。

50.[M]。题干意为，缺少年轻人的国家比较不愿意将年轻人送往战场。注意抓住题干中的关键词ashortageofyoungadults和war。文章段落中，谈及缺少年轻人的内容在[M]段出现，该段首句提到，缺少年轻人可能会使国家不愿意将仅有的年轻人送去服兵役。由此可知，题干是对原文的同义转述，故答案为[M]。题干中的lesswilling和原文中reluctant相对应。

51.[I]。题干意为，由于城市生活的压力和平衡家庭与工作的困难，独生子女家庭在老龄化社会中变得更为普遍。注意抓住题干中的关键词one-childfamilies,urbanlife和familyandcareer。文章段落中，谈及独生子女家庭、城市生活以及家庭和工作的内容在[I]段出现，该段最后三句提到，发达国家的现代都市生活并不适合大家庭。女性发现她们很难平衡家庭和工作的关系。她们往往采用折中的方法，即只生一个孩子。由此可知，题干是对原文内容的概括，属于同义转述的范畴，故答案为[I]。

52.[B]。题干意为，主要由美国人撰写的一系列图书对老一辈和年轻一代将发生冲突提出了警告。注意抓住题干中的关键词aseriesofbooks,mostlyauthoredbyAmericans和warned。文章段落中，谈及美国人的著作的内容在[B]段出现，该段第一句提到，主要由美国人撰写的一系列图书给全世界敲响了警钟。文章之后接着说明了这些著作所阐述的问题：在退休金问题上新老两代人的冲突。由此可见，题干对原文做了同义改写，故答案为[B]。题干中的warned和原文中的soundedthealarm对应。

53.[J]。题干意为，与年轻的社会相比，老龄化社会倾向于缺乏创新精神，较少去冒险。注意抓住题干中的关键词compared,innovative和risks。文章段落中，对两代人在创新精神和冒险方面做对比的内容在[J]段出现，该段第三句提到，与年轻的社会相比，老龄化社会可能会缺乏创新精神，也不愿意冒险。由此可知，答案为[J]。题干中的takefewerrisks对应原文中的disinclinedtotakerisks。

54.[E]。题干意为，解决养老金危机的最好方法是推迟退休年龄。注意抓住题干中的关键词solution,pensioncrisis和retirementage。文章段落中，谈及解决养老金危机方法的内容在[E]段出现，该段第三句提到，到目前为止，抑制养老金支出最有效的方法是延长人们的工作年限……，由此可知，题干是对原文的同义改写，即“延长工作年限”改写为“推迟退休年龄”，故答案为[E]。题干中的thebestsolution对应原文中的themosteffectivemethod。

55.[H]。题干意为，在一些发达国家，把移民当做改善劳动力短缺状况的一种手段可能会遭遇抵制。注意抓住题干中的关键词immigration,shrinkinglabourforce和resistance。文章段落中，谈及移民和劳动力短缺的有[G]段和[H]段，但谈到抵制移民问题的仅有[H]段，该段最后两句提出，民意调查显示，多数富裕国家的人认为移民的数量已经够多了，进一步的增长在政治上是行不通的。由此可知，题干是对原文的进一步推断，故答案为[H]。此处需要注意，因原文段落