The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) continues to be in the red. It reported a net loss of $5.6 billion for 2016 alone, the 10th straight year its expenses have exceeded revenue. Meanwhile, it has the debts of more than $120 billion, mostly for employee health and retirement costs. There are many bankruptcies. Fundamentally, the USPS is in a historic squeeze between technological change that has permanently decreased demand for its bread-and-butter product, and a regulatory structure that denies management the flexibility to adjust its operations to the new reality.
Interest groups ranging from postal unions to postcard makers exert self-interested pressure on the USPS’s final supervisor—Congress (参议院), insisting that whatever else happens to the Postal Service, aspects of the present legal situation they depend on get protected. This is why repeated attempts at reform legislation (立法) have failed in recent years, leaving the Postal Service unable to pay its bills except by postponing vital modernization.
Now comes word that everyone involved—Democrats, Republicans, the Postal Service, the unions and the systems heaviest users—has finally agreed on a plan to fix the system. Legislation is moving through the White House that would save USPS an estimated $28.6 billion over five years, which could help pay for new vehicles, among other survival measures. Most of the money would come from a penny-per-letter permanent rate increase and from shifting postal retirees into Medicare. The latter step would largely reduce the financial burden of annually pre-funding retiree health care, thus addressing a long-standing complaint by the USPS and its union.
If it clears the White House, this measure will still have to get through the Senate—where someone is bound to point out that it amounts to the bare, bare minimum necessary to make the Postal Service stay afloat, not comprehensive reform. There’s no change to collective bargaining at the USPS, a major mistake considering that personnel accounts for 80 percent of the agency’s costs. Also missing is any discussion of getting rid of Saturday letter delivery. That common-sense change enjoys wide public support and would save the USPS $2 billion per year. But postal special-interest groups seem to have killed it, at least in the White House. The emerging consensus around the bill is a sign that legislators are getting frightened about a politically embarrassing short-term collapse at the USPS. It is not, however, a sign that they’re getting serious about transforming the postal system for the 2lst century.
【小题1】The financial problem with the USPS is caused partly by ________.A.its rigid management. | B.its unbalanced budget. |
C.the cost for technical innovation | D.the suspension of bank support. |
A.protecting every interest group benefits the USPS |
B.the USPS will invest more money in retiree health care |
C.the White House has already approved the reform |
D.the author seems to be discontent with legislators |
A.Boom. | B.Survive. |
C.Decline. | D.Expand. |
A.The USPS Starts to Miss Its Good Old Days |
B.The USPS Starts to cooperate with Legislators |
C.The USPS Needs Comprehensive Aid and Reform |
D.The USPS Is Bound to Get out of the Dilemma |
A Brief History Of Waterstone’s
Waterstone’s is the largest bookstore chain in the UK and Ireland, with 296 stores and 4500 employees, but its market share has recently declined and sales have been poor. The book market suffered during the economy declines and the emergence of new e-readers, such as the Amazon Kindle, was pulling more customers away from the high street. A&NN will pay for Waterstone’s in two parts, one of £40million and one of £13million.The deal will only complete if HMV can renegotiate its bank facilities, though HMV says the banks are supportive of the sale. Pension trustees and the pensions regulator also have to approve. HMV chief executive Simon Fox said A&NN would be a good home for Waterstone’s, while the sale will reduce borrowings and enable HMV to focus on plans for transforming the business into a broad-based entertainment business. A&NN will appoint James Daunt as managing director of Waterstone’s once the deal completes. Mr. Daunt currently runs Daunt Books, a small chain of London-based bookshops he founded in 1990. | |
Waterstone’s founder Tim Waterstone opened his first store in 1982 at a time when fellow book-lovers were presented with few options on the high street. The top bookseller was WH Smith, Mr. Waterstone’s former employer of eight years before he was dismissed, which he felt was failing to go into a broad market of literature fans. The first store was opened in Old Brompton Road, and the former banker’s intuition was correct as the chain went from strength to strength. Mr. Waterstone, who has written four novels, saw a recovery in the market driven by demand for the works of a new wave of literary stars including Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, John Banville and Martin Amis. Having founded the firm with his £6,000, Mr. Waterstone sold the chain to his former employer WH Smith in 1993 for £47million. |
【小题1】According to the passage, who is the most likely to be the managing director of Waterstone’s in the near future?
A.Mr. Waterstone | B.John Banville |
C.James Daunt | D.Simon Fox |
A.instinctive knowledge | B.mental image |
C.calm consideration | D.indirect suggestion |
A.At present the brand Waterstone’s belongs to HMV. |
B.During the economy declines, the book market was hit and sales were poor. |
C.Waterstone’s has long been the largest bookstore chain in the U.K and Ireland. |
D.Mr. Waterstone made £41,000 when he transferred the chain to WH Smith. |
University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and it's one of the top universities in the world. There is no clear date when the university started, but teaching began at Oxford in some forms in 1096 and developed quickly from 1167.
There are 39 independent(独立的) Colleges at Oxford, attracting students and learned men from across the world. There are over 100 libraries for the students and learned men to use. At University of Oxford. they also provide a number of money for the best students. Of course, if you want to study here, first you have to reach a certain level of English language.
College life at Oxford is very exciting but busy. The groups of college provide a friendly and welcoming home for students while the colleges are strict with students about their studies. Many Chinese students are studying here. The number of Chinese students at the university has grown quickly over the past 10 years.
【小题1】How many libraries are there at Oxford?A.Only 100. | B.Just 100. |
C.More than 100. | D.Less than 100. |
A.be independent | B.study English hard |
C.be the best student | D.pass a certain level test of English language |
A.excitement; much school work to do | B.excitement; no school work to do |
C.attraction; no school work to do | D.attraction; a little school work to do |
A.The College Life | B.The Famous Learners at Oxford |
C.The Chinese Students at Oxford | D.The University of Oxford |
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