[originaltext]M: Hi, what are you doing there?W: Obviously I’m reading a magaz

M: Hi, what are you doing there?
W: Obviously I’m reading a magazine,
M: Oh, what’s so interesting?
W: It’s mainly about inflation. The article says that with most economic issues, economists disagree deeply about exactly what causes inflation.[23]They generally do agree that a sharp increase in the cost of one essential item is likely to be a contributing factor. For example, when oil prices rose sharply in the mid-1970s, inflation went up sharply. Can you tell me why?
M: Maybe it was because producing oil needs many other materials, so when the oil prices went up, prices of other things also went up.
W: That was pretty much the case.
M: All of a sudden, consumers were hit with higher prices for oil and for many other things. These higher prices were a form of inflation. Just think of it. All the companies that used oil to heat their buildings or run their machines suddenly had to raise their prices to cover the increased cost of the oil.
W: So that would mean anything transported by truck would cost more.
M: Precisely. At the same time, all the consumers who bought oil, especially the gasoline used in the cars, had to spend a much bigger portion of their paychecks on oil.
W: I remember hearing my parents talk about how they had to wait in a long line to buy gas. Moreover, my grandfather and uncle lost their jobs. Was that because of inflation?
M: Possibly.[25]Because they were hurt by this sudden increase in prices, many companies went out of business or cut back on their growth. They fired or laid off people, or stopped hiring.
W: Oh, I see. Thank you very much for your information.
22.What is the conversation mainly about?
23.Which of the following may cause inflation according to economists?
24.What makes the speakers begin to talk about inflation?
25. Which of the following is a result of inflation?