When IBM announced an overhaul of its pension plan for employees in America last week, it joined a parade of employers that are shifting more responsibility for saving for retirement on to workers. For many Americans, of course, this is nothing new: millions of them have been managing their retirement assets in individual accounts for years. Nevertheless, in both America and Britain the closure of paternalistic corporate defined benefit programmes, in which pensions depend on earnings and years of service, is acceleratingeven at healthy companies such as IBM. To the extent that this creates and encourages individual choice and responsibility, it is something to welcome rather than to fear. Many other countries, facing huge statepension obligations, would also like to see their citizens assume a bigger role in providing for their own retirement. Even so, the trend raises an important question: how much do people due to take on these new responsibilities know about basic financial concepts? The answer seems to be; not much, and less than they think they do. Studies show that many people overestimate their knowledge of everything from inflation to risk diversification and compound interest. One survey in Australia found that 37% of people who owned investments did not know that they could fluctuate in value. In America 31% did not know that the finance charge on a credit-card-statement is what they pay to use credit. Britains Financial Services Authority will release the results of its own survey on financial literacy in the next month or two. Even educated professionals may know the basics but see no need to keep up to datehaving no idea of the interest rates on their credit cards, the fees on their mutual funds or how their investments are doing. But in both America and Britain low personal saving rates and record numbers of personal bankruptcies do not bode well. If people are to take charge of their pensions, shouldnt they know a little more? In the end, ignorance could rebound on governments: if people save too little for old age, the state may have to provide for them willy-nilly. Governments are taking this very seriously. says Barbara Smith of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which recently produced a report on global financial literacy.Just this week the British govern- ment launched an online debt calculator for overstretched consumers and a money-management course for teenagers that will be offered in schools across the country later this year. New Zealand is another country trying to catch its people young; one official financialinformation website there includes an online game on Money Island. 1. It is informed in the text that__________. A. IBM cannot help but overhaul its pension plan B. IBM takes much responsibility for saving for retirement C. workers will assume more financial responsibility for their old age D. most Americans have taken on responsibility for saving for retirement 2. Corporate defined benefit programmes will come to an end primarily because________. A. most companies are not so healthy as IBM B. it can help companies relieve their pension obligations C. millions of Americans have opened their individual accounts for years D. more factors should be taken into consideration for a healthy pension plan 3. If one is to assume more financial responsibility, he should have more knowledge about_____. A. risk diversification B. basic financial concepts C. how much he pays to use credit D. the fluctuation in value of his investment 4. It can be inferred from the text that________. A. even professionals are short of financial information B. personal saving rates will no doubt increase remarkably C. professionals are usually better prepared for their retirement D. there will be less personal bankruptcies in both America and Britain 5. The main idea of this text is that_________. A. most people are very ignorant about investment B. individuals should have more choices and responsibility C. individuals should be better prepared for their retirement D. government should provide official financial-information 参考答案:C B B A C
我爱家乡的桥
国际英语资讯:Chinese students at UM receive health kits from homeland
国际英语资讯:Palestine urges Israel to release prisoner diagnosed with COVID-19
出淤泥而不染
父爱远去如山隔
为防止民众聚集 日本城镇忍痛剪光玫瑰和郁金香
体坛英语资讯:Uganda targets knockout stage in 2020 African Nations Championship
变形金刚的桥
国内英语资讯:Chinese doctors rich experience important for Uzbekistan in COVID-19 fight: official
每日一词∣电商扶贫 poverty alleviation through e
爱的底片
我家乡的冬天
“逃离惩罚”英语怎么说?
生活是充满爱心的
【我的中国梦】巴西人西莫兹的中国骑行之旅
专家:导弹击中马航飞机 机上人员只能绝望等死
体坛英语资讯:Laffont, Kingsbury take FIS dual moguls win in Krasnoyarsk
他们为什么能在智力竞赛中获奖
国内英语资讯:HKSAR chief executive expresses confidence yet urges to remain alert amid COVID-19 epidemic
体坛英语资讯:Relegation-threatened Augsburg sack coach Schmidt
传奥巴马加州沙漠购豪宅
三峡水库建成的利与弊
生活是充满爱心的
假如我是桥梁设计师
我的家乡平顶山
最烂阵容:2017世界杯最令人失望的11人[1]
国际英语资讯:British PM to return to work in Downing Street on Monday: reports
国内英语资讯:Chinese envoy vows to continue to provide aid, urges against politicization of pandemic
国际英语资讯:Brazils justice minister Sergio Moro resigns
国内英语资讯:Chinese mainland reports 11 new confirmed COVID-19 cases
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |