C
Many Older Doctors Plan to Give up Their Practice
The results of a new survey indicate that 48 percent of physicians between 50 and 65 years of age are planning to reduce or end their clinical practice in the next l to 3 years. The findings also suggest that many older physicians believe that their younger counterparts do not have the work ethic they do.
The survey, which was conducted by Merritt Hawkins＆Associates, a Texas-based physician search and consulting firm, suggests that many older physicians are simply unhappy with the changes that have taken place in medicine over the years.
"When Baby Boom doctors entered medicine, they had control over how they practiced and the fee they charged. But the rules changed on them in mid-stream and now many are looking for a ticket out," Mark Smith, executive vice president of Merritt Hawkins＆Associates, said in a statement.   "Our study is the only one I am aware of that examines the career plans of physicians in the 50-to-65 age group." This age group represents more than one-third of all physicians in the U. S. If they stop working in the coming years, it will have a "significant impact" on the overall supply of physicians, Smith told Reuters Health.
The results of the survey, which included 1,170 respondents（调查对象）, show that 24 percent of older physicians are planning to leave clinical practice all together in the next 1 to 3 years. Specifically, 14 percent said they were planning on retiring, 7 percent said they were looking for a medical job in a non-patient care setting, and 3 percent said they were seeking a job in a non-medical field.
For those physicians not leaving clinical practice, many said they would make changes to reduce the number of patients they treat. For instance, 12 percent said they would begin working part-time, 8 percent said they planned to stop taking new patients or markedly reduce their patient load, and 4 percent expressed a desire to work on a temporary basis.
When asked about the work ethic of physicians entering practice today, 68 percent of the respondents said that these younger doctors are not as dedicated or as hard working as physicians who entered practice 20 t0 30 years ago. Fifty-seven percent of older physicians said they would not recommend medicine as a career to their own children. Similarly, 44 percent said they would not select medicine as a career if they were starting out today.   
"The most ominous（不祥的）finding is that about one half of physicians surveyed plant to either abandon patient care in the next 1 to 3 years, or significantly reduce the number of patients they see," Smith said. "The U. S. already is facing a widespread shortage of physicians. Should older, ‘workhorse' physicians choose to give up patient care, access to medical services will be further restricted."
66. Which is NOT true of physicians in the 50-to-65 age group in the U. S.?
A. They are mostly baby boomers.
B. They have nothing to complain about.
C. Many of them plan to gradually stop their practice.
D. They account for over one-third of all physicians in the country.  
67. The survey was focused on         .
A. the living conditions of older physicians in the U. S.
B. the career plans of older physicians in the U. S.
C. the retirement plans of older physicians in the U. S.
D. the achievements of older physicians in the U.S.
68. Many older physicians in the U. S. view the work ethic of their younger
counterparts        .
A. with appreciation    B. with disapproval    C. with jealous        D. with indifference
69. In the eyes of many older physicians, medicine         .
A. comes first in their choice of a career for their children
B. remains their lifelong pursuit
C. is not as good a career as it used to be
D. is more demanding than it used to be
70. If many older physicians stop working in the coming years, Americans will have         .
A. even less access to medical services         B. even better patient care
C. a shortage of younger physicians             D. more job opportunities

Many Older Doctors Plan to Give up Their Practice

The results of a new survey indicate that 48 percent of physicians between 50 and 65 years of age are planning to reduce or end their clinical practice in the next l to 3 years. The findings also suggest that many older physicians believe that their younger counterparts do not have the work ethic they do.

The survey, which was conducted by Merritt Hawkins＆Associates, a Texas-based physician search and consulting firm, suggests that many older physicians are simply unhappy with the changes that have taken place in medicine over the years.

"When Baby Boom doctors entered medicine, they had control over how they practiced and the fee they charged. But the rules changed on them in mid-stream and now many are looking for a ticket out," Mark Smith, executive vice president of Merritt Hawkins＆Associates, said in a statement.   "Our study is the only one I am aware of that examines the career plans of physicians in the 50-to-65 age group." This age group represents more than one-third of all physicians in the U. S. If they stop working in the coming years, it will have a "significant impact" on the overall supply of physicians, Smith told Reuters Health.

The results of the survey, which included 1,170 respondents（调查对象）, show that 24 percent of older physicians are planning to leave clinical practice all together in the next 1 to 3 years. Specifically, 14 percent said they were planning on retiring, 7 percent said they were looking for a medical job in a non-patient care setting, and 3 percent said they were seeking a job in a non-medical field.

For those physicians not leaving clinical practice, many said they would make changes to reduce the number of patients they treat. For instance, 12 percent said they would begin working part-time, 8 percent said they planned to stop taking new patients or markedly reduce their patient load, and 4 percent expressed a desire to work on a temporary basis.

When asked about the work ethic of physicians entering practice today, 68 percent of the respondents said that these younger doctors are not as dedicated or as hard working as physicians who entered practice 20 t0 30 years ago. Fifty-seven percent of older physicians said they would not recommend medicine as a career to their own children. Similarly, 44 percent said they would not select medicine as a career if they were starting out today.   

"The most ominous（不祥的）finding is that about one half of physicians surveyed plant to either abandon patient care in the next 1 to 3 years, or significantly reduce the number of patients they see," Smith said. "The U. S. already is facing a widespread shortage of physicians. Should older, ‘workhorse' physicians choose to give up patient care, access to medical services will be further restricted."

66. Which is NOT true of physicians in the 50-to-65 age group in the U. S.?

A. They are mostly baby boomers.

B. They have nothing to complain about.

C. Many of them plan to gradually stop their practice.

D. They account for over one-third of all physicians in the country.

67. The survey was focused on         .

A. the living conditions of older physicians in the U. S.

B. the career plans of older physicians in the U. S.

C. the retirement plans of older physicians in the U. S.

D. the achievements of older physicians in the U.S.

68. Many older physicians in the U. S. view the work ethic of their younger

counterparts        .

A. with appreciation                  B. with disapproval

C. with jealous                   D. with indifference

69. In the eyes of many older physicians, medicine         .

A. comes first in their choice of a career for their children

B. remains their lifelong pursuit

C. is not as good a career as it used to be

D. is more demanding than it used to be

70. If many older physicians stop working in the coming years, Americans will have         .

A. even less access to medical services           B. even better patient care

C. a shortage of younger physicians                 D. more job opportunities

D
China may send naval ships to the seas off Somalia to help the fight against piracy（海盗行为） there, Chinese media on Wednesday quoted a Vice Foreign Minister as saying at the United Nations, Reuters reported.
"China is seriously considering sending naval ships to the Gulf of Aden and waters off the Somali coast for escorting operations in the near future," the Xinhua news agency quoted He Yafei as saying. He Yafei, speaking at a Security Council ministerial meeting, said that China welcomed global cooperation in the fight against Somali piracy, and supported efforts by other countries to send ships to the region, Xinhua reported.
Earlier this month a leading Chinese military strategist, Major-General Jin Yinan, urged the government to send ships, in comments generating debate about combating piracy in a country which has generally confined its navy to waters near home. Jin told a Chinese radio interviewer that "nobody should be shocked" if his government one day decided to send navy ships to deal with the pirates, whose recent victims have included ships from Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. Jin is the head of a strategy institute at China's National Defense University.
While the military strategist is urging an active part, other scholars think the government should be cautious before a decision is made. The Chinese military ships should go there "only within the UN framework," said Pang Zhongying, a professor of international relations with Renmin University of China. Pang added that he also had some concerns over the Chinese navy's capability. "I don't think the Chinese navy has the capability to fight against unconventional threats far in the ocean," he said, adding supplying and refueling in the Indian Ocean are key challenges.
A sharp increase in attacks at sea this year in the busy Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean off Somalia has pushed up insurance costs, brought the Somali pirates tens of millions of dollars in ransom（赎金） and prompted foreign warships to the area. Among the captured ships are a Saudi supertanker loaded with $100 million of crude oil, the Sirius Star, and a Ukrainian cargo ship carrying some 30 Soviet-era tanks. The victims have also included a Hong Kong-flagged ship with 25 crew aboard and a Chinese mainland fishing boat reported seized off Kenya. NATO ships began anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast in late October, but they have failed to stop the attacks.
56. This year, many ships from different countries have been captured by the Somali pirates except _______.
A. a Saudi supertanker   B. a Ukrainian cargo     C.NATO ships      D. the Sirius Star
57. The underlined word "confined" in the third paragraph most probably means ________.
A. involved            B. restricted           C. confirmed        D. contract
58. From the passage, we learn that _______.
A. China has sent its navy to fight the Somalia pirates
B. some countries have launched their anti-piracy operations
C. the Somalia pirates often attacked foreign warships for ransom
D. The Chinese navy hasn’t the capability to travel far to combat pirates
59. When the Major-General Jin Yinan said "nobody should be shocked", he actually indicated that ________.
A. the Chinese people should keep calm about the government's decision
B. no one should be frightened by the pirates' attack as the Chinese navy will defend them
C. it is reasonable for China to send its navy to fight against the Somalia pirates
D. if China had dealt with the pirates earlier, nobody would have been shocked
60. Professor Pang Zhongying’s main concern about the Chinese naval ships is that _______.
A. adding supplying and refueling far in the ocean is really a challenge
B. the Chinese navy has never fought against such unconventional threats
C. the fighting against pirates is not within the UN framework
D. the attacks in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean off Somalia has increased sharply

Thai authorities have been urged to see to it that condominiums (公寓), apartment houses and other lodgings available to tourists throughout the country will be of higher quality than today, a leading tourism businesswoman has said.
Piyaman Techapaibul, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, called on the Ministry of Tourism & Sports as well as other government agencies concerned to have those places and accommodations for tourists improved and upgraded to meet international standards because, she said, today's tourists from around the world have more money to spend and prefer quality lodgings as well as quality services and accommodations at those places.
"Added by condos and apartment houses currently opening for daily rent, the number of lodgings for tourists throughout the country has increased over the years, but not the qualities. Many of today's tourists are so affluent and selective that they'd prefer quality places where personnel should be very responsible and experienced in taking care of them while security should be constantly and effectually maintained," she said.
Employees and staff in charge of providing accommodations to tourists should be expert in communicating with the foreigners, service-minded and speak fluent English, according to the council leader.
Thailand is seen to receive up to 23.1 million tourists from other countries around the world next year, compared to about 21.7 million, who have reportedly visited the country throughout this year, about 2.6 million of whom from China, while as much as two trillion baht (US$66.6 billion) is expected to be earned from tourist industry by 2015, compared to about one trillion baht (US$33.3 billion) this year.
Thailand's most favorite destinations for tourists include the world-famous beach resorts of Pattaya and Phuket, the Andaman Sea archipelagos of Krabi and Surat Thani and the capital city of Bangkok.
The council leader made her comments in response to news reports that the government might deregulate (撤销管制) businesses of running condominiums and apartment houses to the extent that they might not only serve as a place which collects monthly rent from the tenants but as a hotel where guests pay the room rates on a daily basis.
No parking lots or hotel-operating licenses might be legally required at such places nationwide only if they were practically turned into daily hotels or guesthouses.
【小题1】What can we learn from paragraph 1?