外刊经贸知识选读2017年10月真题试题及答案解析（00096）

It is no coincidence that government departments in the various emirates ore welcoming bids from consultants that arc new to the area. Easily lured away from the recession-hit West by the notion that the streets of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are paved with gold, these companies arc tending to submit very low offers to gain a foothold in the area. While there undoubtedly is work about and the outlook for the UAE is bright, the ever increasing competition among consultants and contractors means that margins are being squeezed. In the opinion of one major local consultant, the only way forward is to diversify: “Diversification into project management in the oil and gas sector is the only way to secure continuity of work and revenues and keep international calibre consultants on the ground.”

Enforcing clean gasoline regulations will further improve the air quality in New Jersey.

The state officials are unwilling to control fuel quality because they don’t have money.

The tumbling gasoline prices in New York have no affect on the oil prices in London.

Passage 2

Oil companies act to save refining margins

London, Jan. 27 (Reuter)—major oil companies flexed their muscles to salvage profit margins from oil refining this week, supporting oil product prices and depressing crude oil.By limiting the amount of crude oil running through their refineries, oil companies are hoping to eat away at burgeoning (迅速增长的) stocks of unused heating fuel and at the same time boost demand and prices for crude oil.A broker in London said that throughout reduction at European refineries was ultimately a bearish signal for all oil prices, products and crude.“There may well be less output from refineries, but if demand is weak, that’s still bearish for prices,” he said.Brokers cited tumbling gasoline prices in New York as another negative influence.Traders on New York’s futures trading pits sold gasoline futures heavily on news that New Jersey may not enforce the use of a new cleaner grade of gasoline in its sales at the pump.Stale officials in New Jersey argued that they have almost attained their pollution targets and are unwilling to enforce expensive winter regulations controlling fuel quality.“We feel we’ve done a lot to improve our air quality, if we’re not in attainment, we’ve very close,” said Amy Collings of the New Jersey department of environment protection.Traders said that if New Jersey does not enforce clean gasoline regulations, demand for the grade will fall.

To stimulate demand and prices for crude oil, oil companies try to reduce the amount of crude oil at their refineries and the stocks of unused heating fad.

A bearish signal usually means price decreasing in the market.

Quotas and “voluntary” export restraints are non-tariff barriers.

The Eastern European countries have their competitive advantages in low wages.

Hungary will be further benefited from the EC and EFTA agreements.

Antidumping duties are levied on goods sold abroad at a price below that charged in the domestic market.

Passage 1

East Europeans Fear Protectionism

With the collapse of the Comecon trading systems two years ago, the countries of Eastern Europe cut ties with one another and reoriented their trade to West European markets.Helped by the lifting of many European Community and European Free Trade Association (EFTA ) trade barriers, Eastern leaders had hoped that the signing of free trade agreements with the EC and EFTA earlier this year would further integrate their economies with the West.But a spate of measures restricting imports from the East has raised concerns across the region that Western Europe has no intention of letting the East compete on an equal footing.Western European measures：In April, the EC imposed a ban on livestock, meat and dairy products from 18 eastern countries. The EC followed with antidumping duties and “voluntary” export restraints on certain steel products from Hungary and Poland. And just days after signing the EFTA free-trade agreement in early April, Austria introduced import quotas on chemicals, cement, agricultural machinery and steel from Eastern Europe. West Europeans claim that their eastern neighbors have an unfair advantage because of low wages, state subsidies and low environmental standards.Although the EC and EFTA agreements are supposed to lift tariffs and trade barriers on most industrial goods over 10 years, most agricultural products are not included in the agreements. This is critical for Hungary, with its extensive farm sector.

The countries of Eastern Europe are welcomed by their western neighbors in foreign trade.

Passage 2

Income Gap: In fulfilling those hopes, however, Korea faces some potentially disruptive problems. Some are social. For all the progress, (deep pockets) of poverty exist throughout the country. In Seoul, glistening high-rise apartment houses jostle with warrens of slum housing; in remote rural communities people are still eking out subsistence livings. As a result, conspicuous consumption by a nouveau riche elite has become a real source of friction. In contrast to Japan, which has managed to spread its postwar wealth relatively evenly, Korea is beset by a widening income gap between rich and poor.

39、What is the usually meaning of the expression “a deep pocket”?

40、What does “deep pockets” mean here?

41、The expression “deep pockets” is used here ironically, what does it indicate?

means of production

Passage 1

To convince bottlers that the new products can match or exceed the sales of existing brands without heavy discounting or couponing, Coca-cola and PepsiCo will have to cut back on special promotion, then ply the bottlers with the (resulting) sales data. But their most useful tactic will be to offer the bottlers generous cooperative advertising deals on the new sodas, and extra money to promote the old ones. Bottlers may come in for a little arm-twisting as well. “It is often very subtle,” says an industry executive who prefers not to be named. “The Coca-cola representative will say ‘(That decision is not going to sit very well in Atlanta)’ or something like that.”

36、What is the implication of “resulting” here?

37、Whose decision is “that decision”?

38、Does “that decision” refer to something in line with Coca-cola’s top leaders’ decision or conflicting to theirs?

Bank of International Settlements

market share

manufactured goods

stock exchange

foreign-exchange reserves

trade deficit

exclusive contract

conglomerate

import quotas

债务调整

流动资产

兼并

经常项目

垄断

反通货膨胀政策

硬通货

基础设施

国内生产总值(全称)

惩罚性关税

Because of China’s encouraging foreign investment, foreign investors are (eligible) to have extra tax preference.

The state-owned enterprises are no longer (in the driver’s seat) of our foreign trade.

The (laggard) domestic economy resulted from continual civil war in the tribal region.

This occurred at the (onset) of U. S. financial crisis in 2008, deepening the recession.

The agreement on trade relations between China and Australia (comes into force) in July 2015.

The rural people in China arc getting richer and (aspire to) improve their living standard.

The government plans to (curtail) economic growth to avoid speculative bubbles.

China’s foreign trade has improved (substantially) since its reform and open policy.

Budget cuts will (wind up) costing the state more money.

The economic (underpinnings) of private industry come from our reform and open policy.

They lack the political (clout) to restore investor confidence or attract more foreign aid.

The administration sent Congress its ambitious plan to (revamp) the transport infrastructure completely.

Large number of companies move their head offices to Dubai to seek (lucrative) investment opportunities.

Big corporations usually bring much needed business (expertise) and management skills to developing countries.

Because RMB is not fully (convertible), it cannot be attacked by foreign speculators.