Why doesn’t the unemployment rate ever reach zero? Economists, who generally believe that supply tends to meet demand, have long thought about this question．Even in good times, i．e．not now, there are people who can’t find work．And even in bad times, i．e．now, there are job openings．With over 14 million people out of work and looking for a job, you would think every available job would be filled．But that’s not the case．Not now and not ever．　　

On Monday, the Nobel Prize committee awarded the prize for economics to the three scholars who have done the most to explain this phenomenon．Two of the winners are Americans, Peter Diamond of MIT and Dale Mortensen of Northwestern．The third winner is Christopher Pissarides, who teaches at the London School of Economics and was born on Cyprus．　　

Like most of economics, what they have found about why the jobless and ready-employers don’t find each other seems obvious．You have to find out there is job opening you are interested in．Employers need to get resumes （简历）．It takes a while for both employers and employees to make the decision that this is what they want．And these guys came up with a frame-work to study the problem of why people stay unemployed longer than they should and what can be done about it．　　

So what would today’s Nobel Prize winners do to solve the current problem of the unemployed? And does the awarding of the prize contribute to the politicians’ lowering joblessness?　　

Speaking from his north London home, Pissarides told The Associated Press the announcement came as “a complete surprise” though his work had already helped shape thinking on both sides of the Atlantic．　　For example, the New Deal for Young People, a British government policy aimed at getting 18-24-year-olds back on the job market after long periods of unemployment, “is very much based on our work,” he said．　　

“One of the key things we found is that it is important to make sure that people do not stay unemployed too long so they don’t lose their feel for the labor force,” Pissarides told reporters in London．“The ways of dealing with this need not be expensive training – it could be as simple as providing work experience．”

1.According to the writer, which is true about finding jobs?　　  

A．It is always difficult to find a job．　　

B．Everyone can find a job in good times．　　                        

C．Contrary to popular belief, it is easier to find a job in bad times．　　              

D．It is possible to find a job even in times as bad as now．

2.What is it that leads to their winning the prize?　　                         

       A．They have found the reason for unemployment．　　           

       B．They have put forward a set of ideas to deal with unemployment．　　           

       C．They have found out why people don’t want to be employed．　　                

       D．They have long studied the problem of unemployment．

3.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?　　           

       A．Pissarides thinks his work surprising．　　                         

       B．The work of Pissarides has influenced many economists．　　                      

       C．Some of the winners’ ideas have been put into practice．　　

       D．It is probable that unemployed young people in Britain benefit from Pissarides’ work．

4.According to Pissarides, _________ is effective in dealing with unemployment．　　  A．spending large sums of money on training　　                    

       B．teaching some knowledge of economics　　                        

       C．providing work experience　　            

       D．keeping people unemployed for some time

　　Why doesn’t the unemployment rate ever reach zero? Economists, who generally believe that supply tends to meet demand, have long thought about this question. Even in good times, i.e. not now, there are people who can’t find work. And even in bad times, i.e. now, there are job openings. With over 14 million people out of work and looking for a job, you would think every available job would be filled. But that’s not the case. Not now and not ever.
　　On Monday, the Nobel Prize committee awarded the prize for economics to the three scholars who have done the most to explain this phenomenon. Two of the winners are Americans, Peter Diamond of MIT and Dale Mortensen of Northwestern. The third winner is Christopher Pissarides, who teaches at the London School of Economics and was born on Cyprus.
　　Like most of economics, what they have found about why the jobless and ready-employers don’t find each other seems obvious. You have to find out there is job opening you are interested in. Employers need to get resumes （简历）. It takes a while for both employers and employees to make the decision that this is what they want. And these guys came up with a frame-work to study the problem of why people stay unemployed longer than they should and what can be done about it.
　　So what would today’s Nobel Prize winners do to solve the current problem of the unemployed? And does the awarding of the prize contribute to the politicians’ lowering joblessness?
　　Speaking from his north London home, Pissarides told The Associated Press the announcement came as “a complete surprise” though his work had already helped shape thinking on both sides of the Atlantic.
　　For example, the New Deal for Young People, a British government policy aimed at getting 18-24-year-olds back on the job market after long periods of unemployment, “is very much based on our work,” he said.
　　“One of the key things we found is that it is important to make sure that people do not stay unemployed too long so they don’t lose their feel for the labor force,” Pissarides told reporters in London. “The ways of dealing with this need not be expensive training – it could be as simple as providing work experience.”
【小题1】According to the writer, which is true about finding jobs?

　　Why doesn’t the unemployment rate ever reach zero? Economists, who generally believe that supply tends to meet demand, have long thought about this question. Even in good times, i.e. not now, there are people who can’t find work. And even in bad times, i.e. now, there are job openings. With over 14 million people out of work and looking for a job, you would think every available job would be filled. But that’s not the case. Not now and not ever.

　　On Monday, the Nobel Prize committee awarded the prize for economics to the three scholars who have done the most to explain this phenomenon. Two of the winners are Americans, Peter Diamond of MIT and Dale Mortensen of Northwestern. The third winner is Christopher Pissarides, who teaches at the London School of Economics and was born on Cyprus.

　　Like most of economics, what they have found about why the jobless and ready-employers don’t find each other seems obvious. You have to find out there is job opening you are interested in. Employers need to get resumes （简历）. It takes a while for both employers and employees to make the decision that this is what they want. And these guys came up with a frame-work to study the problem of why people stay unemployed longer than they should and what can be done about it.

　　So what would today’s Nobel Prize winners do to solve the current problem of the unemployed? And does the awarding of the prize contribute to the politicians’ lowering joblessness?

　　Speaking from his north London home, Pissarides told The Associated Press the announcement came as “a complete surprise” though his work had already helped shape thinking on both sides of the Atlantic.

　　For example, the New Deal for Young People, a British government policy aimed at getting 18-24-year-olds back on the job market after long periods of unemployment, “is very much based on our work,” he said.

　　“One of the key things we found is that it is important to make sure that people do not stay unemployed too long so they don’t lose their feel for the labor force,” Pissarides told reporters in London. “The ways of dealing with this need not be expensive training – it could be as simple as providing work experience.”

1.According to the writer, which is true about finding jobs?

　　A. It is always difficult to find a job.

　　B. Everyone can find a job in good times.

　　C. Contrary to popular belief, it is easier to find a job in bad times.

　　D. It is possible to find a job even in times as bad as now.

2. What is it that leads to their winning the prize?

　　A. They have found the reason for unemployment.

　　B. They have put forward a set of ideas to deal with unemployment.

　　C. They have found out why people don’t want to be employed.

　　D. They have long studied the problem of unemployment.

3.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

　　A. Pissarides thinks his work surprising.

　　B. The work of Pissarides has influenced many economists.

　　C. Some of the winners’ ideas have been put into practice.

　　D. It is probable that unemployed young people in Britain benefit from Pissarides’ work.

4. According to Pissarides, _________ is effrctive in dealing with unemployment.

　　A. spending large sums of money on training

　　B. teaching some knowledge of economics

　　C. providing work experience

　　D. keeping people unemployed for some time

As a disabled person, I often feel I have two jobs．There's my normal job working as a radio producer and there’s my role managing a team of carers （otherwise called personal assistants）．Of the two jobs, being a radio producer is considerably easier．One of the hardest aspects of being a PA employer and needing 24-hour care is that you never feel “off duty”．At any time a PA could present me with an issue or concern that needs handling．

There was an occasion when a previous PA came into my bedroom one morning to get me up and began complaining straight away that I had paid her the wrong amount that week．Another former PA once called me on a Saturday evening to ask if she could book some annual leave．

Once the booking is confirmed, the worry about not having a carer at all is replaced by concern over who the carer is．My agency tries very hard to send me carers who’ve helped me before, but obviously if you book agency care at short notice you just have to accept whoever is available．When an agency sends me a carer who is new to me, I have to explain my needs from scratch．

Of course, no organisation is never wrong and care agencies are no exception．When an agency makes a mistake and a carer fails to turn up, the impact on my life can be frustrating and distressing．It might mean I’m unable to get up in the morning and am stuck in bed for hours staring at the ceiling, waiting for a carer to arrive．It might mean I’m late for work or have to miss an appointment．Fortunately, over the last decade I’ve seen a considerable improvement in the quality of service care agencies provide．Most of the time, I’m pleased to say, the agencies I use are caring, organised and reliable．

When a home PA is off sick, life can be stressful but when a work PA is ill, the consequences can be more serious．At home it doesn’t matter if tasks don’t get done or take longer because the agency carer is less experienced at helping me than my permanent PAs．The only person affected is myself．However, at work I have to meet deadlines and if I don’t do my job properly, then not only will it create extra problems for my colleagues but it could also affect the quality of the programme I'm working on．

Luckily, I employ two full-time permanent PAs so when one is absent I usually still have the other one with me．On a normal day the work PAs share out the hours equally between them．

Covering a PA’s sickness not only creates practical problems, it can also be a financial headache．Agency care is expensive．For this reason, a PA who doesn’t need much sick leave is worth her weight in gold．

1．The passage is mainly about __________________．

      A．social relation                        B．housework and work

      C．social care                         D．sickness and treatment

2．Being a PA employer, the author feels she is always “on duty” because__________________．

      A．she takes up two jobs---- working as radio producer and managing a team of carers．

      B．some employees are either less experienced or considerably lazy．

      C．she has to get up early in the morning and go to bed late at night．

      D．a personal assistant may bring much trouble to her anytime．

3．What does the author think of the service of the care agencies?

      A．The quality of service care agencies offer has improved a lot．

      B．Her care agencies never make any mistakes．

      C．Her care agencies take good care of her．

      D．The service her care agencies provide needs considerable improvement．

4．Why can the consequences be more serious when a work PA is ill?

      A．Because a work PA is less efficient than a home PA

      B．Because the author’s poor work has an effect on her colleagues with no care．

      C．Because on a normal day a work PA has much important work to do．

      D．Because the absence of a PA can cause financial problems．

Remind children that bad things don’t last. It may sound simple, but the message is extremely important. “Children often don’t have the experience to know that when something bad happens---they lose an important game or their best friend lets them down---it’s not the end of the world,” explains Nancy Leffert, a senior research scientist with the Research Institute, an American adolescents(青少年) and children’s research group. “They think their bad feelings will last for ever, or that one failure will ruin everything.”
Unfortunately, that kind of thinking discourages motivation(动机). “If a child believes that the cause of her upset is lasting, or that nothing she does will make a difference, it decreases her ability to keep on trying.” says Dorothy Rich, president of the MegaSkills Education Center of the Home and School Institute, based in Washington. Any time you can help your child see that a situation is not lasting, that a result can be changed, or that one opinion does not reflect reality, you give her reason to hope.
Case in point: “When my daughter Kathy was eight, art was one of her favorite subjects,” says Beth, a mother of two. “Then she got an art teacher who gave a great deal of praise to one student and barely noticed the rest. Kathy was ready to give up until I explained to her, “Never stop doing your best just because one person doesn’t give you praise.” Beth had to repeat the advice often, and finally her daughter got the message. “Kathy is 12 now, and art is still one of her strongest subjects.”
【小题1】According to the passage we know many children__________.

A．know how to face a failure

B．try their best to avoid a situation of failure

C．don’t want to stay in bad feelings for ever

D．tend to take a failure as the end of the world