四级深阅读真题详解.docx

2 0 1 4 年 1 2 月 大 学 英 语 四 级 深 度 阅 读 真 题 答 案 解 析

PassageOne

第一套

Question56to60arebasedonthefollowingpassage.56-60ACBDB

Childrenareadelight(=hapiness/joy).Theyareourfuture.(56)Butsadly,hiringsomeonetotakecareofthemwhileyougotoworkisgettingmoreexpensivebytheyear.

Earlierthismonth,itwasreportedthatthecostofenrollinganinfantorsmallkidatachildcarecenterrose3%in2012,fasterthantheoverallcostofliving.Therearenowlargestrips(狭长地

带)ofthecountrywheredaycareforaninfantcostsmorethanatenthoftheaveragemarriedcouplesincome.(57)Thisisnotnecessarilyanewtrend,butitisasomewhatpuzzlingone.Thepriceofprofessionalchildcarehasbee

nrisingsincethe1980s.Yetduringthattime,payforprofessionalchildcareworkershasstoodstill.Actually(=infact)caregiversmakelesstoday,inrealterms(扣除物价因素；按实质计

算),thantheydidin1990.Consideringthatlaborcostsareresponsibleforupto80%ofadaycarecentersexpenses,onewouldexpectflatwagestohavemeantflatprices.

Sowhostoblameforhigherchildcarecosts?

Childcareisacarefullyregulatedindustry.Stateslaydownrulesabouthowmanychildreneachemployeeisallowedtowatchover,thespacecarecentersneedperchild,andotherminutedetails.(58)Andthestrictertheregulations,thehigherthecosts.Ifit(保育中

心)hastohireacaregiverforeverytwochildren,itcantreallyachieveanyeconomicsofscaleonlabortosavemoney(通

过压缩劳动力成本来省

钱)whenotherexpensesgoup.(59)InMassachusetts,wherechildcarecentersmusthireoneteacherforeverythreeinfants,thepriceofcareaveragedmorethan$16,000peryear.InMississippi,wherecentersmusthireoneteacherforeveryfiveinfants,thepriceofcareaveragedlessthan$5,000.

Unfortunately,Idonthaveallthedaycare-centerregulationshandy.(60)ButIwouldntbesurprisedifastheruleshavebecomemoreelaborate,priceshaverisen.Thetradeoff(交

换)mightbeworthitinsomecases;afterall,thehealthandsafetyofchildrenshouldprobablycomebeforecheapservice.(60)Butcertainly,itdoesntseemtobeanaccidentthatsomeofthecheapestdaycareavailableisintheleastregulated(=rule/manage)South.

56.Whatproblemdoparentsofsmallkidshavetoface?

A)Theever-risingchildcareprices.