However you view credit cards. it's hard to live in the modem world without one. And if you have one, you owe it to yourself to use it properly.

　　Although credit cards are becoming a more acceptable part of the financial scene, they are still regarded with suspicion by many as being a major part of the "live now pay later" syndrome. Along with hire purchase, rental and leasing schemes. they provide encouragement to spend more money. They can allow you to pile up debts that you have difficulty paying off, they can also let you spend next month's salary today. Of course, it is only the foolhardy who succumb to the temptation to live. temporarily at least, beyond their means. and such people would no doubt manage to do so even without credit cards.

　　Advertising campaigns have. however, promoted a growing realization of the advantages of these small pieces of plastic. They obviate the need to carry large amounts of cash and are always useful in emergencies. All the credit card organizations charge interest on a monthly basis which may work out as high as 25 per cent a year. yet judicious purchasing using a card can mean that you obtain up to seven weeks interest free credit. Using me card abroad where items frequently take a long time to be included on your account can extend this period even further.

　　It is worthwhile shopping around before deciding on a particular credit card. It is necessary to consider the amount of credit granted; interest rates, which may vary slightly; che number and range of outlets, chough most cards cover major garages, hotels. restaurants and departments stores: and of course. what happens if your card is lost or stolen A credit card chief may be sitting on a potential gold mine particularly if there is delay in reporting the loss of the card.

　　Using a credit card wisely takes discipline and a little self-control. Once you realize your debt is someone else’s profit margin, your approach to your plastic will change. With a bit of discipline and some practical knowledge, you can make your cards work for you. rather than the other way round. As a matter of fact, a credit card can cost nothing or at least help to tide you over a period of financial difficulty.

　　測試題

　　1.Many people suspect that credit cards lure people to_______________.

　　2.The author seems to believe that even in the absence of credit cards. some people would undoubtedly_________________.

　　3.In Para. 3, in addition to the advantages of no need lo carry cash and being useful in emergencies, what else is said to be the advantage of credit cards?

　　4.What is the main idea of Para.4?

　　5.A credit card user can control himself to take better advantage of credit card if he knows well the truth that____________________.

　　答案詳解

　　1.[spend more money/use tomorrow's money/live now and pay later]

　　[定位]第2段第1、2句。

　　解析：題干中的lure是原文encouragement的同義表達，因此encouragement后的不定式為本題提供了答題依據。此外，第1句的live now pay later意思與之相近，也可為答案。

　　2.[live beyond their means/live now and pay later]

　　[定位]第2段末句。

　　解析：題干中的in the absence of credit cards對應原句的without credit cards，聯系前半句可知原句中do so指的是live beyond their means，即為答案。

　　3.[Being able to enjoy the free interest in certain period]

　　[定位]第3段最后兩句。

　　解析：第3段第2句首先提到了信用卡的兩個優點：no need to carry cash和being useful in emergencies。第3句在提到它收取高額利息后，用yet表轉折提出它的第三個優點：interest free credit,最后一句加以補充說明。

　　4.[What should be considered before you decide on a credit card]

　　[定位]第4段首句。

　　解析：根據主題句第1句及第2句中“It is necessary to consider...”所列舉的事項可以得出結論：該段主要講述選擇信用卡時要考慮的一些因素。

　　5.[his debt is the bank's profit]

　　[定位]末段第2句。

　　解析：題干中的if可對應原句的once，know對應realize，故realize后的賓語從句即為題干中賓語the truth的同位語從句。正確理解該賓語從句是解題關鍵，原句的someone else實指銀行，而銀行是信用卡持有人的債主，由此答案不難得出。

　　參考譯文

　　無論你對信用卡持什么態虛，在現代世界里，沒有信用卡就很難生活。如果你有一張信用卡，那么，把它用好就是你自己的事。

　　雖然信用卡正成為金融業更能被人接受的一部分，[l]很多人還是對它持懷疑態度，認為它是“寅吃卯糧”綜合征的主要原因。信用卡和分期付款方案、租賃方案一起，鼓勵人們更多地去消費。信用卡會使你的債務累積到你難以清償的地步，還會讓你今天把下個月的工資花光。[2]當然，只有魯莽之人才會抵不住誘惑，去過(至少暫時性地過)一種入不敷出的生活;無疑，這種人即便沒有信用卡也會設法這樣過日子。

　　然而，廣告推廣活動促使人們對這種塑料小卡片的優越性有了進一步認識。有了信用卡，人們就不必攜帶大量現金：在緊急情況發生時，信用卡總是很有用的。所有信用卡發放機構都會按月收取利息。年息可能會高達25%;[3]然而若使用得當，用信用卡購物意味著你可以享有最多長達7周的免息期。在海外使用信用卡，款項常常需要很長時間才會從你的賬戶上扣除，因此，相應的免息期還可以延長。

　　[4]在確定用哪一類信用卡之前，對各種信用卡加以比較是值得的。有必要考慮授予的信用額度、利率(可能會有細微的差異)、信用卡使用的數量及其場所(大多數信用卡都可以在大部分汽車修理廠、酒店、飯店和百貨商店使用)。當然還要考慮萬一信用卡遺失或被盜會發生什么情況。尤其是如果信用卡報失延遲的話，小偷可就如同坐到一座潛在的金礦上了。

　　要理性地使用信用卡，需要自律，還需要一點自制力。[5]一旦你意識到自己的債務正好就是別人的利潤時，你使用信用卡的方式就會改變。稍有點自制力和實際知識，你就能夠駕馭你的信用卡，而不是反過來被信用卡駕馭。事實上，信用卡可以不費你任何成本，至少在你資金困難的時候還會幫助你渡過難關。