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.
14（）
A.merchants
B.farmers
C.businessmen
D.citizens
参考答案：A
解析：
[考点] 词义辨析+语境理解
本题要求考生根据上下文选择符合原文含义的名词。Because of the competition，retail (14) opposed these as well as the fairs．句中the competition指前面所述贸易形式带来的竞争，these指auctions。本句可理解为“由于竞争，零售______反对拍卖和集市”，A选项merchants(商人)和retail搭配最恰当；而且从后文可以看出，政府也曾试图取缔集市和拍卖，经济发展偏向于商人(on the merchants’ side)，其中merchants前面加了定冠词the，说明这个概念在前文出现过，从而印证了空格里的内容应该是merchants。综合这些信息，在本题空格内只有填入merchants才能使上下文连贯，因此A选项正确。
[干扰项分析] B选项famers和D选项citizens在前文中出现过，他们都是集市贸易的受益者和参与者，因此B和D选项不能选；C选项government在后文提及过，但“零售政府”的搭配显然不可取，故C选项排除。