OPEC Decides not to Increase Production
Vienna-In spite of Iraq’s decision to stop oil deliveries ,the 11-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC) will not increase production to make up the shortfall , ministers decided Tuesday in Vienna .
The 11 oil ministers decided to meet again on July 3 to discuss the effects of the Iraq temporary stop .The organization’s president ,Chakib Khelil of Algeria ,said after the meeting that stocks were high and prices were stable ,so quota(配额) increases were not necessary .
The E.U. Commission has expressed concern about Iraq’s output stop .A speaker said OPEC had to take all possible measures to keep or lower the oil price .
Saudi Arabia’s Oil Minister Ali Al-Nuaimi had earlier said there would not be any shortage of oil in the market .The organization had already taken steps to fill the gap .he said .OPEC Secretary General Ali Rodriguez added that the period of the Iraq stopping exports was not known ,so other exporters were not going to lift quotas yet .If the market was destabilized (动摇的),a suitable response could be made .
Iraq on Monday stopped shipments of crude oil to protest against the U.N. Security Council’s decision to extend the oil-for–food program by only a month , instead of the normal six-month renewal(延期).
Just before the Vienna meeting , oil prices had gone up ,with a barrel of OPEC crude selling for 27.05 dollars ,up from 26.81 dollars last Friday.North sea oil was at 29.26 dollars Monday evening .
OPEC wants the oil price to stay within a margin of 22 to 28 dollars and achieved that with cuts in January and March that reduced 2.5 million barrels per day off quotas .
(Reports from SOHU English News HOMEPAGE (CHINESE) June 6 , 2001)
1..Iraq made the decision to stop oil deliveries because ____ .
A oil price is too low in the international market
B the U.N.Security Council has decided to shorten the time for the oil-for-food programme
C many oil wells were destroyed during the war in the late 1980s
D it couldn’t get enough money to develop its economy
2..The attitude the E.U. Commission took towards Iraq’s output stop is ___ .
A active B concerned C cold D surprising
3.“The organization ”here refers to _____ .
A OPEC B the E.U. Commission C the U.N. Security D WHO
4..The main idea of the passage is ____ .
A the oil prices in the world were stable though Iraq had stopped oil deliveries
B OPEC wants the oil price to stay within a margin of 22 to 28 dollars
C OPEC will not increase oil production to make up the shortfall that is caused by Iraq .
D oil is connected with people’s daily life
5..The 11 oil ministers decided to meet on July 3 so that ____ .
A they can persuade Iraq to continue oil production
B they can have a discussion about the effects of Iraq’s temporary oil stop
C they can have a talk with the U.N. Security Council
D they can make up their minds to increase oil production
It turns out that being voted “Most likely to succeed” in high school might actually be a good predictor of one’s financial and educational success in the future.
According to a University of Illinois professor who studies the sociology of education, high school sophomores who were rated by their teachers as having good social skills and work habits, and who participated in extracurricular activities in high school, made more money and completed higher levels of education 10 years later than their classmates who had similar standardized test scores but were less socially adroit(熟练的)and participated in fewer extracurricular activities.
Christy Lleras, a professor of human and community development, says that “soft skills” such as sociability, punctuality, conscientiousness(负责任) and an ability to get along well with others, along with participation in extracurricular activities, are better predictors of earnings and higher educational achievement later in life than having good grades and high standardized test scores.
“That’s not tosay that academic achiecement in high school doesn’t matter—it does,”Lleras said. “But if we only look at standardized test scores, we’re only considering part of the equation for success as an adult in a global marketplace. Academic achievement is part of the story, but it’s not the whole story. You’ve got to have the social skills and work habits to back those achievements up.”
With the generational shift from a manufacturing-hased economy to a service-and-information-based one, employers value workers who can not only boast about their GPAs and SAT scores, but are also able to get along well with the public and co-workers, Lleras.
“I think we’ve known this intuitively for a long time that employers are looking for something beyond cognitive (认知的)skills” Lleras said. “Leadership now is not an individual thing , it’s how well you get along in a team and get people organized.”
1. Which of the following is NOT considered as a “soft skill”?
A.Being able to make others at ease in a group.
B Being able to get to an appointment on time.
CAlways ticking to one’s own opinion.
D Being willing to take responsibility.
2.. Now employers would prfe to hire someone who ________?
A earned high scores in standardized test in high school
B can work independently
C has high cognitive skills
D can cooperat well with other teammates
3..Christy Lleras would agree that a high school student should____.
A spend more time in extracurricular activities
B omit classes to take part in extracurricular activities
C pay more attention to standardized test scores
D keep a good balance between learning and relaxation
In the American family the husband and wife usually 21 important decision making . When the children are old enough , they take part 22 .Foreigners are often surprised by the permissiveness(宽容)of American parents .The old rule that “children should be seen and not heard”is rarely 23 , and children are often 24 to do what they wish without strict parental 25 .The father seldom expects his children to obey him 26 question ,and children are encouraged to be independent 27 an early age .Some people believe that American parents carry this freedom 28 far .Other think that a strong father image would not 29 the American values of equality and independence ,young people are expected to 30 their parental families by the time they have 31 their late teens or early twenties . 32 , not to do so is often regarded as a failure ,a kind of 33 independence .
This pattern of independence often results in serious 34 for the aging parents of a small family .Yet average American is expected to live 35 the age of 70 . The job-retirement age is 36 65 .The children have left home ,married ,and 37 their own households .At least 20 percent of all people over 65 do not have enough retirement(退休)incomes. 38 , the main problem of many elderly couples is not 39 . They feel useless and lonely with neither an occupation(职业) 40 a close family group .
1. A share B have C .exchange D hold
2. A either B though C as well D also
3. A discussed B followed C seen D heard
4.A asked B made C said D allowed
5. A control B support C agreement D criticism (批评)
6. A for B on C without D in
7.. A in B at C on D for
8.A too B almost C nearly D quite
9. A fit B meet C suit D .satisfy
10..A break up B break into C break through D break away from
11.. A reached B got C arrived D developed
12.. A In truth B In name C Indeed D In a word
13. A heavy B light C strong D weak
14.. A questions B problems C matters D affairs
15..A to B still C from D beyond
16.A only B usually C sometimes D seldom
17..A set forth B set aside C set up D set down
18..A But B Therefore C In contrast D On the other hand
19.A local B national C political D economic
20..A or B nor C and D but
--What do you think has made Tom so excited?
--_____ a prize in a lottery.
A.Winning B. Won C. He won D. To win
The order came ___ the soldiers ___ the small village the next morning .
A.that;had to leave B.that ; leave C.x ;must leave D. when ;should leave
___ the help of computers , there are no ___ problems.
A.Under; so B.Under; many C. With ;such D.With ;some