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DIRECTIONS: Now read.

Work is a very important part of life in the United States.

1

When the early Protestant immigrants came to this country, they

2

brought the idea that work was the way to God and heaven. This

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attitude, the Protestant work ethic, still influences America today.

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1

Work is not only important for economic benefits, the salary, but

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also for social and psychological needs, the feeling of doing some-

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thing for the good of the society. Americans spend most of their

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lives working, being productive. For most Americans, their work

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defines them: They are what they do. What happens, then, when a

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person can no longer work?

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Most Americans stop working at age sixty-five or seventy and

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retire. Because work is such an important part of life in this culture,

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retirement can be very difficult. Retirees often feel that they are

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2

useless and unproductive. Of course, some people are happy to re-

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tire; but leaving one's job, whatever it is, is a difficult change, even

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for those who look forward to retiring. Many retirees do not know

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how to use their time or they feel lost without their jobs.

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Retirement can also bring financial problems. Many people

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rely on Social Security checks every month. During their working

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years, employees contribute a certain percentage of their salaries

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to the government. Each employer also gives a certain percentage

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to the government. When people retire, they receive this money as

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income. These checks do not provide enough money to live on, how-

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ever, because prices are increasing very rapidly. Senior citizens,

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3

those over sixty-five, have to have savings in the bank or other re-

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tirement plans to make ends meet. The rate of inflation is forcing

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prices higher each year; Social Security checks alone cannot cover

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these growing expenses. The government offers some assistance,

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Medicare (health care) and welfare (general assistance), but many

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senior citizens have to change their lifestyles after retirement. They

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have to spend carefully to be sure that they can afford to buy food,

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fuel, and other necessities.

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Of course, many senior citizens are happy with retirement.

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4

They have time to spend with their families or to enjoy their hob-

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bies. Some continue to work part time; others do volunteer work.

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Some, like those in the Retired Business Executives Association,

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even help young people to get started in new businesses. Many re-

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tired citizens also belong to "Golden Age" groups. These organi-

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zations plan trips and social events. There are many opportunities

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for retirees.

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American society is only beginning to be concerned about the

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5

special physical and emotional needs of its senior citizens. The gov-

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ernment is taking steps to ease the problem of limited income. They

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are building new housing, offering discounts in stores and museums

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and on buses, and providing other services, such as free courses,

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food service, and help with housework. Retired citizens are a rapidly

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growing percentage of the population. This part of the population

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is very important and we must respond to their needs. After all,

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every citizen will be a senior citizen some day.

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1.

work

line number

a. material

b. jobs

с

business

2.

influences

line number

a. changes

b. affects

с

compares

3.

economic

line number

a. partial

b. financial

с

supportive

4.

productive

line number

с

professional

a. useful

b. unnecessary

5.

retirement

line number

a. stopping work

b. employment

с

taking a rest

6.

employer

line number

a. worker

b. boss

с

businessman

7.

afford

line number

a. be able to buy

b. contribute

с

prevents

A First Look

113

8.

volunteer

line number

a. unpaid

b. salaried

с

intentional

9.

contribute

line number

a. include

b. take

с

give

10.

provide

line number

a. give

b. prepare

с

offer

1.

belief

(4)

2.

pay

(5)

___________________

a. economic

b. religious

с family

a. high salaries

b. America

с hard work

3.

Senior citizens have to have other savings because Social Security checks

a. are not enough

b. come monthly

с

cover growing

expenses

4.

When Americans stop work, it is difficult for them to

a. feel productive

b. get Social Security

с

be religious

checks

5.

According to the author,

Americans stop work at age sixty-five or seventy.

a. some

b. a few

с

most

6.

The author mentions

examples of discounts.

a. two

b. three

с

four

7.

Many retirees feel useless because they

a. do volunteer work

b. have limited incomes

с

aren't working

8.

The last sentence of the reading means that each person

a. is important

b. is a citizen

с

will grow old

9.

A salary is a

benefit.

a. psychological

b. social

с

financial

10.

Many people who retire feel unproductive because their work

a. defined their lives

b. was unimportant

с

was difficult

A First Look

115

1. Clothing is an example of a(n)

a. assistance

b. necessity

с

concern

2.

It is very late. She is very

about her son.

a. productive

b. demanding

с

concerned

3. My

pays me a good salary.

a. volunteer

b. employer

с

employee

4. Every year I

a percentage of my income to my church.

a. limit

b. receive

с

contribute

5.

Every year he

to work at the school; he never gets paid.

a. gets by

b. volunteers

с

provides

6.

The older children in a family always

the younger ones.

a. establish

b. influence

с

define

7.

I don't have enough money to buy a new car. I cannot

one.

a. demand

b. provide

с

afford

8.

Your salary is very low. Do you have any other

?

a. income

b. interest

с

percentage

9.

His physical condition is unbelievable: he's seventy and he

jogs.

a. no longer

b. then

с

still

10. He is a

volunteer here at the hospital; he is a big problem and no help.

a. productive

b. useful

с

useless

retirement

relax

free

work

productive

useless

sixty-five

important

retire

hobby

Generally

speaking, Americans

(1)

until they

are (2)

Then they (3)

(4)

can

be very difficult for people because their work was so (5)

(6)

or to have a(n) (7)

Then when they

retire, they don't know what to do with all the (8)

time

on their hands. They also can feel (9)

because they are

not being (10)

Retirement isn't easy.

financial

physical

psychological

housing

financial

physical ______psychological ______housing

Look Again

117

PERCENTAGE

PERCENTAGE

MEDIAN

OF POPULATION

OF POPULATION

AGE*

FROM AGE 0-14

65 AND OLDER

Australia

31.8

22.5

10.8

Brazil

22.7

35.2

4.7

France

38.5

19.2

13.0

Greece

36.5

21.1

13.4

Ghana

16.5

47.1

2.8

Indonesia

22.0

35.7

3.8

Japan

36.8

19.2

11.4

Korea

24.1

32.4

4.2

Lebanon

21.5

35.3

5.1

Malaysia

21.9

35.7

3.9

Mexico

19.6

39.1

3.7

Sweden

39.0

16.0

17.6

Switzerland

38.1

16.6

14.8

U.S.S.R.

31.5

25.1

9.4

U.S.

32.8

22.1

12.2

Venezuela

20.8

38.3

3.7

1.

serious/regret/plans

I

have some

about my

to live away from my family.

2.

in

fact/begin/back/trouble

Little by little he is

to feel better.

,

he has no

at all with his

now.

3.

dislike/decisions/money

I

making

about

4.

limited/afford/make ends meet

I can't

to live on a

income be­

cause I can't

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121