【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[听力原文]

Professor: The basic role of a bank is concerned with saving and loaning money. The banking system can be traced back to the earliest time of writing and has evolved into banking as it is known today. The term bank is meant to apply to an institution that holds the proper authority to undertake banking services, usually in the form of a license issued by a supervisory board. There is also the term nonbank. This is an institution which is limited in the financial services it provides and does not fulfill the legal requirements necessary to be deemed a bank. The word bank comes from a German word meaning bench via the Italian word "banca". The two related terms, bankrupt and broke are also from Italian, banca rotta, a broken bench, or a bank that is out of business. In the past in northern Italy, people lending money had a bench or table on which they ran their business and it is from dais that we have these words today.
Although each banking corporation has a small market share, they still remain some of the most profitable corporations. Take Citigroup as an example. It only has a 5% market share, but has been the most profitable company in the world for the last three years. If Citigroup were as strong in the financial sector, as Home Depot, Wal-Mart or Starbucks are in their fields with a 30% market share, then it would reap greater profits than the top 10 non-banking U.S. industries combined.
To remain profitable in a market that is always changing, banks have had to implement many different policies and procedures. To merge with investment and insurance firms, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act was brought into action. Bringing all three together is the answer to what people were looking for—an institution where they could take care of all of their financial needs—banking, investments and insurance. As one institution would be able to sell a greater variety of products, it would increase its chances in being able to earn more money.
Banks have also changed the way that interest is charged on loans. People who are believed to be a bigger risk pay a higher interest rate. This reduces the losses as a result of bad loans and reduces the cost of borrowing money for people who have better credit histories. It also gives people who are more of a gamble, the chance to borrow money.
The ways that people can pay for goods and services has also increased from cash to debit cards, prepaid cards, smart cards and credit cards. It is now much easier to complete transactions and to purchase big ticket items over time. The downside of this is that people run the risk of overspending and building up an insurmountable amount of debt. Banks earn money from interest and other service charges from customers who use these cards and from companies that accept credit cards as a form of payment. The main difficulties that banks face today when trying to increase their profits include limiting regulations and competition from other financial institutions.

[解析] 通过讲座中提出该法案时所说的To merge with investment and insurance firms...即可得出答案。即这个法案是允许银行从事投资和保险业务的法案。

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 商品和服务费用支付方法的增加即指的银行卡和信用卡等支付方法的增加。通过讲座中的The downside of this is that people run the risk of overspending即可知道教授认为这些支付方法会使人们过度支出。

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 教授在讲述花旗银行是赢利最大的公司时是这么说的：It only has a 5% market share, but has been the most profitable company in the world for the last three years. 这个强烈的对比性描述点明了amazing的原因。

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 讲座中有关利息的变化是这样描述的：People who are believed to be a bigger risk pay a higher interest rate. This reduces the losses as a result of bad loans and reduces the cost of borrowing money for people who have better credit histories. 通过其中的关键词句people...bigger risk pay a higher...reduce the cost...for people who have better...可猜测出其大意。B选项与其含义相符。