The government makes rich pensioners richer still
BRITAIN’S pensioners are a cosseted lot. Since 2011 their state pensions have been protected by the “triple lock?” which ensures they rise along with prices, warnings or 2.5%, whichever is higher. Perks for the old such as free TV licenses and bus passes and an annual winter handout to help with heating have all survived austerity. Government bonds paying well above the market rate of interest have just been made available exclusively to those aged 65 and over. Is all this generosity justified?
Pensioners are poorer than working-age people-almost all have incomes below the national average. But they are treated better by the state. For any given private income, retirees' equalized disposable income-that is, money available to spend after the deduction of taxes and payment of benefits, and adjusted to account for household size—is higher than that of younger people
The state pension, currently worth about £ 6.000 (around $9,000) a year, accounts for much of the discrepancy. It is often seen as a reward for past contributions, not as a pure benefit, but this is dubious: pensions are funded by today's taxpayers. Even if pensions are counted as private income, the richest pensioners still do well from the state. They do not pay national insurance (a tax levied only on earned income) on their private pensions, leaving more money for cruises and conservatories.
On January 27th, in an interview with the Daily Telegraph newspaper, David Cameron promised that a future Conservative government would remove housing benefit from 18- to 21-years-olds---a group that suffers from higher-than-average unemployment and already receives less generous welfare payments. Meanwhile, the silver-haired who will benefit most from the government’s new bonds are those who can afford to stash away the full £ 20,000 limit—more than a year's income for most pensioners. It's a good time to be rich and old.
1. “Austerity’ in line 5, paragraph 1 means（ ）.
2. Which of the following is true?
3. Discrepancy' in line 2, paragraph 3 refers to（ ）.
4. In British, retirees can go for cruises and conservatories, because（ ）.
5. Why it is a good time to be rich and old in British, because（ ）.
1.词义题。根据题干定位至第一段: Perks for the old such as free TV licenses and bus passes and an annual winter handout to help with heating have all survived austerity (给老人们的附带福利，比如免费电视许可、巴士通行证以及每 年发放的保暖健康手册在财政紧缩的当下统统保留了下来)。因此，此处谈及英国养老金额外津贴的发放背景，因此，选项中，只有D项符合“austerity 筒朴，朴素，节衣缩食”符合语境。
2.判断推理题。各选项为:A:退休人员的收入比年轻人高。B:退休人员免税。C:退休人员几乎都收入较低。D:退休人员的工资都很高。第二段指出: Pensioners are poorer than working-age people—almost all have incomes below the national average. But they are treated better by the state. For any given private income, retirees' equalized disposable income—that is, money available to spend after the deduction of taxes and payment of benefits, and adjusted to account for household size—is higher than that of younger people (退休老人的收入低于正在工作的人们——大多数老人只能拿到低于国家 平均工资水平的退休金。但是国家更优待他们。对于任何有固定收入的个人，退休人员的可支配收入——在交税和支付福利后并按照家庭收入比例作出调整的可支配金额——比年轻人的收入要高得多)，因此，A项正确，B项错误，C和D项表述过于绝对。
3.词义题。对于“Discrepancy” 的理解可参考此句: For any given private income, retirees' equalized disposable income is higher than that of younger people (对于任何有固定收入的个人，退休人员的可支配收入比年轻人的收入要高得多)。因此，A项“退 休人员和在职工人之间的收入差异”正确。
4.细节事实题。根据题干关键词cruises and conservatories定位至倒数第二段: They do not pay national insurance (a tax levied only on earned income) on their private pensions, leaving more money for cruises and conservatories (他们不需要为自己的养老金支付国民保险(仅针对自营收入征收的税种)，这样就有了更多的钱去旅游和听音乐会)。因此，A项“他们不需要为自己的养老金支付国民保险”正确。
5.细节事实题。全文在谈及老年人的养老金和老年人其他的福利，这都是因为政府的相关政策的支持。因此选B项“发白如银的老人从政府那里受益最多”。
