TEXT 3

　　During the past generation, the American middle class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by economic risk and new realities.Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.

　　In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics.Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well.Today's families have budgeted to the limits of their new two paycheck status.As a result, they have lost the parachute they once had in times of financial setback-a back up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick.This "added worker effect" could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times.But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise stay at home partner.

　　During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income.Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money.For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a savings account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns.For younger families, the picture is not any better.Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen-and newly fashionable health savings plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families' future healthcare.Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent-and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance-have jumped eightfold in just one generation.

　　From the middle class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders.The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.

31. Today's double income families are at greater financial risk in that
［A］ the safety net they used to enjoy has disappeared.
［B］ their chances of being laid off have greatly increased.
［C］ they are more vulnerable to changes in family economics.
［D］ they are deprived of unemployment or disability insurance.

32.  As a result of President Bush's reform, retired people may have
［A］ a higher sense of security.
［B］ less secured payments.
［C］ less chance to invest.
［D］ a guaranteed future.

33. According to the author, health savings plans will
［A］ help reduce the cost of healthcare.
［B］ popularize among the middle class.
［C］ compensate for the reduced pensions.
［D］ increase the families' investment risk.

34. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that
［A］ financial risks tend to outweigh political risks.
［B］ the middle class may face greater political challenges.
［C］ financial problems may bring about political problems.
［D］ financial responsibility is an indicator of political status.

35. Which of the following is the best title for this text?
［A］ The Middle Class on the Alert   
［B］ The Middle Class on the Cliff
［C］ The Middle Class in Conflict   
［D］ The Middle Class in Ruins
absolute² a.绝对的，完全的
absorb³ v.①吸收；②吸引，使专心
account²² n.①账（目，户）；②叙述，说明；③价值，地位；v.（for）①说明，解释；②占；③（take into）考虑；顾及
airline¹ n.①航线；②航空公司
alert¹ a.①警惕的；②机灵的
assistance² n.帮助，援助
attendant¹ n.①服务员，值班员；②护理人员
author⁶⁹ n.①作者；②创始人
auto² n.汽车
being⁹ n.①生物，人；②存在，生存
budget⁴ n.预算；v.做预算
campaign⁴ n.①战役；②运动；vi.从事活动
challenge¹⁰ n.①挑战（书）；②艰巨任务，难题；v.向...挑战
cliff¹ n.悬崖，峭壁
compensate⁵ v.（for）补偿，赔偿
conflict³ n.①战斗，斗争；②抵触，冲突；v.（with）抵触，冲突
critic⁷ n.批评家，评论家
debate⁸ v./n.争论，辩论
depend¹⁶ v.（on）取决于，依靠，信赖，相信
deprive² v.夺去，使丧失
disappear⁴ v.不见，消失
dose² n.剂量，一服，一剂；v.（给...）服药
economic²³ a.经济（上）的，经济学的
economics⁵ n.经济学；经济情况
elderly¹ a.过了中年的，稍老的
employee⁷ n.雇工，雇员
fair⁹ a.①公平的，合理的；②相当的，尚好的；③晴朗的；④金发的；n.集市，交易会，博览会
fashionable² a.流行的，时髦的
fell¹ v.砍倒，砍伐
financial¹¹ a.财政的，金融的
guarantee⁵ n.保证，保证书；v.保证，担保
harsh³ a.①粗糙的，刺耳的；②残酷的，严厉的
implication⁶ n.含意，暗示
infer²¹ v.推论，推断
insurance⁶ n.保险，保险费，保险业
invest⁴ v.投资
investment¹¹ n.投资，投资额
model⁸ n.①样式，型；②模范，典型；③模型；④原型，模特；v.（on，after）模仿，构造
odds¹ n.①不平等，差异；②机会
opportunity¹¹ n.机会
parachute¹ n.降落伞；v.跳伞
paragraph⁶⁶ n.①段，节；②小新闻，短评
partner³ n.①合作者，合伙人；②伙伴，舞伴
payment⁵ n.支付，付款额
pension² n.养老金，年金
perspective³ n.①视角；②透视法；③（in ～）正确地
physical⁷ a.①物质的，有形的；②肉体的，身体的；③自然科学的，物理的
primary⁷ a.①最初的，初级的；②首要的，主要的，基本的
rate³¹ n.①比率，率；②等级；③价格，费用；v.①估价；②评级，评价