Passage 10
The poverty line is the minimum income that people need for an acceptable standard of living. People with incomes below the poverty line are considered poor. Economists study the causes of poverty in order to find solutions to the problem.
As the general standard of living in the country rises, the poverty line does, too. Therefore, even with todays relatively high standard of living, about 10 percent of the people in the United States are below the poverty line. However, if these people had stable jobs, they could have an acceptable standard of living. Economists suggest several reasons why poor people do not have jobs.
For one thing, more than half of the poor people in the United States are not qualified to work. Over 40 percent of the poor people are children. By law, children less than 16 years old cannot work in many industries. A large number of poor people are old. Many companies do not hire people over 65 years old, the normal retirement age.
Some poor adults do not look for jobs for a variety of personal reasons: they are sick, they do not have any motivation. they have family problems, or they do notbelieve that they can find a job.
Other poor people look for a job but cannot find one. Many poor adults never went to high school. Therefore, when they look for jobs, they have few skills that they can offer.
At the present time, the government thinks it can reduce poverty in the country in the following ways.
First, if the national economy grows, businesses and industries hire more workers. Some of the poor who are qualified to look for jobs may find employment. Then they will no longer be below the poverty line.
Second, if society invests in the poor, the poor will become more productive. If the government spends money on social programs, education, and training for poor people, the poor will have the skills to offer. Then it is more likely that they can find jobs.
Finally, if the government distributes societys income differently, it raises some poor people above the poverty line. The government collects taxes from the non-poor and gives money to the poor. These payments to the poor are called welfare. In 1975 over 18 million people in the United States received welfare.
Some economists are looking for better solutions to the poverty problem. However, at the present time, many people depend on welfare for a minimally acceptable standard of living.
解答雅思听力考题需要高效的审题方法
雅思听力考试的精听泛听技巧讲解
雅思听力备考的四大技巧介绍
20个雅思听力备考需知的高频短语
详解雅思听力考试的冷门知识点
雅思听力观点题的判断技巧
雅思听力考试剖析:听力题型介绍
考前一个月如何复习雅思听力?
雅思听力备考的立体复习法
雅思听力四大题型的练习方法
雅思听力观点题的解题技巧分析
雅思听力难点解析:大额数字
详解雅思听力中的比较关系
雅思听力中的精听练习方法
雅思听力常见题型的练习方法总结
雅思听力备考中需要注意的三类关键名词
雅思听力同音词总结
雅思听力判断题的三个技巧
雅思听力section 1常见场景讲解
雅思听力评分标准的特点分析
造成雅思听力低分的7个原因
雅思听力的数字考点有哪些?
怎样养成良好的雅思听力习惯?
雅思听力考试时间的分配技巧
雅思听力各类题型的解题技巧
雅思听力魔鬼训练法:听写法
雅思听力备考常见问题答疑
雅思听力考试的三大高分策略
详解雅思听力中的衔接手段
雅思听力成绩提高需要解决的两个问题
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