Spending beyond one’s means is becoming a national problem for Americans．Borrowing has become so easy that it takes great willpower for people to refuse it．“I received a number of gold MasterCard and gold Visa card offers in the mail during the past two months，”said one computer engineer at AT ＆T Bell Laboratories in Chicago．“I got three of them in one day last week．”

 Lenders are providing easy credit（信贷）for borrowers．Many banks now offer every borrower a great variety of credit，a service once offered almost only to big companies．Norwest Bank Minneapolis offers lending programs for cars and boats that can cut monthly payments nearly m half .Carmakers，too，are lengthening easier terms．Ford Motor Credit states that 45 % of its recent lendings has been for sixty months，rather than the sixty-six-month period that was usual before．

 The total consumer debt（债务）in the United States rose 73 percent between 1974 and 1984，as the debt for each man，woman，and child increased from $10，264 to $26，566．Huge debt now is present in our economy（经济）at all levels．As a nation，we are more than $7 trillion in debt，and the total keeps increasing astonishingly.

 As we have over borrowed，so have we overspent．In late 986，the share of after-tax income that Americans saved sank below 2 percent for a short time，less than half the figure at which we saved only 10 years ago．Americans now are buying from foreigners between about $50 and $100 billion more Mercedes and Toyotas, Paris fashions，and tours to Europe than the Boeing 747s， agriculture machinery , or Kansas wheat that the foreigners bought from America. The country could not produce and pay for all the things it wanted.

 To make a long story short, we Americans have serious problems in keeping down spending and keeping up personal savings．It is high time for us American people to learn the basics of long-term money management.

48．According to the author,  what is a main reason for Americans to overspend？

A.        Americans buy a lot of  foreign products．

B.        It is easy for Americans to manage their debts．

C.        Borrowing money has become a simple matter．

D.       Americans have more extra money than before．

49．Ford Motor Credit lengthens 45％of its lending to 60 months in order to_______．

A.        help more Americans to settle their debts

B.        encourage people to buy foreign cars

C.        make better use of its money

D.       attract more customers

   50．What does the author suggest as a way to deal with over borrowing?

A.        Teaching people how to manage money．

B.        Advising people on what to buy．

C.        Limiting the use of credit cards．

D.       Reducing average incomes．

   51．Which of the following points does the author wish to make?

A.        America should sell more of its products abroad．

B.        A healthy society has to learn to 1ive within its means．

C.        People’s income determines their money management．

D.       Government should prevent people from over borrowing．

 

 

    Spending beyond one’s means is becoming a national problem for Americans．Borrowing has become so easy that it takes great willpower for people to refuse it．“I received a number of gold MasterCard and gold Visa card offers in the mail during the past two months，”said one computer engineer at AT＆T Bell Laboratories in Chicago．“I got three of them in one day last week．”

    Lenders are providing easy credit（信贷）for borrowers．Many banks now offer every borrower a great variety of credit，a service once offered almost only to big companies．Norwest Bank Minneapolis offers lending programs for cars and boats that can cut monthly payments nearly m half .Carmakers，too，are lengthening easier terms．Ford Motor Credit states that 45 % of its recent lending has been for sixty months，rather than the sixty-six-month period that was usual before．

    The total consumer debt（债务）in the United States rose 73 percent between 1974 and 1984，as the debt for each man，woman，and child increased from $10，264 to $26，566．Huge debt now is present in our economy（经济）at all levels．As a nation，we are more than $7 trillion in debt，and the total keeps increasing astonishingly.

    As we have overborrowed，so have we overspent．In late 1986，the share of after-tax income that Americans saved sank below 2 percent for a short time，less than half the figure at which we saved only 10 years ago．Americans now are buying from foreigners between about $50 and $100 billion more Mercedes and Toyotas, Paris fashions，and tours to Europe than the Boeing 747s， agriculture machinery , or Kansas wheat that the foreigners bought from America. The country could not produce and pay for all the things it wanted.

    To make a long story short, we Americans have serious problems in keeping down spending and keeping up personal savings．It is high time for us American people to learn the basics of long-term money management.

1．According to the author,  what is a main reason for Americans to overspend？

   A. Americans buy a lot of foreign products．

   B. It is easy for Americans to manage their debts．

   C. Borrowing money has become a simple matter．

   D. Americans have more extra money than before．

2．Ford Motor Credit lengthens 45％of its lending to 60 months in order to_______．

   A. help more Americans to settle their debts

   B. encourage people to buy foreign cars

   C. make better use of its money

   D. attract more customers

3．What does the author suggest as a way to deal with overborrowing?

   A. Teaching people how to manage money．

   B. Advising people on what to buy．

   C. Limiting the use of credit cards．

   D. Reducing average incomes．

4．Which of the following points does the author wish to make?

   A. America should sell more of its products abroad．

   B. A healthy society has to learn to 1ive within its means．

   C. People’s income determines their money management．

   D. Government should prevent people from overborrowing．

1 

One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk．He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase．I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store．

On the outside was a dark-skinned young man in his early twenties．His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, bright smile covered his face．I gave in immediately．The power of that broad smile dissolved all bitterness within me, and I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding．

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" I remarked, passing．Then I turned back．"I really owe you a debt of thanks," I said softly．

His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer．A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby．The woman stepped forward and volunteered, "Sir, but he doesn't speak English．Do you want me to tell him something?" In that moment I felt transformed．The young man's smile had made a big person of me．My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stand ten feet tall．

“Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said, ‘Thank you!’”

   “Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled．

I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave．"Just tell him that," I insisted．"He'll understand．I am sure!"

Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning．From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art diligently anywhere and everywhere, with everybody．n

1.Why did the author leave the store angrily?

                                                        A．He couldn't buy what he wanted．

B．The clerk treated him unkindly．

                                                        C．The clerk didn't speak English．

D．The store's goods were too dear．

2.By saying "I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding"(in Para. 2), the author means _        _.

                                                        A．he smiled back at the young man                        B．he did not want to smile

                                                        C．he would thank the young man                            D．he was still in a bad mood

3.．The author asked the woman to say "Thank you!" to the young man because the young man         .

                                                        A．had helped the author before                               B．taught the author how to smile

                                                        C．taught the author a valuable lesson                   D．was a kind employee of the store

4.．In the passage, the author seems to suggest that we should __   ___.

                                                        A．be generous to strangers B．practice smiling every day

                                                        C．help people in trouble                                             D．smile at other people

 

One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk．He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase．I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store．
On the outside was a dark-skinned young man in his early twenties．His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, bright smile covered his face．I gave in immediately．The power of that broad smile dissolved all bitterness within me, and I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding．
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" I remarked, passing．Then I turned back．"I really owe you a debt of thanks," I said softly．
His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer．A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby．The woman stepped forward and volunteered, "Sir, but he doesn't speak English．Do you want me to tell him something?" In that moment I felt transformed．The young man's smile had made a big person of me．My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stand ten feet tall．
“Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said, ‘Thank you!’”
“Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled．
I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave．"Just tell him that," I insisted．"He'll understand．I am sure!"
Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning．From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art diligently anywhere and everywhere, with everybody．n
【小题1】Why did the author leave the store angrily?

A．He couldn't buy what he wanted．

B．The clerk treated him unkindly．

C．The clerk didn't speak English．

D．The store's goods were too dear．

【小题2】By saying "I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding"(in Para. 2), the author means _       _.

A．he smiled back at the young man	B．he did not want to smile
C．he would thank the young man	D．he was still in a bad mood

【小题3】．The author asked the woman to say "Thank you!" to the young man because the young man        .

A．had helped the author before	B．taught the author how to smile
C．taught the author a valuable lesson	D．was a kind employee of the store

【小题4】．In the passage, the author seems to suggest that we should __  ___.

A．be generous to strangers	B．practice smiling every day
C．help people in trouble	D．smile at other people

单词拼写（满分10分）

1.I met one of my junior classmates in the street yesterday, but her name e_________ me and I felt embarrassed.

2.With all the eyes f________ on him, he got too nervous to say anything.

3.I didn’t copy your composition; Mine is just s__________ to yours.

4.The Chinese Fancy Knots are handmade ornaments n_________ for their patterns and bright colors, so they are popular around the world.

5.To help his friend in debt, he w__________ all his money from his bank account.

6.The T- shirts are __________(可供出售的，可获得的) in five colors and the red ones sell best

7.The job calls for experience and ___________(资格).

8.He made every effort to __________(使…信服) the judge of his innocence(无辜).

9.Have you ever been to the _________(源头，来源) of the Yellow River?

10. There is a rumour(谣言) of a new boss ___________ (漂浮，传播) in this department.