最新英语四级阅读训练Word格式.docx
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Directions:
Inthissection,youaregoingtoreadapassagewithtenstatementsattachedtoit.Eachstatementcontainsinformationgiveninoneoftheparagraphs.Identifytheparagraphfromwhichtheinformationisderived.
Youmaychooseaparagraphmorethanonce.Eachparagraphismarkedwithaletter.AnswerthequestionsbymarkingthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet2.
AUniversityDegreeNoLongerConfersFinancialSecurity
A.Millionsofschool-leaversintherichworldareabouttobidatearfulgoodbyetotheirparentsandstartanewlifeatuniversity.Someareinspiredbyapureloveoflearning.Butmostalsobelievethatspendingthreeorfouryearsatuniversity--andaccumulatinghugedebtsintheprocess--willboosttheirchancesoflandingawell-paidandsecurejob.
B.Theireldershavealwaystoldthemthateducationisthebestwaytoequipthemselvestothriveinaglobalisedworld.Blue-collarworkerswillseetheirjobsoutsourcedandautomated,thefamiliarargumentgoes.Schooldropoutswillhavetocopewithalifeofcash-strapped(资金紧张的)insecurity.Butthegraduateelitewillhavetheworldatitsfeet.Thereissomeevidencetosupportthisview.ArecentstudyfromGeorgetownUniversity'
sCentreonEducationandtheWorkforcearguesthat"
obtainingapost-secondarycredential(证书)isalmostalwaysworthit."
Educationalqualificationsaretightlycorrelatedwithearnings:
anAmericanwithaprofessionaldegreecanexpecttopocket$3.6moveralifetime;
onewithmerelyahigh-schooldiplomacanexpectonly$1.3m.Thegapbetweenmore-andless-educatedearnersmaybewidening.Astudyin2002foundthatsomeonewithabachelor'
sdegreecouldexpecttoearn75%moreoveralifetimethansomeonewithonlyahigh-schooldiploma.Todaythedisparityisevengreater.
C.Butisthepastareliableguidetothefuture?
Orareweatthebeginningofanewphaseintherelationshipbetweenjobsandeducation?
Therearegoodreasonsforthinkingthatoldpatternsareabouttochange--andthatthecurrentrecession-drivendownturn(衰退)inthedemandforWesterngraduateswillmorph(改变)intosomethingstructural.Thestrongwindofcreativedestructionthathasshakensomanyblue-collarworkersoverthepastfewdecadesisbeginningtoshakethecognitiveeliteaswell.
D.Thesupplyofuniversitygraduatesisincreasingrapidly.TheChronicleofHigherEducationcalculatesthatbetween1990and2007thenumberofstudentsgoingtouniversityincreasedby22%inNorthAmerica,74%inEurope,144%inLatinAmericaand203%inAsia.In2007150mpeopleattendeduniversityaroundtheworld,including70minAsia.Emergingeconomies—speciallyChina--arepouringresourcesintobuildinguniversitiesthatcancompetewiththeeliteofAmericaandEurope.Theyarealsoproducingprofessional-servicesfirmssnchasTataConsultingServicesandInfosysthattakefreshgraduatesandturnthemintoworld-classcomputerprogrammersandconsultants.Thebestandthebrightestoftherichworldmustincreasinglycompetewiththebestandthebrightestfrompoorercountrieswhoarewillingtoworkharderforlessmoney.
E.Atthesametime,thedemandforeducatedlaborisbeingreconfigured(重新配置)bytechnology,inmuchthesamewaythatthedemandforagriculturallaborwasreconfiguredinthe19thcenturyandthatforfactorylaborinthe20th.Computerscannotonlyperformrepetitivementaltasksmuchfasterthanhumanbeings.Theycanalsoempoweramateurstodowhatprofessionalsoncedid:
whyhireaflesh-and-bloodaccountanttocompleteyourtaxreturnwhenTurbotax(asoftwarepackage)willdothejobatafractionofthecost?
Andthevarietyofjobsthatcomputerscandoismultiplyingasprogrammersteachthemtodealwithtoneandlinguisticambiguity.
F.Severaleconomists,includingPaulKrugman,havebeguntoarguethatpost-industrialsocietieswillbecharacterizednotbyarelentlessriseindemandfortheeducatedbutbyagreat"
hollowingout"
asmid-leveljobsaredestroyedbysmartmachinesandhigh-leveljobgrowthslows.DavidAutor,oftheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology(MIT),pointsoutthatthemaineffectofautomationinthecomputereraisnotthatitdestroysblue-collarjobsbutthatitdestroysanyjobthatcanbereducedtoaroutine.AlanBlinderofPrincetonUniversity,arguesthatthejobsgraduateshavetraditionallyperformedareifanythingmore"
offshorable"
thanlow-wageones.Aplumberorlorry-driver'
sjobcannotbeoutsourcedtoIndia.Acomputerprogrammer'
scan.
G.Auniversityeducationisstillaprerequisiteforenteringsomeofthegreatindustries,suchasmedicine,lawandacademia(学术界),thatprovidesecureandwell-payingjobs.Overthe20thcenturytheseindustriesdidawonderfuljobofraisingbarrierstoentry--sometimesforgoodreasons(nobodywantstobeoperatedonbyab