39.Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an adaptation of large desert animals?
Variation in body temperatures
Eating while dehydrated
Drinking water quickly
Being active at night.
Questions 40-50
Rent control is the system whereby the local government tells building owners how much they can charge their tenants1 in rent.In the United States,rent controls date back to at least World War II.
In 1943the federal government imposed rent controls to help solve the problem of housing shortages during wartime.The federal program ended after the war,but in some locations,including New York City,controls continued.Under New York's controls,a landlord generally cannot raise rents on apartments as long as the tenants continue to renew their leases.In places such as Santa Monica,California,rent controls are more recent.They were spurred by the inflation of the 1970's,which,combined with California's rapid population growth,pushed housing prices,as well as rents,to record levels.In 1979Santa Monica's municipal government ordered landlords to roll back their rents to the levels charged in 1978.Future rents could only go up by two-thirds as much as any increase in the overall price level.
In any housing market,rental2 prices perform three functions:promoting the efficient maintenance of existing housing and stimulating3 the construction of new housing,allocating existing scarce housing among competing claimants,and rationing use of existing housing by potential renters.
One result of rent control is a decrease in the construction of new rental units.Rent controls have artificially depressed4 the most important long-term determinant of profitability -rents.Consider some examples.In a recent year in Dallas,Texas,with a 16percent rental vacancy5 rate but no rent control laws,11,000new housing units were built.In the same year,in San Francisco,California,only 2,000units were built.The major difference?San Francisco has only a 1.6percent vacancy rate but stringent6 rent control laws.In New York City,except for government-subsidized construction,the only rental units being built are luxury units,which are exempt7 from controls.In Santa Monica,California,new apartments are not being constructed.New office rental space and commercial developments are,however.They are exempt from rent controls.
40.What does the passage mainly discuss?
The construction of apartments in the United States.
Causes and effects of rent control
The fluctuations8 of rental prices
The shortage of affordable9 housing in the United States.
41.The word Theyin line 9refers to
the tenants
their leases
places
rent controls.
42.Which of the following was NOT a reason for the introduction of rent controls in Santa Monica,California?
Rapid population growth
Inflation
Economic conditions during wartime
Record-high housing prices
43.The phrase roll backin lines 11-12is closest in meaning to
credit
measure
vary
reduce
44.The word stimulatingin line 15is closest in meaning to
experimenting with
identifying
estimating
encouraging
45.It can be inferred that the purpose of rent control is to
protect tenants
promote construction
increase vacancy rates
decrease sales of rental units
46.The word depressedin line 19is closest in meaning to
saddened
created
lowered
defeated
47.The information in the last paragraph supports which of the following statements?
San Francisco has eliminated its rent control laws.
Rent control leads to a reduction in the construction of housing units
Luxury apartments are rarely built when there is rent control
There is a growing need for government-subsidized housing.
48.According to the passage,which of the following cities does NOT currently have rent controls?
Santa Monica
Dallas
San Francisco
New York City
49.The word stringentin line 23is closest in meaning to
straightforward
strict
expanded
efficient
50.According to the passage,which of the following is NOT exempt from rent control?
Luxury apartments
Commercial development
Moderately priced apartments
Office space
