Almost every family buys at least one copy of a newspaper every day. Some people subscribe to as many as two or three different newspapers. But why do people read newspapers?
Five hundred years ago, news of important happenings--battles lost and won, kings or rulers overthrown or killed--took months and even years to travel from one country to another. The news passed by word of mouth and was never accurate. Today we can read in our newspapers of important events that occur in faraway countries on the same day they happen.
Apart from supplying news from all over the world, newspapers give us a lot of other useful information. There are weather repets, radio, television and film guides, book reviews, stones, anra ox course, auwmments. There are a sorts of advertisements. The bigger ones are put in by large companies to bring attention to their products. They pay the newspapers thousands of dollars for the advertising space, but it is worth the money for news of their products goes into almost every home in the country. For those who produce newspapers, advertisements are also very important. Money earned from advertisements makes it possible for them to sell their newspapers at a low price and still make a profit.
Newspapers often have information on gardening, cookery and fashion, as well as a small but very popular section on jokes and cartoons.
41. The habit of reading newspapers is
A. widespread B. found among a few families
C. not popular D. uncommon
42. In the past, news was
A. sent by telegraph B. sent by letter
C. sent by telephone D. passed from one person to another
43. The money spent on advertisements is
A. wasted B. not much
C. worthwhile D. of no use to anyone
44. Which of the following statements is not tree?
A. Five hundred years ago news didn't take a long time to reach other countries.
B. Large companies put big advertisements in the newspapers because they want to draw people's attention to their products.
C. The news that we need in our newspapers in up-to-date.
D. Though the newspapers are sold at a low price, people still gain profit.
45. Some people subscribe to as many as two or three different newspapers. Here the phrase "subscribe to"means .
A. contribute to B. write to
C. agree to buy for a specified time D. appreciate
In the more and more competitive service industry, it is no longer enough to promise customer satisfaction. Today, customer “delight” is what companies are trying to achieve in order to keep and increase market share.
It is accepted in the marketing industry, and confirmed by a number of researches, that customers receiving good service will promote business by telling up to 12 other people; those treated badly will tell their tales of woe to up to 20 people. Interestingly, 80 percent of people who feel their complaints are handled fairly will stay loyal.
New challenges for customer care have come when people can obtain goods and services through telephone call centers and the Internet. For example, many companies now have to invest(投资)a lot of money in information technology and staff training in order to cope with the “phone rage”—caused by delays in answering calls, being cut off in mid-conversation or let waiting for long periods.
“Many people do not like talking to machines,” says Dr. Storey, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at City University Business School. “Banks, for example, encourage staff at call centers to use customer data to establish instant and good relationship with them. The aim is to make the customer feel they know you and that you can trust them —the sort of comfortable feelings people have during face-to-face chats with their local branch manager.”
Recommended ways of creating customer delight include: under-promising and over-delivering (saying that a repair will be carried out within five hours, but getting it done within two); replacing a faulty product immediately; throwing in a gift voucher(购物礼券)as an unexpected “thank you” to regular customers; and always returning calls, even when they are complaints.
Aiming for customer delight is all very well, but if services do not reach the high level promised, disappointment or worse will be the result. This can be eased by offering an apology and an explanation of why the service did not meet usual standards with empathy (for example, “I know how you must feel”), and possible solutions (replacement, compensation or whatever fairness suggests best meets the case).
Airlines face some of the toughest challenges over customer care. Fierce competition has convinced them that delighting passengers in an important marketing tool, while there is great potential for customer anger over delays caused by weather, unclaimed luggage and technical problems.
For British Airways staff, a winning telephone style is considered vital in handling the large volume of calls about booking and flight times. They are trained to answer quickly, with their name, job title and a “we are here to help” attitude. The company has invested heavily in information technology to make sure that information is available instantly on screen.
British Airways also says its customer care policies are applied within the company and staff are taught to regard each other as customers requiring the highest standards of service.
Customer care is obviously here to stay and it would be a foolish company that used slogans such as “we do as we please.” On the other hand, the more customers are promised, the greater the risk of disappointment.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that__________.
| A．complaining customers are hard to satisfy |
| B．unsatisfied customers receive better service |
| C．satisfied customers catch more attention |
| D．well-treated customers promote business |
The writer mentions “phone rage” (Paragraph 3)to show that__________.
| A．customers often use phones to express their anger |
| B．people still prefer to buy goods online |
| C．customer care becomes more demanding |
| D．customers rely on their phones to obtain services |
What does the writer recommend to create customer delight?
| A．Calling customers regularly |
| B．Giving a “thank you” note |
| C．Delivering a quicker service |
| D．Promising more gifts |
If a manager should show his empathy (Paragraph 6), what would he probably say?
| A．“I know how upset you must be.” |
| B．“I appreciate your understanding.” |
| C．“I’m sorry for the delay.” |
| D．“I know it’s our fault.” |
Customer delight is important for airlines because__________.
| A．their telephone style remains unchanged |
| B．they are more likely to meet with complaints |
| C．the services cost them a lot of money |
| D．the policies can be applied to their staff |
Which of the following is conveyed in this article?
| A．Face-to-face service creates comfortable feelings among customers |
| B．Companies that promise more will naturally attract more customers |
| C．A company should promise less but do more in a competitive market |
| D．Customer delight is more important for airlines than for banks |
GUATEMALA CITY(Reuters)— A fish that lives in mangrove swamps(红树沼泽)across the Americas can live out of water for months at a time, similar to how animals adapted(适应)to land millions of years ago, a new study shows.
The Mangrove Rivulus, a type of small killifish, lives in small pools of water in a certain type of empty nut or even old beer cans in the mangrove swamps of Belize, the United States and Brazil. When their living place dries up, they live on the land in logs(圆木), said Scott Taylor, a researcher at the Brevard Endangered Lands Program in Florida.
The fish, whose scientific name is Rivulus marmoratus, can grow as large as three inches. They group together in logs and breathe air through their skin until they can find water again.
The new scientific discovery came after a trip to Belize.
“We kicked over a log and the fish just came crowding out.” Taylor told Reuters in neighboring Guatemala by telephone. He said he will make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early next year.
In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can live up to 66 days out of water without eating.
Some other fish can live out of water for a short period of time. The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can stay on land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water, but only in an inactive state. But no other known fish can be out of water as long as the Mangrove Rivulus and remain active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at Canada’s University of Guelph.
Further studies of the fish may tell how animals changed over time.
“These animals live in conditions similar to those that existed millions of years ago, when animals began making the transition(过渡)from water onto land,” Wright said.The Mangrove Rivulus is a type of fish that__________.
| A．like eating nuts |
| B．prefers living in dry places |
| C．is the longest living fish on earth |
| D．can stay alive for two months out of water |
Who will write up a report on Mangrove Rivulus?
| A．Patricia Wright | B．Researchers in Guatemala |
| C．Scientists from Belize | D．Scott Taylor |
According to the text, lungfish can__________.
| A．breathe through its skin |
| B．move freely on dry land |
| C．remain alive out of water |
| D．be as active on land as in waster |
What can we say about the discovery of Mangrove Rivulus?
| A．It was made quite by accident |
| B．It was based on a lab test of sea life |
| C．It was supported by an American magazine |
| D．It was helped by Patricia Wright |
WELCOME
Welcome to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Windsor is one of the official residences (住所)of the Queen, who sometimes stays here.
Audio tours
Free audio tours are available on leaving the Admission Centre at the start of your visit. There is a descriptive audio tour for blind and poor sighted visitors.
Guided tours
Visitors can explore the history of the Castle through a tour of the Precincts with an expert guide. Tours depart at regular intervals throughout the day from the Courtyard and finish at the entrance to the State Apartments.
Visitors with children
For those visiting with children, a special family tour and various activities are offered during school holidays and at weekends. Please note that, for safety reasons, pushchairs are not permitted in the State Apartments. However, baby carriers are available to borrow.
St George’s Chapel
Visitors arriving at the Castle after 15:00 from March to October are advised to visit St George’s Chapel first before it closes.
Shopping
Shops offer a wide range of souvenirs designed for the Royal Collection, including books, postcards, china, jewellery, and children’s toys. Please ask at the Middle Ward shop about our home delivery service.
Refreshments
Bottled water can be purchased from the Courtyard and Middle Ward shops. From April to September ice cream is also available. Visitors wishing to leave the Castle for refreshments in the town may obtain reentry permits from the castle shops. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the State Apartments of St George’s Chapel.
Photography and mobile phones
Non-commercial photography and filming are welcomed in the Castle. Photography, video recording and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments of St George’s Chapel. Mobile phones must be switched off inside the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel in consideration of other visitors.
Security
As Windsor Castle is a working royal palace, visitors and their belongings should get through airport-style security checks. For safety and security reasons a one-way system operates along the visitor route.A visitor can apply for a free audio tour_______.
| A．in the Courtyard | B．in the State Apartments |
| C．at the Admission Center | D．at St George’s Chapel |
What is specially offered to visitors with kids?
| A．A security guard | B．A pushchair |
| C．A free toy | D．A baby carrier |
Who can get re-entry permits?
| A．Visitors wishing to eat outside the Castle |
| B．Visitors buying gifts in the castle shops |
| C．Visitors buying water from the Courtyard |
| D．Visitors eating outside St George’s Chapel |
Why are visitors required to turn off their mobile phones?
| A．To ensure the safety of others |
| B．To ensure the security of the Castle |
| C．To prevent them from disturbing others |
| D．To prevent the use of the built-in cameras |
In the last part, a “working royal palace” refers to one_______.
| A．still being constructed |
| B．still used by the royal family |
| C．where the Queen usually works |
| D．where works of art are on show |
Carnival(狂欢节) does not take place only in Louisiana. There are many celebrations around the world.
In Brazil, the celebration is supposed to go on from the Saturday before Mardi Gras (大斋节前的最后一天)to Mardi Gras Day, but in some Brazilian cities the celebration can last seven or eight days. Just like New Orleans, not many important things are decided in Brazil from New Year's Day to Mardi Gras Day because everyone is preparing for or celebrating carnival. Most Brazilian parades have a subject, which could be political or historical. The parades had to have a subject related to Brazil until 1996. Some cities in Brazil do not have a street carnival, but they might have an indoor party.
Bolivia has carnival parades for children and then more parades for adults. The children dress up in costumes and march in the streets. The adults make traditional dance groups and dance in the streets. But the main part of Bolivia's carnival is getting wet. Almost everyone gets wet from water balloons and water buckets. In Oruru, Bolivia, their carnival is held in the last ten days of the carnival season. People there join in dancing, but their main carnival event is a ceremonial parade that lasts for twenty hours and parades for four kilometers. Over 20,000 dancers are involved as well as 10,000 musicians. This parade attracts at least 400,000 people.
The carnival in Venice, Italy is often regarded as the most carefully prepared carnival and lasts ten days before Lent (大斋节). Many events are held in the canals including shows, concerts, dances and water processions(队列). The official ending to the celebration is the party held in St. Mark's Square.What's the best title for the passage?
| A．Ways of Carnival |
| B．Carnival Parades |
| C．Carnivals around the World |
| D．History of Carnival |
From the passage we learn that in Brazil ____.
| A．not all cities have a street carnival |
| B．all Brazilian cities celebrate carnival for a week |
| C．the parades should have a subject related to Brazil politics |
| D．people prepare for or celebrate carnival after Mardi Gras Day |
The most important feature (特征)of the celebration of carnival in Bolivia is that ____.
| A．people join in dancing |
| B．nearly all people are wet |
| C．children wearing costumes march in the streets |
| D．adult dance groups dance in the streets |
Which of the following shows that the author pays special attention to the carnival in Bolivia?
| A．The time of celebrating carnival in Bolivia is mentioned. |
| B．There are details and numbers about carnival celebrations in Bolivia. |
| C．People in the carnival celebration in Bolivia are mentioned. |
| D．Events or performances for carnival celebrations in Bolivia are told. |
Which of the following areas or countries prepares the most carefully for their carnival?
| A．Louisiana. |
| B．Bolivia. |
| C．Venice. |
| D．Brazil. |
A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft. The manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
"You are employed," he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start."
The man replied, "But I don't have an e-mail."
"I'm sorry," said the manager. "If you don't have an e-mail, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist cannot have the job."
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his money. He repeated the practice three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars.
The man realized that he can survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US.
He started to plan his family's future and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker (代理人) and chose a protection plan.
When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his e-mail. The man replied, "I don't have an e-mail."
The broker answered curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!"Why can't the man have the job at Microsoft?
| A．Because he was lazy. |
| B．Because he didn't pass the test. |
| C．Because he didn't have an e-mail. |
| D．Because he didn't have a computer. |
The underlined word "triple" in the passage can be replaced by "____".
| A．become twice |
| B．become 3 times |
| C．decrease twice |
| D．decrease 3 times |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The man is one of the biggest food retailers in the world. |
| B．The man didn't give up though he failed the interview. |
| C．He started his career by selling tomatoes in the supermarket. |
| D．Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft. |
The man can be described as ____.
| A．helpful and thoughtful |
| B．positive and generous |
| C．smart and hardworking |
| D．stubborn and selfish |
Which of the following can best describe the story?
| A．Misfortune may be an actual blessing. |
| B．A good beginning is half done. |
| C．Accidents will happen. |
| D．No pains, no gains. |