23. A. that B. which C. it D. this
24. A. rise B. rises C. rose D. raised
25. A. that B. what C. which D. this
26. A. food B. grain C. crop D. diet
27. A. less B. lower C. higher D. more
28. A. said B. reported C. calculated D. forecast
29. A. expectable B. unexpected C. expectation D. expecting
30. A. prices B. costs C. charges D. values
31. A. down B. from C. to D. up
32. A. Much B. Most C. Most of D. Much of
33. A. was B. were C. is D. are
34. A. fall B. fell C. falls D. has fallen
35. A. Comparing with B. In comparison C. Compared with D. Compare to
36. A. dropped B. declined C. lifted D. climbed
37. A. as B. so C. while D. when
38. A. And B. But C. Yet D. Still
39. A. at B. by C. in D. to
40. A. condition B. situation C. matter D. case
Section Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 points)
Office jobs are among the positions hardest hit by compumation (计算机自动化). Word processors and typists will lose about 93,000 jobs over the next few years, while 57,000 secretarial jobs will vanish. Blame the PC: Today, many executives type their own memos and carry their “secretaries” in the palms of their hands. Time is also hard for stock clerks, whose ranks are expected to decrease by 68,000. And employees in manufacturing firms and wholesalers are being replaced with computerized systems.
