2017英语专八阅读100篇高级篇附答案解析（67）

2017英语专八阅读100篇高级篇附答案解析（67）

　　Recent years have brought minority-owned businesses in the United Statesunprecedented opportunities — as well as new and significant risks. Civil rights activists have longargued that one of the principal reasons why Blacks, Hispanics, and other minoritygroups have difficulty establishing themselves in business is that they lackaccess to the sizable orders and subcontracts that are generated by largecompanies. Now Congress, in apparent agreement, has required by law thatbusinesses awarded federal contracts of more than $500,000 do their best tofind minority subcontractors and record their efforts to do so on forms filedwith the government. Indeed, some federal and local agencies have gone so faras to set specific percentage goals for apportioning parts of public workscontracts to minority enterprises.

　　Corporate response appears to have been substantial. According to figurescollected in 1977, the total of corporate contracts with minority businessesrose from $77 million in 1972 to $1.1 billion in 1977. The projected total ofcorporate contracts with minority businesses for the early 1980’s is estimated to be over 53billion per year with no letup anticipated in the next decade.

　　Promising as it is for minority businesses, this increased patronageposes dangers for them, too. First, minority firms risk expanding too fast andoverextending themselves financially, since most are small concerns and, unlikelarge businesses, they often need to make substantial investments in newplants, staff, equipment, and the like in order to perform work subcontractedto them. If, thereafter, their subcontracts are for some reason reduced, suchfirms can face potentially crippling fixed expenses. The world of corporatepurchasing can be frustrating for small entrepreneurs who get requests forelaborate formal estimates and bids. Both consume valuable time and resources,and a small company’s efforts must soon result in orders, or both the morale and thefinancial health of the business will suffer.

　　A second risk is that White-owned companies may seek to cash in on theincreasing apportionments through formation of joint ventures withminority-owned concerns. Of course, in many instances there are legitimatereasons for joint ventures; clearly, White and minority enterprises can team upto acquire business that neither could acquire alone. But civil rights groupsand minority business owners have complained to Congress about minorities beingset up as “fronts” with White backing, rather than being accepted as full partners inlegitimate joint ventures.

　　Third, a minority enterprise that secures the business of one largecorporate customer often run the danger of becoming- and remaining-dependent.Even in the best of circumstances, fierce competition from larger, moreestablished companies makes it difficult for small concerns to broaden theircustomer bases: when such firms have nearly guaranteed orders from a singlecorporate benefactor, they may truly have to struggle against complacencyarising from their current success.

　　1. The primary purpose of the text is to

　　[A] present a commonplace idea and its inaccuracies.

　　[B] describe a situation and its potential drawbacks.

　　[C] propose a temporary solution to a problem.

　　[D] analyze a frequent source of disagreement.

　　2. The text suggests that the failure of a large business to have itsbids for subcontracts result quickly in orders might causes it to

　　[A] experience frustration but not serious financial harm.

　　[B] face potentially crippling fixed expenses.

　　[C] have to record its efforts on forms filed with the government.

　　[D] increase its spending with minority subcontractors.

　　3. It can be inferred from the text that, compared with the requirementsof law, the percentage goals set by “some federal and local agencies” are

　　[A] more popular with large corporations.

　　[B] more concrete.

　　[C] less controversial.

　　[D] less expensive to enforce.

　　4. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the author’s assertion that, in the 1970’s, corporate response to federalrequirements was substantial?

　　[A] Corporate contracts with minority-owned businesses totaled $2 billionin 1979.

　　[B] Between 1970 and 1972, corporate contracts with minority-ownedbusinesses declined by 25 percent.

　　[C] The figures collected in 1977 underrepresented the extent ofcorporate contracts with minority-owned businesses.

　　[D] The $1.1 billion represented the same percentage of total corporatespending in 1977 as did $77 million in 1972.

　　5. The author would most likely agree with which of the followingstatements about corporate response to working with minority subcontractors?

　　[A] Annoyed by the proliferation of “front” organizations, corporations arelikely to reduce their efforts to work with minority-owned subcontractors inthe near future.

　　[B] Although corporations showed considerable interest in working withminority businesses in the 1970’s, their aversion to government paperwork made them reluctant to pursuemany government contracts.

　　[C] The significant response of corporations in the 1970’s is likely to be sustained andconceivably be increased throughout the 1980’s.

　　[D] Although corporations are eager to cooperate with minority-ownedbusinesses, a shortage of capital in the 1970’s made substantial responseimpossible.

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