北师大版英语模块三期中考试试卷.doc

2013-2014学年度第一学期英语学科期中练习试卷 Name：_________________ Score：_________________ Nobel Economist: Washington Dysfunction Carries Heavy Price Tag Thousands of federal employees are back to work. Investors who bet Congress would not allow the U.S. to default - took their ____1____. And businesses hurt by the shutdown welcomed back their customers. But Nobel Laureate Robert Shiller says harder to ____2____is how much the Washington-manufactured crisis has damaged international trust. ?Our reputation is obviously a very ____3____thing, he said. It’s a little bit upsetting to see it threatened as it is now.” More worrisome, says Shiller, is the ____4____of Washingtons dysfunction on the middle class. For example its ____5____to pass a jobs program. Hes proposing steps to narrow the rapidly increasing gap between rich and poor. Recent studies by the University of California show ____6____for the richest one percent has risen more than 31 percent since 2009 -- while incomes for the other 99 percent grew less than one percent. We ought to be able to reach an ____7____, let’s define an inequality level that’s much worse than today and let’s say - we’re going to draw the line there, we’re not going to let it get any ____8____and how do we stop that? Well it has to be some form of taxation of the rich, Shiller said. Its a controversial proposal that would likely face strong ____9____from conservatives in Congress. Shiller says the same ideological divide that caused the shutdown will further erode trust in the U.S. ____10____--- and potentially hasten the end of the dollar as the worlds reserve currency. That status means the dollar is held in large quantities by foreign governments to facilitate trade and currency ____11____. It makes the dollar more desirable to foreign investors and allows the U.S. to borrow at lower costs. ?Well, were in ____12____of losing the status even if it doesn’t continue, said Shiller. The euro is becoming a more important ____13____. The nati