Passage FourWomen earn less than men do. For example, in 1998 the hourly wages of women in the U. S. were 26% less than those of men.The gap between male and female incomes varies with age. The gap between the labor incomes of young women and young menvaries. It's also clear that jobs in which women are concentrated pay less. The larger the number of workers who are women in ranindustry, the lower the average wages.Why do women earn less than men do? Can the differences be explained by the fact that women are lookeddown upon? If so, the government has to intervene(干预), to force the employers to pay equal wages to equal jobs. However, there is no agreement among economists about the causes ofthe gap. One view argues that women, on the average, have chosen low-paying jobs in which workers enjoy the freedom of entering and leaving the labor force, which reduces their years of experience relativeto men. Other people say the gap can also be explained by the difference in educational background.Much of the gap, however, has not been fully explained. It might be the result of some prejudice (偏见) against women. It is this part that has produced calls for government action. What would happen if the government did intervene toincrease the wages paid to women? One possibility is that incomes for women as a group might actually decline (下降). An increase in wage decreases the quantity of labor imput demanded, resulting in decreased employment as the rate of hiring newworkers declines. The result will be a surplus 过剩) of labor. Those who can find jobs might be better off while those who had jobsmight find themselves out of work.48. Some economists believe women earn less than men partly because______.A. there are more than enough women in the labor forceB. women have more freedom in selecting jobsC. women are only provided with low-paid jobsD. women are less experienced than men
Passage Four
Women earn less than men do. For example, in 1998 the hourly wages of women in the U. S. were 26% less than those of men.
The gap between male and female incomes varies with age. The gap between the labor incomes of young women and young men
varies. It's also clear that jobs in which women are concentrated pay less. The larger the number of workers who are women in ran
industry, the lower the average wages.
Why do women earn less than men do? Can the differences be explained by the fact that women are looked
down upon? If so, the government has to intervene(干预), to force the employers to pay equal wages to equal jobs. However, there is no agreement among economists about the causes of
the gap. One view argues that women, on the average, have chosen low-paying jobs in which workers enjoy the freedom of entering and leaving the labor force, which reduces their years of experience relative
to men. Other people say the gap can also be explained by the difference in educational background.
Much of the gap, however, has not been fully explained. It might be the result of some prejudice (偏见) against women. It is this part that has produced calls for government action. What would happen if the government did intervene to
increase the wages paid to women? One possibility is that incomes for women as a group might actually decline (下降). An increase in wage decreases the quantity of labor imput demanded, resulting in decreased employment as the rate of hiring new
workers declines. The result will be a surplus 过剩) of labor. Those who can find jobs might be better off while those who had jobs
might find themselves out of work.
48. Some economists believe women earn less than men partly because______.
A. there are more than enough women in the labor force
B. women have more freedom in selecting jobs
C. women are only provided with low-paid jobs
D. women are less experienced than men
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Passage Four(36~40) One of Britain’s bravest women told yesterday how she helped to catch suspected (可疑的) police killer David Bieber—and was thanked with flowers by the police. It was also said that she could be in line for a share of up to the ￡30,000 reward money。Vicki Brown, 30, played a very important role in ending the nationwide manhunt. Vicki, who has worked at the Royal Hotel for four years, told of her terrible experience when she had to steal into Bieber’s bedroom and to watch him secretly. Then she waited alone for three hours while armed police prepared to storm the building。She said: “I was very nervous. But when I opened the hotel door and saw 20 armed policemen lined up in the car park I was so glad they were there. ”The alarm had been raised because Vicki became suspicious (怀疑) of the guest who checked in at 3 pm the day before New Year’s Eve with little luggage and wearing sunglasses and a hat pulled down over his face. She said: “He didn’t seem to want to talk too much and make any eye contact (接触). ” Vicki, the only employee on duty, called her boss Margaret, 64, and husband Stan McKale, 65, who phoned the police at 11 pm。Officers from Northumbria Police called Vicki at the hotel in Dunston, Gateshead, at about 11:30 pm to make sure that this was the wanted man. Then they kept in touch by phoning Vicki every 15 minutes。“It was about ten past two in the morning when the phone went again and a policeman said ’Would you go and make yourself known to the armed officers outside?’ My heart missed a beat. ”Vicki quietly showed eight armed officers through passages and staircases to the top floor room and handed over the key。“I realized that my bedroom window overlooks that part of the hotel, so I went to watch. I could not see into the man’s room, but I could see the passage. The police kept shouting at the man to come out with his hands showing. Then suddenly he must have come out because they shouted for him to lie down while he was handcuffed (带上手铐). ”第36题：The underlined phrase “be in line for” (paragraph 1) means 。A. get B. be paid C. ask for D. own
Passage Four"We're more than halfway (中途) now; it's only two miles farther to the tavern (客栈) ," said the driver."I'm glad of that," answered the stranger, in a more sympathetic way. He meant to say more but the east wind blew clear down a man's throat if he tried to speak. The girl's voice was quite attractive; however, later he spoke again."You don't feel the cold so much at twenty below zero in the Western country. There isn't such damp chill (潮冷)", he said, and then it seemed as if he had blamed the uncomplaining young driver. She had not even said that it was a bad day, and he began to be conscious of a warm hopefulness of spirit, and sense of pleasant adventure under all the woolen scarves."You'll have a cold drive going back," he said anxiously, and put up his hand for the twentieth time to see if his coat collar was as close to the back of his neck as possible."I shall not have to go back!" cried the girl, with eager pleasantness. "I'm on my way home now. I drove over early just to meet you at the train. We had word that someone was coming to the tavern."46. How far was the drive from the train to the tavern?A. One mile.B. About four miles.C. Two miles.D. Less than four miles.
Passage Four2. 26-meter-tall Yao Ming made his NBA debut (初资登台) on October 23, 2002 and got 6 points (得分) for the Houston Rockets in the game. The next day, he got 13 points in another game.Most people think that Yao Ming is a born basketball player. But Yao said, "When you watch it*on TV, it looks very easy. But when you are playing in the NBA, it is really not so easy. ' He said that joining the Houston Rockets was a new start and a new challenge. "I hope that through very hard work, I can make everyone happy and help the Rockets win more games," he said.Yao Ming speaks some English. Both he and his teammates can understand each other. They don't think there is a language problem. While Yao Ming faces this new challenge, the people of Houston have shown great interest in him and they hope Yao Ming faces this new challenge, the people of Houston have shown great interest in him and they hope Yao Ming will bring new energy (活力) to the Rockets. The team has started having lessons to learn more about China, and many people who work for the Rockets have learned to speak some Chinese.46. Yao Ming got 13 points on October______, 2002.A. 22B. 23C. 24D. 26
Passage Four"Cool" is a word with many meanings. Its old meaning is used to express a temperature that is a little bit cold. As the world has changed, the word has had many different meanings."Cool" can be used to express feelings of interest in almost anything. When you see a famous car in the street, maybe you will say, "It's cool. ' You may think, "He's so cool," when you see your favorite football player.We all maximize (扩大) the meaning of "cool". You can use it instead of many words such as "new" or "surprising". Here's an interesting story we can use to show the way the word is used. A teacher asked her students to write about the waterfall (瀑布) they had visited. On one student's paper was just the one sentence, "It's so cool." Maybe he thought it was the best way to show what he saw and felt.But the story also shows a scarcity of words. Without "cool", some people have no words to show the same meaning. So it is quite important to keep some credibility (可信性). Can you think of many other words that make your life as colorful as the word "cool"? I can. And I think they are also very cool.46. We know that the word "cool" has had______.A. only one meaningB. no meaningsC. the same meaningD. many different meanings