Will the European Union make it? The question would have sounded strange not long ago. Now even the project’s greatest cheerleaders talk of a continent facing a “Bermuda triangle” of debt, population decline and lower growth.
As well as those chronic problems, the EU faces an acute crisis in its economic core, the 16 countries that use the single currency. Markets have lost faith that the euro zone’s economies, weaker or stronger, will one day converge thanks to the discipline of sharing a single currency, which denies uncompetitive members the quick fix of devaluation.
Yet the debate about how to save Europe’s single currency from disintegration is stuck. It is stuck because the euro zone’s dominant powers, France and Germany, agree on the need for greater harmonization within the euro zone, but disagree about what to harmonize.
Germany thinks the euro must be saved by stricter rules on borrowing, spending and competitiveness, backed by quasi-automatic sanctions for governments that do not obey. These might include threats to freeze EU funds for poorer regions and EU mega-projects and even the suspension of a country’s voting rights in EU ministerial councils. It insists that economic co-ordination should involve all 27 members of the EU club, among whom there is a small majority for free-market liberalism and economic rigour; in the inner core alone, Germany fears, a small majority favour French interference.
A “southern” camp headed by French wants something different: “European economic government” within an inner core of euro-zone members. Translated, that means politicians intervening in monetary policy and a system of redistribution from richer to poorer members, via cheaper borrowing for governments through common Eurobonds or complete fiscal transfers. Finally, figures close to the France government have murmured, euro-zone members should agree to some fiscal and social harmonization: e.g. curbing competition in corporate-tax rates or labour costs.
It is too soon to write off the EU. It remains the world’s largest trading block. At its best, the European project is remarkably liberal: built around a single market of 27 rich and poor countries, its internal borders are far more open to goods, capital and labour than any comparable trading area. It is an ambitious attempt to blunt the sharpest edges of globalization, and make capitalism benign. (412 words)
1.The EU is faced with so many problems that （ ）.
2.The debate over the EU’s single currency is stuck because the dominant powers （ ）.
3.To solve the euro problem, Germany proposed that （ ）.
4.The French proposal of handling the crisis implies that （ ）.
5.Regarding the future of the EU, the author seems to feel（ ）.
问题1选项
A.it has more or less lost faith in markets
B.even its supporters begin to feel concerned
C.some of its member countries plan to abandon euro
D.it intends to deny the possibility of devaluation
问题2选项
A.are competing for the leading position
B.are busy handling their own crises
C.fail to reach an agreement on harmonization
D.disagree on the steps towards disintegration
问题3选项
A.EU funds for poor regions be increased
B.stricter regulations be imposed
C.only core members be involved in economic co-ordination
D.voting rights o£ the EU members be guaranteed
问题4选项
A.poor countries are more likely to get funds
B.strict monetary policy will be applied to poor countries
C.loans will be readily available to rich countries
D.rich countries will basically control Eurobonds
问题5选项
A.pessimistic
B.desperate
C.conceited
D.hopeful
第1题:B
第2题:C
第3题:B
第4题:A
第5题:D
第1题:
【选项释义】
The EU is faced with so many problems that_____. 欧盟面临着如此多的问题_____。
A. it has more or less lost faith in markets A. 它或多或少对市场失去了信心
B. even its supporters begin to feel concerned B. 甚至它的支持者也开始感到担忧
C. some of its member countries plan to abandon euro C. 它的一些成员国计划放弃欧元
D. it intends to deny the possibility of devaluation D. 它打算否认货币贬值的可能性
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】根据题干The EU is faced with so many problems可定位到首段第三句：Now even the project’s greatest cheerleaders talk of a continent facing a “Bermuda triangle” of debt, population decline and lower growth.（如今，就连该项目最大的支持者也谈到欧洲大陆正在面临债务、人口下降和经济增长放缓这三大难题所构成的“百慕大三角”。）所以B选项“甚至它的支持者也开始感到担忧”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项，根据第二段第二句Markets have lost faith that...可知，是市场丧失了对欧元的信心，而非欧盟对市场丧失信心，A选项属于偷换概念；
C选项在原文中没有提及，属于反向干扰；
D选项，根据第二段尾句which denies uncompetitive members the quick fix of devaluation可知，统一的货币让某些成员国无法快速解决货币贬值的问题，而非欧盟打算否认货币贬值的可能性，D选项属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
The debate over the EU’s single currency is stuck because the dominant powers_____. 围绕欧盟单一货币的辩论之所以陷入僵局，是因为主要大国_____。
A. are competing for the leading position A. 在竞争领导地位
B. are busy handling their own crises B. 忙于处理自己的危机
C. fail to reach an agreement on harmonization C. 未能就协调问题达成一致
D. disagree on the steps towards disintegration D. 在走向解体的步骤上有分歧
【考查点】推理判断题
【解题思路】根据题干The debate over the EU’s single currency is stuck可定位到第三段第一句和第二句 Yet the debate about how to save Europe’s single currency from disintegration is stuck. It is stuck because the euro zone’s dominant powers, France and Germany, agree on the need for greater harmonization within the euro zone, but disagree about what to hanuonize.（然而，关于如何避免欧洲单一货币解体的争论却陷入了僵局。它之所以陷入困境，是因为欧元区的主导大国法国和德国在欧元区内部加强协调的必要性上达成了一致，但在如何协调方面存在分歧。）由此句可知C选项‘未能就协调一致达成协议’正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、D选项在原文没有提及，属于无中生有。
第3题:
【选项释义】
To solve the euro problem, Germany proposed that_____. 为了解决欧元问题，德国提议_____。
A. EU funds for poor regions be increased A. 欧盟将增加对贫困地区的资助
B. stricter regulations be imposed B. 实施更严格的规章制度
C. only core members be involved in economic co-ordination C. 只有核心成员才能参与经济协调
D. voting rights of the EU members be guaranteed D. 欧盟成员国的投票权将得到保障
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】根据题干To solve the euro problem, Germany proposed可定位到第四段首句 Germany thinks the euro must be saved by stricter rules on borrowing, spending and competitiveness, backed by quasi-automatic sanctions for governments that do not obey.（德国认为，必须通过更严格的借贷、支出和竞争力规则来拯救欧元，并辅之以对不遵守规则的政府实施准自动制裁）可知B选项‘实施更严格的规章制度’正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项，第四段These might include threats to freeze EU funds for poorer regions and…（这些可能包括威胁冻结欧盟对较贫穷地区的资金以及……）与选项提到的增加资助相反，属于反向干扰；
C选项，第四段It insists that economic co-ordination should involve all 27 members of the EU club…（它坚持认为经济协调应该包括欧盟俱乐部的所有27个成员国……），选项说只有核心成员才能参与经济协调，属于偷换概念；
D选项原文没有提及，属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
The French proposal of handling the crisis implies that_____. 法国提出的处理危机的建议暗示_____。
A. poor countries are more likely to get funds A. 贫穷国家更有可能获得资金
B. strict monetary policy will be applied to poor countries B. 对贫穷国家将实行严格的货币政策
C. loans will be readily available to rich countries C. 富国可以随时获得贷款
D. rich countries will basically control Eurobonds D. 富裕国家将基本上控制欧元债券
【考查点】推理判断题
【解题思路】根据题干The French proposal of handling the crisis可定位到倒数第二段首句和第二句：A “southern” camp headed by French wants something different: “European economic government” within an inner core of euro-zone members. Translated, that means politicians intervening in monetary policy and a system of redistribution from richer to poorer members, via cheaper borrowing for governments through common Eurobonds or complete fiscal transfers.（以法国为首的“南方”阵营想要一些不同的东西：欧元区核心成员国中的“欧洲经济政府”。换句话说，这意味着政客们要干预货币政策，并通过共同的欧盟债券或完全的财政转移，为政府提供更廉价的借款，实现从富国向穷国的再分配。）根据‘富国到穷困的再分配’可知A选项‘贫穷国家更有可能获得资金’正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项的内容与正确答案A选项的信息相反，根据对A选项的分析可知，B选项属于反向干扰；
C、D选项原文没有提及，属于无中生有。
第5题:
【选项释义】
Regarding the future of the EU, the author seems to feel_____. 对于欧盟的未来，作者似乎感到_____。
A. pessimistic A. 悲观
B. desperate B. 绝望
C. conceited C. 自负
D. hopeful D. 心存希望
【考查点】观点态度题
【解题思路】根据题干Regarding the future of the EU可定位到最后一段首句It is too soon to write off the EU.认为欧盟已破产还为时过早。句中write off（认定……失败）与too soon（为时过早）可知，作者对欧盟的未来仍心存希望，D选项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、C不能通过文章信息推出。句It is too soon to write off the EU.认为欧盟已破产还为时过早。句中write off‘认定…失败’与too soon‘为时过早’可知，作者对欧盟的未来仍心存希望，D选项正确。
