Political analysts generally regard the third year of a president's term as（）to his reelection prospects.

The largest firms in America and Britain together spend more than $ 15 billion a year on CSR, according to an estimate by EPG, a consulting firm. This could add value to their businesses in three ways. First, consumers may take CSR spending as a “signal” that a company’s products are of high quality. Second, customers may be willing to buy a company’s products as an indirect way to donate to the good causes it helps. And third, through a more diffuse “halo effect,” whereby its good deeds earn it greater consideration from consumers and others.

Previous studies on CSR have had trouble differentiating these effects because consumers can be affected by all three. A recent study attempts to separate them by looking at bribery prosecutions under America’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). It argues that since prosecutors do not consume a company’s products as part of their investigations, they could be influenced only by the halo effect. The study found that, among prosecuted firms, those with the most comprehensive CSR programmes tended to get more lenient penalties. Their analysis ruled out the possibility that it was firms’ political influence, rather than their CSR stand, that accounted for the leniency: Companies that contributed more to political campaigns did not receive lower fines.

In all, the study concludes that whereas prosecutors should only evaluate a case based on its merits, they do seem to be influenced by a company’s record in CSR. “We estimate that either eliminating a substantial labour-rights concern, such as child labour or increasing corpora giving by about 20% results in fines that generally are 40% lower than the typical punishment for briding foreign officials,” says one researcher.

Researchers admit that their study does not answer the question of how much businesses ought to spend on CSR. Nor does it reveal how much companies are banking on the halo effect rather than the other possible benefits, when they decide their do-gooding policies. But at least they have demonstrated that when companies get into trouble with the law, evidence of good character can win them a less costly punishment.

31. The author views Milton Friedman’s statement about CSR with

A.tolerance

B.skepticism

C.uncertainty

D.approval

According to Paragraph 2, CSR helps a company byA.winning trust from consumers.

B.guarding it against malpractices.

C.protecting it from being defamed.

D.raising the quality of its products.

The expression “more lenient’ (Line 2, Para. 4) is closest in meaning toA.more effective

B.less controversial

C.less severe

D.more lasting

When prosecutors evaluate a case, a company’s CSR recordA.has an impact on their decision.

B.comes across as reliable evidence.

C.increases the chance of being penalized.

D.constitutes part of the investigation.

Which of the following is true of CSR, according to the last paragraph？A.Its negative effects on businesses are often overlooked.

B.The necessary amount of companies’ spending on it is unknown.

C.Companies’ financial capacity for it has been overestimated.

D.It has brought much benefit to the banking industry.

请帮忙给出每个问题的正确答案和分析，谢谢！

A.realized losses

B.unrealized gainsand losses for trading securities

C.unrealized gainsand losses for available-for-sale securities

此题为判断题(对，错)。

A、exceed

B、overtake

C、lag

D、surpass

OPEC to Increase Production

VIENNA (Reuters) OPEC oil exporters agreed to raise output limits on Tuesday but second largest producer Iran, fearing a slump in oil prices, opted out of the deal.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said nine members, excluding Iran, would immediately turn up the taps to 1.45 million barrels daily, or seven percent, easing output curbs made a year ago.

The pact came after heavy pressure from OPEC's biggest customer the United States to ease the price of oil and avert a slowdown in economic growth in the West.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al--Naimi said he hoped to see the price of North Sea Brent in the range of $20-$25 a barrel.

"This decision was made in the interests of producers and consumers in a prudent way. It will have a positive impact and moderate prices," he said.

Iran, outside the pact, said it would raise production in any case, though not by as much as under the quota it was offered.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said he saw room for only one million barrels a day of extra oil. He said Tehran saw no shortage in the market.

"Our differences are on principles, and not only a few barrels," Zanganeh told reporters after the meeting had closed.

"OPEC is not a political organization," he added.

He had complained during the two-day OPEC meeting of "political pressure". OPEC delegates said that was an apparent reference to the United States which launched a diplomatic offensive to get OPEC to raise supplies and lower oil prices on the world market.

In Washington, President Clinton said of extra supply: "In the aggregate it could be sufficient to get production and consumption back in alignment," he said.

Analysts said they expected oil prices, already on the slide from recent highs, falling quickly into the $20-$25 range.

"This will mean extra supply and have a negative impact on oil prices," said Gary Rose of Petroleum Industry Research Associates.

"We're going to see a stock build in the second quarter. I would not be surprised to see Brent at $21-$22.”

Rose said: "The United States was pressing hard for a substantial increase and most in OPEC were in favor of a big increase." Iran has expressed its displeasure at this political.

Non-OPEC Mexico and Norway, having cooperated with OPEC in cutting exports when prices crashed, are shortly expected to announce their own increases.

1. () Iran will raise production at all, but less than it was offered under the quota.

2. () Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said the market could absorb 1.45 million barrels of extra oil a day at present.

3. () President Clinton said the new agreement could bring production back to the same level as consumption.

4. () Industry analysts said that the extra oil could have a positive effect on the oil market.

5.() Non-OPEC oil producers such as Mexico and Norway have been competing fiercely with OPEC for world market over the years.

A.Digital signatures are generally 128-bit encryption, whereas simple encryption is generally 56 bits

B.Digital signatures are verified by third parties that vouch for the veracity of the sender and the contents

C.Digital signatures carry timestamps, whereas standard encryption does not

D.Standard encryption mechanisms have no provision for traffic padding to thwart password sniffers

How hard is it to get into one of the top medical schools, like for example the one at Yale University in Connecticut？ Last year almost three thousand seven hundred students hoped to get accepted there. Only one hundred seventy-six -- or less than five percent -- were admitted.

People who want to become medical doctors often study large amounts of biology, chemistry and other science. Some students work for a year or two in a medical or research job before they try to get accepted to medical school.

Medical students spend their first two years in classroom study. They learn about the body and all of its systems. And they begin studying diseases -- how to recognize and treat them. By the third year, students guided by experienced doctors begin working with patients in hospitals. As the students watch and learn, they think about the kind of medicine they would like to practice as doctors. During the fourth year, students begin applying to hospital programs for the additional training they will need after medical school. Competition for a residency at a top hospital can be fierce.

A medical education can be very costly, especially at a private school. One year at a private medical college can cost forty thousand dollars or more. The average at a public medical school is more than fifteen thousand dollars. Most students have to take out loans to pay for medical school. Many finish their education heavily in debt.

Doctors are among the highest paid professionals in the United States. Specialists in big cities are generally the highest paid. But there are also doctors who earn considerably less, including those in poor communities.

(1)Which of the following ideas is NOT suggested in the passage？

A、It is hard to get into one of the top medical schools.

B、The United States has more than one hundred twenty medical colleges.

C、Medical students need two years' classroom study.

D、After graduating from medical schools, the students become doctors.

(2)How many years the medical students take to graduate from medical school？

A、2

B、3

C、4

D、1

(3)In what way many medical students pay for their medical education？

A、Have part-time jobs in hospitals.

B、Take out loans.

C、Their parents pay for it.

D、Work hard for the scholarship.

(4)What the medical students begin to do in their fourth year of study？

A、Looking for a job.

B、Working with patients in hospitals

C、Applying to hospital programs for the additional training.

D、Learning about the body and all of its systems

(5)_______ are generally the highest paid.

A、Specialists in big cities.

B、Experienced doctors.

C、Doctors in poor communities

D、Doctors who graduated from private medical schools.

A.Half a year

B. More than 3 weeks

C. More than 3 months