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  3. Structural unemployment—the unemployment that remains even at the peak of the economy’s upswings—is caused by an imbalance betwe

Structural unemployment—the unemployment that remains even at the peak of the economy’s upswings—is caused by an imbalance betwe

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问题 Structural unemployment—the unemployment that remains even at the peak of the economy’s upswings—is caused by an imbalance between the types and locations of available employment on the one hand and the qualifications and locations of workers on the other hand. When such an imbalance exists, both labor shortages and unemployment may occur, despite a balance between supply and demand for labor in the economy as a whole.
Because technological change is likely to displace some workers, it is a major factor in producing structural unemployment. While technological advance almost invariably results in shifts in demands for different types of workers, it does not necessarily result in unemployment. Relatively small or gradual changes in demand are likely to cause little unemployment. In the individual firm or even in the labor market as a whole, normal attrition may be sufficient to reduce the size of the work force in the affected occupations. Relatively large or rapid changes, however, can cause serious problems. Workers may lose their jobs and find themselves without the skills necessary to obtain new jobs. Whether this displacement leads to structural unemployment depends on the amount of public and private sector resources devoted to retraining and placing those workers. Workers can be encouraged to move where there are jobs, to reeducate or retrain themselves, or to retire. In addition, other factors affecting structural unemployment, such as capital movement, can be controlled.
Increased structural unemployment, should it occur, makes it difficult for the economy to achieve desired low rates of unemployment along with low rates of inflation. If there is a growing pool of workers who lack the necessary skills for the available jobs, increases in total labor demand will rapidly generate shortages of qualified workers. As the wages of those workers are bid up, labor costs, and thus prices, rise. This phenomenon may be an important factor in the rising trend, observed for the past two decades, of unemployment combined with inflation. Government policy has placed a priority on reducing inflation, but these efforts have nevertheless caused unemployment to increase.
It can be inferred from the passage that even when there are unemployed workers, labor shortages are still likely to occur if
选项 A、the inflation rate is unusually high
B、there is insufficient technological innovation
C、the level of structural unemployment is exceptionally low
D、the jobs available in certain places require skills that the labor force in those areas lacks
E、the workers in some industries are dissatisfied with the pay offered in those industries
答案D
解析 Inference
This question relies on the passage’s characterization of structural unemployment — that there is a mismatch between the number of jobs available in a certain location and the number of workers in that location who possess the skills required for those jobs. Even if there is a sufficient number of workers in the area to ill the positions, if those workers had the requisite skills, labor shortages will occur if an insufficient number of those workers lack the required skills.
A The passage in the third paragraph explains that structural unemployment and inflation can coexist, but it does not suggest that a high rate of inflation will make labor shortages likely; rather, the passage indicates that structural unemployment may lead to inflation by pushing wages, and thus prices, higher.
B The passage indicates that greater technological innovation can produce structural unemployment, not that insufficient technological innovation can.
C When there are unemployed workers, labor shortages would be unlikely to occur if the level of structural unemployment is low, because low structural unemployment would mean that no imbalance exists between available employment and workers with requisite skills. Thus, unemployed workers would likely be able to find jobs.
D Correct. The labor shortages associated with structural unemployment can, according to the passage, be caused by a mismatch in a certain location between available jobs requiring particular skills and the number of workers possessing those skills.
E The passage does not discuss what would happen if some industries’ workers are dissatisfied with their pay. Presumably, though, even if those workers were to quit their jobs due to that dissatisfaction, unemployed workers may very well be happy to take those jobs (assuming they are not lacking the requisite skills). So the passage gives us no reason to think that labor shortages would be likely to occur—at least without a situation like that described in answer choice D.
The correct answer is D.
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