Section A: Banked Cloze
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
There're three main types of financial stress people encounter. The first type is apparent in people being stressed about the (26) ______ ups and downs of investment markets—actually not so much the ups, but (27) ______ the downs. These people are usually unable or unprepared to endure the long haul.
The next common type of financial stress is that caused by debt. In a (28) ______ percentage of cases of debt-induced financial stress, credit cards and loans will be a central element. Often there'll be a car loan and perhaps a mortgage, but credit cards often seem to be the gateway to debt-related financial difficulties for many.
The third type of stress and (29) ______ the least known is inherited financial stress, which is the most destructive. It is experienced by those who have grown up in households where their parents regularly (30) ______ and fought about money. Money therefore becomes a stressful topic, and so the thought of sitting down and planning is an unattractive (31) ______.
Those suffering inherited financial anxiety (32) ______ to follow one of two patterns. Either they put their head in the sand: they would (33) ______ examining their financial statements, budgeting, and discussing financial matters with those closest to them. Alternatively, they would go to the other (34) ______, and micro-analyze everything to the point of complete (35) ______. They're convinced that whatever decision they make will be the wrong one.
Word Bank
全文翻译
人们遇到的财务压力主要有三种。第一种表现在人们对投资市场起伏的压力——实际上不是那么在意涨，而是在意跌。这些人通常无法或没有准备好承受长期的投资周期。下一种常见的财务压力是由债务引起的。在很大比例的债务性财务压力案例中，信用卡和贷款将是核心因素。通常还会有汽车贷款和可能的抵押贷款，但信用卡似乎常常是许多人陷入债务相关财务困境的入口。第三种也是最少为人知的压力是继承性财务压力，这是最具破坏性的。这种压力由那些在父母经常为钱吵架和争论的家庭中长大的人经历。因此，金钱成为一个压力性话题，坐下来做规划的想法成为一种没有吸引力的前景。那些遭受继承性财务焦虑的人倾向于遵循两种模式中的一种。要么他们选择逃避：他们会避免查看财务对账单、做预算，以及与最亲近的人讨论财务问题。要么他们走向另一个极端，对一切进行微观分析到完全瘫痪的地步。他们坚信无论自己做什么决定都将是错的。Answers & Explanations
26. I (normal)。解析：修饰名词 ups and downs。意为投资市场“正常的”起伏。
27. E (definitely)。解析：修饰动词。意为不是上涨，而是“肯定地/绝对地”是下跌让人压力大。
28. D (considerable)。解析：修饰名词 percentage。意为在“相当大”比例的案例中。
29. J (possibly)。解析：修饰形容词 least known。意为“可能”是最不为人知的。
30. B (argued)。解析：与 fought (争吵) 并列，填过去式动词。意为父母经常“争论”和吵架。
31. K (proposition)。解析：位于形容词 unattractive 之后填名词。意为理财计划是一个无吸引力的“主张/提议”。
32. N (tend)。解析：句子缺谓语，且主语为复数。固定搭配 tend to do 意为“往往会”。
33. C (avoid)。解析：位于 would 之后填动词原形。意为他们会“避免”检查财务报表。
34. F (extreme)。解析：固定搭配 go to the other extreme 意为“走向另一个极端”。
35. G (inaction)。解析：位于 complete 之后，指过度分析导致完全“无行动/不作为”。