Women are on their way to holding more than half of all American jobs. The latest government report shows that their share of nonfarm jobs nearly reached fifty percent in September.
Not only have more and more women entered the labor market over the years, but the depression has been harder on men. In October the unemployment rate for men was almost eleven percent compared to eight percent for women.
Industries that traditionally use lots of men have suffered deep cuts. For example, manufacturing and building lost more jobs last month. But health care and temporary employment services have had job growth. Both of those industries employ high percentages of women.
Thirty years ago, women earned sixty-two cents for every dollar that men earned. Now, for those who usually work full time, women earn about eighty percent of what men earn. And women hold fifty-one percent of good-paying management and professional jobs.
Yet a study released Thursday said men still hold about nine out of every ten top positions at the four hundred large companies in California. The results have remained largely unchanged in live years of studies from the University of California, Davis.
Also, a new research paper in the journal Sex Roles looks at the experiences of women who are the main earners in their family. Rebecca Meisenbach at the University of Missouri in Columbia interviewed fifteen women. She found they all valued their independence and many enjoyed having the power of control, though not all wanted it.
But they also felt pressure, worry and guilt. Partly that was because of cultural expectations that working women will still take care of the children. Also, men who are not the main earners may feel threatened.
The job market continues to suffer the effects of last year’s financial crash. Now, a judgment has been reached in the first case involving charges of criminal wrongdoing on Wall Street.
Last week, the government lost its case against two managers at Bear Stearns, the first investment bank to fail last year. A jury found Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin not guilty of lying to investors.
The hedge funds they supervised lost their value in two thousand seven. But jurors said there was no clear evidence that they meant to mislead investors.
The Justice Department continues to investigate other companies.

1. 1.

   Why is the unemployment rate for men higher.

   1. A.
      Because there are more men workers in industries.
   2. B.
      Because many industries mainly employing men now don’t need so many workers.
   3. C.
      More and more women take the place of men.
   4. D.
      Because health care and temporary employment services don’t employ men.
2. 2.

   It can be inferred from the passage that __________.

   1. A.
      women haven’t got complete equality as men
   2. B.
      only by becoming the main earners in their family can women gain a high position
   3. C.
      all women now value independence and the power of control
   4. D.
      taking care of children is now shared by men and women
3. 3.

   Which of the following is TRUE?

   1. A.
      Men hate that women earn more money.
   2. B.
      It is commonly believed that women should take care of children.
   3. C.
      The job market has recovered from the effect of the financial crisis.
   4. D.
      Now women working full time earn more than men.
4. 4.

   Why does the government accuse two managers?

   1. A.
      They contributed to the financial crash.
   2. B.
      They led a corrupt life.
   3. C.
      They lied to investors.
   4. D.
      A jury found them misleading investors.

Women are on their way to holding more than half of all American jobs. The latest government report shows that their share of nonfarm jobs nearly reached fifty percent in September.
Not only have more and more women entered the labor market over the years, but the depression has been harder on men. In October the unemployment rate for men was almost eleven percent compared to eight percent for women.
Industries that traditionally use lots of men have suffered deep cuts. For example, manufacturing and building lost more jobs last month. But health care and temporary employment services have had job growth. Both of those industries employ high percentages of women.
Thirty years ago, women earned sixty-two cents for every dollar that men earned. Now, for those who usually work full time, women earn about eighty percent of what men earn. And women hold fifty-one percent of good-paying management and professional jobs.
Yet a study released Thursday said men still hold about nine out of every ten top positions at the four hundred large companies in California. The results have remained largely unchanged in live years of studies from the University of California, Davis.
Also, a new research paper in the journal Sex Roles looks at the experiences of women who are the main earners in their family. Rebecca Meisenbach at the University of Missouri in Columbia interviewed fifteen women. She found they all valued their independence and many enjoyed having the power of control, though not all wanted it.
But they also felt pressure, worry and guilt. Partly that was because of cultural expectations that working women will still take care of the children. Also, men who are not the main earners may feel threatened.
The job market continues to suffer the effects of last year’s financial crash. Now, a judgment has been reached in the first case involving charges of criminal wrongdoing on Wall Street.
Last week, the government lost its case against two managers at Bear Stearns, the first investment bank to fail last year. A jury found Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin not guilty of lying to investors.
The hedge funds they supervised lost their value in two thousand seven. But jurors said there was no clear evidence that they meant to mislead investors.
The Justice Department continues to investigate other companies.
【小题1】Why is the unemployment rate for men higher.

Women are on their way to holding more than half of all American jobs. The latest government report shows that their share of nonfarm jobs nearly reached fifty percent in September.
Not only have more and more women entered the labor market over the years, but the depression has been harder on men. In October the unemployment rate for men was almost eleven percent compared to eight percent for women.
Industries that traditionally use lots of men have suffered deep cuts. For example, manufacturing and building lost more jobs last month. But health care and temporary employment services have had job growth. Both of those industries employ high percentages of women.
Thirty years ago, women earned sixty-two cents for every dollar that men earned. Now, for those who usually work full time, women earn about eighty percent of what men earn. And women hold fifty-one percent of good-paying management and professional jobs.
Yet a study released Thursday said men still hold about nine out of every ten top positions at the four hundred large companies in California. The results have remained largely unchanged in live years of studies from the University of California, Davis.
Also, a new research paper in the journal Sex Roles looks at the experiences of women who are the main earners in their family. Rebecca Meisenbach at the University of Missouri in Columbia interviewed fifteen women. She found they all valued their independence and many enjoyed having the power of control, though not all wanted it.
But they also felt pressure, worry and guilt. Partly that was because of cultural expectations that working women will still take care of the children. Also, men who are not the main earners may feel threatened.
The job market continues to suffer the effects of last year’s financial crash. Now, a judgment has been reached in the first case involving charges of criminal wrongdoing on Wall Street.
Last week, the government lost its case against two managers at Bear Stearns, the first investment bank to fail last year. A jury found Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin not guilty of lying to investors.
The hedge funds they supervised lost their value in two thousand seven. But jurors said there was no clear evidence that they meant to mislead investors.
The Justice Department continues to investigate other companies.
【小题1】Why is the unemployment rate for men higher.

Women’s roles have changed throughout the world in recent years, but nowhere so obviously as in America .As the roles of women have changed ,so have men’s .In many American homes today ,the husband still carries on his traditional role of breadwinner ,while his homemaker wife is in charge of the home and child—raising. But it is more and more common to find that the children are left in day –care centers or nursery schools while both parents work .The woman may earn as much or more money than her husband. At home ,household duties are shared in varying degrees by all family members .It is not unusual to find father cooking dinner ,cleaning the living room or changing the baby .Mother might be outside mowing the lawn or washing the car .Children have responsibilities ,too .One of the goals of the Women’s Liberation Movement has been to have both men and women share in childcare, housework and financial responsibility. Today many American women will not marry a man who is not willing to share equally in household responsibilities.

The high cost of living has made it necessary for many women to have jobs outside the home ,but women often choose to have jobs in order to use their skills and education or to seek a more fulfilling and interesting life .Many American women enjoy the independence that an outside job and the salary give men and even some women—sometimes are not for women working outside the home ,and in some cases ,a woman might be paid less than a man who performs the same job .American women ,however ,have met challenges（挑战）since pioneer days ,and they continue to work for true equality.

45．Many American women go out to work in order to            .

       A．earn enough money to support the family

       B．make their husbands share in the housework

       C．enjoy independence

       D．get more money than their husbands

46．What does sex discrimination mean, EXCEPT            ?

       A．It’s harder for women to get a same job as men

       B．Women get less paid than men at the same position

       C．Women do most of the housework

       D．Women have jobs outside house

47．         for the women to win true equality.

       A．It’s impossible         B．It takes a long time

       C．It’s greatly successful      D．It’s not difficult

48．From the text we known          .

       A．women’s roles in the world have changed a lot but men’s roles haven’t changed

       B．American women continued to work for their true equality

       C．in all areas of American men and women got paid equally

       D．most women began to work outside the home

D

Wives, children and parents left behind in the countryside by migrant workers need special assistance, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference said yesterday.

       Adult males moving to work in cities, is causing a challenge to the traditional function of bringing up children and supporting the elderly, said Shen Shuji, who is also an official with the All-China Women’s Federation.

       Shen recommended certain measures, including a special policy to guarantee educational opportunities for such children, accelerating (加速) the establishment of pension (养老金) and medical care systems in rural areas, and encouraging enterprises and non-governmental organizations to help such families.

       The rights and welfare of migrant workers themselves have called much attention in recent years. The government has made policies to protect their rights.

      The number of children aged between 6 and 16 in this situation is more than 20 million nationwide, accounting for more than half of the country’s total. Some of the children have both their parents in cities and have to be taken care of by grandparents or other family relatives.

       Without enough care from parents, many of them become problem children, Shen said. Wives left at home by their husband have to face hard work, loneliness and a lack of a sense of security. In many cases long-term separation ends up with divorce.

       There is still no pension system in China’s countryside. Traditionally, the elderly in rural areas are supported by their children with low incomes.

       But the exodus of their children has left many old people in a difficult situation. They have to continue to work in farms while taking care of their grandchildren, Shen said.

       The country should gradually scrap (消除) the decades-old bi-polar system separating rural and urban areas, which prevent farmers from enjoying the equal rights.  

53．What is the key to solving the problem that wives, children and parents are left behind in the

countryside?

       A．Migrant workers should have a higher pay.

       B．More profitable policies for migrant workers should be carried out.

       C．The government should try to make the countryside catch up with the city.

       D．Everyone should give his hand to help migrant workers.

54．We can infer from the passage that ______.

       A．enough efforts have been made to improve the situation in the countryside.

       B．families in the countryside are often very large.

       C．all the children can go to school before long.

       D．there is a long way to go before solving the problem

55．Which of the following is NOT the problem of adult males moving to work in cities according to the passage?

       A．The broken marriage.      B．More problem children.

       C．Lack of labour force.      D．More deserted land.

56．The underlined word “exodus” probably means ______.

       A．poverty    B．missing     C．absence     D．illness