passage3

注解：標題為紅色，翻譯為藍色，分析為綠色。

????????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 realties. Now a pink slip(粉色的滑倒，指的是員工解雇通知書), a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse(配偶) 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 theirs new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachute(降落傘，保護傘) they once had in times of financial setback(挫折，阻礙)—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.

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1.of all stripes在這里是很多的條紋的意思，言外之意就是“形形色色多種多樣的”

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????????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 investmentreturns. For younger families, the picture(這里picture,代指“這種情況，年輕家庭情況”)?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([保險]免賠額) 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(批發(fā)的，大規(guī)模的(這里取這個意思))?shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.

一、文章結(jié)構(gòu)分析

這是一篇議論文。

本文是一篇關于美國中產(chǎn)階級面臨危機的文章，

第一段指出現(xiàn)在的美國中產(chǎn)階級很難保持經(jīng)濟狀況穩(wěn)定，

第二段分析原因之一：母親外出工作使家庭的經(jīng)濟風險上升。

第三段分析原因之二：布什政府的改革措施、健康儲蓄計劃的推出都對中產(chǎn)階級家庭提出了新的挑戰(zhàn)，即家庭被要求承擔的經(jīng)濟風險和負擔增加。

最后一段總結(jié)了上述經(jīng)濟威脅，即政府把金融風險轉(zhuǎn)嫁給中產(chǎn)階級家庭，并指出經(jīng)濟問題可能會帶來政治后果。

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.

31．如今的雙職工家庭面臨更大的財務風險，是因為 。

[A] 他們曾經(jīng)擁有的安全保障消失了

[B] 他們被解雇的概率大大增加了

[C] 他們更容易因家庭經(jīng)濟狀況變化而受到打擊

[D] 他們被剝奪了失業(yè)或殘疾保險金

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.

32．布什總統(tǒng)的改革舉措的結(jié)果是，退休人員可能擁有 。

[A] 更強的安全感

[B] 付款風險更大

[C] 更少的投資機會

[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.

33．根據(jù)作者所說，健康儲蓄計劃將 。

[A] 有助于減少醫(yī)療保健費用

[B] 在中產(chǎn)階級中得到普及

[C] 補償減少的養(yǎng)老金

[D] 增加家庭的投資風險

34. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that

[A] financial risks tend to outweigh political risks.

[B] the middle class may face greater political challenges.

[C] financial problems may bring about political problems.

[D] financial responsibility is an indicator of political status.

34．從末段可以推斷出 。

[A] 財政方面的風險往往超過政治風險

[B] 中產(chǎn)階級可能面臨更大的政治挑戰(zhàn)

[C] 財政方面的問題也許會帶來政治問題

[D] 財政方面的責任是政治地位的指標

35. Which of the following is the best title for this text?

[A] The Middle Class on the Alert

[B] The Middle Class on the Cliff

[C] The Middle Class in Conflict

[D] The Middle Class in Ruins

35．以下哪一項是本文的最佳題目？

[A] 警惕的中產(chǎn)階級

[B] 處于危險邊緣的中產(chǎn)階級

[C] 處在矛盾中的中產(chǎn)階級

[D] 沒落的中產(chǎn)階級

二、核心詞匯與超綱詞匯

1. middle-class adj. 中層社會的，中產(chǎn)階級的

2. count on 依靠，指望

3. fair play 按規(guī)則比賽；公平辦事

4. pink slip 解雇通知書

5. spouse n. 配偶(指夫或妻

6. debate v./ n. 爭論，辯論

7. implication n. 牽連，含義，暗示

8. parachute n. 降落傘

9. disruption n. 中斷，瓦解，破壞

10. absorb vt. 吸收，吸引

11. retirement income 退休收入

12. stock market 股票市場

13. fluctuation n. 波動, 起伏

14. harsh adj. 粗糙的；刺耳的；嚴厲的

15. outlive v. 比……長命，比……耐久

16. campaign v. 參加運動，領導運動

17. legislative adj. 立法的 n. 立法機關

18. deductible adj. 可扣除的

19. demographic adj. 人口統(tǒng)計學的

20. odds n. 可能的機會，幾率

21. attendant adj. 伴隨的，附帶的

22. perspective n. 角度，觀點；遠景

23. acceleration n. 加速度

24. wholesale n. 批發(fā)，躉售 adj. 批發(fā)的

25. overburden vt. 負擔過多 n. 過重的負擔

26. fallout n. (壞的)后果

三、閱讀答案：C B D C B

四、全文翻譯：?

????????在上一代人中，原本依靠努力工作和公平競爭就能保持經(jīng)濟狀況穩(wěn)定的美國中產(chǎn)階級家庭因經(jīng)濟風險和新的現(xiàn)實狀況而發(fā)生了變化?，F(xiàn)在，一張解雇通知書，一個惡性診斷結(jié)果，或者配偶的離去，都可以使一個穩(wěn)固的中產(chǎn)階級家庭在幾個月內(nèi)成為新的貧困戶。

????????僅僅大約一代人的時間里，數(shù)百萬母親出去工作，從而改變了基本的家庭經(jīng)濟結(jié)構(gòu)。各行各業(yè)的學者、政策制定者以及批評家都在討論這些變化的社會意義，但是很少有人看到其副作用：家庭風險也提高了。如今家庭的開支預算達到了新的雙薪家庭的極限。結(jié)果，他們失去了經(jīng)濟困頓時期的“保護傘”——當家庭主要經(jīng)濟支柱失業(yè)或生病時還有候補者(通常是母親)可以出去工作?！按我ぷ髡咝Ч蹦軌蚣訌娛I(yè)保險或傷殘保險提供的安全保障，以幫助家庭渡過難關。但是如今，家庭財產(chǎn)遭受的巨大損失再也不能通過原來賦閑在家的另一半獲得的工作得以彌補。

????????與此同時，家庭被要求承擔更多的退休收入方面的風險。鋼鐵工人、航空公司雇員以及現(xiàn)在汽車企業(yè)的員工都正在加入上百萬家庭的行列，這些家庭必須擔憂利率、股票市場的波動以及退休金不夠用的嚴峻現(xiàn)實。去年的大半年之中，布什總統(tǒng)致力于將社會保障體系變成個人儲蓄賬戶模式。在這種模式下，退休人員將他們的大部分或全部有保障的退休金變?yōu)橐蕾嚮貓舐实耐顿Y。對于較年輕的家庭來說，境況也不比老年人家庭更好。醫(yī)療保健的絕對成本以及其中家庭承擔的份額都已提高，而且新近流行的健康儲蓄計劃正從議會大廳流傳到沃爾瑪超市的員工那里。此計劃意味著未來家庭的醫(yī)療保健將需要支付更高的預付額并面臨大量新增的投資風險。甚至人口統(tǒng)計學的統(tǒng)計結(jié)果(人口結(jié)構(gòu)變化)都對中產(chǎn)階級家庭不利，家庭中出現(xiàn)一個年老力衰的父(母)親——以及隨之而來的精力和經(jīng)濟援助的需要——的幾率在一代人的時間里增加了八倍。

????????可以理解，從中產(chǎn)階級家庭的角度看，上述現(xiàn)象根本不像是履行更多經(jīng)濟責任的機會，而是把經(jīng)濟風險大規(guī)模轉(zhuǎn)移到他們已經(jīng)不堪重負的肩膀上的加速過程。經(jīng)濟不良后果已經(jīng)顯現(xiàn)，政治影響也不會太遠了。