Passage 3
In economics, demand implies something slightly different from the common meaning of the term. The layman, for example, often used the term to mean the amount that is demanded of an item. Thus, if the price were to decrease and individuals wanted more of the item, it is commonly said that demand increases. To an economist, demand is a relationship between a series of prices and a series of corresponding quantities that are demanded at these prices. If one reads the previous sentences carefully, it should become apparent that there is a distinction between the quantity demanded and demand. This distinction is often a point of confusion and we all should be aware of and understand the difference between these two items. We repeat, therefore, that demand is a relationship between price and quantities demanded, and therefore suggests the effect of one (e.g. price) on the other (e.g. quantity demanded). Therefore, knowledge of the demand for a product enables one to predict how much more of a product will be purchased if price decreases. But the increase in quantity demanded does not mean demand has increased, since the relationship between price and quantity (i.e., the demand for the product) has not changed. Demand shifts when there is a change in income, expectations, tastes, etc., such that a different quantity of the product is demanded at the same time.
In almost all cases, a consumer wants more of an item if the price decreases. This relationship between price and quantity demanded is so strong that it is referred to as the “law of demand”. This “law” can be explained by the income and substitution effects. The income effect occurs because price increases reduce the purchasing power of the individual and, thus, the quantity demanded of goods must decrease. The substitution effect reflects the consumer’s desire to get the “best buy”. Accordingly, if the price of product A increases, the individual will tend to substitute another product and purchase less of goods A. The negative correlation between price and quantity demanded is also explained by the law of diminishing marginal utility. According to this law, the additional utility the consumer gains from consuming a product decreases as successively more units of the product are consumed. Because the additional units yield less utility or satisfaction, the consumer is willing to purchase more only if the price of the product decreases.
Economists distinguish between individual and market demand. As the term implies, individual demand concerns the individual consumer and illustrate the quantities that individuals demand at different prices. Market demand includes the demand of all individuals for a particular goods and is found by summing the quantities demanded by all individuals at the various prices.
The other side of the price system is supply. As in the case of demand, supply is a relationship between a series of prices and the associated quantities supplied. It is assumed that as price increases the individual or firm will supply greater quantities of a product. There is a positive correlation between quantity supplied and product price.
Economists also distinguish between a change in supply and quantity supplied. The distinction is similar to the one made with respect to demand. Also, as in the case of demand, economists distinguish between individual firm supply and market supply, which is the summation of individual supply.
Taken together, supply and demand yield equilibrium of price and quantity. Equilibrium is a state of stability, with balanced forces in which prices and quantity will remain constant. Moreover, there are forces in the market that will act to establish equilibrium if changes in demand or supply create disequilibrium. For example, if prices are above equilibrium, the quantity supplied exceeds quantity demanded and surpluses occur that have a downward pressure on prices. These pressures will persist until equilibrium is established. If prices are below equilibrium, the product will become scare and there will be an upward pressure on price.
11. According to the passage, demand ________.
12. According to the passage, the law of diminishing marginal utility ________.
13. The word “equilibrium” (Para. 6) most probably means ________.
14. What can you infer from the passage?
15. The purpose of this passage is to illustrate ________.
问题1选项
A.increases as price decreases
B.can be predicted if there is a change in price
C.remains constant at the same price
D.is influenced by changes in the consumer's income and tastes
问题2选项
A.is explained by income and substitution effects
B.explains why the additional units yield less utility
C.shows that the additional units yield less satisfaction
D.reflects the consumer’s desire to get the cheapest buy
问题3选项
A.stability
B.balance
C.summation
D.consistency
问题4选项
A.Price decreases as more products are supplied.
B.There is a positive correlation between supply and demand.
C.There is an upward pressure on price if more products are demanded.
D.Both quantity demanded and quantity supplied are dependent on product prices.
问题5选项
A.the two sides of price system
B.the relationship between demand and supply
C.the relationship between price and quantity
D.the distinction between demand and quantity demanded
第1题:D
第2题:B
第3题:A
第4题:D
第5题:A
第1题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage, demand ________. 根据这篇文章，需求________。
A. increases as price decreases A. 随着价格下降而增加
B. can be predicted if there is a change in price B. 如果价格有变化，就可以预测出来
C. remains constant at the same price C. 在价格不变的情况下保持不变
D. is influenced by changes in the consumer's income and tastes D. 受消费者收入和品味变化的影响
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词demand可以定位到文章第一段最后一句Demand shifts when there is a change in income, expectations, tastes, etc., such that a different quantity of the product is demanded at the same time.（当收入、预期、品味等发生变化，从而对产品的数量需求发生变化时，需求就会发生变化。），说明需求受到消费者收入和品味变化的影响。因此D选项“受消费者收入和品味变化的影响”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“随着价格下降而增加”，文章指出价格下降时，数量需求（quantity demanded）增加，但这不等于需求（demand）本身增加，属于曲解原文；
B选项“如果价格有变化，就可以预测出来”，虽然文章提到通过了解需求的性质来预测价格变化对数量需求的影响，但这并不意味着需求本身会随着价格变化而变化，属于曲解原文；
C选项“在价格不变的情况下保持不变”，文章说的是需求量在相同的价格下保持不变，但这并不代表需求在变化中保持不变，属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage, the law of diminishing marginal utility ________. 根据这篇文章，边际效用递减规律________。
A. is explained by income and substitution effects A. 是由收入和替代效应解释的
B. explains why the additional units yield less utility B. 解释了为什么额外单位产生的效用较少
C. shows that the additional units yield less satisfaction C. 表明额外单位产生较少的满意度
D. reflects the consumer’s desire to get the cheapest buy D. 反映了消费者希望买到最便宜的东西
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词the law of diminishing marginal utility可以定位到文章第二段倒数第二、三句The negative correlation between price and quantity demanded is also explained by the law of diminishing marginal utility. According to this law, the additional utility the consumer gains from consuming a product decreases as successively more units of the product are consumed.（价格与需求量之间的负相关关系也可以用边际效用递减规律来解释。根据这一定律，消费者从消费某种产品中获得的额外效用会随着产品消费单位的增加而减少。），说明边际效用递减规律解释了为什么额外单位的效用会减少。因此B选项“解释了为什么额外单位产生的效用较少”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“是由收入和替代效应解释的”，文章提到收入和替代效应解决的是需求定律，而不是边际效用递减规律，属于张冠李戴；
C选项“表明额外单位产生较少的满意度”在文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项“反映了消费者希望买到最便宜的东西”，文章说的是替代效应希望买到最便宜的东西，而不是边际效用递减规律，属于张冠李戴。
第3题:
【选项释义】
The word “equilibrium” (Para. 6) most probably means ________. “equilibrium”一词（第六段）最可能的意思是________。
A. stability A. 稳定
B. balance B. 平衡
C. summation C. 总和
D. consistency D. 一致性
【考查点】词汇推断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词equilibrium可以定位到文章第六段第一、二句Taken together, supply and demand yield equilibrium of price and quantity. Equilibrium is a state of stability, with balanced forces in which prices and quantity will remain constant.（供给和需求合在一起，就会产生价格和数量的equilibrium。equilibrium是一种稳定的状态，在力量平衡的情况下，价格和数量将保持不变。），说明equilibrium是一种稳定的状态，其中价格和数量保持恒定。因此A选项“稳定”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“平衡”，文章说的是平衡的力量带来稳定状态，而不是equilibrium本身意味着平衡，属于曲解原文；
C选项“总和”和D选项“一致性”在文中无法体现，属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
What can you infer from the passage? 从这篇文章中你能推断出什么？
A. Price decreases as more products are supplied. A. 产品供应越多，价格越低。
B. There is a positive correlation between supply and demand. B. 供求之间存在正相关。
C. There is an upward pressure on price if more products are demanded. C. 如果需求更多产品，价格就会有上行压力。
D. Both quantity demanded and quantity supplied are dependent on product prices. D. 需求量和供给量都取决于产品价格。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据D选项关键词quantity demanded可以定位到文章第一段倒数第三、四句We repeat, therefore, that demand is a relationship between price and quantities demanded, and therefore suggests the effect of one (e.g. price) on the other (e.g. quantity demanded). Therefore, knowledge of the demand for a product enables one to predict how much more of a product will be purchased if price decreases.（因此，我们重申，需求是价格和需求量之间的关系，因此，它表明了其中一个（如价格）对另一个（如需求量）的影响。因此，了解了产品的需求，就可以预测如果价格下降，产品的购买量会增加多少。），说明需求量和价格是相互关联的，需求量依赖于产品价格，具体表现为价格下降时需求量增加，接着根据关键词quantity supplied可以定位到文章第四段第二、三句As in the case of demand, supply is a relationship between a series of prices and the associated quantities supplied. It is assumed that as price increases the individual or firm will supply greater quantities of a product.（与需求一样，供给也是一系列价格与相关供给量之间的关系。我们假定，随着价格的上涨，个人或企业将供应更多数量的产品。），说明供给量依赖于产品价格，价格上升时供给量增加，由此可以推断供给和需求量都取决于产品价格。因此D选项“需求量和供给量都取决于产品价格。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“产品供应越多，价格越低。”，文章说的是随着价格增加，供应产品数量也会增加，属于曲解原文；
B选项“供求之间存在正相关。”在文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
C选项“如果需求更多产品，价格就会有上行压力。”，由If prices are below equilibrium, the product will become scare and there will be an upward pressure on price.（如果价格低于均衡水平，产品就会变得稀缺，价格就会有上涨的压力。）可知，上行价格压力是因为供不应求，而不是单纯因为需求增加，属于以偏概全。
第5题:
【选项释义】
The purpose of this passage is to illustrate ________. 这篇文章的目的是说明________。
A. the two sides of price system A. 价格体系的两个方面
B. the relationship between demand and supply B. 需求和供给之间的关系
C. the relationship between price and quantity C. 价格与数量的关系
D. the distinction between demand and quantity demanded D. 需求与需求量的区别
【考查点】主旨大意题。
【解题思路】文章分别介绍了经济学中需求和供给的基本理论，阐释了它们是如何影响市场中商品价格和数量的，以及市场如何通过这些机制实现自我调节以达到均衡状态，由此可以推断本文的目的是为了说明价格体系中需求和供应两个方面。因此A选项“价格体系的两个方面”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“需求和供给之间的关系”，C选项“价格与数量的关系”和D选项“需求与需求量的区别”均只在文章的某部分提及，不能概括全文的主旨大意，属于以偏概全。
