PASSAGE 13
2 V6 |1 r- g1 [' \5 c8 FThe Central Problem of Economics
* B1 Q0 L4 M) h2 f6 F- R( _
4 W0 X- i6 |! R, _# c
7 [) }2 c7 e0 z1 l! N' V$ v The central problem of economics is to satisfy the people's and nation's wants.
% e8 q4 r7 c3 m( }4 W8 r4 F The problem we are faced with is that our resources, here identified as money, are __1__. The only way we can resolve our problem is to make choices. After looking at our resources, we must examine our list of __2__ and identify the things we need immediately, those we can postpone, and __3__ we cannot afford. As individuals, we face the central problem involved in economics-deciding just how to allocate our limited our limited resources to provide __4__ with the greatest satisfaction of our wants. r- W5 s; m/ F, t. j. }! r' n
Nations face the same problem. As a country's population ___5__, the need for more goods and services grows correspondingly. Resources necessary to production may increase, but there __6__ are enough resources to satisfy the total desires of a nation. Whether the budget meeting is taking place in the family living room, in the conference room of the corporation __7__ of directors, or in the chamber of the House of Representatives in Washington, the basic problem still exists. We need to find __8__ of allocating limited resources in order to satisfy unlimited wants.; a7 [. I; E! Y3 i/ [ u& d
A short time ago economists divided goods into two categories, free and economic. The former, like air and water, were in __9__ abundance that economists had no concern for them. After all, economics is the __10__ of scarcity and what to do about it. Today many of these "free goods" are __11__ very expensive to use. Pollution has made clean air and water expensive for producers' extra costs, and __12__ taxpayers who pay for the government's involvement in cleaning the environment.0 Y0 g2 r8 f! O) @1 ~# r1 I* w6 u
In the 1990s, almost all goods are __13__. Only by effort and money __14__ obtained in the form people wish.
9 |3 K0 q. W% W/ k6 G8 e Meeting needs of people and the demands from resource available __15__ the basic activity of production. In trying to meet unlimited wants from limited economic goods, production leads to new problems in economics. v2 E/ X/ h" ^$ i, ~8 r
EXERCISE:
& f4 t$ M) D$ s; y1. A) limited B) unlimited C) scarcity D) abundant- D2 g* _& ~ F% ]' W' ^" k
2. A) want B) problem C) wants D) resources+ s) K' E# B) a- G2 H9 r
3. A) those B) some C) others D) many# }$ S& c5 R0 p, z
4. A) them B) themselves C) ourselves D) ours
! f: m, g3 Z* R D% `/ b5. A) expand B) extends C) grows D) increase
8 w/ ~ [" ^2 @' B7 Q6 Z6. A) always B) sometimes C) often D) never
$ {" D# H }( e0 ~3 b7. A) management B) function C) board D) group3 R' r. o. Q* Z. S
8. A) people B) economists C ) way D) methods
8 H9 Z4 G3 V: l# L: m9 r9. A) so B) great C) such D) such an + \1 M( L$ Y9 j* C3 J0 e
10. A) form B) study C) means D) source
0 ^8 v2 m9 K' L) L( ?8 Q1 o( l11. A) practically B) in practice C)in reality D) practicably
3 X2 I: @1 q2 z) j12. A) the B) / C) for D) with$ @0 y1 K& j L
13. A) plentiful B) scarce C) abundant D) in full supply7 p2 D3 q0 E3 h2 L- q& Z* w3 F! }/ l
14. A) they can be B) can they be C) they must be D) must they be
7 Z& o7 ^8 D+ W+ l# Z, X* C1 N15. A) are led to B) leads C) lead to D) leads to , l7 M/ [& Q( U6 E) g* @
KEY:
7 C+ a. e; D' ^) F" ]" A# S2 |A C A C C D C D C B C C B B D ' v0 N8 m2 {( Y& f1 i: n& F
9 ^4 O. J; z$ D1 `
& ?" {! W9 C: {! Q1 C- e0 H4 ~$ C2 V9 ~; ~" O
PASSAGE 14 5 K8 N* u3 F8 ~
) Q- q# [! Q8 h2 I, z4 h
Newspaper Reports5 H3 ^4 D% s$ w! N
4 ?" C2 V" @1 x) Z( c( n9 d. Q: Y
. w, |* P' |; ~( G
There are many type of reports. A report is simply __1__ of something that has happened. The commonest are __2__. We get them in newspapers, over radio and __3__ television. Sometimes cinemas also show us newsreels.
2 ^0 D: c: h! [5 t6 f+ H4 t The main purpose of a newspaper __4__ provide news. If you __5__ a newspaper closely, you will find that there are all types of news: accidents, floods, fires, wars, sports, books, etc. The news __6__ everything that happens to people and their surroundings. Sometimes there are news items which are very __7__.- c6 Q& Z4 c( R2 B1 N
The big __8__ bold words above the news items are called headlines. Their purpose is to __9__ attention so that people will buy the newspaper because they want to read __10__ of the news.
; Y0 l) y+ m) G A news report is usually very short, __11__ when it is about something very important, but it __12__ a lot of information. It is also written in short paragraphs. The first paragraph is in __13__ a summary of the news item. It gives all the necessary information: what, when, where, how, why. The other paragraphs give __14__ of the subject. There may also be interviews __15__ people. The words actually spoken by them are within inverted commas.
9 d' T. u! L: m' d5 G Often there are photographs to go with the news to make it more interesting. |