In the earthquake and tsunami, Japan faces its most serious crisis in a generation. The terrible human toll is still being(1), even as relief efforts accelerate, the estimate of live lost have(2)from a few hundred in the hours after the flooding to projections surpassing 10, 000. And(3)the humanitarian scale of the disaster is coming into(4), the ultimate scope of the crises at the Fukushima Daiichi, Fukushima Daini and Onagawa nuclear power plant remains(5), as does the extent of damage to critical infrastructure(6)the country’s North Pacific coast.
In the midst of the disaster, economists and policy makers are(7)with the delicate task of assessing the implications of current events for Japan’s already-tenuous economic(8). The analysis is far-reaching in its relevance, not least because of Japan’s position(9)the world’s third-largest economy, the challenges it already faces in moving toward fiscal sustainability and its role in supporting global financial markets, (10)currency markets and the market for U.S. treasuries.
In(11)of the earthquake, the economic(12)for Japan was already fairy dim. The economy was projected to grow(13)just 1.7 percent in 2011, according to consensus estimates, roughly half the(14)of the United States. Significant new fiscal(15)to support the economy was largely ruled out given the country’s already substantial budget deficit. At nearly 200 percent, the country’s gross debt-to-GDP ratio is second only to Zimbabwe’s, though its net debt is roughly half that level and serving costs remain low.
1.语法题。根据空格前being可判断本句为被动语态,应填入动词的过去分词形式,又因为上文提到human toll “人员伤亡人数”,可知这里应该是表达对人员伤亡人数的评估。句意:可怕的死亡人数仍在评估中。所以assessed符合题意。
2.语法题。根据空格前的助动词have可知,空格中填入动词的过去分词形式,构成现在完成时态。又因为下文提到伤亡人数从洪水发生后几小时预测的几百人到一万多人,可判断出数量在增加。句意:据估计,在洪水过后的几个小时内,死亡人数已经从几百人上升到超过10000人。所以climbed符合题意。
3.逻辑关系题。根据下文的remains “仍然”,可知上下文存在让步关系,连词while “尽管”,可表达让步关系。句意:尽管这场灾难的救援力度渐渐加大。所以while符合题意。
4.固定搭配。根据固定搭配come into focus “明白易懂,轮廓清晰”,句意:尽管这场灾难的救援力度渐渐加大。所以focus符合题意。
5.上下文语义。根据前后两句的让步关系,可知尽管加大救援力度,但是核电站危及的最终范围还是不清晰。Unclear和上文的focus形成对比,所以unclear符合题意。
6.固定搭配。根据空格后的the country’s North Pacific coast “这个国家的北太平洋海岸”,可知填入介词along“沿着”,可构成搭配关系along the coast “沿岸”。句意:该国北太平洋沿岸关键基础设施的破坏程度也是如此。所以along符合题意。
7.固定搭配。根据固定搭配 be faced with “面对,面临”,可知空格中填入faced构成搭配关系。句意:在这场灾难中,经济学家和政策制定者面临着一项微妙的任务。所以faced符合题意。
8.上下文语义。根据空格前的economic,可知空格中填入的单词与经济相关,economic recovery “经济复苏”,economic outlook“经济前景”。又根据文章第三段 “The economy was projected to grow…”,可知经济预计会增长,经济出现了复苏。句意:在这场灾难中,经济学家和政策制定者面临着一项微妙的任务,即评估当前事件对日本已脆弱的经济复苏的影响。所以recovery符合题意。
9.上下文语义。根据空格后的the world’s third-largest economy “世界三大经济体”,可判断出空格填入介词as “作为”。句意:这一分析意义深远,不仅是因为日本为全球第三大经济体。所以as符合题意。
10.上下文语义。根据空格前的global financial markets “全球金融市场”,和空格后的currency markets and the market for U.S. treasuries “货币市场和美国国债市场”,可知空格前后为包含关系,前者包含后两者。所以including符合题意。
11.固定搭配。根据固定搭配In advance of “在……前面,超越”,又因为下文用的一般过去时态,可知提到的是地震之前的情况,空格中应填入advance构成搭配关系。句意:在地震发生前。所以advance符合题意。
12.上下文语义。根据下文Japan was already fairy dim,日本地震前的经济前景十分昏暗,可知空格中填入economic outlook “经济前景”。所以outlook符合题意。
13.固定搭配。根据固定搭配increase/grow/decrease…at “增长、下降达……”,可知grow与介词at构成搭配关系。句意:2011年经济预计仅增长1.7%。所以at符合题意。
14.上下文语义。根据上文The economy was projected to grow at just 1.7 percent in 2011,可知日本经济预计在2011年增长1.7%,与下文的美国经济增长速度进行对比。所以可填入pace “速度”。句意:根据一致估计,速度大约是美国的一半。
15.上下文语义。根据下文given the country’s already substantial budget deficit,鉴于国家已经存在巨大的预算赤字,可判断出新的财政政策刺激已被排除。所以stimulus符合题意。