WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 — The House of Representatives, which prides itself on being the People’s House has been turning into, a rich men’s club.
The representatives newly elected in 1984 were almost four times as wealthy as the first term lawmakers elected only six years before, according to a new study on the members’ financial reports.
Behind this remarkable swing, the study says, there are two main factors: a court decision that outlawed limits on what candidates could give to their own campaigns, and the enormous growth in the cost of pursuing a seat in Congress. As a result, it is increasingly difficult for candidates of modest means, particularly women to amount successful challenges to entrenched office holders.
One solution, the authors contend, is a system of public financing for campaigns, but Congress seems in no mood to change the political rules any time soon.
The lower chamber is going upper class, said Mark Green, the President of the Democracy Project, a public policy institute based in New York. .But this evolution from a House of Representatives to a House of Lords denies the diversity of our democracy. It establishes a de facto property qualification for office that increasingly says: The people with low and middle ine need not apply
The Democracy Project produced the study in cooperation with the United States Public Interests Research Group, a similar institute situated in Washington. But their research was not entirely theoretical. In 1980 Mr. Green was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Congress in New York’s 15th District, in Manhattan. The winner was. Bill Green, one of the wealthiest members of Congress.
5. What can we know from the passage?
A. The House of Representatives is poor men’s club.
B. The House of Representatives was made up of people with low and middle ine.
C. The House of Representatives, was rich men’s club;
D. The House of Representatives is made up of people with low and middle ine.
6. What does this remarkable swing in the third paragraph refer to?
A. The House of Representatives prides itself on being the people’s House.
B. The new study based on the members’ financial reports.
C. A court decision that outlawed limits on what candidates could give to their own campaigns.
D. The representatives elected now are much wealthier than those elected a few years ago.
7. Which of the following is wrong according to the study?
A. Any honest man can bee a representative of the House.
B. Women are more difficult than men to be an entrenched office holder.
C. Limits on what a candidate could give to his campaign are outlawed.
D. One must spend much money getting a seat in the Congress.
8. What is the United States Public Interests Research Group like?
A. The House of Representatives.
B. A public policy institute based in New York.
C. A public policy institute based in Washington.
D. The House of Lords.
9. What does the writer think of the study?
A. Doubtful. B. Believable. C. Opposed. D. Normal.5-9 BDAB
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(答案→)5-9 BDAB
解析：5. B 细节题。由第一段及倒数第二段最后一句low and middle ine need not apply可知。
6. D 词义题。根据句子结构及下文的内容可知，这里指上文所提到的事情。
7. A 细节题。根据文章倒数第二段最后一句It establishes…and middle ine need not apply 可知，收入中、低档的人不具备资格。
8. C 细节题。由倒数第二段the Democracy Project，a public policy institute based in New York及最后一段a similar institute situated in Washington可知。
9. B 推断题。由最后一段第二句But their research was not entirely，theoretical可推知。