Question

Commencement (毕业典礼) is a time for idealism.

But economic reality is cruel everywhere; especially for new graduate. They have been told repeatedly that a college degree is an open sesame(芝麻) to the global economy. But that’s not necessarily so, according to new research by two economists at he Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Frank Levy and Peter Temin.

It is true that people with college degrees make more money than people without degrees. The gap has narrowed somewhat in recent years, which is disturbing. But the earning power of college graduates still far outpaces that of less-educated workers.

The bad news, though, is that a college degree does not ensure a bigger share of the economics pie for many graduates. In recent decades Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin show, only college-educated women have seen their income grow in line with economy wide gains in productivity. The earnings of male college graduates have failed to keep pace with productivity gains.

Instead, a huge share of productivity growth, which expands the nation’s income, is going to Americans on the top of the income scale. In 2005, the latest year with available data, the top of 1 percent of Americans---whose average annual income was $ 1.1 million--- took in 21.8 percent of the nation’s income, their largest share since 1929.

Administration officials, and other politicians and economists, often, believe that income inequality, reflects an education gap. But Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin show that in the case of men, the average bachelor’s degree is not enough to catch the rising tide of the global economy.

They argue that the real reason that inequality is worsening is the lack of strong policies that broadly distribute economic gains. In the past, for example, a more progressive income tax and unions promote equality. Positive measures have been eroding and new ones have not yet emerged, making the income gap even greater.

Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin conclude that only a new government policy can restore general prosperity. That’s a challenge to the nation’s leader and today’s graduates. America needs them to contribute to the development of the nation in global economy.

1.The passage is mainly about that _______.

A．there is a big income gap between female and male college graduates in America.

B．college graduates find it hard to find an ideal job after graduation in America.

C．research shows that American government should take measures to ensure income equality for college graduates

D．college degrees are losing value in America.

2.What is the main idea of paragraph 5?

A．The whole nation has enjoyed a big income growth with the growth of productivity.

B．Much of the total income in America has been gained by a few very rich people.

C．A small part of people in America have income increase.

D．Upper class Americans contribute most to productivity growth.

3.The underlined word “eroding” in paragraph 7 probably means _______.

A．being gradually destroyed by wind or rain

B．gradually reducing power

C．gradually disappearing

D．gradually not suitable

4.We can infer from the passage that _______.

A．female college graduates have higher income than male ones.

B．female college graduates have benefited from some governmental measures to ensure their income growth.

C．income tax can grantee income equality.

D．new measures and policies have been taken to promote income equality.

5.From the passage, some economists believe that the worsening income inequality is caused by ______.

A．lower college degree of college graduates

B．lack of proper governmental policies

C．gender discrimination

D．underdevelopment of economy and productivity.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.C

2.B

3.B

4.B

5.B

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了在美国拥有大学学历的人能挣更多的钱比那些没有学位的人。研究发现最近几年他们之间的收入差距在逐渐缩小,这是令人不安的。男性大学毕业生的收入没有跟上生产力。女大学毕业生受益于政府的一些措施,以确保她们的收入增长，但是财富仍然有很少的一部分所拥有，这是由于政府的政策监管不利造成了收入不均。

1.主旨大意题。综观全文可知,美国政府应该采取措施,确保大学毕业生有平等的收入，故选C。

2.段落大意题。根据在美国大部分的总收入是有一些非常富有的人得到，故选B。

3.词意猜测题。根据new ones have not yet emerged指消弱了它的力量，故选B。

4.推理判断题。根据only college-educated women have seen their income grow in line with economy wide gains in productivity.可推出女大学毕业生受益于政府的一些措施,以确保她们的收入增长，故选B。

5.细节理解题。根据the real reason that inequality is worsening is the lack of strong policies 政府缺乏合适的政策是主要原因，故选B。

考点：经济类短文阅读。

点评：一般来说，多数段落会有一个段落主题句或核心词，如果能准确地将其抓住，题目自然就迎刃而解了。如果把握不住主题句，应该重点阅读各段的首句、第二句和末句。因为通常来讲，学术性文章的阐述思路主要有两种：演绎型(Deductive)和归纳型(Inductive)。