Women earn less than men do. For example, in 1998 the hourly wages of women in the U. S. w

Passage Four

Women earn less than men do. For example, in 1998 the hourly wages of women in the U. S. were 26% less than those of men.

The gap between male and female incomes varies with age. The gap between the labor incomes of young women and young men

varies. It's also clear that jobs in which women are concentrated pay less. The larger the number of workers who are women in ran

industry, the lower the average wages.

Why do women earn less than men do？ Can the differences be explained by the fact that women are looked

down upon？ If so, the government has to intervene(干预), to force the employers to pay equal wages to equal jobs. However, there is no agreement among economists about the causes of

the gap. One view argues that women, on the average, have chosen low-paying jobs in which workers enjoy the freedom of entering and leaving the labor force, which reduces their years of experience relative

to men. Other people say the gap can also be explained by the difference in educational background.

Much of the gap, however, has not been fully explained. It might be the result of some prejudice (偏见) against women. It is this part that has produced calls for government action. What would happen if the government did intervene to

increase the wages paid to women？ One possibility is that incomes for women as a group might actually decline (下降). An increase in wage decreases the quantity of labor imput demanded, resulting in decreased employment as the rate of hiring new

workers declines. The result will be a surplus 过剩) of labor. Those who can find jobs might be better off while those who had jobs

might find themselves out of work.

48. Some economists believe women earn less than men partly because______.

A. there are more than enough women in the labor force

B. women have more freedom in selecting jobs

C. women are only provided with low-paid jobs

D. women are less experienced than men

"Equal pay for equal work" is a phrase used by the American women who feel that they are unfairly treated by society. They say it is not right for women to be paid less than men for the same work. Some people say men have more duties than women. A married man is thought to earn money to support his family and to make the important decision, so it is right for them to be paid more. Some are even against married women working at all. When wives go out to work, they say, the home and children are given no attention to. If women are encouraged by equal pay to take full- time jobs, they will be unable to do the things they are best at doing i making a nice home and bringing up children.

Women who disagree "say they want to escape from the limited place which society wishes them to fill and to have freedom to choose between work and home life, or a mixture of the two.

Women have the right not only to equal pay but also to equal chances.

The women use the phrase "equal pay for equal work" to ask society to __________. 查看材料

A.pay men less than women

B.give women harder work

C.pay men and women the same amount of money for the same work

D.pay people more who do harder work

Passage Four

Equal pay for equal work is a phrase used by the American women who feel that they are looked down upon by the society. They say it is not right for women to be paid less than men for the same work.

People who hold the opposite opinion(mainly men)have an answer to this. They say that men have more responsibility than women; a married man is expected to earn money to support his family and to make important decisions, and therefore it is right for men to be paid more. There are some people who hold even stronger opinion than this and are against married women working at all. When wives go out to work, they say, the home and children are given no attention to. If women are encouraged by equal pay to take full-time job, they will be unable to do the things they are supposed to. Women are best at making a comfortable home and bringing up children. They will have to give up their present position in society.

"This is exactly what they want to give up, "the women who disagree say. "They want to escape from the limited place which society expects them to fill, and to have freedom to choose between a job and home life, or a mixture of the two. Women have the right of equal pay and equal opportunities."

These women have expressed their opinions forcefully by using the famous saying, "All men are created equal." They point out that the meaning of this sentence is "all human beings are created equal."

48. The women use the phrase "equal pay for equal work" to demand that______.

A. women's work shouldn't be harder than men's

B. men should be paid less than women

C. people doing harder work should earn more

D. men and women should be paid the same amount of money for the same work

阅读下文，阅读题

"Equal pay for equal work" is a phrase used by the American women who feel that they are unfairly treated by society. They say it is not right for women to be paid less than men for the same work.

Some people say men have more duties than women. A married man is thought to earn money to support his family and to make the important decision, so it is right for them to be paid more.

Some are even against married women working at all. When wives go out to work, they say, the home and children are given no attention to. (80) If women are encouraged by equal pay to take full-time jobs, they will be unable to do the thing.s they are best at doing: makinga nice home and bringing up children.

Women who disagree say they want to escape from the limited place which society wishes them to fill and to have freedom to choose between work and home life, or a mixture of the two.

Women have the right not only to equal pay but also to equal chances.

The women use the phrase "equal pay for equal work" to ask society to__________. 查看材料

A.pay men less than women

B.give women harder work

C.pay men and women the same amount of money for the same work

D.pay people more who do harder work

As a general rule,American men earn more than American women． This holds true across industries, across education levels, and across states． But, theres at least one big【C1】______: part-time employees． In 2012, women who worked less than 40 hours a week generally out-earned men who spent the same【C2】______at their jobs． If they worked 35 hours a week, they earned about 11 percent mor

E．If they worked 25 hours a week, they earned about 4 percent mor

E．But once females hit that magic 40 hour【C3】______their relative pay declined dramatically． So why do women beat out men while working part-time and【C4】______out while working full-time My guess is that much of the explanation【C6】______down to two reasons: marriage and children． Women, including highly educated【C7】______, tend to cut their hours once they have families and children, especially【C8】______their husband has a higher salary． Men, meanwhile,are more likely to keep working a【C9】______week And so part-time women, as a group, are somewhat more likely to have gone to college,and【C10】______less likely to have dropped out of high school, than part-time men, who may well be working shorter【C11】______for lack of better options． The problem for women is that working part-time early in their careers can cost them salary while working full-time later in their careers,【C12】______lost experience and perhaps some【C13】______opportunities for promotions． Motherhood might be the most【C14】______job in the worl

D．But all too often, our economy still makes it【C15】______a career killer． So【C16】______part-timers, which other women out-earn men The BLS includes a job-by-job breakdown of the wage【C17】______, and among the nearly 150【C18】______with good-enough data to【C19】______, it found just two where females were better paid: counselors and health technicians． That said,as men look more toward those sorts of traditionally pink-collar jobs for employment, one has to【C20】______how long that pay advantage will last． 【C1】 A．problem

B．surprise

C．turn

D．exception

First of all, people spend less time working now than they used to, mostly due to the introduction of new industrial technology. The normal British working week is Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., although some people regularly work a few hours' overtime each week. Secondly, all working people get a minimum of two weeks' paid holiday a year. In addition, there are six or more bank holidays a year when all banks and businesses are closed. In some cases the dates of these national holidays change from year to year and in different parts of Britain.

Another reason is that, thanks to modern medicine and higher living standards, people live longer now. This means that after retirement, people have quite a few years of leisure left. Nowadays a much higher proportion of the population is over sixty, but in this group there are more women than men.

Finally, fewer babies are born each year and the average family in Britain has two children. This is one result of changing social attitudes. For example, many more married women now go out to work. The money they earn influences their leisure time. Even married women who do not go out to work have more time for interesting hobbies because most British homes have washing machines, vacuum cleaners and other labor-saving gadgets.

The best title of this passage can be ____.

A. Time for relax

B. Time for refreshment

C. British working hour

D. British family

“A paid holiday” (in Para. 2) means working people ____.

A. have to pay for their holiday

B. have no pay when they are on holiday

C. get usual pay when they are on holiday

D. get less pay when they are on holiday

Among the old people, there are ____.

A. as many men as women

B. more women than men

C. more men than women

D. many more women than men

In Britain, married women have more leisure hours because they have ____.

A. work with a good pay

B. a lot of time

C. washing-machines and vacuum cleaners

D. fewer children and more labor-saving gadgets

Which of the following ideas is NOT suggested in the passage？

A. Some married women have more time of reading.

B. Some married women have interesting hobbies.

C. Some married women now go out to work.

D. Some married women still stay at home.

In a lot of countries, women earn() (相比较而言) lower wages than men, even if they are doing the same job.

A、exclusively

B、experimentally

C、comparatively

D、favorably

Being fit is more important than being thin. Research shows that overweight or even obese(肥胖 )men who【C1】______have a lower death rate than "normal" weight men who do not exercise. Fat【C2】______begins in childhood. One study showed that as early as nursery school children【C3】______images of disfigured or disabled peers to images of fat kids. A【C4】______of college students said they'd【C5】______marry a cocaine user, a shoplifter or a blind person than someone who was fat. The prejudice creates【C6】______that affects fat people in every part of their lives including finances. Fat white women usually earn less than slim white women--24 percent less,【C7】______to one study.

People often【C8】______their judgements about fat people by saying they【C9】______to be fat. Choose？ Who would choose life as a fat person in this weight-obsessed culture？ There are many【C10】______about fat people. That all fat people have eating disorders or unresolved emotional or mental issues. That【C11】______they really wanted to lose weight they could(implying laziness). This is completely illogical【C12】______body weight is determined by many factors such as genetics, metabolism and dieting history.

Some people are【C13】______fat. Genetics are simply science, not character【C14】______. The Center for Disease Control reports that 78 percent of American women are actively trying to【C15】______weight, and at an amazing failure rat9---95 percent of dieters【C16】______what they lost within two to five years. Alter dieting, the body often gains【C17】______the lost weight and more. Determined to survive, the body【C18】______for the next starvation period.

The diet industry is extremely【C19】______, earning $ 33 billion each year. But if diets【C20】______wouldn't we all be thin by now？ Recent estimates say 55 percent of Americans are overweight.

【C1】

A．work

B．exercise

C．eat

D．relax

A.A.women can" t do what men can

B.B.men have to work much harder than women

C.C.men can earn money more easily than women

D.D.men" s duties are different from women" s

People who disagree with women's opinions believe______.

A．women can't do what men can

B．men can earn money more easily than women

C．men's responsibilities are different from women's

D．men have to work much harder than women