I. Use of English (Cloze)

Business and government leaders also consider the inflation rate to be an important general indicator. Inflation is a period of increased 1 that causes rapid rises in prices. When your money buys 2 goods so that you get less for the same amount of money 3 before, inflation is the problem. There is a general rise 4 the price of goods and services. Your money buys less. Sometimes people 5 inflation as a time when “a dollar is not worth a dollar any more.”

Inflation is a problem for all consumers. People who live on a fixed income are 6 the most. Retired people, for instance, cannot 7 on an increase in income as prices rise. Elderly people who don’t work face serious problems in stretching their incomes to 8 their needs in time of inflation. 9 income or any fixed income usually does not rise as fast as prices. Many retired people must cut their spending to 10 rising prices. In many 11 they must stop buying some necessary items, such as food and clothing.

Even for working people whose incomes are going up, inflation can be a problem 12 the cost of living rises, too. People who work must have even more money to 13 their standard of living. Just buying the things they need 14 more. When incomes do not keep pace with rising prices, the standard of living goes down. People may be earning the same 15 of money, but they are not living as well because they are not able to buy 16 many goods and services.

Government units 17 information about prices in our economy and publish it as price indexes from which the rate of change can be determined. A price index 18 changes in prices using the price for a given year as the base. The base price is set 19 100, and the other prices are 20 as a percentage of the base price. (321 words)

1. A. demanding B. spending C. consuming D. borrowing

2. A. a few B. more C. fewer D. a little

3. A. than B. like C. since D. as

4. A. in B. for C. at D. to

5. A. render B. depict C. describe D. assume

6. A. hurt B. undermined C. damaged D. spoiled

7. A. depend B. rest C. rely D. count

8. A. acquire B. obtain C. meet D. suit

9. A. Government B. Development C. Retirement D. Employment

10. A. put up with B. keep up with C. fall in with D. get on with

11. A. occasions B. cases C. positions D. situations

12. A. although B. if C. when D. because

13. A. keep up B. keep to C. reckon on D. reckon with

14. A. spends B. costs C. consumes D. wastes

15. A. number B. portion C. amount D. sum

16. A. so B. too C. that D. as

17. A. accept B. attain C. utilize D. gather

18. A. measures B. estimates C. assesses D. evaluates

19. A. against B. at C. by D. on

20. A. reported B. designated C. decided D. publicized

II. 选择搭配题

Directions：

The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41—45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent article by choosing from the list A—E to fill in each numbered box. The first and the last paragraphs have been placed for you in Boxes. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)