单选题
The Magic of Diasporas(大移居)

    Immigrant networks are a rare bright spark in the world economy. Rich countries should welcome them.
    A.This is not a good time to be foreign. Anti-immigrant parties are gaining ground in Europe. Britain has been fretting(烦 恼,发愁) this week over lapses in its border controls. In America Barack Obama has failed to deliver the immi-gration reform he promised, and Republican presidential candidates would rather electrify the border fence with Mexico than educate the children of illegal aliens. America educates foreign scientists in its universities and then expels them, a policy the mayor of New York calls 'national suicide'.
    B.This illiberal turn in attitudes to migration is no surprise. It is the result of cyclical economic gloom combined with a rise in pressure on rich countries' borders. But governments now weighing up whether or not to try to slam the door should consider another factor: the growing economic importance of diasporas, and the contribution they can make to a country's economic growth.
    C.Diaspora networks-of Huguenots, Scots, Jews and many others—have always been a potent economic force, but the cheapness and ease of modern travel has made them larger and more numerous than ever before. There are now 215m first-generation migrants around the world: that's 3% of the world's population. If they were a nation, it would be a little larger than Brazil. There are more Chinese people living outside China than there are French people in France. Some 22m Indians are scattered all over the globe. Small concentrations of ethnic and linguistic groups have always been found in surprising places-Lebanese in west Africa, Japanese in Brazil and Welsh in Patagonia, for instance—but they have been joined by newer ones, such as west Africans in southern China.
    D.These networks of kinship(亲缘关系) and language make it easier to do business across borders. They speed the flow of information: a Chinese trader in Indonesia who spots a gap in the market for cheap umbrellas will alert his cousin in Shenzhen who knows someone who runs an umbrella factory. Kinship ties foster trust, so they can seal the deal and get the umbrellas to Jakarta before the rainy season ends. Trust matters, especially in emerging markets where the rule of law is weak. So does the knowledge of the local culture. That is why so much foreign direct investment in China still passes through the Chinese diasporas. And modern communications make these networks an even more powerful tool of business.
    E.Diasporas also help spread ideas. Many of the emerging world's brightest minds are educated at Western universities. An increasing number go home, taking with them both knowledge and contacts. Indian computer scientists in Bangalore bounce ideas constantly off their Indian friends in Silicon Valley. China's technology industry is dominated by 'sea turtles' (Chinese who have lived abroad and returned).
    F.Diasporas spread money, too. Migrants into rich countries not only send cash to their families; they also help companies in their host country operate in their home country. A Harvard Business School study shows that American companies that employ lots of ethnic Chinese people find it much easier to set up in China without a joint venture with a local firm.
    G.Such arguments are unlikely to make much headway against hostility towards immigrants in rich countries. Fury against foreigners is usually based on two (mutually incompatible) notions: that because so many migrants claim welfare they are a drain on the public purse; and that because they are prepared to work harder for less pay they will depress the wages of those at the bottom of the pile. The first is usually not true (in Britain, for instance, immigrants claim benefits less than local people do), and the second is hard to establish either way. Some studies do indeed suggest that competition from unskilled immigrants depresses the wages ofunskilled locals. But others find this effect to be small or non-existent.
    H.Nor is it possible to establish the impact of migration on overall growth. The sums are simply too difficult. Yet there are good reasons for believing that it is likely to be positive. Migrants tend to be hard-working and innovative. That spurs productivity and company formation. A recent study carried out by Duke University showed that, while immigrants make up an eighth of America's population, they founded a quarter of the country's technology and engineering firms. And, by linking the West with emerging markets, diasporas help rich countries to plug into fast-growing economies.
    I.Rich countries are thus likely to benefit from looser immigration policy; and fears that poor countries will suffer as a result of a 'brain drain' are overblown. The prospect of working abroad spurs more people to acquire valuable skills, and not all subsequently emigrate. Skilled migrants send money home, and they often return to set up new businesses. One study found that unless they lose more than 20% of their university graduates, the brain drain makes poor countries richer.
    J.Government as well as business gains from the spread of ideas through diasporas. Foreign-educated Indians, including the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh (Oxford and Cambridge) and his sidekick Montek Ahluwalia (Oxford), played a big role in bringing economic reform to India in the early 1990s. Some 500,000 Chinese people have studied abroad and returned, mostly in the past decade; they dominate the think-tanks that advise the government.
    K.As for the old world, its desire to close its borders is understandable but dangerous. Migration brings youth to ageing countries, and allows ideas to circulate in millions of mobile minds. That is good both for those who arrive with suitcases and dreams and for those who should welcome them.
问答题     The cyclical economic depression and the rising stress on rich countries' borders lead to the illiberal change in attitudes towards migration.
 
【正确答案】B
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干中的关键词cyclical economic depression、rising stress on rich countries' borders和illiberal change in attitudes towards migration。文中段落论及对移民态度的转变的内容出现在B段,该段第一句和第二句提到,对移民的态度转为不开放不足为奇。这是周期性经济低迷和富国边境上的压力不断增加的现实共同作用的结果。由此可知,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为B。 [参考译文] 大批移民的神奇力量 移民关系网是世界经济中罕见的亮点。富裕国家应该欢迎它们。 A.这段时间不是向国外移民的好时机。反移民的党派在欧洲日益得势。本周,英国一直对其边境管制上的失误忧虑不安。在美国,Barack Obama并没有实现其承诺的移民改革,共和党的总统候选人宁愿在与墨西哥的边境上安装电网,也不愿为非法移民的孩子提供教育。美国在其大学培养了外籍科学家,然后又将他们驱逐出境,纽约市长将这种政策称为“国家性自杀”。 B.对移民的态度转为不开放不足为奇。这是周期性经济低迷和富国边境上的压力不断增加的现实共同作用的结果。但是目前在权衡是否要关闭国门的政府应该考虑另外一个因素:大批移民在经济中所发挥的越来越重要的作用以及他们可以对一个国家经济增长所做的贡献。 C.大批移民关系网——法国基督教新教徒、苏格兰人、犹太人以及许多其他族群——通常都是一股强大的经济力量,但是廉价且舒适的现代旅行使移民关系网越来越大,数量越来越多。现在世界各地有2.15亿第一代移民,相当于全球总人口的3%。如果他们构成一个国家,要比巴西的人口还多一点。居住在海外的中国人比在法国的法国人还要多。大约有2,200万印度人散居在世界各地。在一些让人意想不到的地方常常能发现小范围的少数民族聚居和说同种语言的群体聚居——比如,在非洲西部的黎巴嫩人、在巴西的日本人和在巴塔哥尼亚沙漠地区的威尔士人——但是还有新人加入他们,比如在中国南部的西非人。 D.这些亲缘关系和语言交织的网络使跨境贸易变得更加容易。它们加速了信息的流动:一位身在印尼的中国商人发现了市场对廉价雨伞的需求,就会让其在深圳的表弟留意,而这位表弟又认识开雨伞厂的人。亲缘关系增强信任度,于是他们达成交易,在雨季结束之前,将雨伞送到雅加达。信任至关重要,在法治薄弱的新兴市场尤其如此。对当地文化的了解也非常重要。这就是许多外商的对华直接投资仍然经由中国移民的原因。现代化通讯使这些网络演变成了更为强大的商贸工具。 E.大批移民也有助于传播思想理念。许多新兴世界最杰出的人物都在西方的大学接受了教育。越来越多的人回国,带回知识和人脉。班加罗尔的印度计算机学家和在硅谷的印度朋友经常交流想法。在中国的技术行业,“海归”(曾在海外生活过并回国的中国人)比比皆是。 F.大批移民也能带动资金流动。移民到富国的人不仅会给家里人寄现金,还会帮助他们所移居的国家的公司在其原籍国家运营。一份哈佛商学院的研究表明,雇用众多华人的美国公司即使不与中国当地的企业合资,在中国立足也要容易得多。 G.在富国对移民敌视的情况下,这些观点不太可能取得什么效果。对外国人的愤怒通常基于相互矛盾的两点:由于许多移民想获取福利,这样就会消耗公共资金;由于他们准备更加努力地工作,而要求的工资却更低,这样就降低了底层民众的工资。第一点通常是不正确的(比如,在英国,移民获取的福利要比本国人少),第二点也很难站得住脚。确实有一些研究表明,来自缺乏技能的移民的竞争会拉低缺乏技能的当地人的工资。但是其他研究发现,这种影响很小或者根本不存在。 H.移民对总体经济增长的影响也很难确定。相关数据的整合计算实在太难了。但是人们有充分的理由相信,这种影响很可能是积极的。移民往往很勤劳并且富有创新精神。这能够提高生产率并促进公司的发展。最近杜克大学开展的一项研究表明,虽然移民只占到了美国人口的八分之一,但是他们所成立的技术和工程公司却占到全美的四分之一。并且,大批移民连接了西方和新兴市场,帮助富国进军快速增长的经济体。 I.因此,富国可能会从更加宽松的移民政策中受益,而穷国会因“人才流失”受损的担忧被夸大了。到国外工作的前景促使更多人掌握了宝贵的技能,而且也不是所有人都会随即移居国外。掌握熟练技能的移民会寄钱回国,他们回国后通常会创业。一份研究发现,除非穷国有超过20%的大学毕业生流失,要不然所谓的“人才流失”会使它们更加富裕。 J.政府和企业都能从大批移民传播的理念中受益。在国外接受过教育的印度人,包括曾就读于牛津和剑桥大学的印度首相Manmohan Singh,及其曾就读于牛津大学的助手Montek Ahluwalia,在20世纪90年代早期推进印度经济改革方面发挥了巨大作用。大约有50万中国人去了国外学习并回国,多数是在过去的十年间去的。他们在给政府建言献策的智囊团中占据了主导地位。 K.旧世界想要关闭边境的想法是可以理解的,但也是危险的。移民能够给老龄化国家带来年轻人,并能够让创意在成千上万的流动人口中流传。这对那些携带箱子和怀揣梦想的移民有利,也对那些应该欢迎他们的移民所在国有利。
问答题     Migrants into rich countries can help companies in their host country run in their native country.
 
【正确答案】F
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干中的关键词Migrants into rich countries,help companies in their host country和native country。文中段落论及大批移民能推动他们所移居国家的公司在其原籍国运营的内容出现在F段,该段第二句提到,移民到富国的人不仅会给家里人寄现金,还会帮助他们所移居的国家的公司在其原籍国家运营。由此可知,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为F。
问答题     Hard-working and innovative migrants stimulate productivity and company formation.
 
【正确答案】H
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干中的关键词Hard-working and innovative和productivity and company formation。文中论及移民对生产率和公司发展影响的内容出现在H段,该段第四句和第五句提到,移民往往很勤劳并且富有创新精神。这能够提高生产率并促进公司的发展。由此可知,题干是原文的同义转述,故答案为H。
问答题     The mayor of New York names the policy that America educates foreign scientists in its universities and then forces them to leave as 'national suicide'.
 
【正确答案】A
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干关键词the mayor of New York、educates foreign scientists和“national suicide”。文中论及被纽约市长称为“国家性自杀”政策的内容出现在A段,该段末句提到,美国在其大学培养了外籍科学家,然后又将他们驱逐出国,纽约市长将这种政策称为“国家性自杀”。由此可见,题于是对原文的同义转述,故答案为A。
问答题     Both government and business benefit from the spread of ideas through diasporas.
 
【正确答案】J
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干中的关键词government and business和spread of ideas through diasporas。文中论及政府和企业从移民身上获益的内容出现在J段,该段首句提到,政府和企业都能从大批移民传播的理念中受益。由此可知,题干是原文的同义转述,故答案为J。
问答题     It is understandable but risky for the old world to decline immigrants.
 
【正确答案】K
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干关键词understandable but risky、the old world和immigrants。文中论及旧世界的内容出现在K段,该段首句提到,旧世界想要关闭其边境的想法是可以理解的,但也是危险的。由此可见题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为K。
问答题     The reason why so much foreign direct investment in China still passes through the Chinese immigrants is that they know the local culture.
 
【正确答案】D
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干中的关键词foreign direct investment in China、still passes through和the local culture。文中论及对中国的外商直接投资的内容出现在D段,该段第五句和第六句提到,对当地文化的了解也非常重要,这就是许多外商的对华直接投资仍然经由中国移民的原因。由此可知,题于是对原文的同义转述,故答案为D。
问答题     It is not an appropriate time to immigrate when anti-immigrant parties are gaining around in Europe.
 
【正确答案】A
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干关键词not an appropriate time、anti-immigrant parties和in Europe。文中论及欧洲反移民党派的内容出现在A段,该段开头提到,这段时间不是向国外移民的好时机。反移民的党派在欧洲日益得势。由此可见,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为A。
问答题     Some studies show that the wages of unskilled local citizens are depressed by the competition from unskilled immigrants.
 
【正确答案】G
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干中的关键词some studies、the wages of unskilled local citizens和the competition of unskilled immigrants。文中段落论及缺乏技能的移民对同样缺乏技能的当地人的影响的内容出现在G段,该段倒数第二句提到,确实有一些研究表明,来自缺乏技能的移民的竞争会压低缺乏技能的当地人的工资。由此可知,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为G。
问答题     First-generation migrants reach up to 215 million all over the world, which takes up 3% of the world's population.
 
【正确答案】C
【答案解析】 注意抓住题干中的关键词First-generation migrants、215 million和3% of the world's population。文中论及世界各地第一代移民的内容出现在C段,该段第二句提到,现在世界各地有2.15亿第一代移民,相当于全球总人口的3%。由此可知,题于是对原文的同义转述,故答案为C。