四级考试中关于经济文章行文特点

1、PAGE PAGE 4四级考试中关于经济的文章的行文特点华中农业大学外国语学院 胡素芬在当今经济高度发展的时代，经济问题的文章在报刊杂志上比比皆是。四级考试中的阅读文章多是从报刊杂志上挑选而来。经济问题是一个普遍而热门又经久不衰的话题。无论是美国经济还是英国经济，亦或是中国经济，都是人们要研究或者探讨的话题，都足够引起经济专家学者的关注。英语专家和学者也不例外。这类关于经济的文章论述一般从如下几个方面进行阐述：经济兴衰，经济的发展以及发展中出现的问题，经济发展的趋势和原因等等。四级考试中多次出现关于美国经济问题的文章。如99年1月第二篇，2003年6月第二篇 ，2003年1月第三篇，2005年

2、12月第一篇，2006年12月第一篇。其行文和试题有鲜明的特点。由于篇幅所限，笔者选取2005年12月第1篇和2006年12月第1篇作为例子来阐述。对于美国人来说，time is money 时间就是金钱。他们拼命工作一是为了实现自己的价值，而是为了获得金钱，过上人上人的生活。所以在读这类文章时，要记住“The business of America is business,”。这句话的前面一个“business”作为“事情”讲，后面一个“business” 是“赚钱，做生意”的意思。所有的行为都围绕这个中心展开。关于经济问题高频词汇是market，profit，consumer，compan

3、y，business，competition，economy，enterprise，executive。 Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.（ 2005 年 12月）Just five one-hundredths of an inch thick, light golden in color and with a perfect “saddle curl,” the Lays potato chip seems an unlikely weapon for global domination. But its make

4、r Frito-Lay thinks otherwise. “Potato chips are a snack food for the world,” said Salman Amin, the companys head of global marketing. Amin believes there is no corner of the world that can resist the charms of a Frito-Lay potato chip.Frito-Lay is the biggest snack maker in America owned by PepsiCo，a

5、nd accounts for over half of the parent companys $3 billion annual profits. But the U.S. snack food market is largely saturated, and to grow，the company has to look overseas.Its strategy rests on two beliefs: first a global product offers economies of scale with which local brands cannot compete. An

6、d second, consumers in the 21st century are drawn to “global” as a concept. ” Global does not mean products that are consciously identified as American, but ones than consumers-especially young people-see as part of a modern innovative(创新的)world in which people are linked across cultures by shared b

7、eliefs and tastes. Potato chips are an American invention, but most Chinese, for instance, do not know that Frito-Lay is an American company. Instead, Riskey, the companys research and development head, would hope they associate the brand with the new world of global communications and business. Wit

8、h brand perception a crucial factor, Riskey ordered a redesign of the Frito-Lay logo(标识).The logo, long with the companys long-held marketing image of the “irresistibility” of its chips, would help facilitate the companys global expansion.The executives acknowledge that they try to swing national ea

9、ting habits to a food created in America, but they deny that amounts to economic imperialism. Rather, they see Frito-Lay as spreading the benefits of free enterprise across the world.“Were making products in those countries, were adapting them to the tastes of those countries, building businesses an

10、d employing people and changing lives,” said Steve Reinemund, PepsiCos chief executive.21.It is the belief of Frito-Lays head of global marketing that_.A)Potato chips can hardly be used as a weapon to dominate the world marketB)Their company must find new ways to promote domestic salesC)The light go

11、lden color enhances the charm of their companys potato chipsD)People over the world enjoy eating their companys potato chips 22.What do we learn about Frito-Lay from Paragraph 2?A)Its products use to be popular among overseas consumers.B)Its expansion has caused fierce competition in the snack marke

12、r.C)It gives half of its annual profits to its parent company.D)It needs to turn to the world market for development.23.One of the assumptions on which Frito-Lay bases its development strategy is that_.A)consumers worldwide today are attracted by global brands B local brands cannot compete successfu

13、lly with American brands C)products suiting Chinese consumers needs bring more profitsD)products identified as American will have promising market value24.Why did Riskey have the Frito-Lay logo redesigned?A)To suit changing tastes of young consumers. B)To promote the companys strategy of globalizati

14、on. C)To change the companys long-held marketing image.D)To compete with other American chip producers.25.Frito-Lays executives claim that the promoting of American food in the international market_.A)wont affect the eating habits of the local people B)will lead to economic imperialismC)will be in t

15、he interest of the local peopleD)wont spoil the taste of their chips 这篇文章以乐事薯片的发展，折射出美国经济的发展轨迹。薄薄的淡黄色薯片似乎不可能成为全球经济的主导，但是他的市场策划者却认为它可以占领全球。那么，文章一定会引用他所说的话，“Potato chips are a snack food for the world,”接着，文章说Amin believes there is no corner of the world that can resist the charms of a Frito-Lay potato

16、 chip.从这句话就可以找到21.It is the belief of Frito-Lays head of global marketing that 的答案，是D)People over the world enjoy eating their companys potato chips。因为全世界的人都抵制不住它的诱惑。美国人为了赚钱，非常善于创新和市场推广。乐事薯片是百事可乐的产品，在美国占市场收入超过了整个母公司的一半，但是国内市场趋于饱和状态，美国人是喜欢国外发展的，不管是高科技产品还是饮食，都力图使之全球化。所以下面文章肯定会写如何打开国际市场。22.What do we l

17、earn about Frito-Lay from Paragraph 2?的答案很明显，to grow，the company has to look overseas. 同义转述，D)It needs to turn to the world market for development.那么作者接着一定会谈及到为何可以全球化，如何使用营销策略。第三段阐述了两个问题：1）为何可以；2）如何做到。也就是题干的23题和24题。23.One of the assumptions on which Frito-Lay bases its development strategy is that_.

18、答案在黑体字中找。A)consumers worldwide today are attracted by global brands。全世界的人都为世界品牌所吸引啊。那么如何做到呢？Riskey ordered a redesign of the Frito-Lay logo(标识).The logo, along with the companys long-held marketing image of the “irresistibility” of its chips, would help facilitate the companys global expansion. 所以24

19、答案是C) promote the companys strategy of globalization. 最后作者会引用别人的话来说明这种策略的效果等。因此25题的答案就在Steve Reinemund,PepsiCos chief executive的话中。答案是C)will be in the interest of the local people。2006年12月则是以瓶装水为例来谈经济。Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.Reaching new peaks of popularity in North Ame

20、rica is Iceberg Water, which is harvested from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.Arthur von Wiesenberger, who carries the title Water Master, is one of the few water critics in North America. As a boy, he spent time in the larger cities of Italy, France and Switzerland, where bottled wa

21、ter is consumed daily. Even then, he kept a water journal, noting the brands he liked best. “My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water,” He says.But is plain tap water all that bad? Not at all. In fact, New Yorks municipal water for more than a century was called the champagne o

22、f tap water and until recently considered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity. Similarly, a magazine in England found that tap water from the Thames River tasted better than several leading brands of bottled water that were 400 times more expensive.Nevertheless, soft-drink

23、companies view bottled water as the next battle-ground for market sharethis despite the fact that over 25 percent of bottled water comes from tap water: PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-Colas Dasani are both purified tap water rather than spring water.As diners thirst for leading brands, bottlers and rest

24、aurateurs salivate (垂涎) over the profits. A restaurants typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water its often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands arent available in stores, most diners dont notice or care.As a resu

25、lt, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water. According to an article in The Street Journal, some of the more shameless tactics include placing attractive bottles on the table for a visual sell, listing brands on the menu without prices, and pouring bottled water without ev

26、en asking the diners if they want it.Regardless of how its sold, the popularity of bottled water taps into our desire for better health, our wish to appear cultivated, and even a longing for lost purity.57. What do we know about Iceberg Water from the passage?A) It is a kind of iced water. C) It is

27、a kind of bottled water.B) It is just plain tap water. D) It is a kind of mineral water.58. By saying “My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water” (Line 4 Para. 2), von Wiesenberger wants to convey the message that _.A) plain tap water is certainly unfit for drinkingB) bottled wa

28、ter is clearly superior to tap waterC) bottled water often appeals more to dogs tasteD) dogs can usually detect a fine difference in taste59. The “fancier brands” (Line 3 Para. 5) refers to _.A) tap water from the Thames RiverB) famous wines not sold in ordinary storesC) PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-C

29、olas DasaniD) expensive bottled water with impressive names60. Why are some restaurants turning up the pressure to sell bottled water?A) Bottled water brings in huge profits.B) Competition from the wine industry is intense.C) Most diners find bottled water affordable.D) Bottled water satisfied diners desire to fashionable.61. According to passage, why is bottled water so popular?A) It is much cheaper than wine. C) It appeals to more cultivated people.B) It is considered healthier. D) It is more widely promoted in the market.这篇文章也符合行文特点。首先，作者说冰川水在北美极为受欢迎。接着引用饮水大师的话说明关于冰川水的用途。原