Part A: Reading Comprehension
Text 2
More Americans are opting to work well into retirement, a growing trend that threatens to upend the old workforce model.
One in three Americans who are at least 40 have or plan to have a job in retirement to prepare for a longer life, according to a survey conducted by Harris Poll for TD Ameritrade. Even more surprising is that more than half of “unretirees” — those who plan to work in retirement or went back to work after retiring — said they would be employed in their later years even if they had enough money to settle down, the survey showed.
Financial needs aren’t the only culprit for the “unretirement” trend. Other reasons, according to the study, include personal fulfillment such as staying mentally fit, preventing boredom or avoiding depression. About 72% of “unretiree” respondents said that they would return to work once retired to keep mentally fit while 59% said it would be tied to making ends meet.
“The concept of retirement is evolving,” said Christine Russell, senior manager of retirement at TD Ameritrade. “It’s not just about finances. The value of work is also driving folks to continue working past retirement.”
One reason for the change in retirement patterns: Americans are living longer. The share of the population 65 and older was 16% in 2018, up 32% from the prior year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s also up 302% since 2010. Older Americans are also the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. workforce, and boomers are expected to live longer than previous generations. The percentage of retirement-age people in the labor force has doubled over the past three decades. About 20% of people 65 and older were in the workforce in February, up from an all-time low of 10% in January 1985, according to money manager United Income.
Because of longer life spans, Americans are also boosting their savings to preserve their nest eggs, the TD Ameritrade study showed, which surveyed 2,000 adults between 40 to 79. Six in 10 “unretirees” are increasing their savings in anticipation of a longer life, according to the survey. Among the most popular ways they are doing this, the company said, is by reducing their overall expenses, securing life insurance or maximizing their contributions to retirement accounts.
Unfortunately, many people who are opting to work in retirement are preparing to do so because they are worried about making ends meet in their later years, said Brent Weiss, a co-founder at Baltimore-based financial-planning firm Facet Wealth. He suggested that preretirees should speak with a financial adviser to set long-term financial goals.
“The most challenging moments in life are getting married, starting a family and ultimately retiring,” Weiss said. “It’s not just a financial decision, but an emotional one. Many people believe they can’t retire.”
26. The survey conducted by Harris Poll indicates that
27. It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that Americans tend to think that
28. Retirement patterns are changing partly due to
29. Many “unretirees” are increasing their savings by
30. With regard to retirement, Brent Weiss thinks that many people are
答案解析 (Answers & Explanations)
26. [D] more Americans are willing to work in retirement.
解析：细节题。定位到第二段。调查显示：1. 三分之一的40岁以上美国人在退休后有工作或计划工作；2. 超过一半的“退而不休者”表示即使钱够花，他们晚年也愿意被雇佣（would be employed）。这说明越来越多的美国人“愿意在退休后工作（willing to work in retirement）”，选D。
27. [A] retirement may cause problems for them.
解析：推理题。定位到第三段。人们退而不休的原因不仅是缺钱，还包括个人满足感，比如“保持心理健康、防止无聊或避免抑郁（staying mentally fit, preventing boredom or avoiding depression）”。这反过来推理出：美国人认为完全退休可能会导致心理问题（无聊、抑郁），因此退休可能“会给他们带来问题（cause problems）”，选A。
28. [C] longer life expectancy.
解析：细节题。定位到第五段首句：“退休模式改变的一个原因：美国人活得更长了（Americans are living longer）”。“living longer”直接同义替换为选项C中的“longer life expectancy（更长的预期寿命）”。
29. [D] spending less.
解析：细节题。定位到第六段最后一句：“在他们这样做的最受欢迎的方式中……是通过减少他们的整体开支（by reducing their overall expenses）……”。“减少开支（reducing expenses）”完美对应选项D的“少花钱（spending less）”。
30. [A] unprepared.
解析：观点态度题。定位到倒数第二段和最后一段。Brent Weiss指出，很多人退休后还要工作是因为担心晚年入不敷出（making ends meet），他建议准退休人员应该与财务顾问交谈以设定长期财务目标。最后他强调，结婚、生子和最终退休是人生中最具挑战的时刻，这“不仅是一个财务决定，更是一个情感决定。许多人认为他们不能退休”。既然需要临时找顾问、又充满了担忧和认为自己无法退休，说明很多人对退休是“没有准备好的（unprepared）”，选A。
核心长难句精解 (High-Light)
1. 同位语与主语从句的嵌套：
"Even more surprising is that more than half of “unretirees” — those who plan to work in retirement or went back to work after retiring — said they would be employed in their later years even if they had enough money to settle down, the survey showed."
【解析】`Even more surprising is that...` 中 `that` 引导表语从句。在从句中，破折号之间的 `those who...` 是 `"unretirees"` 的同位语，用于解释什么是“退而不休者”。表语从句的核心谓语是 `said`，其后跟了一个省略 `that` 的宾语从句。而在宾语从句中，又嵌套了 `even if`（即使）引导的让步状语从句。
"Even more surprising is that more than half of “unretirees” — those who plan to work in retirement or went back to work after retiring — said they would be employed in their later years even if they had enough money to settle down, the survey showed."
【解析】`Even more surprising is that...` 中 `that` 引导表语从句。在从句中，破折号之间的 `those who...` 是 `"unretirees"` 的同位语，用于解释什么是“退而不休者”。表语从句的核心谓语是 `said`，其后跟了一个省略 `that` 的宾语从句。而在宾语从句中，又嵌套了 `even if`（即使）引导的让步状语从句。
2. while 引导的对比关系：
"About 72% of “unretiree” respondents said that they would return to work once retired to keep mentally fit while 59% said it would be tied to making ends meet."
【解析】`while` 在此表示“而/然而”，用于对比两种不同的退而不休的动机：72%的人是为了保持心理健康（精神需求），而59%的人是迫于生计（财务需求）。`once retired` 是 `once they are retired` 的省略形式作时间状语。
"About 72% of “unretiree” respondents said that they would return to work once retired to keep mentally fit while 59% said it would be tied to making ends meet."
【解析】`while` 在此表示“而/然而”，用于对比两种不同的退而不休的动机：72%的人是为了保持心理健康（精神需求），而59%的人是迫于生计（财务需求）。`once retired` 是 `once they are retired` 的省略形式作时间状语。
3. Among 引导的倒装句：
"Among the most popular ways they are doing this, the company said, is by reducing their overall expenses, securing life insurance or maximizing their contributions to retirement accounts."
【解析】这是一个完全倒装句，正常的语序是：By reducing... is among the most popular ways...。因为介词短语 `Among the most popular ways...` 放在了句首以起强调作用，且主语是一长串由 `by` 引导的动名词短语并列，为了避免头重脚轻，故采用了倒装。`they are doing this` 是省略 `that/which` 的定语从句，修饰 `ways`。
"Among the most popular ways they are doing this, the company said, is by reducing their overall expenses, securing life insurance or maximizing their contributions to retirement accounts."
【解析】这是一个完全倒装句，正常的语序是：By reducing... is among the most popular ways...。因为介词短语 `Among the most popular ways...` 放在了句首以起强调作用，且主语是一长串由 `by` 引导的动名词短语并列，为了避免头重脚轻，故采用了倒装。`they are doing this` 是省略 `that/which` 的定语从句，修饰 `ways`。