Attempt a guess at the following question: In the English-speaking world, which country has the least affordable homes? You are wrong if you guessed the US, even with the housing bubble （气泡） and main sadness． Nor is it the UK, where prices have risen because demand is far from supply． According to a recent survey of 227 cities around the globe, you must go south of the equator （赤道） to Australia to find the priciest homes．

The report measured a city’s housing market along the following guidelines． An “affordable” home required three times or less of the average family’s income to purchase． At four times earnings, a home fell into the “unaffordable” category． And a “seriously unaffordable” home needed five times a family’s income． In Australia, homes in the least affordable city cost just about 9．5 times the average income． Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne were only a little under this figure．

Australian officials offered little comment, apart from a general statement on the dismal findings． These prices make the possibility that many Australians will one day own a home largely unbelievable． Land rationing （配给制） and excessive development charges have raised prices, and the problem will only be solved through urgent action by the Rudd government．

Some American cities were also included on the least affordable list, four of which were in California． America is still involved in a mortgage（抵押）crisis, though, affecting the affordability of homes． Yet a number of US cities garnered “affordable” status, namely Dallas and Kansas． Australia had no cities listed in the top fifty places with affordable homes．

The survey suggests that you can find affordable homes in most places, just not if you’re Australian and choose to live down under．

To buy an affordable house, you should pay _____．

   A． 3 times or less of the average family’s income

    B． 4 times or less of the average family’s income

    C． 5 times or less of the average family’s income

    D． 9．5 times or less of the average family’s income

What caused the prices of houses to increase in Australia?

   A． The rising family’s income．       B． The demand over supply．

   C． The excessive development charges． D． The decrease of land．

The underlined word “dismal” in Paragraph 3 may mean _____．

   A． cheerful       B． satisfactory

   C． difficult           D． gloomy 

What might be the most suitable title for the passage?

    A． Affordable Houses   B． A House is a Dream First

    C． Housing Bubble      D． Homes Too Expensive

Attempt a guess at the following question: In the English-speaking world, which country has the least affordable homes? You are wrong if you guessed the US, even with the housing bubble （气泡） and main sadness． Nor is it the UK, where prices have risen because demand is far from supply． According to a recent survey of 227 cities around the globe, you must go south of the equator （赤道） to Australia to find the priciest homes．

The report measured a city’s housing market along the following guidelines． An “affordable” home required three times or less of the average family’s income to purchase． At four times earnings, a home fell into the “unaffordable” category． And a “seriously unaffordable” home needed five times a family’s income． In Australia, homes in the least affordable city cost just about 9．5 times the average income． Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne were only a little under this figure．

Australian officials offered little comment, apart from a general statement on the dismal findings． These prices make the possibility that many Australians will one day own a home largely unbelievable． Land rationing （配给制） and excessive development charges have raised prices, and the problem will only be solved through urgent action by the Rudd government．

Some American cities were also included on the least affordable list, four of which were in California． America is still involved in a mortgage（抵押）crisis, though, affecting the affordability of homes． Yet a number of US cities garnered “affordable” status, namely Dallas and Kansas． Australia had no cities listed in the top fifty places with affordable homes．

The survey suggests that you can find affordable homes in most places, just not if you’re Australian and choose to live down under．

1. To buy an affordable house, you should pay _____．

   A． 3 times or less of the average family’s income

    B． 4 times or less of the average family’s income

    C． 5 times or less of the average family’s income

    D． 9．5 times or less of the average family’s income

2. What caused the prices of houses to increase in Australia?

   A． The rising family’s income．                     B． The demand over supply．

   C． The excessive development charges． D． The decrease of land．

3. The underlined word “dismal” in Paragraph 3 may mean _____．

   A． cheerful                        B． satisfactory

   C． difficult                       D． gloomy 

4. What might be the most suitable title for the passage?

    A． Affordable Houses               B． A House is a Dream First

    C． Housing Bubble      D． Homes Too Expensive

Attempt a guess at the following question: In the English-speaking world, which country has the least affordable homes? You are wrong if you guessed the US, even with the housing bubble (气泡) and main sadness. Nor is it the UK, where prices have risen because demand is far from supply. According to a recent survey of 227 cities around the globe, you must go south of the equator (赤道) to Australia to find the priciest homes.
The report measured a city’s housing market along the following guidelines. An “affordable” home required three times or less of the average family’s income to purchase. At four times earnings, a home fell into the “unaffordable” category. And a “seriously unaffordable” home needed five times a family’s income. In Australia, homes in the least affordable city cost just about 9.5 times the average income. Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne were only a little under this figure.
Australian officials offered little comment, apart from a general statement on the dismal findings. These prices make the possibility that many Australians will one day own a home largely unbelievable. Land rationing (配给制) and excessive development charges have raised prices, and the problem will only be solved through urgent action by the Rudd government.
Some American cities were also included on the least affordable list, four of which were in California. America is still involved in a mortgage（抵押）crisis, though, affecting the affordability of homes. Yet a number of US cities garnered “affordable” status, namely Dallas and Kansas. Australia had no cities listed in the top fifty places with affordable homes.
The survey suggests that you can find affordable homes in most places, just not if you’re Australian and choose to live down under.
【小题1】To buy an affordable house, you should pay _____.

If you go to Brisbane, Australia, you can easily get a small book called Discover Brisbane free. The book tells you almost everything in Brisbane: the restaurants, the shops, the cinemas, the streets, the buses, the trains, the banks, etc. Here is something about banks on page 49:

ANZ Banking Group

Cnr. Greek && Queen Sts ……………… 228 3228

Bank of New Zealand

410 Queen Street ………………………  221 0411

Bank of Queensland

229 Elizabeth Street ……………………  229 3122

Commonwealth Banking Group

240 Queen Street ………………………  237 3111

National Australia Bank Ltd

225 Adelaide Street ……………………  221 6422

Westpac Banking Corp

260 Queen Street ………………………  227 2666

Banking hours are Mon.-Thu. 9:30 am to 4 pm. Fri. 9:30 am to 5 pm. All banks close Sat. Sun. && Public Holidays.

Australia has a decimal currency(十进币制) with 100 cents to the dollar.

Notes available are: $100, $50, $20, $10, $5

Gold coins are: $2 && $1

Silver coins are: 50, 20, 10&&5 cent

Copper coins are: 2 && 1 cent

1.You can find ANZ Banking Group on ______.

2.______ seems to be the most important street in  Brisbane.

3.On Saturdays, you can go to ______ to put your money in or take your money out.

4.In Australia, the banks have their longest service hours on ______.

If you go to Brisbane, Australia, you can easily get a small book called Discover Brisbane free．Here is something about banks on page 49:
ANZ Banking Group
Cnr．Greek & Queen Sts ………………………………………………238 3228
Bank of New Zealand
410 Queen Street  …………………………………………………… 221 0411
Bank of Queensland
229 Elizabeth Street ………………………………………………… 229 3122
Commonwealth Banking Group
240 Queen Street …………………………………………………… 237 3111
National Australia Bank Ltd
225 Adelaide Street ………………………………………………… 221 6422
Westpac Banking Corp
260 Queen Street …………………………………………………… 227 2666
Banking hours are Mon.-Thu．9:30 am to 4 pm．Fri．9:30 am to 5 pm．All banks close Sat．Sun．& Public Holidays.
【小题1】You can find ANZ Banking Group on ________________.