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2025年12月四级 第1套 Passage 2

难度：简单主题：经济来源：2025年12月四级 第1套 Passage 2

Katharine Abraham, an economics professor, was chatting with her hairdresser(理发师)about retirement plans. The economist said she plans to continue working because she wants to. The hairdresser agreed but for a different reason: She needs the money.

Both scenarios( 情 况 )are contributing to a big increase in the number of people in the US working into their 70s. Over the past 20 years, the share of Americans working in their 70s has risen from less than 10% to nearly 15%.

In addition to people being healthier and living much longer, economists say that a combination of financial considerations such as years of slow rise in real wages and a shift away from traditional pensions in the private sector are some of the reasons people delay retirement. The decline of manufacturing and the increase in the number of people working in less labor-intensive occupations also has contributed to the trend, says Abraham, who researches work and retirement decisions of older Americans.

"Which matters more depends on what your history up until that point has been in the type of work you're doing,"Abraham says.

The overall trend is hitting Americans of all different levels of educational attainment, although the percentages vary by category. The share of Americans with bachelor's degrees who were working into their 70s reached nearly 20% in 2018. For those with a high school degree or less, the proportion of those working in their 70s had risen to around 10%, while those with some college education were in the middle at around 15%.

Martin Neil Baily, an economist who is leading a research project on retirement security, notes that quitting a career can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, particularly for men. He suggests that many college-educated workers are choosing to stay in the labor force more for social benefits than for financial

reasons. They're also more likely to be in professional occupations where they tend to enjoy their work

more.

Workers in more physical jobs, meanwhile, may be more likely to look forward to retiring, Baily says, suggesting those who stay on are more likely doing so for financial reasons.

阅读理解题目与答案

  1. 51. What do we learn from the passage about the economics professor and her hairdresser?

    1. A. They differ in their reasons for continuing to work.
    2. B. They are both committed to working into their 70s.
    3. C. They are happy about their current financial situation.
    4. D. They hold different views about postponing retirement.

    答案：A

  2. 52. What is one of the reasons for people to delay retirement?

    1. A. More and more people have switched to less intellectually challenging jobs.
    2. B. The number of jobs suitable for older people has increased in the private sector
    3. C. The rate of wage increase in terms of purchasing power has slowed down for years.
    4. D. More and more people in the workplace find it hard to rely on traditional pensions.

    答案：C

  3. 53. What is the general trend in people delaying retirement?

    1. A. The higher their earnings, the more likely they are tempted to delay retirement.
    2. B. Those who have more job satisfaction tend to retire later than those who have less.
    3. C. More men than women are likely to stay in the labor force until their late seventies
    4. D. The higher their educational level, the more likely they are to delay retirement.

    答案：D

  4. 54. What is the chief reason for college-educated workers delaying retirement according to an economist?

    1. A. Enjoying financial security.
    2. B. Staying connected socially.
    3. C. Contributing more professionally.
    4. D. Increasing social security payments.

    答案：B

  5. 55. What does the passage say about people doing manual work?

    1. A. They are eager to enjoy life after retiring.
    2. B. They are likely to have financial troubles.
    3. C. They generally don't enjoy doing it.
    4. D. They tend to anticipate retirement.

    答案：D

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