A study comparing prices in l50 major cities has found that cities in Western Europe have become more expensive to live in since the full introduction of the euro currency(货币).The report also noted a fall in living costs in cities where there are economic(经济的)or political problems such as Buenos Aires in Argentina and Harare in Zimbabwe. The findings are shown in the latest worldwide cost of living study conducted yearly by the Economist Intelligence Unit，a business research organization based in London.The information is meant to help big firms set payments for people working away from their home country.As in last year’s study，two Japanese cities，Tokyo and Osaka，were found to be the most expensive places to live.The report also says that cities in the euro zone(欧元区)，have become more expensive relative to other places since the introduction of euro notes and coins.For example，Paris now has the tenth highest costs;it was in fourteenth place a few years ago.Berlin has gone from fiftieth to thirty.first place.Those findings will strengthen the opinion that businesses have exploited disorder over the new currency to push up their prices.But as in past years，the highest costs in Europe are outside the euro zone.London，for example，is the seventh most expensive city in the world to live in.New York，which has the highest prices in America，is in 11th place.The biggest fall in relative costs has taken place in Buenos Aims.That partly shows the fall of the Argentine currency，following the country’s inability to pay the money it owes.The cheapest major cities were found to be Tehran in Iran and Harare，capital of Zimbabwe.
(13)What is the text mainly about?
A. The economic development in Europe.
B. The results of a study.
C. Living costs outside the euro zone
D. Changes in world currencies.
(14)The Economist Intelligence Unit has tried its best to______.
A. introduce the euro to more countries
B. help people choose places to live in
C. provide information about living cost
D. offer suggestions for economic growth
(15)Some European cities have become more expensive probably because______.
A. businesses took advantage of the new currency
B. living cost dropped in non-European countries
C. economic growth slowed down in the world
D. problems occurred in other cities
(16)What can we learn from the text?
A. Buenos Aires is the cheapest city in the world.
B. Tokyo and Osaka are the most expensive cities.
C. Paris and Berlin have the highest prices in Europe.
D. London and Harare are as expensive as they were.
【答案解析】
(13) :A 主旨题。通读全文，我们可以看出作者探讨的主要是西欧欧元区的经济发展和生活消费，所以正确答案是A。
(14) :C细节题。从文中第二段可以看出经济智能协会提供各城市的生活消费信息，帮助远离故乡的劳动人员做决策，所以C是正确答案。
(15) :A细节题。从文中第二段“cities in the euro zone，have become more expensive relative to other places since the introduction of euro notes and coins”一句可以看出，一些欧洲城市生活成本增长是由于引进欧元的缘故，所以正确答案是A。
(16) :B细节题。从文章第二段可以看出，东京和大阪是物价最高的两座城市，所以正确答案是B。
一项调查比较了150个大中城市的物价，发现自从完全使用欧元后，西欧的生活成本变得更加高了。报告还显示，在有经济、政治问题的城市，像阿根廷的布宜诺斯艾利斯和津巴布韦的哈拉雷，生活成本有所下降。
这个发现发表在最新世界生活水平调查上，由总部坐落在伦敦的商业研究组织——经济学家情报单位提供数据。提供这种信息是为了帮助大公司为远离祖国的离乡人士设置支付数额。去年的调查显示，日本的两个城市，东京和大阪是生活成本最高的地方。报告同时显示欧元区城市的生活成本变得更高。比如巴黎在几年前是位居第14位生活成本最高的城市，如今已升至第10位。柏林已从第50位上升至第31位。这些发现使这个观点更加可信：商业使新货币变得秩序混乱，从而抬高市场价格。但在以往的年份，欧洲生活成本最高的国家出现在欧元区以外的区域。比如。伦敦是世界上位居第7的生活成本最高的城市;纽约，作为美国生活成本最高的城市，位居第11位。相关价格的大幅下跌发生在布宜诺斯艾利斯。这在一定程度上表明，由于该国无力偿还外债而导致货币贬值。生活最便宜的主要城市被认为是伊朗的德黑兰和津巴布韦的首都哈拉雷。
