考研外刊精读:AI时代的就业前景

来源：本文改编自 The Economist (经济学人) 深度评论类文章，2026年8月18日刊发适用考试：全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语（考研英语一/二）建议阅读时间：20分钟

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阅读理解答案在文章末尾，

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PART 01

文章正文

Paragraph 1

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently gave an interview to The Economist in which he made a bold prediction: artificial intelligence will soon be able to do any job better than any human. According to Musk, AI has already surpassed 90% of professional software engineers in capability, and humanoid robots will gradually take over assembly-line work as well. He even suggested that, in the future, work itself might become a matter of personal choice rather than economic necessity.

中文翻译

特斯拉与SpaceX首席执行官埃隆·马斯克近期接受《经济学人》专访时做出大胆预测：人工智能很快将能比任何人都更好地完成任何工作。据马斯克称，AI在软件工程能力方面已超越九成专业工程师，人形机器人也将逐步接管流水线作业。他甚至提出，未来工作本身可能成为个人选择而非生存必需。

考研高频词汇

单词	词性	释义
bold	adj.	大胆的，冒失的
prediction	n.	预测，预言
surpass	v.	超越，胜过
capability	n.	能力，才能
humanoid	adj./n.	类人的；人形机器人
assembly line	短语	装配线，流水线
necessity	n.	必需品；必要性

Paragraph 2

Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor-in-chief of The Economist, did not accept Musk's vision without question. She pressed him on how people would make a living if machines took over all jobs. Musk responded with the idea of "Universal High Income" — the government would simply send checks to every citizen. He further argued that, with a massive increase in the output of goods and services, the real economic threat would be deflation rather than inflation.

中文翻译

《经济学人》总编辑贝多斯并未毫无保留地接受马斯克的愿景。她追问：如果机器取代了所有工作，人们将如何谋生。马斯克以“全民高收入”构想作答——政府只需向每位公民发放支票。他进一步辩称，随着商品和服务产出的大幅增长，真正的经济威胁将是通货紧缩而非通货膨胀。

考研高频词汇

单词	词性	释义
vision	n.	愿景，远见
press	v.	追问，施加压力
make a living	短语	谋生，维持生计
massive	adj.	大规模的，大量的
output	n.	产出，产量
deflation	n.	通货紧缩
inflation	n.	通货膨胀

Paragraph 3

The debate over AI and employment is not confined to Silicon Valley. Across the Atlantic, concerns are equally acute. European policymakers are increasingly worried about the social consequences of technological displacement. Meanwhile, in Asia, the challenge takes on a different dimension. The Economist recently reported that China's all-out push in AI is driven by an almost existential necessity in its competition with America. Yet, with its population expected to shrink by 25% by 2050, the Chinese government finds itself in a dilemma: it needs robots to compensate for a shrinking workforce, but it also opposes firms using AI to cut jobs.

中文翻译

关于AI与就业的辩论并不局限于硅谷。在大西洋彼岸，同样的担忧同样紧迫。欧洲政策制定者日益担忧技术性失业带来的社会后果。与此同时，在亚洲，这一挑战呈现出不同的维度。《经济学人》近日报道指出，中国在AI领域的全面发力源于其对美竞争中近乎生存级的紧迫感。然而，由于预计到2050年人口将缩减25%，中国政府陷入两难：一方面需要机器人来弥补劳动力萎缩，另一方面却反对企业利用AI裁员。

考研高频词汇

单词	词性	释义
confine	v.	限制，局限于
acute	adj.	尖锐的，紧迫的
displacement	n.	取代，位移
dimension	n.	维度，方面
all-out	adj.	全力以赴的，全面的
existential	adj.	关乎存在的，根本性的
compensate	v.	补偿，弥补
shrink	v.	萎缩，缩小

PART 02

长难句分析

原句一：According to Musk, AI has already surpassed 90% of professional software engineers in capability, and humanoid robots will gradually take over assembly-line work as well.

结构分析：本句为并列句，由“and”连接两个分句。
翻译要点：“surpass...in capability”译为“在能力上超越……”，注意“as well”表示“同样地”，与“also”同义。

原句二：The Economist recently reported that China's all-out push in AI is driven by an almost existential necessity in its competition with America, yet, with its population expected to shrink by 25% by 2050, the Chinese government finds itself in a dilemma.

结构分析：本句为复合句，包含宾语从句和让步状语。
翻译要点：“all-out push”译为“全面发力”，“existential necessity”译为“生存级的必要性/根本性需求”，“finds itself in a dilemma”译为“陷入两难境地”。

PART 03

阅读理解

According to Paragraph 1, what does Elon Musk predict about the future of work?A. AI will create more jobs than it destroys.B. AI will surpass human performance in almost all jobs.C. Software engineers will be the only professionals affected.D. Work will disappear completely within a decade.
What dilemma does the Chinese government face regarding AI development?A. It cannot compete with American AI companies.B. Its population is shrinking, but it opposes AI-driven job cuts.C. It lacks enough robots to compensate for workforce loss.D. It supports Universal High Income but cannot afford it.
What is the main purpose of this passage?

A. To argue that AI will cause mass unemployment.B. To promote Universal High Income as a solution.C. To present different perspectives on AI's impact on employment.D. To criticize Musk's views on the future of work.

PART 04

答案与解析

答案位于文章最后，请同学们帮忙点赞留言，感谢支持！

题号	答案	解析
1	B	第一段首句明确指出Musk预测AI“将能比任何人都更好地完成任何工作”，B项为同义替换
2	B	第三段末尾明确指出：中国一方面“需要机器人弥补劳动力萎缩”，另一方面“反对企业利用AI裁员”，形成两难
3	C	全文从Musk的乐观预测出发，引入总编辑的质疑，再到全球不同地区的政策困境，整体目的是呈现AI对就业影响的多方视角