首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
Family Matters This month, Wyoming passed a bill that would give legal teeth to the moral obligation to support one’s parents. C
Family Matters This month, Wyoming passed a bill that would give legal teeth to the moral obligation to support one’s parents. C
admin
2013-08-12
37
问题
Family Matters
This month, Wyoming passed a bill that would give legal teeth to the moral obligation to support one’s parents. Called the Maintenance of Parents Bill, it received the backing of the Government.
That
does not mean it hasn’t generated discussion. Several members of the Parliament opposed the measure. Others who acknowledged the problem of the elderly poor believed it a disproportionate response. Still others believe it will
subvert
relations within the family: cynics dubbed it the "Sue Your Son" law.
Those who say that the bill does not promote filial responsibility, of course, are right. It has nothing to do with filial responsibility. It kicks in where filial responsibility fails. All the law can do is to provide a safety net where this morality proves insufficient. Wyoming needs this bill not to replace morality, but to provide incentives to show it up.
Wyoming faces the problems of an increasing proportion of people over 60 years of age. Demography is
inexorable
. In 1980, 7. 2% of the population was in this bracket. By 2030, the proportion is projected to be 26%. The problem is not old age person. It is that the ratio of economically active people to economically inactive people will decline.
But no amount of government exhortation or paternalism will completely eliminate the problem of old people who have insufficient means to make ends meet. Some people will fall through the holes in any safety net.
Traditionally, a person’s insurance against poverty in his old age was his family care and support for one’s parents is a universal value shared by all civilized societies.
The problem in Wyoming is that the moral obligation to look after one’s parents is unenforceable. A father can be compelled by law to maintain his children. A husband can be forced to support his wife. But, until now, a son or daughter had no legal obligation to support his or her parents.
In 1989, an Advisory Council was set up to look into the problems of the aged. Its report stated with a tinge of complacency that 95% of those who did not have their own income were receiving cash contributions from relations. But what about the 5% who aren’t getting relatives’ support? They have several options:(a)get a job and work until they die;(b)apply for public assistance(you have to be destitute to apply); or(c)starve quietly. None of these options is socially acceptable. And what if this 5% figure grows, as it is likely to do, as society ages?
The Maintenance of Parents Bill was put forth to encourage the traditional virtues that have so far kept Wyoming from some of the breakdowns encountered in other affluent societies. This legislation will allow a person to apply to the court for maintenance from any or all of his children. The court would have the discretion to refuse to make an order if it is unjust.
Those who
deride
the proposal for opening up the courts to family lawsuits miss the point. Only in extreme cases would any parent take his child to court. If it does indeed become law, the bill’s effect would be far more subtle.
First, it will reaffirm the notion that it is each individual’s—not society’s—responsibility to look after his parents. Wyoming is still conservative enough that most people will not object to this idea.
Second, and more important, it will make those who are inclined to shirk their responsibilities think twice.
(A)
But to be sued by one’s parents would be a massive loss of face. It would be a public disgrace.(B)
The hand of the conciliator would be immeasurably strengthened.(C)
It is far more likely that some sort of amicable settlement would be reached if the
recalcitrant
son or daughter knows that the alternative is a public trial.(D)
It would be nice to think Wyoming doesn’t need this kind of law. Those of us who pushed for the bill will consider ourselves most successful if it acts as an incentive not to have it invoked in the first place.
The word
inexorable
in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to______.
选项
A、unchangeable
B、optimistic
C、fierce
D、stoppable
答案
A
解析
本题为词汇题,主要考查考生根据上下文对单词inexorable的理解。该词所在段落的意思是Wyoming面临着人口老化的问题,人口统计是inexorable,然后列出了一系列数字用以说明问题。根据上下文可以判断出inexorable的意思是“客观的,不可改变的,无情的”,即正确答案为选项A。选项B(乐观的)、C(激烈的)和D(可停止的)与上述意思相去甚远,均为干扰项。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/8EfO777K
0
托福(TOEFL)
相关试题推荐
Completetheformbelow.WriteNOMORETHANTWOWORDSAND~ORANUMBERforeachanswer.APPLICATIONFORMTypeofI.D.:
HowlikelyareThomasandNadiatovisitthefollowingattractions?Writethecorrectletter,A,BorCnexttoquestions6-1
Completethenotesbelow.WriteNOMORETHANTWOWORDSforeachanswer.AgricultureandEnvironment(31)productio
ChooseTWOletters,A-E.WhatTWOthingsdoBradandHelenagreetosayaboutlisteningingroups?AListeningskillsareoften
Mostimportantindicatorsofsuccess(%)Happyfamilylife82%Goodhealthand【L5】________79%Jobsatisfaction73%【L6】________(
AWoodenbattenBPVCpanelCMosquitorepellentDMattingESupportingwall
PersonalDetailsFamilyname:PetersAddress:7【L4】_______Crescent,MountLawleyPhonenumber:
AirlineAlliancesCooperativecompetition.Competitivecooperation.Confused?Airlineallianceshavetravelersscratchingth
AirlineAlliancesCooperativecompetition.Competitivecooperation.Confused?Airlineallianceshavetravelersscratchingth
随机试题
“奔驰”意味着昂贵、做工精湛、马力强大、转卖价值高、速度快等。这体现了品牌整体含义的()
男性,46岁,饮酒后出现发热,体温39.3℃,伴咳嗽、咳少量黄痰,自服“头孢菌素”3天无效,1天前咳出大量脓痰,自觉有臭味,体温降至37.5℃。最可能的诊断是
香豆素与Emerson试剂反应生成
下列所述哪项不是淋病的好发部位
关于公文用语,下列选项中相对无歧义的是()。
教学中如何促进学习的迁移?
没有人民支持和参与,任何改革都不可能取得成功。只有充分尊重人民意愿,形成广泛共识,人民才会积极支持改革、踊跃投身改革。要坚持人民主体地位,发挥群众首创精神,紧紧依靠人民推动改革开放。根据以上陈述,可以得出以下哪项?
鲁迅无疑有着超越那个时代的洞察力,他认为女性若想获得人格的完全独立,爱情绝不是归宿。鲁迅说,娜拉出走后,不是卖淫,就是回家。鲁迅认为,没有独立的经济地位,就没有完全独立的人格,女性的地位就得不到保障。以下哪项不能由上文推出?
设总体x的概率密度为f(x)=其中θ(0
利用原型化方法开发系统时,最终产品是什么?
最新回复
(
0
)