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Children are a delight. They are our future. But sadly, hiring someone to take care of them while you go to work is getting more expensive by the year.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the cost of enrolling an infant or small kid at a childcare center rose 3% in 2012, faster than the overall cost of living. There are now large strips of the country where daycare for an infant costs more than a tenth of the average married couple's income.
This is not necessarily a new trend, but it is a somewhat puzzling one. The price of professional childcare has been rising since the 1980s. Yet during that time, pay for professional childcare workers has stood still. Actually caregivers make less today, in real terms, than they did in 1990. Considering that labor costs are responsible for up to 80% of a daycare center's expenses, one would expect flat wages to have meant flat prices.
So who's to blame for higher childcare costs?
Childcare is a carefully regulated industry. States lay down rules about how many children each employee is allowed to watch over, the space care centers need per child, and other minute details. And the stricter the regulations, the higher the costs. If it has to hire a caregiver for every two children, it can't really achieve any economies of scale on labor to save money when other expenses go up. In Massachusetts, where childcare centers must hire one teacher for every three infants, the price of care averaged more than $16,000 per year. In Mississippi, where centers must hire one teacher for every five infants, the price of care averaged less than $5,000.
Unfortunately, I don't have all the daycare-center regulations handy. But I wouldn't be surprised if as the rules have become more elaborate, prices have risen. The tradeoff (交换) might be worth it in some cases; after all, the health and safety of children should probably come before cheap service. But certainly, it doesn't seem to be an accident that some of the cheapest daycare available is in the least regulated South.
1
What problem do parents of small kids have to face?
A.The ever-rising childcare prices.
B.The budgeting of family expenses.
C.The balance between work and family.
D.The selection of a good daycare center.
本题答案:
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • 参考答案:A
  • 系统解析:
    推理判断题。文章开头指出,有孩子是件乐事,接着用but进行转折,总述当前形势:雇人照看孩子的费用却逐年升高。第二段承接第一段,用数据进行详细说明:2012年婴幼儿在托儿所的报名费上涨了 3% ,上涨速度比生活总成本的上涨速度还快。由此可知,幼儿父母必须面临的问题是不断上涨的价格,故答案为A。
2
What does the author feel puzzled about?
A.Why the prices of childcare vary greatly from state to state.
B.Why increased childcare prices have not led to better service.
C.Why childcare workers' pay has not increased with the rising childcare costs.
D.Why there is a severe shortage of childcare professional in a number of states.
本题答案:
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • 参考答案:C
  • 系统解析:
    推理判断题。文章第三段首句提到,这种情况却有些令人不解,接下来具体说明这种情况:虽然保育费用逐年上涨,但是保育员的工资并没有相应提高,故答案为c。
3
What prevent childcare centers from saving money?
A.Steady increase in labor costs.
B.Strict government regulations.
C.Lack of support from the state.
D.High administrative expenses.
本题答案:
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • 参考答案:B
  • 系统解析:
    推理判断题。题干“是什么妨碍保育中心省钱? ”正是第四段“谁该为上涨的儿童保育价格负责呢?”的同义转述,第四段提出设问,第五段进行回答。第五段指出儿童保育属于受严格管控的行业, 政府制定的相关法规越严格,保育费用越高。 因此严格的政府法规是儿童保育价格上涨的原因,在严格的法规下,保育中心必须严格按照法律规定的教师与学生的比例来雇请保育员,想通过压缩劳动力成本来省钱是不可能的,故答案为B。
4
Why is the average cost of childcare in Mississippi much lower than in Massachusetts?
A.The overall quality of service is not as good.
B.Payments for caregivers there are not as high.
C.Living expenses there are comparatively low.
D.Each teacher is allowed to care for more kids.
本题答案:
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • 参考答案:D
  • 系统解析:
    推理判断题。第五段阐释了保育价格上涨的原因,指出保育法规越严格,保育价格越高。后两句以两个州为例,马萨诸塞州规定一名老师只能照看三个孩子,这样每年的平均保育费用超过 16000美元。密西西比州允许一名老师照看五个孩子,平均保育费用则低于5000美元。两个州的保育费用差别巨大,原因就在于法律规定的教师与学生的比例不同,密西西比州允许一名老师照看的孩子数量多,所以保育费用低,故答案为D。
5
What is the author's view on daycare service?
A.Caregivers should receive regular professional training.
B.Less elaborate rules about childcare might lower costs.
C.It is crucial to strike a balance between quality and costs.
D.It is better for different states to learn from each other.
本题答案:
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • 参考答案:B
  • 系统解析:
    观点态度题。题干是作者对日托服务持什么样的观点。通读全文可知,作者重点分析了日托中心费用高昂的原因。最后一段总结:法规条例越详尽,价格也随之上涨,相应地孩子的健康和安全也更有保障;反之,法规越宽松,费用越便宜,故答案为B。
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