First the good news: 9 in 10 people said they were satisfied with their jobs or work that they do-and that remained steady throughout 2008, despite the economy. And now the bad, even if its not so surprising: The number of people who said their employer reduced the size of the workforce rose dramatically during the year, from 15% in the first quarter to 23% in the fourth quarter.
That’s according to a survey from Gallup and health management company Healthways. Nearly each day in 2008, about 1,000 adults were asked about their physical, emotional, economic and workplace well-being. When it came to their work environment, many of the 355,334 people surveyed by phone were positive. But there were some labor pains.
Just 47% of respondents from Hawaii said they were satisfied with their jobs, used their strengths at work, were treated by a supervisor as a partner and worked in an “open, trusting environment”. That was the lowest score of any state on a work environment index that was compiled by calculating positive responses in those four areas. Utah nabbed top honors, with 59% of its respondents saying those four elements were prevalent in work lives. Among the biggest differences between Utah and Hawaii: 73% of Utah respondents said their supervisor created a trusting environment, while only 58% of folks in Hawaii felt that way. The national average was 65%. The Gallup—Healthways AHIP Congressional Report didn’t offer any insights into why Utah ruled and Hawaii ranked so poorly on the workplace front.
Hawaii’s residents took the No.1 slot in another two survey areas, emotional health and living conditions. “Maybe having a job while you’re in paradise may not be all that great,” says Jim Harter, a chief scientist of workplace and well-being at Gallup.
Utah has done well in separate workplace studies, as well. After considering factors such as unemployment rate, job growth, income growth, median household income and the cost of living, Moody’s Economy.com named its capital, Salt Lake City, the best U.S. city to work in for 2007 and 2008. But those glory days have faded, says Gus Faucher, Moody’s Economy.com director of macroeconomics. Utah’s housing boom turned into a bust later than most states. The national recession began in December 2007, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Salt Lake City’s recession began in November 2008, according to Moody’s Economy.com.
From a non-economic angle, Faucher says he can see why Utah would earn strong marks on the work front. “The state is really Mormon, so there is a sense of solidarity” among many employees, he says. “People feel very connected to each other.” Also, with its high birth rate, Utah has a robust population of younger employees who often add enthusiasm to the workplace, Faucher says. That’s the case at the Wasatch Music Coaching Academy in Salt Lake City, school owner David Murphy says. Most instructors are between 22 and 35 years old and are extremely passionate and excited about teaching students, he says. Murphy, 52, who says he has a “dream” job, takes a collaborative approach in managing all staffers, “I see myself working side by side with my staff, not over my staff.”
1. What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?
2. From Paragraph 4, we can infer all of the following EXCEPT that ______.
3. The author mentions several factors that will affect the happiness of people EXCEPT: ______.
4. Which of the following is correct according to the passage?
5. Why could Utah earn strong marks on the work front?
问题1选项
A.The economy of 2008 was still steady.
B.More people had to change their jobs.
C.From Jan. to Apr., about 54,000 people lost their jobs.
D.Most of the people surveyed felt hopeless.
问题2选项
A.Hawaii’s residents may feel more relaxed
B.the word “paradise” may refer to Hawaii
C.people may prefer living in Hawaii to working there
D.Jim Harter may be a scientist in Hawaii
问题3选项
A.Physical health
B.Psychological condition
C.Places they come from
D.Working environment
问题4选项
A.Salt Lake City is the best place to work in forever.
B.Utah’s economy never encountered recession.
C.Hawaii is a best place for entertainment and work.
D.Many cities in the United States have encountered economic depression.
问题5选项
A.The sense of solidarity and passions of young employees.
B.Good regulations set by the government.
C.Favorite climate.
D.Good geographical location.
第1题:B
第2题:D
第3题:C
第4题:D
第5题:A
1.【试题答案】B
【试题解析】推理判断题。A选项“2008年的经济保持稳定”,可以定位到文章第一段第一句9 in 10 people said they were satisfied with their jobs or work that they do-and that remained steady throughout 2008.(90%的人说他们对自己的工作或目前的工作感到满意,而且在整个2008年这一比例都保持稳定),2008年,90%对工作满意度呈平稳趋势,可排除A选项。B选项“更多的人不得不换工作”,可以定位到文章第一段最后一句The number of people who said their employer reduced the size of the workforce rose dramatically during the year, from 15% in the first quarter to 23% in the fourth quarter.(今年,声称雇主裁员的人数大幅上升,从第一季度的15%上升到第四季度的23%),雇主削减了劳动力规模的人数在今年大幅上升,可以推测更多的人不得不更换工作,B选项正确。C选项“从1月到4月,大约有54000人失业”,文章没有提到这个内容,可排除。D选项“大多数接受调查的人感到绝望”,文章提到许多人对工作环境持肯定态度,因此大多数人不会感到绝望,可排除D选项。因此B选项正确。
2.【试题答案】D
【试题解析】推理判断题。由题干我们可以定位到文章第四段。D选项“吉姆•哈特可能是夏威夷的科学家”,文章第四段没有提到此内容,D选项正确。A选项“夏威夷的居民可能会感到更放松”,可以定位到第四段第一句Hawaii’s residents took the No.1 slot in another two survey areas, emotional health and living conditions.(夏威夷居民在情绪健康和生活条件这两个调查领域也名列榜首),文章所说夏威夷居民在情绪健康和生活条件这两个调查领域也名列榜首,也就是夏威夷的居民会感到放松,A选项排除。B选项“天堂这个词可能指的是夏威夷”,可以定位到文章第四段第二句Maybe having a job while you’re in paradise may not be all that great.(在天堂拥有一份工作可能不是那么地好),可以推测天堂也就是代指前面的夏威夷,B选项可排除。C选项“人们可能更喜欢住在夏威夷而不是在那里工作”,可以定位到文章第四段第二句Maybe having a job while you’re in paradise may not be all that great.(在天堂拥有一份工作可能不是那么地好),也就是夏威夷不太适合工作,C选项可排除。因此D选项正确。
3.【试题答案】C
【试题解析】判断推理题。C选项“他们来自哪里”,文章没有提到,他们来自哪里会影响他们的幸福感,C选项正确。A选项“身体健康”,可以定位到第四段第一句Hawaii’s residents took the No.1 slot in another two survey areas, emotional health and living conditions.(夏威夷居民在情绪健康和生活条件这两个调查领域也名列榜首),情绪健康和生活条件这两个调查领域也名列榜首,也就是身体健康会影响人们的幸福感,A选项可排除。B选项“心理状态”,心理状态会影响人们的幸福感,B选项可排除。D选项“工作环境”,可以定位到文章第三段第一句Just 47% of respondents from Hawaii said they were satisfied with their jobs, used their strengths at work, were treated by a supervisor as a partner and worked in an “open, trusting environment”(在夏威夷的受访者中,只有47%的人对自己的工作感到满意,在工作中发挥自己的优势,被上司视为合作伙伴,在一个“开放、信任的环境”中工作),文章提到在“开放、信任的环境”中工作,会对工作感到满意,人们的幸福感也就会提升,D选项可排除。因此C选项正确。
4.【试题答案】D
【试题解析】判断推理题。D选项“美国许多城市都遭遇了经济萧条”,文章倒数第二段倒数第二句The national recession began in December 2007, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.(根据美国国家经济研究局的数据,这场全国性的衰退始于2007年12月),也就是美国经济经历了全国大萧条,D选项正确。A选项“盐湖城永远是最好的工作场所”,文章倒数第二段第五句Salt Lake City, the best U.S. city to work in for 2007(盐湖城评为2007年美国最适宜工作的城市),没有提到是永远适宜工作的地点,A选项可排除。B选项“犹他州的经济从未遭遇过衰退”,可以定位到文章倒数第二段倒数第三句Utah’s housing boom turned into a bust later than most states.(犹他州的房地产泡沫破灭的时间比大多数州都晚),但并不是从没有经历衰退,B选项可排除。C选项“夏威夷是娱乐和工作的最佳场所”,可以定位到文章第四段第二句Maybe having a job while you’re in paradise may not be all that great.(在天堂拥有一份工作可能不是那么地好),可推测夏威夷可能不太适合工作,C选项可排除。因此D选项正确。
5.【试题答案】A
【试题解析】细节事实题。通过题干我们可以定位到文章最后一段第四句Also, with its high birth rate, Utah has a robust population of younger employees who often add enthusiasm to the workplace(此外,由于犹他州的高出生率,年轻员工的数量也非常多,他们经常为工作增添热情),这也就是犹他州能够获得高分的原因。A选项“年轻员工的团结感和激情”符合文章内容,A选项正确。B选项“政府制定的良好规章制度”,文中没有提到此内容,B选项可排除。C选项“最喜欢的气候”,气候并不是造成犹他州取得高分的原因,C选项可排除。D选项“地理位置优越”,文章没有提到此内容,可排除。因此A选项正确。