Question

surging commodity (商品) prices could worsen poverty in many poor countries, the International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday.

A new IMF study, seeing the effect of soaring oil and food costs, said many poor and developing countries would likely have to change their economic policies in response to soaring commodity prices. “Some countries are at a dangerous point，” warned IMF managing director Dominique Strauss?Kahn.

“If food prices rise further and oil prices stay the same, some governments will no longer be able to feed their people and at the same time keep stability in their economies，” Strauss?Kahn said. The IMF chief called for a “broad cooperative approach” to help handle higher oil and food prices, and said the IMF stood ready to assist countries in need. Strauss?Kahn said the international community would also have to play a role in helping to reduce the effect of commodity price shocks which have caused protests in some countries. European truckers have blockaded major roads to protest fuel prices in recent weeks and food riots (骚乱) have occurred in Cameroon, Bangladesh, and Somalia among other countries in recent months. “Poor countries that are highly dependent on food imports are particularly vulnerable (易受影响的) to rising food prices，” the IMF report said.

Anti?poverty campaigners are concerned that rising commodity costs could roll back advances made through anti?poverty campaigns in recent years, particularly because poorer families tend to spend much more of their household income on food. The IMF report found that poor households are most affected by food price inflation and “warned that the share of undernourished people in developing countries could rise rapidly above the current 40 percent of total population”．

Energy and food values are still rising and the IMF said its research suggests “the problem is worsening”. The Washington?based fund said it is working closely with its member countries to help reduce inflationary (通货膨胀的) pressures taking into account countries' specific needs. The report said that global food markets “need to be kept open” and that “restrictive policies”， such as export taxes and bans, should be removed.

1．To reduce the effects of rising oil and food prices, the IMF suggests ________.

A．increasing export taxes

B．placing restrictions on export

C．global food markets shouldn't be kept open

D．taking different measures to cooperate with its member countries

2．Why could rising commodity costs roll back advances made through anti?poverty campaigns?

A．Because European truckers have blockaded major roads to protest fuel prices.

B．Because poorer families tend to spend much more of their household income on food.

C．Because energy and labor costs are still rising and the problem is worsening.

D．Because the IMF hasn't prepared well to assist countries in need.

3．According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The problem of commodity price increase exists all over the world.

B．Some developing countries do better in controlling oil price increase.

C．IMF is going to help reduce the effect of commodity price shocks.

D．Food price increase affects poor households badly.

4．What's the main idea of the passage?

A．IMF takes measures to reduce the effect of commodity price shocks.

B．Surging commodity prices cause protests in some countries.

C．Rising oil and food prices may worsen poverty in developing countries.

D．Global food markets need to be kept open.

 

Answer 1

DBBC

解析：推断题。由最后一段可知：国际货币基金组织认为通过互相合作，考虑各国的具体需求，才能减轻通货膨胀带来的压力。

解析：细节题。根据文章第4段第1句“Anti?poverty campaigners are concerned that rising commodity costs could roll back advances made through anti?poverty campaigns in recent years, particularly because poorer families tend to spend much more of their household income on food”可知答案。

解析：推断题。文章根本没有提到发展中国家在控制油价上涨方面做得比发达国家好，故B项错误。

解析：主旨大意题。根据全文可知，文章主要讲述了世界大范围的石油和粮食涨价导致发展中国家的贫困问题更加严重。

答案：DBBC