In any country, the "standard ofliving" means the average person′s share of the goods and services whichthe country produces. Therefore, a country′s standard of living depends firstand foremost on its capacity to produce wealth. "Wealth" in thissense is not money, but "goods" such as food and clothing, and"services" such as transport and entertainment.
The capacity to produce wealth depends uponmany factors, most of which have an effect on one another. To a great extent,wealth depends upon a country′s natural resources, such as coal, gold, andother minerals, water supply and so on. Some regions of the world are wellsupplied with coal and minerals, and some are not.
Next to natural resources comes the abilityto turn them to use. Some countries are perhaps well off in natural resources,but unable to develop their resources. They suffered for many years from civiland external wars. Peaceful political and stable conditions enable a country todevelop its natural resources effectively, and to produce more wealth thananother country equally well served by nature but less well ordered. Anotherimportant factor is the technical efficiency of a country′s people.Industrialized countries that have trained numerous skilled workers andtechnicians produce wealth more than countries whose workers are largelyunskilled.
A country′s standard of living does notonly depend upon the wealth that is produced and consumed within its ownborders, but also upon what is indirectly produced through international trade.
For instance, Britain′s wealth isfoodstuffs and other agricultural products would be much less if she had todepend only on those grown at home. Trade makes it possible for her surplusmanufacture goods to be traded abroad for the agricultural products. In thisaspect, a country′s wealth is much influenced by its manufacturing capacity,provided that other countries can be found ready to accept its manufactures.
According to the passage, besides thecapa
A.farm products
B.industrial goods
C.foodstuffs
D.export and import