During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair pay to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics. Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well. Today’s families have budgeted to the limits of their new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachute they once has in times of financial setback-- a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick. This "added-worker effect" could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times. But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner.During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income. Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money. For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a savings-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families, the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen--and newly fashionable health-savings plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families’ future healthcare. Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent-- and all he attendant need for physical and financial assistance -- have jumped eightfold in just one generation.From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind. According to the author, health-savings plans will()
A. help reduce the cost of healthcare
B. popularize among the middle class
C. compensate for the reduced pensions
D. increase the families’ investment risk
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When a disease of epidemic proportions threatens the public, scientists immediately get to work, trying to locate the source of affliction and find ways to combat. Vaccination is one of the effective ways to protect the (1) population of a region or country which may be (2) grave risk. The process of vaccination allows the patient’s body to (3) immunity to the virus or disease so that, if it is encountered, one can fight it (4) naturally. To accomplish this, a small weak or dead (5) of the disease is actually injected into the patient in a controlled environment, (6) his body’s immune system can learn to fight the invader (7) . Information (8) how to penetrate the disease’s defenses is (9) to all elements of the patient’s immune system in a process that occurs naturally, in which genetic information is passed from cell to cell. This makes sure that (10) the patient later come into contact with the real problem, his body is well equipped and trained to (11) with it, having already done so before.There are, however, dangers (12) in the process. (13) , even the weakened version of the disease contained in the vaccine proves (14) much for the body to handle, resulting in the immune system (15) , and, therefore, the patient’s death. Such is the case of the smallpox vaccine, (16) to eradicate the smallpox epidemic that nearly (17) the whole Native American population and killed massive numbers of settlers. (18) 1 in 10,000 people who receive the vaccine (19) the smallpox disease from the vaccine itself and dies from it. Consequently, the process, which is truly a (20) , may indeed hide some hidden curses. 3()
A. eliminate
B. identify
C. develop
D. deliver
During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair pay to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months. In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics. Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well. Today’s families have budgeted to the limits of their new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachute they once has in times of financial setback-- a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick. This "added-worker effect" could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times. But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner. During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income. Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money. For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a savings-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families, the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen--and newly fashionable health-savings plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families’ future healthcare. Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent-- and all he attendant need for physical and financial assistance -- have jumped eightfold in just one generation. From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______.
A. financial risks tend to outweigh political risks
B. the middle class may face greater political challenges
C. financial problems may bring about political problems
D. financial responsibility is an indicator of political status
When a disease of epidemic proportions threatens the public, scientists immediately get to work, trying to locate the source of affliction and find ways to combat. Vaccination is one of the effective ways to protect the (1) population of a region or country which may be (2) grave risk. The process of vaccination allows the patient’s body to (3) immunity to the virus or disease so that, if it is encountered, one can fight it (4) naturally. To accomplish this, a small weak or dead (5) of the disease is actually injected into the patient in a controlled environment, (6) his body’s immune system can learn to fight the invader (7) . Information (8) how to penetrate the disease’s defenses is (9) to all elements of the patient’s immune system in a process that occurs naturally, in which genetic information is passed from cell to cell. This makes sure that (10) the patient later come into contact with the real problem, his body is well equipped and trained to (11) with it, having already done so before.There are, however, dangers (12) in the process. (13) , even the weakened version of the disease contained in the vaccine proves (14) much for the body to handle, resulting in the immune system (15) , and, therefore, the patient’s death. Such is the case of the smallpox vaccine, (16) to eradicate the smallpox epidemic that nearly (17) the whole Native American population and killed massive numbers of settlers. (18) 1 in 10,000 people who receive the vaccine (19) the smallpox disease from the vaccine itself and dies from it. Consequently, the process, which is truly a (20) , may indeed hide some hidden curses. 6()
A. only if
B. so that
C. in case
D. seeing that
Both Boeing and Airbus have trumpeted the efficiency of their newest aircraft, the 787 and A350 respectively. Their clever designs and lightweight composites certainly make a difference. But a group of researchers at Stanford University, led by Ilan Kroo, has suggested that airlines could take a more naturalistic approach to cutting jet-fuel use, and it would not require them to buy new aircraft. The answer, says Dr. Kroo, lies with birds. Since 1914, and a seminal paper by a German researcher called Carl Wieselsberger, scientists have known that birds flying in formation—a V-shape, echelon or otherwise—expend less energy. The air flowing over a bird’s wings curls upwards behind the wingtips, a phenomenon known as upwash. Other birds flying in the upwash experience reduced drag, and spend less energy propelling themselves. Peter Lissaman, an aeronautics expert who was formerly at Caltech and the University of Southern California, has suggested that a formation of 25 birds might enjoy a range increase of 71%. When applied to aircraft, the principles are not substantially different. Dr. Kroo and his team modeled what would happen if three passenger jets departing from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas were to rendezvous over Utah, assume an inverted V-formation, occasionally swap places so all could have a turn in the most favourable positions, and proceed to London. They found that the aircraft consumed as much as 15% less fuel (with a concomitant reduction in carbon-dioxide output). Nitrogen-oxide emissions during the cruising portions of the flight fell by around a quarter. There are, of course, kinks to be worked out. One consideration is safety, or at least the perception of it. Would passengers feel comfortable travelling in convoy’ Dr. Kroo points out that the aircraft could he separated by several nautical miles, and would not be in the unnervingly easy groupings favoured by display teams like the Red Arrows. A passenger peering out of the window might not even see the other planes. Whether the separation distances involved would satisfy air-traffic-control regulations is another matter, although a working group at the International Civil Aviation Organization has included the possibility of formation flying in a blueprint for new operational guidelines. It remains to be seen how weather conditions affect the air flows that make formation flight more efficient. In zones of increased turbulence, the planes’ wakes will decay more quickly and the effect will diminish. Dr. Kmo says this is one of the areas his team will investigate further. It might also he hard for airlines to coordinate the departure times and destinations of passenger aircraft in a way that would allow them to gain from formation flight. Cargo aircraft, in contrast, might be easier to reschedule, as might routine military flights. As it happens, American’s armed forces are on the ease already. Earlier this year the country’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced plans to pay Boeing to investigate formation flight, though the programme has yet to begin. There are reports that some military aircraft flew in formation when they were low on fuel during the Second World War, hut Dr. Lissaman says they are apocryphal. "My father was an RAF pilot and my cousin the skipper of a Lancaster lost over Berlin," he adds. So he should know. Which of the following can support "the principles are not substantially different"
A. Three passengers were in the most favourable positions during the experiment.
B. 15% less fuel reduction in carbon-dioxide output and nitrogen-oxide emissions during flying.
C. Kroo and his team conducted their experiments in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Utah and London.
D. Air crafts can occasionally swap places to turn in the most favourable positions as well as birds.