"Welcome to the U. S. A. I Major Credit cards accepted !"
By the millions they are coming—no longer the tired, the poor, the wretched masses longing¹ for a better living. These are the wealthy. "We don't have a budget," says a biologist from Brazil, as she walks with two companions through New York City's South Street. "We just use our credit cards."
The U. S. has long been one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, but this year has been exceptional. First there was the World Cup, which drew thousands from every corner of the globe; then came the weakening of the U.S. dollar against major currencies. Now the U. S., still the world's superpower, can also claim to be the world's bargain basement (廉价商品部) . Nobody undersells America these days on just about everything, from consumer electronics to fashion clothes to tennis rackets. Bottom retail² prices— anywhere from 30% to 70% lower than those in Europe and Asia—have attracted some 47 million visitors, who are expected to leave behind $ 79 billion in 1994. That's up from $ 74 billion the year before.
True, not everyone comes just for bargains. There remains³ an undeniable fascination⁴ in the rest of the world with all things American, nourished by Hollywood films and U. S. television series. But shopping the U. S. A. is proving irresistible⁵. Every week thousands arrive with empty suitcases ready to be filled; some even rent an additional hotel room to hold their purchases. The buying binge (无节制) has become as important as watching Old Faithful Fountains erupt in Yellowstone Park or sunbathing⁶ on a beach in Florida.
The U.S. has come at last to appreciate what other countries learned long ago: the pouring in of foreign tourists may not always be convenient, but it does put money in the bank. And with a trade deficit⁷ at about $130 billion and growing for the past 12 months, the U.S. needs all the deposits it can get. Compared with American tourists abroad, visitors to the U.S. stay longer and spend more money at each stop; an average of 12.2 night and $1624 a traveler versus⁸ the Americans' four night and $ 298.
1. From what the Brazilian biologist says, we know that tourists like her .
A. are reluctant to carry cash with them
B. simply don't care how much they spend
C. are not good at planning their expenditure
D. often spend more money than they can afford

2. The reason why 1994 was exceptional is that .
A. it saw an unusually large number of tourists to the U. S.
B. it witnessed a drop in the number of tourists to the U. S.
C. tourism was hardly affected⁹ by the weakening of the U.S. dollar that year
D. tourists came to the U.S. for sightseeing rather than for bargains that year

3. By saying "nobody undersells America" (Line 4, Para. 3), the author means that .
A. no other country underestimates the competitiveness of American products
B. nobody expects the Americans to cut the prices of their commodities
C. nobody restrains the selling of American goods
D. no other country sells at a lower price than America

4. Why does the author assert that all American things are fascinating to foreigners?
A. Because they have gained much publicity¹⁰ through the American media.
B. Because they represent the world's latest fashions.
C. Because they embody¹¹ the most sophisticated technology.
D. Because they are available at all tourist destinations.

5. From the passage we can conclude that the U.S. has come to realize .
A. the weakening if the U.S. dollar can result in trade deficits
B. the lower the retail prices, the greater the profits
C. tourism can make great contributions to its economy
D. visitors to the U.S. are wealthier than U.S. tourists abroad

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