第七章 真題講解四

Questions 6-10
9個(gè)小節(jié)

It was the American consumer who saved the country from becoming mired in recession last year. But some corporations have a strange way of expressing their appreciation: hiking fees and cutting services, sometimes in the wake of corporate missteps.

appreciation：欣賞、感激、貨幣升值
文章中的冒號(hào)表示解釋說明，冒號(hào)后往往緊跟關(guān)鍵詞，這便是考點(diǎn)所在。

Massive economic and political changes — including the waves of corporate layoffs, the airline bankruptcies and the Republican sweep last November-have created both opportunities and hurdles for consumers. Moving forward, the trick is knowing where you can expect to find them.

兩個(gè)破折號(hào)之間的內(nèi)容為插入語，閱讀原則為：抓主謂、舍從屬
兩個(gè)逗號(hào)之間的內(nèi)容也為插入語，閱讀時(shí)也抓主謂、舍從屬
一個(gè)破折號(hào)為解釋說明，作用同冒號(hào)，后面緊跟考點(diǎn)

To help you navigate, here are our best recommendations for saving money in 2003.

由于前兩段沒有出現(xiàn)主題句，因此本段一定蘊(yùn)涵主題句。

Throughout the year, you make down payments on your coming tax bill either through withholding from you paycheck or estimated quarterly payments. If you happen to get a refund check, you are thrilled, right? Just remember: when paying too much upfront, you are giving Uncle Sam a free loan ¬— money that should be earning interest for you, not the government. Most taxpayers make this mistake, and the number grows every year.

down payments：首付定金
remember無論在閱讀或聽力中，后面都緊跟考點(diǎn)。
a free loan ¬— 一個(gè)破折號(hào)表示解釋說明，需要仔細(xì)看

Some people pay as much as $150 a year to be in rewards programs, but a growing number of cards give you the same benefits for free. If it is miles you want, there are at least two good options. The Amtrak Guest Reward MasterCard gives users one point in the Amtrak frequent-traveler program for every dollar they spend. Points can be cashed in for train tickets or air miles on United, Continental or Midwest Express.

American Express offers the Delta Sky Miles Options credit card, which gives cardholders a mile for every two dollars spent. However, people who charge a lot will probably want to pony up the $85 annual fee for a regular delta card, which offers more than twice the miles.

Don't buy the latest cell phone immediately the newest models-the ones with color screens and high-speed Web access-are finally hitting the United States. If you buy now, you'll pay a premium. Analysts expect the phones to catch on quickly, which will probably mean a major price drop later in the year.

Don't assume Treasury bonds are safe. Uncle Sam may not default on his interest payments, but if interest rates rise, T-bonds can still suffer severe short-term losses. It's happened before: Longer-term government bonds have lost money for 9 of past 30 years, even after figuring in the interest that investors earned.

Don't hang on to rotten stocks, hoping to get back to even. The market may recover, but many individual stocks will never bounce back. What to do? Consider selling your losers, which will give you a handsome tax loss if the stocks are held in a taxable account. Then reinvest the money in well-diversified, low-cost stock funds.

rotten stocks：套牢的股票

文章結(jié)構(gòu)：

前三小節(jié)必定出現(xiàn)主題句
第三小節(jié)由recommendations引出主題句，后面是分類列舉
第四小節(jié)down payment
第五、六小節(jié)rewards program：The Amtrak Guest Reward Mastercard
The Delta Sky Miles Options Credit Card < $85
第七小節(jié)：手機(jī)
第八小節(jié)：國庫券
第九小節(jié)：股票
全文為總分結(jié)構(gòu)

6. The word "hurdles" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to "________".
(A) chances
(B) Challenges
(C) tricks
(D) obstacles

詞匯題解題技巧：
（判斷和檢驗(yàn)）：生詞、熟詞僻義——文中含義

7. "Uncle Sam" (para. 4) refers to the ________
(A) American government
(B) American people in general
(C) American taxpayers
(D) American bankers

8. Which of the following is NOT true about the latest cell phone?
(A) Its price may drop dramatically in the next few months.
(B) It has screens of different colors.
(C) It is expected to become popular soon.
(D) You have to pay for an insurance policy if you buy now.

9. A wise way of reinvestment is to ________
(A) buy long-term government bonds
(B) buy more rotten stocks until they get back to even
(C) sell rotten stocks and buy various low-cost stock funds
(D) deposit it in the bank because interest rates may rise

10. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the passage?
(A) The American economy was in recession last year.
(B) You should cut back on the amount of your withholding from your paycheck.
(C) A regular Delta card saves you more money than other credit cars.
(D) The chances for long-term T-bonds to suffer losses are slim.

一、重要詞匯講解

1、recession經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退
depression 經(jīng)濟(jì)大蕭條
Depression特指美國1929-1933經(jīng)濟(jì)大危機(jī)

形容詞recessive后退的
recessive gene隱性基因
dominant gene顯性基因

2、in the wake of尾隨、緊跟

3、layoff下崗

4、benefit好處
be beneficial to對……有好處，有利于
同義be conducive to
facilitate

詞根ben好的
benediction祝福的語言

5、pony up=pay

6、default拖欠債務(wù)

二、詞匯題解題技巧：

（判斷和檢驗(yàn)）：生詞、熟詞僻義——文中含義、詞匯題解題技巧
就題做題：
3、The word “domestic” is closest in meaning to___
(A)industrial (B)agricultural
(C)natural (D)household

16.The word “anthropologist” (line 1) means someone who .
(A) studies the nature of man (B) arranges wedding ceremonies
(C) keeps account for newly weds (D) records local events

詞根詞綴：
17. The word “aggravate” (para 2) is closest in meaning to “ ”.
(A) make clear (B) encounter
(C) settle (D) make serious
aggravate
grav詞根，墳?zāi)?BR>agg程度加深

30. The word “transcends” (para.1) in the sentence “highly creative activity transcends the limits of an existing form…” is closest in meaning to which of the following?
(A) go beyond (B) fit into (C) subject to (D) set up

transcend
trans變化
scend走

3、 語言環(huán)境——上下文原則：
同義：in other words, likewise, similarly, that is (i.e.) 同位語，插入語，定語從句
反義：otherwise, on the contrary, regardlessly, conversely
解釋：specifically, accordingly

三、內(nèi)容補(bǔ)充：

經(jīng)濟(jì)類詞匯：

add-on 附贈(zèng)品
greenback提供現(xiàn)金支持
bottomline 最重要的部分
downsize 裁員
corporate ladder 公司晉升制度
glass ceiling 無形的晉升極限
deep pockets 財(cái)力雄厚
creative accounting 作假帳
industrial espionage 商業(yè)間諜