单选题 Forget Iraq and budget deficits. The most serious political problem on both sides of the Atlantic is none of these. It is a difficulty that has dogged the ruling classes for millennia. It is the servant problem.
In Britain David Blunkett, the home secretary, has resigned over an embarrassment ( or one of many embarrassments, in a story involving his ex-girlfriend, her husband, two pregnancies and some DNA) concerning a visa for a Filipina nanny employed by his mistress. His office speeded it through for reasons unconnected to the national shortage of un skilled labour. Mr Blunkett resigned ahead of a report by Sir Alan Budd, an economist who is investigating the matter at the government' s request.
In America Bernard Kerik, the president' s nominee for the Department of Homeland Security, withdrew last week because he had carelessly employed a Mexican nanny whose Play-Doh skills were in better order than her paperwork. Mr Kerik also remembered that he hadn' t paid her taxes. The nominee has one or two other "issues" ( an arrest warrant in 1998, and allegations of dodgy business dealings and extra-marital affairs). But employing an illegal nanny would probably have been enough to undo him, as it has several other cabinet and judicial appointees in recent years.
There is an easy answer to the servant problem--obvious to economists, if not to the less clear-sighted. Perhaps Sir Alan, a dismal scientist of impeccable rationality, will be thoughtful enough to point it out in his report.
Parents are not the only people who have difficulty getting visas for workers. All employers face restrictive immigration policies which raise labour costs. Some may respond by trying to fiddle the immigration system, but most deal with the matter by exporting jobs. In the age of the global economy, the solution to the servant problem is simple: rather than importing the nanny, offshore the children.

单选题 According to the text, the servant problem is to the ruling class what

A. the political problem to the ruler.
B. the embarrassment to the home secretary.
C. the chronic ailment to the patient.
D. the government' s request to the economist.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 本题是一道细节题，其答案信息来源在第一段，尤其是第一段第三句中的“millennia”(一千年)一词。该词充分暗示：“servant problem”(佣人问题)是一个长久以来的问题。故从第一段中可以推导出本题的正确答案应该是C，佣人问题对于统治阶级而言等同于慢性病和病人之间的关系。考生在解题时要注意词语的引申含义和寓意。

单选题 In paragraph 1, "both sides of the Atlantic" probably refers to

A. the United States and United Kingdom.
B. the European and American.
C. the North America and Europe.
D. the North American continent and the British Isles.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 本题是一道细节题，其答案信息来源在第二、三段首句。这两句中的“In Britain”和“In America”暗示了第一段中“both sides of the Atlantic”的指代对象。故本题的正确答案应该是A。考生在解题时应该注意文章段落之间的联系，尤其要注意主题句的含义和功能。

单选题 Paragraph 2 and 3 are written to

A. explain Mr Blunkett' s resignation.
B. refute the conclusion made by Mr Kerit.
C. describe the president's nomination.
D. illustrate the persistent servant problem.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 这是一道文章结构题。第二、三段首句的“In Britain”和“In America”暗示这两段是对第一段“both sides of the Atlantic”的展开论述。考生在解题时一定要注意通过段落主题句去捕捉全文结构和主旨内容。

单选题 How does the author feel about Mr Alan?

A. His dismal thought is impractical.
B. His relevant argument is acceptable.
C. His apparent solution is implausible.
D. His clear-sighted report is most trust-worthy.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 本题是一道细节题，其答案信息来源在倒数第二段的尾句。该句讲：“大概Al an先生，一位无懈可击的理性而沉闷的科学家(a dismal scientist of impeccable rationality)，将经足以缜密的思考，从而在其报告中指出问题的答案”。从本句中的“impeccable rationality”(无懈可击的理性)和“thoughtful enough”(足以缜密的思考)可推断本题的正确答案应该是B。考生在解题时要注意形容词的表意功能。

单选题 Which of the following can be inferred from the text?

A. Getting visa for servants will not be a problem.
B. Sir Alan is qualified to be a dismal scientist.
C. The majority gets rid of the traditional solution.
D. Exporting jobs and fiddling the immigration system are detrimental.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 本题是一道细节题，其答案信息来源在尾段第三句的后半部分。其含义是“但是大多数人通过输出工作来应对这个问题(佣人问题)”。从本句可以推断出：大多数人在处理佣人问题的方法上采取了新的作法。故选项C应该是正确答案。考生在解题时一定要注意转折词的出现和使用，更要注意尾段对全文主旨论题的总结性概括和点题。