Passage 1
Review of Markets一Corn Futures
Futures market for corn, wheat and soybeans have a tough act to follow in 1997. The past 12 months featured some of the most volatile grain prices in recent history, as weather moved the market dramatically. Records were set for both price and volume. Corn-futures prices marched up 57% from the beginning of the year. Wheat-futures prices also skyrocketed to an all-time high to about $ 7 a bushel, doubling in prices since early 1995.
Increasing world-wide demand and an expectation of record-low crop production because of unfavorable weather led to high prices early in 1996. For wheat, conditions stayed dry through May， while for corn and soybeans, weather remained dry in key producing regions into June. Because of the weather early in the year, the nation's granaries held a precariously low amount-just 426 million bushels of corn at one point in September, the lowest level since the 1970s.
But just when supply concerns pushed prices into the record-breaking range，rains and interna-tional supply spoiled the bullish party. Farmers planted 8 million more acres of corn alone in 1996 and large crops also came from Europe and Australia. The high price encouraged shifts in planning-area and yield went up. Soybean demand could outpace its grain cousins because of the rapid growth in China, which recently switched from being an exporter to an importer of soybean products. And if there are any problems with production, the market is liable to have a large price advance.
The grain prices kept stable during the past 12 months.
A、正确
B、错误
【正确答案】：B
【名师解析】:根据题目内容，1997年的谷物市场经历了剧烈的价格波动，其中玉米期货价格上涨了57%，小麦期货价格达到了历史最高点，每蒲式耳约7美元。价格上涨的原因包括全球需求的增加和由于不利天气导致的预期产量降低。然而，随着1996年后期降雨的增加和国际供应的改善，价格开始回落。此外，由于高价格的激励，农民增加了种植面积，产量也有所提高。大豆的需求可能因为中国从大豆产品出口国转变为进口国而超过其他谷物。最后，文中提到过去12个月的谷物价格保持稳定。
题目的陈述是“谷物价格在过去12个月保持稳定”，但根据文中信息，谷物价格在1997年经历了剧烈波动，因此这个陈述是错误的。所以正确答案是选项B，错误。
