Competition. It’s a simple word, yet a very complex word that covers many angles when it comes to how gasoline prices are determined. It seems so easy to explain, but don’t let that trick you—it’s incredibly difficult to explain and adequately understand.
Say you’re on a Sunday afternoon drive, and notice a gas station near you charging $3.50. Down the road a few miles, that price could easily be 10 or more cents higher or lower. The question is “how” or “why” is that? Think of it this way. Are you more likely to get a better deal on a car if there are two similar car dealers next to each other? Perhaps, because the dealers are too close. Say there is a third similar car dealer miles away. Is he going to be at the same level of competition and sell his cars for the same price as the two dealers next to each other? Likely not. He may charge more or less. Maybe people don't know there are two other dealers down the road. Maybe the dealer is almost outside of the city and the land value isn't as high, so his taxes aren't as high.
These situations do take place at gas stations. And more factors can impact what a station will charge. Timing can greatly impact what price a station charges as well! Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily. If one station gets lucky and buys gas on Monday and the cost goes up Tuesday, the station that bought on Monday doesn’t necessarily have to raise prices like the station that bought on Tuesday. Maybe the station that got caught buying for a higher price on Tuesday will pass that higher cost on by raising its gas price.
Perhaps the difference is what brand the station is---branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost, those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of emergency situations. Independent stations don’t pay as much, but aren’t guaranteed supply.
While competition sounds easy to understand, there are always a large number of factors that could influence what one station charges. Keep in mind how many variables there are next time you fill up.
小题1:What could be the best title for the passage?
A．How Competition Impacts Gas Prices
B．Gas Prices Go Up or Down
C．Competition---a Very Complex Word
D．We Can’t Stress Enough the Need for Competition小题2:The example of car dealers is used to show _________.
A．car prices are determined by car dealers
B．location is an important factor in pricing
C．the quality of service matters most
D．dealing strategy should be flexible小题3:The gas prices of a station always change partly because _________.
A．a gas station always wants to charge more
B．the gasoline is in great demand
C．the cost of the gas the station buys varies daily
D．gas is in greater need on Monday小题4:According to the passage, branded stations _________.
A．spend less money on their gasoline
B．have more staff than independent stations
C．charge less for high quality oil
D．offer a steady oil supply
小题1:A
小题2:B
小题3:C
小题4:D
题目分析:本文是一篇说明文，说明了竞争看似简单的词，但事实上，它是个复杂的词，作者通过加油站收费进行证明竞争,由于竞争，从而引起价格的不同
小题1:推理题，由本文的主要意思“竞争看似简单的词，但事实上，它是个复杂的词，作者通过加油站收费进行证明竞争,由于竞争，从而引起价格的不同”,可以推出答案，所以选A。
小题2:细节题，由第二段第五行Perhaps, because the dealers are too close.可以知道答案，所以选B。
小题3:细节题，由第三段第三行Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily.可以知道答案，所以选C
小题4:推理题，由倒数第二段branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost,可以推出答案，所以选D
点评：做细节题的关键是找出原文的根据，认真核查题支和原文的异同，常犯错误有：绝对化语言，范围扩大或缩小，以偏概全，张冠李戴等。推断题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释。考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点。