2007年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 has been transformed by economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly 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 risk has risen as well. Today's families have budgeted to the limits of their new two-paycheck status. 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. 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, 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 retirement money. 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. For younger families, the picture is not any better. 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 much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families' future healthcare. 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.

　　From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more 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 Today's double-income families are at greater financial risk in that

　　[A] 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.

　　[D] they are deprived of unemployment or disability insurance.

　　[答案] C

　　[解題思路]

　　本題對應于文章的第二段。A和D選項中的"safety net"和"unemployment or disability insurance"對應于該段倒數第二句"This "added-worker effect" could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times"( 這種"額外工人效應"可以支持由失業保險或殘疾保險提供的安全網，以便幫助家庭渡過難關)，但顯然與原文意思相反，因為這種安全網依舊存在，因此兩個選項均可排除。B選項在文中沒有提及。C選項對應于第三、四句話"Today's families have budgeted to the limits of their new two-paycheck status. 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"( 如今的家庭根據雙份收入限度安排開支。因此，它們失去了在經濟蕭條時期曾經有過的緩解舉措--一個后備掙錢者(通常是母親)，她可以在家庭的主要掙錢者失業或者病倒的時候出去工作)，即現代家庭中一旦遭遇變故則經濟上有可能垮下來，因此C是正確選項。

　　[題目譯文]

　　現在的雙收入家庭面臨很大的財務風險，因為

　　[A] 他們以前享受的安全網已經消失了

　　[B] 他們失業的幾率大大增強了

　　[C] 他們面對家庭經濟狀況的改變更加脆弱

　　[D] 他們被剝奪了失業和殘疾保險

　　32. As a result of President Bush's reform, retired people may have

　　[A] a higher sense of security.

　　[B] less secured payments.

　　[C] less chance to invest.

　　[D] a guaranteed future.

　　[答案] B

　　[解題思路]

　　布什總統的這項政策出現在文章的第三段的第三句話"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"( 在去年的大部分時間里，布什總統一直致力于將社會保險體制轉變成一種儲蓄存款賬戶模式，要求退休人員將其大多數或所有保障金變成基于投資回報所得的報酬)，顯然B為正確答案，而其余三個選項均與原文意思相反。

　　[題目譯文]

　　布什總統的改革導致了退休人員可能會有

　　[A] 更強的安全感

　　[B] 更少有保證的收入

　　[C] 更少投資的機會

　　[D] 一個有保障的未來

　　33. According to the author, health-savings plans will

　　[A] help reduce the cost of healthcare.

　　[B] popularize among the middle class.

　　[C] compensate for the reduced pensions.

　　[D] increase the families' investment risk.

　　[答案] D

　　[解題思路]

　　本題對應于文章第三段的第三句話"For younger families, the picture is not any better. 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 much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families' future healthcare"( 對于更年輕的家庭來說，前景不容樂觀。衛生保健的絕對成本和家庭承擔份額都上漲了--而且，最近實施的健康儲蓄計劃正在從立法機關擴展到沃爾瑪員工，家庭將來的醫療保健都有更高的扣除成分和很大的風險投資)，其中"much higher deductibles"和"a large new dose of investment risk"等信息說明家庭投資風險的增長，因此D為正確選項。

　　[題目譯文]

　　根據本文作者，健康儲蓄計劃將會

　　[A] 幫助減少醫療保健的成本

　　[B] 在中產階級中得到普及

　　[C] 補償減少的退休金

　　[D] 增加家庭的投資風險