When it comes to the slowing economy, Ellen Spero isn’t biting her nails just yet. But the 47-year-old manicurist isn’t cutting, filling or polishing as many nails as she’d like to, either. Most of her clients spend $12 to $50 weekly, but last month two longtime customers suddenly stopped showing up. Spero blames the softening economy. “I’m a good economic indicator,” she says. “I provide a service that people can do without when they’re concerned about saving some dollars.” So Spero is downscaling, shopping at middle-brow Dillard’s department store near her suburban Cleveland home, instead of Neiman Marcus. “I don’t know if other clients are going to abandon me, too”, she says.
Even before Alan Greenspan’s admission that America’s red-hot economy is cooling, lots of working folks had already seen signs of the slowdown themselves. From car dealerships to Gap outlets, sales have been lagging for months as shoppers temper their spending. For retailers, who last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the cautious approach is coming at a crucial time. Already, expels say, holiday sales are off 7 percent from last year’s pace. But don’t sound any alarms just yet. Consumers seem only concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy’s long-term prospects, even as they do some modest belt-tightening.
Consumers say they’re not in despair because, despite the dreadful headlines, their own fortunes still feel pretty good. Home prices are holding steady in most regions. In Manhattan, “there’s a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range, predominantly fed by Wall Street bonuses,” says broker Barbara Corcoran. In San Francisco, prices are still rising even as frenzied overbidding quiets. “Instead of 20 to 30 offers, now maybe you only get two or three,” says john deadly, a Bay Area real-estate broke. And most folks still feel pretty comfortable about their ability to find and keep a job.
Many folks see silver linings to this slowdown. Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldn’t mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market. Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom. Diners might see an upside, too. Getting a table at Manhattan’s hot new Alain Ducasse restaurant need to be impossible. Not anymore. For that, Greenspan & Co. may still be worth toasting.
1. By “Ellen Spero isn’t biting her nails just yet” (Line 1, Paragraph 1), the author means ______
2. How do the public feel about the current economic situation?
3. When mentioning “the $4 million to $10 million range” (Line 2-3, Paragraph 3) the author is talking about ______
4. Why can many people see “silver linings” to the economic showdown?
5. To which of the following is the author likely to agree?
问题1选项
A.Spero can hardly maintain her business.
B.Spero is too much engaged in her work.
C.Spero has grown out of her bad habit.
D.Spero is not in a desperate situation.
问题2选项
A.Optimistic.
B.Confused.
C.Carefree.
D.Panicked.
问题3选项
A.gold market.
B.real estate.
C.stock exchange.
D.venture investment.
问题4选项
A.They would benefit in certain ways.
B.The stock market shows signs of recovery.
C.Such a slowdown usually precedes a boom.
D.The purchasing power would be enhanced.
问题5选项
A.A now boom, on the horizon.
B.Tighten the belt, the single remedy.
C.Caution all right, panic not.
D.The more ventures, the more chances.
第1题:D
第2题:A
第3题:B
第4题:A
第5题:C
1.【试题解析】语义推测题。题干意思是“通过说‘艾伦•斯佩罗还不至于咬手指’(第一段第一行),作者的意思是?”。根据本题题干直接定位到第一段第一、二句话When it comes to the slowing economy, Ellen Spero isn’t biting her nails just yet. But the 47-year-old manicurist isn’t cutting, filling or polishing as many nails as she’d like to, either(谈到经济放缓,艾伦•斯佩罗还不至于咬手指。但这位47岁的美甲师也没能随心所欲地修剪、填充或打磨指甲),再结合后文可知,她不再去高档商场而是去中档商场了,所以可知这里是指斯佩罗的经济状况还没有到绝望的境地。A项“斯佩罗几乎无法维持自己的生意”说法过于绝对,虽然遭受到经济放缓的影响,但是生意还是在继续,只是没有之前好了;B项“斯佩罗过分投入于自己的工作”说法没有原文依据;C项“斯佩罗已经戒掉了坏习惯”说法错误,该处为习语理解。所以该题D项正确。
2.【试题解析】细节事实题。题干意思是“公众对当前的经济形势有何看法?”。根据本题关键词“public”定位到第二段关键词“Consumers”以及最后一句Consumers seem only concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy’s long-term prospects, even as they do some modest belt-tightening(消费者似乎只是担心,并没有惊慌失措,许多人说,他们对经济的长期前景仍然乐观,即使他们稍微勒紧裤腰带)可知,公众没有感到恐慌,甚至还是保持乐观的态度。B项“困惑的”;C选项“无忧无虑的”;C项“恐慌的”三个选项描述错误。所以该题A项正确。
3.【试题解析】细节事实题。题干意思是“当提及‘400万到1,000万美元之间’(第三段第二、三行)时,作者在谈论?”。根据本题题干直接定位到第三段第三句In Manhattan, “there’s a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range, predominantly fed by Wall Street bonuses,” says broker Barbara Corcoran(经纪人芭芭拉•科克伦说,在曼哈顿,“由于华尔街奖金丰厚,400万至1000万美元的黄金市场掀起了新一轮淘金热”)再结合开头一二句可知这里是指房价,所以这里是指掀起了投资房产的淘金热。A项“黄金市场”说法不准确,应该是与房地产相关内容;C选项“证券交易所”不符合本题题意;D项“风险投资”在本文没有提及。所以该题B项正确。
4.【试题解析】判断推理题。题干意思是“为什么许多人能够在经济放缓中看到‘银色的边’?”。根据本题关键词“silver linings”定位到最后一段第二、三、四句Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldn’t mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market. Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom(潜在的购房者会为较低的利率而欢呼。许多消费者似乎受到了股市波动的影响,投资者现在认为股市波动是持续繁荣的必要因素)可知经济放缓也是有好处的,他们可能以某些其他的方式受益。B项“股票市场显现了复苏的迹象”、C选项“经济繁荣之前通常会有这样的滑坡”不符合本题题意、D项“购买力会增强”均在原文没有体现。所以该题A项正确。
5.【试题解析】观点态度题。题干意思是“以下说法作者有可能会同意哪一个?”根据最后一段第二、三、四句Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldn’t mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market. Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom(潜在的购房者会为较低的利率而欢呼。许多消费者似乎受到了股市波动的影响,投资者现在认为股市波动是持续繁荣的必要因素)可知经济放缓也是有好处的,他们可能以某些其他的方式受益,且第三段提到的公众的反应也是保持乐观的,所以作者的态度与C选项符合。A项“新的繁荣,即将出现”说法过于乐观,没有提到出现了新的繁荣;B选项“勒紧裤带,别无它法”说法过于悲观,文章只是提到公众勒紧裤带,但他们依然是乐观的;C项“谨慎无碍,恐慌无需”;D项“风险越多,机会越多”在原文中没有提及。所以该题C项正确。