Question

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has recovered his spot at the top of the US money heap, taking the place of investor Warren Buffett as America's richest person, Forbes magazine's latest list reveals.

With 57 billion dollars net worth Gates again leads the list of 400 richest individuals in the world's wealthiest country. He displaced Buffett who briefly held the position this year but who has seen his Berkshire Hathaway investment group's shares slip 15 percent since February and is now worth 50 billion.

According to Forbes, whose list was published late Wednesday, the golden 400 have 1.3 billion dollars net worth or more. However, their combined net worth rose only 30 billion dollars, or two percent, to 1.57 trillion dollars.

Forbes said that rising oil and dizzy art prices fuelled the entry of 31 new members into the ultra-rich club and the return of eight previous members.

A notable arrival was Mark Zuckerberg, 24, founder of the social networking site Facebook（脸谱网）. Forbes estimates his worth at 1.5 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, turmoil（动荡）on the stock and housing markets saw 33 others drop off the list, including the former head of the troubled insurance giant AIG, Maurice Greenberg, and a former head of the online auction site eBay, Margaret Whitman.

Biggest gainers were led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who took eighth place with 20 billion dollars worth after a transaction（交易）put a new value on his Bloomberg media and financial data network.

The biggest loser was casino（赌场，娱乐场）tycoon Sheldon Adelson, whose fortune fell 13 billion dollars over 12 months -- the equivalent to 1.5 million dollars an hour -- although he still has 15 billion dollars and occupies 15th place.

About two thirds of the list are self-made billionaires and just over 10 percent are women, led by television star Oprah Winfrey whose fortune rose 200 million dollars to 2.7 billion dollars.

According to Forbes, Warren Buffet is worth _____.

  A. 57 billion dollars  B. 50 billion dollars  C. 1.5 billion dollars  D. 20 billion dollars

31 new members entered the ultra-rich club as a result of _____.

  A. turmoil on the stock and housing market  

B. media and financial data network

  C. rising oil and dizzy art prices            

D. investment

The purpose of the author using the television star Oprah Winfrey as an example is to _____.

  A. tell the readers that television stars make money easily

  B. prove that a millionaire can become a billionaire

  C. women can also be billionaires

  D. tell the readers that most of the billionaires are self-made

It can be inferred from the story that _____.

  A. one earns much and also loses much

  B. stability of markets has much effect upon people’s wealth

  C. the computer industry makes more billionaires

  D. young people can also be billionaires

What is the best title of the passage?

  A. Bill Gates Leading World’s Richest People Again

  B. What Made Billionaires

  C. Self-Made Billionaires

  D. Biggest Gainer and Biggest Loser

Answer 1

【小题1】B

【小题2】C

【小题3】C

【小题4】B

【小题5】A

解析:

  《福布斯》杂志日前发布最新美国富豪榜，微软集团创始人比尔??盖茨取代“股神”沃伦??巴菲特，重夺首富桂冠。在这份全球最富国家的“400大富豪榜”上，盖茨以570亿美元的净资产荣登榜首。

【小题1】细节理解题。文章第二段末尾提及股神Buffett今年的股票下滑了15%，目前的财富为500亿美元。

【小题2】 细节理解题。文章第四段说rising oil and dizzy art prices fuelled the entry of 31 new members into the ultra-rich club and the return of eight previous members.即油价上涨与扑朔迷离的艺术品价格使得31位新成员加入最富人的行列，另有8位成员重返400最富排行榜。

【小题3】 作者意图推断题。文章最后一段说just over 10 percent are women, led by television star Oprah Winfrey whose fortune rose 200 million dollars to 2.7 billion dollars，400最富排行榜中只有10%的人是女士，为首的是电视明星Oprah Winfrey，这一例证说明，占据财富的不仅仅是男士，女士同样可以创造财富。

【小题4】 推理判断题。文章第四段与第六段列举了油价暴涨，艺术品市场的高深莫测，股票市场和房地产行业的动荡不定使得新富翁榜上有名，位居显贵者名落孙山。由此可以推断：市场的稳定性对财富具有重要的影响。

【小题5】主旨大意题。全文以盖茨为中心，叙述了他重领世界最富的情况。因此B项正确。