大学英语分级阅读-第一册

章节摘录

　　The Rights of Employees　　1 When the United States became a nation more than 200 years ago， the Founders made a Constitution that structured the new society as a majoritarian democracy. They later added a Bill of Rights to protect individuals from the tyranny of the majority. But in the 18th century， when the Constitution and Bill of Rights were passed， the government was viewed as the only major threat to individual rights. The Founders could not have imagined back then that， one day， concentrations of corporate power would exist on a scale competing with， and in some cases exceeding， governmental power.　　2 Today， most Americans are more vulnerable to having their rights violated by their employers than the early Americans were to having their rights violated by the government. Yet because the Constitution does not limit their authority， private employers are free to violate the civil liberties of their employees. Nationwide， the American Civil Liberties Union receives more complaints about abuses by employers than about abuses by the government：　　3* In California， a job applicant was denied a job because he refused to answer questions about his sex life on a "psychological test." At least millions of job applicants are required to take such tests every year.　　4* In Pennsylvania， an employee was fired because he pointed out serious safety defects in his employer's products. At least 200，000 Americans are unjustly fired every year.　　5* In Indiana， an employee was fired because she smoked cigarettes in her own home. At least 6，000 American companies now attempt to regulate off-duty smoking and other private behavior.　　6 I The ACLU believes that such abuses can only be prevented by extending， into the private workplace， the protections guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Certainly， we recognize that employers have every right to expect workers to do their jobs But employees are also entitled to the same freedoms on the job that they enjoy off the job.　　7 Here are the ACLUs answers to some questions frequently asked by the public about the rights of American employees. If the Constitution doesn't apply to the private workplace， what does？　　8 The vast majority of American employees， of whom there are 100 million in all， are governed by a doctrine called" employment at will." This doctrine， a relic of 19th century anti-labor laws， gives employers the right to fire workers at any time， for any reason. Indeed， one can be fired for no reason at all. An estimated 200，000 employees at least， are unjustly fired in the United States each year.　　9 It is the employment-at-will doctrine that empowers employers to impose unwarranted urine tests and "personality" and "integrity" tests on their employees The power to fire at will permits employers to limit their employees' right to free speech.　　10 Are there any laws that protect employees' rights？　　11 There are federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of race， religion， sex， national origin， age and disability. However， these laws require only that employees be treated equally. Employers are， therefore， free to do whatever they wish to their employees as long as they do so in a non-discriminatory manner.　　……

书籍目录

Unit 1 Transformation of Life
Text A Mother's Love...A True Story
Text B Guest-Teaching Chinese and Learning America
Supplementary Exercises
Unit 2 Secret of Success
Text A President Barack Obama's Speech： Back to School Event
（Ⅰ）
Text B President Barack Obama's Speech： Back to School Event
（Ⅱ）
Supplementary Exercises
Unit 3 Fresh ideas， new mindset
Text A Time-One of the Great Mysteries of Our Universe
Text B Apple's cloud music to make piracy pay？
Supplementary Exercises
Unit 4 Beware on the Fast Track
Text A BRIC Wall
Text B Chindia at a Crossroads
Supplementary Exercises
Unit 5 Tangible and Intangible Medicine for Health
Text A Vitamins Are Important to Good Health
Text B Good Humor， Good Health
Supplementary Exercises
Unit 6 Significance of Mission
Text A Clinton Decides to Accept Post at State Dept.， Confidants
Say
Text B Teacher， Can We Leave Now？ No.
Supplementary Exercises
Unit 7 Getting to know about laws in China and America
Text A People's Republic of China's Criminal Justice System
Text B The Rights of Employees
Supplementary Exercises
Unit 8 Charles Darwin and Biological Evolution
Text A Charles Robert Darwin
Text B Biological Evolution
Supplementary Exercises
key
References

作者简介

《高等教育"十二五"部委级规划教材:大学英语分级阅读(第1册)》内容涵盖面广，从学习者实际出发，把英语学习中接触较多、需求广泛的题材编辑为八大板块，分别以文化、教育、科技、经济、医药卫生、政治、法律和生物等领域的相关文章为主题构成全书的八个单元。每个单元配有一定的翻译、阅读理解和完型填空，帮助学生巩固和消化阅读材料的内容。

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