Don’t Blame Robots for Low Wages
The other day I found myself at a conference discussing declining wages and increasing inequality. One thing that struck me was how many of the participants just assumed that robots are a big part of the problem. But automation just isn’t a big part of the story what happened to American workers over the past 40 years. We do have a big problem, but it has very little to do with technology, and a lot to do with politics and power.
Economically speaking, a robot is anything that uses technology to do work formerly done by human beings. And robots in that sense have been transforming our economy for centuries. David Ricardo, a founding father of economics, wrote about the destructive effects of machinery in 1821. These days, when people talk about the robot destruction, they don’t usually think of things like strip mining(露天采矿) and mountaintop removal(削山开采). Yet these technologies completely transformed coal mining: Coal production almost doubled between 1950 and 2000, yet the number of coal miners fell from 470,000 to fewer than 80,000.
So the destruction brought by technological change is an old story. What’s new is the failure of workers to share in the fruits of that technological change. I’m not saying that coping with change was ever easy. But while there have always been some victims of technological progress, until the 1970s rising productivity translated into rising wages for a great majority of workers. Then the connection was broken. And it wasn’t the robots that did it.
What did? There is a growing agreement among economists that a key factor in wage decreasing has been worker’s declining bargaining power—a decline whose roots are ultimately political. Most obviously, the federal minimum wage has fallen by a third over the past half century, even as worker productivity has risen 150 percent, which rooted in politics, pure and simple.
The decline of unions, which covered a quarter of private-sector workers in 1973 but only 6 percent now, may not be as obviously political. But other countries haven’t seen the same kind of decline. What made America exceptional was a political environment deeply unfriendly to labor organizing and friendly toward union-destroying employers. And the decline of unions has made a huge difference. Consider trucking, which used to be a good job but now pays a third less than it did in the 1970s, with terrible working conditions. What made the difference? Deunionization was a big part of the story.
American workers can and should be getting a much better deal than they are. And to the extent that they aren’t, the fault lies not in our robots, but in our political leader.
1.The people present at the conference about lower wages and increasing inequality _________.
A.believed that robots have contributed to wage decline
B.agreed that robots should be used to help increase wages
C.predicted that lower wages and increasing inequality would relate to robots
D.assumed that lower wages and increasing inequality rooted in politics and power
2.The author mentions the case of the coal mining to show _________.
A.the robot destruction started from coal mining
B.the influence of the technology on jobs is not a new phenomenon
C.the number of jobs increases as a result of technological advancement
D.strip mining and mountaintop removal completely changed the coal mining industry
3.According to the passage, we know that _________.
A.the destructive effects of machinery started in 1821
B.25% of private-sector workers were covered by unions in 1973
C.rising productivity didn’t bring about rising wages until the 1970s
D.the minimum wage has decreased with the dropping of worker productivity
4.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.Technological changes have resulted in lower wages.
B.Political leaders have intended to shift people’s attention from robots.
C.The decline in wages has resulted from bad policies rather than the application of robots.
D.Technological changes have contributed to rising wages instead of causing unemployment.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Don’t Blame Robots for Low Wages
The other day I found myself at a conference discussing declining wages and increasing inequality. One thing that struck me was how many of the participants just assumed that robots are a big part of the problem. But automation just isn’t a big part of the story what happened to American workers over the past 40 years. We do have a big problem, but it has very little to do with technology, and a lot to do with politics and power.
Economically speaking, a robot is anything that uses technology to do work formerly done by human beings. And robots in that sense have been transforming our economy for centuries. David Ricardo, a founding father of economics, wrote about the destructive effects of machinery in 1821. These days, when people talk about the robot destruction, they don’t usually think of things like strip mining(露天采矿) and mountaintop removal(削山开采). Yet these technologies completely transformed coal mining: Coal production almost doubled between 1950 and 2000, yet the number of coal miners fell from 470,000 to fewer than 80,000.
So the destruction brought by technological change is an old story. What’s new is the failure of workers to share in the fruits of that technological change. I’m not saying that coping with change was ever easy. But while there have always been some victims of technological progress, until the 1970s rising productivity translated into rising wages for a great majority of workers. Then the connection was broken. And it wasn’t the robots that did it.
What did? There is a growing agreement among economists that a key factor in wage decreasing has been worker’s declining bargaining power—a decline whose roots are ultimately political. Most obviously, the federal minimum wage has fallen by a third over the past half century, even as worker productivity has risen 150 percent, which rooted in politics, pure and simple.
The decline of unions, which covered a quarter of private-sector workers in 1973 but only 6 percent now, may not be as obviously political. But other countries haven’t seen the same kind of decline. What made America exceptional was a political environment deeply unfriendly to labor organizing and friendly toward union-destroying employers. And the decline of unions has made a huge difference. Consider trucking, which used to be a good job but now pays a third less than it did in the 1970s, with terrible working conditions. What made the difference? Deunionization was a big part of the story.
American workers can and should be getting a much better deal than they are. And to the extent that they aren’t, the fault lies not in our robots, but in our political leader.
1.The people present at the conference about lower wages and increasing inequality _________.
A.believed that robots have contributed to wage decline
B.agreed that robots should be used to help increase wages
C.predicted that lower wages and increasing inequality would relate to robots
D.assumed that lower wages and increasing inequality rooted in politics and power
2.The author mentions the case of the coal mining to show _________.
A.the robot destruction started from coal mining
B.the influence of the technology on jobs is not a new phenomenon
C.the number of jobs increases as a result of technological advancement
D.strip mining and mountaintop removal completely changed the coal mining industry
3.According to the passage, we know that _________.
A.the destructive effects of machinery started in 1821
B.25% of private-sector workers were covered by unions in 1973
C.rising productivity didn’t bring about rising wages until the 1970s
D.the minimum wage has decreased with the dropping of worker productivity
4.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.Technological changes have resulted in lower wages.
B.Political leaders have intended to shift people’s attention from robots.
C.The decline in wages has resulted from bad policies rather than the application of robots.
D.Technological changes have contributed to rising wages instead of causing unemployment.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
I recently traveled to San Francisco for some meetings and found myself with a half day to kill. My were to watch a football game or the America’s Cup sailing races. Or I could get lost.
After a terribly long line the car rental centre, I was free. I disappeared into the fog and clouds the Pacific Coast Highway and headed south with no destination in mind.
I through tunnels carved out of the mountains and stopped at a few state beaches; at , I watched a wedding out on the cliffs（悬崖）among the crashing waves.
Back in the car, I continued toward San Gregorio, a town that you can easily . I know because I was right through it and on a pine-tree-bordered ribbon of tar (焦油) that felt like it would go on forever.
A few people moved around the San Gregorio General Store, smoking cigarettes and talking about the motorcycles they’ve owned the years. Inside, I found a bar with , a guitar duo（二重奏）, and, of course, a store.
I ordered a beer in the crowded bar, a seat, and watched the guitarists jam out. Then I congratulated them, threw a couple of wrinkled (皱的) in their bucket, and walked back out into the world.
The day could have been so different: crowded into a or bar half-watching sports. But this was much more . Hours before, I was on a flight with the masses, going through the air sickness. Then I was out on my own, an unexpected and unrepeatable experience.
I learned that day: don’t be afraid to get lost – on purpose – and have zero expectations. It will be good for you. I promise.
1.A. suggestions B. thoughts C. choices D. decisions
2.A. with B. at C. of D. through
3.A. But B. Since C. Though D. So
4.A. covering B. forming C. mixing D. spreading
5.A. highly B. eventually C. entirely D. simply
6.A. walked B. drove C. approached D. climbed
7.A. that B. it C. this D. one
8.A. miss B. visit C. explore D. forget
9.A. broke down B. pulled over C. ended up D. set out
10.A. from B. outside C. back D. ahead
11.A. by B. before C. beyond D. over
12.A. regulars B. motorcyclists C. musicians D. experts
13.A. popular B. reliable C. typical D. permanent
14.A. arranged B. occupied C. exchanged D. booked
15.A. tickets B. cigarettes C. coins D. dollars
16.A. stadium B. hall C. gym D. museum
17.A. promising B. convenient C. rewarding D. traditional
18.A. reviewing B. having C. seeking D. affording
19.A. nothing B. anything C. everything D. something
20.A. or rather B. after all C. at all D. or otherwise
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
_____ for making so many mistakes in the exam, she was in low spirits.
A. Having blamed B. To blame C. Blamed D. To be blamed
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Don’ t blame the boy.He only made a mistake which others_______on such an occasion.
A.will make B.would make C.were to make D.would have made
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Don’t always_______your own failure_______others.Sometimes you yourself________.
A．blame；on；are to be blamed
B．blame；for；are to blame
C．blame；on；are to blame
D．blame；for；are to be blamed
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
One a February day during an unusually mild winter, I found myself missing the snowy beauty. I enjoyed the feeling that comes from watching snow fall gently from heaven while I’m cosy inside with a good fire burning in the stove. But there were more serious concerns, like the lack of rainfall making our woods more accessible to summer forest fires. Local ski fields and hotels, all dependent on a snowy season, felt sorry for the vacant lifts, empty restaurants and unused snowmobiles.
Then I happened to see three little robins （知更鸟） fly into our yard. What were they doing here? West of us, in the Willamette Valley, wild flowers burst this time of year. But here in central Oregon, even if a groundhog （ 土拨鼠） had wanted to appear, it couldn't have broken through the frozen earth. And yet, these robins had arrived.
Their presence brought me a flow of happiness. It felt like a celebration as I dug into my bag of birdseed and spread a handful on the ground. Above me, the deep blue sky was cloudless, perfectly quiet but for some smoke from a neighbor's chimney. The lively cold made the air fresh and clean.
My robins jumped lightly toward the seed. My soul jumped with them, feeling equally carefree. Caught up in the moment of spring fever, I checked our snowless flower beds. To my delight, I spotted a green branch sticking out through the brown soil.
Despite the cold, I wasn't ready to go back inside. Just a short meeting with those robins had renewed my spirit. The next day I would return to my outdoor work with a cheerful heart and a hopeful eye for these signs of spring.
1.The author missed a snowy winter because snow could __________.
A. prevent forest fires B. boom his business
C. promise an early spring D. bring him a good feeling
2.The author felt happy when finding _________.
A. the sky was deep blue with clouds
B. three little robins flew into his yard
C. wild flowers burst in the Willamette Valley
D. a groundhog appeared through the frozen earth
3.We can infer from the passage that the author _________.
A. would enjoy wild flowers the next day B. though winter was already over
C. longed for the coming of spring D. loved robins the most
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A few days before Christmas 2012, I found myself in Walmart. It was the last _______I wanted to be, especially during the chaos of last-minute Christmas shopping. It had been a little more than a month since my husband was laid off.
The school my kids attended asked if we needed help for Christmas, and we _______. If not for them, our kids would not have had Christmas gifts.
My children were with me that day at Walmart. Our cupboards were bare, and I had only eighty dollars to _________ a family of six for a week. It’s not impossible to _______, but certainly not comfortable. It leaves little _______ for anything extra. Yet, it was Christmas, and my kids asked if they could buy a present for their dad. How could I say “no”? I found a gift box of their dad’s favorite cologne and hoped I could _______ it. Lucky for me, my husband doesn’t have expensive_______.
My husband worked very hard to_______ for us, and I stayed home. It wasn’t by _______ . Having two children on the autism spectrum makes it difficult for me to work. Doctors’ appointments, therapy schedules, and school meetings make it near impossible to __________ a regular work schedule. So, when he was laid off, things got very __________ quickly. He wasn’t without a job long, but the __________ of income for a couple of weeks certainly put a stress on our family.
As I chose my groceries, I kept a running total in my head. As my cart (手推车) filled, my __________ rose. The more I thought about it, the less ___________ it was that I would be able to buy a gift for my husband.
When I went to the checkout, I set aside the cologne gift box. My kids____________, but I didn’t have much of a choice. My heart__________ when the grocery total was indeed too high for us to buy the gift, but an angel was waiting in the wings.
What happened left me speechless, and being the __________ type, speechless is rare for me. A man__________ us, put four twenty-dollar bills into my hand and happily exclaimed, “Merry Christmas!” He left so fast that I didn’t __________ have a chance to say, “Thank you.”
A wave of emotion came over me as I ___________the cologne gift set to the belt. We were thrilled, and my husband had a Christmas present. Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.
1.A.place B.moment C.season D.station
2.A.refused B.answered C.accepted D.ignored
3.A.warm B.feed C.help D.inspire
4.A.respond B.appreciate C.purchase D.accomplish
5.A.room B.excuse C.energy D.courage
6.A.offer B.afford C.owe D.earn
7.A.bill B.collection C.taste D.clothes
8.A.stand B.compete C.prepare D.provide
9.A.choice B.mistake C.heart D.nature
10.A.create B.design C.maintain D.discover
11.A.smooth B.tight C.unexpected D.simplified
12.A.increase B.discount C.steadiness D.absence
13.A.regret B.anxiety C.blame D.complaint
14.A.likely B.important C.necessary D.difficult
15.A.cheered B.followed C.protested D.supported
16.A.lost B.calmed C.beat D.sank
17.A.outgoing B.optimistic C.talkative D.hardworking
18.A.approached B.guided C.pleased D.trusted
19.A.ever B.even C.once D.already
20.A.threw B.cancelled C.recommended D.added
高三英语完形填空困难题查看答案及解析
—There is a belief that the robots will take the place of human beings one day.
— After all, they don't have their own thinking.
A.Don't mention it.
B.It depends.
C.I don't think so.
D.I have no idea.
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Many of us are quick to blame others for how we feel: “He makes me so mad!" or “She really hurt my feelings. "But did someone really" make me angry "or are we felling the anger in us getting kicked up in response to the way someone behaved towards us？
The difference between the two is in who the responsible party is for the way we feel. If we blame others for our feelings we will eventually feel reasonable at whatever our retaliation（报复）may be，and we will explain that it was their fault，not ours. "They were driving me mad”.
When we blame others for the way we feel we have in fact given power to others for the state of our emotional wellbeing（健康）. The truth is，no one controls our feelings but us. If we are finding that people in our lives really know how to" push our buttons" then we are not doing a good enough job at protecting our " buttons. "We are the ones leaving our buttons out in the open so that other people can" push them. "Ultimately，the switch for our buttons is inside us-not on the outside.
While there are some things in life that are clearly out of our control，like the weather or a flight that's two hours late，how we act and respond to other people's behavior is not among them. Our responses to others are well within our control.
If someone is "making us" so mad，for example，that we get angry，we are not doing enough to learn about what drives our anger and how to properly cope with it. My suggestion is taking time before you get angry. and putting some work into taking an inventory（清单）of the past. An inventory can show you how much of your past experiences influence your feeling reactions in the current moment.
When we finally realize that so much of our present feelings and reactions are driven from within ourselves and our own past experiences，we will be ready to make the changes in our lives that will better secure our buttons so that they are no longer left out in public for everyone to push at will.
1.What result will appear if we blame others for our emotions?
A.We consider others to be correct.
B.We consider ourselves to be correct.
C.We consider we were driving ourselves mad.
D.We consider they were driving themselves mad.
2.What's the author's attitude towards feelings?
A.We should blame others for the way we feel.
B.We should enable others to control our feelings.
C.We should let others know our daily life clearly.
D.We should control personal feelings ourselves.
3.According to the author, which can always be under our control?
A.The weather conditions.
B.The delay of a flight
C.Other people's feelings.
D.Our own behavior.
4.Which proverb best suits the author's advice in Paragraph 5?
A.A burden of one's choice is not felt.
B.A friend is easier lost than found.
C.Think twice before acting.
D.A good beginning is half done.
5.What does the underlined phrase "push our buttons" probably mean in Paragraph3?
A.Force us to do a god job.
B.Make us angry.
C.Take off our buttons.
D.Let us down.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is I _________ my parents who__________ to blame for the accident.
A. other than; are B. rather than; am
C. more than; are D. than; is
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析