英语听力精选进阶版 7104

Background: 澳大利亚的研究人员发现，高个子的人比矮个子的人挣钱多。身高多出十公分就可能让一个人多挣百分之三的工资。

The long and short of this Australian report is that tall workers earn significantly more than their vertically¹ challenged counterparts.

A six-foot man can expect a windfall of almost $750 (around 7500 yuan) a year.

The researchers found there were practical reasons why the size gap translated into a pay gap. Tall people were sometimes more capable of performing certain physical tasks, like reaching high shelves.

But the discrepancy² is explained mainly by discrimination, the simple fact that society tends to look on tall people as more powerful and smarter, even when they're not.

The study from the Australian National University also found that slimmer workers tend to get slimmer pay packets. Fat men earn five per cent more than their slender colleagues.

GLOSSARY³ 词汇表

the long and short of 简而言之，归纳起来

vertically challenged 直立的挑战，此处指身体的高度

counterparts 相对的/对等的（人）

six-foot （身高）六英尺

windfall 横财/以外的收入

gap 缝隙/距离

more capable 更有能力的

discrepancy 差异/矛盾

discrimination 歧视

slimmer 较瘦的人

pay packets 工资待遇

slender 苗条的

Questions and Answers

1. From which country does the research study originate?

The research report comes from Australia.

2. How much extra money do the researchers believe a six-foot man can earn?

They believe a six-foot man can earn around $750 a year more than his shorter counterparts.

3. What did the researchers say about society and its view of tall people?

They said society tends to think tall people as more powerful and smarter.

4. What relationship did the researchers find between weight and pay?

The researchers found that fatter people earn more than slimmer people.

1 vertically   

adv.垂直地

参考例句：

• Line the pages for the graph both horizontally and vertically.在这几页上同时画上横线和竖线，以便制作图表。
• The human brain is divided vertically down the middle into two hemispheres.人脑从中央垂直地分为两半球。

2 discrepancy   

n.不同；不符；差异；矛盾

参考例句：

• The discrepancy in their ages seemed not to matter.他们之间年龄的差异似乎没有多大关系。
• There was a discrepancy in the two reports of the accident.关于那次事故的两则报道有不一致之处。

3 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。