考研英语经济类阅读理解及答案解析
考研,除了做教育类的英语阅读理解之外,还可以做做经济类型的。下面是学习啦小编给大家整理的考研英语经济类阅读理解及答案,供大家参阅!
考研英语经济类阅读理解及答案:SALLIE KRAWCHECK
CEO of Citigroup's new Smith Barney unit
AS A TRACK STAR in high school, Sallie Krawcheck ranked among her state's best at the high jump. But she hasn't jumped for anyone since, and her unshakabl
e independence has propelled her career on Wall Street to heights unimaginable to a girl coming of age in Charleston, S.C., in the 1970s. Then, Krawcheck--always an outstanding student--thought mostly of cheerleading and "dating the coolest boy," she acknowledges. "She was in danger of becoming terminally cute," recalls her high school guidance counselor, Nancy Wise, who recognized Krawcheck's potential early and stoked her business ambitions. Today Krawcheck, 37, is one of the most powerful women in the corporate world and a rising star.
How far she climbs depends on how well she meets her latest challenge: closing the credibility gap at financial-services giant Citigroup, after government inquiries put a cloud over the firm's reputation--and its stock. Krawcheck was hired in October from the independent stock-research firm Sanford C. Bernstein (where she was CEO) to be Citi's designated savior. Citigroup's proud CEO, Sanford Weill, personally wooed her, reorganizing a large chunk of Citi around her. Krawcheck is now CEO of a reconstituted Smith Barney, which encompasses Citi's stock-research and retail-brokerage operations.
This large stage leaves Krawcheck outwardly undaunted. She's relaxed and confident, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. She says she's "incredibly insecure," and has had nightmares in which she fails to win the respect of her new colleagues. But this soft-spoken humility belies a toughness present from the start. Daughter of a lawyer and sister of three more, Krawcheck learned early on to substantiate her assertions--or keep quiet.
"It used to get quite interesting around the dinner table," says her father Lenny, who practices law in Charleston. "Politics, relationships--you name it. It was every man for himself and awful tough to make your point." Jokes Sallie: "None of us could get a friend to come over for dinner."
Krawcheck earned a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina and an M.B.A. from Columbia University. She went to work at Salomon Brothers but soon moved to Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where she met her husband Gary Appel. In 1994 Krawcheck moved to Bernstein and dived into stock research. She began covering financial-services firms in 1997 and immediately became the most influential analyst in that field. During those years, Krawcheck earned Weill's ire--and respect when she was later proved correct--by dwelling on the pitfalls of Weill's acquisition of Salomon
~~~~~~~~
By Daniel Kadlec Time; 12/2/2002, Vol. 160 Issue 23, p52, 1/2p, 1c
注(1):本文选自Time; 12/2/2002, p52, 1/2p, 1c;
注(2):本文习题命题模仿对象2003年真题Text 2;
1. The author begins his article by __________.
[A]making a comparison
[B]posing a contrast
[C]justifying an assumption
[D]explaining a phenomenon
2. Krawcheck was chosen the CEO of the Smith Barney because ___________.
[A]the CEO of the Citigroup trusted her
[B]she was thought to be able to save Citigroup out of trouble
[C]she has wonderful experience in this field
[D]she is the new rising star
3. Krawcheck’s success depends on ___________.
[A]how well she can regain the firm’s reputation
[B]how well she can save the firm’s credibility crisis
[C]how well she can raise the firm’s stock
[D]how well she can fulfill her own plan and aim
4. The previous days Krawcheck spent at home are mentioned to show that __________.
[A] Krawcheck knows well how to prove her ideas
[B] family members are always on different sides.
[C]there is an air of freedom at Krawcheck’s home
[D]they have a variety of topics at dinner
5.From the text we learn that Krawcheck is ___________.
[A]humorous
[B]soft-hearted
[C]sensitive
[D]strong-minded
答案:ABBAD
篇章剖析
本文记述了萨利•克劳切克成功的职业生涯。第一段指出中学时代的克劳切克就相当出色,今天的她更是出类拔萃;第二段指出她临危授命,担任花旗集团(Citigroup)新组建的史密斯•巴尼公司首席执行官;第三段和第四段介绍了她的性格以及家庭对她的影响;第五段介绍了她辉煌的从业经历。
词汇注释
stoke vt. 给(火或火炉)添加燃料,拨旺(火或火炉);照管(火炉等); 司(炉)
credibility gap 信用差距
cast (put) a cloud on [upon] 在...上投下一层阴影
woo vt. 向...求婚, 求爱;恳求,请求;劝说, 拉拢(人)(做某事, 投入某项行动等)
belie [bI5laI] vt. 使对…产生错觉;使人对…误解;掩饰;显示(希望、诺言等)不真实(是虚假的);使失望; 辜负
early on在早期
substantiate vt.证明,使...具体化,使成为现实
assertion [E5sE:FEn] n. 主张, 要求, 断言
stand to one’s assertion 坚持已见
for oneself 为自己; 代表自己; 独力地; 亲自地
ire [5aIE(r)] n. 忿怒,愤怒,怒火
dwell on v. 细想, 详述,详评,如:
pitfall [5pitfC:l] n. 陷阱, 圈套, 诱惑;易犯的错误;(由疏忽而出的)毛病, 缺陷, 失误
难句突破
1.But she hasn't jumped for anyone since, and her unshakable independence has propelled her career on Wall Street to heights unimaginable to a girl coming of age in Charleston, S.C., in the 1970s.
主体句式:she hasn't jumped for anyone since, and her independence has propelled her to heights …
结构分析:本句是and引导的两个并列句。在这个句子中,注意propel的用法:“propel sb. to do sth”,意思是“促使、推动某人做某事”;“unimaginable to a girl”做后置定语来修饰“heights”;“coming of age”做后置定语修饰“a girl”,其中“age”的意思是“成年”。
句子译文:但她从那以后再也没有为任何人跳过,而她那不可动摇的独立性把她在华尔街的职业生涯推向一个在二十世纪七十年代对一个来自南卡罗来纳州查尔斯顿正在步入成年之列的少女来说不可思议的高度。
2.How far she climbs depends on how well she meets her latest challenge: closing the credibility gap at financial-services giant Citigroup, after government inquiries put a cloud over the firm's reputation--and its stock.
主体句式:How far she climbs depends on how well she meets her latest challenge …
结构分析:从句“how far she climbs”做句子的主语;从句“how well she meets”做动词短语“depend on”的宾语;“closing the credibility gap”做伴随状语,其中“credibility gap”的意思是“信用差距”,“put a cloud over”的意思是“在...上投下一层阴影”。
句子译文: 她能取得多大的成就取决于她如何迎接她的最新挑战:在政府的调查使公司的名誉——及其股票——罩上一层阴影之后,缩小财政服务巨人Citigroup集团的信用差距。
题目分析
1.答案为A,属事实细节题。文章中提到中学时代的克劳切克和今天的克劳切克都是相当成功的。
2.答案为B,属事实细节题。原文对应信息是“Krawcheck was hired in October from the independent stock-research firm Sanford C. Bernstein (where she was CEO) to be Citi's designated savior.”。
3.答案为B ,属推理判断题。原文对应信息是:“How far she climbs depends on how well she meets her latest challenge: closing the credibility gap at financial-services giant Citigroup, after government inquiries put a cloud over the firm's reputation--and its stock.”。本句的分析参见难句突破部分。
4.答案为A,属推理判断题。第三段最后一句指出“Daughter of a lawyer and sister of three more, Krawcheck learned early on to substantiate her assertions--or keep quiet.”,然后作者在第四段给出克劳切克的父亲和她本人的感受,来进一步来说明这一句话。
5.答案为D,属事实细节题。原文对应信息是:“But this soft-spoken humility belies a toughness present from the start.”。
参考译文
萨利•克劳切克
花旗集团(Citigroup)新组建的史密斯•巴尼公司首席执行官
作为中学时代的径赛明星,萨利•克劳切克曾名列她所在州跳高运动的榜首。但她从那以后再也没有为任何人跳过,而她那不可动摇的独立性把她在华尔街的职业生涯推向一个在二十世纪七十年代对一个来自南卡罗来纳州查尔斯顿正在步入成年之列的少女来说不可思议的高度。克劳切克——她总是一名杰出的学生——承认说,主要想的就是如何带领啦啦队和 “约会最酷的男孩。” 很早就认识到她的潜能并激发她商业雄心的中学指导顾问南希•怀斯回忆说,“她极有可能成为绝顶聪明之人。” 今天,37岁的克劳切克是商界最强有力的女人之一,是一颗冉冉升起的明星。
她能取得多大的成就取决于她如何迎接她的最新挑战:在政府的调查使公司的名誉——及其股票——罩上一层阴影之后,缩小财政服务巨人Citigroup集团的信用差距。克劳切克是10月从独立的股票研究公司——桑福德•C•伯恩斯坦公司(在这家公司她是首席执行官)被招聘为选定的Citi集团的救星。Citigroup集团高傲的首席执行官桑福德•韦尔亲自恳求她,把Citi集团的一大块重组在她周围。克劳切克现在是重组后的史密斯巴尼公司(其中包括 Citi集团的股票研究和零售经纪业务)的首席执行官。
这个大舞台让克劳切克无所畏惧地向外扩张。她显得轻松自如且胸有成竹,带有几分自贬式的幽默感。她说她感到“难以置信地没有把握,”常常做恶梦,梦见她得不到新同事的尊敬。但是这种说起话来让人感到温柔可亲的谦卑掩饰了她一开始就有的坚韧与果断。作为律师的女儿和另外三个姊妹的姐姐, 克劳切克很早就学会了如何证实自己的主张——或保持镇静。
“过去围坐餐桌就餐是相当有趣的,”她父亲伦尼——他在查尔斯顿当律师——这样说。“政治、关系——你只管讲出来。每个人都讲自己的观点,要想讲清一个论点着实很困难。”萨莉开玩笑说,“我们谁也不能邀请朋友来吃饭”。
克劳切克先后获得北卡罗莱那州立大学的新闻学学士学位和哥伦比亚大学的工商管理硕士学位。她到萨洛蒙兄弟公司工作,但很快就转到唐纳森、拉夫金-詹雷特公司工作,在那儿她遇见了她的丈夫加里•阿普尔。1994年,克劳切克中转入伯恩斯坦公司,此后便一头扎进股票研究工作。1997年,她开始涉足金融服务公司,很快便成为该领域的最有影响力的分析家。在这几年中,克劳切克对韦尔收购萨洛蒙公司一案进行了详细评述,这激起了韦尔的忿怒,同时也赢得了他的尊重,因为后来的发展证明她是正确的。
考研英语经济类阅读理解及答案:WIELDING THE AXE
Investment banks cut with a vengeance
THE 25,000 or so jobs cut by international investment banks so far this year have been presented as judicious pruning, though they were really more panick
y than that. Privately, the banks admit that, if business does not pick up soon, then the serious axe-wielding will have to start, on Wall Street and in the City of London. Some banks would have liked to act more aggressively before now, but were restrained by a desire not to be first with the bad news. This week's announcement of 3,500 fresh job losses at Citigroup, followed immediately by reports that J.P. Morgan Chase is about to slash its investment-banking operations, may mark the point at which the blood really starts to flow.
As they decide whom to shed, executives face a tricky question. How quickly might they be able to hire workers in the event that business recovers faster than most people now dare hope? Merrill Lynch suffered badly after it fired workers, including technical staff, as financial markets stumbled in late 1998. When the markets rebounded soon after, not only were these workers loth to return, but employees at other firms would not join a firm that had shown itself to be a fickle employer.
Today, worries about "doing a Merrill" are fading fast. Jobless investment bankers are legion, though few are willing to admit to being "unemployed". New York now has nearly as many "resting" bankers as actresses, though they do not yet have to wait at tables. Senior executives are being fired at a rate not seen since 1990, says Laura Lofaro of Sterling Resources, a firm of head-hunters. They are paid so much that the revenues they bring in for the firm fall short of their pay--even before other overheads are taken into account.
Banks are also eagerly searching out ways to shed workers through increasing use of technology. Curiously, firms like Merrill Lynch may view electronic brokerage with greater enthusiasm now than at the height of the online investing fad. Goldman Sachs has sought efficiencies by centralising its human-resources activities, cutting staff. It came as a shock to learn that Goldman Sachs had 300 human-resource professionals to fire. But when even personnel people are being canned, times really are hard.
The task facing investment banks is complicated by the consequences of their behaviour during the stockmarket boom of blessed memory. For instance, many bankers, notably in equity underwriting and analysis, were recruited on lucrative contracts with several years of guaranteed salary and bonus. Attempts to negotiate release from these guarantees are taking place--notably at CSFB, which handed out more of these contracts than most.
No investment-banking activity has been more idle this year than underwriting initial public offerings (IPOs). The bursting of the Internet bubble has scared off punters and, for another year at least, there are unlikely to be many IPO candidates with a record of profitability (now regarded as essential). Yet job losses in this business have been remarkably low. Could this have anything to do with the way regulators and law firms are courting disaffected and former employees who might be willing to dish the dirt on their bank's abuses of the IPO process?
Economist; 8/18/2001, Vol. 360 Issue 8235, p55, 2p
词汇注释
wield [wi:ld] vt. 挥舞(剑等);使用;支配, 行使,如:
vengeance [5vendVEns] n. 复仇, 报仇; 报复
inflict [take, wreak] vengeance (up) on sb. 对... 报仇[雪恨]
with a vengeance [口]猛烈地, 厉害地; 彻底地; 过度地
judicious [dVu:5dIFEs] adj. 明智的;有判断力的;有见识的
pruning [5pru:nIN] n. 修枝, 剪枝, 修剪
tricky [5trIkI] adj. 难处理的;棘手的;微妙的;奸诈的;狡猾的
loth [lRW] (=loath) adj.憎恶的, 勉强的;不愿意的
fickle [5fIk(E)l] adj.(在感情等方面)变幻无常的, 浮躁的, 薄情的
legion [5li:dV(E)n] adj. 大批的,大量的,
fad n. 流行一时的狂热,时尚,风气
can vt. (canned; canning) [美]把...装成罐头;[俚]把...灌制唱片, 把...录音;[美俚]解雇, 辞退, 抛弃, 开除(学生), 监禁, 停止, 停用
lucrative [5lu:krEtiv, lju:-] adj. 有利的, 赚钱的, 合算的, 待遇好的
underwriting initial public offerings (IPOs)首次公开发行股票;新股上市
punter n. 顾客;嫖客
court vt. 求爱,献殷勤;谋求;获得;招致;奉承,讨好;引诱,如:
disaffected [dIsE5fektId] adj. (对政府)不忠的;不满的;愤愤不平的
dish the dirt [美俚]散布流言蜚语
参考译文
挥舞裁员之斧
投资银行大裁员
今年,迄今为止,国际投资银行已裁减25,000多个工作岗位,此举被描述成“明智的修剪”, 尽管裁员的真实情况比这更可怕。银行私下承认, 如果银行业务不能很快好转, 那么,华尔街和伦敦市真正的裁员不得不开始。有些银行想采取比现在更大胆的行动, 但由于不想成为第一个带来坏消息的样板而有所克制。花旗集团本周宣布再裁减3,500 工作岗位后,马上又有这样的报道:J. P. 摩根•蔡斯投资银行即将大幅度削减它的投资银行业务。这可能就是银行真正开始换血的起点。
由于他们要决定谁留谁走, 经理们将面临一个棘手的问题。万一业务恢复的速度比他们现在敢于设想的快,那么,他们多久才能雇到合适的员工?由于1998年后半年金融市场时好时坏,所以,美林证券在解雇了大批员工(包括技术人员)后吃尽了苦头。过了不久,当金融市场开始好转后, 不仅是这些员工不愿意回去, 就连其他公司的雇员也不愿加盟那些视员工为草芥的势利雇主。
今天, 人们对 “成为下一个美林”的担心正快速减退。失业投资银行家多如牛毛,举不胜举, 虽然他们中几乎无人愿意承认自己“失业”。纽约目前的“休眠”银行家几乎跟女演员一样多,虽然他们大可不必翘首等待。斯特林人力资源公司——一家猎头公司——的劳拉罗法洛说,自1990以来,高级经理主管人员正以前所未有的速度被炒鱿鱼。他们的薪水太高,以至于他们为公司所创的收入还不及他们的工资水平——即使不考虑其它日常开支亦是如此。
银行正急切地寻找通过增加技术的使用来裁减工人的途径。奇怪的是, 像美林集团这样的公司目前可能以比在线投资时尚盛行的巅峰时期更大的热情来看待电子中介业。戈德曼•萨克斯公司试图通过对人力资源的工作进行集中管理和裁员的方法来提高员工的工作效率。当得知戈德曼•萨克斯公司解雇了300 个专业人员时,人们感到非常震惊。但当管人事的人也被解雇时,我们确实感受到世态之艰难。
投资银行所面临的伤脑筋的事由于人们有幸记得的股市暴涨时期的投机行为所造成的后果而变得更加复杂化。比如, 多家投资银行曾经通过优厚的待遇——好几年有保障的薪金和奖金——的合同,招聘了许多在股权认购和股权分析方面享有极高声誉的银行家。目前,试图取消这些承诺的谈判正在进行——尤其是在瑞士信贷第一波士顿银行(CSFB), 它随意发出的类似合同比任何银行都多。
今年,没有哪家投资银行的业务比认购首次公开发行的股票(IPOs)更为无效。国际互联网泡沫的破碎吓退了众多客户,至又有一年的时间, 不太可能会出现很多有良好收益记录的首次公开发行股票(目前这一点被认为是至关重要的)的候选公司。但这一行业中的下岗率极低。这与公司行为监督委员会委员和律师事务所的做法是否有关系?这些委员和律师事务所努力讨好那些愿意对原雇主银行滥用首次公开发行股票的过程散布流言蜚语的愤愤不平的前银行雇员。
看过考研英语经济类阅读理解及答案