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20GG.06【1】
LessonsFromaFeministParadise
A．Onthesurface,Swedenappearstobeafeministparadise.LookatanyglobalsurveyofgenderequalityandSwedenwillbenearthetop.Family-friendlypoliciesareitsnorm--with16monthsofpaidparentalleave,specialprotectionsforpart-timeworkers,andstate-subsidizedpreschoolswhere,accordingtoagovernmentwebsite,\\wedishparliament.TheyhaveenjoyedtheprotectionofgovernmentagencieswithtitlesliketheMinistryofIntegrationandGenderEqualityandtheSecretariatofGenderResearch.SowhyareAmericanwomensofaraheadoftheirSwedishcounterpartsinbreakingthroughtheglassceiling?
B．Ina20GGreport,theWorldEconomicForumfoundthatwhenitcomestoclosingthegendergapin\StatesisaheadofnotonlySwedenbutalsoFinland,Denmark,theNetherlands,Iceland,Germany,andtheUnitedKingdom.Sweden'srankinthereportcanlargelybeeGplainedbyitspoliticalquotasystem.ThoughtheUnitedStateshasfewerwomenintheworkforce(68percentcomparedtoSweden's77percent),Americanwomenwhochoosetobeemployedarefarmorelikelytoworkfull-timeandtoholdhigh-leveljobsasmanagersorprofessionals.Theyalsoownmorebusinesses,launchmorestart-ups(新创办的企
业),andmoreoftenworkintraditionallymalefields.Asforbreakingthroughtheglassceilinginbusiness,Americanwomenarewellinthelead.
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C．WhateGplainstheAmericanadvantage?HowcanitbethatsocietieslikeSweden,wheregenderequalityisvigorouslypursuedandenforced,havefewerfemalemanagers,eGecutives,professionals,andbusinessownersthanthelaissez-faire(自由放任
的)UnitedStates?AnewstudybyCornelleconomistsFrancineBlauandLawrenceKahngivesaneGplanation.
D．Generousparentalleavepoliciesandreadilyavailablepart-timeoptionshaveunintendedconsequences:insteadofstrengtheningwomen'sattachmenttotheworkplace,theyappeartoweakenit.Inadditiontoa16-monthleave,aSwedishparenthastherighttoworksiGhoursaday(forareducedsalary)untilhisorherchildiseightyearsold.Mothersarefarmorelikelythanfatherstotakeadvantageofthislaw.ButeGtendedleavesandpart-timeemploymentareknowntobeharmfultocareers--forbothgenders.Andwithwomenasecondfactorcomesintoplay:mostseemtoenjoythefleGible-timearrangement(onceknownasthe\mployment.Insum:generousfamily-friendlypoliciesdokeepmorewomeninthelabormarket,buttheyalsotendtodiminishtheircareers.
E．AccordingtoBlauandKahn,Swedish-stylepaternal(父亲的)leavepoliciesandfleGible-timearrangementsposeasecondthreattowomen'sprogress:theymakeemployerscautiousabouthiringwomenforfull-timepositionsatall.Offeringajobtoamanisthesaferbet.Heisfarlesslikelytotak
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eayearofparentalleaveandthenreturnonareducedworkschedulefortheneGteightyears.
F．Ibecameawareofthetrialsofcareer-focusedEuropeanwomenafewyearsagowhenImetapost-doctoralstudentfromGermanywhowasthenavisitingfellowatJohnsHopkins.ShewasastonishedbytheprofessionalpossibilitiesaffordedtoyoungAmericanwomen.HerbesthopeinGermanywasagovernmentjob-prospectsforwomenintheprivatesectorweredim.\dme,\
G．SwedisheconomistsMagnusHenreksonandMikaelStenkulaaddressedthefollowingquestionintheir20GGstudy:whyaretheresofewfemaletopeGecutivesintheEuropeanegalitarian(平等主义
的)welfarestates?Theiranswer:\omen'srepresentationinelitecompetitivepositions.\
H．ItistemptingtodeclaretheSwedishpoliciesregressive(退步的)andhailtheAmericansystemassuperior.Butthatwouldbeshortsighted.TheSwedescancertainlytakealessonfromtheUnitedStatesandlookforwaystoclearapathfortheirambitiousfemalecareerists.Butmostwomenarenotcommittedcareerists.WhenthePewResearchCenterrecentlyaskedAmericanparentstoidentifytheir\ldprefertoworkpart-timeand20percentsaidtheywouldprefernottoworkatall.Fathersanswereddifferently:75percentpreferredfull-timework.SomeversionoftheSwedishsystemmightworkwellforamajorityofAmericanparents,b
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uttheUnitedStatesisunlikelytofullyembracetheSwedishmodel.Still,wecanlearnfromtheireGperience.
I)Despiteitsfailuretoshattertheglassceiling,Swedenhasoneofthemostpowerfulandinnovativeeconomiesintheworld.Inits20GG-20GGsurvey,theWorldEconomicForumrankedSwedenastheworld'sthirdmostcompetitiveeconomy;theUnitedStatescameinfifth.Sweden,dubbedthe\ery\ss.Itisasocietywellworthstudying,anditseffortstoconquerthegendergapimpartavitallesson--thoughnotthelessontheSwedeshadinmind.
J)SwedenhasgonefartherthananyothernationonearthtointegratetheseGesandtoofferwomenthesameopportunitiesandfreedomsasmen.Fordecades,thesedescendantsoftheVikingshavebeentryingtoshowtheworldthattherightmiGofenlightenedpolicy,consciousnessraising,andnon-seGistchildrearingwouldclosethegenderdivideonceandforall.Yetthedividepersists.
K)A20GGpressreleasefromStatisticsSwedenbearsthetitle\nSwedenTreading(踩)
Water\
~Thetotalincomefromemploymentforallagesislowerforwomenthanformen.~Oneinthreeemployedwomenandoneintenemployedmenworkpart-time.
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~Women'sworkingtimeisinfluencedbythenumberandageoftheirchildren,butmen'sworkingtimeisnotaffectedbythesefactors.
~Ofallemployees,only13percentofthewomenand12percentofthemenhaveoccupationswithanevendistributionoftheseGes.
L)Confrontedwithsuchfacts,someSwedishactivistsandlegislatorsaredemandingmoreeGtremeandfar-reachingmeasures,suchasreplacingmaleandfemalepronounswithaneutralalternativeandmonitoringchildrenmorecloselytocorrectthemwhentheygravitate(被吸
引)towardgenderedplay.Whenitcametolightlastyearthatmothers,farmorethanfathers,chosetostayhomefromworktocarefortheirsickkids,UlfKristersson,ministerofsocialsecurity,quicklycommissionedastudytodeterminethecausesofandpossiblecuresforthisdisturbingstateofaffairs.
M)Swedishfamilypolicies,byaccommodatingwomen'spreferenceseffectively,arereducingthenumberofwomeninelitecompetitivepositions.TheSwedeswillfindthisparadoGicalandtrytofindsolutions.Letushopethesedonotincludebanninggenderpronouns,policingchildren'splay,implementingmoregenderquotas,ortreatingwomen'sspecialattachmenttohomeandfamilyasasocialinjustice.Mostmothersdonotaspireto(向
往)elite,competitivefull-timepositions:theSwedishpolicieshavegiventhemthefreedomandopportunitytolivethelivestheyprefer.AmericansshouldlookpastthegenderrhetoricandconsiderwhattheseScandinavianshaveachiev
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[实用参考]2014年6月至2015年6月英语六级长阅读理解真题及答案[9套卷全]
