At the heart of the debate over illegal immigration lies one key question: are immigrants good or bad
for the economy? The American public overwhelmingly thinks they're bad. Yet the consensus among
most economists is that immigration, both legal and illegal, provides a small net boost to the economy.
Immigrants provide cheap labor, lower the prices of everything from farm produce to new homes, and
leave consumers with a little more money in their pockets. So why is there such a discrepancy between
the perception of immigrants' impact on the economy and the reality?
     There are a number of familiar theories. Some argue that people are anxious and feel threatened by
an inflow of new workers. Others highlight the strain that undocumented immigrants place on public
services, like schools, hospitals, and jails. Still others emphasize the role of race, arguing that foreigners
add to the nation's fears and insecurities. There's some truth to all these explanations, but they aren't quite
sufficient.
     To get a better understanding of what's going on, consider the way immigration's impact is felt. Though
its overall effect may be positive, its costs and benefits are distributed unevenly. David Card, an economist at UC Berkeley, notes that the ones who profit most directly from immigrants' low-cost labor are businesses and employers - meatpacking plants in Nebraska, for instance, or agricultural businesses in California.
Granted, these producers' savings probably translate into lower prices at the grocery store, but how many consumers make that mental connection at the checkout counter? As for the drawbacks of illegal
immigration, these, too, are concentrated. Native low-skilled workers suffer most from the competition of
foreign labor.      According to a study by George Borjas, a Harvard economist, immigration reduced the wages of American high-school dropouts by 9% between 1980-2000.
     Among high-skilled, better-educated employees, however, opposition was strongest in states with
both high numbers of immigrants and relatively generous social services. What worried them most, in
other words, was the fiscal (财政的)burden of immigration. That conclusion was reinforced by another
finding: that their opposition appeared to soften when that fiscal burden decreased, as occurred with
welfare reform in the 1990s, which curbed immigrants' access to certain benefits.
     The irony is that for all the overexcited debate, the net effect (净效应) of immigration is minimal. Even
for those most acutely affected - say, low-skilled workers, or California residents - the impact isn't all that dramatic. "The unpleasant voices have tended to dominate our perceptions," says Daniel Tichenor, a
political science professor at the University of Oregon. "But when all those factors are put together and
the economists calculate the numbers, it ends up being a net positive, but a small one." Too bad most
people don't realize it.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A. Whether immigrants are good or bad for the economy has been puzzling economists.
B. The American economy used to thrive on immigration but now it's a different story.
C. The consensus among economists is that immigration should not be encouraged.
D. The general public thinks differently from most economists on the impact of immigration.

2. In what way does the author think ordinary Americans benefit from immigration?

A. They can access all kinds of public services.
B. They can get consumer goods at lower prices.
C. They can mix with people of different cultures.
D. They can avoid doing much of the manual labor.

3. Which of the following words has the closest meaning to "curb" in paragraph four?

A. strengthen          
B. deny          
C. encourage        
D. limit

4. What is the irony about the debate over immigration?

A. People care too much about something of small impact.
B. Those who are opposed to it turn out to benefit most from it.
C. Even economists can't reach a consensus about its impact.
D. There is no essential difference between seemingly opposite opinions.

     When I was going home to India last year, I called up my mother to ask if she wanted anything from
China,
     When India had not opened up its markers to the world, I carried suitcase loads of dark glasses and
jeans. Thankfully, we can get all these anywhere in India now.
     Still, her answer surprised me:"Green tea."
     As long as I can remember she didn't even drink Indian tea.
     I dutifully bought a big packet of Longjing and headed home to hear the story. My mother and her brother,
both regular newspaper readers, believed that Chinese green tea was the wonder drug for all illnesses.
     At the turn of the century, China was not really familiar to the average Indian. It was a strange country.
     How things change. And how soon.
     Now every town of any size seems to have a "China Market". And everyone is talking about China.
     The government of India has planned to send a team to China to see how things are done. A minister once
said that India must open the doors for more foreign investment (投资) and such a step would "work wonders
as it did for China".
     But it's a two-way street, I just heard about a thousand Shenzhen office workers who have gone to
Rangalore to train in software. Meanwhile, all the IT majors are setting up a strong presence in China.
     No wonder that trade, which was only in the millions just ten years ago, is expected to his about us $15
billion for last year and us $20 billion by 2008, a goal set by both governments.
     No wonder, my colleague wrote some weeks ago about this being the Sino-Indian (中印) century as the
two countries started on January I the Sino-Indian Friendship Year.
     But what is still a wonder to me is my mother drinking Chinese tea.

1. Why did the mother ask for Chinese green tea?

A. She was tired of Indian tea.
B. She had a son working in China.
C. She believed it had a curing effect.
D. She was fond of Chinese products.

2. What does the author mean by "it's a two-way street' in paragraph 10?

A. China and India have different traffic rules.
B. Tea trade works wonders in both India and China.
C. Chinese products are popular in both China and India.
D. The exchanges between India and China benefit both.

3. What do we know about the Indian IT industry?

A. It will move its head office to Shenzhen
B. It is seeking further development in China
C. It has attracted an investment of US $15 billion
D. It caught up with the US IT industry in2008.

4. In the text the author expresses _____.

A. his concern for his mother's health
B. his support for drinking Chinese green tea
C. his surprise at China's recent development
D. his wonder at the growth of India's IT industry

     In business, there's a speed difference: It's the difference between how important a firms leaders say
speed is to their competitive (竞争的) strategy (策略) and how fast the company actually moves. The
difference is important regardless of industry and company size. Companies fear of losing their competitive
advantage spend much time and money looking for ways to pick up the speed.
     In our study of 343 businesses, the companies that chose to go, go, go to try to gain an edge ended
with lower sales and operating incomes than those that paused at key moments to make sure they were on
the right track, What's more, the firms that "slowed down to speed up" improved their top and bottom lines,
averaging 40% higher sales and 52% higher operating incomes over a three-years period.
     How did they disobey the laws of business physics, taking more time than competitors yet performing
better? They thought differently about what "slower "and "faster" mean. Firms sometimes fail to understand
the difference between operation speed (moving quickly) and strategic speed (reducing the time it takes to
deliver value). Simply increasing the speed of production, for example, may be one way to try to reduce the
speed difference. But that often leads to reduced value over time, in the form of lower-quality products and
services.
     In our study, high performing companies with strategic speed always made changes when necessary.
They became more open to idea and discussion. They encouraged new ways of thinking. And they allowed
time to look and learn. By contrast (相比而言). Performance suffered at firms that moved felt all the among
their employer, and had little time thinking about changes.
     Strategic speed serves as a kind of leadership. Teams that regularly take time to get things right, rather
than plough ahead full bore, are more successful in meeting their business goals. That kind of strategy must
come from the top.

1. What does the underlined part "gain an edge" in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. Increase the speed.
B. Get an advantage.
C. Reach the limit.
D. Set a goal

2. The underlined part "the laws of business physics" in Paragraph 3 means _____.

A. spending more time and performing worse.
B. spending more time and performing better
C. spending less time and performing worse
D. spending less time and performing better

3. What can we learn from the text?

A. How fast a firm moves depends on how big it is.
B. How competitive a firm is depends on what it produces.
C. Firms guided by strategic speed take time to make necessary changes.
D. Firms guided by operational speed take time to develop necessary team spirit.

4. Where could be the last title for the text?

A. Improve quality? Serve better.
B. Deliver value? Plough ahead.
C. Reduce time? Move faster.
D. Need speed? Slow down.

                               Foreign attacks on U. S. soil (美国领土遭受的外来袭击)
     1812-During the War of 1812, British forces (军队) burned the new capital at Washington, D. C. They
also attacked Baltimore and New Orleans and captured (占领) Detroit, which at the time was a remote military
outpost (前哨基地). 
     1846-A brief invasion (入侵) by Mexican troops across the Rio Gande began the U. S.-Mexican War in
1846. But the remaining action in that conflict (冲突) occurred in California, New Mexico and in Mexico.
California and New Mexico belonged to Mexico at the time. 
     1916-Mexican revolutionaries led by Pancho Villa attacked the town of Columbus, N. M., on March 9,
1916.
     1941-Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (珍珠港) in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941, killing nearly 2,400 people and
forcing America into World War II. 
     1993-Terrorists (恐怖主义者) blew up a truck bomb in the basement (地下室) of the World Trade Center
in February 1993, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000.
     2001-Terrorists hijacked (劫机) several planes on Sep.11, 2001. Two ploughed into (撞入) New York's
World Trade Center (WTC), toppling the two highest buildings in the city; a third seriously damaged the
Pentagon (五角大楼). The fourth hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania. Several thousand people were killed
in the attacks.

1. During the War of 1812, British forces did the following except that _____.

A. they captured Detroit
B. they attacked Baltimore and New Orleans
C. they attacked the town of Columbus, N. M.
D. they burned the new capital at Washington, D. C.

2. During the September 11th terrorist attacks, _____.

A. terrorists hijacked three planes
B. destroyed the Pentagon completely
C. killed six people and injured more than 1,000
D. two planes knocked into New York's World Trade Center

3. The underlined word "toppling" in the last paragraph means _____.

A. reaching the highest point of
B. causing to fall
C. knocking into
D. building

4. How many foreign attacks mentioned in the passage did the US have?

A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8

                                                 Disaster (灾难)strikes South-east Asia
    The tsunami (海啸) which hit twelve South-east Asian countries on 26 December 2004 was a great disaster.
More than 200,000 people died in the tsunami. Not only did people living in Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka
die, but many European tourists who were on holiday in these countries also died. Now, we are just beginning
to understand how much damage was caused to the environment and to the economy.
    The biggest problem after the tsunami has been illnesses which have spread to many people. These illnesses
are mostly caused by a lack of clean drinking water. People are drinking dirty water because there is no other
water available. This dirty water is making them sick. Also, the hospitals in these poor countries are not big
enough to deal with all the people who were hurt in the tsunami.
    Many people who live in the areas hit by the tsunami are farmers and fishermen. The tsunami destroyed
their homes, their fields and their boats. The salt water from the ocean covered the farmers' fields, so they can
no longer grow food. Also, fishermen are finding that there are fewer fish in the ocean. Now, these people,
who were already quite poor, have no way to earn money. No one knows how long it will take for the fish to
return, or for the farmers to be able to grow food again. Tourism is also very important in these areas, but
many famous tourist areas are destroyed during the tsunami.
    The whole world is helping these countries recover from the tsunami. Many governments have given aid
money. UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has set up 200 places where people can get help. It has
also provided clean drinking water. One organization called Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders)
has sent many doctors to care for sick people. In Indonesia, some government officials think that some villages
should be moved away from the ocean, and that farmers should learn how to grow different types of food.
    No one knows how much money or how much time it will take for this area to recover completely. However,
with the help and aid that is being sent to the affected areas, hopefully it won't take long.

                                              Disaster strikes South-east Asia 
   

     Even as Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda wrapped up a tired appearance before (Jongress, the head of the
world's largest automaker wasn't leaving his problems behind.
     Toyota faces a criminal investigation by federal lawyers in New York. The company is now being
investigated. Its US dealerships in difficulty now are facing repairs to potentially millions of customer
cars that have been recalled. The company is offering customers money back for rental cars and other
expenses.
     Its lawyers are busy preparing to cope with lawsuits. A new hearing will be conducted. And the cost
to Toyota's reputation is only now starting.
     Despite back-to-back hearings this week, left to be said were a better explanation for slow actions to
deal with the faults and believable promises that the problems that led to sudden, unintended accelerations
will be fixed.
     Toyoda said those changes were being made nearly around the clock, but during three hours of often
tense questions and answers he repeated that there was no link to the vehicle's electronic systems.
     Many drivers making complaints against Toyota and the government say their acceleration problems
had nothing to do with floor mat interference (油门踏板故障) or sticky gas pedals (刹车). Outside experts
have suggested electronic problems.
     House lawmakers expressed serious criticism on Toyoda, the grandson of the company's founder.
     The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking records on Toyota's recalls
and is conducting its own review on whether electronics were behind the car faults. NHTSA also continues
to look into steering complaints from drivers of the popular Corolla model.
     Toyota has recalled 8. 5 million cars, more than 6 million of them in the United States.
     It may be a while before car buyers believe that Toyota really makes safe cars.
     Toyota's January sales already fell 16 percent even as most other automakers jumped back from last
year's bad results. Analyst Koji Endo of Advanced Research Japan in Tokyo said he expects February sales,
due out next week, to be down 30 percent t0 40. Toyota's sales problem could continue beyond that.
     It will take some time to feel the full effect of this, he said.

1. The best title for this passage is _____.

A. Toyota is in trouble 
B. Toyota is under hearing
C. Toyota is finished
D. Toyota is still running

2. What is the purpose of the hearing?

A. America hopes that Toyota apologizes to the US customers.
B. America wants to get Toyota out of the US market.
C. America wants to help Toyota out of difficulty.
D. America hopes that Toyota admits their cars have electronic system problem.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A. Toyota provides very good post sale service.
B. Toyota's biggest market is in the United States.
C. Toyota will be closed soon.
D. Toyota's dealership in the US will all be closed.

4. Why does Toyota recall cars and offer customers money back for rental cars and other expenses?

A. It tries to avoid the maximum damages to the company.
B. It is a big company and has means to fix every problem.
C. It's part of post service.
D. It's a way to compete in auto market.

5. The last sentence of this passage indicates _____.

A. Analyst Koji Endo is fully confident about Toyota
B. Toyota could meet a worse situation
C. Toyota would get out of trouble sooner or later
D. Toyota would build up a better reputation among its customers

     Economics has long been known as an unpleasant science. But is any economist so dull as to criticize
Christmas? At first glance, the holiday season in western economies seems a treat for those who are concerned
with such things as GDP growth. After all, everyone is spending; in America, sellers make 25 % of their yearly
sales and 60 % of their profits between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Even so, economists find something to
worry about in the nature of the purchases being made.
     Much of the holiday spending is on gifts for others. At the simplest level, giving gifts involves the giver's
thinking of something that the receiver would like-he tries to guess her preferences, as economists say-and
then buying the gift and delivering it. Yet this guessing of preferences is often done badly. Every year, ties go
unworn and books unread. And even if a gift is enjoyed, it may not be what the receiver would have bought
if they had spent the money themselves.
     Interested in this mismatch between wants and gifts, in 1993 Joel Waldfogel, then an economist at Yale
University, attempted to estimate the disparity (差距) in dollar terms. He asked students two questions at the
end of a holiday season: first, estimate the total amount paid (by the givers) for all the holiday gifts you received;
second, apart from the emotional value of the items, if you did not have them, how much would you be willing
to pay to get them? His results were unpleasant: on average, a gift was valued by the receiver well below the
price paid by the giver.
     The most conservative (保守的) estimate put the average receiver's valuation at 90% of the buying price.
The missing 10% is what economists call a deadweight loss; a waste of resources that could be avoided
without making anyone poorer. In other words, if the giver gave the cash value of the purchase instead of the
gift itself, the receiver could then buy what she really wants and be better off for no extra cost. It suggests
that in America, where givers spend $40 billion on Christmas gifts, $ 4 billion is being lost annually in the
process of gift giving. Add in birthdays, weddings and non Christian occasions, and the figure would balloon.
So should economists call for an end to gift giving, or at least press for money to become the gift of choice?

1. Why do some people regard the holiday season in western economies a treat?

A. Because the economic situation in US has been depressing.
B. Because American sellers make a quarter of their yearly sales through holiday season.
C. Because holiday spending can speed up GDP growth.
D. Because sellers can make as much profit as 60 % over holiday season.

2. What's the main idea for the second paragraph?

A. In many cases the gifts cannot meet the receivers' needs.
B. The purchases made over holiday season are actually a waste of money.
C. It's really not easy to guess the others' preferences.
D. Much of the holiday spending is on gifts for others.

3. The purpose of Joel Waldfogel's study is to _____.

A. prove the mismatch between wants and gifts
B. estimate the disparity between wants and gifts in economic terms
C. spark new ideas of economic studies on holiday spending
D. discover the exact cost of holiday spending on gift giving

4. Economists think of the misusing 10% of holiday spending as a deadweight loss because _____.

A. the cash value of the purchase is lower than the buying price
B. it is actually a waste of resources in economic terms
C. with the money the receivers can be better off for no extra cost
D. it makes many people even poorer for spending more on unwanted gifts

5. According to the passage altogether how much money is wasted every year on gift giving?

A. About $4 billion.
B. About 10% of the total value.
C. About $40 billion.
D. Much more than $4 billion.

     Without proper planning, tourism can cause problems. For example, too many tourists can crowd public
places that are also enjoyed by the inhabitants of a country. If tourists create too much traffic, the inhabitants
become annoyed and unhappy. They began to dislike tourists and to treat them impolitely. They forget how
much tourism can help the country's economy. It is important to think about the people of a destination
country and how tourism affects them. Tourism should help a country keep the customs and beauty that
attract tourists. Tourism should also advance the wealth and happiness of local inhabitants.
     Too much tourism can be a problem. If tourism grows too quickly, people must leave other jobs to work
in the tourism industry. This means that other parts of the country's economy can suffer.
     On the other hand, if there is not enough tourism, people can lose jobs. Business can also lose money. It
costs a great deal of money to build large hotels, airports, air terminals, first-class roads, and other support
facilities needed by tourist attractions. For example, a major international class tourism hotel can cost as much
as 50 thousand dollars per room to build. If this room is not used most of the time, the owner of the hotel will
lose money.
     Building a hotel is just a beginning. There must be many support facilities as well, including roads to get to
the hotel, electricity, sewers to handle waste, and water. All of these support facilities cost money. If they are
not used because there are not enough tourists, jobs and money are lost.

1. Which of the following do you think has been discussed in the part before this selection?

A. It is extremely important to develop tourism.
B. Building roads and hotel is essential.
C. Support facilities are highly necessary.
D. Planning is of great important to tourism.

2. The underlined word "inhabitants" probably means _____.

A. tourists
B. passengers
C. population
D. citizens

3. Too much tourism can cause all these problems except _____.

A. a bad effect on other industries
B. a change of tourists' customs
C. over-crowdedness of places of interest
D. pressure on traffic

4. It can be inferred from the text that _____.

A. the author doesn't like tourism developing so fast
B. local people will benefit from tourist attraction
C. other parts of a country's economy won't benefit from tourism much
D. we can't build too many support facilities

5. The author thinks it is good for local people to know that tourism will _____.

A. waste a lot of money
B. weaken their economy
C. help establish their customs
D. help improve their life