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I. Use of English (Cloze)
Business and government leaders also consider the inflation rate to be an important general indicator. Inflation is a period of increased___1___that causes rapid rises in prices. When your money buys___2___goods so that you get less for the same amount of money___3___before, inflation is the problem. There is a general rise___4___the price of goods and services. Your money buys less. Sometimes people___5___inflation as a time when “a dollar is not worth a dollar any more.”
Inflation is a problem for all consumers. People who live on a fixed income are___6___the most. Retired people, for instance, cannot___7___on an increase in income as prices rise. Elderly people who don’t work face serious problems in stretching their incomes to___8___their needs in time of inflation.___9___income or any fixed income usually does not rise as fast as prices. Many retired people must cut their spending to___10___rising prices. In many___11___they must stop buying some necessary items, such as food and clothing.
Even for working people whose incomes are going up, inflation can be a problem___12___the cost of living rises, too. People who work must have even more money to___13___their standard of living. Just buying the things they need___14 more. When incomes do not keep pace with rising prices, the standard of living goes down. People may be earning the same 15___of money, but they are not living as well because they are not able to buy___16___many goods and services.
Government units___17___information about prices in our economy and publish it as price indexes from which the rate of change can be determined. A price index___18___changes in prices using the price for a given year as the base. The base price is set___19___100, and the other prices are___20___as a percentage of the base price. (321 words)
1. A. demanding B. spending C. consuming D. borrowing
2. A. a few B. more C. fewer D. a little
3. A. than B. like C. since D. as
4. A. in B. for C. at D. to |
