Competition. It’s a simple word, yet a very complex word that covers many angles when it comes to how gasoline prices are determined. It seems so easy to explain, but don’t let that trick you—it’s incredibly difficult to explain and adequately understand.

Say you’re on a Sunday afternoon drive, and notice a gas station near you charging $3.50. Down the road a few miles, that price could easily be 10 or more cents higher or lower. The question is “how” or “why” is that? Think of it this way. Are you more likely to get a better deal on a car if there are two similar car dealers next to each other? Perhaps, because the dealers are too close. Say there is a third similar car dealer miles away. Is he going to be at the same level of competition and sell his cars for the same price as the two dealers next to each other? Likely not. He may charge more or less. Maybe people don't know there are two other dealers down the road. Maybe the dealer is almost outside of the city and the land value isn't as high, so his taxes aren't as high.

These situations do take place at gas stations. And more factors can impact what a station will charge. Timing can greatly impact what price a station charges as well! Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily. If one station gets lucky and buys gas on Monday and the cost goes up Tuesday, the station that bought on Monday doesn’t necessarily have to raise prices like the station that bought on Tuesday. Maybe the station that got caught buying for a higher price on Tuesday will pass that higher cost on by raising its gas price.

Perhaps the difference is what brand the station is---branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost, those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of emergency situations. Independent stations don’t pay as much, but aren’t guaranteed supply.

While competition sounds easy to understand, there are always a large number of factors that could influence what one station charges. Keep in mind how many variables there are next time you fill up.

1.What could be the best title for the passage?

A．How Competition Impacts Gas Prices

B．Gas Prices Go Up or Down

C．Competition---a Very Complex Word

D．We Can’t Stress Enough the Need for Competition

2.The example of car dealers is used to show _________.

A．car prices are determined by car dealers

B．location is an important factor in pricing

C．the quality of service matters most

D．dealing strategy should be flexible

3.The gas prices of a station always change partly because _________.

A．a gas station always wants to charge more

B．the gasoline is in great demand

C．the cost of the gas the station buys varies daily

D．gas is in greater need on Monday

4.According to the passage, branded stations _________.

A．spend less money on their gasoline

B．have more staff than independent stations

C．charge less for high quality oil

D．offer a steady oil supply

Competition. It’s a simple word, yet a very complex word that covers many angles when it comes to how gasoline prices are determined. It seems so easy to explain, but don’t let that trick you—it’s incredibly difficult to explain and adequately understand.

Say you’re on a Sunday afternoon drive, and notice a gas station near you charging $3.50. Down the road a few miles, that price could easily be 10 or more cents higher or lower. The question is “how” or “why” is that? Think of it this way. Are you more likely to get a better deal on a car if there are two similar car dealers next to each other? Perhaps, because the dealers are too close. Say there is a third similar car dealer miles away. Is he going to be at the same level of competition and sell his cars for the same price as the two dealers next to each other? Likely not. He may charge more or less. Maybe people don't know there are two other dealers down the road. Maybe the dealer is almost outside of the city and the land value isn't as high, so his taxes aren't as high.

These situations do take place at gas stations. And more factors can impact what a station will charge. Timing can greatly impact what price a station charges as well! Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily. If one station gets lucky and buys gas on Monday and the cost goes up Tuesday, the station that bought on Monday doesn’t necessarily have to raise prices like the station that bought on Tuesday. Maybe the station that got caught buying for a higher price on Tuesday will pass that higher cost on by raising its gas price.

Perhaps the difference is what brand the station is---branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost, those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of emergency situations. Independent stations don’t pay as much, but aren’t guaranteed supply.

While competition sounds easy to understand, there are always a large number of factors that could influence what one station charges. Keep in mind how many variables (变数) there are next time you fill up.

63.What could be the best title for the passage?

A. How Competition Impacts Gas Prices

  B. Gas Prices Go Up or Down

  C. Competition---a Very Complex Word

  D. We Can’t Stress Enough the Need for Competition 

64. The example of car dealers is used to show _________.

  A. car prices are determined by car dealers

  B. location is an important factor in pricing

  C. the quality of service matters most

  D. dealing strategy should be flexible

65. The gas prices of a station always change partly because _________.

  A. a gas station always wants to charge more

  B. the gasoline is in great demand

  C. the cost of the gas the station buys varies daily

  D. gas is in greater need on Monday

66. According to the passage, branded stations _________.

  A. spend less money on their gasoline

  B. have more staff than independent stations

  C. charge less for high quality oil

  D. offer a steady oil supply

    Advertising actually has a dual(双重的)function：to sell，as well as to inform．If you stop to think of it，advertisements(ads)provide information of almost everything in our household and immediate environment，from shampoo to fuel for cars．An obvious purpose is to inform consumers of new products and services as well as to remind them of established ones．Performance，price，value for money，quality and reliability are some of the main features mentioned in ads．

    Yet there is another important side of advertising that should not be forgotten：choice．A number of ads for different brands of the same product，e．g．toothpaste，shampoo or washing powder allow the consumer to choose．Choice is an important part of buying．

    In this busy day and age，there is little time for comparison shopping．To determine which product is the best to buy，and at the most competitive price，consumers these days rely on advertising in its various forms．This saves time and energy and makes shopping easier．

    Few can deny that ads benefit the consumer since they encourage healthy competition．When companies compete for the consumer’s dollar，this is good for the purchaser of the product or service．Advertising tends to increase competition since it informs consumers of what is available．One company’s offer will be either matched or bettered by another company in its advertising．

    It was unheard of ten years ago to buy products directly using a personal computer，but it has become a matter of course for some people to browse(浏览)the Internet，surf  until they find an e commerce site and then select the product．Marketing products has been almost turned upside down by new ways of selling and buying．More than at any time in history，the choice of goods is unlimited．The whole world is a customer’s marketplace．For busy people like you and me，advertisements actually do us a favor．

41．What the writer of this passage wants to tell us most is that―――――――――．

    A．advertisements benefit busy people in many ways

    B  advertisements encourage more business competitions

    C  advertisements provide main features of new products

    D  selling and informing are two functions of advertising

 42．Which is least discussed in the passage as, one of the important sides of advertising?

   A．To inform consumers of new products and services．

    B  To provide consumers with chances to choose．

    C  To increase healthy competition of companies．

    D  To change the way of selling and buying．

 43．The “comparison shopping” refers to the behavior of        ．

    A．comparing and buying a product at the lowest price

    B．comparing and deciding which is the best to buy

    C．relying on advertising and simplifying shopping

    D．buying a product at the least competitive price

 44．Healthy competition benefits consumers because―――――――――．

    A  it helps companies to compete for the market

    B．it gets companies to improve their services

    C．it provides them with the best products and services

    D．it gives them many chances to choose their products

Competition. It’s a simple word, yet a very complex word that covers many angles when it comes to how gasoline prices are determined. It seems so easy to explain, but don’t let that trick you—it’s incredibly difficult to explain and adequately understand.

Say you’re on a Sunday afternoon drive, and notice a gas station near you charging $3.50. Down the road a few miles, that price could easily be 10 or more cents higher or lower. The question is “how” or “why” is that? Think of it this way. Are you more likely to get a better deal on a car if there are two similar car dealers next to each other? Perhaps, because the dealers are too close. Say there is a third similar car dealer miles away. Is he going to be at the same level of competition and sell his cars for the same price as the two dealers next to each other? Likely not. He may charge more or less. Maybe people don't know there are two other dealers down the road. Maybe the dealer is almost outside of the city and the land value isn't as high, so his taxes aren't as high.

These situations do take place at gas stations. And more factors can impact what a station will charge. Timing can greatly impact what price a station charges as well! Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily. If one station gets lucky and buys gas on Monday and the cost goes up Tuesday, the station that bought on Monday doesn’t necessarily have to raise prices like the station that bought on Tuesday. Maybe the station that got caught buying for a higher price on Tuesday will pass that higher cost on by raising its gas price.

Perhaps the difference is what brand the station is---branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost, those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of emergency situations. Independent stations don’t pay as much, but aren’t guaranteed supply.

While competition sounds easy to understand, there are always a large number of factors that could influence what one station charges. Keep in mind how many variables (变数) there are next time you fill up.

63.What could be the best title for the passage?

A. How Competition Impacts Gas Prices

B. Gas Prices Go Up or Down

C. Competition---a Very Complex Word

D. We Can’t Stress Enough the Need for Competition

64. The example of car dealers is used to show ______________.

A. car prices are determined by car dealers

B. location is an important factor in pricing

C. the quality of service matters most

D. dealing strategy should be flexible

65. The gas prices of a station always change partly because ______________.

A. a gas station always wants to charge more

B. the gasoline is in great demand

C. the cost of the gas the station buys varies daily

D. gas is in greater need on Monday

66. According to the passage, branded stations ______________.

A. spend less money on their gasoline

B. have more staff than independent stations

C. charge less for high quality oil

D. offer a steady oil supply