单选题 Medical bills in the United States have risen violently since 1960's and steps need to be taken to reverse this trend or the average American will not be able to afford medical care. The major factor in increasing the cost of medical care has been the dramatic increase in the cost of hospital services. The rise in the cost of hospitalization can be only partly blamed on inflation (通货膨胀)since hospital bills in the last two decades have risen at a considerably higher rate than inflation.
Another factor cited by doctors as a major cause for the increase in the cost of medical care is malpractice(治疗错误). Increasingly large awards for malpractice have caused doctors to increase their rates to cover the higher malpractice insurance. Because of the large malpractice awards, doctors are also prescribing more conservative and more extensive and therefore more costly treatment for patients as a defense against malpractice claims. Whatever the causes of the wild increases in the cost of medical care are, the government needs to take strong action before it is too late for Americans.

单选题 The passage is mainly about ______.
A. the increasing cost of malpractice insurance
B. factors causing the increase in U. S. medical bills
C. steps for Americans to take to obtain medical care
D. the dramatic medical profession

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】从全文来看，文章第一句提出问题，下文从两方面分析问题的原因。因此文章旨在分析影响美国医疗费增长的原因。A项是文章提出的事实，而不是主旨；C项是文章的呼吁。文章并没有指出应采取的措施。

单选题 The passage implies that a slowing in inflation would have ______ effect on medical costs.
A. a tremendous B. a slight
C. a maximum D. no

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】文章第一段末句指出“由于在过去二十年中住院费的增长率远远大于通货膨胀”，所以通货膨胀并不是主要原因。因此通货膨胀的缓解对医疗费用的影响不会太大。

单选题 How does the author of this passage feel about the tremendous increase in medical bills?
A. Enthusiastic B. Impassive
C. Indifferent D. Anxious

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】文章的首句和末句中，作者都强烈呼吁政府采取强有力的措施，及时地扭转形势，解决问题。这说明了作者的焦虑态度。

单选题 What is the author's main point in the passage?
A. Inflation is having a terrible effect on medical bills.
B. Insurance companies are at fault in raising medical bills.
C. Action is needed to stop increase in medical bills.
D. Doctors need to work to decrease malpractice.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】文章首尾呼应，作者一再指出政府应采取措施，否则美国人将付不起医疗费了。可见，这是作者的主要观点。A项和B项与文章内容相反；D项文章没有提及。

单选题 What does the following paragraph of this passage most likely contain?
A. A discussion of why average Americans will soon be unable to afford medical care.
B. A forecast of how inflation will affect medical care in the future.
C. The tremendous increases in malpractice insurance.
D. The steps the government could take to control medical costs.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】从文章的首句和末句可知，下一段作者会介绍政府应采取哪些措施来控制医疗费的增长。