passage 1
Why Does food cost so much
In 1959 the average American family paid $989 for a years supply of food. In 1972 the family paid $1,311. That was a price increase of nearly one-third. Every family has had this sort of experience. Everyone agrees that the cost of feeding a family has risen sharply. But there is less agreement when reasons for the rise are being discussed. Who is really responsible?
Many blame the farmers who produce the vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, and cheese that stores offer for sale. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the farmers share of the $1,311 spent by the family in 1972 was $521. This was 31 per cent more than the farmer had received in 1959.
But farmers claim that this increase was very small compared to the increase in their cost of living. Farmers tend to blame others for the sharp rise in food prices. They particularly blame those who process the farm products after the products leave the farm. These include truck drivers, meat packers, manufacturers of packages and other food containers, and the owners of stores where food is sold. They are among the middlemen who stand between the farmer and the people who buy and eat the food. Are middlemen the ones to blame for rising food prices?
Of the $1,311 family food bill in 1972, middlemen received $790, which was 33 per cent more than they had received in 1959. It appears that the middlemens profit has increased more than farmers. But some economists claim that the middlemans actual profit was very low. According to economists at the First National City Bank, the profit for meat packers and food stores amounted to less than one per cent. During the same period all others manufacturers were making a profit of more than 5 per cent. By comparison with other members of the economic system both farmers and middlemen have profited surprisingly little from the rise in food prices.
Who then is actually responsible for the size of the bill a housewife must pay before she carries the food home from the store? The economists at First National City Bank have an answer to give housewives, but many people will not like it. These economists blame the housewife herself for the jump in food prices. They say that food costs more now because women dont want to spend much time in the kitchen. Women prefer to buy food which has already been prepared before it reaches the market.
Vegetables and chicken cost more when they have been cut into pieces by someone other than the one who buys it. A family should expect to pay more when several TV dinners are taken home from the store. These are fully cooked meals, consisting of meat, vegetables, and sometimes desert, all arranged on a metal dish. The dish is put into the oven and heated while the housewife is doing something else. Such a convenience costs money. Thus, as economists point out: Some of the basic reasons for widening food price spreads are easily traceable to the increasing use of convenience foods, which transfer much of the time and work of meal preparation from the kitchen to the food processors plant.
Economists remind us that many modern housewives have jobs outside the home. They earn money that helps to pay the family food bills. The housewife naturally has less time and energy for cooking after a days work. She wants to buy many kinds of food that can be put on her familys table easily and quickly. If the housewife wants all of these, the economists say, that is her privilege, but she must be prepared to pay for the services of those who make her work easier.
It appears that the answer to the question of rising prices is not a simple one. Producers, consumers, and middlemen all share the responsibility for the sharp rise in food costs.
練習：
1. Paragraph 3_________________
2. Paragraph 4_________________
3. Paragraph 5_________________
4. Paragraph 6_________________
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
D Middlemens Limited Share in the Additional Profit
E Farmers Denial of Increased Profit
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
5.Many people agree that food prices have increased sharply but they have failed _____
6.The farmers have not been benefited very much__________.
7.Housewives have to pay for the time they save_____________.
8.The economists have come to the conclusion that the cause of increased food prices lies in ____________.
A Nor have the middlemen
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
to agree on the reasons for the increase
E by buying prepared food
F the popularization of convenience food
答案及解析：
1.文章標題分析：Why Does food cost so much
藉助文章中相關的句子對文章主題進行進一步的了解：
In 1959 the average American family paid $989 for a years supply of food. In 1972 the family paid $1,311. That was a price increase of nearly one-third. average: n. 平均, 平均數adj. 一般的, 通常的, 平均的 vt. 平均為
synonyms: fair, medium, middle, ordinary, usual
e.g. What is the average rainfall for August in your country?
你們國家八月份的平均降雨量是多少?
on average通常;按平均
2.對概括大意的備選項進行分析，抓住核心詞。
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
D Middlemens Limited Share in the Additional Profit
E Farmers Denial of Increased Profit
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
分析：被選項中D和E在語意上相關：都與利潤相關，而且有成對比的對象：中間人和農夫 Deny vt 否認;否定;拒絕相信
e.g. He said that I had stolen his bicycle, but I denied it.
他說我偷了他的自行車，可是我否認了。
Synonyms: refuse, reject
3.看指定段落，確認小標題。
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
D Middlemens Limited Share in the Additional Profit
E Farmers Denial of Increased Profit
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
3 But farmers claim that this increase was very small compared to the increase in their cost of living. Farmers tend to blame others for the sharp rise in food prices. They particularly blame those who process the farm products after the products leave the farm. These include truck drivers, meat packers, manufacturers of packages and other food containers, and the owners of stores where food is sold. They are among the middlemen who stand between the farmer and the people who buy and eat the food. Are middlemen the ones to blame for rising food prices?
E.分析：注意到段落中多處出現了farmers，但同時也出現了Middlemen，因此答案很可能出自於D和E。藉助相關語句的句意判斷E與段首句的大意一致，而D的說法在該段中並不能推導出，因此答案為E。 sharp: adj. 鋒利的，尖的,敏捷的;靈敏的; 突然的;急劇的adv.準時地;整
at seven oclock sharp 七點整
a sharp knife 鋒利的小刀
a sharp turn to the left 向左急轉
Compare vt比較;對照; 比作
e.g. Mans life is often compared to a candle.
人生常被喻為蠟燭。
e.g. Living in a town cant compare with living in the country in many respects.
在許多方面城市生活比不上在鄉村生活。
Blame vt. 責備
e.g. They blamed the secretary for the delay of the plan.
他們怪罪秘書造成計劃延誤。
be to blame 應受譴責
e.g. The driver was not to blame for the traffic accident.
那次交通事故不應該責怪司機。
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
D Middlemens Limited Share in the Additional Profit
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
4 Of the $1,311 family food bill in 1972, middlemen received $790, which was 33 percent more than they had received in 1959. It appears that the middlemens profit has increased more than farmers. But some economists claim that the middlemans actual profit was very low. According to economists at the First National City Bank, the profit for meat packers and food stores amounted to less than one percent. During the same period all others manufacturers were making a profit of more than 5 per cent. By comparison with other members of the economic system both farmers and middlemen have profited surprisingly little from the rise in food prices.
分析：同樣發現該段中有典型的關鍵詞重複的特徵，藉助該詞初步判斷D是答案，而該段最後一句的句意與D一致，因此判斷D是答案。 appear: vi. 出現, 看來;似乎
e.g. The sun appeared on the horizon. 太陽在地平線上出現。
e.g. She appears very tired. 她顯得很疲勞。
e.g. He appears to want to leave. 他看來要走
amount n 數量, vi 等於;總計達
e.g. large amounts of /a large amount/sum of money 大量的金錢
e.g. In an invoice the amount of money should be written both in words and in figures. 發票上的錢數要用字和數碼寫出來。
e.g. Their traveling expenses amount to seven hundred dollars.
他們的旅費共達700 美元。
e.g. Your words amount to a refusal.
你的話等於回絕了。
Less than: 小於
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
5 Who then is actually responsible for the size of the bill a housewife must pay before she carries the food home from the store? The economists at First National City Bank have an answer to give housewives, but many people will not like it. These economists blame the housewife herself for the jump in food prices. They say that food costs more now because women dont want to spend much time in the kitchen. Women prefer to buy food which has already been prepared before it reaches the market.
B. 分析：段落中重複的出現了housewife，但不難發現F只是干擾項：Jobs根本在該段中沒有出現，對比其他選項發現B是答案 responsible adj. 有責任的;應負責任的; 負責任的;可靠的
e.g. The bus driver is responsible for the passengers safety.
公共汽車司機應對乘客的安全負責。
prefer vt. 寧可, 寧願; 更喜歡;
e.g. prefer doing to talking喜歡做而不喜歡說
e.g. prefer to die rather than surrender寧死不屈
比較：refer vt.提交, 提到, 指, 查閱
e.g. the question referred to所談到的問題
e.g. refer to the dictionary查字典
A The Cost of Convenience
C The Effect of Inflation
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
6 Vegetables and chicken cost more when they have been cut into pieces by someone other than the one who buys it. A family should expect to pay more when several TV dinners are taken home from the store. These are fully cooked meals, consisting of meat, vegetables, and sometimes desert, all arranged on a metal dish. The dish is put into the oven and heated while the housewife is doing something else. Such a convenience costs money. Thus, as economists point out: Some of the basic reasons for widening food price spreads are easily traceable to the increasing use of convenience foods, which transfer much of the time and work of meal preparation from the kitchen to the food processors plant.
分析：段落中沒有明顯重複出現的詞語/短語，但是在段落末尾的句子中發現了A中的核心詞，但包含該句的句子結構似乎較複雜，所以藉助段首句句意解題，判斷答案為A。 other than 除了，除之外; 與不同;與不同方式
e.g. Theres nobody here other than me. 除了我這裡沒別人。
e.g. You cant get there other than by swimming. 你只能靠游泳游到那邊去。
比較：
rather than不是。。而是;寧可。。而不願。。
e.g. These shoes are comfortable rather than pretty. 這雙鞋不好看，但是舒服。
e.g. We would rather receive money than the usual gifts.
我們寧可接受錢而不希望受到通常的禮物。
more than比。。更加。。
e.g. He is more intelligent than his brother. 他比他哥哥更聰明。
e.g. I like football more than swimming. 我喜愛足球勝過游泳。
transfer vt, vi遷移;調任;換車;換船
synonyms: deliver, hand over, pass
e.g. His employer transferred him to another office.
老闆把他調到了另一個辦公室。
比較：
Transmit vt.傳輸, 轉送, 傳達,發射
synonyms: dispatch, send over, transfer
Transport vt運輸;運送
e.g. The goods were transported by train.
貨物是用火車來運輸的。
對於該部分題注意利用語法和搭配句意判斷答案。
A Nor have the middlemen
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
D to agree on the reasons for the increase
E by buying prepared food
F the popularization of convenience food
5 Many people agree that food prices have increased sharply but they have failed _____
分析：直接根據搭配語法判斷答案可能出自D或B。fail to do sth./沒有做。。;而再根據搭配句意判斷D最合適。 Failure n.失敗, 失敗的人, 故障, [美]不及格, 不履行; 疏忽
e.g. failure of electricity/ power failure停電
e.g. engine failure發動機失靈
e.g. failure to keep a promise失約
A Nor have the middlemen
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
E by buying prepared food
F the popularization of convenience food
1. The farmers have not been benefited very much， __________.
分析：根據空格前句的句意和語法特點，判斷A正確。 Nor conj也不; 也不;又不
e.g. Neither he nor his friends came back. 他和他的朋友都沒有回來。
e.g. I dont want to go, nor will I. 我不想去，也不會去。
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
E by buying prepared food
F the popularization of convenience food
2. Housewives have to pay for the time they save_____________.
分析：根據搭配句意選擇E。
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
F the popularization of convenience food
3. The economists have come to the conclusion that the cause of increased food prices lies in ____________.
分析：根據語法：介詞後要跟名詞性結構，不能直接跟從句結構。因此F合適。
Why Does food cost so much
In 1959 the average American family paid $989 for a years supply of food. In 1972 the family paid $1,311. That was a price increase of nearly one-third. Every family has had this sort of experience. Everyone agrees that the cost of feeding a family has risen sharply. But there is less agreement when reasons for the rise are being discussed. Who is really responsible?
Many blame the farmers who produce the vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, and cheese that stores offer for sale. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the farmers share of the $1,311 spent by the family in 1972 was $521. This was 31 per cent more than the farmer had received in 1959.
But farmers claim that this increase was very small compared to the increase in their cost of living. Farmers tend to blame others for the sharp rise in food prices. They particularly blame those who process the farm products after the products leave the farm. These include truck drivers, meat packers, manufacturers of packages and other food containers, and the owners of stores where food is sold. They are among the middlemen who stand between the farmer and the people who buy and eat the food. Are middlemen the ones to blame for rising food prices?
Of the $1,311 family food bill in 1972, middlemen received $790, which was 33 per cent more than they had received in 1959. It appears that the middlemens profit has increased more than farmers. But some economists claim that the middlemans actual profit was very low. According to economists at the First National City Bank, the profit for meat packers and food stores amounted to less than one per cent. During the same period all others manufacturers were making a profit of more than 5 per cent. By comparison with other members of the economic system both farmers and middlemen have profited surprisingly little from the rise in food prices.
Who then is actually responsible for the size of the bill a housewife must pay before she carries the food home from the store? The economists at First National City Bank have an answer to give housewives, but many people will not like it. These economists blame the housewife herself for the jump in food prices. They say that food costs more now because women dont want to spend much time in the kitchen. Women prefer to buy food which has already been prepared before it reaches the market.
Vegetables and chicken cost more when they have been cut into pieces by someone other than the one who buys it. A family should expect to pay more when several TV dinners are taken home from the store. These are fully cooked meals, consisting of meat, vegetables, and sometimes desert, all arranged on a metal dish. The dish is put into the oven and heated while the housewife is doing something else. Such a convenience costs money. Thus, as economists point out: Some of the basic reasons for widening food price spreads are easily traceable to the increasing use of convenience foods, which transfer much of the time and work of meal preparation from the kitchen to the food processors plant.
Economists remind us that many modern housewives have jobs outside the home. They earn money that helps to pay the family food bills. The housewife naturally has less time and energy for cooking after a days work. She wants to buy many kinds of food that can be put on her familys table easily and quickly. If the housewife wants all of these, the economists say, that is her privilege, but she must be prepared to pay for the services of those who make her work easier.
It appears that the answer to the question of rising prices is not a simple one. Producers, consumers, and middlemen all share the responsibility for the sharp rise in food costs.
練習：
1. Paragraph 3_________________
2. Paragraph 4_________________
3. Paragraph 5_________________
4. Paragraph 6_________________
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
D Middlemens Limited Share in the Additional Profit
E Farmers Denial of Increased Profit
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
5.Many people agree that food prices have increased sharply but they have failed _____
6.The farmers have not been benefited very much__________.
7.Housewives have to pay for the time they save_____________.
8.The economists have come to the conclusion that the cause of increased food prices lies in ____________.
A Nor have the middlemen
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
to agree on the reasons for the increase
E by buying prepared food
F the popularization of convenience food
答案及解析：
1.文章標題分析：Why Does food cost so much
藉助文章中相關的句子對文章主題進行進一步的了解：
In 1959 the average American family paid $989 for a years supply of food. In 1972 the family paid $1,311. That was a price increase of nearly one-third. average: n. 平均, 平均數adj. 一般的, 通常的, 平均的 vt. 平均為
synonyms: fair, medium, middle, ordinary, usual
e.g. What is the average rainfall for August in your country?
你們國家八月份的平均降雨量是多少?
on average通常;按平均
2.對概括大意的備選項進行分析，抓住核心詞。
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
D Middlemens Limited Share in the Additional Profit
E Farmers Denial of Increased Profit
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
分析：被選項中D和E在語意上相關：都與利潤相關，而且有成對比的對象：中間人和農夫 Deny vt 否認;否定;拒絕相信
e.g. He said that I had stolen his bicycle, but I denied it.
他說我偷了他的自行車，可是我否認了。
Synonyms: refuse, reject
3.看指定段落，確認小標題。
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
D Middlemens Limited Share in the Additional Profit
E Farmers Denial of Increased Profit
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
3 But farmers claim that this increase was very small compared to the increase in their cost of living. Farmers tend to blame others for the sharp rise in food prices. They particularly blame those who process the farm products after the products leave the farm. These include truck drivers, meat packers, manufacturers of packages and other food containers, and the owners of stores where food is sold. They are among the middlemen who stand between the farmer and the people who buy and eat the food. Are middlemen the ones to blame for rising food prices?
E.分析：注意到段落中多處出現了farmers，但同時也出現了Middlemen，因此答案很可能出自於D和E。藉助相關語句的句意判斷E與段首句的大意一致，而D的說法在該段中並不能推導出，因此答案為E。 sharp: adj. 鋒利的，尖的,敏捷的;靈敏的; 突然的;急劇的adv.準時地;整
at seven oclock sharp 七點整
a sharp knife 鋒利的小刀
a sharp turn to the left 向左急轉
Compare vt比較;對照; 比作
e.g. Mans life is often compared to a candle.
人生常被喻為蠟燭。
e.g. Living in a town cant compare with living in the country in many respects.
在許多方面城市生活比不上在鄉村生活。
Blame vt. 責備
e.g. They blamed the secretary for the delay of the plan.
他們怪罪秘書造成計劃延誤。
be to blame 應受譴責
e.g. The driver was not to blame for the traffic accident.
那次交通事故不應該責怪司機。
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
D Middlemens Limited Share in the Additional Profit
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
4 Of the $1,311 family food bill in 1972, middlemen received $790, which was 33 percent more than they had received in 1959. It appears that the middlemens profit has increased more than farmers. But some economists claim that the middlemans actual profit was very low. According to economists at the First National City Bank, the profit for meat packers and food stores amounted to less than one percent. During the same period all others manufacturers were making a profit of more than 5 per cent. By comparison with other members of the economic system both farmers and middlemen have profited surprisingly little from the rise in food prices.
分析：同樣發現該段中有典型的關鍵詞重複的特徵，藉助該詞初步判斷D是答案，而該段最後一句的句意與D一致，因此判斷D是答案。 appear: vi. 出現, 看來;似乎
e.g. The sun appeared on the horizon. 太陽在地平線上出現。
e.g. She appears very tired. 她顯得很疲勞。
e.g. He appears to want to leave. 他看來要走
amount n 數量, vi 等於;總計達
e.g. large amounts of /a large amount/sum of money 大量的金錢
e.g. In an invoice the amount of money should be written both in words and in figures. 發票上的錢數要用字和數碼寫出來。
e.g. Their traveling expenses amount to seven hundred dollars.
他們的旅費共達700 美元。
e.g. Your words amount to a refusal.
你的話等於回絕了。
Less than: 小於
A The Cost of Convenience
B A Surprising Answer Given by the Economists
C The Effect of Inflation
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
5 Who then is actually responsible for the size of the bill a housewife must pay before she carries the food home from the store? The economists at First National City Bank have an answer to give housewives, but many people will not like it. These economists blame the housewife herself for the jump in food prices. They say that food costs more now because women dont want to spend much time in the kitchen. Women prefer to buy food which has already been prepared before it reaches the market.
B. 分析：段落中重複的出現了housewife，但不難發現F只是干擾項：Jobs根本在該段中沒有出現，對比其他選項發現B是答案 responsible adj. 有責任的;應負責任的; 負責任的;可靠的
e.g. The bus driver is responsible for the passengers safety.
公共汽車司機應對乘客的安全負責。
prefer vt. 寧可, 寧願; 更喜歡;
e.g. prefer doing to talking喜歡做而不喜歡說
e.g. prefer to die rather than surrender寧死不屈
比較：refer vt.提交, 提到, 指, 查閱
e.g. the question referred to所談到的問題
e.g. refer to the dictionary查字典
A The Cost of Convenience
C The Effect of Inflation
F Housewives Need to Find Jobs
6 Vegetables and chicken cost more when they have been cut into pieces by someone other than the one who buys it. A family should expect to pay more when several TV dinners are taken home from the store. These are fully cooked meals, consisting of meat, vegetables, and sometimes desert, all arranged on a metal dish. The dish is put into the oven and heated while the housewife is doing something else. Such a convenience costs money. Thus, as economists point out: Some of the basic reasons for widening food price spreads are easily traceable to the increasing use of convenience foods, which transfer much of the time and work of meal preparation from the kitchen to the food processors plant.
分析：段落中沒有明顯重複出現的詞語/短語，但是在段落末尾的句子中發現了A中的核心詞，但包含該句的句子結構似乎較複雜，所以藉助段首句句意解題，判斷答案為A。 other than 除了，除之外; 與不同;與不同方式
e.g. Theres nobody here other than me. 除了我這裡沒別人。
e.g. You cant get there other than by swimming. 你只能靠游泳游到那邊去。
比較：
rather than不是。。而是;寧可。。而不願。。
e.g. These shoes are comfortable rather than pretty. 這雙鞋不好看，但是舒服。
e.g. We would rather receive money than the usual gifts.
我們寧可接受錢而不希望受到通常的禮物。
more than比。。更加。。
e.g. He is more intelligent than his brother. 他比他哥哥更聰明。
e.g. I like football more than swimming. 我喜愛足球勝過游泳。
transfer vt, vi遷移;調任;換車;換船
synonyms: deliver, hand over, pass
e.g. His employer transferred him to another office.
老闆把他調到了另一個辦公室。
比較：
Transmit vt.傳輸, 轉送, 傳達,發射
synonyms: dispatch, send over, transfer
Transport vt運輸;運送
e.g. The goods were transported by train.
貨物是用火車來運輸的。
對於該部分題注意利用語法和搭配句意判斷答案。
A Nor have the middlemen
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
D to agree on the reasons for the increase
E by buying prepared food
F the popularization of convenience food
5 Many people agree that food prices have increased sharply but they have failed _____
分析：直接根據搭配語法判斷答案可能出自D或B。fail to do sth./沒有做。。;而再根據搭配句意判斷D最合適。 Failure n.失敗, 失敗的人, 故障, [美]不及格, 不履行; 疏忽
e.g. failure of electricity/ power failure停電
e.g. engine failure發動機失靈
e.g. failure to keep a promise失約
A Nor have the middlemen
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
E by buying prepared food
F the popularization of convenience food
1. The farmers have not been benefited very much， __________.
分析：根據空格前句的句意和語法特點，判斷A正確。 Nor conj也不; 也不;又不
e.g. Neither he nor his friends came back. 他和他的朋友都沒有回來。
e.g. I dont want to go, nor will I. 我不想去，也不會去。
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
E by buying prepared food
F the popularization of convenience food
2. Housewives have to pay for the time they save_____________.
分析：根據搭配句意選擇E。
B to increase the prices for food
C that they cannot agree on the causes of the increase in prices
F the popularization of convenience food
3. The economists have come to the conclusion that the cause of increased food prices lies in ____________.
分析：根據語法：介詞後要跟名詞性結構，不能直接跟從句結構。因此F合適。
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