The dollar is becoming weaker and weaker. What effects will it have?
Look at the recordhigh price of oil. Even if the same amount of oil is being pumped out of the ground,since it is traded in dollars and the dollar has weakened,the price of oil has increased to make up for the lost value of the dollar,creating a sort of vicious cycle(恶性循环).
Oilproducing countries don't want to keep all the dollars they are getting for their oil,since it's declining in value,so they exchange their dollars for euros or other currencies. That pushes more dollars back out into currency markets,which in turn pushes down the dollar's value.
One expert told ABC News that Russia used to have 90 percent of its financial reserves in dollars. It now has 45 percent in dollars,45 percent in euros and 10 percent in British pounds.
In the US itself,the news is mixed. It's good,because it makes what we produce here cheaper to sell in foreign markets,and that in turn spurs(刺激) exports of our products around the world. That translates into more manufacturing and more jobs.
But a weak dollar is bad,because it leads to inflation (通货膨胀) in this country. Imports from foreign countries will become more expensive,and in particular,oil will be more expensive. That puts pressure on businesses to increase prices for anything that uses oil or products that come from overseas. One benefit for American shoppers is that China has largely pegged its currency to ours,so that keeps the price of Chinesemade goods low and therefore,keeps a check on inflation.
小题1:Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A.Why is the dollar losing value?
B.What caused the weak dollar?
C.What to do with the weak dollar?
D.What effects will the weak dollar have?小题2:With the dollar losing its value,oilproducing countries will do all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A.raising the price of oil
B.raising their production of oil
C.exchanging their dollars for other currencies
D.decreasing their financial reserves in dollars小题3:It can be inferred that ________.
A.the American economy is having a hard time
B.Russia is making the situation worse on purpose
C.American export businesses would like a stronger dollar
D.Chinesemade goods remain as competitive as before in the USA
小题1:D
小题2:B
小题3:D
小题1:答案 D [主旨大意题。文章开头两句直入主题——美元疲软将产生哪些影响?接下来各段从不同层面对此进行展开,故选D。]
小题2:答案 B [细节理解题。根据第二和第三段可知,产油国为应对美元贬值主要采取两项措施:(1)提升石油价格;(2)将美元储备兑换成其他货币。A和C显然正确。将美元储备兑换成其他货币也就是减少美元储备,D也正确。]
小题3:答案 D [推理判断题。根据最后一段可知,中国外汇储备仍大部分绑定美元,这使得中国产品在美国市场的价格低廉,竞争力一如既往的强劲。]