Passage Three

　　The United States operates under a federal system of government. Under the federal system, power is divided between the central government and the states. The central government is given specific powers. These powers are named in the Constitution. Powers that are not assigned to the central government in the Constitution belong to the states.

　　The central government can pass laws that affect trade between states. The central government can also make treaties with foreign countries. It has the power to print money. The Constitution gives the central government these powers. These powers belong to the central government only. However, the states have many powers that the central government cannot control. For example, a state is allowed to tax people who live and work in the state. The central government cannot put a limit on the amount of money that a state taxes its people.

　　Many people feel that the federal system has many good points. One good point is that it restrains the power of the central government. The central government cannot become too powerful. Another good point is that the central government makes sure that the bigger states don’t become too powerful. Under the Constitution, all states are treated equally. The laws of the central government do not favor one state over another.

　　Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　32. What does the passage mainly tell us?

　　【解析】[B]。在聽錄音之前，預覽四個選項可知本文與federal system或central government and the states有關。而且這些選項的概括性很強，很有可能詢問文章的主旨大意。

　　33. Which is the power of the states governments?

　　【解析】[B]。預讀選項可以推測此題是考查對四種行為在細節上的區分。在聽的過程中需要留意文中出現了哪幾種行為、分別是為了說明什么問題而出現。

　　34. What is stated in the passage?

　　【解析】[D]。預讀選項可以推測此題是考查對四種事實的區分，而且均與中央政府和每個州的權力有關。

　　35. According to the passage, what is a good point about the federal system?

　　【解析】[A]。預讀選項可以推測此題是考查對四種事實的區分，需要留意文中出現了哪種或哪幾種事實。