②　No one tries harder than the jobless to find silver linings in this national economic disaster. Many said that unemployment, while extremely painful, had improved them in some ways: they had become less materialistic and more  financially prudent; they were more aware of the struggles of others. In limited respects, perhaps the recession will leave society better off. At the very least, it has awoken us from our national fever dream of easy  riches and bigger houses, and put a necessary end to an era of reckless personal spending.

③　But for the most part, these benefits seem thin, uncertain, and far off. In The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth, the economic historian Benjamin Friedman argues that both inside and outside the U.S., lengthy periods of economic stagnation or decline have almost always left society more mean-spirited and less inclusive, and have usually stopped or reversed the advance of rights and freedoms. Anti-immigrant sentiment typically increases, as does conflict between races and classes.

④　Income inequality usually falls during a recession, but it has not shrunk in this one. Indeed, this period of economic weakness may reinforce class divides, and decrease opportunities to cross them – especially for young people. The research of Till Von Wachter, the economist at Columbia University, suggests that not all people graduating into a recession see their life chances dimmed: those with degrees from elite universities catch up fairly quickly to where they otherwise would have been if they had graduated in better times; it is the masses beneath them that are left behind.

⑤　In the Internet age, it is particularly easy to see the resentment that has always been hidden within American society. More difficult, in the moment, is discerning precisely how these lean times are affecting  society’s character. In many respects, the U.S. was more socially tolerant entering this recession than at any time in its history, and a variety of national polls on social conflict since then  have shown mixed results. We will have to wait and see exactly how these hard times will reshape our social fabric. But they certainly will reshape it, and all the more so the longer they extend.

1.1.By saying “to find silver linings” (Para. 2) the author suggests that the jobless try to ________.

A seek subsidies from the government

B make profits from the troubled economy

C explore reasons for the unemployment

D look on the bright side of the recession

解析：选D。 D词意指代题。题干中to find silver linings出现在第二段①句，而②句句首many代指失业者，暗示②句实际在说明①句内容。②句指出失业者认为尽管失业本身很痛苦，但它以某些方式让人进步（had improved them），随后举出几个例子。可见失业者以积极视角看待经济萧条，因此[D]选项正确。

2.2.According to Paragraph 2, the recession has made people ________.

A struggle against each other

B realize the national dream

C challenge their prudence

D reconsider their lifestyle

解析：选D。 D细节理解题。第二段主要探讨经济衰退造成的积极影响。其中②句指出失业者在价值观和消费观上均有大幅进步，④句进一步从宏观角度指出经济衰退客观上使人们明白一夜暴富的虚幻以及节俭的意义。 [D]是对这些内容的概括，为正确答案。

3.3.Benjamin Friedman believes that economic recessions may ________.

A impose a heavier burden on immigrants

B bring out more evils of human nature

C promote the advance of rights and freedoms

D ease conflicts between races and classes

解析：选B。 B细节理解题。根据题干中人名定位至第三段。该段①句转承上文指出，经济衰退的积极影响总的来说可以忽略不计。②句借人物观点指出长期经济停滞或衰退使社会变得更狭隘，包容性更差（left society more mean-spirited and less inclusive），即人的宽容度降低，更加狭隘，[B]是对该信息的同义转换。

4.4.The research of Till Von Wachter suggests that in the recession graduates from elite universities tend to ________.

A lag behind the others due to decreased opportunities

B catch up quickly with experienced employees

C see their life chances as dimmed as the others’

D recover more quickly than the others

解析：选D。 D细节理解题。根据题干中人名定位至第四段③句。该句指出精英大学的毕业生不像其他人一样认为自身前景黯淡，机会渺茫，相反会相当快得达到他们毕业于好年代时所处的水平，意即他们比其他人恢复得更快，[D]正确。

5.5.The author thinks that the influence of hard times on society is ________.

A trivial

B positive

C certain

D destructive

解析：选C。 C观点态度题。末段④句指出想了解萧条时期重塑社会结构的具体情况需要时间去考查，⑤句转而指出但是“社会结构将被重塑”是毋庸置疑的。they certainly will reshape it与[C]项相统一，为正确项。