资源描述：
《2015英语四级辅导仔细阅读真题册.doc》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在行业资料-天天文库。
1、2014年12月PassageOneChildrenareadelight.Theyareourfuture.Butsadly,hiringsomeonetotakecareofthemwhileyougotoworkisgettingmoreexpensivebytheyear.Earlierthismonth,itwasreportedthatthecostofenrollinganinfantorsmallkidatachildcarecentrerose3%in2012,fasterthantheoverallcostofliving.Thereareno
2、wlargestripsofthecountrywheredaycareforaninfantcostmuchmorethanatenthoftheaveragemarriedcouple’sincome.Thisisnotnecessarilyanewtrend,butitissomewhatpuzzlingone.Thepriceofprofessionalchildcarehasbeenrisingsincethe1980s.Yetduringthattime,payforprofessionalchildcareworkershasstoodstill.A
3、ctuallycaregiversmakelesstoday,inrealterms,thantheydidin1990.Consideringthatlaborcostsareresponsibleforupto80% ofadaycarecenter’sexpenses,onewouldexpectflatwagestohavemeantflatprices.Sowho’stoblameforhigherchildcarecosts?Childcareisacarefullyregulatedindustry.Stateslaydownrulesaboutho
4、wmanychildreneachemployeeisallowedtowatchover,thespacecarecentersneedperchild,andotherminutedetails.Andasthestrictertheregulations,thehigherthecosts.Ifithastohireacaregiverforeverytwochildren,itcan’treallyachieveanyeconomiesofscaleonlabortosavemoneywhenotherexpensesgoup.InMassachusett
5、s,wherechildcarecentersmusthireoneteacherforeverythreeinfants,thepriceofcareaveragedmorethan$16000peryear.InMississippi,wherecentersmusthireoneteacherforeveryfiveinfants,thepriceofcareaveragedlessthan$5,000.Unfortunately,Idon'thaveallthedaycare-centerregulationshandy.ButIwouldn'tbesur
6、prisedifastheruleshavebecomemoreelaborate,priceshaverisen.Thetradeoff(交换)mightbeworthitinsomecases;afterall,the health andsafetyofchildrenshouldprobablycomebeforecheapservice.Butcertainlyitdoesn'tseemtobeanaccidentthatsomeofthecheapestdaycareavailableisintheleastregulatedSouth.56.What
7、 problem doparentsofsmallkidshavetoface?A.Theever-risingchildcareprices.B.Thebudgetingoffamilyexpenses.C.Thebalancebetweenworkandfamily.D.Theselectionofagooddaycarecenter.57.Whatdoestheauthorfeelpuzzledabout?A.Whythepricesofchildcarevarygreatlyfromstatetostate.B.Whyincreasedchildcarep
8、rices
