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  3. An extreme cold spell might be unwelcome to much of the Northern Hemisphere, but it is warmly welcomed by one group — the oil ex

An extreme cold spell might be unwelcome to much of the Northern Hemisphere, but it is warmly welcomed by one group — the oil ex

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问题     An extreme cold spell might be unwelcome to much of the Northern Hemisphere, but it is warmly welcomed by one group — the oil exporters. They have enjoyed a steady rise in the price of a barrel of crude and their satisfaction at the state of affairs is evidenced by the lack of any comment from Opec nations in recent weeks.
    Demand for heating oil, a lead indicator from December to February, is high in Europe, in America’s eastern states and in China. In response to the cold weather, Brent Crude futures have risen by $10 per barrel since the middle of December, to $81 per barrel.
    The oil futures market is in sharp contango — a term used to describe a market where oil is more expensive for delivery at future dates. In other words, market players are betting that the price will rise.
    Expectations of economic recovery are an explanation for the rising price contango, but some analysts worry that the underlying market fundamentals are not that bullish for oil. The Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES) points to the huge stocks of oil, as much as 100 millon barrels, put in storage when demand collapsed at the end of 2008. The CGES reckons that such a harsh winter warrants a much higher oil price. Because underlying demand is weak in a slow economic recovery, the price response has been weak.
    The oil price collapsed a year ago to $36 per barrel, a level at which most Opec nations were facing hardship as the economic rent from exporting crude fell below budgeted government expenditure.
    For green energy technologies, such as biofuels made from plant waste, high prices are critical. In the absence of punishing carbon taxes or a very high carbon price in Europe’s emissions trading system, investors in green technology need an oil price signal that compels the switch to alternatives. The signal was very loud in July 2008, when Brent reached $147 per barrel, but it was also unsustainable as the soaring price of oil was destroying demand and undermining economic growth.
    World demand for oil is still very weak. It fell throughout 2008 and began to recover only in the third quarter of last year. Global demand is 1.8 million barrels a day below its level two years ago. Opec is more or less maintaining its cartel discipline in the face of rising prices, but non-Opec producers are raising their output, adding 570,000 daily barrels to the market last year.
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
选项 A、Opec did not increase its production of crude.
B、Opec is satisfied with the crude price.
C、Green energy technologies are expensive.
D、The price of oil in 2008 was not stable.
答案A
解析 细节题。使用排除法，对第一题的作答已经说明Opec成员国对原油价格是满意的，所以B符合原文，不选。从上一题已经可以看出C选项是符合原文主旨的。根据2008关键词找到文中对应段落，发现当年的原油价格以下跌为主，但是第三季度开始又上涨，很不稳定，符合原文。根据“but non-Opec producers are raising their output”非Opec国家提高了原油的产量，转折词引出对比关系，说明Opec国家的做法并非如此(或多或少地保持现状，没有提高产量)，所以A选项不符合原文。
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