TEXT NINE
Scores of workers from MTV Networks walked off the job yesterday afternoon, filling the sidewalk outside the headquarters of its corporate parent, Viacom, to protest recent changes in benefits. The walkout highlighted the concerns of a category of workers who are sometimes called permalancers: permanent freelancers who work like full-time employees but do not receive the same benefits.
Waving signs that read ''Shame on Viacom,'' the workers, most of them in their 20s, demanded that MTV Networks reverse a plan to reduce health and dental benefits for freelancers beginning Jan. 1. In a statement, MTV Networks noted that its benefits program for full-time employees had also undergone changes, and it emphasized that the plan for freelancers was still highly competitive within the industry. Many freelancers receive no corporate benefits. But some of the protesters asserted that corporations were competing to see which could provide the most mediocre health care coverage. Matthew Yonda, who works at Nickelodeon, held a sign that labeled the network ''Sick-elodeon.'' ''I've worked here every day for three years -- I'm not a freelancer,'' Mr. Yonda said. ''They just call us freelancers in order to bar us from getting the same benefits as employees.''
The changes to the benefits package were announced last Tuesday. Freelancers were told that they would become eligible for benefits after 160 days of work, beginning in January. While that eased previous eligibility rules, which required freelancers to work for 52 weeks before becoming eligible, it would have required all freelancers not yet eligible for benefits to start the waiting period over again on Jan. 1. The 401(k) plan was also removed. On Thursday, acknowledging the complaints, MTV Networks reinstated the 401(k) plan and said freelancers who had worked consistently since March would be eligible.
Fueled by a series of blog posts on the media Web site Gawker -- the first post was headlined ''The Viacom Permalance Slave System'' -- a loose cohort of freelancers created protest stickers and distributed walkout fliers last week. Caroline O'Hare, a unit manager who has worked for MTV for more than two years, said the new health care plan -- with higher deductibles and a $2,000 cap on hospital expenses each year -- had provoked outrage. ''They think they can treat us like children that don't have families, mortgages or dreams of retirement,'' she said.
Outside Viacom's headquarters, several workers held posters with the words, ''There's too many of us to ignore.'' It was unclear how many freelancers are on the company's payroll; an MTV Networks spokeswoman said the figure was not known because it rises and falls throughout the year. The company has 5,500 full-time employees, excluding freelancers, around the world.
Two freelancers and one full-time employee, who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution, estimated that the percentage of freelancers in some departments exceeded 75 percent. Another labor action is expected to take place outside Viacom later this week. Members of the Writers Guild of America, who have been on strike for five weeks, are expected to picket there on Thursday.
1．Which one of the following statements is NOT true of MTV Networks’ new benefits plan for freelancers?
[A] Its benefits plan for freelancers is highly competitive in the industry.
[B] Its freelancers cannot receive the same benefits as the full-time employees.
[C] The freelancers who are not eligible for benefits should start the waiting period over again on Jan. 1.
[D] The freelancers are against the new plan which substantially but their benefit
2. According to the new benefits program of MTV Networks, the following freelancers are eligible for benefits except_____.
[A] those who have worked for 160 days
[B] those who have worked for 1 year.
[C] those who have worked since March.
[D] those who have worked since Jan. 1.
3.The word “reinstate” (Line 5, Paragraph 3) most probably means_____.
[A] redesign
[B] restore
[C] repair
[D] reset
4. The MTV Networks spokeswoman did not provide the number of freelancers on the payroll mostly probably because_____.
[A] the figure fluctuates throughout the year and it is impossible to calculate the precise number
[B] the company wants to keep it as a secret so as to better stand the protest
[C] the company has no record of the freelancers since there is no such necessity
[D] the company does not want to provide the freelancers with benefits enjoyed by the full-time employee.
5. Towards MTV Networks’ change on the benefits plan, the author’s attitude can be said to be_____.
[A] affirmative
[B] negative
[C] biased
[D] neutral
文章剖析：
这篇文章介绍了MTV网络公司修改其对于雇用的自由职员的福利待遇方案的调整以及引起的反响。文章第一段第二段介绍MTV网络公司的自由职员举行罢工游行的情况；第三段讲述福利方案调整的一些内容；第四段讲述其他的一些抗议形式；第五段第六段是关于MTV网络公司雇用的自由职员的数量的一些情况。
词汇注释：
freelancer n. 自由职业者 reverse v. 撤销或取消
mediocre adj. 普通的，劣等的 retribution n. 惩罚，报偿
reinstate n. 恢复 cohort n. 一群一群或一帮人
sticker n. 张贴物 flier n. 传单
deductible n. 扣除条款,保险单内的条款之一，免除保险人对被保险户承受的损失赔偿最初的规定的金额
picket v. 派出纠察员，在罢工或示威期间设置一个或几个纠察队
难句突破：
(1) Waving signs that read ''Shame on Viacom,'' the workers, most of them in their 20s, demanded that MTV Networks reverse a plan to reduce health and dental benefits for freelancers beginning Jan. 1.
[主体句式] The workers demanded that…
[结构分析] 这是一个复合句，前面的现在分词短语作为主语的伴随状语；most of them in their 20s是主语的同位语；谓语demand后是一个宾语从句，在该从句中，beginning Jan 1是一个现在分词短语作a plan的定语。
[句子译文] 这些工人大多数都是二十多岁，他们手中挥舞着写有“Viacom 无耻”的标语，要求MTV网络收回于1月1日开始实施的减少自由职业者健康和牙齿医疗方面福利的计划。
(2)While that eased previous eligibility rules, which required freelancers to work for 52 weeks before becoming eligible, it would have required all freelancers not yet eligible for benefits to start the waiting period over again on Jan. 1.
[主体句式] While that … it would have…
[结构分析] 这是一个并列句，前半分句中有一个which 引导的非限定定于从句修饰previous eligibility rules,后半分句中not yet eligible for benefits 是后置定语用来修饰all freelancers。
[句子译文] 虽然这样一来放宽了以前的资格规定（该规定要求自由职业者在成为合格人员前必须工作52周），但却要求所有还未有资格享受福利的自由职业者从1月1日重新开始计算等待期。
题目分析：
1．Which one of the following statements is NOT true of MTV Networks’ new benefits plan for freelancers?
1. 关于MTV网络对自由职业者的新福利方案，下列哪一个是不正确的_____。
[A] Its benefits plan for freelancers is highly competitive in the industry.
[A] 在本行业内它的福利方案是很有竞争力的。
[B] Its freelancers cannot receive the same benefits as the full-time employees.
[B] 自由职业者不能和全职员工享有一样的福利待遇。
[C] The freelancers who are not eligible for benefits should start the waiting period over again on Jan. 1.
[C] 没有资格享受福利待遇的自由职业者要重新从一月一日开始计算工作时间。
[D] The freelancers are against the new plan which substantially cuts their benefit.
[D] 自由职业者反对新福利方案，该方案大幅度地削减了他们的福利。
[答案]C
[难度系数] ☆☆☆
[分析] 细节题。题目要求找出和新福利方案不符合的一项，关于A在第二段由所提及，是MTV为自己辩护的证据；B在全文中都有体现，第一段工人罢工的原因就是自由职业者不能和正式员工享受一样的福利；选项C在文章的第三段提到，虽然一开始计划改变后是这样规定的，但因职员的抗议，公司又重新恢复了401方案，只要从三月份以来一直在工作的员工就可以享受新的福利方案。选项D，全文中各个段落都提到了这一点。因此，只有C是符合题干的。
2. According to the new benefits program of MTV Networks, the following freelancers are eligible for benefits package except_____.
2. 根据MTV网络的新福利方案，下列自由职业者除了_____之外都有资格享受福利。
[A] those who have worked for 160 days beginning in January
[A] 从一月起已经工作了160天的员工。
[B] those who have worked for 1 year.
[B] 已经工作了一年的员工
[C] those who have worked since March.
[C] 自三月以来在工作的员工。
[D] those who start the waiting period over again on Jan. 1.
[D] 从一月一日起重新开始等待期的员工。
[答案]D
[难度系数] ☆☆☆
[分析] 细节题。MTV修改了的新福利方案对享受福利待遇的职工作了新定义，这在第三段有说明。新方案规定从一月份开始在公司工作了160天的员工有这个资格，之前的规定是工作达52周的员工；不过这个新规定要求所有还没有资格享受福利的员工要从一月一日开始重新计算工作时间，不过由于职员的抗议，公司决定只要从三月份以来一直在公司工作的员工就有这个资格。那么四个选项中，A是符合的，B无论什么情况下也都符合，C在公司修改后也符合，只有D不符合，没有该资格。
3.The word “reinstate” (Line 5, Paragraph 3) most probably means_____.
3. “reinstate”这个词（第三段第五行）最有可能的意思是_____。
[A] redesign
[A] 重新设计
[B] restore
[B] 恢复
[C] revise
[C] 修改
[D] reset
[D] 重新安排
[答案]B
[难度系数] ☆☆
[分析] 猜词题。首先看到reinstate这个词是由re开头的，因此这个单词应该有“重复”或者“重新”的意思。有了这个前提，再结合上下文来看，401方案取消后，员工进行了抗议，因此MTV对该方案采取了一定行动。可以推测，是一种公司缓和气氛而作的努力，那么应该是恢复了该方案。答案为B。选项的几个单词都比较类似，也都是以re开头的词汇，但是它们之间有一些小小的区别，要注意区分。这道题主要考察了考生的词汇量、以及辨别相近词之间区别的能力。
4. The MTV Networks spokeswoman did not provide the number of freelancers on the payroll mostly probably because_____.
4. MTV网络女发言人没有提供薪水册上自由职业者的数量最有可能是因为______。
[A] the figure fluctuates throughout the year and it is impossible to calculate the precise number
[A] 这个数字在一年内会不停波动，同时也不可能计算出来一个准确数字。
[B] the company wants to keep it as a secret so as to better stand the protest
[B] 公司想要对该方面保密以便于更好地抵制罢工。
[C] the company has no record of the freelancers since there is no such necessity
[C] 公司没有自由职业者的纪录，因为没有做记录的必要。
[D] the company does not want to provide the freelancers with benefits enjoyed by the full-time employee.
[D] 公司不想为自由职业者提供与正式员工一样的福利待遇。
[答案]B
[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆
[分析] 推理题。第五段中提到，目前工资薪水册上有多少自由职员还不清楚，一位MTV网络发言人声称是因为这个数字全年都来回波动，这很明显是一个托词，因为每家公司都会有其各种人员的登记，要掌握具体的数据并不困难。只是公布该数据对公司不利，因为公司自知有大量的自由职员，如果数据公布对罢工者有利，对公司反而是不利证据，因此是因为公司不想让外人知道，以便于在这场罢工斗争中争取有利形势。因此B为正确答案。C和D选项属于无中生有。
5. Towards MTV Networks’ change on the benefits plan, the author’s attitude can be said to be_____.
5. 作者对于MTV网络在福利方案方面所作的调整的态度是_____。
[A] affirmative
[A] 肯定的
[B] negative
[B] 否定的
[C] biased
[C] 有偏见的
[D] neutral
[D] 中立的
[答案]B
[难度系数] ☆
[分析] 态度题。文章虽然措辞比较客观，但是从作者引用的例子等还是可以发现，作者对MTV网络公司所作的福利方案变动还是有一定的想法。如他引用的几个自由职业者的陈述都可以表现出这一点来。因此，答案为B。
参考译文：
昨天下午，MTV网络的许多工人进行罢工，站满了其上级公司Viacom总部外的人行道，抗议最近福利方面的变化。这次罢工突出反映了有时被称作为永久的自由职业者的这么一类工人的忧虑：他们和全职员工一样工作，但是却得不到同样的福利。
这些工人大多数都是二十多岁，他们手中挥舞着写有“Viacom 无耻”的标语，要求MTV网络收回于1月1日开始实施的减少自由职业者健康和牙齿医疗方面福利的计划。MTV网络在一次声明中提到其全职员工的福利计划也发生了一些裱画，并且强调对自由职业者的福利计划在本行业来说还是有一定优势的。许多自由职业者没有任何的公司福利。但是一些抗议者声称公司在互相较劲看谁能提供最普通的医疗保健保险。在Nickelodeon工作的马太·Yonda手持的标语将该网络叫做“恶心的elodeon”。“我三年来每天都在这里工作——我不是自由职业者，”Yonda这样说，“他们叫我们自由职业者，目的就是不让我们享受和正式员工一样的福利。”
福利变化是于上周二公布的，自由职业者被告知他们只能在从１月１日起的160天后才能有资格享受福利。虽然这样一来放宽了以前的资格规定（该规定要求自由职业者在成为合格人员前必须工作52周），但却要求所有还未有资格享受福利的自由职业者从1月1日重新开始计算等待期。401（k）计划也被删除了。星期四，MTV网络在收到申诉后又恢复了401（k）计划，宣布从三月以来就一直工作的自由职业者可以不用再等候就可以有资格享受福利。其他的一些改变也引起了公愤。
媒体网Gawker张贴了一系列的博客公告更是火上加油（第一篇公告抬头为“Viacom 的永久自由职业者奴隶体系”），一群组织松散的自由职业者上周做了抗议张贴物并散发罢工传单。卡罗琳·O'Hare是曾在MTV工作过两年多的部门经理，她说这个新的健康保障计划有更高的扣除条款，并设定了每年医疗花费2000美元的最高限额，已经引起了公愤。“他们觉得可以对待我们像对待没有家庭、抵押和退休梦想的孩子一样。”她这样说。
在Viacom总部外，几个工人手中的条幅这样写着：“我们人数众多，不容忽视。”还不清楚到底有多少自由职业者划入该公司的薪水册中，MTV网络一位女发言人声称由于一年中这个数字起起伏伏，所以现在这个数字还不能确定。该公司除自由职业者外，在全世界有5500个全职员工。
有两个自由职业者和一个全职员工估计在某些部门自由职业者的比例高达75%，这三个人因害怕被公司报复要求不要公开他们身份。另外一项劳动诉讼可能将于本周晚些时候在Viacom外进行。美国作家协会的成员已经罢工五周，可望于周四在此派出纠察员。
