2. 外语
  3. Structural unemployment—the unemployment that remains even at the peak of the economy’s upswings—is caused by an imbalance betwe

Structural unemployment—the unemployment that remains even at the peak of the economy’s upswings—is caused by an imbalance betwe

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问题 Structural unemployment—the unemployment that remains even at the peak of the economy’s upswings—is caused by an imbalance between the types and locations of available employment on the one hand and the qualifications and locations of workers on the other hand. When such an imbalance exists, both labor shortages and unemployment may occur, despite a balance between supply and demand for labor in the economy as a whole.
Because technological change is likely to displace some workers, it is a major factor in producing structural unemployment. While technological advance almost invariably results in shifts in demands for different types of workers, it does not necessarily result in unemployment. Relatively small or gradual changes in demand are likely to cause little unemployment. In the individual firm or even in the labor market as a whole, normal attrition may be sufficient to reduce the size of the work force in the affected occupations. Relatively large or rapid changes, however, can cause serious problems. Workers may lose their jobs and find themselves without the skills necessary to obtain new jobs. Whether this displacement leads to structural unemployment depends on the amount of public and private sector resources devoted to retraining and placing those workers. Workers can be encouraged to move where there are jobs, to reeducate or retrain themselves, or to retire. In addition, other factors affecting structural unemployment, such as capital movement, can be controlled.
Increased structural unemployment, should it occur, makes it difficult for the economy to achieve desired low rates of unemployment along with low rates of inflation. If there is a growing pool of workers who lack the necessary skills for the available jobs, increases in total labor demand will rapidly generate shortages of qualified workers. As the wages of those workers are bid up, labor costs, and thus prices, rise. This phenomenon may be an important factor in the rising trend, observed for the past two decades, of unemployment combined with inflation. Government policy has placed a priority on reducing inflation, but these efforts have nevertheless caused unemployment to increase.
The passage is primarily concerned with
选项 A、clarifying the definition of a concept
B、proposing a way to eliminate an undesirable condition
C、discussing the sources and consequences of a problem
D、suggesting ways to alleviate the effects of a particular social policy
E、evaluating the steps that have been taken to correct an imbalance
答案C
解析 Main idea
This question depends on understanding the passage as a whole in order to identify its primary concern. The first paragraph defines structural unemployment (which the passage, in its second paragraph, indicates is a serious problem).The second paragraph describes a major factor that can cause structural unemployment, as well as some steps that might be taken to alleviate it. Finally, the third paragraph identifies possible effects of structural unemployment, including wage and price inflation.
A The first paragraph clarifies the definition of structural unemployment, but this definition is not the passage’s primary concern.
B The passage’s second paragraph indicates some ways that an increase in structural unemployment can be mitigated, but nowhere does the passage suggest that the condition can be eliminated entirely.
C Correct. The passage discusses the problem of structural unemployment, explaining how it can arise and what some of its consequences may be.
D The passage does suggest some ways in which structural unemployment might be alleviated, but this kind of unemployment is not characterized as an effect of a social policy. Rather, it is a state of economic affairs.
E The second paragraph identifies some steps that could be taken to correct a particular situation of worker displacement. It does not, however, evaluate those steps.
The correct answer is C.
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