Directions: There are four passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B,C, and D. You should decide on the best choice and blacken the corresponding letter on ANSWER SHEET 1 . (40 points) Text 1
Last weekend Kyle MacDonald in Montreal threw a party to celebrate the fact that he got his new home in exchange for a red paper clip. Starting a year ago, MacDonald bartered the clip for increasingly valuable stuff, including a camp stove and free rent in a Phoenix flat. Having announced his aim (the house) in advance, MacDonald likely got a boost from techies eager to see the Internet pass this daring test of its networking power. “My whole motto (座右铭) was ‘Start small, think big, and have fun’, ” says MacDonald, 26, “I really kept my effort on the creative side rather than the business side. ” Yet as odd as the MacDonald exchange was, barter is now big business on the Net. This year more than 400,000 companies worldwide will exchange some $10 billion worth of goods and services on a growing number of barter sites. These Web sites allow companies to trade products for a virtual currency, which they can use to buy goods from other members. In Iceland, garment-maker Kapusalan sells a third of its output on the booming Vidskiptanetid exchange, earning virtual money that it uses to buy machinery and pay part of employee salaries. The Troc-services exchange in France offers more than 4,600 services, from math lessons to ironing。
This is not a primitive barter system. By creating currencies, the Internet removes a major barrier—what Bob Meyer, publisher of BarterNews, calls “the double coincidence of wants。” That is, two parties once not only had to find each other, but also an exchange of goods that both desired. Now, they can price the deal in virtual currency。
Barter also helps firms make use of idle capacity. For example, advertising is “hugely bartered” because many media, particularly on the Web can supply new ad space at little cost. Moreover, Internet ads don’t register in industry-growth statistics, because many exchanges are arranged outside the formal exchanges。
Like eBay, most barter sites allow members to “grade” trading partners for honesty quality and so on.. Barter exchanges can allow firms in countries with hyperinflation or nontradable currencies to enter global trades. Next year, a nonprofit exchange called Quick Lift Two (QL2) plans to open in Nairobi, offering barter deals to 38,000 Kenyan farmers in remote areas. Two small planes will deliver the goods. QL2 director Gacii Waciuma says the farmers are excited to be “liberated from corrupt middlemen。” For them, barter evokes a bright future, not a precapitalist past。 1. The word “techies” (Line 4, Para 1) probably refers to those who are ＿＿＿。 A. afraid of technology B. skilled in technology
C. ignorant of technology D. incompetent in technology
2. Many people may have deliberately helped Kyle because they ＿＿＿。 A. were impressed by his creativity B. were eager to identify with his motto C. liked his goal announced in advance D. hoped to prove the power of the Internet
3. The Internet barter system relies heavily on ＿＿＿。 A. the size of barter sties B. the use of virtual currency
C. the quality of goods or services D. the location of trading companies]
4. It is implies that Internet advertisements can help ＿＿＿。 A. companies make more profit B. companies do formal exchanges
C. media register in statistics D. media grade barter sites
5. Which of the follow is true of QL2 according to the author? A. It is criticized for doing business in a primitive way。 B. It aims to deal with hyperinflation in some countries。 C. It helps get rid of middlemen in trade and exchange。
D. It is intended to evaluate the performance of trading partners。 1--5 BDBAC
考研英语精读阅读理解强化训练二
Directions: There are four passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B,C, and D. You should decide on the best choice and blacken the corresponding letter on ANSWER SHEET 1 . (40 points) Text 2
The lives of very few Newark residents are untouched by violence: New Jersey’s biggest city has seen it all. Yet the murder of three young people, who were forced to kneel before being shot in the back of the head in a school playground on August 4th, has shaken the city. A fourth, who survived, was stabbed and shot in the face. The four victims were by all accounts good kids, all enrolled in college, all with a future. But the cruel murder, it seems, has at last forced Network to say they have had enough。
Grassroots organizations, like Stop shooting have been flooded with offers of help and support since the killings. Yusef Ismail, its co-founder, says the group has been going door-to-door asking people to sign a pledge of non-violence. They hope to get 50,000 to promise to “stop shooting, start thinking and keep living” The Newark Community Foundation, which was launched last month, announced on August 14th that it will help pay for Community Eye, a surveillance(监视) system tailored towards gun crime。
Cory Booker who became mayor 13 months ago with a mission to revitalize the city , believes the surveillance program will be the largest camera and audio network in any American city. More than 30 cameras were installed earlier this summer and a further 50 will be installed soon in a seven-square mile area where 80% of the city’s recent shootings have occurred. And more cameras are planned。 When a gunshot is detected, the surveillance camera zooms in on that spot. Similar technology in Chicago has increased arrests and decreased shootings. Mr. Booker plans to announce a comprehensive gun strategy later this week。
Mr. Booker, as well as church leaders and others, believes(or hopes)that after the murder the city will no longer stand by in coldness. For generations, Newark has been paralyzed by poverty ----almost one in three people lives below the poverty line----and growing indifference to crime。 Some are skeptical .Steve Malanga of the conservative Manhattan Institute notes that Newark has deep social problems: over 60% of children are in homes without fathers. The school system, taken over by the state in 1995, is a mess. But there is also some cause for hope. Since Mr. Booker was elected, there has been a rise in investment and re-zoning for development. Only around 7% of nearby Newark airport workers used to come from Newark; now,a year, the figure is 30%.Mr Booker has launched a New York-style war on crime. So far this year, crime has fallen 11% and shootings are down 30 %( through the murder rate looks likely to match last year’s high)。 6. What happened in Newark, New Jersey on August 4th?
A. The Newark residents witnessed a murder。
B. Four young people were killed in a school playground。 C. The new mayor of Newark took office。
D. Four college students fell victim to violence。
7. Judging from the context, the “Community Eye” (Line5, Para 2 ) is___________。 A. a watching system for gun crime B. a neighborhood protection organization C. an unprofitable community business D. a grassroots organization
8.We learn from the passage that Newark has all the following problems EXCEPT_________。 A. violence B. flood
C. poverty D. indifference
9. Mayor Booker’s effort against crime seem to be __________。 A. idealistic B. impractical
C. effective D. fruitless
10. The best title for the passage may be ___________。 A. Stop Shooting Start Thinking and Keep Living B. Efforts to Fight against Gun Crimes
C. A Mission to Revitalize the City D. Violent Murders in Newark