2015年BEC高级阅读考试模拟题训练（二十一）
发布时间：2010/3/15 18:17:02 来源：城市学习网 编辑：MOON
Exercise Three
A CHALLENGE TO TRADITIONAL BANKLNG
Traditional methods of banking are under __0__ from a new type of account which is actually meant to be almost perpetually in debit. This account， to be __21__ in a few months‘ time， is intended to __22__ a range of personal banking services， such as current accounts， mortgages， personal loans and credit cards. Customers， who must __23__ that they are at least five years from retirement， will be required to __24__ a mortgage of at least ￡50，000 on their homes and have their salaries paid directly into the account. They will then have an agreed credit __25__ of up to three times their annual salary， to use as they wish－as well as the usual __26__ such as debit， credit and cash cards and a check book. Accounts in debit will be charged interest at a rate of 8.2 per cent. this __27__ favorably with the standard mortgage rate of 8.45 per cent， personal loan rates of around 13 per cent and credit card __28__of about 22 per cent. When the debt is cleared－as it must be by the time the customer retires－and the account goes into credit， it will attract interest at about 5 per cent. Some experts say that it will revolutionize personal banking in the UK. But the __29__ has been dismissed as a gimmick by rival banks and criticized by consumer groups， which are voicing fears that many customers on average incomes could be __30__into serious debt.
21 A embarkedB launchedC issuedD released
22 A associateB encloseC mixD combine
23 A persuadeB proveC witnessD convince
24 A take toB take offC take outD take in
25 A limitB barrierC controlD extent
26 A meansB amenitiesC facilitiesD opportunities
27 A connectsB comparesC relatesD differs
28 A expensesB receiptsC billsD charges
29 A programB schemeC deviceD design
30 A descendedB fallenC placedD plunged
