上海市阅读理解之金融与贸易(11篇）

Passage 1
The market is a concept. If you are growing tomatoes in your backyard for sale you are producing for the market. You might sell some to your neighbour and some to the manager of the local supermarket. But in either case, you are producing for the market. Your efforts are being directed by the market. If people stop buying tomatoes, you will stop producing them.
If you take care of a sick person to earn money, you are producing for the market. If your father is a steelworker or a taxi driver or a doctor or a grocer(杂货商), he is producing goods or service for the market.
When you spend your income, you are buying things from the market. Yon may spend money in stores, supermarkets and gas stations. Still you are buying from the market. When the local grocer hires you to drive the delivery truck, he is buying your labor in the labour market.
The market may seem to be something abstract(抽象的). But for each person or businessman who is making and selling something, it is real. If nobody buys your tomatoes, it won’t be long before you get the message. The market is telling you something. It’s telling you that you are using energies and resources in doing something the market doesn’t want you to do.
1. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Selling and Buying
B. What Is the Market?
　　C. Everything Yon Do is Producing for the Market
　　D. What Can the Market Do for You?
2. All of the following acts are producing for the market EXCEPT_______.
A. working in a bankB. printing a book
C. attending a night schoolD. growing beans for sale
　　3. You are buying from the market when you_______.
　　A. borrow a book from a libraryB. look after your children
C. drive to the seaside for a holidayD. treat a friend to dinner at a restaurant
4. In what way is the market very real for each person or businessman who is making and selling something?
A. It tells you what to produce.
　　B. It directs you how to grow tomatoes.
　　C. It provides you with everything you need.
D. It helps you save money.
【答案解析】本文例析了市场理念—买和卖不是抽象而是具体的。
1. B。主旨题。根据 The market is a concept 及后面通过买和卖的具体事例来诠释市场这个概念，由此可知B为正确答案。
2. C。细节题。根据When you spend your income, you are buying things from the market，选项C(上夜校读书)是花钱，故是 buying things from the market，而不是 producing for the market，由此可知 C 为答案。
3. D。细节题。 根据 When you spend your income, you are buying things from the market，答案 D(在餐厅款待朋友吃饭)当然是花钱，故选 D。
4. A。推断题。根据最后一段 But for each person or businessman who is making and selling something, it is real… It’s telling you that you are using energies and resources in doing something the market doesn’t want you to do 得知通过市场需求告诉市场生产者去生产什么，故 A 为正确选项。



Passage 2
The tough economy is bringing new shoppers to the secondhand market. Plato’s Closet in Chaelotte, NC is a private company, which mainly buys and sells used clothes. While Charlotte has outstanding secondhand stores offering high-end and graceful brands for women, most of their stock applies to adults. Plato’s closet targets teens and those in their 20s. Plato’s Closet , with stores in Matthews and the university area, sells clothes and accessories(装饰品) that are currently popular at about one third the retail prices(零售价).
The two hottest brands, for buying and selling, are Hollister and Abercrombie &Fitch. Even though the offerings tend to be suitable for young people, there are a variety of shoppers at Plato’s Closet of varying ages. Women in their 30s, 40s, and older could easily find a purse, jacket or piece of jewelry they like.
If you are selling
Unlike higher-end resale stores which usually work on consignment(寄售),Plato’s Closet buys on the spot.
Items can be gently used, but must be in very good condition.
Clothes should be less than two years old and styles should be the same as those still being sold at the shopping center.
There is no negotiation; prices are set company-wide. If what you sell amounts to $30 or less, they’ll give you cash. More than that, you’ll get a Visa cash card.
Secondhand success
Don’t get discouraged if you can’t find something on your first trip. Resale shops are always getting new lists of goods and change their styles with each season.
Be sure to check each piece carefully before buying.
Price comparison
Jackets: New York & Company black blazer, $12; retail: $37
Pants: Express Editor-style pants, $12; retail: $69.90.
Shoes: Nine West black peep-toe pumps, $12; retail: $89.
Jewelry: Necklaces, $3-$5; retail: $18-$30.
1. What is the difference between Plato’s Closet and other resale shops?
A. They offer service for people of different ages.
B. The offerings in Plato’s Closet are more expensive.
C. Plato’s Closet only offers high-end brands for women.
D. Plato’s Closet also sells books to customers.
2. Which of the following about Plato’s Closet is NOT true?
A. Hollister and Abercrombie &Fitch are the two hottest brands in Plato’s Closet.
B. Women in their fifties can’t find proper clothes and accessories in Plato’s Closet.
C. Goods in Plato’s Closet are sold at 67 percent off retail prices or so.
D. Plato’s Closet targets teens and those in their 20s.
3. In Plato’s Closet, which of the following is not accepted?
A. Items you sell must be in very good condition.
B. You can negotiate with buyers about prices of goods.
C. The clothes you sell should be less than two years old.
D. You can sell your goods on the spot instead of on consignment.
4. If you buy a pair of Express Editor-style pants in Plato’s Closet, you can save _______.
A. 57.9 dollars B. 15 dollars C. 77 dollars D. 25 dollars.

B)篇ABBA



Passage 3

When gas station manager Roger Randolph realized it was costing him money each time someone filled up with $4-a-gallon gas，he hung a sign oil his pumps “No more credit cards．”He may be the first in West Virginia to ban plastic, but gas station operators nationwide are reporting similar troubles as higher prices translate into higher credit card fees the managers must pay，squeezing profits at the pump．“The more they buy，the more we lose，”said Randolph，who manages Mr. Ed’s Chevron in St．Albans．“Gas prices go up, and our profits go down．”His complaints aim at the so-called interchange fee—a percentage of the sale price paid to credit card companies on every transaction．The percentage is fixed— usually at just under 2 percent—but the dollar amount of the fee rises with the price of the goods or services．As gas tops$4 a gallon, that pushes fees toward 10 cents a gallon．Now stations, which generally increase gasoline by 11 to 12 cents a gallon, are seeing profits shrink．
In a month, Randolph’s small operation would yield a$60 profit on gasoline sales. But that’s been buried as soaring prices forced the station to pay about$500 a month in interchange fees．“At these prices．people aren’t making any money，”said Jeff Lenard, spokesman for the Alexandra, Va.-based National Association of Convenience Stores．“It’s brutal．” Lenard’s group reports convenience stores paid roughly$7．6 billion in credit card fees last year，while making$3．4 billion in profits．
The credit card companies say fees are just part of the cost of doing business．MasterCard has capped interchange fees for gas purchases of $50 or more，said company spokeswoman Sharon Gamsin. Accepting MasterCard also gives gas stations “increased sales, greater security and convenience，lower labor costs，and speed for their customers at the pump”, Gainsin said in an e-mail to the Associated Press．Visa argues that the fees are offset “by the tangible benefits to stations and their customers．such as the ability to pay at the pump”，the company said in a statement to the AP．

credit card fee信用卡费用 soaring adj．飙升的 tangible adj．实在的，确实的
transaction n．交易 the Associated Press美联社
( ) 1. Why do some gas station owners no longer accept credit cards?
A．Because they must pay high credit card fees．
B．Because they suffer from credit fraud．
C．Because they prefer getting cash．
D．Because the percentage of the sale price has increased
( ) 2．What is the average interchange fee paid by gas station owners?
A．About$4． B．About 2％．
C．11t012 cents．D．About$500．
( ) 3．How much profit does the average gas station owner make on a gallon of gas?
A．About$4． B．About 2％． C．11 to 12 cents．D．About$500．
( ) 4．Visa believes that allowing customers to pay with a credit card offers _______ to everyone involved．
A．increased sales B. lower labor costs C. greater security D. tangible benefits
( ) 5．The underlined word “shrink” means_________.
A．decrease B. become smaller C. increase D. stay steady
1-- 5ABCDA


Passage 4
In 1939 two brothers,Mac and Dick McDonald,started a drive-in restaurant in San Bernadino,California.They carefully chose a busy corner for their location.They had run their own businesses for years,first a theater,then a barbecue（烤肉）restaurant,then another drive-in.But in their new operation,they offered a new,shortened menu:French fries,hamburgers,and sodas.To this small selection they added one new idea:quick service,no waiters or waitresses,and no tips.
Their hamburgers sold for fifteen cents.Cheese was another four cents.Their French fries and hamburgers had a remarkable uniformity（一致性）,for the brothers had developed a strict routine （程序）for the preparation of their food,and they insisted on their cooks’ sticking to their routine .Their new drive-in became surprisingly popular,particularly for lunch.People drove up by the hundreds during the busy noontime.The self-service restaurant was so popular that the brothers had allowed ten copies of their restaurant to be opened.They were content with this modest success until they met Ray Kroc.
Kroc was a salesman who met the McDonald brothers in 1954,when he was selling milkshake-mixing machines.He quickly saw the special attraction of the brothers’ fast-food restaurants and bought the right to franchise（特许经营）other copies of their restaurants.The agreement struck included the right to duplicate（复制）the menu,the equipment,even their red and white buildings with the golden arches（拱门）.
Today McDonald’s is really a household name.In 1976,McDonald’s had over $ l billion in total sales.Its first twenty-two years in one of the most surprising success stories in modern American business history.
1．This passage mainly talks about .
A．the development of fast food services
B．how McDonald’s became a billion-dollar business
C．the business careers of Mac and Dick McDonald
D．Ray Kroc’s business talent
2．Mac and Dick managed all of the following businesses except .
A．a drive-in B．a theater C．a cinema D．a barbecue restaurant
3．We may infer from this passage that .
A．Mac and Dick McDonald never became wealthy for they sold their idea to Kroc.
B．the place the McDonalds chose was the only source of the great popularity of their drive-in
C．forty years ago there were lots of fast-food restaurants
D．Ray Kroc was a good businessman
4．The passage suggests that .
A．creativity is an important element of business success
B．Ray Kroc was the close partner of the McDonald brothers
C．Mac and Dick McDonald became broken after they sold their ideas to Ray Kroc
D．California is the best place to go into business
1-4 BCDA


Passage 5
Attention Tim Hortons
Stainless Steel Travel Mug Owners
Lid Recall-15 oz Stainless Steel Travel Mug
A fault at the cup has been recognized. The fault may result in some lids lifting slightly from the body of the mug, and could probably cause injury from hot liquid leaking. Therefore, we have given an immediate lid recall notice.
This Recall notice is related only to Tim Hortons 15 oz Stainless Steel Travel Mugs sold between October 2002 and January 2003. The bottom of the mug is stamped with distributor's (经销商) name, "ThermoServ". There is no printing on the handle of the mug.
At Tim Hortons, we value our customers' safety above anything else. So, whether your lid is leaking or not, in the interest of your safety, we are requesting that you bring your mug to your nearest Tim Hortons (excluding Esso Tim Hortons), where they will exchange the lid for a new lid that fits safety. The new lids will be available February 1, 2003; please do not use your mug until you exchange the lid.
Here's what you do:
* Please do not use your mug until you have exchanged the lid for a new one.
* New lids will be available February 1, 2003.
* Return your travel mug to a Tim Hortons store (as of February 1, 2003).
* Your lid will he exchanged for a new lid.
If you prefer to return the entire mug, bring it back at any time for a full repayment.
If you have any questions regarding this recall, please contact us at:
Toll Free Number: 1-888-601-1616
8:30 am - 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time
Tim Hortons
1. This advertisement is trying to ________.
A. introduce a new type of mugs??? B. persuade people to buy a new lid
C. inform people of exchanging a lid??
D. warn against the danger of using the mug
2. The advertisement is mainly aimed at those who ________.
A. often travel around?? B. have 15 oz Stainless mugs
C. want to buy 15 oz stainless mugs D. are selling the mugs
3. According to the advertisement, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. People should stop using the mug immediately.
?B. People can get the money back if they return the mug.
C. People with questions can call the company free of charge.
D. People can return the lid between October 2002 and January 2003.
4. - From the passage we can learn that Tim Hortons ________.
A. is a club for travelers??? B. wants to make more money
C. cares about the customers' safety??
D. is an organization helping customers
1.C 2.B 3.D 4.C




Passage 6
Some years ago industries had more freedom than they have now，and they did not need to be as careful as they must today. They did not need to worry a lot about the safety of the new products that they developed. They did not have to pay much attention to the health and safety of the people who worked for them. Often new products were dangerous for the people who used them；often conditions in the work place had very bad effects on the health of the workers.
Of course sometimes there were real disasters(灾难) which attracted the attention of governments and which showed the need for changes．Also scientists who were doing research into the health of workers sometimes produced information which governments could not ignore．At such times， there were inquiries into the causes of the disasters or the problems. New safety rules were often introduced as a result of these inquiries；however, the new rules came too late to protect the people who died or who became seriously ill.
Today many governments have special departments which protect customers and workers. In the U. S., for example, there is a department which new airplanes and gives warnings about possible problems. It also makes the rules that aircraft producers must follow. Another department controls the foods and drugs that companies sell．A third department looks at the places where people work，and then reports any companies that are breaking the laws which protect the health and safety of workers. Of course，new government departments and new laws cannot prevent every accident or illness，but they are having some good results. Our work places are safer and cleaner than before. The planes and cars which we use for travel are better. Producers are thinking more about the safety and health of the people who buy and use their products．
1.The main topic of the passage is_________.
A. conditions in the work place
B. the freedom of industries in the past
C. changes in industrial production
D. the safety and health of workers and customers
2. It can be inferred from the passage that in the past______.
A. workers often got ill because of the poor working conditions
B. companies were free to put out any products they wanted to
C. many people were killed by dangerous products
D. industries were as careful in management as they are today
3. It is implied in the passage that_________.
A. governments and companies had different opinions about the safety of products
B. governments paid little attention to the safety of products
C. government officials often did not listen to scientists
D. in the past no safety laws were introduced by governments
4. Some years ago safety rules_________.
A. were put forward due to scientists’ recommendations
B. came into being as a result of the workers’ demands
C. were introduced because quite a number of people were killed or seriously injured
D. were effective enough to protect workers and customers
5.The special departments protect customers and workers in many ways EXCEPT by_________.
A. testing new products
B. controlling the sale of products
C. designing new products
D. inspecting work places
1. D 2. A 3. D 4.C 5.C


Passage 7
Brazil has become one of the developing world' s great successes in reducing population growth—but more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rate, Brazil has had a better result without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard.
Brazil's population growth rate has dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2. 7 children on average. Marine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes many other Third World countries jealous.
Marine puts it down to, among other things, soap opera and installment plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world's biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil's most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soap operas are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities.
"Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class values—not many children, woman working," says Marine. "They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people conscious of other patterns of behavior and other values, which were put into a very attractive package."
Meanwhile, the installment plans tried to encourage the poor to become consumers. "This led to an enormous change in consumption patterns and consumption was incompatible with unlimited reproduction," says Marine.
Word Bank
installment n. 分期付款 incompatible adj. 不相容的
reproduction n. 繁殖
1. According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth .
A. by chance B. by educating its citizens
C. by careful family planning D. by developing TV programs
2. The phrase "puts it down to" is closest in meaning to " ".
A. compares it to B. owes it to
C. sums it up as D. finds it a reason for
3. Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazil's birth rate because .
A. they keep people sitting long hours watching TV
B. they have gradually changed people's way of life
C. people are drawn to their attractive package
D. they make birth control measures popular
4. What is Marine's conclusion about Brazil's population growth?
A. The increase in birth rate will promote consumption.
B. The desire for consumption helps to reduce birth rate.
C. A country's production is limited by its population growth.
D. Consumption patterns are contrary to reproduction patterns.
1-4. ABBB




Passage 8
Adam Smith, writing in the 1770s, was the first person to see the importance of the division of labor and to explain part of its advantage. He gives as an example the process by which pins were made in England.
"One man draws out the wire, another strengthens it, a third cuts it, a fourth points it, a fifth grinds it at the top to prepare it to receive the head. To make the head requires two or three distinct operations. To put it on is a separate operation, to polish the pins is another. And the important business of making pins is, in this manner, divided into about 18 distinct operations, which in some factories are all performed by different people, though in others the same man will sometimes perform two or three of them. "
Ten men, smith said, in this way, turned out 12 pounds of pins a day or about 4,800 pins a piece. But if all of them had worked separately and independently without division of labor, they certainly could not each of them have made 20 pins in a day and perhaps not even one.
There can be no doubt that division of labor is an efficient way of organizing work. Fewer people can make more pins. Adam Smith saw this but he also took it for granted that division of labor is in itself responsible for economic growth and development and that it accounts for the difference between expanding economies and those that stand still. But division of labor adds nothing new; it only enables people to produce more of what they a/ready have.
Word Bank
pin n. 别针 take for granted 想当然
1. Adam Smith saw the division of labor .
A. enabled each worker to make pins more quickly and more cheaply
B. increased the possible output per worker
C. increased the number of people employed in factories
D. improved the quality of pins produced
2. Adam Smith mentioned the number 4,800 in order to .
A. show the advantage of the division of labor
B. show the advantage of the old craft system
C. emphasize how powerful the individual worker was
D. emphasize the importance of increased production
3. According to the writer, Adam Smith's mistake was in believing that division of labor .
A. was an efficient way of organizing work
B. was an important development in methods of production
C. inevitably led to economic development
D. increased the production of existing goods
4. Which of the following could serve as an appropriate title for the passage?
A. Adam Smith, the English Economist.
B. The Theory of Division of Labor.
C. Division of Labor, an Efficient Way of Organizing Work.
D. Adam Smith as the Discoverer of Division of Labor.
1--4 BACC



Passage 9
An increase in students applying to study economics at university is being attributed to the global economic crisis awakening a public thirst for knowledge about how the financial system works.
Applications for degree courses beginning this autumn were up by 15% this January, according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). A spokesman for the Royal Economic Society said applications to do economics at A-level were also up.
Professor John Beath, the president of the society and a leading lecturer at St. Andrews University, said his first-year lectures which were open to students from all departments— were drawing crowds of 400, rather than the usual 250.
"There are a large number of students who are not economics majors, who would like to learn something about it. One of the things I have done this year is to relate my teaching to contemporary events in a way that one hasn't traditionally done," he added.
University applications rose 7% last year. But there were rises above average in several subjects.Nursing saw a 15% jump, with people's renewed interest in career in the public sector, which are seen as more secure in economic crisis.
A recent study showed almost two thirds of parents believed schools should do more to teach pupils about financial matters, and almost half said their children had asked them what was going on, although a minority of parents felt they did not understand it themselves well enough to explain.
Zack Hocking, the head of Child Trust Funds, said, "It's possible that one good thing to arise from the downturn will be a generation that's financially wiser and better equipped to manage their money through times of economic uncertainty. "
Word Bank
attributed to 归因于 sector n. 部门
contemporary adj.当代的
1. Professor John Beath's lectures are .
A. given in a traditional way
B. connected with the present situation
C. open to both students and their parents
D. warmly received by economics
2. Incomes in the public sector are more attractive because of their .
A. greater stability B. higher pay
C. fewer applications D. better reputation
3. According to Hocking, the global economic crisis might make the youngsters
A. wiser in money management
B. have access to better equipment
C. confide about their future careers
D. get jobs in Child Trust Funds
4. What's the main idea of the text?
A. Universities have received more applications.
B. Economics is attracting an increasing number of students.
C. College students benefit a lot from economic uncertainty.
D. Parents are concerned with children's subject selection.
1-4. BAAB


Passage 10
Beware of those who use the truth to deceive. When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important information that should be included, he can create a false impression. For example, someone might say, "I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery. It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars!" This guy's a winner, right? Maybe, not. We then discover that he bought two hundred tickets, and only one was a winner. He's really a big loser! He didn't say anything that was false, but he omitted important information on purpose. That's called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.
Untrustworthy candidates in political campaigns often use this tactic. Let's say that during Governor Smith's last term. One of her opponents ran an ad saying, "During Governor Smith's term, the state lost one million jobs!" That's true. However an honest statement would have been, "During Governor Smith's term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs."
Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths. It's against the law to make false claims so they try to mislead you with the truth. An ad might boast, "Nine out of ten doctors recommend Yucky Pills to cure nose pimples. It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Corporation."
This kind of deception happens too often. It's a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.
Word Bank
deceive v. 欺骗 tactic n. 策略
lottery n. 彩票 pimple n. 粉刺
1. Which statement is true according to the article?
A. Whenever people tell the truth, they may lie.
B. You cannot trust lottery agents.
C. All governors help their states.
D. The truth can be used in dishonest ways.
2 . The author clearly wants people .
A. to think carefully about what they read and hear
B. to vote for female candidates
C. not to believe ads of any kind
D. not to trust any politician
3. Governor Smith's opponents wanted .
A. to make her a liar B. to beat her in the campaign
C. to get jobs in the government D. to detect her lie
4. Which of the following would be the appropriate title for this article?
A. How to deceive people. B. Everyone lies.
C. Lying with the truth. D. Never believe anyone.
Keys: DABC








Passage 11
Consumers' Complaints
When a consumer finds that an item she or he bought is faulty or in some other way does not live up to the manufacturer's claim for it, the first step is to present the warranty (保修单), or any other records which might help, to the store of purchase. In most cases, this action will produce results. However, if it does not, there are various means the consumer may use to gain satisfaction.
A simple and common method used by many consumers is to complain directly to the store manager. In general, the higher up the consumer takes his or her complaint, the faster he or she can expect it to be settled. In such a case, it is usually settled in the consumer's favor, assuming he or she has a just claim.
Consumers should complain in person whenever possible, but if they cannot get to the place of purchase, it is acceptable to phone or write the complaint in a letter.
Complaining is usually most effective when it is done politely but firmly, and especially when the consumer can demonstrate (证明；说明) what is wrong with the item in question. If this cannot be done, the consumer will succeed best by presenting specific information as to what is wrong, rather than by making general statements. For example, "The left speaker does not work at all and the sound coming out of the right one is unclear" is better than "This stereo does not work."
The store manager may advise the consumer to write to the manufacturer. If so, the consumer should do this, stating the complaint as politely but firmly as possible. But if a polite complaint does not achieve the desired result, the consumer can go a step further. She or he can threaten to take the seller to court or report the seller to a private or public organization responsible for protecting consumers' rights.
Choose the best answers:
1. When a consumer finds that his purchase has a fault in it, the first thing he should do is to
A. complain personally to the manager
B. threaten to take the matter to court
C. write a firm letter of complaint to the store of purchase
D. show the written proof of the purchase to the store
2. If a consumer wants a quick settlement of his problem, it's better to complain to
A. a shop assistant B. the store manager
C. the manufacturer D. a public organization
3. The most effective complaint can be made by .
A. showing the faulty item to the manufacturer
B. explaining exactly what is wrong with the item
C. saying firmly that the item is of poor quality
D. asking politely to change the item
4. The underlined phrase "live up to" in Line 2 in the passage means " ".
A. meet the standard of B. realize the purpose of
C. fulfill the demands of D. keep the promise of
5. The passage tells us .
A. how to settle a consumer's complaint about a faulty item
B. how to make an effective complaint about a faulty item
C. how to avoid buying a faulty item
D. how to deal with complaints from customers

Keys1-5 DBBAB

Passage 12
Alibaba started taking the lead in China by connecting big Chinese manufacturers (制造商) with big buyers across the world. Its business-to-business site, Alibaba.com allowed business to buy almost everything. Alibaba’s advantage wasn’t hard to judge: size. Alibaba is just big, even by Chinese standards. Its market attracts 231 million active buyers, 8 million sellers, 11.3 billion orders a year — and?Alibaba is just the middleman. It encourages people to use its markets — not charging small sellers a percentage of the sale.
If you want a quick look into the influence(影响) of Alibaba on daily Chinese life, take my experience. I moved to?Beijing?a year ago and quickly got tired of visiting small stores across the crowded, polluted city of 20 million people in search of new electronics, bathroom furnishings, and anything else my wife wanted. “You’re looking for what exactly? Why not try it? ” my Chinese teacher asked me one day. With that, my wonderful new relationship with Alibaba began.
Alibaba’s original business-to-business model now is second to consumer (消费者) buying.?Chinese retail(零售) buying makes up 80% of Alibaba’s profit, and leading that group is Taobao, with 800 million items(物品) for sale and the most unbelievable selection of things you’ll ever find. TMall.com is Alibaba’s other big site, where you can find brand name goods from Nike and Unilever near the lowest prices.
What I have a hard time explaining to friends and family back in the?U.S.?is how?China?has gone beyond traditional shopping — big-box retailers especially —in favor of online purchases on Taobao and a few other sites. In smaller towns than?Beijing, where big retailers have not yet traveled, shopping online is shopping, and shopping is Taobao.
I have a list of some of my recent purchases on?Taobao?for a sense of how wide the marketplace is. Almost everything arrived a day or two after ordering with free shipping. I’m not even a big buyer, because I need friends to help me search the Chinese-language site. When I was searching my purchase history on my Chinese teacher’s iPad, which helps me buy goods, I looked through with great difficulty about 10 of her purchases for every one of mine.
1. Alibaba’s advantage mainly lies in???????.
A. its low price?????????????????????B. its business-to-business service
C. its big size??????????????????????D. it’s not charging small sellers
2. What can we learn from the underlined sentence in the passage?
A. Alibaba will continue to develop.
B. Alibaba stands out as the best online site.
C. Alibaba is of middle size among all the online sites.
D. Alibaba acts as a bridge between the buyers and sellers.
3. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. TMall.com provides more profit than Taobao.
B. The author’s Chinese teacher is also an online purchase lover.
C. Taobao has no obvious advantage over other similar online sites.
D. Alibaba’s business-to-business service earns more money than retail.
4. What is the passage mainly about?
A. Shopping online in?China?is Taobao.
B. How the author purchases online in?China.
C. Shopping online goes beyond traditional shopping.
D. Alibaba influences people’s daily purchase in?China.
参考答案：CDBD

Passage 13

BEIJING —With a series of measures being adopted to control price rise, the Chinese government is confident of keeping prices at a reasonable level, Premier Wen Jiabao said Sunday morning, asking people to remain confident.
“I believe we can keep prices at a reasonable level through our efforts. As a major leader of the government, I have the responsibility and I have the confidence, too.” He made the remarks while answering a listener’s question during a radio broadcast by China National Radio.
Steps taken in the past month, including price controls to curb speculation(抑制投机) and monetary tightening（货币紧缩）, had started to produce results, he said.
The government plans to build 10 million units of affordable housing in 2011, up from this year’s target of 5.8 million.
China will also increase efforts to curb speculation in the housing market, mainly through monetary policies and stricter use of land, Wen said, without giving details.
Wen said the country had a good agricultural supply base which gave the government confidence that it could stabilize prices.
In a bid to control inflation, the government has also increased the bank reserve requirement ratio six times and lifted interest rate twice this year, he added.
Further, authorities have introduced many measures including cutting fees for transportation of agriculture products and controlling food price rise strictly.
The overall price level, especially of major consumer goods, has now begun to drop, Wen said.
“The fundamental way to stabilize prices is to achieve a balance of supply and demand, which requires continuous development of agriculture,” said premier, adding that the central government has worked out measures to increase agricultural production.
1. Premier Wen Jiabao asked people to remain confident because ______.
A. many measures have been taken to control price
B. as a major leader of the government, he had the confidence
C. he wanted to comfort them
D. China will increase efforts to control price
2. The key to keeping prices at a reasonable level lies in ______.
A. taking more strict measures
B. the leaders’ confidence
C. achieve a balance of supply and demand
D. having a good agricultural supply base
3. The best title of the passage should be ______.
　A. More efforts on controlling price rise
B. Chinese government is confident of controlling price rise
　C. Major consumer goods’ price dropped
D. The bank lifted interest rate.
参考答案:ACB

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