Economic liberalism was the prevailing economic philosophy in much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the U.S. economy developed within its framework. Economic liberalism promoted freedom of action for the individual and the firm through the doctrines of free trade, self-interest, private property, laissez-faire, and competition.
According to this philosophy, individuals were free to seek their own occupations, to enter any business, and to act as they saw fit to improve their economic welfare. Economic society was held together by self-interest. Self-interest was thus the motivating force of the economy. For example, to increase personal economic welfare, an individual might decide to produce goods and sell them for profit. But in so doing, that individual automatically benefited the community as well—by purchasing raw materials, providing employment, and supplying goods or services. A worker seeking increase his or her wages could do so by increasing productivity. This, too, benefited the employer and the community in general. According to Adam Smith, the individual, in seeking personal gain, was led by an invisible hand to promote the welfare of the whole community.
Competition was the regulation of the economy under economic liberalism. Business competed with one another for consumer trade by developing new and better products and by selling existing products at lower prices. Free entry into the market ensured adequate competition, and prices were determined by the free forces of supply and demand. Competitive foresees determined not only the prices of goods and services bust also wage rates.
Since a beneficial self-interest was the motivating and driving force of the economy and since competition was to serve as the regulator of the economy, a policy of laissez-faire prevailed. According to this policy, the government kept its hands off the economic activities of individuals and businesses. Its economic rolls were strictly to protect private property, to enforce contracts, and to act as a judge in economic disputes.
1. Concerning “economic liberalism”, which of the following is true?
2. According to the passage, people exchange goods and services in order to ______.
3. Which of the following is the best interpretation for Adam Smith’s theory?
4. Competitive forces have the following functions except ______.
5. According to the policy of laissez-faire, the government should ______.
问题1选项
A.It was an influential philosophy in the 19th and 20th centuries.
B.The development of the U.S. as a nation owes much to this philosophy.
C.It is about the freedom of action in the field of economic.
D.It is about the doctrines of private-sector economy.
问题2选项
A.satisfy the needs of other people
B.satisfy their own needs
C.form a society
D.promote division of labor
问题3选项
A.Individuals are keen on their own interest.
B.In their sub-consciousness, people wish to serve the community.
C.In pursing their self-interest, individuals bring benefits to society.
D.The individuals’ economic behavior is regulated by some invisible being.
问题4选项
A.forcing the businesses to develop new and better products
B.giving every individual a fair chance of a better job
C.to help determine the prices of goods and services
D.to help regulate the wages of people employed
问题5选项
A.frequently intervene the market
B.strictly regulate the market
C.given the market much freedom
D.intervene the market only when it likes
第1题:C
第2题:B
第3题:C
第4题:B
第5题:C
第1题:
【选项释义】
Concerning “economic liberalism”, which of the following is true? 关于“经济自由主义”，下列哪项是正确的？
A. It was an influential philosophy in the 19th and 20th centuries. A. 它是19世纪和20世纪一种有影响力的哲学。
B. The development of the U.S. as a nation owes much to this philosophy. B. 美国作为一个国家的发展很大程度上要归功于这种哲学。
C. It is about the freedom of action in the field of economic. C. 它是关于经济领域的行动自由。
D. It is about the doctrines of private-sector economy. D. 它是关于私营经济的理论。
【答案】C
【考查点】判断推理题。
【解题思路】根据第一段最后一句“经济自由主义通过自由贸易、自利、私有财产、自由放任和竞争等原则，促进了个人和企业的行动自由”可知：“经济自由主义”与经济领域的行动自由有关，所以正确答案为C选项。
【干扰项排除】
A选项：“它是19世纪和20世纪一种有影响力的哲学”，根据第一段第一句“经济自由主义是19世纪和20世纪早期盛行的经济哲学，美国经济在其框架内发展”可知该选项属于曲解原文；
B选项：“美国作为一个国家的发展很大程度上要归功于这种哲学”，原文没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项：“它是关于私营经济的理论”，根据第一段最后一句内容可知“经济自由主义”与经济领域的行动自由有关，该选项属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage, people exchange goods and services in order to ______. 根据文章，人们交换商品和服务是为了______。
A. satisfy the needs of other people A. 满足他人的需求
B. satisfy their own needs B. 满足自己的需求
C. form a society C. 形成社会
D. promote division of labor D. 促进分工
【答案】B
【考查点】判断推理题。
【解题思路】根据第二段第四句“例如，为了增加个人经济福利，个人可能会决定生产商品并出售以获利”可知：人们为了自己的利益会生产商品，并出售，也就是与他人交换商品和服务，由此可推测出人们交换商品和服务是为了满足自己的需求，所以正确答案为B选项。
【干扰项排除】A、C、D选项均属于曲解原文。
第3题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following is the best interpretation for Adam Smith’s theory? 下列哪项是对亚当•斯密理论最好的解释？
A. Individuals are keen on their own interest. A. 每个人都热衷于自己的利益。
B. In their sub-consciousness, people wish to serve the community. B. 在他们的潜意识里，人们希望为社区服务。
C. In pursing their self-interest, individuals bring benefits to society. C. 在追求自身利益的过程中，个人给社会带来了利益。
D. The individuals’ economic behavior is regulated by some invisible being. D. 个人的经济行为受到某种无形存在的调节。
【答案】C
【考查点】语义推断题。
【解题思路】根据题干可以定位答案所在区域为第二段。根据第二段最后一句“根据亚当•斯密的说法，个人在追求自身利益时，被一只看不见的手引导，以促进整个社会的福利”可知这句话的意思是：个人在追求自身利益时，给社会带来了利益，所以正确答案为C选项。
【干扰项排除】A、B、D选项均属于曲解原文。
第4题:
【选项释义】
Competitive forces have the following functions except ______. 竞争力量具有以下功能，除______外。
A. forcing the businesses to develop new and better products A. 迫使企业开发新的更好的产品
B. giving every individual a fair chance of a better job B. 给每个人一个获得更好的工作的公平机会
C. to help determine the prices of goods and services C. 帮助确定商品和服务的价格
D. to help regulate the wages of people employed D. 帮助调节受雇人员的工资
【答案】B
【考查点】判断推理题。
【解题思路】根据题干可以定位答案所在区域为第三段。B选项内容“给每个人一个获得更好的工作的公平机会”在第三段中没有提及，符合题干，所以正确答案为B选项。
【干扰项排除】
A选项：“迫使企业开发新的更好的产品”，根据第三段第二句“企业通过开发新的更好的产品和以更低的价格销售现有产品，在消费贸易方面相互竞争”可知该选项符合原文，属于反向干扰；
C选项：“帮助确定商品和服务的价格”，根据第三段最后一句“竞争预测不仅决定了商品和服务的价格，还决定了工资率”可知该选项符合原文，属于反向干扰；
D选项：“帮助调节受雇人员的工资”，根据第三段最后一句内容可知该选项符合原文，属于反向干扰。
第5题:
【选项释义】
According to the policy of laissez-faire, the government should ______. 根据自由放任政策，政府应该______。
A. frequently intervene the market A. 频繁干预市场
B. strictly regulate the market B. 严格规范市场
C. give the market much freedom C. 给市场很多的自由
D. intervene the market only when it likes D. 只在市场需要的时候干预市场
【答案】C
【考查点】判断推理题。
【解题思路】根据最后一段前两句内容“由于有利的自身利益是经济的动力和推动力，竞争是经济的调节器，因此自由放任政策占了上风。根据这项政策，政府不干预个人和企业的经济活动”可知：根据自由放任政策，政府不干预个人和企业的经济活动，也就是说给市场很多的自由，所以正确答案为C项。
【干扰项排除】A、B、D选项均属于曲解原文。
