.

STEVE Wayne, 16, who worked this summer as a lifeguard and swim teacher in Idaho Falls, was thrilled to see an extra $20 in his paycheck when the federal minimum wage increased in July.

“When you’re getting paid minimum wage, anything helps, ” Wayne said.Wayne is one of several hundred thousand American teenagers who earn the minimum wage. The last of three recent increases that took the minimum from $5.15 an hour in 2007 to $7.25.U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis says the minimum-wage increase will pump an extra $5.5 billion into the economy over the next year, which is helpful at a time when the economy is hurting.

"You're giving people who spend money a raise," says Kai Filion of the Economic Policy Institute. "Those people will go out and spend that money, and it will circulate through the economy."

But other economists say raising the minimum wage actually hurts the very people it's designed to help. A higher hourly minimum, they say, could force businesses to cut workers' hours, or even lay people off.

"What matters for people earning minimum wage is how much money they take home, in total, in their paycheck," explains Rajeev of Georgia State University's Economic Forecasting Center. "Their hourly rate may go up, but their number of hours may come down, so it's not an overall increase."

Business owners also say that raising the minimum wage exerts（施加）upward pressure on other wages. "If the minimum wage is $7 and I have to pay $8 or $9 to hire a dishwasher, then the cooks are going to say they want more," sayd Cleveland restaurant owner Rick. "How much can I charge for that hamburger?"

Another argument is that it makes it more expensive for businesses to hire new workers. For many businesses already struggling to make ends meet in these tough times, it will be simply too expensive to keep or to hire new people.

55．Steve Wayne was excited that_____________ .

A．his hard work had paid off

B．he had received a big wage increase

C．he has more money due to an increase in minimum wage

D．the wages of American teenage workers have been increased

56．According to the text, the US federal government has increased minimum wage with the aim of__________

A．decreasing unemployment

B．promoting economic recovery

C．increasing American teenagers’ wage

D．narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor

57．What matters most to people in need of help is_____________.

A．a higher hourly minimum       B．more working hours

C．a minimum-wage increase      D．an increase in total income

58．Some are against the increase in minimum wage because they say_____________.

A．only very few workers will be helped

B．they have to cut down working hours

C．many business owners can’t afford to employ new workers

D．minimum wage workers will expect more pay rises in the future

 

.

STEVE Wayne, 16, who worked this summer as a lifeguard and swim teacher in Idaho Falls, was thrilled to see an extra $20 in his paycheck when the federal minimum wage increased in July.

    “When you’re getting paid minimum wage, anything helps, ” Wayne said.Wayne is one of several hundred thousand American teenagers who earn the minimum wage. The last of three recent increases that took the minimum from $5.15 an hour in 2007 to $7.25.U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis says the minimum-wage increase will pump an extra $5.5 billion into the economy over the next year, which is helpful at a time when the economy is hurting.

"You're giving people who spend money a raise," says Kai Filion of the Economic Policy Institute. "Those people will go out and spend that money, and it will circulate through the economy."

But other economists say raising the minimum wage actually hurts the very people it's designed to help. A higher hourly minimum, they say, could force businesses to cut workers' hours, or even lay people off.

"What matters for people earning minimum wage is how much money they take home, in total, in their paycheck," explains Rajeev of Georgia State University's Economic Forecasting Center. "Their hourly rate may go up, but their number of hours may come down, so it's not an overall increase."

Business owners also say that raising the minimum wage exerts（施加）upward pressure on other wages. "If the minimum wage is $7 and I have to pay $8 or $9 to hire a dishwasher, then the cooks are going to say they want more," sayd Cleveland restaurant owner Rick. "How much can I charge for that hamburger?"

Another argument is that it makes it more expensive for businesses to hire new workers. For many businesses already struggling to make ends meet in these tough times, it will be simply too expensive to keep or to hire new people.

55．Steve Wayne was excited that_____________ .

       A．his hard work had paid off

       B．he had received a big wage increase

       C．he has more money due to an increase in minimum wage

       D．the wages of American teenage workers have been increased

56．According to the text, the US federal government has increased minimum wage with the aim of__________

      A．decreasing unemployment

       B．promoting economic recovery

       C．increasing American teenagers’ wage

       D．narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor

57．What matters most to people in need of help is_____________.

       A．a higher hourly minimum       B．more working hours

       C．a minimum-wage increase      D．an increase in total income

58．Some are against the increase in minimum wage because they say_____________.

       A．only very few workers will be helped

       B．they have to cut down working hours

       C．many business owners can’t afford to employ new workers

       D．minimum wage workers will expect more pay rises in the future

One of the political issues that is heard a lot about in the States lately is campaign finance reform. The people who are 1 for reform usually want the 2 to pay for campaigns and/or limit the amount of money that candidates（候选人）and their 3 can spend.

One reason that reform is called for is that it costs so much to 4 for political office. Candidates have to spend a great deal of time and effort 5 money. The incumbents (those already in office) have less time to do chief jobs since they must 6 so many money raising events.

Another 7 is the fear that candidates will be owned or 8 by the “special interest groups” that give money to their campaigns. Sometimes this certainly seems to be the 9 .

On the 10 side are those who say that it doesn’t mean it’s really 11 just because you call something “reform”. They argue that the right to freedom of speech is 12 if the government can limit anyone’s ability to get his or her message out to the people.

If one person or a group of people want to tell the 13 what they think about an issue or candidate, they have to buy 14 on TV, radio, and in newspapers and magazines. They might want to put up advertisements along highways and on websites. All this costs a lot of 15 .

Those against laws that control or limit spending say that you don’t really have freedom of 16 or freedom of the press if you can’t get your message out. They say the government should never be able to control 17 discussions. They believe that this is most important when the voters are about to make 18 .

What do you think about this 19 ? Listen to what the candidates for national office have to say. Which candidates 20 the most sense to you?

1．A．waiting　 B．calling　　 C．standing　　 D．preparing

2．A．government　　　　　　　 B．president　 C．candidates　 D．citizens

3．A．leaders　 B．bosses　　　 C．supporters　 D．states

4．A．pay　　　 B．compete　　 C．wait　　　　 D．work

5．A．raising　 B．earning　　 C．giving　　　 D．getting

6．A．notice　 B．report　　　 C．guard　　　 D．attend

7．A．event　　 B．cost　　　　 C．reason　　　 D．office

8．A．encouraged　　　　　　　 B．forced　　　 C．controlled　 D．ordered

9．A．joke　　 B．purpose　　 C．case　　　　 D．example

10．A．other　 B．same　　　　 C．another　　 D．different

11．A．worse　 B．better　　　 C．easier　　　 D．harder

12．A．meaningless　　　　　　 B．unimportant C．unnecessary D．impossible

13．A．reporters　　　　　　　 B．truth　　　 C．story D．public

14．A．time　　 B．copies　　　 C．rights　　　 D．advertising

15．A．energy　 B．effort　　　 C．time　　　　 D．money

16．A．argument B．opinion　　 C．speech　　　 D．election

17．A．common　 B．political　 C．general　　 D．special

18．A．profit　 B．trouble　　 C．plans　　　 D．decisions

19．A．quarrel B．problem　　 C．issue　　　 D．affair

20．A．find　　 B．make　　　　 C．create　　　 D．produce

 

One of the political issues that is heard a lot about in the States lately is campaign（竞选）finance reform（改革）. The people who are  36  for reform usually want the  37  to pay for campaigns and/or limit the amount of money that candidates（候选人）and their  38  can spend.

One reason that reform is called for is that it costs so much to  39  for political office. Candidates have to spend a great deal of time and effort  40  money. The incumbents (those already in office) have less time to do chief jobs since they must  41  so many money raising events.

Another  42  is the fear that candidates will be owned or  43  by the “special interest groups” that give money to their campaigns. Sometimes this certainly seems to be the  44 .

On the  45  side are those who say that it doesn’t mean it’s really  46  just because you call something “reform”. They argue that the right to freedom of speech is  47  if the government can limit anyone’s ability to get his or her message out to the people.

If one person or a group of people want to tell the  48  what they think about an issue or candidate, they have to buy  49  on TV, radio, and in newspapers and magazines. They might want to put up advertisements along highways and on websites. All this costs a lot of  50 .

Those against laws that control or limit spending say that you don’t really have freedom of  51  or freedom of the press if you can’t get your message out. They say the government should never be able to control  52  discussions. They believe that this is most important when the voters are about to make  53 .

What do you think about this  54 ? Listen to what the candidates for national office have to say. Which candidates  55  the most sense to you?

36．A．waiting                   B．calling                    C．standing                  D．preparing

37．A．government            B．president                 C．candidates               D．citizens

38．A．leaders                   B．bosses                     C．supporters               D．states

39．A．pay                        B．compete                  C．wait                       D．work

40．A．raising                    B．earning                   C．giving                    D．getting

41．A．notice                     B．report                     C．guard                            D．attend

42．A．event                      B．cost                        C．reason                    D．office

43．A．encouraged             B．forced                    C．controlled               D．ordered

44．A．joke                       B．purpose                  C．case                        D．example

45．A．other                      B．same                      C．another                   D．different

46．A．worse                     B．better                            C．easier                     D．harder

47．A．meaningless            B．unimportant            C．unnecessary             D．impossible

48．A．reporters                 B．truth                       C．story                      D．public

49．A．time                       B．copies                     C．rights                            D．advertising

50．A．energy                    B．effort                            C．time                       D．money

51．A．argument                B．opinion                   C．speech                    D．election

52．A．common                 B．political                  C．general                   D．special

53．A．profit                            B．trouble                   C．plans                      D．decisions

54．A．quarrel                   B．problem                  C．issue                       D．affair

55．A．find                       B．make                      C．create                     D．produce

One of the political issues that is heard a lot about in the States lately is campaign（竞选）finance reform（改革）. The people who are  36  for reform usually want the  37  to pay for campaigns and/or limit the amount of money that candidates（候选人）and their  38  can spend.

One reason that reform is called for is that it costs so much to  39  for political office. Candidates have to spend a great deal of time and effort  40  money. The incumbents (those already in office) have less time to do chief jobs since they must  41  so many money raising events.

Another  42  is the fear that candidates will be owned or  43  by the “special interest groups” that give money to their campaigns. Sometimes this certainly seems to be the  44 .

On the  45  side are those who say that it doesn’t mean it’s really  46  just because you call something “reform”. They argue that the right to freedom of speech is  47  if the government can limit anyone’s ability to get his or her message out to the people.

If one person or a group of people want to tell the  48  what they think about an issue or candidate, they have to buy  49  on TV, radio, and in newspapers and magazines. They might want to put up advertisements along highways and on websites. All this costs a lot of  50 .

Those against laws that control or limit spending say that you don’t really have freedom of  51  or freedom of the press if you can’t get your message out. They say the government should never be able to control  52  discussions. They believe that this is most important when the voters are about to make  53 .

What do you think about this  54 ? Listen to what the candidates for national office have to say. Which candidates  55  the most sense to you?

36．A．waiting                   B．calling                    C．standing                  D．preparing

37．A．government            B．president                 C．candidates               D．citizens

38．A．leaders                   B．bosses                     C．supporters               D．states

39．A．pay                        B．compete                  C．wait                       D．work

40．A．raising                    B．earning                   C．giving                    D．getting

41．A．notice                     B．report                     C．guard                            D．attend

42．A．event                      B．cost                        C．reason                    D．office

43．A．encouraged             B．forced                    C．controlled               D．ordered

44．A．joke                       B．purpose                  C．case                        D．example

45．A．other                      B．same                      C．another                   D．different

46．A．worse                     B．better                            C．easier                            D．harder

47．A．meaningless            B．unimportant            C．unnecessary             D．impossible

48．A．reporters                 B．truth                       C．story                      D．public

49．A．time                       B．copies                     C．rights                            D．advertising

50．A．energy                    B．effort                            C．time                       D．money

51．A．argument                B．opinion                   C．speech                    D．election

52．A．common                 B．political                  C．general                   D．special

53．A．profit                            B．trouble                   C．plans                      D．decisions

54．A．quarrel                   B．problem                  C．issue                       D．affair

55．A．find                       B．make                      C．create                     D．produce