A. Goods for auction sales

B. Definition of bidding

C. Way to sell more goods by auction

D. Auction sales in history

E. Brief introduction to auctions

F. Making a larger profit as an auctioneer

61.

Auctions are public sales of goods, conducted by an officially approved auctioneer. He asks the crowd assembled in the auction-room to make offers, or "bids", for the various items on sale. He encourages buyers to bid higher figures,and finally names the highest bidder as the buyer of the good. This is called "knocking down" the goods, for the bidding ends when the auctioneer strikes a small hammer on a table at which he stands.

62.

The ancient Roman probably invented sales by auction, and the English word comes from the Latin auction, meaning "increase". The Romans usually sold in this way the goods taken in war. In England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, goods were often sold "by the candle", a short candle was lit by the auctioneer, and bids could be made while it stayed alight.

63.

Practically all goods whose qualities vary are sold by auction. Among these are coffee skins, wool, tea, furs, silk and wines. Auction sales are also usual for land and property. Furniture pictures, rare books, old china and similar works of art.

64．

An auction is usually advertised beforehand with full particulars often articles to be sold and where and when they can be viewed by potential buyers. If the advertisement cannot give full details, catalogues are printed, and each group of goods to be sold together called a "lot" is usually given a number. The auctioneer need not begin with LOT I and continue in the order of numbers, he may wait until he notices the fact that certain buyers are in the room and then produce the lots they are likely to be interested in.

65.

The auctioneer's services are paid for in the form of a percentage of the price the goods are sold for. The auctioneer therefore has a direct interest in pushing up the bidding as high as possible. He will not waste time by starting the bidding too low. He will also play on the opponents among his buyers and succeed in getting a high price by encouraging two business competitors to bid against each other.

（注：E 填涂AB　　　　　　　　 F填涂AC　　　　　　 G填涂AD ）

This is my third story．When I was seventeen, I 　36 a quote （引文） that went something like, " If you live each day 37 it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right．" Since then, for the past thirty-three years, I've looked 38　 the mirror every morning and asked myself, "If today were the last day of my life, what would I do ?" And when there was no answer for too many days in a　 39 , I know I need to change something．

About a year ago I 40　 from cancer．The doctors told me it was incurable, and that I should 41　 to live no longer than three to six months．They advised me to get my 42　 in order, which is doctors' code （代名词） for "prepare to 43 "．Later when the doctors 44　 the cells taken from my pancreas （胰腺） under a microscope, they found it turned out to be a very rare form of cancer that is 　45 with surgery．I had the surgery and,　 46　 , I'm fine now．

This was the closest I've been to facing 47 , and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades．Death is the destination we all 　48　 ．No one has ever escaped it．And that is　 49　 it should be, because death is very likely the single　 50 invention of life．It clears out the old to make 　51　 for the new．Your time is limited, so don't waste it living 　52　 life．Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out （ 盖过） your own inner 　53　 ．And most importantly, have the courage to 54 your heart and intuition （直觉）．They 55 already know what you truly want to become．Everything else is secondary．

36．A．wrote　　　　　　　　 B．described　　　　　　 C．expressed　　　　　 D．read

37．A．now that　　　　　　 B．even though　　　　 C．as if　　　　　　　　　 D．as long as

38．A．in　　　　　　　　　　　 B．at　　　　　　　　　　　 C．through　　　　　　　 D．on

39．A．row　　　　　　　　　 B．minute　　　　　　　　 C．sense　　　　　　　　 D．word

40．A．recovered　　　　　 B．kept　　　　　　　　　 C．fell　　　　　　　　　　 D．suffered

41．A．desire　　　　　　　　 B．prepare　　　　　　　 C．expect　　　　　　　　 D．wait

42．A．office　　　　　　　　 B．affairs　　　　　　　　 C．money　　　　　　　 D．documents

43．A．work　　　　　　　　 B．die　　　　　　　　　　 C．act　　　　　　　　　　 D．start

44．A．witnessed　　　　　 B．noticed　　　　　　　 C．confirmed　　　　　 D．viewed

45．A．curable　　　　　　　 B．possible　　　　　　　 C．acceptable　　　　　 D．suitable

46．A．immediately　　　　 B．gradually　　　　　　 C．thankfully　　　　　 D．hopefully

47．A．cancer　　　　　　　 B．death　　　　　　　　　 C．life　　　　　　　　　　 D．success

48．A．share　　　　　　　　 B．desert　　　　　　　　 C．admire　　　　　　　 D．avoid

49．A．when　　　　　　　　 B．while　　　　　　　　　 C．as　　　　　　　　　　　 D．since

50．A．oldest　　　　　　　　 B．best　　　　　　　　　 C．newest　　　　　　　 D．worst

51．A．preparations　　　　 B．progress　　　　　　 C．plans　　　　　　　　　 D．way

52．A．your　　　　　　　　　 B．anyone else's　　　 C．his　　　　　　　　　　 D．someone else's

53．A．voice　　　　　　　　 B．world　　　　　　　　 C．heart　　　　　　　　　 D．trouble

54．A．touch　　　　　　　　 B．follow　　　　　　　　 C．open　　　　　　　　　 D．accept

55．A．otherwise　　　　　 B．anyway　　　　　　　 C．somehow　　　　　 D．therefore

In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord  can charge for an apartment. The 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. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, the 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.

The 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.

71．This passage shows that setting maximum rent may ________.

A. encourage the construction of more apartments

B. reduce the shortage of apartments

C. discourage the renting of apartments as homes

D. result in a shortage of apartments

72．From the passage, we can infer that rent control ________.

A. is completely unnecessary              

B. will likely bring about undesired results

C. will bring positive effects in the long run       

D. is necessary under all circumstances

73．The problem of unemployment may come up when ________.

A. the minimum wage is set too low                B. the workers are unskilled 

C. the minimum wage is set too high               D. people need low-paying jobs

74．The passage is mainly about economists disagreement on ________.

A. the possible results of government controls

B. the urgency of getting rid of government controls

C. the relationship between supply and demand

D. the effectiveness of government controls

75．We can conclude from the passage that ________.

A. the results of economic decisions can always be predicted

B. predicting the results of economic decisions is something complicated

C. minimum wage can not protect employees

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