中科院博士入学考试英语真题

中科院博士入学考试英语真题TextDFamilyMattersThismonthSingaporepassedabillthatwouldgivelegalteethtothemoralobligationtosupportone'sparents.CalledtheMaintenanceofParentsBill,itreceivedthebackingoftheSingaporeGovernment.Thatdoesnotmeanithasn'tgenerateddiscussion.SeveralmembersoftheParliamentopposedthemeasureasun-Asian.Otherswhoacknowledgedtheproblemoftheelderlypoorbelieveditadisproportionateresponse.Stillothersbelieveitwillsubvertrelationswithinthefamily:cynicsdubbeditthe"SueYourSon"law.Thosewhosaythatthebilldoesnotpromotefilialresponsibility,ofcourse,areright.Ithasnothingtodowithfilialresponsibility.Itkicksinwherefilialresponsibilityfails.Thelawcannotlegislatefilialresponsibilityanymorethanitcanlegislatelove.Allthelawcandoistoprovideasafetynetwherethismoralityprovesinsufficient.Singaporeneedsthisbillnottoreplacemorality,buttoprovideincentivestoshoreitup.Likemanyotherdevelopednations,Singaporefacestheproblemsofanincreasingproportionofpeopleover60yearsofage.Demographyisinexorable.In1980,7.2%ofthepopulationwasinthisbracket.Bytheendofthecenturythatfigurewillgrowto11%.By2030,theproportionisprojectedtobe26%.Theproblemisnotoldageperse.Itisthattheratioofeconomicallyactivepeopletoeconomicallyinactivepeoplethatwilldecline.Butnoamountofgovernmentexhortationorpaternalismwillcompletelyeliminatetheproblemofoldpeoplewhohaveinsufficientmeanstomakeendsmeet.Somepeoplewillfallthroughtheholesinanysafetynet.Traditionally,aperson'sinsuranceagainstpovertyinhisoldagewashisfamily,liftsisnotarevolutionaryconcept.NorisituniquelyAsian.Careandsupportforone'sparentsisauniversalvaluesharedbyallcivilizedsocieties.TheprobleminSingaporeisthatthemoralobligationtolookafterone'sparentsisunenforceable.Afathercanbecompelledbylawtomaintainhischildren.Ahusbandcanbeforcedtosupporthiswife.But,untilnow,asonordaughterhadnolegalobligationtosupporthisorherparents.1989,anAdvisoryCouncilwassetuptolookintotheproblemsoftheaged.Itsreportstatedwithatingeofcomplacencythat95%ofthosewhodidnothavetheirownincomewerereceivingcashcontributionsfromrelations.Butwhataboutthe5%whoaren'tgettingrelatives'support?Theyhaveseveraloptions:(a)getajobandworkuntiltheydie;(b)applyforpublicassistance(youhavetobedestitutetoapply);or(c)starvequietly.Noneoftheseoptionsissociallyacceptable.Andwhatifthis5%figuregrows,asitislikelytodo,associetyages?TheMaintenanceofParentsBillwasputforthtoencouragethetraditionalvirtuesthathavesofarkeptAsiannationsfromsomeofthebreakdownsencounteredinotheraffluentsocieties.Thislegislationwillallowapersontoapplytothecourtformaintenancefromanyorallofhischildren.Thecourtwouldhavethediscretiontorefusetomakeanorderifitisunjust.Thosewhoderidetheproposalforopeningupthecourtstofamilylawsuitsmissthepoint.Onlyinextremecaseswouldanyparenttakehischildtocourt.Ifitdoesindeedbecomelaw,thebill'seffectwouldbefarmoresubtle.First,itwillreaffirmthenotionthatitiseachindividual's-notsociety's-responsibilitytolookafterhisparents.Singaporeisstillconservativeenoughthatmostpeoplewillnotobjecttothisidea.Itreinforcesthetraditionalvaluesanditdoesn'thurtasocietynowandthentoreminditselfofitscorevalues.Second,andmoreimportant,itwillmakethosewhoareinclinedtoshirktheirresponsibilitiesthinktwice.Untilnow,ifapersonaskedfamilyelders,clergymenortheMinistryofCommunityDevelopmenttohelpgetfinancialsupportfromhischildren,themosttheycoulddowastomediate.Butmediatorshavenoteeth,andachildcouldsimplyignoretheirpleas.Buttobesuedbyone'sparentswouldbeamassivelossofface.Itwouldbeapublicdisgrace.Fewpeoplewouldbesothick-skinnedastosay,"Sueandbedamned".Thehandoftheconciliatorwouldbeimmeasurablystrengthened.Itisfarmorelikelythatsomesortofamicablesettlementwouldbereachediftherecalcitrantsonordaughterknowsthatthealternativeisapublictrial.ItwouldbenicetothinkSingaporedoesn'tneedthiskindoflaw.Butthatbeliefignoresthecleardemographictrendsandtheeffectofaffluenceitselfontraditionalbends.Thoseofuswhopushedforthebillwillconsiderourselvesmostsuccessfulifitactsasanincentivenottohaveitinvokedinthefirstplace.78.TheMaintenanceofParentsBillA.receivedunanimoussupportintheSingaporeParliamentB.wasbelievedtosolvealltheproblemsoftheelderlypoorC.wasintendedtosubstitutefortraditionalvaluesinSingaporeD.waspassedtomaketheyoungmoreresponsibletotheold79.Byquotingthegrowingpercentagepointsoftheagedinthepopulation,theauthorseemstoimplythat__A.thecountrywillfacemountingproblemsoftheoldinfutureB.thesocialwelfaresystemwouldbeundergreatpressureC.youngpeopleshouldbegivenmoremoraleducationD.theoldshouldbeprovidedwithmeansoflivelihood80.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisCORRECT?A.FilialresponsibilityinSingaporeisenforcedbylaw.B.Fathershavelegalobligationstolookaftertheirchildren.C.Itisanacceptablepracticefortheoldtocontinueworking.D.TheAdvisoryCouncilwasdissatisfiedwiththeproblemsoftheold