On Tuesday, the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United released a report.The organization has been fighting for better working conditions for the nation’s restaurant workers and gives the surprising level of discrimination（歧视）that is common in the industry. You may think it can’t be as bad as all that, enough to remind people of Jim Crow and the system of discrimination that was once popular in the country, particularly the South, before the civil rights era（年代）.

But it doesn’t take long to see that the restaurant industry, which employs 11 million workers and is one of the fastest-growing industry in the U.S. economy, is operating in something of an old time. 

On average, white men working in restaurants in California, who are more likely to work in front-of-house positions at more expensive restaurants, earn $14.18 per hour. Meanwhile, white women earn $11.30, men of color earn $11.63, and women of color earn more than $4 per hour less than white men.About education and language skills, the earnings for workers of color were 56 percent lower than for white workers with equal ability. “The largest employer of people of color is also the worst paying industry in the country,” said Saru Jayaraman.

The reasons for this are many, but we should require further study for long-term solutions. Some are no doubt linked with the legacy of racism. As this latest report shows, it’s time we demand a higher ethical(道德的) standard when it comes to how the industry is treating women and workers of color as well.

本时文内容由奇速英语国际教育研究院原创编写，禁止复制和任何商业用途，版权所有，侵权必究！

1.The underlined phrase “Jim Crow” in the first paragraph may refer to _____.

A the restaurant worker

B the working condition

C the discrimination system

D the civil rights era

解析：选C。词义推测题。 根据第一段第二句的the system of discrimination that was once popular in the country可以得知工作上的不公平让想起Jim Crow，也就是吉姆·克劳法 (Jim Crow laws)，那个实行种族隔离制度的法律，故选C。

2.What does the writer really mean when saying “something of an old time”?

A The restaurant industry is really out of fashion.

B There is discrimination in restaurant industry.

C The restaurant industry is growing very fast.

D The U.S. will need more and more workers.

解析：选B。推理判断题。根据文章第一段最后一句particularly the South, before the civil rights era可以的推知美国的餐营业存在的古老的的东西就是种族歧视，故选B。

3.How much do the women of color earn per hour?

A $14.18.

B $11.63.

C $11.30.

D $10.18.

解析：选D。数字计算题。根据第三段第二句的women of color earn more than $4 per hour less than white men可以得知有色人种的女士的工资要比白色人种的男子的工资每小时低4美元，白人男子的工资为$14.18，据此不难得知有色人种女士的工资为$10.18每小时，故选D。

4.What will help people solve the problem of the restaurant?

A The education and language skills.

B The change of position at the restaurants.

C The higher standard in working conditions.

D The improvement of working conditions.

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第四段第三句的it’s time we demand a higher ethical standard可以得知较高的道德水平能够解决对女士和有色人种的不公平问题，故选C。