We regularly hear how important consumer spending is for the economy. The story goes like this: the more consumers spend, the more money circulates in the economy, which contributes to healthy job growth and profits. Keynes, a British economist, went as far as to say that individuals saving their money may actually be hurting the economy. Sounds troubling, doesn’t it?
Fear not. You aren’t actually hurting anyone else by saving money. Strong economic growth only comes from the place: savings. Not consumption. In fact, economic activity should not be mistaken for economic growth. For example, somebody takes their money, walks into a store, and purchases goods. The store increases its revenue.
But what happens to all of those goods and services that people have chosen not to consume by saving their money? Simple: other people are allowed to consume them. Think of it this way: when you lend out your savings, you are actually saying, “Here, I am not going to consume right now, so why don’t you?” Banks simply play the middleman: they collect lots of people's savings and then lend out lots of funds.
It takes an unbelievable amount of goods and services to construct a building. It takes food, shelter, and entertainment for all of the workers, as well. Without savings, it is quite impossible to finance such a construction. The coordination between savings and consumption is a necessary basis for sound economic growth. This coordination is also why consumer lending (say, to borrow a big sum of money to buy a car) is not productive, in a strict sense. It doesn't increase the net (净的) amount of wealth of an economy. Those savings could have been used to construct, say, factory equipment.
None of this means consumption and spending are “bad” things. They simply do not make us wealthier. After all, the final goal of production and savings is to consume. But to say that consumption is the engine of economic growth is to put the cart before the horse. Or, to rephrase: the consumption of wealth can never make you wealthier. Happier, perhaps. Wealthier, no.
1.What is the author’s attitude towards Keynes’ theory?
A. Approving. B. Reserved.
C. Uncertain. D. Critical.
2. The underlined word “revenue” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “_______”.
A. cost B. reputation
C. income D. interest
3. According to the author, which chart could show the effect of savings on economy?
4.What would be the best title for this passage?
A. The Saving Behavior of the Economy
B. Consumption: a Key Concept in Economy
C. Consumer Spending and Economic Growth
D. The Truth about Savings and Consumption
Honey from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees' nest and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helper - a little bird called a honey guide.
The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees' nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.
Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.
1.Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?
A. It's small in size.
B. It's hidden in trees.
C. It's covered with wax.
D. It's hard to recognize.
2.The honey guide is special in the way .
A. it gets its food
B. it goes to church
C. it sings in the forest
D. it reaches into bees' nests
3.What can be the best title for the text?
A. Wild Bees
B. Wax and Honey
C. Beekeeping in Africa
D. Honey-Lover's Helper
Europe is home to a variety of cultural treasures. Lonely Planet, the world’s largest travel guide publisher, has offered pairs of cities for culturehungry but timepoor travelers.
London and Paris
It takes you about two hours to travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, a high-speed railway service. The two capital cities have been competing in fashion, art and nightlife for decades－but each secretly looks up to the other.
No one can doubt the grand and impressive beauty of Paris' Louvre Museum, but if you want to save money, you cannot skip the British Museum free to visit. Compared with London, Paris has more outdoor attractions such as the beautiful green walkway La Promenade Plantee.
In Paris, you'll see diners linger over red wine. While in London, you can try some afternoon tea, eat fish and chips or salted cake.
Vienna and Bratislava
Austrian capital Vienna and Slovakia city Bratislava are an hour apart by train. But since they are linked by the Danube River, the best way to travel is by ship. A tour of the two cities is the perfect way to experience everything from 17th century’s Habsburg dynasty splendor to scifi restaurants.
Vienna is famous for Mozart and imperial palaces. You can appreciate the perfect blending of architecture and nature in the grand Schonbrunn Palace, and reward yourself with a cup of Vienna coffee, which has made its way to the world's cultural heritage list.
Bratislava is best known for its fine dining－the remarkable UFO restaurant. You can enjoy a meatladen dinner here in an amazing setting.
1.What’s the relationship between London and Paris according to the text?
A. They help each other.
B. They attack each other.
C. They admire each other.
D. They don't like each other.
2.What are the advantages of Paris mentioned in the article?
a. The Louvre Museum
b. Free access to museums
c. More outdoor attractions
d. Better wines and perfumes
A. ac B. cd C. acd D. bcd
3.Which of the cities should you choose if you are interested in scifi restaurants?
A. London. B. Paris.
C. Glasgow. D. Bratislava.
4.Lonely Planet recommends these two pairs of cities because ________.
A. they are not expensive to visit
B. they are best known to the world
C. they are always enemies between each other
D. they are close but different in many aspects
My grandma whom we all called Nanny was a solid, first-generation, Italian immigrant. She came to this country with her family on a tiny ship during World War I when she was only 8 years old. During the trip she survived stormy seas，little food, and an attack by a German U-boat. After getting here，her large family worked hard to build a new life in America. They never had much money but were rich in love.
One day, when I was about 5 or 6 years old, my parents and brothers went on a trip. It was just me and Nanny in the house for the weekend. Nanny seemed so happy to be taking care of me all by herself. She made me a special breakfast that first morning. However, all I could do was to complain about how the food was not how Mom always made it. Nanny quietly put down the plate and went into the living room. I followed a minute later and saw that she had tears in her eyes. It was the first time I had ever seen my strong and proud grandmother cry and I was the one who had caused it.
I walked over to Nanny, climbed on her lap, and for the first time in my short life I did something else too. I apologized without being told to and asked Nanny to forgive me. She smiled, rubbed my head, and told me I was a good boy even though I didn't feel like one then.
That memory just like my Nanny's love will stay in my heart forever. It is a sign of both strength and wisdom. Asking for forgiveness helps us to learn, to grow, and to love.
1.Nanny’s family immigrated to America mainly because _____.
A. they suffered starvation in their homeland
B. they wanted to start a rich life in the new land
C. they tried to get away from the terrible climate
D. their country was in war and they needed peace
2.The boy complained to Nanny that the food _____.
A. wasn't cooked the way his mom did
B. was served a bit later than usual
C. was prepared in a special way
D. was just to his parents’ taste
3.When seeing Nanny crying in the living room, the author felt _____.
A. surprised B. ashamed
C. shocked D. annoyed
4.The author mainly wants to tell us that _____.
A. forgiveness can be beneficial to people asking for it
B. hardships can make children more indifferent
C. grandparents are more tolerant than their grandchildren
D. family ties can sometimes be misused
请根据以下提示，并结合事例，用英语写一篇短文。
People are always looking for someone to look up to and imitate. You can set the example by becoming the person that people want to be like. You can help change the world by changing yourself.
注意：①无须写标题；
②除诗歌外，文体不限；
③内容必须结合你生活中的一个事例；
④文中不得透露个人姓名和学校名称；
⑤词数不少于120，如引用提示语则不计入总词数。
1. ___________________ her daughter from the smog, Chai Jing shuts her daughter at home. (protect)
为了保护女儿不受雾霾的影响，柴静把女儿关在家里。
2.Basic goods, as well as up to RMB￥90,352,800, __________________ to the Red Cross Society by March 3rd, 2015, in Zhongshan City, where the charity campaign was launched. (donate)
截至2015年3月3日，基本生活物资及多达9035.28万元人民币已捐给中山市的红十字会，该市举办了本次慈善活动。
3.You ___________________ the flowers; the weather forecast says it’s going to rain in the following three days. (water)
你本不必浇花的，天气预报说明天起要连下三天雨。
4.Anyone ___________________ a cellphone in their pocket in the classroom during the examination will be declared cheating. (carry)
任何考试期间在教室被发现携带手机在口袋里的人，都将被宣布为作弊。
5.J. K. Rowling has written a lot of novels, some of them ___________________ several foreign languages. (translate)
J. K. 罗琳写了很多小说，其中一些被翻译成多国语言。
6.Since the new cellphone app of NPC and CPPCC was developed, the delegates have received ___________________ advice as they did last year. (twice)
自从这款新的“两会”手机应用程序开发出来后，与会代表们收到了比去年多一倍的建议。
7.If people ___________________environmental protection while developing economy in the past few decades, China might have a better ecological environment now. (pay)
如果过去几十年人们在发展经济的同时更加关注环保问题，中国现在本可以有一个更好的生态环境。
8.After the air crash, many journalists rushed to the airport to inquire ___________________. (come)
飞机失事后，许多记者赶到机场询问这次意外是怎么发生的。
9.Not until Mr. Green was diagnosed with cancer ___________________ how precious health was. (realize)
直到格林先生被诊断出癌症，他才意识到健康是多么可贵。
10.The issue of fair and equal education has aroused widespread concern, __________________ for more students from less-developed areas to be enrolled in universities. (make)
教育公平引起了大家的广泛关注，这使得更多来自不发达地区的学生有可能上大学。
