第一段
①When it comes to the slowing economy,Ellen Spero isn't biting her nails just yet.②But the 47-year-old manicurist isn't cutting, filing or polishing as many nails as she'd like to, either.③Most of her clients spend $12 to $50 weekly, but last month two longtime customers suddenly stopped showing up.④Spero blames the softening economy.⑤“I'm a good economic indicator,” she says.⑥“I provide a service that people can do without when they're concerned about saving some dollars.”⑦So Spero is downscaling, shopping at middle-brow Dillard's department store near her suburban Cleveland home, instead of Neiman Marcus.⑧“I don't know if other clients are going to abandon me, too,” she says.
单词&词组
when it comes to 涉及，谈到（用来引出话题）
slowing economy 放缓的经济
bite one's nail 束手无策
not... just yet 还没有
manicurist n. 指甲修饰师
file v. 用锉切削（某物）
polish v. 磨光，擦亮（某物）
softening economy 疲软的经济
downscale v. 缩减……的规模
middle-brow a. （常为贬义）（书籍、音乐、艺术等）品位一般的，平庸的
suburban a. 郊外的
show up 出现
be concerned about 担心，忧虑
instead of 而不是
working folks 上班族
see signs of 看到……的迹象
本段翻译
谈及经济放缓，爱伦·斯佩罗还不至于束手无策。不过，这位47岁美甲师所修剪、锉磨、上油的指甲却没有自己期望的那样多了。她大多数客户每周消费十二至五十美元，然而上月，两名老顾客突然不再光顾了。斯佩罗把这归咎于疲软的经济。“我是非常灵敏的经济晴雨表”，她说，“当人们考虑缩减一些开支时，就是不用我的服务他们也能过得去。”因此，斯佩罗正在降低消费档次，她不再去内曼·马库斯(注：美国以经营奢侈品为主的高端百货店)而改去克利夫兰郊区家附近的迪拉德中档百货商场购物了。“我不知道其他客户是否也会弃我而去，”她说。
第二段
①Even before Alan Greenspan's admission that America's red-hot economy is cooling, lots of working folks had already seen signs of the slowdown themselves.②From car dealerships to Gap outlets, sales have been lagging for months as shopperstemper their spending.③For retailers, who last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the cautious approach is coming at a crucial time.④Already, experts say, holiday sales are off 7 percent from last year's pace.⑤But don't sound any alarms just yet.⑥Consumers seem only mildly concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy's long-term prospects even as they do some modest belt-tightening.
单词&词组
red-hot economy 过热的经济
slowdown n. （生产等的）减速，减退
dealership n. 代理权，经销权
Gap n. 盖普专卖店，美国连锁时装商店的店名
temper v. 使缓和，调节，使容易接受；本文指“使花费减少”
retailer n. 零售商人
cautious a. 小心的，谨慎的
crucial a. 至关重要的，决定性的
sound an alarm 拉响警钟
panic v. 使……受惊
prospect n. 将来成功的机会，前途，前程
do some modest belt-tightening 稍微缩减开支
temper one's spending 削减开支
at a crutial time 值此关键时刻
本段翻译
甚至在艾伦·格林斯潘承认美国过热的经济正在降温之前，众多的上班族自己就早已看到了经济减速的迹象。随着消费者削减开支， 从汽车经销商到Gap折扣店，销售量已经连续数月下降。对零售商而言，去年感恩节、圣诞节期间，他们赚取了全年收入的24%，而现如今在这个关键时刻，他们采取了审慎的方式。据专家称，今年节假日的销售量和去年同期相比已经减少了7%。不过还完全不至于要拉响警报。消费者似乎只是有一些担心，并没有恐慌，很多人说，即便他们在小额缩减开支，他们对经济的长远前景同时还是乐观的。
第三段
①Consumers say they're not in despair because, despite the dreadful headlines, their own fortunes still feel pretty good.②Home prices are holding steady in most regions.③In Manhattan, “there's a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range,predominantly fed by Wall Street bonuses,” says broker Barbara Corcoran.④In San Francisco, prices are still rising even as frenzied overbidding quiets.⑤“Instead of 20 to 30 offers, now maybe you only get two or three," says John Tealdi, a Bay Area real-estate broker.⑥And most folks still feel pretty comfortable about their ability to find and keep a job.
单词&词组
in despair 绝望地
dreadful a. 可怕的
headline n. 大字标题，文中指头条新闻
hold steady 保持稳定
predominantly ad. 主要地，多数情况下
overbid v. （拍卖时）出价高于（某人）
gold rush 淘金热
real-estate broker 房产经纪人
本段翻译
消费者说，尽管新闻头条很吓人，但他们并不感到绝望，原因在于他们对自己由财产而定的身份仍然感觉良好。大部分地区房价保持稳定。在曼哈顿，“在400万至1000万美元的房价区间，出现了新一轮的淘金热。这笔资金主要是由华尔街股票红利注入。”经纪人芭芭拉·可考恩说。在旧金山，高价抢购现象虽然已经平息，房价却依旧看涨。“以前你能拿到20至30个报价，而现在也许只能得到两个或三个，”海湾地区房地产经纪人约翰·梯尔迪说道。再有，大多数人仍然颇为满足的是，他们有能力找到并且保住一份工作。
第四段
①Many folks see silver linings to this slowdown.②Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates.③Employers wouldn't mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market.④Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom.⑤Diners might see an upside, too.⑥Getting a table at Manhattan's hot new Alain Ducasse restaurant used to be impossible.⑦Not anymore.⑧For that,Greenspan & Co. may still be worth toasting.
单词&词组
silver lining （不幸或失望中的）一线希望
bubble n. 泡沫
swing n. 摇摆，摇荡；本文指股市价格的震荡
view... as 将……视为
ingredient n. （完成某事的）要素，因素
sustained a. 持续的
diner n. 就餐者
upside n. （糟糕局面的）好的一面，光明的一面
toast v. （为答谢或祝福某人而进行的）举杯祝酒
本段翻译
许多人看到了经济衰退背后的希望。潜在的买房人会因低利率而欢呼。雇主愿意人才市场少些泡沫。很多消费者似乎已经受到股票市场波动的影响，但现在投资者却把这种波动看作持续繁荣必不可少的一个因素。就餐者或许也看到了好的一面。过去，在曼哈顿新开的火爆的阿兰·杜卡斯餐厅预订餐位是不可能的，而现在情形大不相同。就凭这个，或许美联储依然值得我们为之举杯。
五道题
31. By “Ellen Spero isn’t biting her nails just yet” (Line 1,Paragraph 1), the author means_____.
[A] Spero can hardly maintain her business.
[B] Spero is too much engaged in her work.
[C] Spero has grown out of her bad habit.
[D] Spero is not in a desperate situation.
32. How do the public feel about the current economic situation?
[A] Optimistic.
[B] Confused.
[C] Carefree.
[D] Panicked.
33. When mentioning “the $4 million to $10 million range”(Lines 3, Paragraph 3), the author is talking about _______。
[A] gold market.
[B] real estate.
[C] stock exchange.
[D] venture investment.
34. Why can many people see “silver linings” to the economic slowdown?
[A] They would benefit in certain ways.
[B] The stock market shows signs of recovery.
[C] Such a slowdown usually precedes a boom.
[D] The purchasing power would be enhanced.
35. To which of the following is the author likely to agree?
[A] A new boom, on the horizon.
[B] Tighten the belt, the single remedy.
[C] Caution all right, panic not.
[D] The more ventures, the more chances.
选项单词
stock exchange 证券交易
venture investment 风险投资
recovery n. 恢复，本文指经济复苏
precede v. 在……之前发生，先于
on the horizon 即将发生的，已露端倪的
参考答案
DABAC
答案解析
31、【定位】所考短语出现在文章首句。该句指出， 谈到当前的经济趋缓(the slowing economy) ，Ellen Spero is n't biting her nails just yet。下文则转而(But) 指出当前经济趋缓对美甲师Spero造成了诸多负面影响。由此可反向推知， Ellen Spero is n't biting her nails just yet表达“经济趋缓确实对Spero造成了影响，但影响不至于非常严重”之意，选项[D]符合此逻辑，故正确。
32、【定位】根据题干the pubic定位至第二段。该段前四句先说明目前的经济趋缓迹象明显、已影响到各行各业。⑤⑥句则转而指出，但尚不至于发出任何警告，公众只是有些担心，但没有陷人恐慌， 人们对经济的前景依然乐观。可见[A] Optimistic符合文意。
33、【定位】考查句(第三段③句) 引用一位经纪人(broker) 原话指出曼哈顿情形：在400万至1000万美元的价格区间(the$4 million to $ 10 million range) ， 出现了新一轮的淘金热(a new goldrush) ， 而资金注入主要来自华尔街股票红利。其上句(②句) 指出美国现象：大部分地区房价(home prices) 保持稳定；下文(④⑤句) 则引用一位房地产经纪人(realestatebroker) 话语说明旧金山情形：高价抢购现象虽然已经平息，但房价却依然看涨。可见：该部分内容是在围绕“房地产价格趋势”展开论述，③句中broker指real-estate broker(房地产经纪人) ；a new goldrush指房地产投资热；the $ 4 million to $ 10million range指最为火热的房价区间；故答案应为[B] 。
34、【定位】根据题干关键词silver linings定位到最后一段。该段首句指出许多人看到了此次经济放缓的silver linings， 接着进行列举：买房人会因低利率而欢呼；雇主愿意人才市场少些泡沫；投资者把股市波动看作持续获取财富必不可少的一部分；就餐者也可以光顾以前根本订不到位置的餐厅。从这些事实中我们可以推出， see silver linings to this slowdown指“从经济放缓中看到有利面”， 即以某种方式从中获益，答案为[A]。
35、【定位】本文开篇以一个事例引出文章分析话题：当前经济滑坡的影响。紧接着第二段谈到，人们虽然早已察觉到经济滑坡的迹象，但警钟尚无需拉响，公众只是有些许担心并在适度削减开支，但总体上并未感到恐慌而是依然乐观。第三、四段分析消费者没有恐慌的原因、指出人们依然对自己的财富、找到并保有一份工作的能力感觉良好，而且许多人都能以某种方式从中获益。可见，[C]“有必要谨慎，没必要恐慌”最能反应作者对当前经济形势的整体态度。
