单选题
What is the talk mainly about? A. The satisfactory "buy-now, pay-later" credit system. B. The ways the credit companies use to issue credit cards. C. The classification and advantages and disadvantages of credit cards. D. The difference between store credit cards and other credit cards.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 17-22 Professor Many businesses, such as department stores, restaurants, hotels, and airline companies, use a credit system for selling their products. In a credit system the seller agrees to sell something to the buyer without immediately receiving cash. The buyer receives the goods or services immediately and promises to pay for them later. This "buy-now, pay-later" credit system is quite old. People have been buying things on credit for centuries. However, nowadays people use credit cards. There are two types of credit cards. One type is issued directly by a store to a customer. Many large department stores issue credit cards to their customers. The store credit card can be used to make purchases only at a particular store. For example, a credit card from Swan's Department Store can be used only at Swan's Department Store. The other kind of credit card is issued by a credit company. VISA and American Express are examples of credit companies. Credit cards from credit companies can be used to buy things almost anywhere. If you have a major credit card, you can buy airplane tickets, stay at hotels, and eat at restaurants with it. Most large credit companies are connected to large banks. So if you want a credit card from a credit company, you generally have to make an application at a bank. After an applicant receives a credit card, he or she can make purchases using the card. The credit company sends the customer a statement of purchases at the end of each month. Generally, the customer has to pay 25 to 50 percent of their credit bill every month. The customer pays directly to the credit company. And the credit company pays directly to the store, hotel, or restaurant. There are some advantages and disadvantages to using credit cards. The biggest advantage for the consumer is expressed by the phrase "buy-now, pay-later'. This means that the consumer can purchase what she wants when she wants it. There is no need to save up money in advance. Another advantage of having a credit card is that it protects the owner. If a credit card is lost or stolen, the owner only has to call the credit company and the credit company will stop the credit card number. No one else can use it. So the owner doesn't have to worry about losing the card. A third advantage of the credit card system is that the consumer receives a record of her purchases. Every month the credit customer receives a bill. The bill has a list of all purchases from that month. This makes it easier to remember when and where purchases are made. And the fourth advantage is that a credit card can be used when something unexpected happens. Many kinds of professional people—plumbers, taxi drivers, doctors, and dentists—will accept credit cards in an emergency. This is very important if you don't have any cash with you. Using credit cards has one major disadvantage though. The main disadvantage is that consumers tend to overspend; they spend more than they make. If a consumer buys a lot of things on credit, she has to make large payments each month. Sometimes, it becomes impossible to keep up with the payments. The consumer's life becomes more and more difficult. If the consumer can't make her payments, her credit card will be taken away. It will be very difficult for her to get another card in the future. So we can see that a credit buying system has some advantages and some disadvantages. On the one hand, it gives people some buying freedom; on the other hand, it tends to encourage overspending. [解析] 本题为要点题，要求考生通过听力材料中的关键词汇、词组和事实，对听力材料的要点进行综合分析。综观全文，我们得知本讲座的主题是关于信用卡的分类以及优缺点。因此，C项为正确答案。注意：考生不要受开头“the 'buy-now, pay—later' credit system”的影响而误选A项。
单选题
Why does the professor mention VISA and American Express? A. To show examples of store credit cards. B. To show examples of credit companies. C. To show advantages of credit cards. D. To show disadvantages of credit cards.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 本题为语用理解题中的功能题，要求考生理解说话者的目的。题目问：教授提及VISA和American Express的目的是什么?教授在提到VISA和American Express前说道：“The other kind of credit card is issued by a credit company. (另一种信用卡是由信用公司发行的。)”后面又直接提到这两者是“examples of credit companies(信用公司的例子)”，故选择B项。
单选题
Which expression is NOT true according to the professor? A. In a credit system the buyer may get goods and pay later. B. Most large credit companies are connected to large banks. C. Airplane tickets can be bought with credit cards. D. Store credit cards can be used to buy things anywhere.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 本题为细节题，考查考生是否能够理解并记住听力材料中提到的细节和事实。而该题要求找出与所述事实不符的选项。南材料中的“The store credit card can be used to make purchases only at a particular store(商店信用卡只能用于指定商店的消费)”可知，正确答案为D项。
单选题
How does the professor clarify the advantages of using credit cards? A. By comparing credit cards with other means. B. By citing examples of how to use credit cards. C. By listing the merits of using credit cards. D. By making a classification of credit cards.
单选题
What is the professor's reason for saying this? A. Because the consumer has already used many credit cards. B. Because the consumer has spent too much money buying things. C. Because the consumer overspends and cannot make her payments. D. Because the consumer forgets to pay her credit bill.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 本题为内在关系题，要求考生能够把握要点之间的内在关系。题目问：教授根据什么说“It will be very difficult for her to get another card in the future(以后，她将很难再获得新的信用卡?)”教授在说出此句之前曾提到“If a consumer buys a lot of things on credit, she has to make large payments each month. Sometimes, it becomes impossible to keep up with the payments. The consumer's life becomes more and more difficult. If the consumer can't make her payments, her credit card will be taken away(如果消费者使用信用卡进行大量的消费，那么她每月就需要支付大笔的费用。有时会很难维持这样的大额还款，而消费者的生活也会变得越来越窘迫。如果消费者不能偿清费用，她的信用卡将被取消)”，据此可知C为正确答案。
单选题
What's the professor's general attitude towards using credit cards? A. Positive. B. Negative. C. Neutral. D. Doubtful.