第一段
During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count onhard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by economic risk and new realties. 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.
单词&词组搭配
generation [ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃn]（出现24次）n.一代人；[僻义]n.繁殖
diagnosis [ˌdaɪəɡˈnoʊsɪs] n.诊断
solidly [ˈsɑːlɪdli] adv.稳固地
count on（有（依赖）
fair play（公平竞争）
pink slip（辞退信）
本段翻译
在过去一代人的时间里，原本依靠努力工作和公平竞争便能保持自身经济安稳的美国中产阶级已经被经济风险和新的现实彻底改变。现在，一张粉色小纸条（解雇信），一个恶性诊断结果，或者离散的配偶，都可以使一个家庭从殷实的中产阶级在几个月内沦为新的贫困阶层。
第二段
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 theirs 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 gotlaid 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.
单词&词组
stripe [straɪp]（出现1次）类型，类别
budget [ˈbʌdʒɪt]（出现7次）n.预算；v.把....编入预算；[僻义]价格低廉的
parachute [ˈpærəʃuːt]（出现1次）n.降落伞；v.跳伞
setback [ˈsetbæk]（出现3次）挫折，倒退，复发
insurance [ɪnˈʃʊrəns]（出现11次）保险，保险业
disruption [dɪsˈrʌpʃn]（出现5次）n.破裂
otherwise [ˈʌðərwaɪz]（出现11次）adv.用别的方法，除此以外，其他方面；conj.要不然
lay off（解雇）
social implication（社会意义）
made up（弥补）
本段翻译
在仅仅一代人的时间里，数百万母亲已经出去工作，改变了基本的家庭经济模式。学者，政策制定者以及各路评论家都已经反复讨论这些变化的社会意义，但是几乎没有人仔细研究过其副作用：家庭风险也提高了。如今家庭的开支已达到这种双薪状态的极限。结果，他们数去了经济受挫时期曾经拥有的“降落伞”——一个在家庭经济支柱失业或是生病时可以走进职场的候补赚钱者（通常为母亲）。这种附加的劳动者效应，能够增强失业保险或是伤残保险所提供的安全保障网，帮助家庭度过难关。但如今，家庭时运遭到的破坏再也不能通过原本赋闲在家的另一半获的的额外收入得意弥补。
第三段
During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in theirretirement income. Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock marketfluctuation, 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.
单词&词组
retirement [rɪˈtaɪərmənt] n.退休
fluctuation [ˌflʌktʃuˈeɪʃn]（出现1次）n.震荡，波动
outlive v.继续存在
retiree [rɪˌtaɪəˈriː] n.退休人员
picture（出现7次）n.画，图片，美景，情况；v.拍照；[僻义]v.设想，想象
borne [bɔːrn] bear的过去式；（出现16次）n.熊；v.承担，支撑，容忍；[僻义]v.显示，带有
deductible [dɪˈdʌktəbl] adj.可扣除的; 可减免的;
demographics [ˌdemə'ɡræfɪks]（出现1次）人口统计学
odds [ɑːdz]（出现1次）n.可能性，困难，不利
attendant [əˈtendənt]（出现1次）n.服务员；adj.伴随的
eightfold [ˈeɪtˌfoʊld] adj。八倍的
interest rate（利率）
a large new dose of（大量新增的）
本段翻译
与此同时，家庭被要求在退休收入方面承担比以前大得多的风险。钢铁工人，航空公司雇员以及现在汽车行业的员工正在加入百万家庭，必须承担利率、股市波动以及退休金不足以养老这一严酷现实。去年的大半年之中，布什总统领导了将社会保障体系变成储蓄账户模式的改革运动，退休人员的大部分或全部的有保障的收入变成了依赖投资收益的的收入。对于比较年轻的家庭来说，境况并没有丝毫的好转。医疗保健的绝对成本以及其中家庭承担的份额都已经提高——且新近流行的健康储蓄计划正从国会大厅蔓延到沃尔玛员工那里，随之而来的是比过去高出很多的医疗保险免赔额，以及家庭未来的医疗保健所面临的大量新增投资风险。甚至人口统计数据都对中产阶级家庭不利，因为家庭中出现年老力衰的父母——以及随之而来的体力和经济援助需要——的几率在仅仅一代人的时间里就猛涨到原来的八倍。
第四段
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.
单词&词组
acceleration [əkˌseləˈreɪʃn]（出现2次）n.加速
wholesale [ˈhoʊlseɪl] adj.大批的
fallout [ˈfɔːlaʊt] n.后果，余波
from perspective（从....角度）
本段翻译
可以理解，从中产阶级家庭的角度看，上述许多现象看起来远不像是履行更多经济责任的机会，而更像是以骇人的增速将金融风险大规模转嫁到他们已经不堪重负的肩膀上。经济上的不良后果已经显现，政治影响也不会太远了。
文章略读
本文先指出美国中产阶级家庭风险增加的现况，之后分析了风险增加的原因，一个是新的双薪家庭模式，另一个是近些年退休金及医疗政策改革；最后说明了这些原因加剧了中产阶级的不满，会影响美国社会的政治稳定。可以看出是一篇现象分析型的文章，这类文章总体的结构一般为：“介绍一个现象——分析解释想想——说明影响——作出评论”。文章开始部分通过上一代中产阶级的相对经济稳定和现在的中产阶级风险增加做对比引出现象。
①第一段按照逻辑为引出现象，说明了现今的美国中产阶级经济风险增加。
②第二段为分析现象，原来的单薪变双薪在紧急情况得不到保障的出现使得家庭风险增加。
③第三段为解释现象，中产阶级家庭被迫承担更多的风险，有一个布什改革（新公共政策）
④第四段为作者做出评论部分，中产阶级的这种情形将会影响到政治的不稳定，可见作者还是忧国忧民的。
5道题
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
38. In bringing up the concept of GASP the author is making the point that
[A] shareholders' interests should be properly attended to.
[B] information protection should be given due attention.
[C] businesses should enhance their level of accounting security.
[D] the market value of customer data should be emphasized.
39. According to Paragraph 4, what puzzles the author is that some bosses fail to
[A] see the link between trust and data protection.
[B] perceive the sensitivity of personal data.
[C] realize the high cost of data restoration.
[D] appreciate the economic value of trust.
40. It can be inferred from Paragraph 5 that
[A] data leakage is more severe in Europe.
[B] FTC's decision is essential to data security.
[C] California takes the lead in security legislation.[D] legal penalty is a major solution to data leakage.
选项词汇
deprive [dɪˈpraɪv] v.剥夺
vulnerable [ˈvʌlnərəbl] adj.脆弱的，易受伤的
compensate [ˈkɒmpenseɪt] v.弥补，赔偿
popularize [ˈpɒpjələraɪz] v.宣传，普及
outweigh [ˌaʊtˈweɪ] v.超过
in that（因为）
tend to（往往）
参考答案
CBDCB
