While still in its early stages,welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states-at least in getting people off welfare.It’s estimated that more than 2 million people have left the rolls since 1994.

In the past four years,welfare rolls in Athens County have been cut in half.But 15 percents of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than$6 an hour.The resuit:The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent-twice the national average.

For advocates(代言人)for the poor,that’s an indication that much more needs to be done.

“More people are getting jobs,but it’s not making their lives any better,”says Kathy Lairn,a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and policy Priorities in Washington.

A center analysis of US Census data nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996,a greater percentage of single,female-headed households were earning money on their own,but that average income for these households actually went down.

But for many,the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory.

“Welfare was a poison.It was a toxin(毒素)that was poisoning the family,”says Robert Rector,a welfarereform policy analyst.“The reform is changing the moral climate in lowincome communities.It’s beginning to rebuild the work ethic(道德观),which is much more important.”

Mr.Rector and others argued that once“the habit of dependency is cracked,”then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards.

13.From the passage,it can be seen that the auther.

A.believes the reform has reduced the government’s burden

B.insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor

C.is overenthusiastic about the success of welfare reform

D.considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful

14.Why aren’t people enjoying better lives when they have jobs?

A.Because many families are divorced.

B.Because government aid is now rare.

C.Because their wages are low.

D.Because the cost of living is rising.

15.What is worth noting from the example of Athens County is that.

A.greater efforts should be made to improve people’s living standards

B.15 percent of the people there have been employed for two years

C.50 percent of the population no longer relies on welfare

D.the living standards of most people are going down

16.From the passage we know that welfare reform aims at_______.

A.saving welfare funds

B.rebuilding the work ethics(观念)

C.providing more jobs

D.cutting government expenses

答案

13-16 DCAB

解析

13.纵观全文，作者十分客观地分析了福利制度改革的利与弊。改革成功地减少了靠福利救济生活的人数，尽管它并没能提高穷人的生活水平，但改变了低收入者的思想观念，使人们不再心安理得地接受救济。这本身就是一胜利。可见作者仍然认为福利制度改革利大于弊。

14.文章第二段第二句指出，第二年不再接受救济的人中，有15％找到了工作．但报酬每小时不到6美元。可见收入过低使他们生活贫困。

15.作者列举Athens County这个实例，是为了说明福利制度改革虽然使多数人重新开始工作，但由于收入低，人们的贫困状况仍然没有改变。文章第三段暗示了作者举例的意图：Athens County提供的事实表明,人们为改善低收入者贫困生活所做出的努力还远远不够。可见，作者在呼吁政府作出更多的努力来改善人们的生活。

16.文章第七段末句指出，改革正在重塑人们的工作观，这是最重要的。可见，福利制度改革旨在改变人们的思想观念