閱讀理解 實戰(zhàn)演練 三

（三）

The domestic economy in the United States expanded in a remarkably vigorous and steady fashion. The revival in consumer confidence was reflected in the higher proportion of incomes spent for goods and services and the marked increase in consumer willingness to take on installment debt. A parallel strengthening in business psychology was manifested in a stepped-up rate of plant and equipment spending and a gradual pickup in expenses for inventory. Confidence in the economy was also reflected in the strength of the stock market and in the stability of the bond market. For the year as a whole, consumer and business sentiment benefited from the ease in East-West tensions.

The bases of the business expansion were to be found mainly in the stimulative monetary and fiscal policies that had been pursued. Moreover, the restoration of sounder liquidity positions and tighter management control of production efficiency had also helped lay the groundwork for a strong expansion. In addition, the economic policy moves made by the President had served to renew optimism on the business outlook while boosting hopes that inflation would be brought under more effective control. Finally, of course, the economy was able to grow as vigorously as it did because sufficient leeway existed in terms of idle men and machines.

The United States balance of payments deficit declined sharply. Nevertheless, by any other test, the deficit remained very large, and there was actually a substantial deterioration in our trade account to a sizable deficit, almost two-thirds of which was with Japan. While the overall trade performance proved disappointing, there are still good reasons for expecting the delayed impact of devaluation to produce in time a significant strengthening in our trade picture. Given the size of the Japanese component of our trade deficit, however, the outcome will depend importantly on the extent of the corrective measures undertaken by Japan. Also important will be our own efforts in the United States to fashion internal policies consistent with an improvement in our external balance.

The underlying task of public policy for the year ahead—and indeed for the longer run—remained a familiar one: to strike the right balance between encouraging healthy economic growth and avoiding inflationary pressures. With the economy showing sustained and vigorous growth, and with the currency crisis highlighting the need to improve our competitive posture internationally, the emphasis seemed to be shifting to the problem of inflation. The Phase Three program of wage and price restraint can contribute to reducing inflation. Unless productivity growth is unexpectedly large, however, the expansion of real output must eventually begin to slow down to the economy's larger run growth potential if generalized demand pressures on prices are to be avoided.

［詞匯提示］

inventory n. 存貨

fiscal adj. 財務的

liquidity n. 周轉率，清償力

leeway n. 余地

given prep. 鑒于，由于

1. The author mentions increased installment debt in the first paragraph in order to show________.

A. the continuing expansion of the economy

B. the growth of consumer purchasing power

C. the consumers' confidence in the economy

D. the soaring consumer incomes for spending

2. Paragraph 2 mainly deals with________.

A. the revival of stronger liquidity positions

B. the stimulative monetary and fiscal policies

C. the causes of business development for the period

D. economic policy measures suggested by the President

3. It can be inferred from the third paragraph that the author's attitude toward the reduction of the international payments deficit seems________.

A. bitter-sweet

B. optimistic

C. sympathetic

D. depressing

4. Part of the public policy task, as outlined in the text, is to________.

A. prevent payments deficit

B. avoid inflationary pressures

C. devalue the dollar

D. increase the balance of trade

5. It can be learned from the last paragraph that the Phase Three program contained________.

A. reduced government spending

B. devaluation of the dollar

C. productivity measures

D. wage and price controls

［答案解析］

1．C。［解析］邏輯題。參見第一段第二句。從句子前后的邏輯關系可以看出：消費者分期付款債務的增加反映了他們對經(jīng)濟發(fā)展的信心。故應選C。A、B、D孤立起來看似乎都有道理，但從段落內部的直接邏輯關系來看似乎是答非所問，故應排除。

2．C。［解析］段落主旨題。參見第二段第一句——商業(yè)發(fā)展的基礎主要可以從刺激性的貨幣政策和財務政策中看到，主要討論the bases of the business expansion，選項C符合此意。

3．A。［解析］推理題＋態(tài)度題。第三段中，作者一方面表示喜，而另一方面又表示憂。可見，作者的態(tài)度是甜中有苦、憂喜參半。故答案為A。其他選項均與段落內容不符，故不能入選。

4．B。［解析］細節(jié)考查題。參見第四段第一句，避免通貨膨脹壓力是國家政策的部分內容。故答案為B。

5．D。［解析］推理題。參見本文最后一段倒數(shù)第二句：限制工資和價格的第三階段計劃有助于降低通貨膨脹?？梢奃“工資和價格控制”與此相符，故答案為D。