6.One thinks of princes and presidents as some of the most powerful people in the world; however,governments,elected or otherwise,sometimes have had to struggle with the financial powerhouses called tycoons.The word tycoon is relatively new to the English language.It is Chinese in origin but was given as a title to some Japanese generals.The term was brought to the United States,in the late nineteenth century,where it eventually was used to refer to magnates who acquired immense fortunes from sugar and cattle,coal and oil,rubber and steel,and railroads.Some people called these tycoons"capitals of industry"and praised them for their contributions to U.S.wealth and international reputation.Others criticized them as cruel"robber barons",who would stop at nothing in pursuit of personal wealth.
The early tycoons built successful businesses,often taking over smaller companies to eliminate competition.A single company that came to control an entire market was called a monopoly.Monopolies made a few families very wealthy,but they also placed a heavy financial burden on consumers and the economy at large.
As the country expanded and railroads linked the East Coast to the West Coast,local monopolies turned into national corporations called trusts.A trust is a group of companies that join together under the control of a board of trustees.Railroad trusts are an excellent example.Railroads were privately owned and operated and often monopolized various routes,setting rates as high as they desired.The financial burden this placed on passengers and businesses increased when railroads formed trusts.Farmers,for example,had no choice but to pay,as railroads were the only means they could use to get their grain to buyers.Exorbitant (過(guò)高的) goods rates put some farmers out of business.
There were even accusations that the trusts controlled government itself by buying votes and manipulating elected officials.In 1890Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust.Act,legislation aimed at breaking the power of such trusts.The Sherman Antitrust Act focused on two main issues.First of all,it made illegal any effort to interfere with the normal conduct of interstate trade.It also made it illegal to monopolize any part of business that operates across state lines.
Over the next 60years or so,Congress passed other antitrust laws in an effort to encourage competition and restrict the power of larger corporations.
25.The Sherman Antitrust ActB.
A.a(chǎn)ffected only the companies doing business within state lines
B.sought to eliminate monopolies in favor of competition in the market-place
C.promoted trade with a large number of nations
D.provides a financial advantage to the buyer
26.One might infer from this passage that lower pricesA.
A.a(chǎn)re more likely to exist in a competitive market economy
B.usually can be found only in an economy based on monopolies
C.matter only to people who are poor and living below the poverty level
D.a(chǎn)re regulated by the government
27.It seems likely that many AmericansD.
A.believed that the trusts had little influence over government
B.expected the wealthy magnates to share money with the poor
C.did little to build up American business
D.were worried that trusts might manipulate the government.
分析 本文是一篇議論文,講述了最初由中國(guó)引進(jìn)的壟斷一詞,在美國(guó)引起了人們和政府的擔(dān)憂,壟斷者通過(guò)吸納其他小型的公司企業(yè)來(lái)消滅市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng),給其他小型企業(yè)和消費(fèi)者帶來(lái)了沉重的經(jīng)濟(jì)負(fù)擔(dān),針對(duì)此危機(jī),美國(guó)實(shí)施一些法律旨在消除壟斷,鼓勵(lì)促進(jìn)市場(chǎng)上的正常競(jìng)爭(zhēng).
解答 BAD
25.B 細(xì)節(jié)理解題.由文中 In 1890 Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust.Act,legislation aimed at breaking the power of such trusts.國(guó)會(huì)通過(guò)the Sherman Antitrust.Act了,該法律旨在分解壟斷權(quán)力,而且從第二段The early tycoons built successful businesses,often taking over smaller companies to eliminate competition.可知,壟斷者會(huì)吸納市場(chǎng)上的小公司,消除競(jìng)爭(zhēng).故分析出the Sherman Antitrust.Act旨在消除壟斷權(quán)力,促進(jìn)市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng),故選項(xiàng)B符合.
26.A 推理判斷題.題目是提供給消費(fèi)者價(jià)格越低的公司,會(huì)怎么樣.由文中最后一段,在接下來(lái)的60年,國(guó)會(huì)會(huì)通過(guò)一些其他反壟斷的法律,努力鼓勵(lì)促進(jìn)市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng),限制大型企業(yè)的權(quán)力.而由文中可知,大型的壟斷企業(yè),提供的價(jià)格會(huì)越高,所以可推斷出提供價(jià)格越低的企業(yè),更有可能在競(jìng)爭(zhēng)性的市場(chǎng)中存活下來(lái),故選A項(xiàng).
27.D 細(xì)節(jié)理解題.通過(guò)最后一段第一句There were even accusations that the trusts controlled government itself by buying votes and manipulating elected officials可知,美國(guó)人擔(dān)心壟斷者會(huì)操縱政府;故選D.
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