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  3. We need to reform the European social model, not play round with it. Make it

We need to reform the European social model, not play round with it. Make it

游客2024-10-04  35
问题     We need to reform the European social model, not play round with it. Make it work in the long term to achieve the values it stands for. That’s what we mean by New Labour. New in our means. But Labour in our aims.
    Since being elected, the New Labour Government has set its course according to these principles of the third way, the radical centre if you like.
    First, we have tightened public finances sharply. Next year, we will have one of the lowest levels of deficit of any major world economy. Two years after we may eliminate it. But we have tightened the deficit without raising income taxes and whilst still getting more cash to poor pensioners and to the unemployed.
    Second, we have started to squeeze the inflation we inherited back out of the system. But we did it by giving me Bank of England independence over the setting of interest rates. And we have continued that with far-reaching reforms of our financial system, to make it more open and secure.
    Third, we have made a firm commitment to more investment in our education system, which we have put as the top priority of the new Government. There is a huge investment going in.
    But, it is a deal: investment for reform. Schools are going to have to raise standards sharply. There is a strong emphasis on discipline, high quality in teachers, and schools are being encouraged to be more flexible and imaginative in the way they work. Education Authorities are there to help schools, not control them. Teachers’ unions do not set the agenda. We want partnership with those that work in our public services. But they are run for those that use them.
    Fourth, we are embarking on reform of our welfare state. It is not simply the size of the budget. It is that it isn’t doing the things it was established to do. We have more workless households, more people dependent on benefit, more socially excluded. We are instituting a Welfare to Work programme, giving young and long-term unemployed people the chance to work or get a skill. But in return there is an obligation to take work. There is a new emphasis on services like childcare and less just on extra cash benefits. Student finance is being reformed. Universities will get more money for investment, students numbers will be increased, but students will be expected when they start to earn reasonable sums of money after leaving university, to contribute back some of their fees. Our NHS is being reformed, with a new emphasis on better primary health care and more health prevention and less bureaucracy; in return, greater investment.
    Fifth, there is an attack on crime, not just serious crime, but vandalism and juvenile offending. Parents are being held responsible for the actions of their children, in certain circumstances. Crime is the scourge of modern-day living. It often affects the poorest in our society. We are determined to bear down on it in all ways possible. But, again, in balance, we are working strongly on rehabilitating and helping offenders to regain responsible lives.
    Sixth, there is a fundamental change to Britain’s constitution under way, devolving and decentralising power to the nations and regions of the UK and revitalising local government. We are also reforming our system of voting in the European elections, incorporating directly the European Convention on Human Rights and introducing Freedom of Information legislation to open up the old-fashioned and secretive system of Government. And we are reforming the House of Lords.
    Add to this the search for peace in Northern Ireland—difficult and fraught though it is—and you can see we have a full and ambitious programme.
    Of course, it will take time to deliver. That is frustrating for us and for the electorate. But the work in progress is there. The course is clear. And we will get to our destination. I have no doubt of it. [br] "they" in the last sentence of the 6th paragraph most probably refers to
选项 A、Education Authorities.
B、Teachers’ unions.
C、teachers.
D、schools.
答案 D
解析 第6段末句中的they代指前一句末尾的public services，结合该段关于“教育”的话题可以推断public services在该段特指“学校”，因此本题应选D。原文该句中的被动语态可以首先帮助排除C。其他两个选项都不属于public services。
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