2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（76）
发布时间：2012/11/2 13:20:03 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
The good news about America's economy is that jobs are plentiful despite slower growth and the housing blues.Some l80，000 new jobs were created in March and the unemployment rate fell t0 4.4％， three-tenths of a percentage point lower than a year a90.With employment and wage growth stron9， consumers are unlikely to stop spending and throw the economy into recession.
That is not all cause for celebration，however.The drop in the jobless rate at the same time as the economy is slowing implies that the growth in productivity--the amount workers produce in fin hour——is wanin9.①If this proves to be fl permanent shift，slower productivity growth bodes ill for inflation and living standards.
Few associate America with limping productivity.Central to its success over the past decade has been its,productivity miracle“，the sudden acceleration in workers'efficiency in l995.②After advancing at a measly l.5％per year for more than two decades，productivity growth soared to an average of 2.5％ a year in the late l990s and over 3％a year between 2002 and 2004.
This spurt set America apart from other rich countries.But between mid一2004 and the end of 2006. the growth in business output per hour outside agriculture，the most #mon gauge of worker efficiency， slowed to an annual rate of just l.5％，0n average.Judging by the recent jobs figures.its growth in the first few months of 2007 may be lower still.
Deciding how worrying this is depends on what lies behind the sluggishness.Productivity growth has two #ponents：a long-term trend（set by the quality of the workforce，the pace of capital investment and the speed of innovation）and more volatile short—term fluctuations driven by the business cvcle.④ Early in an expansion，for instance，productivity takes off temporarily as firms squeeze their existing staff harder before hiring new workers.As fin economy slows，it tails off，because firms are loth to sack workers immediately.
This time，temporary factors are almost certainly playing the biggest role.Not only has the business cycle reached the point at which productivity growth usually slows，it also has several characteristics that may have exacerbated temporary productivity swings.⑤
Unusually savage #pany cost—cutting early in this cycle is another reason why recent productivity swings have been so extreme.
An odd business cycle makes it hard to gauge what has happened to America's underlying rate of productivity growth.So too do shifts in the sources of productivity growth.In the late l990s workers' efficiency rose thanks both to rapid investment，particularly in information technology（IT），and to innovation，again mainly in IT.@Hence the conventional view that America's productivitv miracle was based on its ability to harness the power of #puters.[454 words]
1.It is true of the text that______.
A.slower economic growth used to result in housing blues
B.new jobs are created more in March than in other months
C.higher unemployment rate is fl sign of economic recession
D.consumers are unlikely to stop spending no matter what happens
2.By sayin9”That is not all cause for celebration“（Line l，Paragraph 2），the author implies that______.
A.lower unemployment rate isn't worth celebrating
B.economy recedes in the wake of strong employment growth
C.slower productivity growth has been proven to be a permanent shift
D.slower productivity growth is hardly good news about America's economy
3.America's”productivity miracle“in the late l990s was mainly due t0______.
A.its ability to make full use of the power of #puters
B.the sudden acceleration in workers'efficiency in l995
C.its advancement at a high rate for more than two decades
D.its success over the previous decade with limping productivity
4.Which of the following contributes most to the recent slower productivity growth? A.The business cycle.
B.The speed of innovation.
C.The quality of the workforce.
D.The pace of capital investment.
5.The proper title for this text should be______.
A.Making More with Less
B.Making Less with More
C.Taking off or Tailing off
D.What Lies behind the Sluggishness [NextPage] 难句透析
①The drop in the jobless rate at the same time as the economy is slowing]implies[that the growth in productivity the amount（workers produce in an hour）is waning].
【结构】方括号所标示的“as the economy is slowing”是“time”的后置定语从句：方括号所标示的“that the growth …is wanin9”是“implies”的宾语从句。圆括号所标示的“workers produce in an hour”是“amount”的后置定语从句。
【释义】经济发展速度减缓而失业率下降意味着生产率的增长速度下降。生产率指劳动者每小时的生产量。
②Central to its success over the past decade has been its“productivity miracle”，the sudden acceleration in workers'efficiency in l995.
【结构】本句是倒装句。其中，“its'productivity miracle”‘是主语，“has been”是谓语动词，“Central…decade”是 表语。逗号后面的名词短语“the sudden acceleration…in l995”补充说明其前面的“its productivity miracle”。
【释义】美国过去十年成功的关键在于其“生产率奇迹”，美国劳动者的工作效率在1995年时突然加速提高。
③But between mid 2004 and the end of 2006，the growth in business output per hour outside agriculture，the most #mon gauge of worker efficiency，slowed to an annual rate of j ust 1.5％，0n average.
【结构】本句的主语是“the growth”，谓语动词是“slowed”。两个逗号之间的名词短语“the most #mon gauge of worker efficiency”补充说明其前面的“the growth”。
【释义】除农业之外的行业产值每小时增长量是劳动者工作效率的最常用判断依据。但是，从2004年中到2006年底，该增长量下降到年平均增长率仅1.5％。
④Productivity growth has two #ponents：“a long—term trend（set by the quality of the workforce，the pace of capital investment and the speed of innovation）and more volatile shortterm fluctuations[driven by the business cycle].
【结构】冒号后面的两个并列的名词短语”a lon9—term trend“和”more volatile short—term fluctuations“补充说明其 前面的”two #ponents“。原文圆括号内的过去分词短语”set by innovation“是”trend“的后置定语；其中，三个并列的名词短语用做介词”by“的宾语。方括号所标示的过去分词短语”driven by the business Cycle“是”fluctuations“的后置定语。
【释义】生产率的增长包括两个因素：长期趋势和更加不稳定的短期波动。长期趋势取决于劳动力素质、资本投 资速度和创新速度；短期波动是生意周期造成的。
⑤Not only has the business cycle reached the point[-at which productivity growth usually slows]，it also has sever al characteristics[that may have exacerbated temporary productivity swings].
【结构】因”Not only“在句首，主谓部分倒装，”has“置于主语”the business cycle“之前。方括号所标示的”at which …slows“是”the point“的后置定语从句。方括号所标示的”that may have exacerbated swings“是”characteris— tics“的后置定语从句。
【释义】生意周期不仅达到生产率的增长通常所下降到的地步，而且还具备几个特征，可能会加剧生产率的暂时 性波动。
⑥In the late l990s workers'efficiency rose thanks both”tO rapid investment，particularly in information technolo gy（IT），and to innovation，again mainly in IT.
【结构】“thanks both to rapid investment…and tO innovation…”用做原因状语；其中，“thanks to”的意思是“由于”；用“both…and…”把两个并列的介词短语“to rapid investment…”和“to innovation…”连接在一起。
【释义】20世纪90年代末期劳动者生产效率的提高既归功于快速投资，特别是在信息产业，又归功于创新，主要还是在信息产业。
答案注释
1.根据第一段最后一句“With employment and wage growth stron9，consumers are unlikely to stop spending and throw the economy into recession”可知，就业率增高时不会发生经济不景气。这意味着，失业率增高是经济不景气的标志。所以，选项C应为答案。
2.根据第二段最后一句“If this proves to be a permanent shift，slower productivity growth bodes ill for inflation and living standards”可知，选项D应为答案。
3.根据全文最后一句“Hence the conventional view that Ameriea's productivity miracle was based On its ability tO harness the power of #puters”可知。选项A应为答案。
4.根据第五段“This time，temporary factors are almost certainly playing the biggest role.Not only has the business cycle reached…，it also has several characteristics that may have exacerbated temporary productivity swings”可知，选项A应为答案。
5.由于本文讨论的主题是“slower productivity growth”，所以，选项B应为答案。 [NextPage] 全文翻译
美国经济的好消息是，尽管增长速度减缓，房地产业不景气，但是就业充足。三月份大约有18万个新的工作机会，失业率降至4.4％，比一年前低30％。由于就业及工资增长势头强劲，消费者不可能停止消费从而使经济衰退。
不过，这并不是可以庆祝的所有原因。经济发展速度减缓而失业率下降意味着生产率的增长速度下降。生产率指劳动者每小时的生产量。如果生产率的增长速度长期下降，生产率增长减缓会预示通货膨胀和生活水平下降。
很少有人会把美国和生产率不稳定联系在一起。美国过去一年成功的关键在于其“生产率奇迹”，美国劳动者的工作效率在1995年时突然加速提高。在20多年里。生产率增长一直保持每年1.5％的速度，并于20世纪90年代后期达到每年平均2.5％的速度，2002--2004年甚至每年超过了3％的速度。
这样的飞速使得美国不同于其他的富国。除农业之外的行业产值每小时增长量是劳动者工作效率的最常用判断依据。但是，从2004年中到2006年底，该增长量下降到年平均增长率仅1.5％。从目前的就业数字来看，2007年的前几个月的生产率仍然较低。
这一情形让人担忧的程度取决于经济不振背后隐藏的东西。生产率的增长包括两个因素：长期趋势和更加不稳定的短期波动。长期趋势取决于劳动力素质、资本投资速度和创新速度；短期波动是生意周期造成的。比如，在拓展的早期，没雇佣新的工人以前，由于公司压榨已有工人，生产率会暂时上升。经济发展缓慢时，因为公司不愿立即解雇工人，生产率会下降。
这时，暂时的因素几乎必然起到最大的作用。生意周期不仅达到生产率的增长通常所下降到的地步，而且还具备几个特征，可能会加剧生产率的暂时性波动。
在这一周期的初期，公司硬性降低成本。这通常是目前生产率大幅度摇摆的另一原因。由于企业运营周期的奇特，很难估量美国潜在的生产率增长。也很难估量生产率增长的原因。20世纪90年代末期劳动者生产效率的提高既归功于快速投资，特别是在信息产业，又归功于创新，主要还是在信息产业。因此，才有传统的看法，认为美国的生产力奇迹是基于它对电脑的控制能力。
超纲词汇
Recession n.不景气，工商业衰退期
wane vi.减少，衰落，缺损
Bode vi.／vt.预示，预兆
limp 不稳定
Sluggishness 停滞
Volatile adj.易变的，反复无常的
tail off 缩小，减少，减轻，减弱
Loth 不愿意的，勉强的
sack vt.解雇
Exacerbate vt.恶化，增剧，激怒，使加剧，使烦恼
Savage adj.野蛮的，凶猛的，残忍的
Underlying 在下面的，根本的，潜在的
参考答案：1.C 2.D 3.A 4.A 5.B
