TEXT NINE

　　Scoresof workers from MTV Networks walked off the job yesterday afternoon, fillingthe sidewalk outside the headquarters of its corporate parent, Viacom, toprotest recent changes in benefits. The walkout highlighted the concerns of acategory of workers who are sometimes called permalancers: permanentfreelancers who work like full-time employees but do not receive the samebenefits.

　　Wavingsigns that read Shame on Viacom,the workers, most of them in their 20s, demanded that MTV Networks reverse aplan to reduce health and dental benefits for freelancers beginning Jan. 1. Ina statement, MTV Networks noted that its benefits program for full-timeemployees had also undergone changes, and it emphasized that the plan forfreelancers was still highly competitive within the industry. Many freelancersreceive no corporate benefits. But some of the protesters asserted thatcorporations were competing to see which could provide the most mediocre healthcare coverage. Matthew Yonda, who works at Nickelodeon, held a sign thatlabeled the network Sick-elodeon.Iveworked here every day for three years -- Im not afreelancer, Mr. Yonda said. Theyjust call us freelancers in order to bar us from getting the same benefits asemployees.

　　Thechanges to the benefits package were announced last Tuesday. Freelancers weretold that they would become eligible for benefits after 160 days of work,beginning in January. While that eased previous eligibility rules, whichrequired freelancers to work for 52 weeks before becoming eligible, it wouldhave required all freelancers not yet eligible for benefits to start thewaiting period over again on Jan. 1. The 401 plan was also removed. OnThursday, acknowledging the complaints, MTV Networks reinstated the 401 planand said freelancers who had worked consistently since March would be eligible.

　　Fueledby a series of blog posts on the media Web site Gawker -- the first post washeadlined The Viacom Permalance Slave System-- a loose cohort of freelancers created protest stickers and distributedwalkout fliers last week. Caroline OHare, a unitmanager who has worked for MTV for more than two years, said the new healthcare plan -- with higher deductibles and a $2,000 cap on hospital expenses eachyear -- had provoked outrage. They think theycan treat us like children that dont have families,mortgages or dreams of retirement, she said.

　　OutsideViacomsheadquarters, several workers held posters with the words, Therestoo many of us to ignore. It was unclearhow many freelancers are on the companys payroll; an MTVNetworks spokeswoman said the figure was not known because it rises and fallsthroughout the year. The company has 5,500 full-time employees, excludingfreelancers, around the world.

　　Twofreelancers and one full-time employee, who asked not to be identified for fearof retribution, estimated that the percentage of freelancers in somedepartments exceeded 75 percent. Another labor action is expected to take placeoutside Viacom later this week. Members of the Writers Guild of America, whohave been on strike for five weeks, are expected to picket there on Thursday.

　　1.Whichone of the following statements is NOT true of MTV Networksnew benefits plan for freelancers?

　　[A]Its benefits plan for freelancers is highly competitive in the industry.

　　[B]Its freelancers cannot receive the same benefits as the full-time employees.

　　[C]The freelancers who are not eligible for benefits should start the waitingperiod over again on Jan. 1.

　　[D]The freelancers are against the new plan which substantially but their benefit

　　2.According to the new benefits program of MTV Networks, the followingfreelancers are eligible for benefits except_____.

　　[A]those who have worked for 160 days

　　[B]those who have worked for 1 year.

　　[C]those who have worked since March.

　　[D]those who have worked since Jan. 1.

　　3.Theword reinstate most probably means_____.

　　[A]redesign

　　[B]restore

　　[C]repair

　　[D]reset

　　4.The MTV Networks spokeswoman did not provide the number of freelancers on thepayroll mostly probably because_____.

　　[A]the figure fluctuates throughout the year and it is impossible to calculate theprecise number

　　[B]the company wants to keep it as a secret so as to better stand the protest

　　[C]the company has no record of the freelancers since there is no such necessity

　　[D]the company does not want to provide the freelancers with benefits enjoyed bythe full-time employee.

　　5.Towards MTV Networks change on the benefits plan, the authorsattitude can be said to be_____.

　　[A]affirmative

　　[B]negative

　　[C]biased

　　[D]neutral

　　文章剖析：

　　這篇文章介紹了MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)公司修改其對(duì)于雇用的自由職員的福利待遇方案的調(diào)整以及引起的反響。文章第一段第二段介紹MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)公司的自由職員舉行罷工游行的情況;第三段講述福利方案調(diào)整的一些內(nèi)容;第四段講述其他的一些抗議形式;第五段第六段是關(guān)于MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)公司雇用的自由職員的數(shù)量的一些情況。

　　詞匯注釋：

　　freelancern. 自由職業(yè)者

　　reversev. 撤銷或取消

　　mediocreadj. 普通的，劣等的

　　retributionn. 懲罰，報(bào)償

　　reinstaten. 恢復(fù)

　　cohortn. 一群一群或一幫人

　　stickern. 張貼物

　　fliern. 傳單

　　deductiblen. 扣除條款,保險(xiǎn)單內(nèi)的條款之一，免除保險(xiǎn)人對(duì)被保險(xiǎn)戶承受的損失賠償最初的規(guī)定的金額

　　picketv. 派出糾察員，在罷工或示威期間設(shè)置一個(gè)或幾個(gè)糾察隊(duì)

　　難句突破：

　　Waving signs that read Shame on Viacom,the workers, most of them in their 20s, demanded that MTV Networks reverse aplan to reduce health and dental benefits for freelancers beginning Jan. 1.

　　[主體句式]The workers demanded that...考試大

　　[結(jié)構(gòu)分析]這是一個(gè)復(fù)合句，前面的現(xiàn)在分詞短語作為主語的伴隨狀語;most of them in their 20s是主語的同位語;謂語demand后是一個(gè)賓語從句，在該從句中，beginning Jan 1是一個(gè)現(xiàn)在分詞短語作a plan的定語。

　　[句子譯文]這些工人大多數(shù)都是二十多歲，他們手中揮舞著寫有 Viacom 無恥 的標(biāo)語，要求MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)收回于1月1日開始實(shí)施的減少自由職業(yè)者健康和牙齒醫(yī)療方面福利的計(jì)劃。

　　Whilethat eased previous eligibility rules, which required freelancers to work for52 weeks before becoming eligible, it would have required all freelancers notyet eligible for benefits to start the waiting period over again on Jan. 1.

　　[主體句式]While that ... it would have...

　　[結(jié)構(gòu)分析]這是一個(gè)并列句，前半分句中有一個(gè)which 引導(dǎo)的非限定定于從句修飾previous eligibility rules,后半分句中notyet eligible for benefits 是后置定語用來修飾all freelancers。

　　[句子譯文]雖然這樣一來放寬了以前的資格規(guī)定(該規(guī)定要求自由職業(yè)者在成為合格人員前必須工作52周)，但卻要求所有還未有資格享受福利的自由職業(yè)者從1月1日重新開始計(jì)算等待期。

　　題目分析：

　　1.Which one of the following statements is NOT true of MTV Networks newbenefits plan for freelancers?1. 關(guān)于MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)對(duì)自由職業(yè)者的新福利方案，下列哪一個(gè)是不正確的_____。

　　[A] Its benefits plan for freelancers is highly competitive in theindustry.[A] 在本行業(yè)內(nèi)它的福利方案是很有競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力的。

　　[B] Its freelancers cannot receive the same benefits as thefull-time employees.[B] 自由職業(yè)者不能和全職員工享有一樣的福利待遇。

　　[C] The freelancers who are not eligible for benefits should startthe waiting period over again on Jan. 1.[C] 沒有資格享受福利待遇的自由職業(yè)者要重新從一月一日開始計(jì)算工作時(shí)間。

　　[D] The freelancers are against the new plan which substantiallycuts their benefit.[D] 自由職業(yè)者反對(duì)新福利方案，該方案大幅度地削減了他們的福利。

　　[答案]C

　　[難度系數(shù)] ☆☆☆

　　[分析] 細(xì)節(jié)題。題目要求找出和新福利方案不符合的一項(xiàng)，關(guān)于A在第二段由所提及，是MTV為自己辯護(hù)的證據(jù);B在全文中都有體現(xiàn)，第一段工人罷工的原因就是自由職業(yè)者不能和正式員工享受一樣的福利;選項(xiàng)C在文章的第三段提到，雖然一開始計(jì)劃改變后是這樣規(guī)定的，但因職員的抗議，公司又重新恢復(fù)了401方案，只要從三月份以來一直在工作的員工就可以享受新的福利方案。選項(xiàng)D，全文中各個(gè)段落都提到了這一點(diǎn)。因此，只有C是符合題干的。

　　2. According to the new benefits program of MTV Networks, thefollowing freelancers are eligible for benefits package except_____.2. 根據(jù)MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)的新福利方案，下列自由職業(yè)者除了_____之外都有資格享受福利。

　　[A] those who have worked for 160 days beginning in January[A] 從一月起已經(jīng)工作了160天的員工。

　　[B] those who have worked for 1 year.[B] 已經(jīng)工作了一年的員工

　　[C] those who have worked since March.[C] 自三月以來在工作的員工。

　　[D] those who start the waiting period over again on Jan. 1.[D] 從一月一日起重新開始等待期的員工。

　　[答案]D

　　[難度系數(shù)] ☆☆☆

　　[分析] 細(xì)節(jié)題。MTV修改了的新福利方案對(duì)享受福利待遇的職工作了新定義，這在第三段有說明。新方案規(guī)定從一月份開始在公司工作了160天的員工有這個(gè)資格，之前的規(guī)定是工作達(dá)52周的員工;不過這個(gè)新規(guī)定要求所有還沒有資格享受福利的員工要從一月一日開始重新計(jì)算工作時(shí)間，不過由于職員的抗議，公司決定只要從三月份以來一直在公司工作的員工就有這個(gè)資格。那么四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，A是符合的，B無論什么情況下也都符合，C在公司修改后也符合，只有D不符合，沒有該資格。

　　3.The word reinstate most probablymeans_____.3. reinstate 這個(gè)詞(第三段第五行)最有可能的意思是_____。

　　[A] redesign[A] 重新設(shè)計(jì)

　　[B] restore[B] 恢復(fù)

　　[C] revise[C] 修改

　　[D] reset[D] 重新安排

　　[答案]B

　　[難度系數(shù)] ☆☆

　　[分析] 猜詞題。首先看到reinstate這個(gè)詞是由re開頭的，因此這個(gè)單詞應(yīng)該有 重復(fù) 或者 重新 的意思。有了這個(gè)前提，再結(jié)合上下文來看，401方案取消后，員工進(jìn)行了抗議，因此MTV對(duì)該方案采取了一定行動(dòng)。可以推測(cè)，是一種公司緩和氣氛而作的努力，那么應(yīng)該是恢復(fù)了該方案。答案為B。選項(xiàng)的幾個(gè)單詞都比較類似，也都是以re開頭的詞匯，但是它們之間有一些小小的區(qū)別，要注意區(qū)分。這道題主要考察了考生的詞匯量、以及辨別相近詞之間區(qū)別的能力。

　　4. The MTV Networks spokeswoman did not provide the number offreelancers on the payroll mostly probably because_____.4. MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)女發(fā)言人沒有提供薪水冊(cè)上自由職業(yè)者的數(shù)量最有可能是因?yàn)開_____。

　　[A] the figure fluctuates throughout the year and it is impossibleto calculate the precise number[A] 這個(gè)數(shù)字在一年內(nèi)會(huì)不停波動(dòng)，同時(shí)也不可能計(jì)算出來一個(gè)準(zhǔn)確數(shù)字。

　　[B] the company wants to keep it as a secret so as to better standthe protest[B] 公司想要對(duì)該方面保密以便于更好地抵制罷工。

　　[C] the company has no record of the freelancers since there is nosuch necessity[C] 公司沒有自由職業(yè)者的紀(jì)錄，因?yàn)闆]有做記錄的必要。

　　[D] the company does not want to provide the freelancers withbenefits enjoyed by the full-time employee.[D] 公司不想為自由職業(yè)者提供與正式員工一樣的福利待遇。

　　[答案]B

　　[難度系數(shù)] ☆☆☆☆

　　[分析] 推理題。第五段中提到，目前工資薪水冊(cè)上有多少自由職員還不清楚，一位MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)發(fā)言人聲稱是因?yàn)檫@個(gè)數(shù)字全年都來回波動(dòng)，這很明顯是一個(gè)托詞，因?yàn)槊考夜径紩?huì)有其各種人員的登記，要掌握具體的數(shù)據(jù)并不困難。只是公布該數(shù)據(jù)對(duì)公司不利，因?yàn)楣咀灾写罅康淖杂陕殕T，如果數(shù)據(jù)公布對(duì)罷工者有利，對(duì)公司反而是不利證據(jù)，因此是因?yàn)楣静幌胱屚馊酥溃员阌谠谶@場(chǎng)罷工斗爭(zhēng)中爭(zhēng)取有利形勢(shì)。因此B為正確答案。C和D選項(xiàng)屬于無中生有。

　　5. Towards MTV Networks change on thebenefits plan, the authors attitude can be said to be_____.5. 作者對(duì)于MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)在福利方案方面所作的調(diào)整的態(tài)度是_____。

　　[A] affirmative[A] 肯定的

　　[B] negative[B] 否定的

　　[C] biased[C] 有偏見的

　　[D] neutral[D] 中立的

　　[答案]B

　　[難度系數(shù)] ☆

　　[分析] 態(tài)度題。文章雖然措辭比較客觀，但是從作者引用的例子等還是可以發(fā)現(xiàn)，作者對(duì)MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)公司所作的福利方案變動(dòng)還是有一定的想法。如他引用的幾個(gè)自由職業(yè)者的陳述都可以表現(xiàn)出這一點(diǎn)來。因此，答案為B。

　　參考譯文：

　　昨天下午，MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)的許多工人進(jìn)行罷工，站滿了其上級(jí)公司Viacom總部外的人行道，抗議最近福利方面的變化。這次罷工突出反映了有時(shí)被稱作為永久的自由職業(yè)者的這么一類工人的憂慮：他們和全職員工一樣工作，但是卻得不到同樣的福利。

　　這些工人大多數(shù)都是二十多歲，他們手中揮舞著寫有 Viacom 無恥 的標(biāo)語，要求MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)收回于1月1日開始實(shí)施的減少自由職業(yè)者健康和牙齒醫(yī)療方面福利的計(jì)劃。MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)在一次聲明中提到其全職員工的福利計(jì)劃也發(fā)生了一些裱畫，并且強(qiáng)調(diào)對(duì)自由職業(yè)者的福利計(jì)劃在本行業(yè)來說還是有一定優(yōu)勢(shì)的。許多自由職業(yè)者沒有任何的公司福利。但是一些抗議者聲稱公司在互相較勁看誰能提供最普通的醫(yī)療保健保險(xiǎn)。在Nickelodeon工作的馬太Yonda手持的標(biāo)語將該網(wǎng)絡(luò)叫做 惡心的elodeon 。 我三年來每天都在這里工作--我不是自由職業(yè)者， Yonda這樣說， 他們叫我們自由職業(yè)者，目的就是不讓我們享受和正式員工一樣的福利。

　　福利變化是于上周二公布的，自由職業(yè)者被告知他們只能在從1月1日起的160天后才能有資格享受福利。雖然這樣一來放寬了以前的資格規(guī)定(該規(guī)定要求自由職業(yè)者在成為合格人員前必須工作52周)，但卻要求所有還未有資格享受福利的自由職業(yè)者從1月1日重新開始計(jì)算等待期。401(k)計(jì)劃也被刪除了。星期四，MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)在收到申訴后又恢復(fù)了401(k)計(jì)劃，宣布從三月以來就一直工作的自由職業(yè)者可以不用再等候就可以有資格享受福利。其他的一些改變也引起了公憤。

　　媒體網(wǎng)Gawker張貼了一系列的博客公告更是火上加油(第一篇公告抬頭為 Viacom 的永久自由職業(yè)者奴隸體系 )，一群組織松散的自由職業(yè)者上周做了抗議張貼物并散發(fā)罷工傳單。卡羅琳OHare是曾在MTV工作過兩年多的部門經(jīng)理，她說這個(gè)新的健康保障計(jì)劃有更高的扣除條款，并設(shè)定了每年醫(yī)療花費(fèi)2000美元的最高限額，已經(jīng)引起了公憤。 他們覺得可以對(duì)待我們像對(duì)待沒有家庭、抵押和退休夢(mèng)想的孩子一樣。 她這樣說。

　　在Viacom總部外，幾個(gè)工人手中的條幅這樣寫著： 我們?nèi)藬?shù)眾多，不容忽視。 還不清楚到底有多少自由職業(yè)者劃入該公司的薪水冊(cè)中，MTV網(wǎng)絡(luò)一位女發(fā)言人聲稱由于一年中這個(gè)數(shù)字起起伏伏，所以現(xiàn)在這個(gè)數(shù)字還不能確定。該公司除自由職業(yè)者外，在全世界有5500個(gè)全職員工。

　　有兩個(gè)自由職業(yè)者和一個(gè)全職員工估計(jì)在某些部門自由職業(yè)者的比例高達(dá)75%，這三個(gè)人因害怕被公司報(bào)復(fù)要求不要公開他們身份。另外一項(xiàng)勞動(dòng)訴訟可能將于本周晚些時(shí)候在Viacom外進(jìn)行。美國作家協(xié)會(huì)的成員已經(jīng)罷工五周，可望于周四在此派出糾察員。