高考英语阅读理解（社会类）

Why do women earn less than men?

Women earn less than men. For example, in 1988 the hourly wages of women in the U.S. were 16% less than those of men. The gap between male and female incomes varies with age. The gap between the labor incomes of young women and young men is much smaller than that between middle-aged women and men. It is also clear that jobs in which women are concentrated pay less. The larger the number of workers in an industry who are women, the lower the average wages.

Why do women earn less than men? Are the differences explained by the fact that women are looked down upon? If so, the government has to intervene, to force the employers to pay equal wages to equal jobs. However, there is no agreement among economists about the causes of the gap. One view argues that women on the average have chosen low-paying jobs in which workers enjoy the freedom of entering and leaving the labor force, which reduces their years of experience relative to men. Other people say the gap can also be explained by the difference in educational background which is shown in the difference in the marginal product between men and women.

Much of the gap, however, has not been fully explained. It might be the result of some bias against women. It is this part that has produced calls for government action. What would happen if the government did intervene to increase the wages paid to women? One possibility is that incomes for women as a group might actually decline. An increase in wage decreases the quantity of labor input demanded, resulting in decreased employment as the rate of hiring new workers declines. The result will be a surplus of labor. Those who can find jobs might be better off while those who had jobs might find themselves out of work.

1. The difference in labor incomes is most obvious between _______.

A. young men and young women

B. young women in the same industry

C. middle-aged men and middle-aged women

D. middle-aged women in the same industry

2. Some economists believe women earn less than men partly because ______.

A. women are less experienced than men

B. women are only provided with low-paying jobs

C. women have much freedom in selecting their jobs

D. there is more than enough women in the labor force

3. Which of the following cannot be inferred from the second paragraph?

A. Women receive less education than men.

B. Women are not as productive as men.

C. Levels of education are closely related to productivity.

D. Goods produced by women are not as good as those by men.

4. What does the author suggest that the government should do for women workers?

A. To ensure equal pay for women.

B. To explain why women are paid less.

C. To force employers to hire more women.

D. No solution is clearly suggested.

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