Price's work was more than ; it was revolutionary.

A、制造生态标志产品 To make eco-label products

B、降低产品价格 To reduces product prices

C、吸纳公众进入企业工作 To let the public participate the enterprise work

D、加大广告力度 To make more advertisement

A、Trade can make everyone better off.

B、Markets are usually a good way to organize economic activity.

C、Governments can sometimes improve market outcomes.

D、Prices rise when the government prints too much money.

to find jobs in London has led to immigrants from many different parts of the world living there.Also, because it was the home of London s docks, it was easy for people to get there by ship.One famous bui lding in Brick Lane has been a church, a synagogue and is now a mosque Nowadays this part of London, which is known as the East End.is home to people from many different parts of the world.including Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.This means that there are many shops and restaurants selling ethnic food.In the past the East End was one of the poorest parts of London, but now it is becoming more fashionable and house prices are rising rapidly.This is because many people want to live near to where they work in the centre of the city.Also improved transport links to both other parts of London and to other countries via the Channel Tunnel train station and Dock lands Airport have attracted more people to the area.

21.East London has()

A.has never been a home for immigrants

B.has recently become a home for immigrants

C.has always been a home for immigrants

22.Immigrants are attracted by()

A.low house prices

B.jobs

C.ethnic food

23.London' s docks were()

A.easy to reach by plane

B.mainly in East London

C.a good place to find work

24.East London()

A.is a cheap place to live

B.has never been a cheap place to live in

C.ued to be a cheap place to live in

25.House prices are rising rapidly because()

A.it has good transport links and more people want to live there near the center of London

B.there are lots of jobs in East London

C.there are lots of good shops and restaurants

As Gas Prices Increase, So Do Hardships

By Julie Livingston

Staff Reporter

With gas prices at more than $4 per gallon, many Upton citizens are being forced to break their regular routine and change their way of living.

In the past, high gas prices meant Uptonites would postpone their weekend trip or even summer vacation, but today, Uptonites are changing more than travel plans.

"I started riding my bike to run errands in town," said resident Dale Brown. "But I still have to commute into the city for work, and I'm paying nearly double in gas. I may have to look for a new job."

Not only are people riding bicycles more, buses have been fuller than usual, and the gas prices are forcing the city council to discuss increasing ticket prices by 20 cents.

Still many people are driving as usual, but filling their tanks only half way. "I get calls a few times per week that they've run out of gas, so I drive out to where they are and bring them gas," said Marty Watson, owner of Marty's Gas Station. "It's a shame that [the gas] is not as affordable, so people fill up less and get stuck."

What problem is being discussed？

A．Lower wages

B．Higher fuel prices

C．Rising unemployment

D．Higher healthcare costs

nd services that are in limited supply are rationed among buyers. The price system of the United States is a very complex net work composed of the prices of all the products bought and sold in the economy as well as those of a great number of services, including labour, professions, transportation, and public-utility services. The interrelationship of all these prices makes the "system" of prices. The price of any particular product or service is linked to a broad, complicated system of prices in which everything seems to depend more or less upon everything else.

If one were to ask a group of randomly selected individuals to define "price", many would reply that price is an amount paid by the buyer to the seller of a product or service, or the money value of a product or service as agreed upon in market transaction. This definition is, of course, valid as for it goes. For a complete understanding of a price in any particular transaction, much more than the money involved must be known. Both the buyer and seller should be familiar with not only the money amount, but with the amount and quality of the product or service to be exchanged, the time and place at which the exchange will take place and payment will be made, the form. of money to be used, the credit terms and discounts that apply to the transaction, guarantees on the product or service, delivery terms, return privilege, and other factors. In other words both the buyers and sellers should be fully aware of all the factors that compose the total "package" being exchanged for the asker for amount of money in order that they may evaluate a given price.

What is the best title for the passage？

A．The Inherent Weaknesses of the Price System.

B．Credit Terms in Transactions.

C．Resource Allocation and the Public Sector.

D．The Complexities of the Price System.

Inflation

Business and government leaders also consider the inflation rate to be an important general indicator. Inflation is a period of increased spending that causes rapid rises in prices.【51】 your money buys fewer goods so that you get【52】 for the same amount of money as before, inflation is the problem. There is a general rise【53】 the price of goods and services. Your money buys less. Sometimes people describe inflation as a time when "a dollar is not worth a dollar anymore".

Inflation is a problem for all consumers. People who live on a fixed income are hurt the【54】. Retired people, for instance, cannot count on an increase in income as prices rise. Elderly people who do not work face serious problems in stretching their incomes to【55】 their needs in time of inflation. Retirement income【56】 any fixed income usually does not rise as fast as prices. Many retired people must cut their spending to【57】 rising prices. In many cases they must stop【58】 some necessary items, such as food and clothing. Even【59】 working people whose incomes are going up, inflation can be a problem. The【60】 of living goes up, too. People who work must have even more money to keep up their standard of living. Just buying the things they need costs more. When incomes do not keep【61】 with rising prices, the standard of living goes down. People may be earning the same amount of money, but they are not living as well because they are not able to buy as many goods and services. Government units gather information about prices in our economy and publish it as price indexes【62】 the rate of change can be determined. A price index measures changes in prices using the price for a【63】 year as the base. The base price is set at 100, and the other prices are reported as a【64】 of the base price. A price index makes【65】 possible to compare current prices of typical consumer goods, for example, with prices of the same goods in previous years.

(51)

A．Because

B．While

C．Since

D．When

l indicator. Inflation is a period of increased 【C1】______ that causes rapid rises in prices.【C2】______ your money buys fewer goods so that you get【C3】______ for the same amount of money as before, inflation is the problem. There is a general rise【C4】______ the price of goods and services. Your money buys less. Sometimes people describe inflation as a(n)【C5】______ when "a dollar is not worth a dollar anymore".

Inflation is a problem for all consumers. People who live on a fixed income are hurt the【C6】______ Retired people, for instance, cannot【C7】______ on an increase in income as prices rise. Elderly people who do not work face serious problems in stretching their incomes to【C8】______ their needs in time of inflation. Retirement income【C9】______ any fixed income usually does not rise as fast as prices. Many retired people must cut their spending to【C10】______ rising prices. In many cases they must stop【C11】______ some necessary items, such as food and clothing. Even 【C12】______ working people whose incomes are going up, inflation can be a problem. The【C13】______ of living goes up, too. People who work must have even more money to keep up their standard of living. Just buying the things they need costs more. When incomes do not keep【C14】______ with rising prices, the standard of living goes down. People may be earning the same amount of money, but they are not living【C15】______ because they are not able to buy as many goods and services.

Government units gather information about prices in our economy and publish it as price indexes

【C16】______ the rate of change can be determined. A price index measures changes in prices using the price for a 【C17】______ year as the base. The base price is set【C18】______ 100, and the other prices are reported as a 【C19】______ of the base price. A price index makes【C20】______ possible to compare current prices of typical consumer goods, for example, with prices of the same goods in previous years.

【C1】

A．spending

B．demanding

C．consuming

D．saving

阅读理解

CREATE A POSITIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE

In competitive markets, leaders are under increased pressure to maintain a positive work culture. A positive work culture cultivates greater employee satisfaction; greater employee satisfaction contributes to higher performance; higher performance impacts improved client outcomes; improved client outcomes contribute to service excellence.

Positive work cultures are built over time and need constant attention. Such cultures are dependent on leadership vision and values.

An effective leader sets the tone for the team, encourages a positive workplace culture and is able to bring about cultural change.

Workplace culture is made up of the shared attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, values and expectations that influence the way people work in the workplace. It is “the way we do things around here”.

Some cultural aspects are understood by all and are obvious such as turning up for wok on time, while others may be "unwritten rules" that are not so obvious for example how personal issues are resolved with work colleagues.

Many factors that influence whether a workplace has a positive outlook are within the control of people who work in a workplace. There are also factors out of their control, such as slumps in global prices or a change in demand and supply. The company can, however, control how they respond to these factors.

Those companies that do create positive workplace environments develop a reputation in their community as being ‘good to work for' and have a competitive edge. Not only are these companies more able to attract and retain people, they tend to be more stable as they proactively deal with issues and adapt to change.

Teams work best when they are clear about what is expected of them. They are more able to deal with difficult issues if they feel the values of the organization are supportive of them.

For a workplace culture to be positive, the direction and actions of the business must be consistent with the core values of the people in the workplace. The people must trust each other and be able to openly express and exchange ideas.

Working through these steps will help with developing a positive business culture.

操作提示：正确选T，错误选F。

1. A positive work culture will give workers more satisfaction.{T; F}

2. Positive cultures have a lot to do with leadership vision and values.{T; F}

3. The direction and actions for the business must differ from the core values of the employees in order for a workplace culture to be positive.{T; F}

4. In competitive markets, leaders are under more and more pressure to keep a positive work culture.{T; F}

5. Positive work culture can be built in a short period of time.{T; F}

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is more than just the world's largest retailer. It is an economic force, a cultural phenomenon and a lightning rod for controversy. It all started with a simple philosophy from founder Sam Walton: Offer shoppers lower prices than they get anywhere else. That basic strategy has shaped Wal-Mart's culture and driven the company's growth.

Now that Wal-Mart is so huge, it has unprecedented power to shape labor markets globally and change the way entire industries operate.

History of Wal-Mart

Sam Walton opened his first five-and-dime in 1950. His vision was to keep prices as low as possible. Even if his margins weren't as fat as competitors, he figured he could make up for that in volume. He was right.

In the early 1960s, Walton opened his first Wal-Mart in Rogers, Arkansas. The company continued to grow, going public in 1970 and adding more stores every year. In 1990, Wal-Mart surpassed key rival Kmart in size. Two years later, it surpassed Sears.

Walton continued to drive an old pickup truck and share budget-hotel rooms with colleagues on business trips, even after Wal-Mart made him very rich. He demanded that his employees also keep expenses to a bare minimum—a mentality that is still al the heart of Wal-Mart culture more than a decade after Walton's death. The company has continued to grow rapidly after his death in 1992 and now operates four retail divisions—Wal-Mart Supercenters, Wal-Mart discount stores, Neighborhood Market stores and Sam's Club warehouses.

Wal-Mart Strategy

Let's start with technology. Wal-Mart pushed the retail industry to establish the universal bar code, which forced manufacturers to adopt common labeling. The bar allowed retailers to generate all kinds of information—creating a subtle shift of power from manufacturers to retailers. Wal-Mart became especially good at exploiting the information behind the bar code. And thus it is considered a pioneer in developing sophisticated technology to track its stock and cut the fat out of its supply chain.

Recently, Wal-Mart became the first major retailer to demand manufacturers use radio frequency identification technology (RFID). The technology, uses radio frequencies to transmit data stored on small tags attached to pallets (货盘) or individual products. RFID tags hold significantly more data than bar codes.

The frugal culture, established by Walton. also plays into Wal-Mart's success. The company has been criticized for the relatively poor wages and health care plans that it otters to rank-and file employees. It has also been accused of demanding that hourly workers put in overtime without pay. Store managers often work more than 70 hours per week.

This culture is also present at the company's headquarters. Wal-Mart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, instead of an expensive city like New York. The building is unattractive and dull. You won't catch executives in quality cars and you won't see them dragging into work at 9:30 a.m. Executives fly coach and often share hotel rooms with colleagues. They work long hours, typically arriving at work before 6:30 a.m. and working halfdays on Saturdays.

The central goal of Wal-Mart is to keep retail prices low—and the company has been very successful at this. Experts estimate that Wal-Mart saves shoppers at least 15 percent on a typical cart of groceries. Everything—including the technology and corporate culture—feeds into that ultimate goal of delivering the lowest prices possible. Wal-Mart also pushes its suppliers, some say cruelly, to cut prices. In The Wal-Mart Effect, author Charles Fishman discusses how the price of a four-pack of GE light bulbs decreased from $2.19 to 88 cents during a five-year period.

The Power

Because of Wal-Mart's massive size, it has incredible power. It has driven smaller retaile

A．products at lower price

B．any kind of goods the customers may want

C．a more comfortable shopping environment

D．free-of-charge packaging

l indicator. Inflation is a period of increased 【C1】______ that causes rapid rises in prices. 【C2】______ . your money buys fewer goods so that you get 【C3】______ for the same amount of money as before, inflation is the problem. There is a general rise 【C4】______ the price of goods and services. Your money buys less. Sometimes people describe inflation as a 【C5】______ when "a dollar is not worth a dollar anymore." Inflation is a problem for all consumers.

People who live on a fixed income are hurt the 【C6】______ . Retired people, for instance, can not 【C7】______ on an increase in income as prices rise. Elderly people who do not work face serious problems in stretching their incomes to 【C8】______ their needs in time of inflation. Retirement income 【C9】______ any fixed income usually does not rise as fast as prices. Many retired people must cut their spending to 【C10】______ rising prices. In many cases they must stop 【C11】______ some necessary items, such as food and clothing. Even 【C12】______ working people whose incomes are going up, inflation can be a problem. The 【C13】______ of living goes up, too. People who work must have even more money to keep up their standard of living. Just buying the things they need costs more. When incomes do not keep 【C14】______ with rising prices, the standard of living goes down. People may be earning the same amount of money, but they are not living 【C15】______ because they are not able to buy as many goods and services. Government units gather information about prices in our economy and publish it as price indexes 【C16】______ the rate of change can be determined. A price index measures changes in prices using the price for a 【C17】______ year as the base. The base price is set 【C18】______ 100, and the other prices are reported as a 【C19】______ of the base price. A price index makes 【C20】______ possible to compare current prices of typical consumer goods, for example, with prices of the same goods in previous years.

【C1】

A．spending

B．demanding

C．consuming

D．saving

executives of the nation's five largest oil companies on Wednesday, grilling the oilmen over their multimillion-dollar pay packages and warning them that Congress was intent on taking action that could include a new tax on so-called windfall profits. Such showdowns between lawmakers and oil titans have become a familiar routine on Capitol Hill. But with gas prices nearing $ 4 a gallon, and lawmakers headed home for a weeklong Memorial Day recess where they expect to get an earful from angry constituents, there is added urgency for Congress to appear active.

But while momentum is building for several measures, including a bill that would allow the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to be sued in American courts under antitrust laws, there is little sign that any of the proposals would do much, if anything, to lower prices quickly. And the oil executives warned that government intervention might only make things worse. Instead, they called on Congress to allow more drilling and exploration for domestic oil.

The increasing urgency to seem aggressive about gasoline prices was apparent on Tuesday when the House voted by an overwhelming 324 to 84 to approve the bill, commonly referred to as NOPEC, which classifies OPEC as a monopoly in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Senate Democrats have included that measure as part of a package of legislation intended to address the high price of gasoline, along with the tax on windfall profits and a measure to tamp down speculation in the oil futures market that many lawmakers think is contributing to the run-up in prices.

At the Judiciary Committee hearing, Democratic senators struggled to have the executives explain how oil prices had risen so high. The senators expressed doubt that basic laws of supply and demand were at work and suggested instead a more sinister combination of monopolistic behavior. by oil-producing countries, speculation in the futures markets and sheer corporate greed.

On Monday, President Bush signed a bill temporarily suspending the purchase of crude oil for the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Mr. Bush had initially opposed such action but relented after the House and Senate approved the bill by wide margins. Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois and a strong supporter of Senator Baraek Obama's presidential bid, made a particularly pointed attack, in which he seemed to warn the oil executives that they would soon no longer have such a good friend in the White House. He also suggested that Mr. Bush should be doing more to press the oil companies to help lower prices at the pump, while acknowledging that it would be difficult to pass a windfall profits tax while Mr. Bush was still in office.

Senate Democrats were angry with the oilmen because______.

A．they get tax-free pay packages

B．Congress took on actions but in vain

C．the showdowns were merely a routine

D．oil prices had risen so high