单选题Trade unions often ______ with employers for better conditions of pay employment.A askB requireC bargainD plead

Text 4 If the trade unionist Jimmy Hoffa were alive today,he would probably represent civil servant.When Hoffa’s Teamsters were in their prime in 1960,only one in ten American government workers belonged to a union;now 36%do.In 2009 the number of unionists in America’s public sector passed that of their fellow members in the private sector.In Britain,more than half of public-sector workers but only about 15%of private-sector ones are unionized.There are three reasons for the public-sector unions’thriving.First,they can shut things down without suffering much in the way of consequences.Second,they are mostly bright and well-educated.A quarter of America’s public-sector workers have a university degree.Third,they now dominate left-of-centre politics.Some of their ties go back a long way.Britain’s Labor Party,as its name implies,has long been associated with trade unionism.Its current leader,Ed Miliband,owes his position to votes from public-sector unions.At the state level their influence can be even more fearsome.Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California points out that much of the state’s budget is patrolled by unions.The teachers’unions keep an eye on schools,the CCPOA on prisons and a variety of labor groups on health care.In many rich countries average wages in the state sector are higher than in the private one.But the real gains come in benefits and work practices.Politicians have repeatedly“backloaded”public-sector pay deals,keeping the pay increases modest but adding to holidays and especially pensions that are already generous.Reform has been vigorously opposed,perhaps most egregiously in education,where charter schools,academies and merit pay all faced drawn-out battles.Even though there is plenty of evidence that the quality of the teachers is the most important variable,teachers’unions have fought against getting rid of bad ones and promoting good ones.As the cost to everyone else has become clearer,politicians have begun to clamp down.In Wisconsin the unions have rallied thousands of supporters against Scott Walker,the hardline Republican governor.But many within the public sector suffer under the current system,too.John Donahue at Harvard’s Kennedy School points out that the norms of culture in Western civil services suit those who want to stay put but is bad for high achievers.The only American public-sector workers who earn well above$250,000 a year are university sports coaches and the president of the United States.Bankers’fat pay packets have attracted much criticism,but a public-sector system that does not reward high achievers may be a much bigger problem for America.39.The example of the unions in Wisconsin shows that unions

A.often run against the current political system.
B.can change people’s political attitudes.
C.may be a barrier to public-sector reforms.
D.are dominant in the government.

Questions 76-80 refer to the following information.
Disagreements among economists are legendary, but not on the issue of free trade. A recent survey of prominent economists both conservative and liberal concluded that an economist who argues for restricting international trade is almost as common today as a physician who favors leeching.
Why the International free trade, economists agree,, makes possible higher standards of living all over the globe.
The case for free trade rests largely on this principle: as long as trade is voluntary, both partners’ benefits, otherwise they wouldn't trade. The buyer of a shirt, for example, values the shirt more than the money spend, while the seller values the money more. Both are better off because of the sale. Moreover, it doesn’t matter whether the shirt salesman is from the United States or Hong Kong （or anywhere else）.
The vast majority of American manufactures face international competition. This competition forces companies to improve quality and cut costs. By contrast, protectionism encourages monopoly, lower quality and higher prices.
Americans pay an enormous price for protection over $60 billion a year, or $1000 for a family of four. Thanks to protectionism, for example, American consumers pay twice the world price for sugar.
Free trade also makes the world economy more efficient, by allowing nations to capitalize on their strengths. The United States has an advantage in food production, for instance, while Saudi Arabia has an advantage in oil. The Saudis could undertake massive irrigation to become self-sufficient in food, but it is more economical for them to sell oil and purchase food from us. Similarly, we could become self-sufficient in petroleum by squeezing more out of oil shale. But it is much less costly to buy some of our oil from Saudi Arabia. Tarde between our two countries improves the standard of living in both.
Protectionism is both wasteful and unjust. It taxes most heavily the people who can least afford it. Thus, tariffs that rise the price of shoes burden the poor more than the rich. Despite the powerful case for free trade, the United States and the rest of the world have always been protectionist to some degree. This is because free trade benefits the general public, while protectionism benefits special interest group, which are better organized, better financed and more informed. To make matters worse, much of what we hear on this issue is misinformation spread by the special interests themselves.

The economists ______.

A. agree on the restriction of internal trade.
B. agree whether to restrict free trade or not.
C. hold different arguments because of their different interests.
D. agree on free trade.

Text 2"It can't be that every annual salary negotiation makes it a strain just to begin the school year,"said President Cristina Ferndndez de Kirchner during a speech to Congress on March lst.Yes it can.Strikes ihis week delayed the stan of classes in 19 0f Argentina's 24 districts,after provincial unions and govemments failed to reach agreements about wage rises.Negotiations between the national government and federal unions,which are meant to set a minimum benchmark for the provinces,also foundered.With some unions demanding more than 40%hikes,the national govemment and Buenos Aires's provincial government,the most influential negotiators,offered increases of just 22%and 25.5%Lhis year respectively.The unions called the proposals"a provocation".Tension had been expected.The teachers'unions want salary rises above Argentina's galloping inflaLion rate.Since the start of the year the government has devalued the Argentine peso by over 20%,causing inflation expectations to spike.According Lo Eduardo Levy Yeyati of Elypsis,a consultancy,prices are expected to jump by 32qo this year.And now that the government has started publishing more realistic data,it cannot simply pretend the problem of rising prices does not exist.The teachers'unions have a strong hand.In December provincial police squeezed 35%-100%pay increases out of their employers.Public-sector employees are noL fearful of losing their jobs.Strikes give unions the power to cause widespread chaos.But the government cannot afford to concede too much ground.The negotiations with the teachers will set a precedent for salary talks with other uruons scheduled for later this month and Apnl.To ensure that inflation does not continue to accelerate,the authorities need to curb real wages.Budgetary considerations also play their part.According to Economfa&Regiones,a research group,if the provinces were to grant 30%raises to their 2m employees,that would double their collective fiscal deficit,That may nonetheless be what happens.In the five jurisdictions that were able to reach accords,the teachers and the provinces agreed to increases of around 30%.That wouldn't do much to bring down inflation,but it would at least help keep it from skyrocketinS.And it would mean the school year can begin.
The government cannot compronuse too much to the teachers'unions because_____

A.the negotiations are ineffective
B.the strike is actually under control
C.it will seL an example for other unions
D.the teachers'unions will demand more

资料：You can not go forward by going backward. Take the current debate about trade and globalization, for instance, while the impulse to erect trade barriers is understandable given the pain experienced in recent years, it is not the way to create lasting growth and shared prosperity.
Over the past three decades, global flows of trade and investment have accelerated dramatically, creating enormous economic value. However, trade and globalization have also brought wrenching job losses. The financial crisis and weak recovery have made matters worse, intensifying the backlash against trade and globalization.
Part of the problem is that the benefits of trade and investment go largely unrecognized, while the job losses are often overstated. Another significant problem is that participation in trade and investment is limited to a relatively small set of firms. In the U.S., large firms account for three-quarters of total exports, and the vast majority of small and medium-size businesses do not export. This means firms have a great opportunity to boost growth and productivity through wider participation in trade.
That leaves the question of how to help those hurt by trade and globalization. Too often we talk about re-training as a panacea（万能药）.And yes, it helps. But it needs to take into account the different requirements of each workforce and needs to be part of a wider set of support for affected workers and communities.
Above all, it is important to recognize that our economic transition to a global and digital economy is an irreversible trend. Only by broadening participation in the global economy, rather than by trying to turn back the clock, will we discover answers to today’s most vexing economic problems.

What does the author think of re-training as a solution?

A.It is a one-size-fit-all solution.
B.It is not helpful to those hurt by trade and globalization.
C.It should meet the different needs of affected workforce.
D.It should not be talked about so often.

资料：You can not go forward by going backward. Take the current debate about trade and globalization, for instance, while the impulse to erect trade barriers is understandable given the pain experienced in recent years, it is not the way to create lasting growth and shared prosperity.
Over the past three decades, global flows of trade and investment have accelerated dramatically, creating enormous economic value. However, trade and globalization have also brought wrenching job losses. The financial crisis and weak recovery have made matters worse, intensifying the backlash against trade and globalization.
Part of the problem is that the benefits of trade and investment go largely unrecognized, while the job losses are often overstated. Another significant problem is that participation in trade and investment is limited to a relatively small set of firms. In the U.S., large firms account for three-quarters of total exports, and the vast majority of small and medium-size businesses do not export. This means firms have a great opportunity to boost growth and productivity through wider participation in trade.
That leaves the question of how to help those hurt by trade and globalization. Too often we talk about re-training as a panacea（万能药）.And yes, it helps. But it needs to take into account the different requirements of each workforce and needs to be part of a wider set of support for affected workers and communities.
Above all, it is important to recognize that our economic transition to a global and digital economy is an irreversible trend. Only by broadening participation in the global economy, rather than by trying to turn back the clock, will we discover answers to today’s most vexing economic problems.

According to the second paragraph, where dose the backlash against globalization mainly stem from?

A.Blocked flow of trade and investment.
B.Loss of economic value.
C.Declining worker mobility.
D.Distressing job losses.

Much of the power of the trade unions has been lost． __________, their political influence should be very great．

A.As a result
B.As usual
C.Even so
D.So far

Do you enjoy listening to records? I find records are often ___________ , if not better than, an actual performance.

A.as good as
B.as good
C.good
D.good as

Questions 76-80 refer to the following information.
Disagreements among economists are legendary, but not on the issue of free trade. A recent survey of prominent economists both conservative and liberal concluded that an economist who argues for restricting international trade is almost as common today as a physician who favors leeching.
Why the International free trade, economists agree,, makes possible higher standards of living all over the globe.
The case for free trade rests largely on this principle: as long as trade is voluntary, both partners’ benefits, otherwise they wouldn't trade. The buyer of a shirt, for example, values the shirt more than the money spend, while the seller values the money more. Both are better off because of the sale. Moreover, it doesn’t matter whether the shirt salesman is from the United States or Hong Kong （or anywhere else）.
The vast majority of American manufactures face international competition. This competition forces companies to improve quality and cut costs. By contrast, protectionism encourages monopoly, lower quality and higher prices.
Americans pay an enormous price for protection over $60 billion a year, or $1000 for a family of four. Thanks to protectionism, for example, American consumers pay twice the world price for sugar.
Free trade also makes the world economy more efficient, by allowing nations to capitalize on their strengths. The United States has an advantage in food production, for instance, while Saudi Arabia has an advantage in oil. The Saudis could undertake massive irrigation to become self-sufficient in food, but it is more economical for them to sell oil and purchase food from us. Similarly, we could become self-sufficient in petroleum by squeezing more out of oil shale. But it is much less costly to buy some of our oil from Saudi Arabia. Tarde between our two countries improves the standard of living in both.
Protectionism is both wasteful and unjust. It taxes most heavily the people who can least afford it. Thus, tariffs that rise the price of shoes burden the poor more than the rich. Despite the powerful case for free trade, the United States and the rest of the world have always been protectionist to some degree. This is because free trade benefits the general public, while protectionism benefits special interest group, which are better organized, better financed and more informed. To make matters worse, much of what we hear on this issue is misinformation spread by the special interests themselves.

According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A. International free trade may improve the standard of living all over the world.
B. Economists are all in favor of the free trade policy.
C. International free trade may create international competition.
D. Protectionism has been abolished due to encouraging monopoly, lower quality and higher prices.

资料：You can not go forward by going backward. Take the current debate about trade and globalization, for instance, while the impulse to erect trade barriers is understandable given the pain experienced in recent years, it is not the way to create lasting growth and shared prosperity.
Over the past three decades, global flows of trade and investment have accelerated dramatically, creating enormous economic value. However, trade and globalization have also brought wrenching job losses. The financial crisis and weak recovery have made matters worse, intensifying the backlash against trade and globalization.
Part of the problem is that the benefits of trade and investment go largely unrecognized, while the job losses are often overstated. Another significant problem is that participation in trade and investment is limited to a relatively small set of firms. In the U.S., large firms account for three-quarters of total exports, and the vast majority of small and medium-size businesses do not export. This means firms have a great opportunity to boost growth and productivity through wider participation in trade.
That leaves the question of how to help those hurt by trade and globalization. Too often we talk about re-training as a panacea（万能药）.And yes, it helps. But it needs to take into account the different requirements of each workforce and needs to be part of a wider set of support for affected workers and communities.
Above all, it is important to recognize that our economic transition to a global and digital economy is an irreversible trend. Only by broadening participation in the global economy, rather than by trying to turn back the clock, will we discover answers to today’s most vexing economic problems.

What of the following is the best description of the author’s attitude toward trade and globalization?

A.Critical
B.Doubtful
C.Indifferent
D.Approving

资料：You can not go forward by going backward. Take the current debate about trade and globalization, for instance, while the impulse to erect trade barriers is understandable given the pain experienced in recent years, it is not the way to create lasting growth and shared prosperity.
Over the past three decades, global flows of trade and investment have accelerated dramatically, creating enormous economic value. However, trade and globalization have also brought wrenching job losses. The financial crisis and weak recovery have made matters worse, intensifying the backlash against trade and globalization.
Part of the problem is that the benefits of trade and investment go largely unrecognized, while the job losses are often overstated. Another significant problem is that participation in trade and investment is limited to a relatively small set of firms. In the U.S., large firms account for three-quarters of total exports, and the vast majority of small and medium-size businesses do not export. This means firms have a great opportunity to boost growth and productivity through wider participation in trade.
That leaves the question of how to help those hurt by trade and globalization. Too often we talk about re-training as a panacea（万能药）.And yes, it helps. But it needs to take into account the different requirements of each workforce and needs to be part of a wider set of support for affected workers and communities.
Above all, it is important to recognize that our economic transition to a global and digital economy is an irreversible trend. Only by broadening participation in the global economy, rather than by trying to turn back the clock, will we discover answers to today’s most vexing economic problems.

What is the MAIN opinion expressed in the opening paragraph?

A.Trade and globalization are debatable.
B.Erecting trade barriers can not bring growth and prosperity.
C.Trade and globalization have caused severe pain in recent years.
D.Opposing trade and globalization is understandable and reasonable.

共用题干
Vocational Education

Vocational education refers to education for a particular occupation.Industrialized countries have seen a fall in demand for unskilled workers,and an increase in jobs in the professional,technical,commercial,and administrative sector. Vocational education is traditionally associated with trades and crafts: young people were apprentice to employers for a number of years and learned on the job.Today the focus has shifted from the workplace to secondary and higher education institutions,and from employers to government provision and finance.Trainees in most occupations combine workplace training with study at a technical or academic institution.In the former Soviet Union, school and work were always strongly linked from primary school.Germany provides nine out of ten young people with entering higher education with vocational training,and training is planned from national down to locate level through joint committees of government representatives,employers,and trade unions.
In some countries,skills are being grouped and"job families"are created so that individuals can move between jobs with similar technical requirements.In other occupations"competency-based education"is advocated to equip individuals with"transferable"as well as specific skills.In developing countries,where it is traditional for children to work from an early age,only a tiny proportion of students follow a formal vocational program,while the long specialist training of professionals such as doctors,lawyers,and engineers is a costly burden.Training places for technicians,nurses,teachers,and the essential workers are often limited.Worldwide,there is a slow but steady increase in the numbers of women training for occupations of influence in science,technology,law,and business.It is also becoming clear that one course of vocational education is not enough for a lifetime. Retraining,through continuing education is essential.

In the former Soviet Union,school and work were always weakly linked from primary school.
A:Right
B:Wrong
C:Not mentioned