In 2003 I wrote an article about high gas prices in North America. Here we are about to be in a particular state of 2007 and the price at the pump is vastly higher. This is not a surprising turn of events when we look at all the reasons for the high gas prices we are paying at the pump and on our heating bills.

The usually argued idea by people suffering under high prices is that the oil and gas companies themselves are fixing the pricing system. The majority will find this as reason number one. Most Canadians love to lay the blame on the taxes applied at the pump, and how the oil companies gouge（榨取）the consumers, but they and the media in Canada are ignoring the more important causes.

In Canada, most are unaware that the National Energy Policy, or NEP, has lost its effects partly in the advance of free trade. No longer can the Canadian government try to set up Canadian pricing for oil and gas that is produced and sold in Canada. We completely lost that ability when we signed onto the North American Free Trade Agreement（NAFTA）.

What this means is that Canada now has little control over supplies and pricing within our own country. During the free trade negotiations（谈判）the Mexican negotiators had enough ability to prevent writing the American suggestion into law that both Canada and Mexico must hand over a full two thirds of all of our natural gas production. This leaves Canadians paying world market money charged for something that they themselves export.

Right now Canada ships some two million barrels of oil a day south; yet we cannot do anything about setting national pricing structures, thanks to the free trade agreements.

This is not the whole story though. Even if we were to put an end to NAFTA which is our right under the agreement, we may have already given away too much of our resource. In 1997 there were 41 large Canadian oil companies in Canada. Today there are only six. Of the 35 that on longer exist, U.S. companies bought out 21. This is a disturbing trend of foreign takeovers of Canadian natural resources.

1．Most Canadians think high gas prices are caused by            .

       A．the high expenses for laying the pumps for oil transport.

       B．the complete control over gas from oil companies

       C． the high taxes collected by gas companies

       D． the less gas production in the whole world

2．According to the article, what’s the influence of NAFTA on Canada?

       A．It has reduced the number of its oil companies.

       B．Its natural resources have become less and less.

       C．Its national policy on oil has almost been destroyed.

       D．Its oil prices are fixed by foreign countries on the whole.

3．What does “that ability” in paragraph 3 refer to?

       A．To produce and sell the gas.

       B．To set up Canadian pricing for oil.

       C．To trade freely around the world.

       D．To prevent the American suggestion.

4．According to the article, whose profits is the author concerned about?

       A．Canadian.                                            B．American.           

       C．Mexican.                                            D．North American.

5．This article is probably            .

       A．a lecture in a school                             B．a speech on natural resources

       C．a notice in public                     D．a comment on latest affairs

（B）
The U．S．birthrate began to decline in the middle 1950’s, resulting in a smaller college age population starting in the middle 1970’s．Something else happened in the 1970’s: the price of oil increased greatly, driving up the price of almost everything and making Americans aware that their large automobiles used a lot of gasoline．At the same time, foreign car manufacturers had begun to produce small fuel efficient cars in large quantities for the export market．Suddenly, the large, gas guzzling American cars were no longer attractive to American buyers, who began buying foreign cars by the thousands．The American automobile industry went into a recession．Thousands of automotive workers were laid off, as were thousands of people in industries indirectly connected with the auto industry．
People who are laid off tend to keep what money they have for necessities, like food and housing．They do not have the extra money needed to send their children to college．Their children cannot pay their own college costs, because during a recession they cannot find jobs．High unemployment means that more state funds must be used for social service-----unemployment benefits, and to aid dependent children, for example-----than during more prosperous times．It also means, that the states have fewer funds than usual, because people are paying fewer taxes．Institutions of higher education depend on two major sources of income to keep them functioning: tuition from students and funds from the states．At the present time, there are fewer students than in the past and fewer state funds available for higher education．The colleges and universities are in trouble．
60．What is the main idea of this passage??
A．The rising of oil price drove up the price of everything．
B．There were many reasons why higher education was in trouble in the 1970’s．
C．Birthrate began to decline in the USA in 1950’s．
D．High unemployment caused a lot of social problems．
61．American cars were not popular in their domestic markets because they were____．
A．small              B．gas consuming             
C．fuel efficient          D．not attractive
62．The colleges and universities were in trouble because of the following reasons except that ____．
A．they couldn’t get enough income to keep them running
B．young people couldn’t afford the tuition fees
C．keeping them running at the same level would cost much more
D．social services need more state funds because of the recession
63．All of the following statements are true EXCEPT ____．
A．young people couldn’t afford their own tuition in the 1970’s
B．it’s difficult for graduates from colleges to find a job in the 1970’s
C．fewer parents could afford to send their children to college because of the recession in 1970’s
D．Birthrate dropped in the 1970’s because of the recession

（B）

The U．S．birthrate began to decline in the middle 1950’s, resulting in a smaller college age population starting in the middle 1970’s．Something else happened in the 1970’s: the price of oil increased greatly, driving up the price of almost everything and making Americans aware that their large automobiles used a lot of gasoline．At the same time, foreign car manufacturers had begun to produce small fuel efficient cars in large quantities for the export market．Suddenly, the large, gas guzzling American cars were no longer attractive to American buyers, who began buying foreign cars by the thousands．The American automobile industry went into a recession．Thousands of automotive workers were laid off, as were thousands of people in industries indirectly connected with the auto industry．

People who are laid off tend to keep what money they have for necessities, like food and housing．They do not have the extra money needed to send their children to college．Their children cannot pay their own college costs, because during a recession they cannot find jobs．High unemployment means that more state funds must be used for social service-----unemployment benefits, and to aid dependent children, for example-----than during more prosperous times．It also means, that the states have fewer funds than usual, because people are paying fewer taxes．Institutions of higher education depend on two major sources of income to keep them functioning: tuition from students and funds from the states．At the present time, there are fewer students than in the past and fewer state funds available for higher education．The colleges and universities are in trouble．

60．What is the main idea of this passage??

A．The rising of oil price drove up the price of everything．

B．There were many reasons why higher education was in trouble in the 1970’s．

C．Birthrate began to decline in the USA in 1950’s．

D．High unemployment caused a lot of social problems．

61．American cars were not popular in their domestic markets because they were____．

A．small              B．gas consuming             

C．fuel efficient          D．not attractive

62．The colleges and universities were in trouble because of the following reasons except that ____．

A．they couldn’t get enough income to keep them running

B．young people couldn’t afford the tuition fees

C．keeping them running at the same level would cost much more

D．social services need more state funds because of the recession

63．All of the following statements are true EXCEPT ____．

A．young people couldn’t afford their own tuition in the 1970’s

B．it’s difficult for graduates from colleges to find a job in the 1970’s

C．fewer parents could afford to send their children to college because of the recession in 1970’s

D．Birthrate dropped in the 1970’s because of the recession

（B）

The U．S．birthrate began to decline in the middle 1950’s, resulting in a smaller college age population starting in the middle 1970’s．Something else happened in the 1970’s: the price of oil increased greatly, driving up the price of almost everything and making Americans aware that their large automobiles used a lot of gasoline．At the same time, foreign car manufacturers had begun to produce small fuel efficient cars in large quantities for the export market．Suddenly, the large, gas guzzling American cars were no longer attractive to American buyers, who began buying foreign cars by the thousands．The American automobile industry went into a recession．Thousands of automotive workers were laid off, as were thousands of people in industries indirectly connected with the auto industry．

People who are laid off tend to keep what money they have for necessities, like food and housing．They do not have the extra money needed to send their children to college．Their children cannot pay their own college costs, because during a recession they cannot find jobs．High unemployment means that more state funds must be used for social service-----unemployment benefits, and to aid dependent children, for example-----than during more prosperous times．It also means, that the states have fewer funds than usual, because people are paying fewer taxes．Institutions of higher education depend on two major sources of income to keep them functioning: tuition from students and funds from the states．At the present time, there are fewer students than in the past and fewer state funds available for higher education．The colleges and universities are in trouble．

60．What is the main idea of this passage??

       A．The rising of oil price drove up the price of everything．

       B．There were many reasons why higher education was in trouble in the 1970’s．

       C．Birthrate began to decline in the USA in 1950’s．

       D．High unemployment caused a lot of social problems．

61．American cars were not popular in their domestic markets because they were____．

       A．small              B．gas consuming             

       C．fuel efficient          D．not attractive

62．The colleges and universities were in trouble because of the following reasons except that ____．

       A．they couldn’t get enough income to keep them running

       B．young people couldn’t afford the tuition fees

       C．keeping them running at the same level would cost much more

       D．social services need more state funds because of the recession

63．All of the following statements are true EXCEPT ____．

       A．young people couldn’t afford their own tuition in the 1970’s

       B．it’s difficult for graduates from colleges to find a job in the 1970’s

       C．fewer parents could afford to send their children to college because of the recession in 1970’s

       D．Birthrate dropped in the 1970’s because of the recession

Changes in the value of currency help some parts of the economy and hurt others．

    When people go to foreign countries, they have direct experience with the exchange rate （汇率）of money．International travelers must use their own money to buy the currency of the country they are visiting．For example, Americans on holiday in a foreign country can buy more currency when the dollar has a high exchange value．

    So a high exchange value is good for vacationers．It is not so good for exporting．A strong dollar means that American exports are more costly．Other countries are less likely to import products from the United States because they are too costly．American agricultural goods, computers and airplanes all are more costly on the world market when the dollar is strong．

However, sellers of foreign goods within the United States are helped by a strong dollar．A strong dollar means that American companies can buy more with the same amount of money．They can sell goods at a low price in the "United States and still make a profit．

    This helps to increase the American trade deficit（贸易逆差）．

    A weak dollar helps American companies that do business overseas．For example, the American computer industry gains because its products are less costly to foreign buyers．Financial magazines report that technology companies like Intel and Microsoft have increased profits because of the weak dollar． Increased trade helps reduce the American trade deficit．

    The United States Department keeps information on America's imports and exports. Information on the third quarter of 2003 shows that America's trade deficit did fall．American exporters should gain the most from the falling dollar．But, the effect of the weakening dollar on the United States trade deficit remains to be seen．

1．American vacationers prefer dollars to be strong so that ______．

     A．they can buy more currency in foreign countries

     B．they can be proud of being Americans

     C．Americans can export more goods

     D．other countries import more products from the United States

2．Other countries are unwilling to import agricultural products from America, because ______．

     A．American businessmen import only a few goods from other countries

     B．American government don't want other countries to import goods from America

     C．American goods are more costly because of the strong dollar

     D．American businessmen make a lot of money by selling foreign products cheaply

3．According to the passage, American trade deficit can be reduced by ______．

     A．increasing the dollar exchange value

B．making the dollar weak in exchange value

     C．forcing foreign countries to open their markets further

     D．buying less costly foreign goods

4．Which best serves as a title for this passage?

     A．American imports and exports

B．Exports between America and other countries

C．Americans enjoying cheap foreign products

     D．The falling of the dollar