2006考研英语命题预测题四

Section Ⅰ Use of English

Directions:
    Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A,B,C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1(10 points)

    ALAN "ACE" GREENBERG chose his nickname to improve his chances with girls at the University of Missouri. But it is an apt 1    of his trading skills on Wall Street. This week, as the 73-year-old   2   down  3   chairman of  Bear Stearns, the investment bank where he has worked since 1949 is in  a high. It 4     an increase in post-tax profits in the second quarter of 43% on a year earlier,  5   a time when many of its Wall Street rivals have   6  . On June 26th  Merrill Lynch  7   a warning that its profits in the second quarter would fall by half, far   8   of expectations.  Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have also reported lower profits.

    Strange that this surprised.  9  Alan Greenspan's frenetic cuts  10  interest rates, times are good for underwriters and traders of bonds, core activities for  Bear Stearns and  Lehman Brothers,  11   also recorded a sharp increase in profits. It has been a lousy   12   for equity underwriters and for advisers on the meagre amounts of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) this year.

    Merrill, Goldman and Morgan Stanley are three of the investment banks that gained   13  during the boom in equity and M&A business, and they are now  14  the most. Of the three,  Merrill is weakest in bonds. It cut  15  its fixed- income activities after the collapse of Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM) in 1998. As it happens, both  Bear Stearns and Lehman have long been criticised for their weakness in equities.

    Mr Greenberg is famous for worrying about even the price of a paper-clip at  Bear Stearns. This used to seem terribly   16  , but these days other Wall Street firms are  17   about costs. Lay- offs are  18   though not yet alarmingly-not least, because banks saw how  Merrill Lynch lost  19  when the markets rebounded quickly after the LTCM crisis. Still, if few  20  of improvement show soon, expect real blood-letting on Wall Street.

1. A. cover  B. encapsulation  C.jacket D.shell

2. A. goes  B comes  C strides  D. steps

3.A.be  B. being  C. as  D. to be

4. A. recorded B. logged  C.chronicled  D. noted

5,A.during  B.at  C. on  D. in

6.A.  stumbled   B. slip  C.blundered  D. crept

7.A. delivered  Bdistributed  C. conveyed  D. issued

8.A. out  B. lacking  C. lack  D. short

9.A. because of  B. on account of  C.thanks to  D.due to

10.A. at   B. in  C.on  D. upon

11.A who  Bwhat  C.whom  D.which

12A. time  B.period  C.epoch  D.era

13.A. most  B.much C. a lot   D. a great deal

14.A. lost   B. losing  C. suffering  D. suffered

15.A. down  B. back  C. off  D. out

16.A. unnecessary B. unreasonable  C. unpopular  D. unfashionable

17.A obsessed  B worried C.concerned  D. bothered

18.A. decreased B.increased  C. increasing  D.decreasing

19.A. field B. ground  C. future  D. hope

20.A. signals  B.symbol  C. signs  D.symptom

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