(C) Most American students said goodbye to expensive fruits these days. In school canteens across the country, cheaper fruits like apples and oranges heave replaced them. “People are afraid to spend now” said Linda Morrow, who owns a shoe and handbag store. “They basically don’t know what the future will bring and keep waiting till after the Presidential Election.” The current financial crisis(金融危机)， during which several of the country’s biggest banks have been forced to sell or close, has made lots of Americans unwilling to buy expensive goods. Samira Martino, a restaurant owner in Miami, found everyone is ordering water instead of juice and more people are sharing meals. In more than two dozen interviews with the Associated Press across the country last month, American talked about their concerns, from worries about small businesses to doubts about simply making ends meet. The crisis began last year. Experts blame it on U.S. banks lending money too easily. A lot of people and companies, who borrowed money, have found themselves unable to pay it back. This left the banks, as well as the people who put their money in the banks, without money. Since the banks borrowed money between themselves and even across borders, the whole world’s financial markets were involved. This month the U.S. government agreed on a $ 700 billion plan to try to save the financial market. But a turn-around(转机) is not sure. President George W. Bush has warned it will take some time for the full effects of the plan to take hold in an economy that has had a world of trouble. Last week top finance officials from 20 major economies promised to work together to find a way out of the money trouble. They believe the current crisis is the worst since the Great Depression in 1929. And they all think international cooperation is the key to solve it. 51. From the first paragraph, we can infer that______ A. apples and oranges become more expensive B. people are worrying about the Election C. people are expecting a turn-around after the Election D. expensive fruits are in short supply in American markets 52. Samira Martino’s restaurant is mentioned in the passage in order to ______ A. show that people cut down their expenses. B. attract more people to come to his restaurant C. show how hard he is trying to run his business D. encourage people to start businesses like him 53. What is the cause of the current financial crisis of America? A. The Presidential Election B. U.S. banks lending money too easily. C. The decreasing economy. D. America’s rapid development. 54. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? A. Many students can not eat expensive fruits in school canteens. B. Americans are very worried about their lives. C. The international cooperation is most needed. D. The current financial crisis is the worst in American history. 55. This passage mainly talks about______ A. the terrible life of Americans B. the situation of the financial crisis C. the way to go through the crisis D. the world financial market |