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Recent years have brought minority-owned

businesses in the United States unprecedented

opportunities-as well as new and significant risks.

Civil rights activists have long argued that one of

(5)  the principal reasons why Blacks, Hispanics, and

other minority groups have difficulty establishing

themselves in business is that they lack access to

the sizable orders and subcontracts that are gener-

ated by large companies. Now Congress, in appar-

(10) ent agreement, has required by law that businesses

awarded federal contracts of more than $500,000

do their best to find minority subcontractors and

record their efforts to do so on forms filed with the

government. Indeed, some federal and local agen-

(15) cies have gone so far as to set specific percentage

goals for apportioning parts of public works con-

tracts to minority enterprises.

       Corporate response appears to have been sub-

stantial. According to figures collected in 1977,

(20) the total of corporate contracts with minority busi-

nesses rose from $77 million in 1972 to $1. lbillion

in 1977. The projected total of corporate contracts

with minority businesses for the early 1980’s is

estimated to be over 53 billion per year with no

(25) letup anticipated in the next decade.

  romising as it is for minority businesses, this

increased patronage poses dangers for them, too.

First, minority firms risk expanding too fast and

overextending themselves financially, since most

(30) are small concerns and, unlike large businesses,

they often need to make substantial investments in

new plants, staff, equipment, and the like in order

to perform work subcontracted to them. If, there-

after, their subcontracts are for some reason

(35) reduced, such firms can face potentially crippling

fixed expenses. The world of corporate purchasing

can be frustrating for small entrepreneurs who get

requests for elaborate formal estimates and bids.

Both consume valuable time and resources, and a

(40)  small company’s efforts must soon result in

orders, or both the morale and the financial health

of the business will suffer.

   A second risk is that White-owned companies

may seek to cash in on the increasing apportion-

(45)           ments through formation of joint ventures with

minority-owned concerns. Of course, in many

instances there are legitimate reasons for joint

ventures; clearly, White and minority enterprises

can team up to acquire business that neither could

(50)        acquire alone. But civil rights groups and minority

business owners have complained to Congress about

minorities being set up as “fronts” with White back-

ing, rather than being accepted as full partners in

legitimate joint ventures.

(55)      Third, a minority enterprise that secures the

business of one large corporate customer often run

the danger of becoming--and remaining—dependent.

Even in the best of circumstances, fierce compe-

tition from larger, more established companies

(60)        makes it difficult for small concerns to broaden

their customer bases: when such firms have nearly

guaranteed orders from a single corporate bene-

factor, they may truly have to struggle against

complacency arising from their current success.

4. The passage suggests that the failure of a large

  business to have its bids for subcontracts result

  quickly in orders might cause 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

  (E) revise its procedure for making bids for federal

     contracts and subcontracts

答案是A，

而我选的是B，谁能给我解释一下？

Promising as it is for minority businesses, this increased patronage poses dangers for them, too. First, minority firms risk expanding too fast and overextending themselves financially, since most are small concerns and, unlike large businesses, they often need to make substantial investments in new plants, staff, equipment, and the like in order to perform work subcontracted to them. If, thereafter, their subcontracts are for some reason reduced, such firms can face potentially crippling fixed expenses. The world of corporate purchasing can be frustrating for small entrepreneurs who get requests for elaborate 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 the financial health of the business will suffer.

For your reference.