The China boom is by now a well-documented phenomenon. Who hasn't heard of the Middle Kingdom's startling economic growth (8 percent annually), its enormous consumer market (1.2 billion people), the investment ardor of foreign suitors ($40 billion in foreign direct investment last year alone)? China is an economic marvel. According to Nicholas Lardy of the Brookings Institution, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, "No country has expanded its foreign trade as fast as China over the last 20 years. Japan doubled its foreign trade over a 20-year period; China's foreign trade as quintupled. They've become the main producer of labor-intensive manufacturing goods in the world."
But there's been something missing from the dazzling China growth story—namely, the Chinese multinational. No major Chinese companies have yet established themselves, or their brands, on the global stage. But as Haier shows, that is starting to change. After 100 years of poverty and chaos, of being overshadowed by foreign countries and multinationals, Chinese industrial companies are starting to make a mark on the world. (170 words)
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. the startling Middle Kingdom
B. China’s economic growth
C. China’s economic marvel
D. the increase of China's foreign trade
2. What does “suitor” in the first paragraph mean?
A. A man who is courting a woman.
B. A person who makes a petition or request.
C. A person who sues in court.
D. A person or group seeking to purchase.
3. What does Nicholas Lardy’s remark mean?
A. China has succeeded economically over the last 20 years.
B. China did better than Japan in economy.
C. China’s foreign trade developed the fastest in the world.
D. China is the main producer of in the world.
4. By the phrase “something missing”, the author refer to
A. the less dazzling achievements
B. the Chinese multinational
C. lack of world famous brand
D. Haier company
5. Why is Haier cited in the 2nd paragraph?
A. To show it is starting to change.
B. To show an example of a large company.
C. To show a Chinese company of world fame.
D. To show a change in Chinese industrial companies.
参考答案：CDCCC
Earlier this year, when America first sneezed, the European Central Bank (along with most private-sector economists) argued that the euro area was insulated from America's slowdown and had little to worry about. This seems to have been wrong. In Germany there are fears about recession as business investment and retail sales tumble. Recent figures confirmed that Germany's GDP stagnated in the second quarter. Italy's GDP fell in the second quarter, and although growth has held up better in France and Spain, the growth in the euro area as a whole was close to zero in the quarter. Nobody is forecasting an actual recession in the euro area this year, but it is no longer expected to provide an engine for world growth.
As for Japan, it is probably already in recession. Japan's GDP grew slightly in the first quarter. Persistent deflation continues to be a severe problem. A revised measure of Japan's consumer-price index, to be published soon, is likely to show that deflation is worse than had been thought. （170 words）
1. What does the 1st sentence mean?
A. Earlier this year, America suffered from a cold.
B. The European Central Bank believed it wouldn’t be affected by US.
C. The European Central Bank had little to worry about.
D. The euro area was safe and sound.
2. What were Germany and Italy's GDP in the second quarter?
A. stagnated
B. fell
C. suffered
D. halted and deceased
3. What was the economic situation in France and Spain?
A. Much better.
B. Somewhat better.
C. Close to zero.
D. Much worse.
4. Which of the following is NOT TRUE about Japan’s economy?
A. It is perhaps already in decline.
B. Japan's GDP grew slightly in the first quarter.
C. Deflation continues to be a severe problem.
D. It is worse than that of US and Europe.
5. The best title for the passage is
A. The world economic situation
B. The world economic recession
C. The worse World economic situation
D. The reason for world economic recession
参考答案：BDBDB
