Women are on their way to holding more than half of all American jobs. The latest government report shows that their share of non-farm jobs nearly reached fifty percent in September, 2009.
The job market continues to suffer the effects of last year’s financial crash. On the one hand more women have entered the labor market over the years, and on the other hand the economic recession (衰退) has hit men harder than women. In October the unemployment rate for men was almost 11% compared to 8% for women.
Industries that traditionally use lots of men have suffered deep cuts. For example, manufacturing (制造业) and building lost more jobs last month. But health care and temporary employment services have had job growth. Both of those industries employ high percentages of women.
Thirty years ago, women earned sixty-two cents for every dollar that men earned. Now, for those who usually work full time, women earn about eighty percent of what men earn. And a recent study from the University of California, Davis, reveals that women hold fifty-one percent of well-paid management and professional jobs. Yet the study also shows that men still hold about nine out of every ten top positions at most companies. The results have remained largely unchanged for five years.
Also, a new research paper in the journal Sex Roles looks at the experiences of women who are the main earners in their families. Rebecca Meisenbach at the University of Missouri in Columbia interviewed fifteen women. She found that they all value their independence and many enjoy having the power of control, though not all want it. But they even feel more pressure and worry. That is partly because of cultural expectations that working women should still take care of the children. Also, men who are not the main earners may feel threatened.
小题1:Which of the following is a reason why women have a larger share of jobs?
A．Women workers are paid less than men.
B．More women now have higher education than men.
C．The economic recession has affected men more than women.
D．Industries that traditionally use lots of men now need more women.小题2:There have been an increasing number of jobs for women in .
A．manufacturing
B．building
C．health care
D．farming小题3:In the late 1970s, if a man earned 500 dollars a month, a woman probably earned .
A．＄260
B．＄310
C．＄400
D．＄500小题4:If a woman is the main earner in her family, she probably .
A．hopes to be less independent
B．has the power of control
C．feels a bit threatened
D．is less worried
