商业托福试题阅读中级备考训练

商业托福试题阅读中级备考训练 女巫的超前思维 亲爱的经济学家： Dear Economist, 有一个关于古罗马末代君王塔尔坎(Tarquin)的传奇。一位老女巫走到塔尔坎面前，提出以昂扬的价格卖给他 9 本预言书。塔尔坎对这一提议不以为然。女巫烧毁了其中的 3 本书，然后提出以原价卖给他剩下的6 本。塔尔坎再次拒绝了。 There is a legend about the last king of the Romans, Tarquin. An old witch came to Tarquin, and offered to sell him nine books of prophecy at an exorbitant price. Tarquin laughed at the offer. The witch burned three of the books, and then offered to sell him the remaining six for the original price. Tarquin refused again. 女巫又烧毁了 3 本，然后同样以最初 9 本的价格向塔尔坎出售剩下的.3 本。这一次，塔尔坎担忧自己可能会错失一些宝贵的东西，于是以女巫索要的价格买下了剩余 3 本书。这反映了什么样的需求曲线呢? The witch burned three more books and offered to sell Tarquin the three books that were left for the original price that she had demanded for nine. This time Tarquin was scared that he might be losing something precious, and bought the remaining three books for the price that the witch asked. What sort of demand curve is that? 克里斯麦克马洪(Chris McMahon)通过电子邮件发送 Chris McMahon, by e-mail 亲爱的麦克马洪： Dear Mr McMahon, 忘掉需求曲线吧;这是一个关于经济盈余安排的两方谈判。塔尔坎始终情愿出高价，但同时希望能够还价。女预言家(女巫听上去让人不太舒适)则用限制供给的方法来应对，意在推升价格。 Forget the demand curve; this is a two-player negotiation over the division of economic surplus. Tarquin was always willing to pay a high price but hoped to get a bargain. The sibyl (witch is such an uncouth label) responded with a supply constriction designed to drive up the price. 塔尔坎可能会认为，这个女预言家只有一位竞争性买家，假如每位买家都只想要 3 本书的话，这将形成供过于求的局面。而一旦消逝两...