Made in the USA: An Export Boom

In his State of the Union address two years ago, President Obama argued that in order to recover from the economic recession, one of the few things the U.S. needed to do was to export more goods around the world. That night, the president unveiled a new goal: to double U.S. exports over the next five years. It would be an increase that the president said would “support two million jobs in America.”

Most economists dismissed the promise at the time as something unrealistic, but two years later, the U.S. is on pace to meet that goal. American exports are up 34 percent since the president gave that speech, and the number continues to rise.

Competitive In A Global Market

Marlin Steel, a metal working business in Baltimore, makes parts that ship all across the world.“ We export to 36 countries,” owner Drew Greenblatt tells All Things Considered Host Guy Raz. “We're working around the clock, and we're growing.”

It's not just advanced manufacturing exports on the rise, but pork, cattle and all kinds of agricultural exports are up as well. Even American craft beer has found an export market.

Flying Dog CEO Jim Caruso says that increasingly, people all over the world are trying the beer from the Maryland-based brewery. Caruso says,“Even in those top beer-producing countries, a competitive American product is finding a market.”

Services Are Exports, Too

Another place exports are coming from is New York City—in particular, the 30th floor of a Manhattan skyscraper on 5th Avenue and 52nd Street. That's where the consulting firm Kurt Solomon lies. It doesn't actually produce a product for export; it provides management advice and strategy.

“Four out of every five Americans is now employed in the service industry,” the nation's top trade official, Ron Kirk says, “Services are a significant part of our exports, and make up about a quarter of our exported goods.” These services can include everything from legal consulting, finance, information technology and even engineering.

And There Are Other Factors

So why has there been an increase of more than 30 percent for exports in almost everything? Part of the increase, at least for the manufacturing side, is due to better technology, says Tyler Cowen, an economist. “A lot of it is being driven by smart machines,” he tells Raz,“The U.S. has high wage rates, which is a disadvantage, but if machines are doing a lot of the work, that doesn't matter.”

China factors a lot in America's export economy, too. “Wages in China have been going up as the country becomes more productive. Thus China is losing the cheap labor advantage it has held for some time.” Cowen says.

Will Jobs Grow, too?

“Companies have become more productive by dismissing workers and lowering costs.” Cowen says, “So I don't view exporting as a way of creating a very large number of jobs, but it will create more profits.”

So not every business or worker is necessarily benefiting from the export boom in the U.S., and Cowen says that could ultimately lead to a polarization(兩極) of economic outcomes.

Made In the USA: An Export Boom

Outline

Details

The purpose of  increasing exports

*To help America make a (71)______ from the economic recession

*To help raise the nation's (72)______ rate

The current situation

*American exports have risen (73)______ thirty-four percent up to now

*There has been an increase in exports in everything

*The export boom does not necessarily (74)______ every business or worker

(75)______ contributing to the export boom

(76)______products

Even in those top beer-producing countries, people try craft beer from Flying Dog, a brewery (77)______ in Maryland.

Various products

A variety of products are provided around the world,services (78)______ for 25%

Lower costs

*(79)______ take the place of labor, helping companies reduce wages

*China, who used to take (80)______ of cheap labor, has given way to America in exports to some extent because of its increasing production

 

 

 

 

【答案】

 

  recovery 

  employment 

 . by 

 . benefit 

  Factors 

  Competitive

 . located/based 

 . accounting 

  Machines 

  advantage

【解析】

試題分析:

 由recover from the economic recession可知,是要幫助美國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇

  由文章可知,是提高就業(yè)率

 由American exports are up 34 percent since the president gave that speech, and the number continues to rise.可知

  由文章可知,應(yīng)是不一定使每個(gè)公司和人員都獲益

 根據(jù)表格大意和結(jié)構(gòu),根據(jù)文意,這里應(yīng)是導(dǎo)致繁榮的因素

 由Competitive In A Global Market可知

 由people all over the world are trying the beer from the Maryland-based brewery. Caruso says,“Even in those top beer-producing countries, a competitive American product is finding a market.”可知

 根據(jù)文意,這里應(yīng)是“服務(wù)占了25%”

 由Part of the increase, at least for the manufacturing side, is due to better technology, says Tyler Cowen, an economist. “A lot of it is being driven by smart machines,” he tells Raz,“The U.S. has high wage rates, which is a disadvantage, but if machines are doing a lot of the work, that doesn't matter.”可知

 由Wages in China have been going up as the country becomes more productive. Thus China is losing the cheap labor advantage it has held for some time可知,中國(guó)過(guò)去式以廉價(jià)勞動(dòng)力為優(yōu)勢(shì)的

考點(diǎn):考查任務(wù)型閱讀

點(diǎn)評(píng):任務(wù)型閱讀要求考生在文章的篇章結(jié)構(gòu)有很好的理解,同時(shí)對(duì)表格的結(jié)構(gòu)也很清晰。注意詞性和詞形的變化,也要注意同義詞,近義詞的轉(zhuǎn)換。

 

練習(xí)冊(cè)系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:2011-2012學(xué)年甘肅省武威第五中學(xué)高一3月月考英語(yǔ)試卷(帶解析) 題型:閱讀理解


Today almost everyone knows computers and the Internet. If I ask you “What is the most important in your life ?” maybe you will say “Computers and the Internet.”
The first computer was made in 1946. It was very big but it worked slowly . Today computers are getting smaller and smaller. But they work faster and faster. What can computers do?
A writer has said, “people can’t live without computers today.”
The Internet came a little later than computers. It is about twenty-five years later than computers. But now it can be found almost everywhere. We can use it to read books, write letters, do shopping, play games or make friends.
Many students like the Internet very much. They often go into the Internet as soon as they are free. They make friends on the Internet and maybe they have never seen these friends. They don’t know their real names, ages, and even sex (性別). They are so interested in making the “unreal friends” that they can’t put their hearts into study. Many of them can’t catch up with others on many subjects because of that.
We can use computers and the Internet to learn more about the world. But at the same time, we should remember that not all the things can be done by computers and the Internet.
【小題1】The Internet can not be used for ______.

A.studyingB.shoppingC.thinkingD.playing
【小題2】When the computer was invented, it was ______.
A.large and worked quickly1
B.small and worked
C.large but worked slowly.
D.small but worked quickly .
【小題3】The Internet was born in about _____.
A.1960B.1970C.1980D.1985
【小題4】Which of the following is true?
A.Few students like going into the Internet.
B.students use the Internet to make “unreal friends.”
C.These “unreal friends” often meet each other.
D.Students know the friends on the Internet very well.
【小題5】What does the writer think of the Internet?
A.It is wonderful.
B.It can make students study harder.
C.It is not good for students.
D.It is helpful, but we can’t do everything on it.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:2013屆江蘇南京學(xué)大教育專修學(xué)校高三月考英語(yǔ)卷(帶解析) 題型:閱讀理解

Since the end of World War I (WWI) in 1918,Canadians, and millions of others around the world have paused at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to honour the sacrifices our soldiers have made in different wars, fighting for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Known as Remembrance Day, the day originated as a tribute to the soldiers of WWI, a dark period for our young country, which claimed the lives of over 60,000 military personnel and civilians and over 16 million dead worldwide.
As there are no more surviving soldiers of WWI,today we rely on the wisdom and words of those soldiers who fought in the wars that followed,and this day now also recognizes their heroic contribution.
They tell us to always remember what those brave souls fought for, and all they ask in return is that we never forget.
That’s why we wear the red poppy (罌粟花);that’s why when we see a soldier in uniform we should stop him or her and say “Thank you” ; that’s why we take a pause from our busy lives for two short minutes today to honor that request.
Yet this message is fading away, year after year.
Take for example the terrible decision to allow parents to excuse students from Remembrance Day ceremonies at school.
Not only is this disrespectful, it distances the student from his or her classmates.
It is difficult to understand why any Canadian parent would want to remove their child from the time-honored tradition of reading the poem In Flanders Fields, while a wreath of poppies is laid.
It is more important than ever to teach school-aged children about our history,no matter how violent it was. Sheltering them from the realities of war is a great disservice.
Understanding why conflicts happened, or happen today, can help shape choices and decisions they make as adults.
Of course, because we live in a free society, we cannot force an individual to do something. It is unfortunate, but some parents now have their child “opt-out” of the services. These people should be reminded they are free to make such choices only because of the men and women the rest of us are remembering.
【小題1】Which of the following is true about Remembrance Day?

A. It’s only held in Canada.
B.Its ceremony lasts 11 hours.
C.It falls on November 11th each year.
D.It’s to celebrate the country’s independence.
【小題2】Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a Remembrance Day activity today?
A.Stopping at 11a.m. to remember the war dead.
B.Listening to stories told by WWI soldiers.
C.Wearing a red poppy to show respect.
D.Showing gratitude to soldiers in uniform.
【小題3】What can we learn from the passage?
A.War history is too violent for school children.
B.The writer was once a soldier in the Canadian army.
C.Few students are willing to take part in Remembrance Day ceremonies.
D.More parents are keeping their children away from frightening war stories.
【小題4】The underlined word “It” in the last paragraph probably refers to _____
A.the death of so many soldiers in wars
B.the fact that there were so many wars after WWI
C.people’s ungratefulness for the freedom they have
D.removing children from Remembrance Day events
【小題5】The writer believes that_____
A.the sacrifice of the soldiers should always be remembered
B.Remembrance Day is becoming less important for soldiers
C.schools - no longer think Remembrance Day is necessary
D.people should be forced to learn about the realities of war

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:2012-2013學(xué)年廣東省陸河外國(guó)語(yǔ)學(xué)校高一上學(xué)期期中考試英語(yǔ)試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

Frank Woolworth was born in Rodman, New York., in 1852. His family were very poor farmers, and there was never enough to eat. Frank decided he did not want to be farmer. He took a short business course, and went to work as a salesman in a large city.

Woolworth realized he had a natural skill for showing goods to attract people’s interest, but he soon learned something more important. One day his boss told him to sell some odds and ends (小商品 ) for as much as he could get. Frank put all these things on one table with a sign which said FIVE CENTS EACH. People fought and pushed to buy the things and the table was soon cleared.

Soon afterwards, Woolworth opened his own store., selling goods at five and ten cents. But he had another lesson to learn before he became successful. That is, if you want to make money by selling low-price goods, you have to buy them in large quantities directly form the factories. Once, for example, Woolworth went to Germany and placed an order for knives. The order was so large that the factory had to keep running 24 hours a day for a whole year. In this way, the price of the knives was cut down by half.

By 1919, Woolworth had over 1000 stores in the US and Canada, and opened his first store in London. He made many millions and his name became famous throughout the world. He always run his business according to strict rules, of which the most important was: “ THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT.”

1.Frank took a short business course in order to ____________.

   A. earn more money for his family    B. learn something from a salesman

   C. get away from the farm           D. get enough to eat.

2.Frank sold the odds and ends quickly because _____________.

   A. he knew how to get people to buy his goods.

B. he cut down the price by half

   C. he had put the goods on a table in a very nice way.

   D. the sign he put on the table was well designed.

3.The price of the knives was cut down by half because ______________.

   A. the factory workers worked 24 hours a day.

   B. knives were ordered in large quantities directly from the factory.

   C. the knives were made in Germany, where labour (勞動(dòng)力) was cheap.

   D. the knives were produced in one factory.

4._____________ make Woolworth a world-famous man.

   A. His business skills and his wealth.

B. The low price of the goods he sold.

   C. His trip to Germany and his huge order of knives.   

D. His natural skill for showing things.

5.The belief that : “ The customer is always right” suggests that _______________.

   A. whenever there is a quarrel between the customer and shop assistant, the customers are always right.

   B. If you want to succeed, the rule is the only way.

   C. stores must always follow the customer’s orders if they want to make more money.

   D. stores should do their best to meet the customer’s needs if they want to be successful.

 

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:2009年高考試題(江蘇卷)解析版 題型:任務(wù)型閱讀

 

請(qǐng)認(rèn)真閱讀下列短文,并根據(jù)所讀內(nèi)容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一個(gè)最恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~。注意:每個(gè)空格只填1個(gè)單詞。請(qǐng)將答案寫(xiě)在答題卡上相應(yīng)題號(hào)的橫線上。

Communication Principles

How you see yourself can make a great difference in how you communicate.“Every individual exists in a continually changing world of experience of which he(or she)is the center”.Many communication scholars and social scientists believe that people are products of how others treat them and of the messages others send them.But every day we experience the centrality of our selves in communication.A student.for instance,may describe a conflict with a teacher as unfair treatment:“I know my teacher doesn’t like the fact that I don’t agree with his opinions.a(chǎn)nd that’s why he gave me such a poor grade in that class.”The teacher might say the opposite.Each person may believe that he is correct and that the other person’s view is wrong.

The concept of serf originates in communication.Through verbal and nonverbal symbols, a child learns to accept roles in response to the expectations of others.You establish self-image。The sort of person you believe you are,by how others think of you.Positive,negative,and neutral messages that you receive from others all play a role in determining who you are.Communication itself is probably best understood as a dialogue process.Our understanding of communication comes from our interactions with other people.In a more obvious way.communication involves others in the sense that a competent communicator considers what the other person needs and expects when selecting messages to share.So,the communication begins with the self,as defined largely by others,and involves others,as defined largely by the self.

Communication Occurs almost every minute of your life.If you are not communicating  with yourself(thinking,planning,reacting to the world around you),you are observing others and drawing inferences from their behavior.Even if the other person did not intend a message for you.you gather observations and draw specific conclusions.A person yawns and you believe that person is bored with your message.A second person looks away from you and you conclude that person is not listening to you.A third person smiles(perhaps because of a memory of a joke he heard recently) and you believe that he is attracted to you.We are continually picking up meanings from others’ behaviors and we are constantly providing behaviors that have communicative value for them.

More often than not,you may have hurt someone accidentally and you may have tried to explain that you did not mean that. You may have told the other person that you were sorry for your statement.You may have made a joke out of your rude statement.Nonetheless,your comment remains both in the mind of the other person and in your own mind.You cannot go back in time and erase your messages to others.Communication cannot be reversed(倒退),nor can it be repeated.When you tried to re—create the atmosphere,the conversation,and the setting,nothing seemed right.Your second experience with a similar setting and person made far different results.

 

Paragraph outline

Supporting Details

Communication begins with the self

●People are somewhat products of others’ treatment and messages.

●we are always(1.)  ▲  in communication with others.

Communication (2.) others

●Experiences of others help children learn to accept roles.

●Messages from others help you(3.)  ▲  who you are.

●Needs and(4.)  ▲  of others should be considered.

Communication

(5.)  ▲ everywhere

●We are communicating with ourselves by thinking,planning and reacting to the outside world.

●We are always(6.)  ▲  other people by observing even if they do not intend any message for you.

●We are constantly collecting meanings from others’(7.)  ▲ 

●We are constantly(8.)  ▲  meanings by what we do.

Communication cannot be reversed nor repeated

●You may explain what you have done,but you cannot(9.)  ▲    what remains in the other person’s mind.

●Yon may redo the conversation,but you(10.)  ▲  achieve the same results.

 

 

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊(cè)答案