雅思阅读真题（Part 2）
美国企业如何支持员工与家庭
本篇也叫：美国家庭友好型企业、美国公司员工福利、家庭友好政策、以人为本的企业、美国企业员工关怀、工作生活平衡
Part 2 · 考频：中频 · 最近考试：2020.11.7
本篇为雅思阅读真题（Part 2）《American businesses aim to support employees and their families》，共 13 题，2020.11.7雅思考试真题回忆，页面提供完整原文、题目、答案与解析，并支持在线机考模式免费练习。本页同时提供 Markdown 版本 供 AI 助手与搜索引擎直接读取。
文章介绍美国各类企业推行家庭友好政策，重点讲述俄亥俄州商业研究中心的Jennifer West对以人为本管理理念的看法，以及加州Plastic Solutions公司CEO Stephen Harper通过分享公司信息、提供教育资助、举办家庭开放日等方式关怀员工及其家庭，从而降低员工流失率。
A
Companies of all sizes in the US recognize the importance of family-friendly policies, thanks in large part to the increasing number of people-centered entrepreneurs and company CEOs. Many of these go into business themselves as a result of negative experiences they have had in the workplace. So says Jennifer West, Managing Director of the Ohio-based Business Research Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to studying work–life balance. ‘Taking a people-centered view is a good recruitment and retention strategy,’ says West. ‘Employers who care about their employees and help them grow take into account the full range of issues and the external pressures that employees have and arrange things so that people can manage their lives. These considerations are a conscious part of how people-centered bosses organize their practices and strategies.’
B
One employer who exemplifies this philosophy is Stephen Harper, co-owner and CEO of Plastic Solutions in California. His company manufactures custom plastics, mainly for medical devices, and offers engineering solutions for other plastics needs. Harper believes in having employees who understand the business. That’s why every two weeks, when his employees receive their salary, they also get an update about the company, including who their new customers are, what successes they’ve had, and what challenges they are facing. Harper also includes a ‘coaching’ section. This addresses issues like gossip, which employees sometimes indulge in around the water cooler or the rest rooms, and which can negatively impact on the morale of staff. He encourages people to work their way up in the company, and pays, at least partially, for educational opportunities and textbooks. His employees line up to attend his monthly invitation-only Business Pragmatics seminar, in which communication and other vital skills are taught, along with ethics and workplace morals and philosophy. The structure of his company is very family-friendly, and includes a regular Open House day for employees’ families where, among other things, kids can experiment with the company’s machines that manufacture their products and so on. The Harper philosophy pays off. Attrition at the company is low, and many employees remain with the company for much of their career.
C
In Vermont, the Margaret Mills Corporation also strives to be people-centered. It is a third generation, family-run business that sells children’s wooden toys internationally, and the company’s founder (Margaret Mills) understood all too well the challenges of raising a family while running a business. Like many other like-minded companies, the Margaret Mills Corporation offers liberal leave, flexi-time, good health and retirement packages, and other benefits. The corporation also allows workers to have their children dropped off when school is over, or to spend time with them during the vacations. Annual Christmas and summer parties are standard, and this year, to celebrate an especially strong performance, the company took all employees and their families on a 2-day trip to Montreal, Canada. Says Victor Davies, Human Resources Director, ‘We enable employees to maintain equilibrium between work and home, a policy which ultimately results in a more productive and stable workforce.’ It works – this year the company will celebrate six 5-year anniversaries, and one 25-year anniversary among its employees.
D
For Hazel Gibbs, CEO of Disposal Systems Inc. in Houston, Texas, a waste disposal and environmental cleanup and consultancy firm, the bottom line is keeping her business going. But she realizes that it takes a certain kind of mutuality to do that. ‘I’m not altruistic,’ she says, ‘but if everyone understands what it takes to be in business, that’s good for all of us.’ That’s why she works hard to ensure that everyone, from managers to workers, realizes that they count. ‘It’s not about “us” and “them”, we are a team,’ Gibbs says. ‘When our employees understand what it takes to keep a business going, then it works and we can accommodate each other’s needs.’ Despite her success, Gibbs sometimes struggles with being taken seriously. She sees this as a long-term challenge. ‘Working mothers still need to be taken more seriously, and so do mothers who are business owners.’ She has two children of her own to think about.
E
Family-friendly entrepreneurs are becoming more commonplace internationally, and they clearly influence those companies which have so far been slow to accommodate employee needs. According to West, it is already possible to document the dwindling workforces of these latter businesses, or the migration of labor to more family-friendly ones. What is more, parents are important consumers and investors who can change buying practices. Further, in the public policy arena, multinational corporations and aid agencies are beginning to recognize the need to integrate social and economic policy and practice. Family-friendly employers are creating a groundswell of awareness that can only result in changing business practices. And as Hazel Gibbs says, when that happens, ‘you’ve got it working.’
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答案：B
原文定位：He encourages people to work their way up in the company, and pays, at least partially, for educational opportunities and textbooks
同义替换：「financial assistance」↔「pays, at least partially, for」，「continue their learning」↔「educational opportunities」
答案：E
原文定位：Family-friendly entrepreneurs are becoming more commonplace internationally;parents are important consumers and investors who can change buying practices;multinational corporations;recognize the need to integrate social and economic policy and practice
同义替换：「worldwide trends」↔「internationally」，「customers」↔「parents」
答案：C
原文定位：It works – this year the company will celebrate six 5-year anniversaries, and one 25-year anniversary among its employees
同义替换：「years of continuous service」↔「25-year anniversary」，「employees at one company」↔「among its employees」
答案：A
原文定位：Working mothers still need to be taken more seriously, and so do mothers who are business owners;She has two children of her own to think about
同义替换：「reason why」↔「as a result of」，「bosses」↔「entrepreneurs and company CEOs」，「start their own businesses 」↔「go into business themselves」
答案：E
原文定位：Working mothers still need to be taken more seriously, and so do mothers who are business owners
同义替换：「fighting for respect 」↔「need to be taken more seriously」
答案：Stephen Harper
原文定位：That’s why every two weeks, when his employees receive their salary, they also get an update about the company, including who their new customers are, what successes they’ve had, and what challenges they are facing
同义替换：「kept informed about」↔「get an update about」
答案：Victor Davies
原文定位：We enable employees to maintain equilibrium between work and home, a policy which ultimately results in a more productive and stable workforce
同义替换：「good balance between company and family responsibilities」↔「equilibrium between work and home」，「work output increases」↔「more productive」
答案：Hazel Gibbs
原文定位：that’s good for all of us.’ That’s why she works hard to ensure that everyone, from managers to workers, realizes that they count
同义替换：「all company members」↔「everyone, from managers to workers」，「recognise that they matter」↔「realizes that they count」，「critical to business success 」↔「good for all of us」
答案：gossip
原文定位：Harper also includes a ‘coaching’ section. This addresses issues like gossip, which employees sometimes indulge in around the water cooler or the rest rooms
同义替换：「problems such as」↔「issues like」，「communal areas of the workplace」↔「water cooler or the rest rooms」，「dealing with」↔「addresses」
答案：seminar
原文定位：His employees line up to attend his monthly invitation-only Business Pragmatics seminar, in which communication and other vital skills are taught
同义替换：「regular」↔「monthly」，「for selected employees」↔「invitation-only」，「places are in great demand」↔「employees line up to attend」
答案：machines
原文定位：Open House day for employees’ families where, among other things, kids can experiment with the company’s machines that manufacture their products and so on
同义替换：「try out」↔「experiment with」
答案：school
原文定位：The corporation also allows workers to have their children dropped off when school is over
同义替换：「finished」↔「over」，「brought to」↔「dropped off」
答案：trip
原文定位：this year, to celebrate an especially strong performance, the company took all employees and their families on a 2-day trip to Montreal, Canada
同义替换：「reward」↔「celebrate」