Commencement (毕业典礼)is a time for idealism.
But economic reality is cruel everywhere; especially for new college graduates. 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 the 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 economic 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 total income, is going to Americans on the top of the income scale. In 2005, the latest year with available data, the top 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 also helped and probably accounts, in part, for the pay growth of college-educated women. But such 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 leaders and today’s graduates. America needs them to contribute to the development of the nation in a 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 idea job after graduation in America |
| C．college degrees are losing value in America |
| D．research shows that American government should take measures to ensure income equality for college graduates |
| A．Much of the total income of America has been gained by a few very rich people. |
| B．The whole nation has enjoyed a big income growth with the growth of productivity. |
| C．A small part of people in America can have income increase. |
| D．Upper class Americans contribute most to productivity growth. |
| A．being gradually destroyed by wind or rain | B．gradually not suitable |
| C．gradually disappearing | D．gradually reducing power |
| A．female college graduates have higher income than male ones |
| B．income tax can guarantee income equality |
| C．female college graduates have benefited from some governmental measures to ensure their income growth |
| D．new measures and policies have been taken to promote income equality |
| A．lack of proper governmental policies | B．lower college degree of college graduates |
| C．gender discrimination | D．underdevelopment of economy and productivity |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The world is witnessing the worst refugee crisis(难民危机) since World War II. Tens of thousands of people are fleeing civil war and unrest(动荡) to find new homes in Europe — sometimes with sad consequences(后果).
On Aug 27, Austrian officials found the dead bodies of 71 Syrian migrants(移民) in a deserted truck near Austrian-Hungarian border, just as European leaders were holding a meeting in Vienna to figure out how to deal with the refugee crisis. On the same day, 200 migrants were feared dead and 200 rescued as two boats packed with refugees sank off the coast of Libya, according to media reports.
The terms “migrant” and “refugee” are often used interchangeably. But there’s a big difference between them, says an article in the Atlantic magazine. Here is how the United Nations defines refugees:
“Refugees are persons fleeing armed conflict(武装冲突) or ill-treatment. Their situation is often so dangerous and intolerable that they cross national borders to search for safety in nearby countries. …These are people for whom denial(拒绝) of protection has possibly deadly consequences.”
Migrants, on the other hand, move mainly to improve their lives by finding work, or for education, family reunion or other reasons, said the agency.
Countries should offer refugees certain protections under their international treaty obligations(条约义务). This is why some states hesitate to admit those people who are fleeing unrest in their home countries.
When talking about refugee and immigration problems, many media outlets use “illegal immigrant”(非法移民). Critics say that it gives the impression that it’s the person that is illegal rather than their actions. The UN and the EU parliament have called for an end to the phrase, the BBC reported.
1. The numbers mentioned in Para. 2 prove _____.| A．how serious the refugee crisis in Austria is |
| B．that it is the worst refugee crisis in the world |
| C．what sad consequences some refugees face |
| D．that the number of refugees is so large |
| A．defining the two words clearly |
| B．indicating why some states are not willing to admit refugees |
| C．showing that refugees are more than migrants |
| D．urging European countries to accept more refugees |
① they both cross national borders but with different purposes
② refugees are illegal while migrants are legal
③ refugees may face deadly consequences while migrants are relatively safe
④ refugees are treated badly while migrants are highly respected
| A．①④ | B．①③ | C．②③④ | D．①③④ |
| A．Explanations for “illegal immigrant” |
| B．Examples about the refugee crisis in Europe |
| C．Measures to offer refugee protections |
| D．Causes of the refugee crisis in Europe |
【推荐2】Amazon has suddenly withdrawn its plans to build a satellite headquarters in New York City, citing growing opposition of local elected officials in a shifting political climate.
The decision marks a stunning reversal just three months after Amazon crowned Long Island City, Queens, one of two winners of a highly public nationwide search in which hundreds of communities vied for the tech group’s investment.
By losing Amazon, New York will sacrifice an estimated 25,000 jobs -paying an average annual salary of $150,000 each- as well as a signature victory in a broader effort to transform the financial services capital into a technology hub to rival Silicon Valley.
Amazon’s about-face is a particular setback for governor Andrew Cuomo, who led the company’s recruitment and touted its November decision as the city’s biggest-ever economic development win.
At the same time, it appeared to confirm the dominance of a progressive wing of the Democratic party, led by the recently elected Queens representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was suspicious of Amazon’s arrival. Ms, Ocasio-Cortez questioned its opposition to organized labor and whether local citizens would benefit from its jobs.
Amazon officials said the decision to abandon New York had been taken recently, and would not discuss what role, if any, Jeff Bezos , the company’s founder, played in the move.
“The commitment to building a headquarters required positive, collaborative relationships with state and local officials who will be supportive over the long term,” Amazon wrote in a blog post. “While polls show that 70 percent of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us.”
Amazon said it did not intend to reopen the search process for a replacement. Instead , company officials expect to spread the jobs they planned to locate in Queens around existing Amazon facilities in Boston, San Diego, Vancouver and the Bay Area.
1. Amazon drew back from setting up a satellite headquarters in that __________.| A．there is a widespread public objection. |
| B．the political climate is favorable to revolution. |
| C．a number of state and local politicians changed their tunes. |
| D．Long Island lost the fierce competition for the investment. |
| A．victory | B．reversal |
| C．investment | D．support |
| A．Amazon reoriented itself from a financial center to a technology hub. |
| B．Jeff Bezos was to blame for his mistakes in decision-making. |
| C．Andrew Cuomo had prejudice against Amazon’s new headquarters plan. |
| D．Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez was cautious in response to Amazon’s plan. |
| A．Amazon relocate its new facilities in Queens. |
| B．Amazon drops plans for headquarters in New York City. |
| C．Amazon seeks to cooperate with state and local politicians. |
| D．Amazon is under fire for withdrawing the plan for a facility. |
注意：每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。
The changes facing fast-food companies
Fast food was once thought to be recession-proof. When consumers need to cut spending, cheap meals like Big Macs and Whoppers become even more attractive. As a result, fast-food chains have survived the recession better than their more expensive competitors. In 2009 sales at full-service restaurants in America fell by more than 6%, but total sales remained about the same at fast-food chains. In some markets, such as Japan, France and Britain, total spending on fast food increased.
But in this ongoing recession(萧条), which is more severe, not all fast-food companies have been as fortunate. Many, such as Burger King, have seen sales fall. In the recession, while some people trade down to fast food, many others eat at home more frequently to save money. Smaller fast-food chains in America, such as Jack in the Box and Carl’s Jr., have been hit particularly hard in this downturn because they cut back spending on advertising.
In face of such challenges, some fast-food companies have sacrificed their own profits by trying to give customers better value. During the recession companies set prices low, hoping to tempt more customers through the door. But in many cases that strategy doesn’t work. Some companies are rethinking their strategies. KFC has launched a chicken sandwich that costs around $5 to attract consumers away from $1 specials.
Companies are also trying to get customers to buy new and more items, including drinks. McDonald’s started selling better coffee as a challenge to Starbucks. Its “McCafe” line now accounts for an estimated 6% of sales in America. As fast-food companies shift from “super size” to “more buys”, they need to keep customer traffic high throughout the day. Many see breakfast as a big opportunity, and not just for fatty food. McDonald’s has started selling porridge in America, because the profits can be high.
But what about those growing waistlines? So far, fast-food firms have cleverly avoided government regulation. By providing options like salads and low-calorie sandwiches, they have at least given the impression of doing something about helping to fight obesity(肥胖). These offerings don’t necessarily lead to profit loss, as they can broaden the appeal of stores to groups of diners that include some people who don’t want to eat a burger.
But calls for tougher government regulation never wear down. This year Congress passed America’s health-reform bill, which requires restaurant chains with 20 or more stores to put the calorie-content of items they serve to the menu. And the recent proposal by a county in California to ban McDonald’s from including toys in its high-calorie “Happy Meals”, because law makers believe it attracts children to unhealthy food, suggests that fast-food companies will have to continue trying something new.
The changes facing fast-food companies
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【推荐1】A business school in Paris will soon begin using artificial intelligence and facial analysis to determine whether students are paying attention in class. The software, called Nestr, is used in two online classes at the ESG business school beginning in September.
The idea, according to LCA founder Marcel Saucet, is to use the data that Nestor collects to improve the performance both students and professors. The software uses students' webcams(网络摄像头)to analyze eye movements and facial expressions and determine whether students are paying attention to a video lecture. Professors would also be able to identify moments when students' attention declined, which could help to improve their teaching.
Advocates for AI in education say the technology could be used as a digital tutor that would adapt to a student's individual needs, and help develop more effective studying habits. Such software could also help teachers by providing quantitative(定量的)feedback on the effectiveness of their teaching.
But AI programs rely on massive information of personal data. and there are concerns over how such data would be treated. Saucet says Nestor won't store any of the video footage(片段)it captures and that his company has no plans to sell any other data the software collects. In addition, some are concerned that AI may one day replace teachers.
Rose Luckin, a professor at the University College London Knowledge Lab, says AI could unlock the "black box of learning" by providing information on how and when learning happens. But she cautions(告诫)against adopting new technologies that, while alluring, may not actually respond to critical needs. She thinks a program like Nestor could be useful for students who take classes remotely, since "there isn’t a human there watching them". So Luckin sees the technology more as an assistant, rather than a replacement.
Sauce agrees. "Human contact is not going to go away, " he says. "There will always be professors."
1. How does Nestor work to tell whether students are paying attention?| A．By controlling the thoughts of students |
| B．By analyzing eye movements and facial expressions |
| C．By collecting all the data of students' performance in class |
| D．By reminding professors to pay more attention to students |
| A．Attractive |
| B．Controversial |
| C．Limited |
| D．Alarming |
| A．It will teach courses in place of teachers. |
| B．Nestor won't store any information it collects. |
| C．It can prevent students from more effective studying habits. |
| D．It can't benefit the company by selling students' data it collects. |
| A．Favorable |
| B．Doubtful |
| C．Objective |
| D．Disapproving |
【推荐2】Picture this: You’re at a movie theater food stand loading up on snacks. You have a choice of a small, medium or large soda. The small is $3.50 and the large is $5.50. It’s tough decision: The small size may not last yon through the whole movie, but $5.50 for some sugary drink seems ridiculous. But there’s a third option, a medium soda for $5.25. Medium may be the perfect amount of soda for you, but the large is only a quarter more. If you’re like most people, you end up buying the large.
If you’re wondering who would buy the medium soda, the answer is almost no one. In fact, there’s a good chance the marketing department purposely priced the medium soda as a decoy (诱饵), making you more likely to buy the large soda rather than the small.
I have written about this unique human nature before with my friend Ariely, who studied this phenomenon extensively after noticing pricing for subscription (订阅) to Geography. The digital subscription was $59, the print subscription was $125, and the print plus digital subscription was also $125. No one in their right mind would buy the print subscription when you could get digital as well for the same price, so why was it even an option? Ariely ran an experiment and found that when only the two “real” choices were offered, more people chose the less-expensive digital subscription. But the addition of the bad option made people much more likely to choose the more expensive print plus digital option.
Brain scientist call this effect “asymmetric dominance” and it means that people are attracted toward the choice nearest a clearly inferior (较差的) option. Marketing professors call it the decoy effect, which is certainly easier to remember. It works because of the way our brains assign value when making choices. Value is almost never absolute; rather, we decide an object’s value relative to our other choices. If more options are introduced, the value equation (方程) changes.
1. what’s the function of the example in paragraph 1?| A．To offer background information. |
| B．To explain an economical phenomenon. |
| C．To clarify a rule when buying drinks. |
| D．To arouse the readers’ interest in the topic. |
| A．Because they’re confused by the various offered prices. |
| B．Because they believe they’ve made the best choice. |
| C．Because they are easily influenced by other buyers. |
| D．Because they have studied this phenomenon extensively. |
| A．pay little attention to price |
| B．focus on objects’ actual value |
| C．think about the value equation |
| D．face a less-than-best choice |
| A．https://www.lifestyle.com/health |
| B．https://www.what-is-on.com/local |
| C．https://www.consumers.com/money |
| D．https://www.education.com/science |
【推荐3】Earlier this week the online UK supermarket Ocado told its customers that it had “limited ability” to deliver ice ream. Why? Because the price of natural gas has increased greatly, which has hit the supply of CO2 in the UK. And that has led to a cut in the supply of dry ice that supermarkets use to keep food cool in their delivery vans (小型货车). So no ice cream.
This mini crisis has been fairly quickly resolve, for now at least. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry. This incident serves as a timely reminder of just how reliant we are on fossil fuels. Despite our optimistic enthusiasm for wind and solar power, one way or another oil and gas use is shot through every part of our economic and social lives. That will be the case for many decades to come.
In his recently updated book There is No Planet B, Mike Berners-Lee lays out the challenge. When we talk about shifting from fossil fuels to clean energy of one kind or another, we aren’t discussing taking the amount of energy we use now and producing that amount in a different way. Instead, our target is always on the move. The more energy we can get our hands on, the more we use—even if our use of it becomes more efficient.
Energy usage is going to keep rising, while energy transitions (转变) tend to both take a very long time and never actually end. We just pile new sources on top of old. The world still uses much the same amount of traditional biomass (wood etc) as it did 100 years ago. We are running to stand still. This will change. But not as fast as you might like to think. In 2019, 33 percent of our new power generation needs were met by renewable energy. That’s a start. But 40 percent were met by natural gas.
There’s urgency here of course—which might speed things up. But there is something else that might slow us down. It didn’t take much to move people to fossil fuels—they are relatively easy to extract, relatively easy to transport, hugely energy dense and efficient and, of course, cheap. Until their externalities were understood, who could possibly have objected? Our current transition is different: people and companies will switch not because the new sources are easier to access, cheaper or more energy dense but because regulation mandates that they must.
Either way, the truth is that whether we like it or not our energy transition involves long term reliance on fossil fuels. That means we should stop demolishing them. Instead, we should focus on making their extraction cleaner and more efficient while we wait for the engineering challenges around a renewables-led future to be solved.
If we don’t do this—if we allow ourselves to be beguiled by the idea that solar is so advanced that we no longer need filthy fuels to have ice cream, we, will find the future held back by needlessly expensive energy—and almost certainly ice-cream free.
1. What do the first two paragraphs mainly show?| A．The necessity for traditional fuels. |
| B．Our enthusiasm for clean energy. |
| C．The seriousness of energy crisis. |
| D．UK’s dependence on dry ice. |
| A．we have more types of energy on hand |
| B．the use of energy becomes more efficient |
| C．energy transition is far from being realized |
| D．we are closer to the aim of replacing fossil fuels |
| A．wasting | B．devaluing |
| C．distributing | D．justifying |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Defensive. |
| C．Disapproving. | D．Cautious. |
【推荐1】China’s first group of e-sports major graduates will emerge in the summer of 2021,with data showing that even though this major has been underestimated by the public, the future appears promising as there are hundreds of thousands of related jobs available.
After the Ministry of Education decided that “electronic sports and management” should be listed in colleges’ major departments in September 2016, around 30 Chinese universities kicked off their e-sports major courses in the same year, to meet the needs of the rise of e-sports related industries in the Chinese market.
“The major is designed to meet the demand,”said Zheng Duo,co-founder of Tianjin Hero Sports Management and a visiting professor from the Communication University of China(CUC).
Chinese passion for e-sports is not in doubt, with more than 18,000 e-sports companies registered as of 2021, according to corporate database Qichacha.The number of e-sports users in China reached 500 million in 2021, and the market had a value of more than 145 billion yuan as of 2020, according to Chinese consulting group iResearch. Meanwhile,the industry chain is becoming more complete.
Jobs in areas such as supervision and content production require talent and training. The number of available jobs is estimated at 500,000,and could reach 3.5 million in the next five years, according to China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Well-known universities such as CUC and the Shanghai Theatre Academy have responded to the country’s call and are preparing graduates for the e-sports market.Yet not every major graduate is qualified for the positions available, as the jobs normally require practical experience,which is something a lot of graduates lack.
Industry insiders have indicated that e-sports is an industry with rapid iteration(迭代), and some companies prefer to hire people with experience instead of spending time training recruits.
Roughly half of the graduates will enter the gaming industry, said Xiao Pi, an e-sports major graduate from CUC. “Some of the rest will pursue further studies for their master’s degree.”
“Even though e-sports majors have advantages in finding jobs, students need practical experience to better suit the different positions,” said Gu Liming, president of Perfect World Games.
1. What do the public think of e-sports majors according to the text?| A．They don’t exist in job markets. |
| B．They deserve a promising future. |
| C．They don’t have a wide appeal. |
| D．They replace many other majors. |
| A．They had great passion for electronic sports. |
| B．They wanted to respond to the public’s call. |
| C．They had the potential for e-sports courses. |
| D．They wanted to meet the social demands. |
| A．E-sports have a large database. |
| B．E-sports see a larger-scale market. |
| C．E-sports get advice from iResearch. |
| D．E-sports arise from a complete chain. |
| A．The fierce competition. | B．Familiarity with markets. |
| C．Practical experience. | D．A master’s degree. |
【推荐2】Retirement Age
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. The "standard" retirement age varies from country to country, but it is generally between 50 and 70, according to the latest statistics, 2011. However, for a long time, people have got into an argument about whether the age of retirement should be increased or reduced in their own countries.
There are several arguments for allowing older people to continue working as long as they are able. Many people think that older employees have a large amount of knowledge and experience which can be lost to a business or organization if they are made to retire. Besides, older employees are often extremely faithful employees and are more willing to implement company policies than the young. A more important point is regarding the attitudes in society to old people. To force someone to resign or retire at 60 or 65 indicates that the society does not value the input of these people and that effectively their useful life is over.
Allowing old people to work indefinitely(无限期地), however, is not always a good policy. Some people took the strong view that age alone is no guarantee of ability. Many young employees have more experience or skills than older staff, who may have been stuck in one area for most of their working lives. Having compulsory retirement allows new ideas in an organization. On the other hand, older people should be rewarded by society for their life's labor by being given generous pensions and the freedom to enjoy leisure. They can have time to do whatever they like, that is, they can have their own plans or roles and achieve their retirement goals.
With many young people unemployed or frustrated in low-level positions, there are often calls to compulsorily retire older workers. However, this can affect the older individual's freedom—and right—to work. In my opinion, giving workers more choices over their retirement age will benefit society and the individual.
1. According to the passage, old people should go on with work because _________.| A．they will help the business not to fail quickly |
| B．they have grasped much practical experience |
| C．they need to have a sense of achievement |
| D．they want to learn more knowledge |
| A．take over | B．work on |
| C．get rid of | D．carry out |
| A．older people can't do their work well |
| B．young people usually have new ideas |
| C．it is better for older people to retire on time |
| D．older people would like to do, something else |
| A．positive | B．neutral |
| C．negative | D．uncertain |
CP: Central Point P:Point Sp: Sub-point（次要点） C:Conclusion
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
【推荐3】It has become acceptable for people to say that women work less than men and therefore deserve less! It may have been true in the past when women were expected to stay at home and look after children, but women have changed over the years. They have “come out”! Gone are the days when they toiled the kitchen stove all day long; they are now aware of their needs and are willing to fight for them. They expect to be given the respect they deserve, both at home and at work. They have realized their intellectual potential and have determined to do something about it!
Women on two wheels have become a familiar sight on the roads of most Asian countries during the past few years. It is common to find a woman taking her children on her bicycle to school and then reach her office in time. She has become a major part in family decisions in every aspect and how those decisions are carried out. It would have been unimaginable a few years ago!
It is rather difficult to combine a career and a decent home life, “super woman” though she is. She needs to feel supported and fulfilled. She may arrive at work feeling as if she has already done a full day’s work. If colleagues doubt her commitment to her job, she will feel sad. At the same time, women of today expect their partners to contribute towards childcare and household chores.
Today’s women are learning to avoid situations that make them feel more stressed and it is a hard struggle. Despite all this, the new woman, “the superpower” has arrived. She still believes in the power and value of a family unit and she holds it in high esteem（尊重）.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．A woman’s opinion on her job and family. |
| B．The burden women in society have to bear. |
| C．The change of women’s status in and out of the family. |
| D．The responsibility of a couple in a family. |
| A．Comparison. |
| B．Example. |
| C．List. |
| D．Definition. |
| A．women were not seen on streets in the past |
| B．women’s jobs have changed |
| C．today’s women don’t need to toil in the kitchen |
| D．women take more responsibilities for the family |
| A．can do the housework all by herself |
| B．can deal with her work easily every day |
| C．is independent in every aspect of her life |
| D．still finds it difficult to balance her career and family |
| A．Women are still controlled by their husbands. |
| B．It means more than that she comes out of the house. |
| C．Women are not actually coming out. |
| D．Women have broken up with their families. |
