英語(yǔ)專業(yè)四級(jí)聽(tīng)力周計(jì)劃：短文聽(tīng)寫真題10

Americans suffer from an overdose of work.

Regardless of who they are or what they do, Americans spend more time at work than at any time since World War II.

In 1950, the US had fewer working hours than any other industrialized country.

Today it exceeds every country but Japan.

Between 1969 and 1989, employed Americans added an average of 138 hours to their yearly work schedules.

The work week had remained at about 40 hours, but people are working more weeks each year.

Specifically, paid time off, holidays, vocations, sick leave shrank by 50%, in the 1980s.

For the first time, large numbers of people say that they want to cut back on working hours even if it means earning less money.

But most employers are unwilling to let them do so.

The government, which has stepped back from its traditional role as a regulator of work time should take steps to make shorter hours possible.

 

專四聽(tīng)力周計(jì)劃