Temporary Employment
Some observers have attributed the dramatic growth in temporary employment that occurred in the United States during the 1980's to increased participation in the workforce by certain groups, such as first time or reentering workers, who supposedly prefer such arrangements. However, statistical analyses reveal that demo- graphic changes in the workforce did not correlate with variations in the total number of temporary workers. Instead, these analyses suggest that factors affecting employers account for the rise in temporary employment. One factor is product demand; temporary employment is favored by employers who are adapting to fluctuating demand for products while at the same time seeking to reduce overall labor costs. Another factor is labor's reduced bargaining strength, which allows employers more control over the terms of employment. Given the analyses, which reveal that growth in temporary employment now far exceeds the level explainable by recent workforce entry rates of groups said to prefer temporary jobs, firms should be discouraged from creating excessive numbers of temporary positions. Government policymakers should consider mandating benefit coverage for temporary employees, promoting pay equity between temporary and permanent workers, assisting labor unions in organizing temporary workers, and encouraging firms to assign temporary jobs primarily to employees who explicitly indicate that preference.
The first sentence in the passage suggests that the observers mentioned in line 1 would be most likely to predict which of the followings?
A. That the total number of temporary positions would increase as fewer workers were able to find permanent positions.
B. That employers would have less control over the terms of workers' employment as workers increased their bargaining strength.
C. That more workers would be hired for temporary positions as product demand increased.
D. That the number of workers taking temporary positions would increase as more workers in any given demographic group entered the workforce.
Section B
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice.
What does it mean to say that we live in a world of persuasion'? It means that we live among competing interests. Your roommate's need to study for an exam may take priority over pizza. Your instructor may have good reasons not to change your grade. And the object of your romantic interest may, alas, have other options.
In such a world, persuasion is the art of' getting others to give fair and favorable consideration to our point of view. When we persuade, we want to influence how others believe and behave. We may not always prevail--other points of view may be more persuasive, depending on the listener, the situation, and the merits of the case. But when we practice the art of persuasion, we try to ensure that our position receives the attention it deserves.
Some people, however, object to the very idea of persuasion. They may regard it as an unwelcome intrusion into their lives or as a manipulation or domination. In contrast, we believe that persuasion is inevitable--to live is to persuade. Persuasion may be ethical or unethical, selfless or selfish, inspiring or degrading. Persuaders may enlighten our minds or prey on our vulnerability. Ethical persuasion, however, calls on sound reasoning and is sensitive to the feelings and needs of listeners. Such persuasion can help us apply the wisdom of the past to the decisions we now must make. Therefore, an essential part of education is learning to resist the one kind of persuasion and to encourage and practice the other.
Beyond its personal importance to us, persuasion is essential to society. The right to persuade and be persuaded is the bedrock (基础) of the American political system, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Persuasion is very important in our daily communication.
B. We live among competing interests.
C. Persuasion is both good and bad, and it is all around us.
D. Persuasion is essential to society and is built into American government.