1. Reading Comprehension

In this section there are two passages followed by questions or unfinished statements,each with four suggested answers marked A,B,C and D.Choose the one that you think is the best answer.

TEXT A

  Centuries ago,man discovered that removing moisture from food helps to preserve it,and that the easiest way to do this is to expose the food to the sun and wind.In this way the North American Indians produce pemmican (dried meat ground into powder and made into cakes),the Scandinavians make stockfish and the Arabs dried dates and “apricot leather”.

  All foods include water--cabbage and other leaf vegetables contain as much as 93% water,potatoes and other root vegetables 80%,lean meat 75% and fish,anything from 80% to 60%,depending on how fatty it is.If this water is removed,the activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is checked.

  Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor,Greece,Spain and other Mediterranean countries,and also in California,South Africa and Australia.The methods used vary,but in general,the fruit is spread out on trays in drying yards in the hot sun.In order to prevent darkening,pears,peaches and apricots are exposed to the fumes of burning sulfur before drying.Plums,for making prunes,and certain varieties of grapes for making raisins and currants,are dipped in an alkaline solution in order to crack the skins of the fruit slightly and remove their wax coating,so as to increase the rate of drying. 

  Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically.The conventional method of such dehydration is to put food in chambers through which hot air is blown at temperatures of about 1100℃ at entry to about 430℃ at exit.This is the usual method for drying such things as vegetables,minced meat,and fish.

  Liquids such as milk,coffee,tea,soups and eggs may be dried by pouring them over a heated steel cylinder by spraying them into a chamber through which a current of hot air passes.In the first case,the dried material is scraped off the roller as a thin film which is then broken up into small,though still relatively coarse flakes.In the second process it falls to the bottom of the chamber as a fine powder.Where recognizable pieces of meat and vegetables are required,as in soup,the ingredients are dried separately and then mixed.

  Dried food take up less room and weigh less than the same food packed in cans or frozen,and they do not need to be stored in special conditions.For these reasons they are invaluable to the climbers,explorers and soldiers in battle,who have little storage space.They are also popular with housewives because it takes so little time to cook them.Usually it is just a case of replacing the dried-out moisture with boiling water.

1. The open-air method of drying food_____.

A. is the one most commonly used today

B. was invented by the American Indians

C. has been known for hundreds of years

D. tends to be unhygienic

2. Bacteria which cause food to go bad_____.

A. cannot live in sunlight

B. are killed by drying

C. are in no way dependent on the water content

D. have their activity greatly reduced by drying

3. Nowadays vegetables are most commonly dried_____.

A. on horizontal cylinders        B. in hot-air chambers

B. in the sun and wind            D. using the open tray method

4. Dried foods_____.

A. are often packed in cans or frozen

B. are used by soldiers and climbers

C. need more storage space than soldiers usually have available

D. are much cheaper than canned or frozen products

5. Housewives like dried foods because they_____.

A. are quick to prepare

B. taste better

C. can be preserved by boiling in water

D. look fresh and appetizing when cooked

 

TEXT B

  When companies do business overseas,they come in contact with people from different cultures.These individuals often speak a different language and have their own particular custom and manners.These differences can create problems.

  For example,in France,business meetings begin promptly at the designated time and everyone is expected to be there.Foreign business people who are tardy are often left outside to cool their heels as a means of letting them know the importance of promptness.Unless one is aware of such expected behaviors he may end up insulting the people with whom he hopes to establish trade relations.

  A second traditional problem is that of monetary conversions.For example,if a transaction is conduced with Russian,payment may be made in rubles.Of cause,this currency is of little value to much are these Russian rubles worth in terms of dollars?This conversion rate is determined by every market,where the currencies of countries are bought and sold.Thus there is an established rate,although it will often fluctuate from day to day.For example,the ruble may be worth 0.75 on Monday and 0.72 on Tuesday because of an announced wheat shortage in Russia.In addition,there is the dilemma associated with converting at 0.72.Some financial institutions may be unwilling to pay this price,feeling that the ruble will sink much lower over the next weak.As a result,conversion may finally come at 0.69. These” losses” much be accepted by the company as one of the coasts of doing business overseas.

  A third unique problem is trade barriers.For one reason or another,all countries impose trade barriers on certain goods crossing their borders.Some trade barriers are directly related to exports.For example, the United States permits strategic military material to be shipped abroad only after government permission has been obtained.Most trade barriers,however,are designed to restrict import.Two of the most common import barriers are quotas and tariffs.

6. The best title for the passage would be _____.

A. How to Succeed in International Trade

B. Monetary Conversion

C. Trade Barriers

D. Unique Problems in International Trade

7. In France,tardy business people_____.

A. are often insulted                B. often suffer from coldness

B. are often left outdoors waiting       D. are often asked to polish their shoes

8. According to the passage,conversion rates_____.

A. are always changing              B. are determined by financial institutions

B. are agreed upon by two trading countries    D. vary from day to day

9. The intended audience of this passage is _____.

A. Professors of economics        B. postgraduate students of international trade 

C . beginners of business           D. business people

10. Which of the following is likely to be discussed in the next paragraph?

A. Export trade barriers.               B. Quotas and tariffs.

B. .Reasons for imposing trading barriers. D. Measures to break down trade barriers.