列表

详情


“The word ‘protection’ is no longer taboo (禁忌语)”. This short sentence, uttered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy last month, may have launched a new era in economic history. Why? For decades, Western leaders have believed that lowering trade barriers and tariffs was a natural good. Doing so, they reasoned, would lead to greater economic efficiency and productivity, which in turn would improve human welfare. Championing free trade thus became a moral, not just an economic, cause.
These leaders, of course, weren’t acting out of unselfishness. They knew their economies were the most competitive, so they’d profit most from liberalization. And developing countries feared that their economies would be swamped by superior Western productivity. Today, however, the tables have turned—though few acknowledge it. The West continues to preach free trade, but practices it less and less. Asian, meanwhile, continues to plead for special protection but practices more and more free trade.
That’s why Sarkozy’s words were so important: he finally injected some honesty into the trade debates. The truth is that large parts of the West are losing faith in tree trade, though few leaders admit it. Some economists are more honest. Paul Krugman is one of the few willing to acknowledge that protectionist arguments are returning. In the short run, there will be winners and losers under free trade. This, of course, is what capitalism is all about. But more and more of these losers will be in the West, Economists in the developed world used to love quoting Jonoph Schumpeter, who said that ‘creative destruction” was an essential part of capitalist growth. But they always assumed that destruction would happen over there. When Western workers began losing jobs, suddenly their leaders began to lose faith in their principles, Things have yet to reverse completely. But there’s clearly a negative trend in a Western theory and practice.
A little hypocrisy (虚伪) is not in itself a serious problem. The real problem is that Western governments continue to insist that they retain control of the key global economic and financial institutions while drifting away from global liberalization. Lock at what’s happening at the IMF (International Monetary Fund). The Europeans have demanded that they keep the post of managing director. But all too often, Western officials put their own interests above everyone else’s when they dominate these global institutions.
The time has therefore come for the Asians-who are clearly the new winners in today’s global economy-to provide more intellectual leadership in supporting free trade: Sadly, they have yet to do so. Unless Asians speak out, however, there’s a real danger that Adam Smith’s principles, which have brought so much good to the world, could gradually die. And that would leave all of us, worse off, in one way or another.
1.It can be inferred that “protection” (Line 1, Para.1) means(  ).
2.The Western leaders preach free trade because (  ).  
3.By “the tables have turned” (Line 3-4, Para. 2) the author implies that (  ).  
4.The Western economies used to like the idea of “creative destruction” because it (  ).  
5.The author uses “IMF” was an example to illustrate the point that(  ).

第 1 问

A. improving economic efficiency.

B. ending the free-trade practice

C. lowering moral standard

D. raising trade tariffs

第 2 问

A. it is beneficial to their economies

B. it is supported by developing countries

C. it makes them keep faith in their principles

D. it is advocated by Joseph Schumpeter and Adam Smith

第 3 问

A. the Western leaders have turned self-centered

B. the Asian leaders have become advocates of free trade

C. the developed economies have turned less competitive

D. the developing economies have become more independent

第 4 问

A. set a long-term rather than short-turn goal

B. was an essential part of capitalist development

C. contained a positive rather than negative mentality

D. was meant to be the destruction of developing economies

第 5 问

A. European leaders are reluctant to admit they are hypocritical

B. there is an inconsistency between Western theory and practice

C. global institutions are not being led by true globalization advocates

D. European countries’ interests are being ignored by economic leaders

参考答案: D A C D C

详细解析:

【选项释义】
It can be inferred that “protection” (Line 1, Para.1) means________. 可以推断,“protection”(第1行,第1段)是指________。
A. improving economic efficiency A. 提高经济效益
B. ending the free-trade practice B. 结束自由贸易惯例
C. lowering moral standard C. 降低道德标准
D. raising trade tariffs D. 提高贸易关税
【考查点】词汇推断题
【解题思路】根据题干信息可定位到第一段第一句。该句提到:protection一词不再是禁忌语了。换句话说,protection一词以前一直是被人们所忌讳的。既然protection以前一直是禁忌语,那么自然就不是好事。又从第一段第四句可知:几十年来,西方领导人一直坚信降低贸易壁垒和关税是自然而然的好事。由此可见,protection的含义应该与降低贸易壁垒和关税呈对立关系。D选项“提高贸易关税”与原文中的lowering trade banners and tariffs(降低贸易壁垒和关税)在含义上正好相反,符合题意,故D选项为正确答案。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、C选项不能通过文章逻辑推理出来。

【选项释义】
The Western leaders preach free trade because________. 西方领导人鼓吹自由贸易是因为________。
A. it is beneficial to their economies A. 这对他们的经济是有益的
B. it is supported by developing countries B. 它得到了发展中国家的支持
C. it makes them keep faith in their principles C. 这使他们对自己的原则保持信心
D. it is advocated by Joseph Schumpeter and Adam Smith D. 它是由约瑟夫·熊彼特和亚当·斯密倡导的
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】根据题干关键词western leaders,free trade可定位至原文的第一段第五、六句“For decades, Western leaders have believed that lowering trade barriers and tariffs was a natural good. Doing so, they reasoned, would lead to greater economic efficiency and productivity…”(几十年来,西方领导人一直认为,降低贸易壁垒和关税是一件自然的好事。他们认为,这样做将提高经济效率和生产力……)。其中前半句对应题干中的preach(鼓吹),后半句则对应A项的表达。还可追溯到第二段第二句,该句提到西方国家会从自由贸易中获得最多的利益。因此A选项符合题意,为正确答案。
【干扰项排除】
B项与原文相反,文章在第二段第三句提到发展中国家害怕他们的经济被西方的先进生产力取代,因此发展中国家是不支持的,属于反向干扰;
C选项原文没有提及,属于无中生有;
D选项中的Joseph Schumpeter and Adam Smith在文章中被提及,但与题目无关,属于出处错误。

【选项释义】
By “the tables have turned” (Line 3-4, Para. 2) the author implies that________. 作者通过“形势已经扭转”(第3-4行,第2段)暗示:________。
A. the Western leaders have turned self-centered A. 西方领导人变得以自我为中心
B. the Asian leaders have become advocates of free trade B. 亚洲领导人已成为自由贸易的倡导者
C. the developed economies have turned less competitive C. 发达经济体的竞争力有所下降
D. the developing economies have become more independent D. 发展中经济体变得更加独立
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干信息可定位到第二段第四句。该句指出如今的形势已经发生了逆转。可见,此处承接上文,对其进行否定。本段第二句提到:发达国家的经济最具竞争力,因此会从自由贸易中获得最多的利益。所以可以推断,此处的逆转指的是发达国家经济的竞争力由大到小的转变。因此,C选项符合题意,为正确答案。
【干扰项排除】
A、B原文没有提及,属于无中生有。
D选项在定位段最后一句有提及“Asian, meanwhile, continues to plead for special protection but practices more and more free trade.”(与此同时,亚洲人继续呼吁特别保护,但实行越来越多的自由贸易)表示亚洲没有变得更独立,只是实行越来越多的自由贸易而已,属于曲解原文。

【选项释义】
The Western economies used to like the idea of “creative destruction” because it________. 西方经济体过去喜欢“创造性破坏”的想法,因为它________。
A. set a long-term rather than short-turn goal A. 设定长期目标而不是短期目标
B. was an essential part of capitalist development B. 是资本主义发展的重要组成部分
C. contained a positive rather than negative mentality C. 包含积极而非消极的心态
D. was meant to be the destruction of developing economies D. 意味着对发展中经济体的破坏
【考查点】推理判断题
【解题思路】根据题干关键词creative destruction定位在第三段第八句。该句提到:“创造性毁灭”是资本主义发展的必要组成部分。之后第九句陈述了他们喜欢引用此名言的原因,即他们总是假设毁灭(即经济的破坏)应该发生在对方身上。根据上下文判断,第九句中的over there(对方)应该是指与发达国家相对的发展中国家。因此,D选项是对原文的合理推断,符合题意,为正确答案。
【干扰项排除】
A项原文没有提及,属于无中生有;
B项在定位句可以找到原句,但这个选项不是西方经济喜欢creative destruction的原因,而是对creative destruction的定义,属于偷换概念;
C项可以根据第三段的最后一句话排除:But there’s clearly a negative trend in a Western theory and practice.(但在西方的理论和实践中,显然存在着一种消极的趋势)属于反向干扰。

【选项释义】
The author uses “IMF” was an example to illustrate the point that_______. 作者以“国际货币基金组织”为例来说明这一点_______。
A. European leaders are reluctant to admit they are hypocritical A. 欧洲领导人不愿承认他们虚伪
B. there is an inconsistency between Western theory and practice B. 西方理论与实践不一致
C. global institutions are not being led by true globalization advocates C. 全球机构并非由真正的全球化倡导者领导
D. European countries’ interests are being ignored by economic leaders D. 欧洲国家的利益正被经济领导人忽视
【考查点】推理判断题
【解题思路】根据题干关键词“IMF”定位在第四段第三句。该句及第四、五句列举了IMF(国际货币基金组织)面临的窘境:欧洲国家要求担任领导人;而西方官员在控制这些全球机构时,总是会出现将自己的利益凌驾于他人利益之上的情形。该例子出现在第二句之后,它们之间是例证关系。第二句指出:西方政府在渐渐背离全球贸易自由化的同时,却仍然坚持对重要的经济和金融机构的控制权。可见,作者用IMF的事例是为了说明“背离全球贸易自由化的西方国家仍然控制着主要机构,”C选项符合题意,为正确选项。
【干扰项排除】
A项可以定位到第三段第一句“A little hypocrisy (虚伪) is not in itself a serious problem.”(有一点虚伪不是严重的问题,与选项表达的含义不符,属于偷换概念;
B项可以定位到第三段最后一句,原文表达的是negative trend(消极的趋势),而不是选项中的inconsistency(不一致),属于偷换概念;
D项定位到第四段最后一句:西方政府把他们自身的利益凌驾于人民之上。因此国家的利益是受到重视的,与选项表达相反,属于反向干扰。

上一题