阅读理解。
Most American students have said goodbye to expensive fruits these days. In school, cheaper fruits
like apples and oranges have taken their place. "People are afraid to spend now and they don't know
what the future will bring," said Linda Morrow, who owns a shoe and handbag store. In many interviews
with the Associated Press across the country, Americans talked about their concerns, from worrying
about small businesses to being anxious about simply making ends meet (维持生计). Samira Marino,
arestaurant owner in Miami, has found everyone is ordering water instead of juice and more people are
sharing meals.
During the financial crisis (金融危机), several of the country's biggest banks have been forced to sell
or close. This has made lots of Americans afraid to buy expensive goods. The US government agreed on
a ＄700 billion plan to try to save the financial market. But no one is sure whether it will help or not.
The crisis began years ago. Experts (专家) think it was because US banks lend money too easily.
Last year 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 other countries, the whole world was in
trouble.
1. Why are people in the US afraid to spend?
A. Because they think it's unnecessary.
B. Because they don't have the habit of spending money.
C. Because they worry about their future.
D. Because they don't have enough money.
2. The underlined word "concerns" probably means _____.
A. worries
B. situations
C. hobbies
D. experiences
3. The third paragraph (段落) mainly tells _____.
A. what it is like in a crisis
B. why there is a crisis
C. the danger of the crisis
D. people can't borrow money from banks
4. Which of the following is right?
A. Many of the country's biggest banks were sold and closed.
B. Linda has found everyone is ordering water instead of juice.
C. Experts think it was easy to borrow money from the banks in US in the past.
D. People are sure that the US plan to save the market will be helpful soon.
5. The best title for the story is "_____".
A. Ways to make ends meet
B. The money problem facing the world
C. Healthy expensive fruits
D. The art of borrowing
