Economists have been particularly surprised by favorable inflation figures in Britain and the United States, since conventional measures suggest that both economies, and especially America’s, have little productive slack. America’s capacity utilization, for example, his historically high levels earlier this year, and its jobless rate (5.6% in August) has fallen bellow most estimates of the natural rate of unemployment — the rate below which inflation has taken off in the past.

　　Why has inflation proved so mild? The most thrilling explanation is, unfortunately, a little defective. Some economists argue that powerful structural changes in the world have up ended the old economic models that were based upon the historical link between growth and inflation.

　　68. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

　　[A] Making monetary policies is comparable to driving a car

　　[B] An extremely low jobless rate will lead to inflation

　　[C] A high unemployment rate will result from inflation

　　[D] Interest rates have an immediate effect on the economy

　　[答案] B

　　[解题思路]

　　本题可对选项进行一一排除。文章第一段最后一句话说“Hence the analogy that likens the conduct of monetary policy to driving a car with a blackened windscreen, a cracked rear view mirror and a faulty steering wheel.”(因此，人们将货币政策的实施比做是驾驶一辆带有灰暗挡风玻璃、后视镜破碎及方向盘失灵的汽车)，而A选项中的“Making monetary policies”与原文中的“the conduct of monetary policy”是不同的，前者指的是“金融政策的制定”，而后者指的是“金融政策的实施”，因而可以首先排除A选项。文章第一段第三句话指出“The link between interest rates and inflation is uncertain”(利率和通货膨胀之间的关系并不是确定的)，因此可以排除D选项。B和C选项的表述是相反的意思，其对应的信息在文章第四段的最后“its jobless rate (5.6% in August) has fallen bellow most estimates of the natural rate of unemployment — the rate below which inflation has taken off in the past”(而在过去的时候，当失业率降到低于自然失业率时，通货膨胀率早已飙升)，因此B是正确选项。

　　[题目译文]

　　根据文章，下面哪个选项是正确的？

　　[A] 制定货币政策就好比开车。

　　[B] 极低的失业率会导致通货膨胀。

　　[C] 高失业率是由通货膨胀造成的。

　　[D] 利率对于经济有立竿见影的影响。