Seventeenth-Century European Economic Growth
In the late sixteenth century and into the venteenth, Europe continued the growth that had lifted it out of the relatively less prosperous medieval period (from the mid 400s to the late 1400s). Among the key factors behind this growth were incread agricultural productivity and an expansion of trade.
Populations cannot grow unless the rural economy can produce enough additional food to feed more people. During the sixteenth century, farmers brought more land into cultivation at the expen of forests and fens (low-lying wetlands). Dutch land reclamation in the Netherlands in the sixteenth and venteenth centuries provides the most spectacular example of the expansion of farmland: the Dutch reclaimed more than 36.000 acres from 1590 to 1615 alone.
Much of the potential for European economic development lay in what at first glance would em to have been only sleepy villages. Such villages, however, generally lay in regions of relatively advanced agricultural production, permitting not only the survival of peasants but also the accumulation of an agricultural surplus for investment. They had access to urban merchants, markets, and trade routes.
Incread agricultural production in turn facilitated rural industry, an intrinsic part of the expansion of industry. Woolens and textile manufacturers, in particular, utilized rural cottage (in-home) production, w
hich took advantage of cheap and plentiful rural labor. In the German states, the ravages of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) further moved textile production into the countryside. Members of poor peasant families spun or wove cloth and linens at home for scant remuneration in an attempt to supplement meager family income.
More extended trading networks also helped develop Europe's economy in this period. English and Dutch ships carrying rye from the Baltic states reached Spain and Portugal. Population growth generated an expansion of small-scale manufacturing, particularly of handicrafts, textiles, and metal production in England, Flanders, parts of northern Italy, the southwestern German states, and parts of Spain. Only iron smelting and mining required marshaling a significant amount of capital (wealth invested to create more wealth).
The development of banking and other financial rvices contributed to the expansion of trade. By the middle of the sixteenth century, financiers and traders commonly accepted bills of exchange in place of gold or silver for other goods. Bills of exchange, which had their origins in medieval Italy, were promissory notes (written promis to pay a specified amount of money by a certain date) that could be sold to third parties. In this way, they
provided credit. At mid-century, an Antwerp financier only slightly exaggerated when he claimed, “0ne can no more trade without bills of exchange than sail without water." Merchants no longer had to carry gold and silver over long, dangerous journeys. An Amsterdam merchant purchasing soap from a merchant in Marille could go to an exchanger and pay the exchanger the equivalent sum in guilders, the Dutch currency. The exchanger would then nd a bill of exchange to a colleague in Marille, authorizing the colleague to pay the Marille merchant in the merchant's own currency after the actual exchange of goods had taken place.
Bills of exchange contributed to the development of banks, as exchangers began to provide loans. Not until the eighteenth century, however, did such banks as the Bank of Amsterdam and the Bank of England begin to provide capital for business investment. Their principal function was to provide funds for the state.
The rapid expansion in international trade also benefitted from an infusion of capital, stemming largely from gold and silver brought by Spanish vesls from the Americas. This capital financed the production of goods, storage, trade, and even credit across Europe and overas. Moreover an incread credit supply was generated by investments and loans by bankers and wealthy merchants to states and by joint-stock partnerships—an English innovation (the first major company began in 1
600). Unlike short-term financial cooperation between investors for a single commercial undertaking, joint-stock companies provided permanent funding of capital by drawing on the investments of merchants and other investors who purchad shares in the company.
Paragraph 1: In the late sixteenth century and into the venteenth, Europe continued the growth that had lifted it out of the relatively less prosperous medieval period (from the mid 400s to the late 1400s). Among the key factors behind this growth were incread agricultural productivity and an expansion of trade.
1. According to paragraph 1, what was true of Europe during the medieval period?
○ Agricultural productivity declined.
○ There was relatively little economic growth.
○ The general level of prosperity declined.
○ Foreign trade began to play an important role in the economy.
2. The word key in the passage is clost in meaning to
○ historical
○ many
○ important
○ hidden
Paragraph 2: Populations cannot grow unless the rural economy can produce enough additional food to feed more people. During the sixteenth century, farmers brought more land into cultivation at the expen of forests and fens (low-lying wetlands). Dutch land reclamation in the Netherlands in the sixteenth and venteenth centuries provides the most spectacular example of the expansion of farmland: the Dutch reclaimed more than 36.000 acres from 1590 to 1615 alone.
3. According to paragraph 2, one effect of the desire to increa food production was that
○ land was cultivated in a different way
○ more farmers were needed番怎么组词
○ the rural economy was weakened
○ forests and wetlands were ud for farming
Paragraph 3: Much of the potential for European economic development lay in what at first glance would em to have been only sleepy villages. Such villages, however, generally lay in regions of relatively advanced agricultural production, permitting not only the survival of peasants but also the accumulation of an agricultural surplus for investment. They had access to urban merchants, markets, and trade routes.
4. According to paragraph 3, what was one reason villages had such great economic potential?
○Villages were located in regions where agricultural production was relatively advanced.
○ Villages were relatively small in population and size compared with urban areas.
○ Some village inhabitants made investments in industrial development.
○ Village inhabitants established markets within their villages.工艺品
Paragraph 4: Incread agricultural production in turn facilitated rural industry, an intrinsic part of the expansion of industry. Woolens and textile manufacturers, in particular, utilized rural cottage (in-hom
e) production, which took advantage of cheap and plentiful rural labor. In the German states, the ravages of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) further moved textile production into the countryside. Members of poor peasant families spun or wove cloth and linens at home for scant remuneration in an attempt to supplement meager family income.
5. Paragraph 4 supports the idea that incread agricultural production was important for the expansion of industry primarily becau it
○ incread the number of available workers in rural areas
○ provided new types of raw materials for u by industry
○resulted in an improvement in the health of the rural cottage workers ud by manufacturers
○ helped repair some of the ravages of the Thirty Years’ War
6. The word “meager” in the passage is clost in meaning to
○ very necessary
○ very low
○ traditional
○ primary
Paragraph 5: More extended trading networks also helped develop Europe's economy in this period. English and Dutch ships carrying rye from the Baltic states reached Spain and Portugal. Population growth generated an expansion of small-scale manufacturing, particularly of handicrafts, textiles, and metal production in England, Flanders, parts of northern Italy, the southwestern German states, and parts of Spain. Only iron smelting and mining required marshaling a significant amount of capital (wealth invested to create more wealth).
7. Why does the author mention that “English and Dutch ships carrying rye from the Baltic states reached Spain and Portugal”?
学生餐○To suggest that England and the Netherlands were the two most important trading nations in venteenth-century Europe
○ To suggest how extensive trading relations were
○ To contrast the importance of agricultural products with manufactured products
○ To argue that shipping introduced a range of new products
Paragraph 6: The development of banking and other financial rvices contributed to the expansion of trade. By the middle of the sixteenth century, financiers and traders commonly accepted bills of exchange in place of gold or silver for other goods. Bills of exchange, which had their origins in medieval Italy, were promissory notes (written promis to pay a specified amount of money by a certain date) that could be sold to third parties. In this way, they provided credit. At mid-century, an Antwerp financier only slightly exaggerated when he claimed, “0ne can no more trade without bills of exchange than sail without water." Merchants no longer had to carry gold and silver over long, dangerous journeys. An Amsterdam merchant purchasing soap from a merchant in Marille could go to an exchanger and pay the exchanger the equivalent sum in guilders, the Dutch currency. The exchanger would then nd a bill of exchange to a colleague in Marille, authorizing the colleague to pay the Marille merchant in the merchant's own currency
天生石桥after the actual exchange of goods had taken place.
8. By including the quotation in paragraph 6 by the financier from Antwerp, the author is emphasizing that
○ sailing was an important aspect of the economy
○ increasing the number of water routes made trade possible
八的英文怎么写
○ bills of exchange were necessary for successful trading
○ financiers often exaggerated the need for bills of exchange
9. According to paragraph 6, merchants were able to avoid the risk of carrying large amounts of gold and silver by
○ using third parties in Marille to buy goods for them
○ doing all their business by using Dutch currency
○ paying for their purchas through bills of exchange
○ waiting to pay for goods until the goods had been delivered
Paragraph 7: Bills of exchange contributed to the development of banks, as exchangers began to provide loans. Not until the eighteenth century, however, did such banks as the Bank of Amsterdam
and the Bank of England begin to provide capital for business investment. Their principal function was to provide funds for the state.
10. According to paragraph 7, until the eighteenth century, it was the principal function of which of the following to provide funds for the state?
○ Bills of exchange
○ Exchangers who took loans
○ Banks
○ Business investment
Paragraph 8: The rapid expansion in international trade also benefitted from an infusion of capital, stemming largely from gold and silver brought by Spanish vesls from the Americas. This capital financed the production of goods, storage, trade, and even credit across Europe and overas. Moreover an incread credit supply was generated by investments and loans by bankers and wealthy merchants to states and by joint-stock partnerships—an English innovation (the first major company began in 1600). Unlike short-term financial cooperation between investors for a single com
mercial undertaking, joint-stock companies provided permanent funding of capital by drawing on the investments of merchants and other investors who purchad shares in the company.
11. The phra “an English innovation” in the passage is clost in meaning to
○ a new development introduced by the English
○ an arrangement found only in England
○ a type of agreement negotiated in English
○ a type of partnership bad on English law
12. According to paragraph 8, each of the following was a source of funds ud to finance economic expansion EXCEPT
○ groups of investors engaged in short-term financial cooperation职业目标的确定
○ the state
天下平安○ wealthy merchants
○ joint-stock companies
Paragraph 6: The development of banking and other financial rvices contributed to the expansion of trade. By the middle of the sixteenth century, financiers and traders commonly accepted bills of exchange in place of gold or silver for other goods. Bills of exchange, which had their origins in medieval Italy, were promissory notes (written promis to pay a specified amount of money by a certain date) that could be sold to third parties. In this way, they provided credit. ■At mid-century, an Antwerp financier only slightly exaggerated when he claimed, “0ne can no more trade without bills of exchange than sail without water." ■Merchants no longer had to carry gold and silver over long, dangerous journeys. ■An Amsterdam merchant purchasing soap from a merchant in Marille could go to an exchanger and pay the exchanger the equivalent sum in guilders, the Dutch currency. ■The exchanger would then nd a bill of exchange to a colleague in Marille, authorizing the colleague to pay the Marille merchant in the merchant's own currency after the actual exchange of goods had taken place.
13. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following ntence could be added to the passage.
They could also avoid having to identify and asss the value of a wide variety of coins issued in many different places.
Where would the ntence best fit?吃什么能治脂肪肝
14．Directions: An introductory ntence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by lecting the THREE answer that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some ntences do not belong in the summary becau they express ideas that not prented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
In late sixteenth-and early venteenth-century Europe, incread agricultural production
