Question

Many people say that they are working too many hours. They don’t have enough time to relax or to stay with their family.

Work hours are different from one country to another. In France, people spend about 1,646 hours a year at work. In Japan, however, people work about 2,159 hours a year. That means a Japanese worker works 513 more hours a year that a French worker.

Why do people work so many hours? Some people work extra hours because they want to make more money. However, many companies don’t pay overtimes. Their workers don’t get more money for more work. Some people think it’s their duty to work more hours. Some are afraid of losing their jobs if they don’t work more hours.

Many people say that their vacations are too short. In France, people get five weeks of paid vacation a year. In Germany, they get four to six weeks, and in the United States, two weeks. One study shows fewer than half of workers used all their vacation days. In Great Britain, there is a saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull (迟钝的) boy.” If that is true, there must be a lot of dull people in the world.

1.A Japanese worker works ________ more hours a year than a French one.

A. 513 B. 1,646

C. 2,519 D. 3,805

2.The underlined word “extra” in Paragraph 3 means “___________”.

A. 正常的 B. 额外的

C. 有用的 D. 少量的

3.People on _________ get only two weeks of paid vacation a year.

A.France B. Germany

C. The United States D.Great Britain

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. No companies offer vacation to their workers.

B. Many people say they have enough time to relax.

C. Not all companies pay their workers for more work.

D. More than half of workers use all their vacation days.

 

Answer 1

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了不同的国家人们的工作时间不同。一个日本工人比一个法国人一年多工作513个小时。人们之所以工作那么多时间，是因为他们想多挣钱，或者认为是职责所在，或者是怕失业。不同的国家人们的假期长短不同。

1.That means a Japanese worker works 513 more hours a year that a French worker. 可知一个日本工人比一个法国人一年多工作513个小时。故选A。

2. because they want to make more money.可知此处指想要多挣钱，额外多挣钱，故此处的意思额外的。 故选B。

3.in the United States, two weeks. 可知在美国一年有两周的带薪休假。故选C。

4.However, many companies don’t pay overtimes. Their workers don’t get more money for more work. 许多公司不会付加班费，他们的工人不会因为多工作而得到更多的钱，故选C。

考点：政治经济文化类短文阅读。