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(2019·陕西质检)The electricity workers' strike has been going on for three days. Below are some statements about the strike.
Mr. Mike Smith:
It wasn't an easy decision, but we have been asking for a reasonable wage for years. Now at last people are beginning to listen to us. We're only asking for a 25 percent increase in our wages. It's a pity so many people have to be inconvenienced by our strike, but please don't blame us. Blame the government for refusing our claim.
Mr. Tom Brown:
It's totally unreasonable to demand so much money when we are trying desperately to stop the prices going up. If wages go up, so do prices. If we give in to them, all the other unions would want more, with the inevitable result that the crisis (危机) would become uncontrollable. We offer them a 10 percent increase. And that's already too much. My stand on the strike is to persuade the Union to see the reason.
Mr. Bob Davis:
Everybody will be hurt by this strike, including the electricity workers themselves. The economy will be destroyed and many people will lose their jobs. Already people are saying that the big unions have too much power and shouldn't be allowed to strike. Of course the electricity workers want to get more money. Don't we all?
Miss Stater:
Let's face it. It's neither here nor there. The electricity workers are in a strong position. Perhaps we can't do anything about it. What I say is: let them have their 250 dollars so they can return to work. I mean, the government wastes the taxpayers' money all the time on unimportant things. How can anyone say 250 dollars is “too much”?Pop singers get more. Nurses get less. It's just one of those things.
语篇解读:本文介绍了四个人针对电力工人罢工陈述了不同的观点。
1.Who is most likely to be an employee in electricity industry?
A.Mr. Mike Smith. B.Mr. Tom Brown.
C.Mr. Bob Davis. D.Miss Stater.
解析:选A 细节理解题。根据第二段最后两句“It's a pity so many people have to be inconvenienced by our strike, but please don't blame us. Blame the government for refusing our claim”可知,Mike Smith先生认为,他们的罢工是因为政府拒绝他们的要求。据此可知,Mike Smith 先生很可能是电力工人,故A项正确。
2.The underlined word in Paragraph 3 most probably means “________”.
A.avoidable B.inspiring
C.automatic D.sensitive
解析:选C 词义猜测题。根据该句中的“If we give in to them, all the other unions would want more”可知, Tom Brown 先生认为,如果他们对工人让步,则其他的工会将会提出更多的要求;结合该句中的“with the inevitable result that the crisis (危机) would become uncontrollable”可知,这必然会导致危机变得不可控制。据此可以判断,画线词意为“必然发生的”与C项含义相近,故C项正确。
3.We can learn from the text that ________.
A.the electricity workers won't achieve their goal
B.the government won't meet the workers' demand
C.the strike caused little trouble for the society
D.the workers got little support from the society
解析:选D 推理判断题。通读第三至四段可知, Tom Brown先生认为工资上涨势必导致物价上涨,故他们的工资上涨10%就已经很多了;Bob Davis先生认为,所有人在此次罢工中都会受到伤害,包括电力工人自己,而且工会权力太大,不应当批准罢工。据此可以判断,电力工人的要求几乎没有得到社会的支持,故D项正确。