阅读理解　　Text 4 　　The great recession may be over, but this era of high joblessness is probably beginning. Before it ends, it will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults. And ultimately, it is likely to reshape our politics,our culture, and the character of our society for years. 　　No one tries harder than the jobless to find silver linings in this national economic disaster. Many said that unemployment, while extremely painful, had improved them in some ways; they had become less materialistic and more financially prudent; they were more aware of the struggles of others. In limited respects, perhaps the recession will leave society better off. At the very least, it has awoken us from our national fever dream of easy riches and bigger houses, and put a necessary end to an era of reckless personal spending. 　　But for the most part, these benefits seem thin, uncertain, and far off. In The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth, the economic historian Benjamin Friedman argues that both inside and outside the U.S. ,lengthy periods of economic stagnation or decline have almost always left society more mean-spirited and less inclusive, and have usually stopped or reversed the advance of rights and freedoms. Anti-immigrant sentiment typically increases, as does conflict between races and classes. 　　Income inequality usually falls during a recession, but it has not shrunk in this one,. Indeed, this period of economic weakness may reinforce class divides, and decrease opportunities to cross them--- especially for young people. The research of Till Von Wachter, the economist in Columbia University, suggests that not all people graduating into a recession see their life chances dimmed: those with degrees from elite universities catch up fairly quickly to where they otherwise would have been if they had graduated in better times; it is the masses beneath them that are left behind. 　　In the internet age, it is particularly easy to see the resentment that has always been hidden winthin American society. More difficult, in the moment , is discerning precisely how these lean times are affecting society’s character. In many respects, the U.S. was more socially tolerant entering this resession than at any time in its history, and a variety of national polls on social conflict since then have shown mixed results. We will have to wait and see exactly how these hard times will reshape our social fabric. But they certainly it, and all the more so the longer they extend.

单选题 By saying “to find silver linings”（Line 1,Para.2）the author suggest that the jobless try to___.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】引申题。“to find silver linings”中“silver lining”(福)源于一句谚语“Every cloud has a silver lining．”第二段提到“Many said that unemployment，while extremely painful，had improved them in some ways；”(大家说失业虽然痛苦不堪，但一定程度上完善了自我。)“They had become less materialistic and more financially prudent；they were more aware of the struggles of others．In limited respects，perhaps the recession will leave society better off．”(他们变得不再那么追求物质，变得节俭，更加意识到他人日子的不易)，总结这些结果，得出答案是D“look on the bright side of the recession”(看到经济萧条好的一面)。

单选题 According to Paragraph 2,the recession has made people_____.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】引申题。先排除文中未提到的A和B项。选项C和D接近，但细细分析，尤其是第二段最后一句“it has awoken US from our national fever dream of easy riches and bigger houses，and put a necessary end to an era of reckless personal spending．”(失业唤醒我们，让我们不再追寻一夜暴富或拥有大房子等梦想，结束我们乱花钱的时代)。由此推断经济萧条没有挑战我们的生活方式，而是改变了我们的生活方式。选D项。

单选题 Benjamin Friedman believe that economic recessions may_____.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】归纳题。在第三段结束处，找到题目所问Benjamin Friedman，“society more mean-spirited and less inclusive，and have usually stopped or reversed the advance of rights and freedoms．Anti-immigrant sentiment typically increases，as does conflict between races and classes．”他认为社会变得小气，缺乏包容性，阻碍权利和自由的进步，反对移民的情绪高涨，种族和阶级纠纷四起。先排除C和D项，说失业有利一面，与文中内容相反，A项虽然提到移民，但没讲移民负担重，故选B项。

单选题 The research of Till Von Wachther suggests that in recession graduates from elite universities tend to _____.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】引申题。问举例说明了什么，但可参考作者先提的观点，“not all people graduating into a recession see their life chances dimmed：”(并非所有经历经济萧条的人命运都坎坷)，“those with degrees from elite universities catch up fairly quickly to where they otherwise would have been if they had graduated in better times；it is the masses beneath them that are left behind．”名校毕业的学生能迅速恢复到原来的生活，而平民百姓则时运不济。