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.
(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。
