2005年考研英语一新题型真题
Canada’spremiers(theleadersofprovincialgovernments),iftheyhaveanybreathleftaftercomplainingaboutOttawaattheirlateJulyannualmeeting,mightspareamomenttodosomething,together,toreducehealth-carecosts.
They’reallgroaningaboutsoaringhealthbudgets,thefastest-growingcomponentofwhicharepharmaceuticalcosts.
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Whattodo?BoththeRomanowcommissionandtheKirbycommitteeonhealthcare–tosaynothingofreportsfromotherexperts–recommendedthecreationofanationaldrugagency.Insteadofeachprovincehavingitsownlistofapproveddrugs,bureaucracy,proceduresandlimitedbargainingpower,allwouldpoolresources,workwithOttawa,andcreateanationalinstitution.
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But“national”doesn’thavetomeanthat.“National”couldmeaninterprovincial–provincescombiningeffortstocreateonebody.
Eitherway,onebenefitofa“national”organizationwouldbetonegotiatebetterprices,ifpossible,withdrugmanufacturers.Insteadofhavingoneprovince–oraseriesofhospitalswithinaprovince–negotiateapriceforagivendrugontheprovinciallist,thenationalagencywouldnegotiateonbehalfofallprovinces.
Ratherthan,say,Quebec,negotiatingonbehalfofsevenmillionpeople,thenationalagencywouldnegotiateonbehalfof31millionpeople.Basiceconomicssuggeststhegreaterthepotentialconsumers,thehigherthelikelihoodofabetterprice.
(43)
AsmallstephasbeentakeninthedirectionofanationalagencywiththecreationoftheCanadianCo-ordinatingOfficeforHealthTechnologyAssessment,fundedbyOttawaandtheprovinces.Underit,aCommonDrugReviewrecommendstoprovinciallistswhichnewdrugsshouldbeincluded.Predictably,andregrettably,Quebecrefusedtojoin.
Afewpremiersaresuspiciousofanyfederal-provincialdeal-making.They(particularlyQuebecandAlberta)justwantOttawatoforkoveradditionalbillionswithfew,ifany,stringsattached.That’sonereasonwhytheideaofanationallisthasn’tgoneanywhere,whiledrugcostskeeprisingfast.
(44)
PremierslovetoquoteMr.Romanow’sreportselectively,especiallythepartsaboutmorefederalmoney.Perhapstheyshouldreadwhathehadtosayaboutdrugs:“Anationaldrugagencywouldprovidegovernmentsmoreinfluenceonpharmaceuticalcompaniesinordertotrytoconstraintheever-increasingcostofdrugs.”
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SowhenthepremiersgatherinNiagaraFallstoassembletheirusualcomplaintlist,theyshouldalsogetcrackingaboutsomethingintheirjurisdictionthatwouldhelptheirbudgetsandpatients.
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[A]Quebec’sresistancetoanationalagencyisprovincialistideology.Oneofthefirst
advocatesforanationallistwasaresearcheratLavalUniversity.Quebec’sDrugInsuranceFundhasseenitscostsskyrocketwithannualincreasesfrom14.3percentto26.8percent![B]OrtheycouldreadMr.Kirby’sreport:“Thesubstantialbuyingpowerof
suchanagencywouldstrengthenthepublicprescription-druginsuranceplanstonegotiatethelowestpossiblepurchasepricesfromdrugcompanies.”[C]Whatdoes“national”mean?RoyRomanowandSenatorMichaelKirby
recommendedafederal-provincialbodymuchliketherecentlycreatedNationalHealthCouncil.[D]Theproblemissimpleandstark:health-carecostshavebeen,are,andwill
continuetoincreasefasterthangovernmentrevenues.[E]AccordingtotheCanadianInstituteforHealthInformation,prescriptiondrug
costshaverisensince1997attwicetherateofoverallhealth-carespending.Partoftheincreasecomesfromdrugsbeingusedtoreplaceotherkindsoftreatments.Partofitarisesfromnewdrugscostingmorethanolderkinds.Partofitishigherprices.[F]So,iftheprovinceswanttorunthehealth-careshow,theyshouldprovetheycan
runit,startingwithaninterprovincialhealthlistthatwouldendduplication,saveadministrativecosts,preventoneprovincefrombeingplayedoffagainstanother,andbargainforbetterdrugprices.[G]Ofcourse,thepharmaceuticalcompanieswillscream.Theylikedividedbuyers;
theycanlobbybetterthatway.Theycanusethethreatofremovingjobsfromoneprovincetoanother.Theycanhopethat,ifoneprovinceincludesadrugonitslist,thepressurewillcauseotherstoincludeitontheirs.Theywouldn’tlikeanationalagency,butself-interestwouldleadthemtodealwithit.
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2006年考研英语一新题型真题
OnthenorthbankoftheOhioriversitsEvansville,Ind.,homeofDavidWilliams,52,andofariverboatcasino(aplacewheregamblinggamesareplayed).Duringseveralyearsofgamblinginthatcasino,Williams,astateauditorearning$35,000ayear,lostapproximately$175,000.Hehadnevergambledbeforethecasinosenthimacouponfor$20worthofgambling.
Hevisitedthecasino,lostthe$20andleft.Onhissecondvisithelost$800.Thecasinoissuedtohim,asagoodcustomer,a“FunCard,”whichwhenusedinthecasinoearnspointsformealsanddrinks,andenablesthecasinototracktheuser’sgamblingactivities.ForWilliams,thoseactivitiesbecamewhathecalls“electronicheroin.”
In1997helost$21,000tooneslot(41)
machineintwodays.InMarch1997helost$72,186.Hesometimesplayedtwoslotmachinesatatime,allnight,untiltheboatdockedat5a.m.,thenwentbackaboardwhenthecasinoopenedat9a.m.Nowheissuingthecasino,chargingthatitshouldhaverefusedhispatronagebecauseitknewhewasaddicted.Itdidknowhehadaproblem.
InMarch1998,afriendofWilliams’sgothiminvoluntarilyconfinedtoatreatmentcenterforaddictions,andwrotetoinformthecasinoofWilliams’sgamblingproblem.ThecasinoincludedaphotoofWilliamsamongthoseofbannedgamblers,andwrotetohima“ceaseadmissions”letter.Notingthe“medical/psychological”natureofproblemgamblingbehavior,thelettersaidthatbeforebeingreadmittedtothecasinohewouldhavetopresentmedical/psychologicalinformationdemonstratingthatpatronizingthecasinowouldposenothreattohissafetyorwell-being.
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TheWallStreetJournalreportsthatthecasinohas24signswarning:“Enjoythefun...andalwaysbetwithyourhead,notoverit.”Everyentranceticketlistsatoll-freenumberforcounselingfromtheIndianaDepartmentofMentalHealth.Nevertheless,Williams’ssuitchargesthatthecasino,knowinghewas“helplesslyaddictedtogambling,”intentionallyworkedto“lure”himto“engageinconductagainsthiswill.”Well.
(43)
ThefourtheditionoftheDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorderssays“pathologicalgambling”involvespersistent,recurringanduncontrollablepursuitlessofmoneythanofthethrilloftakingrisksinquestofawindfall.
Pushedbyscience,orwhatclaimsto(44)
bescience,societyisreclassifyingwhatoncewereconsideredcharacterflawsormoralfailingsaspersonalitydisordersakintophysicaldisabilities.
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