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Credit cards let people buy things now and pay for them over months or even years.But some people get deep into debt.And critics say some banks have terms and charges that can make it harder for people to pay off that debt.In the United States,there are calls for stronger government supervision of the credit card industry.

Credit cards have been heavily marketed through the mail and at stores.They offer economic power at a price.In two thousand four,Americans had about eight hundred billion dollars in credit card debt.Now they owe about nine hundred sixty-eight billion.The average interest rate on those cards is currently thirteen and a half percent.

Critics say banks made it too easy to get credit cards.But that may be changing.The crisis in the housing and credits markets is beginning to affect the credit card industry.More payments are late.Charges for late payments are a growing source of profit for banks.But late payments can also signal bad debts.

The central bank,the Federal Reserve,says two-thirds of American banks have recently reported tighter lending requirements.Many people report having their credit limits reduced without warning.

Some lawmakers are concerned that cardholders do not have enough protections from what critics say are abusive policies.These include actions like raising interest rates because of an unrelated event — like a missed payment on another debt.Also,banks may raise the chances of a late payment by changing monthly payment dates for credit cards.Congress has been considering bills to increase cardholder protections.

Eighty-two percent of Americans think credit cards provide a valuable service.But a majority,fifty-eight percent,say they do not trust credit card companies.And three out of four think the government should regulate the industry more closely.Three out of four people feel there is always some condition that makes a card less appealing than the company made it sound.And a little more than half say they have had a card that was not as good as they expected.But close to eighty percent say no one really reads the terms and conditions when they sign up for a credit card.

16.It's urgent that the government should supervise the credit card industry efficiently.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned

正确答案：A

解析：该题说的是：人们建议政府应该有效监督信用卡行业。从第一段的最后一句得出题干是正确的表述。注意supervise和supervision的词类转换。

17.Credit cards which offer economic power at a price have been heavily marketed at stores and banks.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned

正确答案：C

解析：该题说的是：提供巨额经济消费能力的信用卡在商场和银行得到了大力的宣传推广。第二段的第一句只提到了以邮件形式和商场宣传形式进行的信用卡销售，而没有涉及银行

18.The money owed by the Americans has already exceeded the money allowed in their credit card in 2004.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned

正确答案：A

解析：该题说的是：2004年，美国民众实际负债额度已经超出信用卡限定额度。从第二段的“In two thousand four,Americans had about eight hundred billion dollars in credit card debt.Now they owe about nine hundred sixty-eight billion.”得知2004年，美国民众信用卡贷款额度为八千亿，但人们的负债额却高达九千六百八十亿。所以题干的表述是正确的

19.Recently,most of the American banks have tighter lending requirements and inform their customers of the reduction in the credit limits.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned

正确答案：B

解析：该题说的是：最近，许多的美国银行已经严格限制了贷款条件并且通知了客户信用卡的信贷额度降低的事实。第四段的最后一句提到好多客户都说银行在没有通知他们的情况下擅自降低了信贷额度。所以题干的表述是错误的

20.Late payment can be caused by newly-set monthly payment dates for credit cards.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned

正确答案：A

解析：该题说的是：还款超期也许是因为银行改变了原来每月的还款日期。第五段的倒数第二句明确表明银行对于固定还款期的变更会导致人们还款超期。

21.Eighty-two percent of Americans think credit cards provide a valuable service and they can rely on the credit card companies very much.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned

正确答案：B

解析：该题说的是：82%美国人认为信用卡为他们提供了有效的服务并且十分信赖信用卡公司。从第六段列举的数字可知82%的民众认为信用卡为他们提供了有效的服务，但是58%的人认为他们无法相信信用卡公司。因此题干的表述是错误的

22.A majority of people say nobody pays enough attention to the terms and conditions when they sign up for a credit card and has little idea about the credit limits they can have.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned

正确答案：C

解析：该题说的是：大多数人认为在签署协议时没有人会仔细看其中的条款，而且也几乎不知道他们有多少的信用额度。文章的最后一句只提到了大多数人认为在签署协议时没有人会仔细看其中的条款，但是是否了解他们的信用额度原文没有给予正面的说明