An Earthship is a home that is built of materials such as old tires and aluminum cans. It is the idea of a man named Michael Reynolds. Many Earthships are more or less self-sufficient because they provide their own heat, air and water. They often have gardens watered and fed by waste water. They are comfortable and ecologically friendly.
The main material used in building Earthships is tires. Tires are plentiful and
can't be recycled like paper, plastic, and metal. While building supplies for most houses can be very expensive, old used tires are free.
First, the tires are packed tightly with dirt. Each full tire weighs as much as
400 pounds. The tires are then stacked like bricks. The walls are extremely strong. They also help keep an even temperature in the house (between 60 and 70 degrees) without heating and cooling systems.
The walls inside the Earthship are made of aluminum cans that are held together by cement. Then they are coated with adobe or stucco.
The roofs of Earthships are sloped so that rain and snow run into large tanks. These tanks hold all the water for the house, and pumps push the water through the pipes. Sometimes, water flows in certain areas of the house as waterfalls! Water that has been used is pumped out into the gardens where owners grow much of their own food.
In most of these houses, the southern side has huge windows that take in winter sunlight as a source of heat. Summer sun does not come in through the south windows, so it doesn't get too hot in the summer. The house also has solar panels that gather energy for lights and hot water and cooking. The Earthships have all the comforts of a regular house without the high cost of electric bills!
In a time when we are running out of energy resources, pollution is bad, and waste is piling up, Earthships are the best places to live in. For people who truly care about the environment,Earthships provide a great alternative to traditional houses. You won't be giving up any comforts, and the styles are attractive. We all hope that more and more people will build Earthships and take a huge step toward helping the environment and saving our planet.What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Earthships are a good way to live and protect the environment. |
| B．Tanks hold water collected from rain and snow. |
| C．It's important to grow your own food in a vegetable garden. |
| D．People who live in Earthships usually live in the desert. |
Which of the following is NOT explained in the passage?
| A．How an Earthship is built. |
| B．What an Earthship is mainly made of. |
| C．Why the Earthship is so called. |
| D．How an Earthship is heated in winter. |
Which evidence best supports the idea that Earthships are environmentally friendly?
| A．They were invented by Michael Reynolds. |
| B．Water that has been used is pumped out into the garden. |
| C．They are comfortable and ecologically friendly. |
| D．The tires are packed tightly with dirt. |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．a large population are already living in Earthships |
| B．the idea of Earthships will attract the attention of governments |
| C．the materials for the Earthships will be harmful to the dwellers(居住者) |
| D．the northern side of the Earthship has no window |
What you have just read is a _______.
| A．note | B．report |
| C． poster | D．schedule |
What is going to take place on 2 February, 2013?
| A．A party for close friends to meet and have fun. |
| B．A meeting of Kwun Tong High School students. |
| C．A big event to welcome a Chinese new year. |
| D．A social gathering to raise money for wildlife. |
How much do you have to pay in total if four of you go together?
| A．$20. | B．$40. |
| C．$60. | D．$80. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Free digital cameras are provided for everybody. |
| B．Festival food will be served without extra charge. |
| C．Tickets are sold in Kwun Tong High School. |
| D．It's unnecessary to take soft drinks with you. |
In the past, when people had problems, they usually went to their families or friends to get advice. Today it is possible to get advice from radio shows, TV programmes and telephone hot lines. A hot line is a telephone line. It offers a direct way of getting in touch with advisers. Most hot lines are completely anonymous. That is to say, callers do not have to say their names or telephone numbers. Most hot lines are free. Callers do not have to pay for the advice or the phone calls. At some hot lines, the advisers are volunteers. Other hot lines pay their advisers for their work. Usually the advisers are full-time-job people with years of education and experience, but sometimes the advisers have only taken a short class before starting to work on the hot line. All the advisers listen to people and help them solve their problems.How did people get advice when they had problems in the past?
| A．They listened to the radio |
| B．They went to their families or friends |
| C．They watched TV programmes |
| D．They made telephone calls |
What is a telephone hot line?
| A．A hot telephone |
| B．A phone call to the listeners |
| C．A training class on the phone |
| D．A telephone line for people to get advice |
What does the underlined word anonymous mean in Chinese in the passage?
| A．开放的 | B．虔诚的 |
| C．匿名的 | D．免费的 |
According to the passage, how does a caller get in touch with the adviser working on the hot line?
You might think that whether you choose a blue shirt or a yellow one to wear to work or college makes no difference to your day and those around you. However, an increasing number of experts argue that the colors we choose affect our mood (情绪), our career and even our health. Color affects us to a greater degree than most of us realize.
Color is used increasingly by doctors for influencing mood and state of mind, and for various types of medical treatment. Green is a good color if you are not feeling well, and possibly this is why we sometimes give flowers and plants to friends and relatives in hospital. It is also thought that turquoise(青绿色), a “user-friendly” color, can treat stress and headaches.
Companies use color to encourage us to buy their products. For example, purple, which mixes well with red, is used to show that a company has new ideas and the power to make them happen. Orange and blue are also recommended colors for companies to use, because orange is the color of communication and blue suggests safety. So this could be a particularly good combination. Companies have found that certain colors “speak” to specific age groups. They often use red to attract younger people to their products, for example, as it is lively and more youthful than colors like gold and navy(深蓝色), which older customers seem to prefer.
Wearing different colors can affect how you feel and how others react to you, so it is important to consider this when deciding what to wear in the morning. If you want people to take you seriously, then wearing navy or black is good. Blue would also be helpful for an interview or oral examination because it relaxes you and makes you feel calm. Red gets you noticed by everyone and makes you feel energetic, but be careful, as it can raise your pulse rate and not everyone wants this effect.
So think carefully before you leave the house or visit a friend with a gift. The colors you choose in both cases are a powerful tool. Are you making the right impression— on yourself and on others?Turquoise is a color that _______.
| A．stands for energy |
| B．is good for health |
| C．is popular with young people |
| D．makes the wearer be taken seriously |
Purple is used by a company to suggest it’s_______.
| A．reliable | B．creative |
| C．powerful | D．communicative |
Which of the following colors may be good for finding a job?
| A．Blue | B．Green |
| C．Orange | D．Yellow |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Color’s important effects on our life |
| B．Why patients benefit a lot from colors. |
| C．People’s preference for different colors |
| D．How to wear clothes on different occasions. |
Everyone may all have the experience of feeling anxious and stressed when having a rough day or having some troubles. Different people may choose different ways to deal with it, and for most people a break for a 10-minute walk may be quite useful.
Anyway, here is another way around: to get a piece of chewing gum, and chew it. According to a Swinburne University of Technology study, gum-chewing has been found to “relieve anxiety, improve alertness(机敏性) and reduce stress among individuals in a laboratory setting.”
Some may argue that a laboratory is not the same as an office. But check out the conditions of the study: individuals were monitored while performing “a group of ‘multi-tasking’ activities.” Doesn’t it sound like the situation in the office?
Here’s a summary of some of the study’s findings:
Gum chewers showed a reduction in anxiety as compared to non-gum chewers by nearly 17 percent during mild stress and nearly 10 percent in appropriate stress.
Gum chewers showed improvement in alertness over non-gum chewers by nearly 19 percent during mild stress and 8 percent in moderate stress.
Improved Performance: Chewing gum resulted in a big improvement in overall performance on multi-tasking activities.
Although these aren’t major improvements, every little bit works and chewing a piece of gum is a lot quicker and easier than slipping outside for a 10-minute walk. So, how does gum work this magic? In part it does so by lowering the level of cortisol(皮质醇)—a steroid(类固醇) hormone that is released in response to stress in your system.
A few words of advice before you reach for the gum: don’t crack your gum, and be sure to chew it with your mouth closed. In fact, I’d say keep the gum out of meetings, because it really looks impolite to others around you.From the study in the text we know that_________________.
| A．gum chewers may lack alertness |
| B．gum chewers tend to be less stressed |
| C．gum chewers can finish many jobs perfectly |
| D．gum chewers can reduce their anger easily |
How does gum work to reduce stress according to the text?
| A．It works by improving alertness. |
| B．It works by allowing a 10-minute walk. |
| C．It works by reducing one’s level of cortisol. |
| D．It works by being chewed in a laboratory setting. |
Which one may the author probably agree with?
| A．People can crack gum freely when meeting friends. |
| B．People should be careful when chewing gum at home. |
| C．People should chew gum with their mouths closed in a meeting. |
| D．It is impolite to chew gum in a meeting with people around you. |
What does the text mainly talk about?
| A．How to chew gum. |
| B．How to relieve stress. |
| C．Chewing gum can relieve stress. |
| D．Why people love chewing gum. |
No matter what type of business you run, it has to deal with situations in which things go wrong from your customer’s point of view. Complaints can be a great source of information for the organizations. So it’s important to learn to deal with customer complaints efficiently.
Firstly, listen attentively to what the customer has to say by keeping comfortable eye contact and giving full attention with no interrupting. You should also show your customer that you do understand him.
Secondly, when receiving a complaint you should apologize for the failure the customer has identified. It’s important for you to know that your apology must appear authentic to the customer, and not an empty excuse. And also you should show the customer you’ve accepted the responsibility and provide him with choices if you have some in hand or otherwise assure the customer you’ll do something about his complaint.
Thirdly, talk with the consumer and discover the best means to resolve his problem. There will be times when, after gathering the facts of a situation, you’ll be unable to resolve the problem immediately. In this case it’s important to let your customer know how long it’ll take to take action on his complaint.
Fourthly, a simple “Thank you” is one way to let the customer know you appreciate the time and effort he has taken to inform you about a problem with your company’s service or product you need to know about.
Lastly, give your customer something that shows your appreciation for him giving the feedback to you. And let him know you’re sorry for the mistake that was made. It isn’t necessary to give something that is costly; but a coupon(赠券) for a free drink or movie is fine.
Your professional and well-organized method of dealing with your customer complaints is one more way that will make you stay ahead of your competitors.What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Effects of customer complaints on business. |
| B．Tips for handling complaints from customers. |
| C．Importance of dealing with customer complaints. |
| D．Several factors resulting in customer complaints. |
The author thinks that customer complaints _____________.
| A．are easy to deal with |
| B．are sometimes beneficial |
| C．can actually be avoided |
| D．are really quite annoying |
The underlined word “authentic” in Paragraph 3 most probably means _______.
| A．believable | B．touching |
| C．attractive | D．clever |
According to the passage, what is the first thing you should do when facing the customer complaints?
| A．Showing sincere attitude. |
| B．Making an honest apology. |
| C．Making an absolute promise. |
| D．Listening to the complaint impatiently. |