阅读理解专项训练五、 经济文化[精选].docVIP

五　经济文化 盛唐，大清，那已逝去的日不落帝国； 楼兰，平遥，那已远去的古希腊文明； 经济往往诉说一个王朝的兴衰，文化中留下的是一个时代的背影； 经济小至个人大到国家，文化成于细而终于大； 经济与文化中我们看到的是一个国家，一个集团，一个人的过去与将来； 经济与文化中我们体味的是历史，是现实，是使命！ 走进这里，走进经济，感受文化！ 1 Insurance companies provide a service to the community by protecting it against expected and unexpected disasters.Before an insurance company will agree to insure anything,it collects accurate figures about the risk.It knows,for example,that the risk of a man being killed in a plane accident is less than the risk he takes in crossing a busy road.This enables it to quote（报价） low figures for travel insurance.Sometimes the risk may be high,as in motorracing or mountaineering.Then the company charges a much higher price.If too many climbers have accidents,the price rises further.If the majority of climbers fall off mountains,the company will refuse to insure them. An ordinary householder may wish to protect his home against fire or his property against burglary.A shopkeeper may wish to insure against theft.In normal cases,the company will check its statistics and quote a premium.If it is suspicious,it may refuse to quote.If it insures a shop and then receives a suspicious claim,it will investigate the claim as a means of protecting itself against false claims.It is not unknown for a businessman in debt to burn down his own premises so that he can claim much money from his insurance company.He can be sure that the fire will be investigated most carefully.Insurance companies also accept insurance against shipwreck or disaster in the air.Planes and ships are very expensive,so a large premium is charged,but a reduction is given to companies with an accidentfree record. Every week,insurance companies receive premium payments from customers.These payments can form a very large total running into millions of dollars.The company does not leave the money in the bank.It invests in property,shares,farms and even paintings and stamps.Its aim is to obtain the best possible return on its investment.This is not as g