The United States is often considered a young nation, but in fact it is next to the oldest continuous government in the world, and the reason is that its people have always been willing to accommodate themselves to change. It should be realized, however, that sharing benefits of our achievements was the result of trial and error. Unprincipled businessmen had first to be restrained by government before they came to learn that they must serve the general good in pursuing their economic interests. Thus, although early statesmen strongly believed in private enterprise, they chose to make the post office a government monopoly and to give the schools to public ownership. Since then, government has broadened its activities in many ways including preventing monopolies from taking over the economy.
Increased growth by acquisition by our largest corporations has resulted in a situation where virtually independent economic giants will dominate the American economy. Growth of these vast corporate structures, even though accompanied by an increase in the number of much smaller and less powerful companies that operate under their control, foretells the creation of monopoly — like structures throughout American business. In general, the major acquisitions by the sample companies were corporate organizations that were profitable and successful before acquisition. The main effect of the merger or acquisition was to transfer control and management of an already successful enterprise to a new group. Profitability ratios indicate that, in most instances, the acquired companies operated less efficiently after acquisition.
Americans hold with Lincoln that "the legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done but cannot do at all, or cannot do so well for themselves, in their separate and individual capacities." Clearly, merger restriction is one example of legitimate government intervention.
1.It is implied that the main quality of the United States stressed is its_______.
A.youth B.shared wealth C.trial and error D.flexibility
2.The term "general good" (Line 5, Para. 1) refers to_______.
A.efficient practices B.ethical practices
C.common well-being D.profitable decisions
3.The creation of U.S. post office monopoly is cited as an example of a_______.
A.replacement of the existing economic order B.restraint of unprincipled businessmen
C.flexible view of government D.system of shared profits
4.From the passage we learn that when mergers occurred, the added companies had_______.
A.low profitability ratios B.management difficulties
C.poor productivity D.achieved success
5.The author's view of mergers is_______.
A.critical B.cautious C.qualified D.favorable
長難例句分析
［長難例句］Increased growth by acquisition by our largest corporation has resulted in a situation where virtually independent economic giants will dominate the American economy.
［結構分析］本句中，主干是Increased growth... has resulted in a situation...。situation后面的where引導的是定語從句。兩個by中，第一個by表示方式，第二個by表示施動者。
［參考答案］通過收購，我們的最大型企業(yè)獲得繼續(xù)發(fā)展，這將導致這個獨立的經(jīng)濟巨頭支配美國經(jīng)濟。
［長難例句］Growth of these vast corporate structures，even though accompanied by an increase in the number of much smaller and less powerful companies that operate under their control，foretells the creation of monopoly-like structures throughout American business.
［結構分析］本句中，主干是Growth...foretells the creation...。even though引導的狀語作插入語，that引導定語從句，修飾companies。their指代these vast corporate structures。
［參考答案］盡管與此同時規(guī)模小得多、實力弱得多、在其控制下運作的公司數(shù)量也在增長，但是這些龐大企業(yè)結構的發(fā)展預示了美國商業(yè)界類似壟斷的結構會產(chǎn)生。
全文參考譯文
美國常常被認為是一個年輕的國度，但實際上，它差不多是世界上執(zhí)政時間最長的政府，原因是美國人民總是愿意適應變化。然而，應意識到，共享我們成就所帶來的好處是反復嘗試和失敗的結果。不守規(guī)矩的商人必須首先由政府加以約束才能逐漸認識到，在追求經(jīng)濟利益的同時，自己必須服務于公益。所以雖然早期政治家堅定地認為企業(yè)應該私有，但他們情愿讓郵政為政府壟斷，使學校為公共所有。自此以后，政府在諸多方面擴展了活動范圍，包括防止壟斷控制經(jīng)濟。
通過收購，我們的最大型企業(yè)獲得繼續(xù)發(fā)展。這將導致這個獨立的經(jīng)濟巨頭支配美國經(jīng)濟。盡管與此同時規(guī)模小得多、實力弱得多、在其控制下運作的公司數(shù)量也在增長，但是這些龐大企業(yè)結構的發(fā)展預示了美國商業(yè)界類似壟斷的結構會產(chǎn)生。通常來說，典范公司主要收購之前贏利的成功企業(yè)組織。合并或收購的主要影響在于，將一個業(yè)已成功企業(yè)的調控和管理轉移到一個新的集團。贏利率表明，在多數(shù)情況下，被收購的公司在收購后運作效率降低。
美國人贊成林肯的觀點：“政府的合理目標是：為社會民眾去做他們需要做到的、但以各自或個人之能力不能做到或者不能做好的事情?！焙苊黠@，限制合并是政府合理干預的一個例證。
題目答案與解析
1.文中暗示，美國所強調的主要特征是它的_________。
A.年輕 B.財富共享 C.反復試驗 D.靈活變通
【答案】D
【解析】從文章的首句可知，美國政府之所以幾乎是世界上執(zhí)政時間最長的政府，其原因在于美國人民總是愿意適應變化，據(jù)此可推知，D項為正確答案。
2.詞語“general good”（第一段第五行）指的是_________。
A.有效的實踐 B.道德的實踐 C.公共福利 D.有利的決定
【答案】C
【解析】本題的依據(jù)是原文的They must serve the general good in pursuing their economic interests，根據(jù)后續(xù)提示可知， general good的詞義一定與their economic interests相反。因此C項為正確答案。
3.引用美國郵政壟斷這個例子是用來說明_________。
A.現(xiàn)有經(jīng)濟制序的替代 B.對不守規(guī)矩商人的約束 C.政府靈活的政策 D.共享利潤制度
【答案】C
【解析】本題考查邏輯關系?？梢酝ㄟ^關聯(lián)詞語判定，該例前有thus，說明是承接上文。上文講的是美國樂于適應變化。據(jù)此推斷，舉出該例是為了說明政府自由的觀念。因此C項為正確答案。
4.從文中我們了解到，公司之間進行合并時，新加入的公司_________。
A.利潤低 B.管理困難 C.生產(chǎn)力低下 D.已獲得成功
【答案】D
【解析】本題的依據(jù)是原文的In general，the major acquisitions by the sample companies were corporate organizations that were profitable and successful before acquisition，從中可知，被合并的公司在收購前是成功運作的。
5.作者對合并所持的觀點是_________。
A.批評的 B.謹慎的 C.有資格的 D.贊成的
【答案】A
【解析】從本文的第二段可知，作者先后指出，最大型企業(yè)的收購帶來的最終結果是經(jīng)濟巨頭統(tǒng)治美國經(jīng)濟，而且收購后的公司運作效率不如以前，可見作者對合并持批判態(tài)度。因此A項為正確答案。
