Question

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23—The House of Representatives, which prides itself on being “the People’s House” has been turning into a rich man’s club.

The representatives newly elected in 1984 were almost four times as wealthy as the first term lawmakers elected only six years before, according to a new study on the members’ financial reports.

Behind this remarkable swing, the study says, are two main factors: a court decision that outlawed limits on what candidates could give to their own campaigns, and the enormous growth in the cost of pursuing a seat in congress. As a result, it is increasingly difficult for candidates of modest means, particularly women to amount successful challenge to entrenched office holders.

One solution, the authors contend, is a system of public financing for campaigns, but congress seems in no mood to change the political rules any time soon.

“The lower chamber is going upper class,” said Mark Green, the president of The Democracy Project, a public policy institute based in New York. “But this evolution from a House of Representatives to a House of Lords denies the diversity of our democracy. It establishes a de facto property qualification for office that increasingly says: low and middle income need not apply.

The Democracy Project produced the study in cooperation with the United States Public Interest Research Group, a similar institute situated in Washington. But their research was not entirely theoretical. In 1980 Mr Green was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Congress in New York’s 15th District, in Manhattan. The winner was Bill Green, one of the wealthiest members of Congres

What can we know from the passage?

A. The House of Representatives is poor men’s club.

B. The House of Representatives was made up of people with low and middle income.

C. The House of Representatives was rich men’s club.

D. The House of Representatives is made up of people with low and middle income.

What does “this remarkable swing” in the second paragraph refer to?

A. The House of Representatives prides itself on being “the people’s House”.

B. The new study based on the members’ financial reports.

C. A court decision that outlawed limits on what candidates could give to their own campaigns.

D. The representatives elected now are much wealthier than those elected a few years ago.

Which of the following is NOT true according to the study?

A. Any honest man can become a representative of the House.

B. Women are more difficult than men to be an entrenched office holder.

C. Limits on what a candidate could give to his campaign are outlawed.

D. One must spend much money getting a seat in the Congress.

What is the United States Public Interest Research Group like?

A. The House of Representatives.

B. A public policy institute based in New York.

C. A public policy institute based in Washington.

D. The House of lords.

Answer 1

【小題1】B

【小題2】D

【小題3】A

【小題4】C

解析:

【小題1】B  事實細節題。 根據文章第 1 段及倒數第 2 段的最后一句low and middle income need not apply 可知答案為 B。

【小題2】D 詞義猜測題。根據句子結構及第 1, 2 段的內容可知，這里指上文所提到的事情，故答案是 D。

【小題3】A 推理判斷題。根據文章倒數第 2 段的最后一句 It establishes a de facto property qualification for office that increasingly says: low and middle income need not apply 可知，收入中、低檔的人不具備資格可知答案為A。

【小題4】C 事實細節題。 根據文章最后一段中的 a similar institute situated in Washington 可知答案為 C。