Nine out of 10 people have run up unsecured debt and many fear they will never be able to pay back what they owe, a survey has claimed.

       Around 89% of people aged between l|8 and 35 said they owed money on a credit card, loan or overdraft, the research showed．

       A third of people admitted they did not think- they would ever be debt-free, 54% of whom said they would always need to borrow money in order to fund the lifestyle they wanted．

       One in five of these people also claimed they were not worried about the possibility of their debts being passed on to their next of kin if they died before they were repaid．

       Just over half who owed money said they did not feel in control of their debt, with 8% admitting they had needed to ask for help with repayments from a friend or family member．Eight out of 10 people also told the research for discount website MyVoucherCodes．co．uk that they thought it was too easy to borrow money through their bank or on credit cards．

       Farhad Farhadi, MyVoucherCodes．co．uk’s personal finance expert, said: "The majority of British adults owe money m some way, shape or form, but to see that almost a third think they'll never be free c ^ from debt is quite alarming．

       "When borrowing money from any source, how you are going to repay it should always be in the back of your mind．

       "A lot of people don't-really think about 'die consequences of borrowing money and it can be easy to get complacent, but keeping it all under control should be a priority from the off．Only borrow what you really think you can afford to pay back．"

The best title for this passage is_________．

       A．I'll die in debt, say one in three     B．Desperate British

       C．The beginning of the end          D．Borrowing money from any source

Which of the following is NOT true?    

       A．Most British adults are in debt in some v/ay．

       B．It is hard for the British to borrow money through their bank．

       C．Lots of people do not take repaying money seriously．

       D．This passage is a warning for the British．

What does the underlined phrase mean?  

       A．end with                B．from the start  

      C．ever since              D．fore ever

What does Farhad mean by saying "the majority of British adults owe money in some way, shape or form"? 

       A．It is natural to owe money m Britain so there in no need to worry．

       B．It is natural to owe money in Britain as long as you are in control．

     C．It does not matter to owe money in Britain if you are rich enough．

       D．It seems that the British enjoy owing money in some way．

  People can be addicted to different things— e．g．a(chǎn)lcohol, drug, certain foods，or even television．People who have such an addiction are compulsive: they have a very powerful psychological need that they feel they must satisfy．According to psychologists, many people are compulsive spenders．They feel that they must spend money．This compulsion, like most others, is impossible to explain reasonably．For compulsive spenders who buy on credit, charge accounts are even more exciting than money．In other words, compulsive spenders feel that with credit, they can do anything．Their pleasure in spending large amounts is actually greater than the pleasure that they get from the things they buy．

    There is even a special psychology of bargain hunting．To save money, of course, most people look for sales, low prices, and discounts．Compulsive bargain hunters，however, often buy things that they don't need just because they are cheap．They want to believe that they are helping their budgets, but they are really playing an exciting game．When they can buy something for less than other people, they feel that they are winners．Most people, experts claim, have two reasons for their behavior: a good reason for the things that they do and thereal reason．

    It is not only scientists, of course, who understand the psychology of spending habits, butalso business people．Stores, companies, and advertisers use psychology to increase business．They consider people's needs for love, power, or influence, their basic values, their beliefs andopinions, and so on in their advertising and sales methods．

    Psychologists often use a method called "behavior therapy （療法）"to help individuals solvetheir personality problems．In the same way, they can help people who feel that they haveproblems with money．

According to psychologists, a compulsive spender is one who spends large amounts of money                ．

    A．a(chǎn)nd takes great pleasure from what he or she buys

    B．in order to satisfy his or her basic needs in life

    C．just to meet his or her strong psychological need

    D．entirely with an irrational eagerness

According to the passage, compulsive bargain hunters are often in search of the lowest possible prices    .

    A．because they feel satisfied if they spend less money than others

    B．because they like to show off their success in getting things for less money

    C．because they have money problem

    D．because they want to save money to help heir budget

The passage is mainly talking about    ．

    A．the psychology of money-spending habits

    B．the purchasing habits of compulsive spenders

    C．a(chǎn) special psychology of bargain hunting

    D．the use of the psychology of spending habits in business

From the passage we may safely conclude that compulsive spenders or compulsive bargainhunters  .

    A．a(chǎn)re really unreasonable

    B．need special treatment

    C．can't be cured  

    D．can never get any help to solve their problems with money

 

Cyberspace,data superhighway,multimedia,for those who have seen the future,and the linking of computers,televisions and telephones will change our lives for ever.Yet for all the talks of a forthcoming technological utopia,little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor.As for all the new high technology,the West concerns itself with the “how”,while the question of “for whom” is put aside once again.

Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communication revolution has affected the world economy.Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries,and transnational corporations take full advantage of it.Terms of trade and exchange,interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods.The electronic economy made by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets — with a destructive impact on the have­nots.

For them the result is unstable.Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine.As “futures” are traded on computer screens,developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies.

So what are the options of regaining control？One alternative for developing countries is to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications.Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints on developing countries’ economies.

Communication technology is generally exported from the US,Europe or Japan；the patents,skills and ability remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries.It is also expensive,therefore imported products and services must be bought on credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain.

1. From the passage we know that the development of high technology is in the interests of________.

A．the rich countries                                         B．scientific development

C．the local elites                                                 D．the world economy

2．It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．international trade should be expanded

B．the interests of the poor countries have not been given enough consideration

C．the exports of the poor countries should be increased

D．communication technology in developing countries should be modernized

3．Why does the author say that the electronic economy may have a destructive impact on developing countries?

A．Because it enables the developed countries to control the international market.

B．Because it destroys the economic balance of the poor countries.

C．Because it violates the national boundaries of the poor countries.

D．Because it inhibits the industrial growth of developing countries.

4．The development of modern communication technology in developing countries may________.

A．hinder their industrial production

B．cause them to lose control of their trade

C．force them to reduce their share of exports

D．cost them their economic independence

5．The author’s attitude towards the communication revolution is________.

A．positive                                                              B．critical

C．indifferent                                                       D．tolerant

 

Cyberspace,data superhighway,multimedia,for those who have seen the future,and the linking of computers,televisions and telephones will change our lives for ever.Yet for all the talks of a forthcoming technological utopia,little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor.As for all the new high technology,the West concerns itself with the “how”,while the question of “for whom” is put aside once again.

Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communication revolution has affected the world economy.Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries,and transnational corporations take full advantage of it.Terms of trade and exchange,interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods.The electronic economy made by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets — with a destructive impact on the have??nots.

For them the result is unstable.Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine.As “futures” are traded on computer screens,developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies.

So what are the options of regaining control？One alternative for developing countries is to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications.Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints on developing countries’ economies.

Communication technology is generally exported from the US,Europe or Japan；the patents,skills and ability remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries.It is also expensive,therefore imported products and services must be bought on credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain.

From the passage we know that the development of high technology is in the interests of________.

A．the rich countries                               B．scientific development

C．the local elites                                     D．the world economy

It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．international trade should be expanded

B．the interests of the poor countries have not been given enough consideration

C．the exports of the poor countries should be increased

D．communication technology in developing countries should be modernized

Why does the author say that the electronic economy may have a destructive impact on developing countries?

A．Because it enables the developed countries to control the international market.

B．Because it destroys the economic balance of the poor countries.

C．Because it violates the national boundaries of the poor countries.

D．Because it inhibits the industrial growth of developing countries.

The development of modern communication technology in developing countries may________.

A．hinder their industrial production

B．cause them to lose control of their trade

C．force them to reduce their share of exports

D．cost them their economic independence

The author’s attitude towards the communication revolution is________.

A．positive                                              B．critical

C．indifferent                                          D．tolerant

Cyberspace,data superhighway,multimedia,for those who have seen the future,and the linking of computers,televisions and telephones will change our lives for ever.Yet for all the talks of a forthcoming technological utopia,little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor.As for all the new high technology,the West concerns itself with the “how”,while the question of “for whom” is put aside once again.

Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communication revolution has affected the world economy.Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries,and transnational corporations take full advantage of it.Terms of trade and exchange,interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods.The electronic economy made by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets — with a destructive impact on the have­nots.
For them the result is unstable.Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine.As “futures” are traded on computer screens,developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies.
So what are the options of regaining control？One alternative for developing countries is to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications.Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints on developing countries’ economies.
Communication technology is generally exported from the US,Europe or Japan；the patents,skills and ability remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries.It is also expensive,therefore imported products and services must be bought on credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain.
【小題1】From the passage we know that the development of high technology is in the interests of________.

A．the rich countries	B．scientific development
C．the local elites	D．the world economy

【小題2】It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．international trade should be expanded

B．the interests of the poor countries have not been given enough consideration

C．the exports of the poor countries should be increased

D．communication technology in developing countries should be modernized

【小題3】Why does the author say that the electronic economy may have a destructive impact on developing countries?

A．Because it enables the developed countries to control the international market.

B．Because it destroys the economic balance of the poor countries.

C．Because it violates the national boundaries of the poor countries.

D．Because it inhibits the industrial growth of developing countries.

【小題4】The development of modern communication technology in developing countries may________.

A．hinder their industrial production

B．cause them to lose control of their trade

C．force them to reduce their share of exports

D．cost them their economic independence

【小題5】The author’s attitude towards the communication revolution is________.

A．positive	B．critical
C．indifferent	D．tolerant