【2004英一text3】美国经济疲软？和鸭鸭一样的普通人需要焦虑吗？
原文初读
P1
When it comes to the slowing economy , Ellen Spero isn' t
biting her nails
just yet . But the 47-year-old
manicurist
isn ' t cutting , filing or polishing as many nails as she' d like to , either . Most of her
clients
spend $12 to $50 weekly , but last month two longtime customers suddenly stopped showing up . Spero blames the
softening
economy . " I ' m a good economic indicator ," she says ." I provide a service that people can
do without
when they ' re concerned about saving some dollars ." So Spero is
downscaling
, shopping at
middle-brow
Dillard ' s department store near her
suburban
Cleveland home , instead of Neiman Marcus ." I don' t know if other clients are going to abandon me , too ," she says .
P2
Even before Alan Greenspan' s
admission
that America' s red-hot economy is cooling , lots of working
folks
had already seen signs of the slowdown themselves . From car
dealerships
to Gap
outlets
, sales have been
lagging
for months as shoppers
temper
their spending . For
retailers
, who last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas , the cautious
approach
is coming at a crucial time . Already , experts say , holiday sales are off 7 percent from last year' s pace . But don' t sound any alarms just yet . Consumers seem only mildly concerned , not
panicked
, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy' s long-term
prospects
even as they do some
modest belt-tightening
.
P3
Consumers say they' re not in despair because , despite the
dreadful
headlines , their own
fortunes
still feel pretty good . Home prices are holding steady in most regions . In Manhattan ," there' s a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range ,
predominantly
fed by Wall Street bonuses ," says
broker
Barbara Corcoran . In San Francisco , prices are still rising even as
frenzied
overbidding
quiets ." Instead of 20 to 30
offers
, now maybe you only get two or three ," says John Tealdi , a Bay Area
real-estate broker
. And most folks still feel pretty comfortable about their ability to find and keep a job .
P4
Many folks see
silver linings
to this slowdown . Potential home buyers would cheer for lower
interest rates
. Employers wouldn ' t mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market . Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings , which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a
sustained
boom . Diners might see an
upside
, too . Getting a table at Manhattan ' s hot new Alain Ducasse restaurant used to be impossible . Not anymore . For that , Greenspan & Co . may still be worth
toasting
.
重点单词／短语理解
biting one's nails：手足无措
manicurist：n 指甲美容师
client：n 客户
soften：v 放缓，疲软
do without：没有…也行
downscale：v 卖出／买进（价廉质次的商品）
middle-brow：adj 中档的；品味一般的
suburban：adj 效区的
admission：n （尤指对过错、罪行的）承认，招认，招供
folk：n 人们
dealership：n 专项商品经销店
outlet：n 专营店；折扣店
lag：v 发展缓慢，落后
temper：v 使缓和
retailer：n 零售商人
approach：n 方法
panicked：adj 受惊的
prospect：n 将来成功的机会；前途
modest：adj 不太大的，适度的
belt-tightening：n 缩减开支（勒紧裤腰带）
dreadful：adj 可怕的
fortune：n（个人的）命运
predominantly：adv 主要地，多数情况下
broker：n 经济人
frenzied：adj 狂热的，疯狂的
overbid：v 出价高于（某物）的价值；出价高于（别人）
offer：n 出价，报价
real-estate broker：房地产经济人
silver lining：（不幸或失望中的）一线希望
interest rate：利率
sustained：adj 持续的
upside：n （糟糕局面的）好的一面
真题再现
31.By " Ellen Spero isn ' t biting her nails just yet "( Line 1, Paragraph 1), the author means [A] Spero can hardly maintain her business [B]Spero is too much engaged in her work [ C ] Spero has grown out of her bad habit [ D ] Spero is not in a desperate situation 32.How do the public feel about the current economic situation ? [ A ] Optimistic . [ B ] Confused . [ C ] Carefree . [ D ] Panicked . 33.When mentioning " the $4 million to $10 million range "( Lines 3, Paragraph 3), the author is talking about [ A ] gold market [ B ] real estate [ C ] stock exchange [ D ] venture investment 34.Why can many people see " silver linings " to the economic slowdown ? [ A ] They would benefit in certain ways . [ B ] The stock market shows signs of recovery . [ C ] Such a slowdown usually precedes a boom . [ D ] The purchasing power would be enhanced . 35.To which of the following is the author likely to agree ? [ A ] A new boom , on the horizon . [ B ] Tighten the belt , the single
remedy
. [ C ] Caution all right , panic not . [ D ] The more ventures , the more chances .
答案速查：DABAC
真题解析：
31.正确理解 biting her nails 短语，同时结合下文句中But the 47-year-old
manicurist
isn ' t cutting , filing or polishing as many nails as she' d like to , either . 暗含的转折关系可以推断，Spero的处境并不是很绝望。锁定选项D。从全文的中心基调也可以看出经济疲软并不需要拉响警报，人们也并不绝望。 32.理解文章中心思想即可选出。 33.结合上文 Home prices are holding steady in most regions . 和下文says
broker
，可以看出这里讲的是房地产市场。正确理解 gold rush：淘金热，通常可用来指代a sudden happening that brings good fortune (as a sudden opportunity to make money) 34.后文列举的事例都说明许多人从这当中可以获得好处。其余选项无中生有，文中并不能看出。 35.理解中心思想即可。
B：勒紧裤腰带是唯一的补救方法。
remedy
:
n.
救济；治疗；处理方法；改进措施；补偿；疗法；药品；(通过法律程序的)解决方法;
vt.
纠正；改正；改进 文中只描述了这一现象，并没有讲补救方法。主观臆断。 A，D文中也没有提到。
