2011年GMAT考试阅读材料5(附答案) How many really suffer as a result of labor market problems? This is one of the most critical yet contentious social policy questions.In many ways, our social statistics exaggerate the degree of hardship.Unemployment does not have the same dire consequences today as it did in the 1930’s when most of the unemployed were primary breadwinners, when income and earnings were usually much closer to the margin of subsistence, and when there were no countervailing social programs for those failing in the labor market.Increasing affluence, the rise of families with more than one wage earner, the growing predominance of secondary earners among the unemployed, and improved social welfare protection have unquestionably mitigated the consequences of joblene.Earnings and income data also overstate the dimensions of hardship.Among the millions with hourly earnings at or below the minimum wage level, the overwhelming majority are from multiple-earner, relatively affluent families.Most of those counted by the poverty statistics are elderly or handicapped or have family responsibilities which keep them out of the labor force, so the poverty statistics are by no means an accurate indicator of labor market pathologies.Yet there are also many ways our social statistics underestimate the degree of labor-market-related hardship.The unemployment counts exclude the millions of fully employed workers whose wages are so low that their families remain in poverty.Low wages and repeated or prolonged unemployment frequently interact to undermine the capacity for self-support.Since the number experiencing joblene at some time during the year is several times the number unemployed in any month, those who suffer as a result of forced idlene can equal or exceed average annual unemployment, even though only a minority of the joble in any month really suffer.For every person counted in the monthly unemployment tallies, there is another working part-time because of the inability to find full-time work, or else outside the labor force but wanting a job.Finally, income transfers in our country have always focused on the elderly, disabled, and dependent, neglecting the needs of the working poor, so that the dramatic expansion of cash and in-kind transfers does not necearily mean that those failing in the labor market are adequately protected.As a result of such contradictory evidence, it is uncertain whether those suffering seriously as a result of labor market problems number in the hundreds of thousands or the tens of millions, and, hence, whether high levels of joblene can be tolerated or must be countered by job creation and economic stimulus.There is only one area of agreement in this debate—that the existing poverty, employment, and earnings statistics are inadequate for one their primary applications, measuring the consequences of labor market problems.1.Which of the following is the principal topic of the paage? (A) What causes labor market pathologies that result in suffering (B) Why income measures are imprecise in measuring degrees of poverty (C) Which of the currently used statistical procedures are the best for estimating the incidence of hardship that is due to unemployment
(D) Where the areas of agreement are among poverty, employment, and earnings figures
(E) How social statistics give an unclear picture of the degree of hardship caused by low wages and insufficient employment opportunities 2.The author uses “labor market problems” in lines 1-2 to refer to which of the following?
(A) The overall causes of poverty
(B) Deficiencies in the training of the work force
(C) Trade relationships among producers of goods
(D) Shortages of jobs providing adequate income
(E) Strikes and inadequate supplies of labor
3.The author contrasts the 1930’s with the present in order to show that
(A) more people were unemployed in the 1930’s
(B) unemployment now has le severe effects
(C) social programs are more needed now
(D) there now is a greater proportion of elderly and handicapped people among those in poverty
(E) poverty has increased since the 1930’s
4.Which of the following proposals best responds to the iues raised by the author?
(A) Innovative programs using multiple approaches should be set up to reduce the level of unemployment.
(B) A compromise should be found between the positions of those who view joblene as an evil greater than economic control and those who hold the opposite view.
(C) New statistical indices should be developed to measure the degree to which unemployment and inadequately paid employment cause suffering.
(D) Consideration should be given to the ways in which statistics can act as partial causes of the phenomena that they purport to measure.
(E) The labor force should be restructured so that it corresponds to the range of job vacancies.
5.The author’s purpose in citing those who are repeatedly unemployed during a twelve-month period is most probably to show that
(A) there are several factors that cause the payment of low wages to some members of the labor force
(B) unemployment statistics can underestimate the hardship resulting from joblene
(C) recurrent inadequacies in the labor market can exist and can cause hardships for individual workers
(D) a majority of those who are joble at any one time to not suffer severe hardship
(E) there are fewer individuals who are without jobs at some time during a year than would be expected on the basis of monthly unemployment figures
6.The author states that the mitigating effect of social programs involving income transfers on the income level of low-income people is often not felt by
(A) the employed poor
(B) dependent children in single-earner families
(C) workers who become disabled
(D) retired workers
(E) full-time workers who become unemployed
7.According to the paage, one factor that causes unemployment and earnings figures to overpredict the amount of economic hardship is the
(A) recurrence of periods of unemployment for a group of low-wage workers
(B) poibility that earnings may be received from more than one job per worker
(C) fact that unemployment counts do not include those who work for low wages and remain poor
(D) establishment of a system of record-keeping that makes it poible to compile poverty statistics
(E) prevalence, among low-wage workers and the unemployed, of members of families in which others are employed
8.The conclusion stated in lines 33-39 about the number of people who suffer as a result of forced idlene depends primarily on the point that
(A) in times of high unemployment, there are some people who do not remain unemployed for long
(B) the capacity for self-support depends on receiving moderate-to-high wages
(C) those in forced idlene include, besides the unemployed, both underemployed part-time workers and those not actively seeking work
(D) at different times during the year, different people are unemployed
(E) many of those who are affected by unemployment are dependents of unemployed workers
9.Which of the following, if true, is the best criticism of the author’s argument concerning why poverty statistics cannot properly be used to show the effects of problems in the labor market?
(A) A short-term increase in the number of those in poverty can indicate a shortage of jobs because the basic number of those unable to accept employment remains approximately constant.
(B) For those who are in poverty as a result of joblene, there are social programs available that provide a minimum standard of living.
(C) Poverty statistics do not consistently agree with earnings statistics, when each is taken as a measure of hardship resulting from unemployment.
(D) The elderly and handicapped categories include many who previously were employed in the labor market.
(E) Since the labor market is global in nature, poor workers in one country are competing with poor workers in another with respect to the level of wages and the existence of jobs.
参考答案：EDBC BADEA
Modern manufacturers, who need reliable sources of materials and technologically advanced components to operate profitably, face an increasingly difficult choice between owning the producers of these items (a practice known as backward integration) and buying from independent producers.Manufacturers who integrate may reap short-term rewards, but they often restrict their future capacity for innovative product development. Backward integration removes the need for some purchasing and marketing functions, centralizers overhead, and permits manufacturers to eliminate duplicated efforts in research and development.Where components are commodities (ferrous metals or petroleum, for example), backward integration almost certainly boosts profits.Neverthele, because product innovation means adopting the most technologically advanced and cost-effective ways of making components, backward integration may entail a serious risk for a technologically active company-for example, a producer of sophisticated consumer electronics. A company that decides to make rather than buy important parts can lock itself into an outdated technology.Independent suppliers may be unwilling to share innovations with aemblers with whom they are competing.Moreover, when an aembler sets out to master the technology of producing advanced components, the resulting demands on its resources may compromise its ability to aemble these components succefully into end products.Long-term contracts with suppliers can achieve many of the same cost benefits as backward integration without compromising a company’s ability to innovate. However, moving away from backward integration is not a complete solution either.Developing innovative technologies requires independent suppliers of components to invest huge sums in research and development.The resulting low profit margins on the sale of components threaten the long-term financial stability of these firms.Because the ability of end-product aemblers to respond to market opportunities depends heavily on suppliers of components, aemblers are often forced to integrate by purchasing the suppliers of components just to keep their suppliers in busine.Answers to Sample GMAT Reading Comprehension Questions 9.According to the paage, all of the following are benefits aociated with backward integration EXCEPT: (A) improvement in the management of overhead expenses (B) enhancement of profit margins on sales of components (C) simplification of purchasing and marketing operations (D) reliability of a source of neceary components (E) elimination of unneceary research efforts
10.According to paage, when an aembler buys a firm that makes some important component of the end product that the aembler produces, independent suppliers of the same component may (A) withhold technological innovations from the aembler (B) experience improved profit margins of on sales of their products (C) lower their prices to protect themselves from competition (D) suffer finanical difficluties and go out of busine (E) stop developing new versions of the component 11.Which of the following best describes the way the last paragraph functions in the context of the paage? (A) The last in a series of arguments supporting the central argument of the paage is presented.(B) A viewpoint is presented which qualifies one presented earlier in the paage.(C) Evidence is presented in support of the argument developed in the preceding paragrap.
(D) Questions arising from the earlier discuion are identified as points of departure for further study of the topic.(E) A specific example is presented to illustrate the main elements of argument presented in the earlier paragraphs.12.According to the paage, which of the following relationships between profits and investments in research and development holds true for producers of technologically advanced components? (A) Modest investments are required and the profit margins on component sales are lowl.(B) Modest investments are required but the profit margins on component sales are quite high.(C) Despite the huge investments that are required, the profit margins on components sales are high.(D) Because huge investments are required, the profit margins on component sales are low.
(E) Long-term contractual relationships with purchasers of components ensure a high ratio of profits to investment costs.9.This question asks you to identify which one of the five answer choices is NOT mentioned in the paage as a benefit aociated with backward integration. The best answer is B.
The paage does not indicate how backward integration affects the profit margins on sales of components by independent suppliers.Choices A, C, and E are mentioned in the paage as a benefit of backward integration.Choice D is incorrect because the paage indicates that backward integration is a way of having a reliable source of neceary components.10.This question asks you to identify information presented in the paage about independent suppliers of product components.Choice A is the best answer.
The paage aerts that independent supplies making the same components as aemblers may not share technological innovations with aemblers.Choices B, C, D, and E can be eliminated because there is no indication in the paage as aemblers experience improved profit margins, lower their prices, suffer financial difficulties, or stop developing new versions of the component.11.This question asks you to choose the statement that best describes the function of the last paragraph of the paage.The best answer is B.
At the end of the third paragraph, the author indicates that aemblers benefit from contracting with, rather than owning, independent suppliers.In the last paragraph, however, the author indicates that contracting with independent suppliers can itself present problems.Thus the last paragraph qualifies the viewpoint presented at the end of the third paragraph.Choice A is not the correct answer because the paage makes several points about backward integration, but does not present a central argument about this topic.Choice C is not the correct answer because the final paragraph qualifies rather than supports an argument made in the third paragraph about contracting with independent suppliers.Choices D and E are incorrect because the final paragraph does not identify questions or present a specific example.12.This question asks you to identify information presented in the paage about the relationship between profits and investments for producers of technologically advanced components.The best answer is D.
The paage indicates that the high investments required to develop technologically advanced components.Choice A is incorrect because the paage indicates that large, not modest, investments in research and development are required.Choices B and C are incorrect because the paage indicates that profit margins for producers of technologically advanced components are low, not high as these answer choice aert.Choice E is incorrect: although the author claims that long-term contracts with suppliers are beneficial to aemblers, the paage does not indicate that long-term contracts with purchasers lead to high profits for producers of technologically advanced components.READIN
GTEST 4
PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on Reading Paage 3 on the following pages.
Persistent bullying is one of the worst experiences a child can face.How can it be prevented? Peter Smith, Profeor of Psychology at the University of Sheffield, directed the Sheffield Anti-Bullying Intervention Project, funded by the Department for Education.
Here he reports on his findings.
A Bullying can take a variety of forms, from the verbalto the physicalas well as indirect forms, such as being excluded from social groups.A survey I conducted with Irene Whitney found that in British primary schools up to a quarter of pupils reported experience of bullying, which in about one in ten cases was persistent.There was le bullying in secondary schools, with about one in twenty-five suffering persistent bullying, but these cases may be particularly recalcitrant.
B Bullying is clearly unpleasant, and can make the child experiencing it feel unworthy and depreed.In extreme cases it can even lead to suicide, though this is thankfully rare.Victimised pupils are more likely to experience difficulties with interpersonal relationships as adults, while children who persistently bully are more likely to grow up to be physically violent, and convicted of anti-social offences.
C Until recently, not much was known about the topic, and little help was available to teachers to deal with bullying.Perhaps as a consequence, schools would often deny the problem.‘There is no bullying at this school\' has been a common refrain, almost certainly untrue.Fortunately more schools are now saying: ‘There is not much bullying here, but when it occurs we have a clear policy for dealing with it.\'
D Three factors are involved in this change.First is an awarene of the severity of the problem.Second, a number of resources to help tackle bullying have become available in Britain.For example, the Scottish Council for Research in Education produced a package of materials, Action Against Bullying, circulated to all schools in England and Wales as well as in Scotland in summer 1992, with a second pack, Supporting Schools Against Bullying, produced the following year.In Ireland, Guidelines on Countering Bullying Behaviour in Post-Primary Schools was published in 1993.Third, there is evidence that these materials work, and that schools can achieve something.This comes from carefully conducted ‘before and after\' evaluations of interventions in schools, monitored by a research team.In Norway, after an intervention campaign was introduced nationally, an evaluation of forty-two schools suggested that, over a two-year period, bullying was halved.The Sheffield investigation, which involved sixteen primary schools and seven secondary schools, found that most schools succeeded in reducing bullying.
E Evidence suggests that a key step is to develop a policy on bullying, saying clearly what is meant by bullying, and giving explicit guidelines on what will be done if it occurs, what records will be kept, who will be informed, what sanctions will be employed.The policy should be developed through consultation, over a period of timeand the consequent improvement in pupil happine - is surely a worthwhile objective.Questions 27-30
Reading Paage 3 has six sections, A-F.Choose the correct heading for sections A-D from the list of headings below.Write the correct number, i-vii, in boxes 27-30 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i The role of video violence
ii The failure of government policy
iii Reasons for the increased rate of bullying
iv Research into how common bullying is in British schools
v The reaction from schools to enquiries about bullying
vi The effect of bullying on the children involved
vii Developments that have led to a new approach by schools
27 Section A
28 Section B
29 Section C
30 Section D
Questions 31-34
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write the correct letter in boxes 31-34 on your answer sheet.
31 A recent survey found that in British secondary schools
A there was more bullying than had previously been the case.
B there was le bullying than in primary schools.
C cases of persistent bullying were very common.
D indirect forms of bullying were particularly difficult to deal with.
32 Children who are bullied
A are twice as likely to commit suicide as the average person.
B find it more difficult to relate to adults.
C are le likely to be violent in later life.
D may have difficulty forming relationships in later life.
33 The writer thinks that the declaration ‘There is no bullying at this school\'
A is no longer true in many schools.
B was not in fact made by many schools.
C reflected the school\'s lack of concern.
D reflected a lack of knowledge and resources.
34 What were the findings of research carried out in Norway?
A Bullying declined by 50% after an anti-bullying campaign.
B Twenty-one schools reduced bullying as a result of an anti-bullying campaign.
C Two years is the optimum length for an anti-bullying campaign.
D Bullying is a le serious problem in Norway than in the UK.
Questions 35-39
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the paage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 35-39 on your answer sheet.
What steps should schools take to reduce bullying?
The most important step is for the school authorities to produce a 35.....which makes the school\'s attitude towards bullying quite clear.It should include detailed 36.....as to how the school and its staff will react if bullying occurs.
In addition, action can be taken through the 37.....This is particularly useful in the early part of the proce, as a way of raising awarene and encouraging discuion.On its own, however, it is insufficient to bring about a permanent solution.
Effective work can also be done with individual pupils and small groups.For example, potential 38.....of bullying can be trained to be more self-confident.Or again, in dealing with group bullying, a ‘no blame\' approach, which avoids confronting the offender too directly, is often effective.
Playground supervision will be more effective if members of staff are trained to recognise the difference between bullying and mere 39.......
Question 40
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write the correct letter in box 40 on your answer sheet.
Which of the following is the most suitable title for Reading Paage 3?
A Bullying: what parents can do
B Bullying: are the media to blame?
C Bullying: the link with academic failure
D Bullying: from crisis management to prevention
Answers
27 iv
28 vi
29 v
30 vii
31 B
32 D
33 D
34 A
35 policy
36 (explicit) guidelines
37 (school) curriculum
38 victims
39 playful fighting
40 D
