It used to be that Christmas, with a little help from Blue Peter, was about adding the personal touch. We'd sit there for hours making cards and gifts for family and friends, knowing that the thought put into them would be properly appreciated.
Nowadays, time is against us, but there is still one easy way for you to make someone's Christmas this year — a personalised card from M&S’ new website. To celebrate their new site, M&S is offering Times readers two-for-one on all cards. Simply choose one of the 300 exclusive(独家的)Christmas designs — starting from£1. 99, personalise it by changing the name and writing a message or uploading a photo. Then, add the receiver’s address and the card will be sent for you. Order by 2pm and it will be posted the same day.
In all, there are l,500 card designs to choose from, covering all kinds of special occasions. So if you want to get ahead of yourself for 2010, you know where to visit. You can even choose to be reminded of those important dates every year.
To claim your two-for-one on M&S personalized cards, simply visit marksandspencer-personalised.com. Remember to enter the code ‘TIMESFRI’ on the payment page. This code is available for two days.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:M&S PERSONALISED CARDS
1. The product given for free must be of equal or lower value.
2. Payment of postage is required.
3. Marks & Spencer reserves the right to take back this offer without prior(预先)notice.
64. What does the underlined part “two-for-one”(in Paragraph 3)mean in the ad?
A. Two paid cards and one free card.
B. One paid card and two free cards.
C. Your name and a message on one card.
D. Your photo and the receiver’s on one card.
65. From the ad we can know that M&S is most probably .
A. a website selling Christmas cards only
B. an agency of the newspaper Times
C. a company promoting the sales of cards
D. an advertising agency of card producers
66. To order the product for your friends now, you should .
A. enter a code on the payment page of M&S’ website
B. always order it before two o’clock in the afternoon
C. put into the card your own date of birth and address
D. spend time making cards with the help of Blue Peter
67. According to the ad, if you order the Christmas cards, .
A. they can be delivered free of charge
B. you can enjoy the special offer all the year round
C. their value may be lower than that of a free card
D. you can get a favor of at least £1. 99
While many other teen stars built up their celebrity status(名人地位) by working hard on popular TV shows, Justin shot straight to the top by using social media.
A few years ago, Justin uploaded(上传) videos of himself on YouTube, showing covers of his favorite songs at home. He just saw it as a bit of fun for friends and family, but when music manager Scooter Braun saw one of the videos, he flew to Justin’s hometown of Ontario, Canada to sign him up. Justin was just 13.
Shortly after, Justin was flown to the US. He eventually started working with R&B superstar Usher. Justin’s first album My world was released in 2009. But all the time, Justin continued to build his fan base on his YouTube account, where some of his original home videos can still be found, and where he continues to post music. “I wasn’t sending mixtapes or anything like that to record labels,” he told us when we met him on his promotional tour for his latest film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. “I was just doing regular stuff at home and I just posted videos online without purpose. I would never be here if it wasn’t for the Internet and YouTube.”
But it isn’t just YouTube that helps Justin’s popularity. He also updates his Twitter account (@Justin-Bieber) regularly and has about 8.8 million followers. In fact, he’s so popular that Justin was responsible for 3% of the site’s activity at one time and so popular that entire racks of servers on Twitter were devoted to him.
In light of his story, many young, aspiring artists are now taking advantage of Twitter and YouTube. Both these sites can help artists build fan bases in the hope that they’ll become the next big thing. Justin added, “I think my story brings hope to people and I think that’s very important. The only thing holding you back is yourself. Never say never.”What is the best title for the passage?
| A.A famous young man | B.YouTube---A popular website |
| C.Justin’s way to success | D.Social media is the most important |
The underlined word “covers” in Paragraph 2 means_____.
| A.The cover of a book. |
| B.The shelter from attack. |
| C.The sheet on the bed. |
| D.Another version of a pop song by a different artist. |
Which one is right according to the passage?
| A.Justin posted videos online in order to succeed. |
| B.Justin becomes a celebrity partly owing to social media. |
| C.Justin has the same way to succeed as others. |
| D.Justin has built many websites. |
What can we know from Paragraph 5?
| A.Many young, aspiring artists are objection to Justin’s way. |
| B.Many celebrities like Justin must appear in the future. |
| C.Justin tells others never to depend on social media. |
| D.Justin has set an example to many young, aspiring artists. |
Zhang Li is studying at Cambridge, UK. She has bought a bicycle and is worried about security. Her friend, Kate, found this article and sent it to her.
Introduction
A lot of crime is against bicycles. About 150,000 bicycles are stolen every year and most are never found. You can prevent this happening by following a few careful steps.
Basic Security
Do not leave your bicycle in out-of-the-way places. Always lock your bicycle when you leave. Secure it to lampposts(灯柱) or trees. Take off smaller parts and take them with you, for example lights and saddles(车座).
Locks
Get a good lock. There are many different types in the shop. Buy one that has been tested against attack. Ask for advice from a bike shop.
Marking
Security marking your bike can act as a deterrent to a thief. It can also help the police find your bicycle. It should be clearly written and include your postcode and your house or flat number. This will provide a simple way to identify your bicycle.
Registration
There are a number of companies who will security mark your bicycle for you. They will then put your registration number and personal details on their computer database(数据库). Then if your bicycle is found it will be easy to get in touch with you.
Finally
Keep a record of the bicycle yourself: its make, model and registration number. You can even take a photograph of it. This will prove the bicycle belongs to you. Which part of the article gives you information on how to lock up your bicycle when you leave it?
| A.Locks | B.Marking | C.Registration | D.Basic Security |
The underlined phrase “act as a deterrent to a thief” means__________.
| A.help you recognize your bike |
| B.help the police find your bicycle |
| C.stop someone from stealing your bicycle |
| D.stop you worrying about your bike |
The article advises you to keep a record of your bicycle .
| A.in the bike shop and your computer. |
| B.in a police station and security company. |
| C.in a security company and your university. |
| D.by yourself and in a security company. |
The main purpose of this article is .
| A.to tell you what to do if your bicycle is stolen |
| B.to suggest ways of keeping your bicycle safe |
| C.to give you advice on where to buy a good lock |
| D.to say why you shouldn’t keep your bicycle in a quiet place |
When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin; I wasn’t a good student; I talked too much; I was too proud and so on. I tried to bear all these things as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, then he asked, “Are the things she said true or not? Janet, didn’t you ever wonder what you are really like? Well, you now have the girl’s opinion. Go to make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to other things she said.”
I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half of the things were true. some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I got a fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it, “That’s just for you,” he said. “You know better than anyone else, the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just closing your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to other people’s opinions, but hear the truth and do what you know is right.”
Daddy’s advice returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice.Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?
| A.Not an Enemy, but a Best Friend |
| B.The Best Advice I’ve Ever Had |
| C.My Father |
| D.My Childhood |
“Week by week her list grew” means “________”.
| A.Week by Week, my shortcomings grew more serious. |
| B.She had made a list of shortcomings. |
| C.I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on. |
| D.Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out. |
Her father listened to her quietly was because .
| A.He believed what her daughter’s enemy said was mostly true. |
| B.He had been so angry with his daughter’s shortcomings. |
| C.He didn’t believe in his daughter. |
| D.He wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth. |
After the father heard his daughter’s word, he .
| A.told her to write down what her “enemy” had said and pay attention to the true things. |
| B.criticized(批评) her and told her to overcome her shortcomings. |
| C.told her not to pay any attention to what her “enemy” said. |
| D.refused to take the list and have a look at it. |
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 actively 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 exercise. 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.Importance of dealing with customer complaints. |
| B.Effects of customer complaints on business. |
| C.Tips for handling complaints from customers. |
| D.Several factors resulting in customer complaints. |
The author thinks that customer complaints _____________.
| A.are easy to deal with | B.are really quite annoying |
| C.can actually be avoided | D.are sometimes beneficial |
The underlined word “authentic” in Paragraph 3 most probably means _______.
| A.touching | B.believable | 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 attentively. |
The next time your face turns red after tripping(绊倒) over your own feet in public, don’t try to hide it—a new study finds that showing your embarrassment actually makes other people view you as more reliable.
Researchers at the University of California have carried out the study and found that embarrassment is a good signature of a person to whom you can entrust valuable resources.
Not only are the findings useful for people seeking cooperative and reliable team members and business partners, but they also make for helpful dating advice.“Moderate(适度的) levels of embarrassment are signs of virtue. Our data suggests embarrassment is a good thing, not something you should fight.”said Matthew Feinberg, who led the study.
While the most typical gesture of embarrassment is a downward gaze to one side while partly covering the face, a person who feels shame, as distinguished(区别) from embarrassment, will typically cover the whole face, Feinberg said.
The results were got from a series of experiments. In the first experiment, 60 college students were videotaped describing embarrassing moments, such as making incorrect assumptions(假想) based on appearances. The college students also participated in the “Dictator Game” which is used in economics research to measure altruism(利己主义). For example, each was given 10 raffle tickets(奖券) and asked to keep a share of the tickets and give the reminder(提示物) to a partner.
The findings, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, showed that those who showed greater levels of embarrassment tended to give away more of their raffle tickets, indicating(﹦showing) greater generosity. According to the passage, which of the following is thought to be reliable?
| A.A person who feels shame. |
| B.A person who hides his embarrassment. |
| C.A person who shows his embarrassment. |
| D.A person who gives away more raffle tickets. |
We can infer from Paragraph 3 that ________.
| A.it’s useless to fight our embarrassment |
| B.people should try to overcome their embarrassment |
| C.embarrassed people are not good at doing business |
| D.people who show embarrassment can be good business partners |
The “Dictator Game ” is used to _________.
| A.measure the students’ economic status |
| B.test whether a student is generous or not |
| C.determine the different levels of embarrassment |
| D.record how each student reacts during embarrassing moments |
We learn from the last paragraph that those who showed greater levels of embarrassment ____.
| A.proved to be more generous | B.kept more of the raffle tickets |
| C.didn’t care for raffle tickets | D.were less reliable |