Question

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

Answer 1

ABCD

【解题导语】司机在一个加油站加油，油价是$3.50,但行驶几英里后，油价也许上升或下降几美分，是常见的事。那么是什么因素影响了油价的波动呢？作者告诉我们，油价的变动就如同汽车销售价格变动一样，是受经销商（店）位置、时间等相关因素的影响，加油站买进或卖出的油价波动，一方面受市场每日油价升降的制约，另一方面受加油站间竞争等因素的影响。简言之，加油站的油价波动，受加油站的品牌（是否享受优惠），站与站之间的竞争因素的制约。

63．A。 主旨大意题。综合全文，尤其第一段、第二段的信息得知，文章主要围绕竞争是如何影响油价的展开叙述。How Competition Impacts Gas Prices 是原文的标题。

64．B。细节推理题。分析第二段前两句得知，星期天下午驱车到附近的加油站加油的油价为$3.50, 行驶数英里后，油价也许上升或下降数美分，第三句提出为什么会这样，然后一句Think of it this way. 话题转入汽车销售，以此回答上述问题，顾客在相邻的两家汽车经销商能买到便宜的汽车，在第三、四家也许能买到更便宜或稍贵的汽车，再结合全文，就可清楚地知道，作者想说明在诸多影响价格的因素中，“位置”是决定价格的重要因素。

65．C。细节理解题。根据第三段中Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily.的信息得知。在影响油价的诸多因素中，加油站进油价每天都在变动。

66．D。细节推理题。根据第四段中those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of emergency situations 的信息得知，既然branded stations 能得到优先的供货保障，所以能提供稳定供应。