Reading Comprehension

For years, U.S. employers have counted on a steady flow of labor from Mexico willing to accept low-skilled, low paying jobs. These workers, many of whom leave economically depressed villages in the Mexican interior, are often more than willing to work for wages well below both the U.S. minimum wage and the poverty line. However, thanks to a dramatic demographic shift currently taking place in Mexico, the seemingly inexhaustible supply of workers migrating from Mexico to the United States might one day greatly diminish if not cease.

Predictions of such a drastic decrease in the number of Mexican immigrants, both legal and illegal, are driven by Mexico's rapidly diminishing population growth. As a result of a decades-long family planning campaign, most Mexicans are having far fewer children than was the norm a generation ago. The campaign, organized around the slogan that "the small family lives better," saw the Mexican government establish family-planning clinics and offer free contraception. For nearly three decades, the government's message concerning population hasn't wavered. In fact, the Mexican Senate recently voted to extend public school GMAT education programs to kindergarten.

The result of Mexico's efforts to stem population growth is nothing short of stunning. In 1968, the average Mexican woman had just fewer than seven children; today, the figure is slightly more than two. For two primary reasons, Mexico's new demographics could greatly impact the number of Mexicans seeking work in the U.S. First, smaller families by their nature limit the pool of potential migrants. Second, the slowing of Mexico's population growth has fostered hope that Mexico will develop a healthy middle class of people content to make their livelihoods in their home country.

Though the former of these factors is all but assured, the growth of a healthy middle class is far from a foregone conclusion. The critical challenge for Mexico is what it does with the next 20 years. Mexico must invest in education, job training, and infrastructure, as well as a social-security system to protect its aging population. If Mexico is willing to step forward and meet this challenge, America may one day wake up to find that, like cheap gasoline, cheap Mexican labor has become a thing of the past.

1. The passage does NOT indicate which of the following concerning Mexico's current demographics?
A. Due to the government's family planning campaign, Mexico's population is currently diminishing.
B. On average, Mexican women are having approximately one-third the number of children that they had in 1968.
C. Many Mexicans still migrate to the United States in search of work.
D. As a result of declining birth rates, Mexico's population is aging.
E. A healthy middle class in Mexico has not yet fully developed.

2. Which of the following can be inferred about U.S. employers of Mexican immigrants?
A. Most of these employers pay Mexican immigrants less money than they pay American citizens.
B. Some of these employers violate wage laws.
C. Many of these employers work in the agricultural industry.
D. Without Mexican immigrants, some of these employers would be forced to close their businesses.
E. The majority of these employers show no concern for the welfare of their workers.

3. With which of the following statements would the author of the passage MOST likely agree?
A. The United States will soon have to replace lost Mexican labor with labor provided by other immigrant groups.
B. It is difficult for a country with a large population to develop a healthy middle class.
C. Many Mexican immigrants who work in the United States believe that they are taken advantage of by
American employers.
D. Most rapidly growing countries should institute a family planning campaign to limit population growth.
E. Mexico does not currently have the infrastructure to develop a healthy middle class.

4. One function of the final paragraph of the passage is to
A. relate why the number of Mexican immigrants seeking work in the United States is certain to decline.
B. detail the successes of Mexico's family planning campaign.
C. explain why the number of Mexican immigrants seeking work in the United States may not dramatically decrease.
D. specify the types of infrastructure in which Mexico must invest.
E. notify American employers that they will soon need to find alternative sources of labor.

OA after some discussion.

Regards,
Dhruv

1.it's a 'NOT' question.
A can be eliminated - Mexico's population is indeed diminishing
B can be eliminated - In 1968 there were around 6 children, now there are around 2, which is indeed 1/3
C can be eliminated as this statement is correct
E can be eliminated as according to last paragraph, Mexico has a long way to go.
IMO D

2.It's a 'inferred' question, so anything that is directly taken from the passage can be eliminated.
A can be eliminated as it's stated in the second sentence. "willing to work for wages well below both the U.S. minimum wage and the poverty line"
B can be eliminated as it's stated in the second sentence.
C potential choice
D can be eliminated as any question wouldn't spell doom for the US economy.
E potential choice. Well almost.

E can more less be read out of the second line, since the employers pay them poorly. But not a real inference.
C - We get to know that the laborers are used in unskilled sector. Agriculture being one of them can be a choice. Also not the usage of 'Many of these employers'.
So IMO C

3.' MOST' will hopefully present a multitude of options that the author may agree, we need to choose the most relevant.
A - potential choice
B - It's an absolute statement and a general statement too. and can be eliminated.
C - If this were to be true, the flow immigrants would drop. But it's not the case.
D - It's a absolute statement and can be eliminated.
IMO A

4.E

Hi peelamedu,

You got the first one right.
More responses please. OAs after some discussion.

Regards,
Dhruv

DBEC
oa??

1.D
2.A
3.B
4.C/E

OA please