Almost every year since the end of the financial crisis has started with rosy expectations among American forecasters, and this

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问题     Almost every year since the end of the financial crisis has started with rosy expectations among American forecasters, and this one is no different. Stock markets are buoyant, consumer confidence is improving, and economic seers are raising their growth forecasts for 2014. America’s S&P 500 share index is at a record high, after rising 30% in 2013—the biggest annual gain in almost two decades. Powered by America, global growth of close to 4%, on a purchasing-power-parity basis, seems possible. That would be nearly a full percentage point faster than 2013, and the best showing for several years.
    Yet amid the new-year cheer, it is worth remembering that almost every year since the financial crisis upbeat expectations have been disappointed. The biggest danger this time round is the optimism itself.
    All around the rich world, things are looking better. Britain’s recovery is gathering pace. Japan’s economy seems strong enough to cope with the imminent rise in its consumption tax. Even Europe’s prospects are less dismal. But America is driving this recovery.
    America’s growth rests on strong foundations. First, house-hold and corporate balance-sheets are in good shape. Unlike Europeans, who have barely reduced their private debt, Americans have put the hangover from the financial crisis behind them. The revival in house prices is testament to that. Second, thanks to cheap energy, years of wage restraint and a relatively weak dollar, America is competitive. These two factors have combined to produce faster job growth which, along with high er share prices, suggests stronger consumer spending and higher investment ahead. Finally, the fiscal squeeze is abating. In 2013 the federal government took 1.75% of GDP out of the economy with tax rises and spending cuts. The recently agreed budget deal will help cut the fiscal squeeze to 0.5% of GDP this year. All these factors could boost America’s growth to around 3% in 2014, well above its trend rate.
    More spending by American firms and households will, in turn, buoy demand for goods and services from everywhere from China to Germany. America’s appetite for foreign wares is not what it once was, but its economy is so big that faster spending will push up exports around the globe. The resulting support for growth will, in turn, improve domestic confidence from Europe to Japan.
Usually predictors in America think that after economic crisis, ______.

选项 A、the prospects may seem hopeful
B、consumers will soon become confident again
C、the economy will soon become better than it once was
D、it may take a long time for the economy to recover itself

答案A

解析 题干中的“predictors in America”相当于第一段第一句的“American forecasters”;“usually”相当于“almost every year”;“after economic crisis”相当于“since the end of the financial crisis”,故可以确定该题对应首段首句。该句为:Almost every year since the end of the financial crisis has started with rosy expectations among American forecasters, and this one is no different. (几乎每次经济危机结束后的第一年,美国预测员就开始了乐观预期,这一次也不例外。) 其中最有困扰性的是rosy一词,其意思为“玫瑰般的,美好的,乐观的”,因此可以判断选项A为答案。其中“hopeful”=“rosy”;“prospects”=“expectations”,其余各项均与首段首句的关键词rosy expectations无关。
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