??When it comes to the slowing economy, Ellen Spero isn’t biting her nails just
yet. But the 47-year-old manicurist isn’t cutting, filling or polishing as many nails as she’d like to, either. Most of her clients spend $12 to $50 weekly, but last month two longtime customers suddenly stopped showing up. Spero blames the softening economy. “I’m a good economic indicator,” she says. “I provide a service that people can do without when they’re concerned about saving some dollars。” So Spero is downscaling, shopping at middle-brow Dillard’s department store near her suburban Cleveland home, instead of Neiman Marcus. “I don’t know if other clients are going to abandon me, too” she says。
Even before Alan Greenspan’s admission that America’s red-hot economy is cooling, lots of working folks had already seen signs of the slowdown themselves. From car dealerships to Gap outlets, sales have been lagging for months as shoppers temper their spending. For retailers,
who last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the cautious approach is coming at a crucial time. Already, experts say, holiday sales are off 7 percent from last year’s pace. But don’t sound any alarms just yet. Consumers seem only mildly concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy’s long-term prospects, even as they do some modest belt-tightening。
Consumers say they’re not in despair because, despite the dreadful headlines, their own fortunes still feel pretty good. Home prices are holding steady in most regions. In Manhattan, “there’s a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range, predominantly fed by Wall Street bonuses,” says broker Barbara Corcoran. In San Francisco, prices are still rising even as frenzied overbidding quiets. “Instead of 20 to 30 offers, now maybe you only get two or three,” says john Tealdi, a Bay Area real-estate broker. And most folks still feel pretty comfortable about their ability to find and keep a job。
Many folks see silver linings to this slowdown. Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldn’t mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market. Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom. Diners might see an upside, too. Getting a table at Manhattan’s hot new Alain Ducasse restaurant need to be impossible. Not anymore. For that, Greenspan & Co. may still be worth toasting。
31. By “Ellen Spero isn't biting her nails just yet” (Line 1, Paragraph 1)， the author means
[A] Spero can hardly maintain her business.
[B] Spero is too much engaged in her work.
[C] Spero has grown out of her bad habit.
[D] Spero is not in a desperate situation。
32. How do the public feel about the current economic situation？
[A] Optimistic. [B] Confused. [C] Carefree. [D] Panicked。
33. When mentioning “the $4 million to $10 million range” (Lines 3, Paragraph 3)， the author is talking about
[A] gold market. [B] real estate. [C] stock exchange. [D] venture investment。
34. Why can many people see “silver linings”to the economic showdown?
[A] They would benefit in certain ways。
[B] The stock market shows signs of recovery。
[C] Such a slowdown usually precedes a boom。
[D] The purchasing power would be enhanced。
35. To which of the following is the author likely to agree?
[A] A new boom, on the horizon。
[B] Tighten the belt, the single remedy。
[C] Caution all right, panic not。
[D] The more ventures, the more chances。
名师解析
31. By“Ellen Spero isn't biting her nails just yet”(Line 1, Paragraph 1)， the author means
经由过程说“艾伦·斯拜罗还不至于咬手指”(第一段第一行)，作者的意思是
[A] Spero can hardly maintain her business. 斯拜罗几近没法保持本身的买卖。
[B] Spero is too much engaged in her work. 斯拜罗过度投入于本身的事情。
[C] Spero has grown out of her bad habit. 斯拜罗已戒掉了坏习气。。
[D] Spero is not in a desperate situation. 斯拜罗没有到失望的地步。
【谜底】 D
【考点】 词义和句意题。
【阐发】 此类标题一般会考超纲辞汇、熟词僻义、特别场所用法等，本题属于考熟词僻义。“biting one’s nails”是习语，可是绝大大都考生是不会晓得的。这个时辰就必需将其放在上下文中来斟酌。文章第一句和第二句之间的迁移转变词“but”是揣度出这个句子意思的关头“……斯拜罗还不至于‘biting her nails’，可是(她的买卖已不如畴前)这位四十七岁的指甲润饰师修剪、锉磨、上油的指甲数目却难遂其愿了。她的大大都主顾每周耗费十二至五十美元，可上月两位持久客户忽然不来了；她本人也再也不去高级阛阓而去中档阛阓了。”由此可以揣度出，第一句必定是说她的景况还不至于糟到很是坚苦的境界。[B]、[C]必定是可以解除的，而选项[A]“斯拜罗几近没法保持本身的买卖”则很具备利诱性，但是若是考生把[A]带进原文读一遍就会发明这个选项和“but”没法连用，“斯拜罗几近没法保持本身的买卖，可是她的买卖已大不如畴前”在逻辑上是讲欠亨的，以是只能选择[D]，如许一来，这句话的意思就是“(固然)斯拜罗尚未到失望的地步，可是她的买卖已大不如畴前了”，语义上彻底可以接管。
32. How do the public feel about the current economic situation?
@公%95jR4%家对今%852PF%朝@的经济情势怎样看？
[A] Optimistic. 乐观的。
[B] Confused. 利诱的。
[C] Carefree. 高枕而卧的。
[D] Panicked. 发急的。
【谜底】 A
【考点】 究竟细节题。
【阐发】 本题属于究竟细节题，考核公家对经济情势的见解。文章中关于公家的见解呈现在第二段最后几句“不外，今朝还没必要敲甚么警钟。消费者看起来只是适度存眷，并无发急。很多人固然略微勒紧腰带，但他们说对付经济的持久远景仍是乐观的。”由此可以断定准确谜底是选项[A]。
33. When mentioning“the $4 million to $10 million range”(Lines 2—3, Paragraph 3) the author is talking about
当说起“400万到1,000万美元之间”(第三段第2、三行)时，作者在评论辩论
[A] gold market. 黄金市场。
[B] real estate. 房地产。
[C] stock exchange. 证券买卖所。
[D] venture investment 危害投资。
【谜底】 B
【考点】 词义和句意题。
【阐发】 援用他人的话来证实本身的概念叫引证，用例子来证实本身的概念叫例证。咱们来看看做者援用这句话是为了证实甚么“在大大都地域衡宇代价连结不乱。掮客人巴巴拉·考克兰说，在曼哈顿‘呈现了对400万至1,000万美元之间屋子的淘金热(抢购)，资金来历以华尔街股票盈利为主。’在旧金山，高价抢购征象固然鸣金收兵了，可代价照旧看涨。海湾地域房地产掮客人约翰·梯尔迪说：‘之前老是有20到30个卖主，而如今或许只有两三个。’”读懂这句话，就会大白，作者是在证实有人在投资房地产。选项[A]是出题人成心操纵“gold rush”这个短语的字面意思来利诱考生的，“gold rush”指淘金热，可是这里指的是“投资房产的狂热”。选项[C] 股票市场是操纵考生可能会被华尔街误导而出的滋扰项。至于选项[D]危害投本钱章没有说起。
34. Why can many people see“silver linings”to the economic showdown?
为甚么很多人可以或许在经济放缓中看到“银色的边”？
[A] They would benefit in certain ways. 他们可能以某些方法收益。。
[B] The stock market shows signs of recovery. 股票市场呈现了苏醒的迹象。
[C] Such a slowdown usually precedes a boom. 经济繁华以前凡是会有如许的滑坡。
[D] The purchasing power would be enhanced. 采办力会加强。
【谜底】 A
【考点】 揣度题。
【阐发】 文章并无直接说“银色的边”是甚么意思，可是这倒是理解的一个比力关头的处所。英语中有句谚语叫“Every cloud has a silver lining。”意思是“黑黑暗总有一丝光亮。”英丽人士经常使用“银色的边”来形容或比方坚苦时的但愿。可是仅仅领会这个短语的意思明显仍是不敷的，问题的关头是为甚么很多人可以或许在经济放缓中看到但愿？看原文“潜伏的购房者会对利率下调眉飞色舞。雇主们对就业市场少了些泡沫也其实不在乎。很多消费者彷佛一向受股票市场颠簸的影响，投资者把这类颠簸视为延续繁华的需要身分。就餐者可能也看到了有益的方面。在曼哈顿新开的火爆的阿兰·杜卡斯饭馆找个餐位曾是不成能的，如今可以了”。看懂这句话，考生就会大白经济放缓对大师来讲仍是有益处的。也就是说，考生必需从这几个例子中看出作者究竟是要证实一个甚么样的概念。而[B]、[C]、[D]选项都没法从这几个例子中揣度出来。
35. To which of the following is the author likely to agree?
如下说法作者有可能会赞成哪个？
[A] A new boom, on the horizon. 新的繁华，行将呈现。
[B] Tighten the belt, the single remedy. 勒紧裤带，别无它法。
[C] Caution all right, panic not. 谨严无碍，发急无需。
[D] The more ventures, the more chances. 危害越多，机遇越多。
【谜底】 C
【考点】 揣度题。
【阐发】 考核作者的立场与概念的标题必需在通篇读完后才能去答复，这也是为甚么此类标题凡是放在最后一道的缘由。如今咱们再来将原文通篇回首一下，文章开篇用事例引出经济滑坡的话题，随后说人们固然已注重到这一点，可是只是适度存眷，并无发急；第三段说人们为甚么会如许，最后指出，他们从中可以获得很多益处。[C]最可以或许反应作者的立场。选项[A]所表示出来的乐观彷佛是过了一点，而选项[B]表示出来的灰心又显得过了一点。至于[D]“危害越多，机遇越多”这类说法，作者在文中没有说起。
难句解析：
1. Consumers seem only concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy’s long-term prospects even as they do some modest belt-tightening。
【布局阐发】 该句由两个并列分句经由过程“and”毗连起来，前一个分句的骨干是“Consumers seem concerned”；第二个分句的骨干为“many say…”，后接的宾语从句中骨干为“they remain optimistic about…”，“even as”指导妥协状语从句。
2. Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient
to a sustained boom。
【布局阐发】 该句的主句是“Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings”，以后“which”指导一个定语从句，润饰“stock-market swings”。
全文翻译：
谈到经济成长速率减慢，固然艾伦·斯拜罗尚未到失望的地步。可是，这位四十七岁的指甲润饰师修剪、锉磨、上油的指甲数目却难遂其愿了。她的大大都主顾每周耗费十二至五十美元，可上月两位持久客户忽然不来了。斯派罗埋怨起疲软的经济，说：“我是个正确的经济晴雨表。我供给的办事在当人们想攒钱时就酿成无关紧要。”是以斯派罗响应地节省起开支，买工具就在克利夫兰郊区的她家四周的中档迪拉德百货公司，而再也不去内曼·玛科斯。她说：“我不晓得其他主顾会不会也再也不帮衬我。”
即便在格林斯潘还未认可美国过热的经济正在冷却的时辰，许很多多的劳动者已看出经济渐缓的迹象。因为购物者节省他们的付出，从汽车代办署理商到Gap名牌零售扣头店，数月以来贩卖一向滞缓。客岁在感恩节和圣诞节之间零售商的贩卖收入是整年的24%。消费者此时存在的谨严消操心理确切来得不是时辰。专家言之有据，较之客岁沐日贩卖速率已缓解了7%。不外，今朝还没必要敲甚么警钟。消费者看起来只是适度存眷，并无发急。很多人固然略微勒紧腰带，但他们说对付经济的持久远景仍是乐观的。
消息题目固然够吓人的，可是消费者照旧对本身的财富状态感受至关杰出，是以他们说他们其实不灰心失望。在大大都地域衡宇代价连结不乱。掮客人巴巴拉·考克兰说，在曼哈顿“呈现了对400万至1,000万美元之间屋子的淘金热(抢购)，资金来历以华尔街股票盈利为主。”在旧金山，高价抢购征象固然鸣金收兵了，可代价照旧看涨。海湾地域房地产掮客人约翰·梯尔迪说：“之前老是有20到30个卖主，而如今或许只有两三个。”大大都人对可以或许找到并保有一件事情感触很自傲。
很多人对付经济萧条抱有乐观的但愿。潜伏的房产采办者会对利率下调眉飞色舞。雇主们对就业市场少了些泡沫也其实不在乎。很多消费者彷佛一向受股票市场颠簸的影响，投资者把这类颠簸视为延续繁华的需要身分。就餐者可能也看到了有益的方面。在曼哈顿新开的火爆的阿兰·杜卡斯饭馆找个餐位曾是不成能的，如今不了。这真值得格林斯潘和他的同事们庆贺。
更多信息请拜候：新浪考研频道 考研论坛 考研博客圈
出格阐明：因为各方面环境的不竭调解与变革，新浪网所供给的所有测验信息仅供参考，敬请考生以权势巨子部分颁布的正式信息为准。
