6月英语六级阅读真题及答案第3套仔细阅读.docxVIP

6月英语六级阅读真题及答案第3套仔细阅读

6月英语六级阅读真题及答案第3套认真阅读

PassageOne

Questions46to50arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Economicallyspeaking,arewebetteroffthanweweretenyearsago?Twentyyearsago?Intheirthirstforevidenceonthisissue,commentatorsseizedontherecentreportbytheCensusBureau,whichfoundthataveragehouseholdincomeroseby5.2%in20xx.Unfortunately,thatconclusionputstoomuchweightonauseful,butflawedandincomplete,statistic.AmongthemoresignificantproblemswiththeCensussmeasurearethat:1)itexcludestaxes,transfers,andcompensationlikeemployer-providedhealthinsurance;and2)itisbasedonsurveysratherthandata.Evenifpreciselymeasured,incomedataexcludeimportantdeterminantsofeconomicwell-being,suchasthehoursofworkneededtoearnthatincome.Whilethinkingaboutthequestion,wecameacrossarecentlypublishedarticlebyCharlesJonesandPeterKlenow,whichproposesaninterestingnewmeasureofeconomicwelfare.

Whilebynomeansperfect,itisconsiderablymorecomprehensivethanaverageincome,takingintoaccountnotonlygrowthinconsumptionperpersonbutalsochangesinworkingtime,lifeexpectancy,andinequality.Moreover,itcanbeusedtoassesseconomicperformancebothacrosscountriesandovertime.TheJones-Klenowmethodcanbeillustratedbyacross-countryexample.SupposewewanttocomparetheeconomicwelfareofcitizensoftheU.S.andFrancein20xx.In20xx,astheauthorsobserve:realconsumptionperpersoninFrancewasonly60%ashighastheU.S.,makingitappearthatAmericanswereeconomicallymuchbetteroffthantheFrenchonaverage.However,thatcomparisonomitsotherrelevantfactors:leisuretime,lifeexpectancy,andeconomicinequality.TheFrenchtakelongervacationsandretireearlier,sotypicallyworkfewerhours;theyenjoyahigherlifeexpectancy,presumablyreflectingadvantageswithrespecttohealthcare,diet,lifestyle,andth