大全-1-2（或1/63；杨继中的第一篇）

huangyouhuifei

搜索了半天，这篇文章的帖子较少，没有解决疑惑，希望NN指导～～～～

文章：
Passage 1 (1/63)
(This passage was written in 1978.)
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 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 generated by large companies. Now Congress, in apparent 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 agencies have gone so far as to set specific percentage goals for apportioning parts of public works contracts to minority enterprises.
Corporate response appears to have been substantial. According to figures collected in 1977, the total of corporate contracts with minority businesses rose from $77 million in 1972 to $1.1 billion 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 letup anticipated in the next decade. 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.
A second risk is that White-owned companies may seek to cash in on the increasing apportionments 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 (team up: v.(使)结成一队, 合作, 协作) to acquire business that neither could acquire alone. But civil rights groups and minority business owners have complained to Congress about minorities being set up as “fronts (a person, group, or thing used to mask the identity or true character or activity of the actual controlling agent)” with White backing, rather than being accepted as full partners in legitimate joint ventures.
Third, a minority enterprise that secures the business of one large corporate customer often runs the danger of becoming—and remaining—dependent. Even in the best of circumstances, fierce competition from larger, more established companies makes it difficult for small concerns to broaden their customer bases: when such firms have nearly guaranteed orders from a single corporate benefactor, they may truly have to struggle against complacency arising from their current success.

题目：
2.    The passage supplies information that would answer which of the following questions?
(A) What federal agencies have set percentage goals for the use of minority-owned businesses in public works contracts?
(B) To which government agencies must businesses awarded federal contracts report their efforts to find minority subcontractors?
(C) How widespread is the use of minority-owned concerns as “fronts” by White backers seeking to obtain subcontracts?
(D) How many more minority-owned businesses were there in 1977 than in 1972?
(E) What is one set of conditions under which a small business might find itself financially overextended?

正确答案是：
(E) What is one set of conditions under which a small business might find itself financially overextended?


答案说：可以回答这个问题：小公司发现自己过度财务扩张的一种情况是什么？
我的疑问：怎么回答了这个问题，这一种情况是什么？能在原文中找到吗？

菜鸟问题，希望NN们指点～～～～

mofell

这个condition应该就是政府要求照顾这些minority-owned businesses ，导致它们financially overextended

huangyouhuifei

你说的具体定位是在哪里呀？是这句话吗？Promising as it is for minority businesses, this increased patronage poses dangers for them, too.
这个condition就是this increased patronage吗？

boozy

答案E的意思是，在哪些状态下，小公司会面临过度扩张的处境。
If, thereafter, their subcontracts are for some reason reduced, such firms can face potentially crippling fixed expenses.
这句话给出了过度扩张的一种条件：their subcontracts are reduced

huangyouhuifei

答案E的意思是，在哪些状态下，小公司会面临过度扩张的处境。
If, thereafter, their subcontracts are for some reason reduced, such firms can face potentially crippling fixed expenses.
这句话给出了过度扩张的一种条件：their subcontracts are reduced

-- by 会员 boozy (2011/1/26 11:10:25)

我怎么觉得是这样翻译的呢：
(E) What is one set of conditions under which a small business might find itself financially overextended?
什么是一种情况，在其之下小公司发现自己过度扩张？
我们理解的分歧是：condition究竟表示“条件”还是“情况”？
您的意思是说，在their subcontracts are reduced的情况下，小公司就会发现自己过度扩张吗？
还是不懂，请教~~~

boozy

让新东方教傻了。又一个钻牛角尖的，这回是中文牛角尖。

上面一句：为了达到完成subcontracts的目的,小公司必须make substantial investments in new plants, staff, equipment, and the like，这些就是其overextending themselves financially的表现。那么如果发生subcontracts are reduced的情况或者条件，small firms 不得不遭受fixed expenses（维持new plants,staff, equipment的花销）的损失。这不就是回答了E选项的问题吗？

至于condition究竟是条件还是情况，有什么区别吗？

huangyouhuifei

还是转不过弯来~~~~~

ffen

E选项，主句是what is one set of conditions，a small business might find itself financially over-extended是修饰condition的定语从句。也就是E选项在说，可以回答，什么情况（条件）下，小公司发现自己过度扩张。这个就是第一个risk～
其他选项应该可以排除的：
A  "Indeed, some federal and local agencies..."原文只说some，没有解释what
B "Now Congress ..... and record their efforts to do so on forms filed with the government."只说record，没说report，也没说report给谁
C "But civil rights groups and minority business owners have complained to Congress about minorities being set up as “fronts"..."没有解释有多广泛
D "According to figures collected in 1977, the total of corporate contracts with minority businesses rose from $77 million in 1972 to $1.1 billion in 1977. "原文只说钱长了多少，也就是说，回答的是How much的问题，而选项问的是how many，原文并没有说明多少小公司～

同是菜鸟备考。。。只是我的看法，大家讨论讨论～