Money matters, no matter who or where you are. So when China’s currency the yuan was devalued (贬值) against the US dollar for three straight days in mid-August, the world felt the effects. As CNN put it: “If China sneezes, the world catches a cold.”
Why does it matter so much?
The exchange rate is the term for the comparison of two currencies. It says how much one currency is worth in terms of (换算) the other.
“Exchange rates play an important role in a country’s level of trade. It is one of the most important determinants (决定因素) of a country’s relative level of economic health,” wrote Jason Van Bergen of Forbes.com. A higher currency makes a country’s exports more expensive and imports cheaper, and vice versa (反之亦然).
Devaluation means the same amount of RMB can be exchanged for fewer USD. For example, on Aug 11, the exchange rate of RMB to USD was 6.23, which meant $1 was worth the same as 6.23 yuan. Two days later, the rate changed to 6.4, meaning the value of RMB had dropped by 2.7 percent.
So what does a weaker currency mean for our lives?
It first affects those who want to travel to, or study in, the US. If your former classmate is leaving for a preparatory (预科) school in the US at the end of August, it now costs about 1,800 yuan more to exchange currency for 10,000 US dollars than it did earlier this month. However, since many currencies have decreased in value, the value of yuan is still relatively high despite the recent devaluation. This means it costs 1,200 yuan less to get 10,000 Canadian dollars now than it did in March.
Even if we don’t have plans to travel abroad, though, we could still be affected. For example, your mother will have to pay more if she buys directly from overseas websites with US dollars. And chances are that imported chocolate and potato chips will soon be a bit more expensive in your local supermarket.
However, the weaker yuan is good news for Chinese exporters. It makes Chinese exports less expensive and it could boost the overseas sales that have been among the main reasons for China’s economic growth during its rise over the past 30 years.
Just as Erik Britton of Fathom, a London-based economic consulting firm, told The Guardian: “We’re all going to feel it: we’ll feel it through commodities (商品), not just from China but from everywhere that has to compete with it; and we’ll feel it through wages.”
“The devalued yuan will force China’s Asian rivals (竞争对手), such as Indonesia and South Korea, to compete even harder,” wrote Heather Stewart, economics editor of The Guardian. “The result may be cheaper Christmas presents.”
According to the passage, it can be learned from the passage EXCEPT___________
A.The higher China’s currency is , the less expensive potato chips from America become. |
B.In March people spent 1,200 yuan more to get 10,000 Canadian dollars than they do today because Canadian dollars increased in value. |
C.China’s currency’s devaluation against the US dollar in mid-August makes students studying in America pay more school fees. |
D.People who work in Fathom will be greatly affected on account of the weaker yuan. |
The passage implies that ___________.
A.The yuan’s devaluation contributes a lot to China’s economic growth . |
B.Exchange rates are the most important factor determining a country’s relative level of economic health |
C.The yuan’s devaluation has a great impact on all the countries in the world. |
D.Chinese exports sell well overseas because of their high quality |
If the exchange rate of RMB to USD increased from 6.5 to 6.7, how much more percent would you pay when you bought a bag worth $100?
A.2.7 | B.5.4 | C.20.0 | D.3.1 |
Hobbs was an orphan(孤儿). He worked in a factory and every day he got a little money. Hard work made him thin and weak. He wanted to borrow a lot of money to learn to paint pictures, but he did not think he could pay off the debts.
One day a lawyer said to him, “One thousand dollars, and here is the money.” As Hobbs took the package of notes, he was very dumbfounded. He didn’t know where the money came from and how to spend it. He said to himself, “I could go to find a hotel and live like a rich man for a few days; or I give up my work in the factory and do what I’d like to do: painting pictures. I could do that for a few weeks, but what would I do after that? I should have lost my place in the factory and have no money to live on. If it were a little less money, I would buy a new coat, or a radio, or give a dinner to my friends. If it were more, I could give up the work and pay for painting pictures. But it’s too much for one and too little for the other.”
“Here is the reading of your uncle’s will(遗嘱),” said the lawyer, “telling what is to be done with this money after his death. I must ask you to remember one point. Your uncle has said you must bring me a paper showing exactly what you did with his money, as soon as you have spent it.”
“Yes, I see. I’ll do that,” said the young man.Hobbs wanted to borrow money to _______.
A.study abroad | B.work abroad |
C.pay off the debts | D.learn to paint pictures |
What does the underlined word “dumbfounded” (in Paragraph 2) probably mean?
A.Surprised. | B.Frightened. | C.Satisfied. | D.Excited. |
With the money he got, at first Hobbs _______.
A.planned to have a happy life for a few days |
B.decided to give up his work in the factory |
C.was to give a dinner to his friends |
D.had no idea what to do |
Hobbs was asked to _______.
A.tell the lawyer what he did with the money after spending it |
B.read his uncle’s will |
C.tell his uncle what was to be done with the money |
D.buy some pictures |
How much money did Hobbs get?
A. one hundred dollars | B. one thousand dollars |
C. one thousand pounds | D. one thousand dollar |
Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap,strong and fast.He was able to se11 millions of models because he could produce them in large numbers at a time;that is,he made a great many cars of exactly the same kind. Ford’s father hoped that his son would become a farmer,but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit(底特律)where he worked as a mechanic(机械师).By the age of 29,in 1892,he had built his first car.However,the car made in this way,the famous “Model T” did not appear until 1908-----five years after Ford had started his great motor car factory.This car showed to be so well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty years.Since Ford’s time,this way of producing cars in large numbers has become common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would otherwise be very expensive.Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars.
A.cheap and strong | B.cheap and long |
C.fast and expensive | D.strong and slow |
Ford was able to sell millions of cars,because_____.
A.he made many great cars |
B.his cars are many |
C.he made lots of cars of the same kind |
D.both A and B |
The young man became a mechanic,_______.
A.which was his father’s will |
B.which was against his own will |
C.which was against his father’s will |
D.which was the will of both |
The “Model T” was very famous_____.
A.before 1908 | B.between 1982 and 1908 |
C.before 1892 | D.after 1908 |
Ford built his own car factory_____?
A.in 1903 | B.in 1908 | C.in 1913 | D.in 1897 |
One day a student went to see his teacher. He had been given an important position and now was coming to say goodbye to his teacher. The old man asked him how he would live among high officials. The student answered, “ I will be all right. I have prepared a hundred high hats, one for each official I will meet. I am sure I will succeed.” The teacher got angry on hearing this. “What?” he cried. “Is this what ten years of my teaching has made of you? Nothing but flatterer(拍马屁的人)?” “Excuse me, honored(尊敬的) master,” the student rose to his feet and apologized hurriedly. “But you have always been absorbed in(沉浸于) your studies and don’t know how vulgar(庸俗的) the world has come to be. There are few men in the world who are above flatterers like you.” “There is something true in what you said,” the teacher nodded, smiling with one of the student’s “high hats” on.The student came to say goodbye to his teacher because_____________.
A.he had got hundred hats to sell |
B.he had got a fairly high position in society |
C.he wanted to see his parents in his home town |
D.he moved away to another city |
The student would live among high officials by___________.
A.selling hats to them |
B.making a hundred hats for them |
C.flattering them |
D.serving them |
The teacher was angry with__________.
A.himself | B.the society | C.his student | D.high officials |
The phrase “rose to his feet” means________.
A.stood up | B.kicked with his feet |
C.became quite excited | D.raised his feet |
The teacher____________.
A.liked to be flattered as well |
B.really knew nothing about the vulgar world |
C.was in need of a high hat |
D.was satisfied with the new hat |
A.Decide to Be Happy B.Lower Your Expectations C.Learn to Enjoy the Moment D. Look for the Good in Everything E. Let People Deal with Their Own Problems F. Focus More on What You Can Control Than on What You Can’t |
So many times I hear people say that they will be happy once a certain event occurs. They think that once they move into a new house, start their new job, travel or retire they will be happy. But it doesn’t work that way.
If you truly want to be happy, here’s what to do.
1 |
You are not just a victim of circumstances or your emotions. Think about it this way. If you are in a horrible argument with someone, and the person you most respect enters the room, what will happen? The fighting will likely stop immediately, your mood will change, and so will your behavior. You do have control, and you are the one who decides how you will face the day!
2 |
We are never disappointed unless we have expectations. If you base your emotions on the need for certain things to happen, you will likely be let down most of the time. Instead, work hard, and treat everything good that happens as a bonus for which you can be thankful.
3 |
Don’t get too wrapped up in issues involving friends or family. We are each responsible for our own lives, and even when someone makes a bad mistake, it is not up to you to make things better. And remember that worry doesn’t help anyone!
4 |
You might not be satisfied with your income, but there’s no point complaining about it. Improve your diploma so that you can get a better job in the future. You may have an incurable illness, such as diabetes, but the fact that it’s incurable doesn’t mean that it cannot be managed.
5 |
You don’t have to be a Pollyanna(盲目乐观者)about life, but you can see the bright side of almost every situation if you just make a point of looking for it. Happiness is not an uncatchable mouse! Once you have made up your mind that you are going to be happy despite what is going on around you, the task becomes easier. One of the key things to remember is that happiness doesn’t come from outside but begins on the inside and actually spread outward, and can influence everyone around you in a positive manner.
Combining families with kids can be tough and offers even more unexpected problems. You just don’t know how things will shake out until everyone is under one roof, trying on new roles with name that start with “step”. This is what happened to Sheila and Will, and Sheila’s 8-year-old daughter Ashley. After the couple got married, and Will became the member of the new family, things got worse than expected. How did they make it work? Read the full version of the story here.
Shelia’s Turn: When Shelia and Will were dating, he seemed like kids, especially Ashley. He’d bring her presents, play games with her. But after the wedding, things took a turn. Will suddenly became a super strict stepfather, scolding Ashley for watching too much cartoons, constantly picking fights and punishing her for offenses as small as spilling milk. Shelia’s thought about leaving Will, but soon after they married, they had a son, Billy. Will adores his well-behaved boy, but Ashley hates him. Shelia doesn’t know what to do--- her daughter is miserable, but leaving her husband might mean losing her son.
Will’s turn: Will was so excited to be a male role model in Ashley’s life. He didn’t just want to be a guy living in her house; he wanted to treat her like his own daughter, which, to Will, meant giving Ashley more rules and help her learn responsibility. He’d always felt that Shelia let Ashley loose on everything. But after the wedding, Will was surprised that Shelia didn’t want him to do that. If Will takes away Ashley’s TV privileges or tells her to clean up her room, Shelia just lets Ashley do what she likes and does it herself. Will was tired of this and he’d rather take his son and go.
The advisor’s turn: The counselor(顾问) quickly recognized their conflict as a classic case of unspoken, hidden expectations. Before the wedding, when it was just Shelia and Will, everything was easy. But now, everyone in their big family is competing for attention, and the couple never sat down and discussed the biggest issue---their child-upbringing philosophies(育儿经). The counselor suggested Shelia allow Will to give some rules on Ashley but Will’s punishments couldn’t be extreme. Once Ashley saw that her mom and stepdad had become a united front, she cooperated more.The text is most likely to be found in a book about______.
A.popular science | B.historical events |
C.social problems | D.political systems |
The reasons for Ashley’s dislike of Will are as follows except_____?
A.Will often picked fights with Ashley. |
B.Ashley often spilled milk on the floor. |
C.Will always punished her for bad behaviors. |
D.Ashley was stopped watching too many cartoons. |
What can we know about Will?
A.Will has a good intention. |
B.Will does not love children |
C.Will does not love Shelia any more |
D.Will’s way of parenting is very perfect. |
It can be inferred from the passage that the advisor’s attitude to their problem?
A.Negative | B.Objective | C.Critical | D.. Subjective |