2013年11月17日托福阅读真题解析2013年11月17日托福阅读真题解析.doc

2013年11月17日托福阅读真题解析 第一篇 TOPIC 美国经济萧条 The Great Depression 经济萧条之前的经济繁荣，1920年前后经济飞速增长，导致人们认为政府不应该干涉经济（有考点），但在大萧条之后观点改变了。经济萧条之前，人们都投钱到股市，这是股价上升的主要原因，而非上市公司的利润也增加（考点）。但股票投资者哄抬股市，比公司实际收益高出好多。然后突然就下降了，从1929年某天起，股市一天下降9%。持续长达两年半（句子简化）。 接下来说人们没有存钱和保险，还涉及unemployment，买东西都是根据信用向银行贷款，然后萧条之后没工作没钱，就什么都买不到了，所以manufacture和retailer也受到了影响。因为他们卖不出东西了。 然后说大萧条的两个stage，一开始没那么严重，由于没钱投资外国了，然后就造成了更长更严重的影响（考点）。然后人们态度转变，银行不可信了。大家求助于政府，银行家和胡佛就是始作俑者（考点）。 词汇题： extensive The Great Depression The Great Depression began in August of 1929, when the United States economy first went into an economic recession. Although the country spent two months with declining GDP, it was not until the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 that the effects of a declining economy were felt, and a major worldwide economic downturn ensued. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement. Although its causes are still uncertain and controversial, the net effect was a sudden and general loss of confidence in the economic future. The usual explanations include numerous factors, especially high consumer debt, ill-regulated markets that permitted overoptimistic loans by banks and investors, and the lack of high-growth new industries, all interacting to create a downw;lard economic spiral of reduced spending, falling confidence, and lowered production. Industries that suffered the most included construction, agriculture as dust-bowl conditions persisted in the agricultural heartland, shipping, mining, and logging as well as durable goods like automobiles and appliances that could be postponed. The economy reached bottom in the winter of 1932–33; then came four years of very rapid growth until 1937, when the Recession of 1937 brought back 1934 levels of unemployment. The Depression caused major political changes in America. Three years into the depression, Herbert Hoo