Unit 12
In 1999, as soon as he completed high school and following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Lionel Hamilton enlisted to serve his country. He worked as a helicopter mechanic before ultimately becoming a pilot. He flew a Blackhawk and helped save countless lives by transporting soldiers out of danger.
Lionel still works on flying machines. Today, he oversees assembly at a GE jet engine testing facility in Peebles, Ohio. Lionel Hamilton is doing something else, too. He is answering a key question in the debate on how we build a growing and sustainable American economy. That question is not whether companies are hiring again. Manufacturing companies, large and small, are ready to hire. The question is: where can these companies find the qualified, skilled workers required for the high-tech jobs that define advanced manufacturing today?
It turns out that many companies are looking, with great success, at veterans like Lionel, both those just transitioning back to civilian life and those who have made that transition but are still looking for meaningful work. That is why the Manufacturing Institute, companies like GE, Alcoa, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, community colleges, veterans organizations, and others are launching a coalition to bolster the manufacturing talent pipeline by training veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing. Our reason is not patriotism alone.
Manufacturing currently employs about 12 million people, and both the pay and benefits in those jobs exceed the national average. Approximately seven out of every 10 dollars of our country’s R&D investments support manufacturing. The point is that while the methods of manufacturing have changed, it remains a critical component of our country’s economic future. We know that there are 600,000 open high-tech jobs, just waiting to be filled. With transition support and training, vets can succeed in these jobs.
Manufacturers need skilled workers. More than two and a half million workers will retire in the next decade. The number has recently decreased slightly, but there are still nearly one million unemployed veterans, many of whom are young and looking to start a meaningful career. When you add the technical proficiency and the list of intangible qualities from leadership to loyalty that they bring with them to the job, veterans are a perfect fit.
The need is obvious. The challenge is matching their skills to job openings, to help them find the right jobs now. According to new research, veterans and active duty soldiers who will be soon transitioning into civilian life are confident that they can contribute. They worry, however, that they will be undervalued and that their skills may not readily transfer to the workforce.
注（1）：本文选自The New York Times；
注（2）：本文习题命题模仿对象为2011年真题Text 2。
1. All of Lionel Hamilton’s deeds can best be described as being ______.
A) obedient
B) patriotic
C) impulsive
D) capable
2. According to Paragraph 3, manufacturing companies may be ready to ______.
A) hire experienced workers
B) set up new manufacturing companies
C) define advanced manufacturing today
D) train veterans to be qualified and skilled workers
3. The word “bolster” （Line 5, Paragraph 3） most probably implies that ______.
A) manufacturing is a high-income and high-profit sector
B) the coalition advocates patriotism
C) manufacturing companies support the training of veterans
D) high-tech jobs are just waiting to be filled
4. It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that ______.
A) veterans are becoming more and more undervalued
B) intangible qualities are more valuable than technical proficiency
C) veterans are entirely optimistic to find suitable jobs
D) there are both opportunities and challenges along the road
5. Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A) Manufacturing: We are ready to hire experienced workers.
B) Today’s advanced manufacturing
C) Veterans: What can we do after transition?
D) Veterans are the best choice for high-tech jobs in manufacturing.
篇章剖析
本文主要讲述了让退伍军人做高技术含量的工作的问题。第一、二段以退伍军人莱昂内尔·汉密尔顿为例，介绍了退伍军人具备过硬的技能以及高技术人才短缺的现状；第三段指出，公司希望通过培训退伍军人来支撑起制造业高端人才的培养渠道；第四、五段进一步分析了退伍军人广阔的就业前景；最后一段指出了退伍军人对于再就业的忧虑。
词汇注释
enlist /ɪnˈlɪst/ v. 从军；获得支持
mechanic /məˈkænɪk/ n. 技工，机修工
assembly /əˈsembli/ n. 装配；集会
veteran /ˈvetərən/ n. 老兵；老手
transition /trænˈzɪʃn/ v. / n. 过渡；转变
coalition /ˌkəʊəˈlɪʃn/ n. 联合；结合
proficiency /prəˈfɪʃnsi/ n. 精通，熟练
intangible /ɪnˈtændʒəbl/ adj. 无形的，触摸不到的
undervalued /ˌʌndəˈvæljuːd/ adj. 被低估的；贬值的；估值偏低的
难句突破
It turns out that many companies are looking, with great success, at veterans like Lionel, both those just transitioning back to civilian life and those who have made that transition but are still looking for meaningful work.
主体句式：It turns out that many companies are looking at veterans...
结构分析：该长句修饰成分较多，因此结构看似复杂。It turns out that...句式表示“结果是…”。插入语with great success作主句的伴随状语，并列连词both...and...所引导的部分为名词veterans的同位语，对退伍军人进行了补充说明，而who所连接的从句作those的定语，具体限定了退伍军人的范围。
句子译文：事实证明，很多公司都非常成功地找到了像莱昂内尔这样的退伍军人。这些人当中有的刚转业，有的已经转业却仍旧在寻找有意义的工作。
题目分析
1. D 推理题。该题目要求概括莱昂内尔·汉密尔顿的所有行为，属于总结性提问，虽然子承父业参军报国体现了一定的孝顺和爱国热情，但并不能概括他的所有行为，因此A、B选项不全面。C选项文中并未提及。只有D选项具有总括性，他能够在任何岗位上都做出成绩正说明他很有能力。故答案为D。
2. D 细节题。第三段指出，公司希望通过培训退伍军人来支撑起制造业的人才培养渠道。B、C选项文中并未提及。而A选项中雇用有经验的工人与文中培训退伍军人的说法不符，只有D选项说法正确。
3. C 细节题。bolster意为“支撑”，文中指出，这就是为什么制造业协会和通用、美铝、波音、洛克希德·马丁等公司，社区学院，退伍军人联合会以及其他机构联合的原因，他们希望通过培训退伍军人从事高端制造业来支撑起制造业人才培养渠道。A、B项与原文不符。D选项虽然说法正确但与题意不符，故答案为C。
4. D 推理题。第五段进一步分析了退伍军人广阔的就业前景和优势，最后一段指出了退伍军人对于再就业的顾虑。由原文可知A、B项的说法与原文不符。C选项中的entirely一词扩大了范围，言过其实，故排除。答案为D。
5. D 主旨题。文章重点介绍了退伍老兵从事高技术含量工作的优势，指出这是发展高端制造业和解决退伍老兵就业问题的关键。综合全文可知，D为最佳答案。
参考译文
1999年，莱昂内尔·汉密尔顿高中一毕业就追随其父亲和祖父的脚步参军报效祖国。他开始时担任直升机技师一职，直到最终成为了一名飞行员。他曾驾驶“黑鹰号”，运送士兵们脱离危险，拯救了无数人的生命。
目前，莱昂内尔仍旧从事着与飞行器有关的工作。今天，他正在俄亥俄州皮布尔斯监管通用喷气发动机实验设备的装配工作。他也做其他一些事情。在关于如何构建可持续发展的美国经济的辩论中，他正在回答一个关键问题。这个问题不是公司是否会再次招聘，无论大型的还是小型的制造公司都会招聘。而是，在以高科技工作定义先进制造业的今天，这些公司去哪里找合格的、技术过硬的工人，来胜任这些高技术含量的工作。
事实证明，很多公司都非常成功地找到了像莱昂内尔这样的退伍军人。这些人当中有的刚转业，有的已经转业却仍旧在寻找有意义的工作。这就是为什么制造业协会和通用、美铝、波音、洛克希德·马丁等公司，社区学院，退伍军人联合会以及其他机构联合的原因，他们希望通过培训退伍军人从事高端制造业来支撑起制造业人才培养渠道。我们这样做并不仅仅是因为爱国。
目前制造业雇用了大约1200万人，这些工作给受雇者带来的收入和补助金超过了国家平均水平。约70%的国家科研投资都被用来支持制造业的发展。问题是尽管制造方式已经改变，它依然是关乎国家经济前景的关键部分。我们知道有60万个高科技类工作岗位有待填补。通过转业支持和培训，退伍军人可以胜任这些工作。
制造商需要技术型人才。在未来十年，将有超过250万工人退休。虽然这一数字最近有小幅下降，但是我们还有将近100万未就业的退伍军人，他们大多年富力强并期望找到一份有意义的工作。当你把技术娴熟度和他们所具备的一系列的无形品质（无论是领导力还是忠诚度）加在一起的时候，你会发现退伍军人是最适合这些工作的人选。
需求是显而易见的。目前的挑战是将他们的技能和空缺岗位对号入座，帮助他们找到合适的工作。最新调查显示，退伍军人和一些快要转业的现役士兵都坚信自己能够做出贡献。但是，他们也担心自己的价值会被低估，而且自己的技能也许不会很容易就转化为劳动力。
