During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure had been transformed by economic risk and new realties. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse 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. Todays families have budgeted to the limits of theirs new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachuted they once had in times of financial setback a back-up earner 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.

　　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 saving-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen and newly fashionable health-saving plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles 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 shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.

　　1. Todays 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.

　　2. As a result of President Bushs reform, retired people may have

　　A. a higher sense of security.

　　B. less secured payments.

　　C. less chance to invest.

　　D. a guaranteed future.

　　3. 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.

　　4. 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.

　　5. 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

　　1. C 細(xì)節(jié)事實(shí)題為什么今天的雙職工家庭會面臨更大的經(jīng)濟(jì)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)?根據(jù)原文第二段第四、五、六句可知選項(xiàng)C他們更易于受到家庭經(jīng)濟(jì)變化的影響是原文的同義替換，故為正確答案。選項(xiàng)A講過去的安全網(wǎng)已經(jīng)消失了。 disappear是一個文中未提及的信息;選項(xiàng)B被解雇的機(jī)會增加屬于答非所問;選項(xiàng)D他們不能享受失業(yè)保險(xiǎn)與原文第五句中的support，明顯相反。

　　2. B 細(xì)節(jié)事實(shí)題。由于布什總統(tǒng)的改革，退休職工可能會如何?根據(jù)題干中的布什總統(tǒng)定位到原文第三段。根據(jù)第二段第四句For younger.families, the picture is not any better.年輕家庭日子也不會好過，既然年輕人日子也不好過，馬上得知退休職工日子不好過。選項(xiàng)B安全性變差與原文意思相符。選項(xiàng)A更有安全感和選項(xiàng)D將來有保證都說明退休職工過得好，與原文意思相反;選項(xiàng)C更少的投資機(jī)會文中未提及退休職工是否投資。

　　3. D 細(xì)節(jié)事實(shí)題。根據(jù)作者觀點(diǎn)，健康儲蓄賬戶計(jì)劃如何?選項(xiàng)A有利于減少健康護(hù)理的成本屬于對詞義的曲解，文中saving指的是儲蓄賬戶，而非減少成本的概念;選項(xiàng)B在中產(chǎn)階級中非常普及這一信息在文中未提及;原文第硯段第三句中their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns既然取決于投資，那么肯定是具有不確定性的，因此與選項(xiàng)C補(bǔ)償減少的養(yǎng)老金意義相反;而選項(xiàng)D增加了家庭投資的不確定性是原文的同義替換。

　　4. C 推理題。從最后一段，我們推斷出什么?根據(jù)選項(xiàng)，很明確應(yīng)該對應(yīng)原文末句The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.經(jīng)濟(jì)上的副作用已經(jīng)顯現(xiàn)，那政治上的副作用可能也不遠(yuǎn)了。選項(xiàng)A經(jīng)濟(jì)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)加劇了政治風(fēng)險(xiǎn)與原文意思相反;選項(xiàng)B中產(chǎn)階級會面臨更大的政治挑戰(zhàn)是一個無中生有的比較;選項(xiàng)D經(jīng)濟(jì)責(zé)任心是政治身份的象征，其中的responsibility和status是文中沒有出現(xiàn)過的概念。選項(xiàng)C經(jīng)濟(jì)問題可能引發(fā)政治問題為原文的同義替換。

　　5. B 主旨題。文章最好的標(biāo)題是什么?選項(xiàng)A on the Alert警告，既然是警告，說明問題還沒出現(xiàn)，與原文意義相反;選項(xiàng)C in Conflict沖突，文章中沒有講過沖突的概念;選項(xiàng)Din Ruins毀滅說明中產(chǎn)階級已經(jīng)崩潰，與原文不符。選項(xiàng)B on the Cliff岌岌可危符合原文，選項(xiàng)B為正確答案。

　　During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure had been transformed by economic risk and new realties. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse 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. Todays families have budgeted to the limits of theirs new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachuted they once had in times of financial setback a back-up earner 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.

　　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 saving-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen and newly fashionable health-saving plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles 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 shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.

　　1. Todays 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.

　　2. As a result of President Bushs reform, retired people may have

　　A. a higher sense of security.

　　B. less secured payments.

　　C. less chance to invest.

　　D. a guaranteed future.

　　3. 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.

　　4. 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.

　　5. 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

　　1. C 細(xì)節(jié)事實(shí)題為什么今天的雙職工家庭會面臨更大的經(jīng)濟(jì)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)?根據(jù)原文第二段第四、五、六句可知選項(xiàng)C他們更易于受到家庭經(jīng)濟(jì)變化的影響是原文的同義替換，故為正確答案。選項(xiàng)A講過去的安全網(wǎng)已經(jīng)消失了。 disappear是一個文中未提及的信息;選項(xiàng)B被解雇的機(jī)會增加屬于答非所問;選項(xiàng)D他們不能享受失業(yè)保險(xiǎn)與原文第五句中的support，明顯相反。

　　2. B 細(xì)節(jié)事實(shí)題。由于布什總統(tǒng)的改革，退休職工可能會如何?根據(jù)題干中的布什總統(tǒng)定位到原文第三段。根據(jù)第二段第四句For younger.families, the picture is not any better.年輕家庭日子也不會好過，既然年輕人日子也不好過，馬上得知退休職工日子不好過。選項(xiàng)B安全性變差與原文意思相符。選項(xiàng)A更有安全感和選項(xiàng)D將來有保證都說明退休職工過得好，與原文意思相反;選項(xiàng)C更少的投資機(jī)會文中未提及退休職工是否投資。

　　3. D 細(xì)節(jié)事實(shí)題。根據(jù)作者觀點(diǎn)，健康儲蓄賬戶計(jì)劃如何?選項(xiàng)A有利于減少健康護(hù)理的成本屬于對詞義的曲解，文中saving指的是儲蓄賬戶，而非減少成本的概念;選項(xiàng)B在中產(chǎn)階級中非常普及這一信息在文中未提及;原文第硯段第三句中their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns既然取決于投資，那么肯定是具有不確定性的，因此與選項(xiàng)C補(bǔ)償減少的養(yǎng)老金意義相反;而選項(xiàng)D增加了家庭投資的不確定性是原文的同義替換。

　　4. C 推理題。從最后一段，我們推斷出什么?根據(jù)選項(xiàng)，很明確應(yīng)該對應(yīng)原文末句The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.經(jīng)濟(jì)上的副作用已經(jīng)顯現(xiàn)，那政治上的副作用可能也不遠(yuǎn)了。選項(xiàng)A經(jīng)濟(jì)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)加劇了政治風(fēng)險(xiǎn)與原文意思相反;選項(xiàng)B中產(chǎn)階級會面臨更大的政治挑戰(zhàn)是一個無中生有的比較;選項(xiàng)D經(jīng)濟(jì)責(zé)任心是政治身份的象征，其中的responsibility和status是文中沒有出現(xiàn)過的概念。選項(xiàng)C經(jīng)濟(jì)問題可能引發(fā)政治問題為原文的同義替換。

　　5. B 主旨題。文章最好的標(biāo)題是什么?選項(xiàng)A on the Alert警告，既然是警告，說明問題還沒出現(xiàn)，與原文意義相反;選項(xiàng)C in Conflict沖突，文章中沒有講過沖突的概念;選項(xiàng)Din Ruins毀滅說明中產(chǎn)階級已經(jīng)崩潰，與原文不符。選項(xiàng)B on the Cliff岌岌可危符合原文，選項(xiàng)B為正確答案。