TEXT G
First read the following questions.
85. Current regulations require a minimum of ____ capitalization for thrift.
A. six percent
B. five percent
C. three percent
D. one percent
86. The general tone of the passage is ____.
A. argumentative
B. descriptive
C. instructive
D. critical
Now read Text G quickly and mark your answers on your ANSWER SHEET.
Is Your S&L on the Brink?
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS to tell if your thrift is in trouble, One is to simply ask the institution for financial data. While only publicly held S&Ls must provide such data to customers, many mutual S&Ls will also supply it. Be suspicious if your S&L refuses. You can also get such information from the federal home-loan bank in your area.
Look first at the ratio of equity capital or net worth to assets (primarily loans). Most analysts agree that five-percent capitalization is a minimum for the strongest S&Ls, with six percent preferred for smaller institutions. Current regulations require a minimum of three-percent capitalization for thrifts. Another good indicator is return on assents, which measures profits as a percentage of assets. Analysts say one percent or more is a good sign.
If your S&L is insolvent or likely to be taken over, is your money safe? Yes,if your deposits are fully insured——that is, under the $100,000 limit per account classification per institution. The insurance will still apply in a takeover. So it is not worth incurring any early-withdrawal penalties if you have a certificate of deposit that is yet to mature. However, if you have deposits over $100,000 that are not insured , transfer them to a financially strong institution.
——Bill Sing in Los Angeles Times
TEXT H
First read the following questions.
87. The passage is chiefly about ____.
A. shin pads
B. M-LAW
C. Wacky Warning Labels contest
D. product liability lawsuit
88. The general tone of the passage is ____.
A. descriptive
B. instructive
C. critical
D. argumentative
Now read Text H quickly and mark your answers on your ANSWER SHEET.
Be warned: “Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover.” That label on a pair of shin guards beat out nearly 100 competitors to win the Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch’s Wacky Warning Labels contest. M-LAW, a nonprofit group formed in 1997, seeks to call attention to the effects of product-liability lawsuits. “I picked up the label and found it absolutely ridiculous,” said Joe Schanderson, who won $ 500 for submitting the entry. Schanderson’s find beat out a label affixed to a toilet inside a public restroom: “ Recycled flush water unsafe for drinking.”
Other runners-up included:
A warning on an electric router: “This product not intended for use as a dental drill.”A warning on a rock garden set: “Eating rocks may lead to broken teeth!”
TEXT I
First read the following questions.
89. This advertisement is for ____.
A. medical instrument
B. dog drug
C. adult drug
D. business service
90. Merck & Co.Inc. belongs to the state of ____.
A. Florida
B. North Dakota
C. California
D. New Jersey
Now read Text I quickly and mark your answers on your ANSWER SHEET.
With HEARTGARD-30 You Only Have toRemember Once a month
HEARTGARD-30 (ivermectin) is the first only once-a-month heartworm disease preventive. Now, instead of having to give your dog a tablet every single day during the mosquito season, you only have to give one treatment each month (over a 6 month period, that’s just 6 tablets instead of 180).
This is important, because if you should forget to give the daily treatment for just two consecutive days, your dog could be in danger-even if you resume treatment. And HEARTGARD-30 is less risky because the one monthly treatment is easier to remember.So see your veterinarian for a heartworm test and ask him about the easy once-a-month heartworm disease preventive.
Composition: Each HEARTGARD-30 tablet contains 68,136,or 272 micrograms ivermect in. Indications: HEARTGARD-30 is for use in dogs to prevent heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis by eliminating tissue stage larvae. Precautions: Dogs should be tested by your veterinarian for existing heartworm infections prior to starting treatment with HEARTGARD-30. A mild hypersensitivity-type reaction, involving a transient diarrhea, may occur after the treatment of dogs that have circulating microfilariae. When given at many times the recommended dose, ivermectin (the active ingredient in HEARTGARD-30) caused serious adverse reactions, including death, in certain dogs, particularly of the collie breed. Observe collies closely for at least eight hours after treatment. If unusual signs, such as dilated pupils, depression, or a staggering gait are seen following treatment, contact your veterinarian immediately. HEARTGARD-30 is not effective for treatment of adult heartworm infections or for clearance of microfilariae. Caution: Federal (U.S.A.) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. Keep this and all drugs out of the reach of children. See your veterinarian for complete information. MSD AGVET, Division of Merck & Co., Inc., Ratway. NJ07065-0912,USA. HEARTGARD-30 is a registered trademark of Merck & Co., Inc.,Ratway, NJ07065, USA. All rights reserved. HGD-8-0286-AJA.