D

The cost of rice is expected to go up in the coming moths, as an improving global economy raises demand, and drought(旱灾) cuts production in countries such as India. Some economists say prices for rice, the main food for the world’s population, could be returning to levels that caused inflation(通货膨胀)fears in much of Asia last year.

Charuk Singhapreecha is dean of the faculty(系)of economics at Thailand’s Kasetsart University, Hesays prices-especially for Thai nice-are being pushed higher by new customers coming into the market after the economic slowdown of the past year. “They expect that the world demand will increase and we expect that the price of rice will increase next year,” Charuk said. “There are many new markets fro the Thai rice and also we still have for our old customers-China, some Arab countries-they will increase the demand.”

Prices on the global market could again near the record of $1,000 a ton set in the middle of 2008. This month, export prices for Southeast Asian rice have jumped from about $550 a ton to more than $650.

Vichai sriprasert, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, says further weakness in the US dollar and concerns over drought add to pressure on prices. Market experts say next year India is likely to try to import three million tons of rice-entering the world market for the first time in 21 years-because of a drought.

Vichai also warns that increasing demand for bio-fuels(生物燃料)from grain could reduce food crops, forcing the price of grains higher. “this is very serious. That’s why the price of rice will not go back to the level that we used to see,” Vichai said. “It will have to be raised at a higher level, but I don’t know where.”

The Philippines this week said it is cutting rice imports due to high prices, even though the country lost more than a million tons of grain to typhoons this year. officials from veetnam, a leading export competitor with Thailand, predict prices will reach about $800 a ton by the middle of 2010. This week the Philippines’ National Food Authority offered almost $665 a ton for 600,000 tons of Vietnamese rice.

Economists say higher food prices will only increase the problems faced by the region’s poor, who are highly dependent on rice as a staple food.

63.   Which of the following is NOT true according to Paragraph 1?

A. Drought reduces production of rice in India.

B. Prices for rice were lower all the time in 2008.

C. Rice is a major food for the world’s population.

D. the improving global economy increases the need for rice.

64.   How many reasons did Vichai mention about rice price’s going up?

A.1.                  B.2.                 C.3.           D.4.

65.Why does the Philippines plan to cut rice imports?

A. Because of high prices.                      B. Because of typhoons.

C. Because of civil war.                        D. Because of drought.

66.What’s the best title of the passage?

A. Higher food prices will increase problems

B. There are many new markets for the Thai rice

C. The global economy is improving

D. Prices for rice are expected to rise

 

Why do women earn less than men?

Women earn less than men. For example, in 1988 the hourly wages of women in the U.S. were 16% less than those of men. The gap between male and female incomes varies with age. The gap between the labor incomes of young women and young men is much smaller than that between middle-aged women and men. It is also clear that jobs in which women are concentrated pay less. The larger the number of workers in an industry who are women, the lower the average wages.

Why do women earn less than men? Are the differences explained by the fact that women are looked down upon? If so, the government has to intervene, to force the employers to pay equal wages to equal jobs. however, there is no agreement among economists about the causes of the gap. One view argues that women on the average have chosen low-paying jobs in which workers enjoy the freedom of entering and leaving the labor force, which reduces their years of experience relative to men. Other people say the gap can also be explained by the difference in educational background which is shown in the difference in the marginal product between men and women.

Much of the gap, however, has not been fully explained. It might be the result of some bias against women. It is this part that has produced calls for government action. What would happen if the government did intervene to increase the wages paid to women? One possibility is that incomes for women as a group might actually decline. An increase in wage decreases the quantity of labor input demanded, resulting in decreased employment as the rate of hiring new workers declines. The result will be a surplus of labor. Those who can find jobs might be better off while those who had jobs might find themselves out of work.

The difference in labor incomes is most obvious between _______.

A. young men and young women

B. young women in the same industry

C. middle-aged men and middle-aged women

D. middle-aged women in the same industry

Some economists believe women earn less than men partly because ______.

A. women are less experienced than men

B. women are only provided with low-paying jobs

C. women have much freedom in selecting their jobs

D. there is more than enough women in the labor force

Which of the following cannot be inferred from the second paragraph?

A. Women receive less education than men.

B. Women are not as productive as men.

C. Levels of education are closely related to productivity.

D. Goods produced by women are not as good as those by men.

What does the author suggest that the government should do for women workers?

A. To ensure equal pay for women.

B. To explain why women are paid less.

C. To force employers to hire more women.

D. No solution is clearly suggested.

What would happen if women’s wages were raised?

A. Input of capital would be increased.

B. The unemployment rate would go up.

C. Those that have jobs would become better off.

D. Women as a group would earn more than before.

Chinese reports say the country’s vast pool of cheap labor is getting smaller, which could hurt an economy that heavily depends on labor-intensive manufacturing.

The academy’s research shows that China’s rural labor surplus, the source of migrant workers for the country’s factories, is about 50 million people—far less than the previously estimated 150 to 200 million.

Jonathan Unger, director of the Contemporary China Center at the Australian National University, says fewer rural residents are willing to leave their farms today. This is partly because there are more employment opportunities in rural areas, and because agricultural prices have gone up.

“And at the same time taxes in the countryside, fees in the countryside have gone down because of new sets of government policies,” he explained. “So people are not eagerly forced in the way they were five, six years ago to leave the farm in order to earn enough money for their families.”

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences says another reason for the reduced labor pool is the country’s population policy, which allows city residents to have just one child, and farmers up to two if the first one is a girl.

A UN study predicts that China’s workforce will reach its top in 2015 and then gradually drop. Some of China’s major manufacturing areas, such as Guangdong Province, already face labor shortages.

Some economists think these shortages are, at least for now, a regional rather than a national problem. Sun Mingchun, an economist with investment bank Lehman Brothers in Hong Kong, points out that there are still millions of people in China who can not find work.

57. According to the academy’s research, China’ rural labor surplus today is about _______.

A. 150 million      B. 50 million      C. 200 million      D. 175 million

58. The reason why many rural residents don’t leave their farms today is ________.

A. the farmers are older than before.

B. the farmers are lazier than before

C. the farmers have much more money

D. there are more employment opportunities and agricultural prices have gone up

59. Which of the following is TURE according to the passage?

A. A study of UN estimates China’s workforce will come to the top in 2015.

B. No a study shows millions of people can’t find work in China.

C. The country’s population policy isn’t a reason for the reduced labor.

D. Five years ago, few farmers left their homes to earn money for supporting their families.

60. According to some economists, the shortage of Chinese workforce __________.

A. is a national problem                     B. is a regional problem

C. is not a problem                         D. can be solved easily

 

In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartments. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.

Some theorists argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. The price, which is the wage that employers must pay, increases. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics claim, an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.

Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.

Economic theory predicts the results of economic decisions such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be correct only if “other things are equal”. Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.

[来源:ZXXK]

1.There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may      .

a. cause a shortage of apartments

b. worry those who rent apartments as homes

c. increase the profits of landlords

d. encourage landlords to invest in building apartment

2.According to the critics, rent control        .[来源:学§科§网Z§X§X§K]

a. will always benefit those who rent apartments

b. is unnecessary

c. will bring negative effects in the long run

d. is necessary under all circumstances

3.The problem of unemployment will arise        . [来源:Zxxk.Com]

a. if the minimum wage is set too high

b. if the minimum wage is set too low

c. if the workers are unskilled

d. if the maximum wage is set[来源:]

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

a. The results of economic decisions can not always be predicted.

b. Minimum wage can not always protect employees.

c. Economic theory can predict the results of economic decisions if other factors are not changing.

d. Economic decisions should not be based on economic theory.

 

In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord (房东) can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartment. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.
Some experts argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics hold the opinion that an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.
Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.
Economic theory predicts the results of economic decision, such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be corrected only if “other things are equal”. Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.
【小题1】There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may________.

A．cause a shortage of apartments

B．worry those who rent apartments as homes.

C．increase the profits of landlords.

D．encourage landlords to invest in building apartments.

【小题2】We can safely say that rent control_________.

A．will always benefit those who rent apartments.

B．is unnecessary.

C．will probably bring inactive effects in the long run.

D．is necessary under all conditions

【小题3】There will be the problem of unemployment if ________________.

A．the minimum wage is set too high..

B．the minimum wage is set too early.

C．the workers are unskilled.

D．the maximum wage is set for poor workers.

【小题4】The passage tells us about _______________.

A．the relationship between supply and demand.

B．the possible results of government controls.

C．the necessity of government control.

D．the urgency of getting rid of government control.

【小题5】Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The results of economic decisions cannot always be predicted.

B．Minimum wage cannot always protect employees.

C．Economic theory can help predict the results of economic decision if other factors are not changing.

D．Economists usually have the same prediction about an economic decision.