9[阅读题,10分] The UK is extremely dependent on foreign trade. About 40 per cent of the population’s food and a large proportion of the raw materials used by industry have to be imported. In 1980 exports of goods and services were equal to about 25 per cent of the Gross National Product. In the exports of manufactures, the UK, in recent years, has done less well than her major competitors. The UK’s share of the value of the main manufacturing countries’ exports fell from 16 percent in 1980 to about 9 per cent in 1999. This was due to the fact that the volume of UK exports increased at an annual average rate of 5 per cent, only about one-half the rate achieved by the main manufacturing countries as a whole and about one-third the rate for Japan. Changes in the commodity composition of exports have been very small in recent years. The share of manufactured goods has increased slightly while the share of basic materials has declined. There has been a steady decline in the share of textiles and an increase in the share of chemicals in total exports. Over the next decade the possibility of exporting North Sea Oil and the diminishing dependence on imported oil should have a beneficial effect on the UK’s visible trade balance. The most striking change in the geographical distribution of UK exports in recent years has been the swing away from the traditional Commonwealth markets and a growing dependence on the market in Western Europe. Exports to Western Europeaccounted for about 34 per cent of UK exports in 1989 but by 2000 this share had grown to nearly 60 per cent. This is much in line with developments in world trade as a whole, because trade between industrialized countries has been the fastest growing sector of world trade. The other important development is the growing importance of the markets in the oil-exporting countries. 1.（ ）The export of manufactures of U.K. during recent years . A. has risen. B. has done better than the major competitors. C. has fallen D. has done less well that developing countries. 2.（ ）The export of textiles . A. has declined B. has declined sharply C. has increased slightly D. has increased sharply 3.（ ）The export of basic materials . A. has increased B. has declined C. has remained steady D. has little changed 4.（ ）4. What is the most striking change in UK exports? A. The swing away from the traditional Commonwealth markets and a growing dependence on the market in Western Europe. B. Changes in the commodity composition of exports. C. The increase of the share of manufactured goods and the decline of the share of basic materials. D. the beneficial effect of the export of oil on the UK’s visible trade balance. 5.（ ）5. Which statement is not true? A. UK is exporting more to Western Europe. B. trade between UK and Western Europe has been the fastest growing sector of world trade. C. UK will possibly import less oil over the next decade. D. UK is exporting more chemicals.

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