单选题
Opportunities for rewarding work become fewer for
both men and women as they grow older. After age 40, job hunting becomes even
more difficult. Many workers stay at jobs they are too old for rather than face
possible rejection. Our youth-oriented, throw-away culture sees little value in
older people. In writer Lilian Hellman's words, they have "the wisdom that comes
with age that we can't make use of." Unemployment and economic
need for work is higher among older women, especially minorities, than among
younger white women. A national council reports these findings: Though
unemployed longer when seeking word, older women job-hunting harder, hold a job
longer with less absenteeism, per- form as well or better, are more reliable,
and are more willing to learn than men or younger women. Yet many older women
earn poor pay and face a future of poverty in their retirement years. When
"sexism meets ageism, poverty is no longer on the doorstep——it moves in",
according to Tish Sommers, director of a special study on older women for the
National Organization for Women. Yet a 1981 report on the White
House Conference in Aging shows that as a group, older Americans are the
"wealthiest, best fed, best housed, healthiest, most self-reliant older
population in our history." This statement is small comfort to those living
below the poverty line, but it does explode some of the old traditional beliefs
and fears. Opportunities for moving in and up in a large company may shrink but
many older people begin successful small businesses, volunteer in satisfying
activities, and stay active for many years. They have few role models because in
previous generations the life span was much shorter and expectations of life
were fewer. They are ploughing new ground. Employers are
beginning to recognize that the mature person can bring a great deal of
stability and responsibility to a position. One doesn't lose ability and
experience on the eve of one's 65th or 70th birthday any more than one grows up
instantly at age 21.
单选题
After age of 40, ______.
A. most workers are tired of their present jobs.
B. man workers tend to stick to their present jobs.
C. people find their jobs more rewarding than before.
D. people still wish to hunt for more suitable jobs.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题为细节题。文章第一段“Many workers stay at jobs they are too old for rather than face possible rejection”，说明很多人在年过四十之后依然选择守着自己已经不适合的工作，而不愿去面对可能遭遇拒绝的危险。
单选题
From Hellman's remark, we can see that______.
A. full use has been made of the wisdom of older people.
B. the wisdom of older people is not valued by American society.
C. older people are no less intelligent than young people.
D. the wisdom of older people is of great value to American
society.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】本题为细节题。第一段最后一句说道“the wisdom that comes with age that we can't make use of”说明年纪大的同样富有智慧。A显然不合提议；B过于绝对，不合题意；D本身表述正确，但没有体现在“Hellman”的话中。
单选题
Tish Sommers argues that ______.
A. older women find it hard to escape poverty.
B. older women usually perform better in their jobs.
C. the major cause of the poverty older women is sexism.
D. more people have come to believe in sexism and ageism.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】本题为推理题。第二段提到“When ‘sexism meets ageism，poverty is no longer on the doorstep—it moves in’”，即如果你不但是女性，而且上来年纪，那么一定难逃穷困。
单选题
According to the third paragraph, it can be seen that older Americans
______.
A. have more job opportunities than young people.
B. live below the poverty line.
C. have new opportunities to remain active in society.
D. no longer believe in the premise ,of a happy life upon
retirement.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】本题为细节题。“but many older people begin successful small businesses，volunteer in satisfying activities，and stay active for many years．”与C选项意思相符。
单选题
It can be concluded from the passage that the writer ______.
A. calls attention to the living conditions of older Americans.
B. believes that the value of older people is gaining increasing
recognition.
C. attempts to justify the youth-oriented, throw-away culture of the United
States.
D. argues people should not retire at the age of 65 or 70.