20062013阅读理解.docx

On1y(wocountriesintheadvancedwor1dprovidenoguaranteeforpaid1eavefromworktocareforanewbornchi1d.1astspringoneofthetwo,Austra1ia,gaveupthedubiousdistinctionbyestab1ishingpaidfami1y1eavestartingin2011.1wasn'tsurprisedwhenthisdidn'tmakethenewshereintheUnitedStateswe,renowtheon1ywea1thycountrywithoutsuchapo1icy.TheUnitedStatesdoeshaveoneexp1icitfami1ypo1icy,theFami1yandMedica11eaveAct,passedin1993.Itentit1esworkerstoasmuchas12weeks'unpaid1eaveforcareofanewbornordea1ingwithafami1ymedica1prob1em.Despitethemodestyofthebenefit,theChamberofCommerceandotherbusinessgroupsfoughtitbitter1y,describingitas"government-runpersonne1management"anda"dangerousprecedent".Infact,everystepoftheway,as(usua11y)Democratic1eadershavetriedtointroducework-fomi1yba1ancemeasuresintothe1aw,businessgroupshavebeenstrong1yopposed.AsYa1e1awprofessorAnneA1stottargues,justifyingparenta1supportdependsondefiningthefami1yasasocia1goodthat,insomesense,societymustpayfor.InherbookNoExit:WhatParentsOweTheirChi1drenandWhatSocietyOwesParents,shearguesthatparentsareburdenedinmanywaysintheir1ives:thereis"noexit,whenitcomestochi1dren."Societyexpects-andneedsparentstoprovidetheirchi1drenwithcontinuityofcare.meaningtheintensive,intimatecarethathumanbeingsneedtodeve1optheirinte11ectua1,emotiona1andmora1capabi1ities.Andsocietyexpects-andneeds-parentstopersistintheirro1esfor18years,or1ongerifneeded."Whi1emostparentsdothisoutof1ove,therearepub1icpena1tiesfornotprovidingcare.Whatparentsdo,inotherwords,isofdeepconcerntothestate,fortheobviousreasonthatcaringforchi1drenisnoton1ymora11yurgentbutessentia1forthefutureofsociety.Thesta1erecognizesthisin(he1argebodyoffami1y1awsthatgovernchi1dren'we1fare,yetparentsreceive1itt1ehe1pinmeeting(he1ife-changingob1igationssocietyimposes.Toc1assifyparentingasapersona1choiceforwhichthereisnoco11ectiveresponsibi1ityisnotmere1ytoignorethesocia1benefitsofgoodparenting;rea11y,itistostea1thosebenefitsbecausetheyaccrue(不困i积.累)tothewho1eofsocietyastoday'schi1drenbecometomorrow'sproductivecitizenry(公民).Infact,bysomeestimates,theva1ueofparenta1investmentsinchi1dren,investmentsoftimeandmoney(inc1uding1ostwages),isequa1to20-30%ofgrossdomesticproduct.Iftheseinvestmentsgeneratehugesocia1benefitsastheyCIear1ydothebenefitsofprovidingmoresocia1supportforthefami1yshou1dbethatmuchc1earer.AnewstudyfromtheCenterforInfbrniationandResearchonCivic1earningandEngagement(CIRC1E)atTuftsUniversityshowsthattoday'syouthvotein1argernumbersthanpreviousgenerations,anda2008studyfromtheCenterforAmericanProgressaddsthatincreasingnumbersofyoungvotersandactivistssupporttraditiona11y1ibera1causes.Butthere'snoeasywaytoseewhatthosefiguresmeaninrea11ife.Duringthepresidentia1campaign.BarackObamaassemb1edaracia11yandideo1ogica11ydiversecoa1itionwithhismessageofhopeandchange;astherea1ityof1ifeunderanewadministrationsett1esin.someofthosesupportersmightbecomedisi11usioned.AsthenationmovesfurtherintotheObamapresidency,wi11po1itica11yengagedyoungpeop1econtinuetosupportthepresidentandhisagenda,orwi11theygradua11ydriftaway?ThewritersofGenerationO(shortforObama),anewNewsweekb1og(hatseekstochronic1ethe1ivesofagroupofyoungObamasupporters,want(oanswerthatquestion.Forthenextthreemonths,Miche11eKremerand11otherObamasupporters,ages19to34.wi11b1ogabout1ifeacrossmainstreamAmerica,withonetwist:by1yinga11oftheirideasandexperiencestothenewpresidentandhisadministration,theb1oggerswi11trytostartaconversationaboutwhatitmeanstobeyoungandpo1itica11yactiveinAmericatoday.Ma1enaAmusa,a24-year-o1dwriteranddancerfromSt.1ouisseestheprojectasawaytopreservehistorjfasithappens.Amusa,whoistrave1ingtoIndiathisspringtofinishabook,thentoSenega1toteachEng1ish,hasongoingconversationswithherfriendsabouthowtheObamapresidencyhaschangedtheirdai1y1ivesandhopestoputsomeofthoseideas,a1ongwithherg1oba1perspective,intoherposts.She'sexcitedbecause,assheputsit,Idon,thavetowait(unti1)15yearsfromnow"tomakesenseofthewor1d.HenrjfF1ores,apo1itica1-scienceprofessoratSt.Marj,sUniversity,creditsthisyoungergeneration'spo1itica1strengthtotheirembraceoftechno1ogy."(TheInternetexposesthemtomorethinking,"hesays,"andgroupsthatare1ike-mindedindifferentpartsofthecountrystarttocometogether."That,sexact1ywhattheGenerationOb1oggersarehopingtodo.Theresu1tcou1dbeagroupofyoungpeop1ethat,1iketheirboomer(一战后生育高峰期出生的美国人)parents,growsupwithastrongsenseofpurposeandshedstheimageofapathy(冷漠)they'veinheritedfromGenerationX(60年代后期和70年代出生的美国人).It'snosma11cha11engeforab1ogrunbyagroupofordinaryifambitiousyoungpeop1e,butthemembersofGenerationOareupto（hetask.BossesSay“Yes”toHomeWorkRisingcostsofofficespace,time1osttostressfu1commuting,andas1owrecognitionthatworkershave1ivesbeyondtheoffice-a11arestrongIirgumentsfor1ettingstaffworkfromhome.Forthesma11business,thereareadditiona1benefitststaffaremoreproductive,andhappier,enab1ingfirmstokeeptheirheadcounts（员工数）andtheirrecruitmentcoststoaminimum.Itcana1soprovidecompetitiveadvantage,especia11ywhensma11businesseswanttoattractnewstaffbutdon'thavethebudgettoofferhugesa1ar