If your boss asks you to work in Moscow this year, he’d better offer you more money to do so — or even double that depending on where you live now. That’s because Moscow has just been found to be the world’s most expensive city for the second year in a row by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.
Using the cost of living in New York as a base, Mercer determined Moscow is 34.4 percent more expensive including the cost of housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment(娛樂).
A two-bedroom flat in Moscow now costs $4,000 a month; a CD $24.83, and an international newspaper $6.30, according to Mercer. By comparison, a fast food meal with a hamburger (漢堡包) is a steal at $4.80.
London takes the No.2 place, up from No.5 a year ago, thanks to higher cost of housing and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar. Mercer estimates (估算) London is 26 percent more expensive than New York these days. Following London closely are Seoul and Tokyo, both of which are 22 percent more expensive than New York, while No.5 Hong Kong is 19 percent more costly.
Among North American cities, New York and Los Angeles are the most expensive and are the only two listed in the top 50 of the world’s most expensive cities. But both have fallen since last year’s study — New York came in 15th, down from 10th place, while Los Angeles fell to 42nd from 29th place a year ago. San Francisco came in a distant third at No. 54, down 20 places from a year earlier.
Toronto, meanwhile, is Canada’s most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82nd place worldwide. In Australia, Sydney is the priciest place to live in and No. 21 worldwide.
【小題1】 What do the underlined words “a steal” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A.a(chǎn)n act of stealing B.something very cheap
C.something delicious D.a(chǎn)n act of buying
【小題2】London has become the second most expensive city because of ______.
A.the high cost of clothing
B.its expensive transportation
C.the stronger pound against the dollar
D.the high prices of fast food meals
【小題3】 Which city is the third most expensive on the list?
A.Sydney. B.Hong Kong. C.Moscow. D.Tokyo.
【小題4】Which city has dropped most on the list in North America?
A.Toronto. B.Los Angeles. C.San Francisco. D.New York.


【小題1】B
【小題2】C
【小題3】D
【小題4】A

解析試題分析:文章講述的是世界上幾個日常生活費用最高的城市的情況,和他們消費水平名詞的排名及其變化。
【小題1】猜測詞義題,根據(jù)上文的物價比較可知,漢堡的價格非常便宜,所以選擇B
【小題2】事實細節(jié)題,根據(jù)第四段的thanks to higher cost of housing and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar可知倫敦現(xiàn)在是第二貴的城市,因為英鎊相比美元更穩(wěn)固。選C。
【小題3】事實細節(jié)題,根據(jù)第四段Following London closely are Seoul and Tokyo可知,漢城和東京名列第三,選D。
【小題4】推理判斷題,根據(jù)前面幾個城市的名詞的變化和最后一段的Toronto, meanwhile, is Canada’s most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82nd place worldwide可知,多倫多的下降的最多。選A。
考點:考查日常生活類短文

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