单选题 For most of the last 50 years, globalization has been a win-win proposition, making America richer while lifting hundreds of millions in the developing world out of poverty and despair. Recently, however, it has begun to operate differently, undermining U.S. welfare while creating imbalances likely to end in a global economic crisis.
In this new mode, globalization is tilting the world like a giant sliding board game on which the "flattening" of old barriers is accelerating the transfer of the supply side of the U.S. economy to the rest of the world, especially Asia. Take the semiconductor king, Intel, as an example. When economists and political leaders say American industry should concentrate on producing very-high-technology products where it has a clear comparative advantage, Intel's chips are what they have in mind. Yet company executives recently told a presidential advisory panel that under present circumstances they must consider building more of their new factories abroad. Over the next 10 years, they explained, the cost of running a semiconductor factory in the United States could be $1 billion more than that of running it abroad.
That there is something odd here is not yet widely acknowledged. Indeed, most business, academic, media and political leaders continue to insist that globalization is proceeding smoothly, making the world rich, more democratic and more peaceful. Nor is this view entirely unjustified. U.S. GDP and productivity growth are the highest in the developed economies, while inflation, unemployment and interest rates are among the lowest.
Nevertheless, a closer look reveals a dark side. The U.S. trade deficit is now more than $800 billion, or 7 percent of GDP, and grows inexorably as Americans continue to consume more than they produce. Economists typically expect the United States to import commodities and cheap manufactured goods while exporting high-tech products, sophisticated services and agricultural goods, for which its land and climate are well suited. In reality, the U.S. high-tech trade surplus of $30 billion in 1998 has collapsed to a deficit of about $40 billion. Agricultural trade is now also in deficit for the first time in memory, and the modest surplus in services is declining as global deployment of the high-speed Internet has made it possible for services to move offshore as easily as manufacturing.
Some economists speak bravely of a "soft landing". In this scenario, the United States reduces its budget deficit and excess consumption, while a gradually falling dollar results in rising exports to foreign markets where governments are stimulating consumption. While desirable, this will not occur automatically. Thus, for the sake not only of the United States but of all nations with a stake in globalization, it is imperative that political leaders change its current mode. The game cannot continue with one participant playing consumer while nearly all the others play producer. For the long-term success of all, everyone must agree to play the same globalization game.

单选题 According to the author, the imbalance is best demonstrated in
A. the increasing power of the developing countries in world affairs.
B. the rapid elimination of trade barriers across country borders.
C. the disproportionate transfer of high technology to countries in Asia.
D. America's gradual loss of status as a high-technology supplier.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。第一段提到，最近全球化开始采用不同的方式运作，伤害了美国的利益，并同时创造出不平衡，可能最终会导致全球经济危机。第二段第一句提到，在这种新模式下，全球化正在使世界像一个巨大而不稳定的棋盘一样倾斜，在这个棋盘上，消除旧的障碍加速了供应方由美国向世界其他地区——特别是亚洲的转移。这句话实际上解释了这里所说的“不平衡”究竟指什么：亚洲等地区正在取代美国作为供应商的地位，故选D项。

单选题 The Intel example is used to show that
A. high-technology companies are usually run at a higher cost.
B. the U.S. should give tax relief to such high-technology companies as Intel.
C. the U.S. is losing its advantage as a supplying economy.
D. Intel's executives are dissatisfied with the operating environment at home.

单选题 The United States suffers trade deficit in all of the sectors except
A. agriculture. B. high technology.
C. services. D. manufacturing.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据题干关键词trade deficit定位到第四段。第四段提到，经济学家一般预期美国会进口日用品和其他廉价的成品，而出口高技术产品、先进的服务和农产品(因为其土地和气候特别适合这些农产品的种植)。但实际上，美国在1998年挣得的300亿美元的高技术贸易顺差已经丧失殆尽，转变为400亿美元的贸易逆差。农产品贸易也有史第一次出现逆差，而且，随着高速的因特网在全球的部署，使得服务业像制造业一样容易向海外转移，因此，美国服务业适度的顺差也在下降。可见，除了服务业以外，高技术、农业、制造业都出现了逆差。

单选题 To redress the present situation the author suggests that the United States
A. spend less but consume more.
B. devalue the dollar to encourage exports.
C. redefine its role in globalization.
D. demand other countries to assume more responsibility.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。在最后一段作者提到，为了美国和所有在全球化过程中有切身利益的国家，(美国的)政治领袖们必须改变目前的模式。如果一个参与者扮演消费者的角色(指美国)，而几乎所有其他人扮演生产者的角色，这个游戏就无法玩下去。为了所有人取得长期的成功，每个人必须同意玩同样的全球化游戏。这里作者是在打比方，意在说明只有所有国家都同时扮演消费者和生产者的角色，全球化的游戏才能玩下去。根据上文，作者在这里的意思是：美国不能仅仅扮演高技术的供给者和其他产品的消费者，换言之，美国应该调整它在全球化过程中的角色，故选C项。