As Philadelphia grew from a small town into a city in the first half of the eighteenth century, it became an increasingly important marketing center for a vast agricultural hinterland. Market days (1) the crowded city even more crowded, as farmers from within a (2) of 24 or more kilometers brought their sheep, vegetables, cider and other products for direct sale to the (3) . The High Street Market was continuously (4) throughout the period until 1736, (5) it (6) from Front Street to Third. By 1745 New Market was opened on Second Street. The next year the Callow Hill Market began (7) .
Along with market days, the (8) of twice-yearly fairs persisted in Philadelphia (9) after similar trading days had been discontinued in other colonial cities. The (10) provided a means of bringing handmade goods from (11) places to would-be buyers in the city. Linens and stockings from Germantown, (12) , were popular items.
Auctions were another popular (13) of trade. Because of the competition, retail (14) opposed these as well as the fairs. (15) governmental attempts to eradicate fairs and auctions were less than successful, the ordinary (16) of economic development was on the merchants’side, as increasing business specialization became the (17) of the day. Export merchants became differentiated from their importing counterparts, and specialty shops began to appear (18) general stores selling a variety of goods.
One of the reasons Philadelphia’s merchants prospered was because the surrounding area was undergoing tremendous economic and demographic growth. They did their business, (19) , in the capital city of the province, (20) to not only the governor and his circle, but citizens from all over the colony.
18（）
A. in addition to
B. for the purpose of
C. with regard to
D. at the risk of
参考答案：A
解析：
[考点] 词义辨析
...，and specialty shops began to appear (18) general stores selling a Variety of goods．该并列句and前后所述的事情基调一致。and前面的句子内容为“出口商从进口商那里分化出来”，后面说“专卖店……于普通商店开始出现”，这个语境前后两个例子都在说明“商业专门化”的趋势。因此and后的句子也需要体现出商业的分化。故选择A选项，意思是“除了普通商店，专卖店开始出现”。
[干扰项分析] B选项for the purpose of和C选项with regard to都不能体现商业的分化，因此排除这两项。若选择D选项at the risk of，句子意思就变成“专卖店冒着普通商店的危险开始出现”，两种商户的关系是否如此，在文中不能得到印证，因此排除D选项。