(E)
Everybody has to buy or sell things sometimes. Even students, who are usually not very rich, have to learn something about making purchases(买东西) intelligently. As a student you may find, for example that you need to buy a walkman or winter clothing. You may want to buy a television or a used car. Of course, you want to get good value for your money. If you are considering a major purchase, or any purchase, you should remember several important things.
◎Study first, and then decide what you want to buy. You can learn a lot just by reading books and advertisements.
Remember that a high quality product will probably last longer and work better. Of course,
for a superior(优良的) product you are expected to pay more. An inferior product may not give you the same quality, but the price should be low. Perhaps this seems obvious, but you know the quality. Don’t just look at the price. A poor quality product could be expensive. And a valuable one could be on sale at a greatly reduced price.
◎Don’t hurry. Take your time. After you decide what product you want, go to many different stores. If you cannot find the product you want, you may try to order it directly form the factory or ask the store to order it for you.
Look for a good deal. If you wait, you will probably find that your product will go on sale and
you may be able to save 10,20,or even 50 percent of the original price.
◎Finally, before you buy, make sure that the product is guaranteed(质量保证). If you find the lowest possible price, you will generally be happy with your purchase and also keep more money in the bank.
73. What’s the best title for this passage?
A. What products are of high quality B. Do shopping wisely as a student
C. How to save your money D. Take your time when shopping
74. The underlined word “inferior” (in paragraph 3) probably means “____”.
A. low in price B. produced by a small factory
C. low in quality D. produced by a large factory
75. If you cannot find what you want to buy in the stores, you may____.
A. wait until it arrives
B. place an order directly with the factory
C. save some money in the bank
D. get your money back from the factory
Sri Lanka is known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”, and it is easy to see why. This little country never fails to please visitors.
Arrive
The national airline is Sri Lankan Airlines, which flies from Colombo to London and a couple of other European cities. The country’s main airport is Colombo Bandaranaike, located 29km north of the capital city.
Why now?
The best time to visit Sri Lanka’s southern beaches is from November to April. So by going early in the season, you’ll get the best weather. Also in November, Deepavali, known as “Diwali” or the “Festival of Lights”, is Sri Lanka’s main religious festival, celebrated throughout the country.
See
There is plenty to see in Sri Lanka. The ancient capital cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura are worth seeing, and so are many outstanding ruins. Other mustsees are the rock fortress (要塞) of Sigiriya, towering over the jungle as far as the eye can see, and Dambulla’s cave temple, the country’s largest and best preserved. Both are UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) Sites. Kandy is a picture-like town, which was the last stronghold of the Kandyan Kings. Today it is a cultural relic centre where age-old customs, arts, and crafts remain.
Do
Sri Lanka owns about 1,600km of beautiful palm-shaded beaches as well as warm, pure seas and colorful coral reefs. You can explore the underwater world, and surfing and diving are available too. Away from the shore, wildlife is a big draw for Sri Lanka, and Yala National Park is one of the best places in the word to see wild animals including leopards (豹) and elephants.
Taste
Sri Lanka is celebrated for its excellent food, with a particular emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables on menus everywhere. Fish and seafood are a big part of the local diet.
Did you know?
Sri Lanka is known for its tea, but it is also the world’s largest producer and exporter of cinnamon(肉桂).Which of the following is a cultural relic centre of Sri Lanka?
| A．Kandy. | B．Anuradhapura. |
| C．Polonnaruwa. | D．Colombo. |
If you want to know something about “Diwali”, you’d better go there in.
| A．September. | B．October. | C．November. | D．May. |
We learn from the passage that Sri Lanka .
| A．is in the Pacific Ocean |
| B．is famous for its excellent food |
| C．is the world’s largest producer of tea |
| D．has only flights to London |
The author wrote the article in order to.
| A．introduce the picturesque landscape of Sri Lanka |
| B．let readers know what is famous for in Sri Lanka |
| C．make Sri Lanka well known throughout the world |
| D．let people get more travel information about Sri Lanka |
In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and found the answers interesting.
One morning I got into three different taxis and announced, “Well, it’s my first day back in New York in seven years. I’ve been in prison.” Not a single driver replied, so I tried again. “Yeah, I shot a man in Reno.” I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked. The only response came from a Ghanaian driver, “Reno? That is in Nevada?”
Taxi drivers were uniformly sympathetic when I said I’d just been fired. “This is America,” a Haitian driver said. “One door is closed. Another is open.” He argued against my plan to burn down my boss’s house. A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope; he refused to take me to the middle of George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip. “Why you want to go there? Go home and relax. Don’t worry. Take a new job.”
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks. The driver picked me up every time. My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
“Let’s go across the park.” I said. “I just robbed the bank there. I got $25,000.”
“$25,000?” He asked.
“Yeah, you think it was wrong to take it?”
“No, man. I work 8 hours and I don’t make almost $70. If I can do that, I do it too.”
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
“Hey, there’s another bank,” I said, “Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?”
“No, I can’t wait. Pay me now.” His reluctance may have something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can’t expect unconditional support.Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?
| A．Because he was able to help the author to find a new job. |
| B．Because he wanted to go home and relax. |
| C．Because it was far away from his home. |
| D．Because he thought that the author would commit suicide. |
What is the author’s interpretation of the driver’s reluctance “to wait outside the Chemical bank”?
| A．The driver thought that the rate for waiting time was too low. |
| B．The driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally. |
| C．The driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible. |
| D．The driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery. |
Which of the following statements is true about New York taxi drivers?
| A．They are ready to help you do whatever you want to. |
| B．they often refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves. |
| C．They are sympathetic with those who are out of work. |
| D．They work only for money. |
One day Bill went to eat at a restaurant in London．Suddenly a young woman sat down beside him．Bill could not think what she wanted．She did not look very happy．Bill asked her what was wrong．“The problem is,” she began．But then she stopped．She didn’t find it easy to tell Bill about it, it seemed．
“My husband and I wanted to meet here for lunch at 12,” she said at last, “but he hasn’t come．”
“Well, don’t you know where he is? Can you ring him up?”
“No, I can’t.” said the woman, “And I have had lunch now and I can’t pay the bill．Because I haven’t got any money with me．”
“Never mind, I’ll pay the bill for you．You can pay me back later．” Bill said．“If you give me your address, I’ll send you the money as soon as I get home．” With these words she left the restaurant．
A few weeks later, when Bill was having lunch at another restaurant, he suddenly heard a familiar（熟悉的）voice, “Excuse me．May I just sit here for a moment?” Bill turned round．It was the same young woman again．This time she was talking to a man with gray hair at a table not far from the gate．Bill smiled at the woman and got up from his chair and walked across the room．One day Bill came to eat at a restaurant _____ ．
| A．to meet a young woman |
| B．to help a woman |
| C．to have lunch |
| D．to have the last meal of the day |
The woman said she would _____ ．
| A．return Bill’s money as early as possible |
| B．go to Bill’s home to return the money |
| C．give Bill’s money back the next day |
| D．return Bill’s money at the restaurant |
Bill walked across the room _____ ．
| A．to pay the woman’s bill |
| B．to say hello to the man with gray hair |
| C．to meet the woman |
| D．to go away from the woman |
One-hundred-and seventh birthdays aren’t usually celebrated for authors who aren’t alive anymore. But Theodor Seuss Geisel---better known as the children’s books author Dr. Seuss ---who came into the world on 2 March, 1904, was an unusual man.
Like generations of children I was raised on his wonderful stories. But when I now read them to my children it’s not just the childhood memories I enjoy. His writing is brilliant and imaginative and flows with a self-confidence as sure as the words of a Shakespeare poem. Readers ride his characteristic rhythm (韵律) with an effortless joy that cannot be matched by any other modern writer:
You have brains in your head
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself any direction you choose
And will you succeed?
Yes indeed, yes indeed!
Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.
Seuss’s brilliant cartoons and clever words make his books a delight for adults but they attract mostly children of course. His stories teach kids moral lessons but in indirect and entertaining ways.
The first Seuss book I was given was The Lorax, written just as the 60s were becoming the 70s. Seuss was ahead of his time, and in this book the dawn of concern for environmental problems are shown as the Lorax “who speaks for the trees” battles against an evil businessman who wants to destroy the forest and make goods “which everyone needs”.
It’s not only a warning of the heavy price of environmental destruction, written well before most people had thought to worry, but it’s also a smart analysis of consumer societies: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” This is of course a moral message, but not of the kind designed to persuade the youngsters into behavior that adults want.
I could go on, but hey, it’s a birthday, and I’m sure you folks have some good toasts to raise for the party…What’s the purpose of this passage?
| A．To introduce Dr. Seuss’s life. |
| B．To analyze Dr. Seuss’s books. |
| C．To describe Dr. Seuss’s writing style. |
| D．To celebrate Dr. Seuss’s achievements. |
Why does the author include Dr. Seuss’s poem?
| A．To encourage readers to use their brains and choose their own way. |
| B．To give readers a sample of Seuss’s story The Lorax. |
| C．To provide readers with an example of Seuss’s writing style. |
| D．To explain how relevant Seuss’s stories remain today. |
Why do adults also enjoy Seuss’s books?
| A．His words and pictures are imaginative enough to be enjoyed by all. |
| B．His books give children obvious moral messages to learn from. |
| C．He writes about adult topics in a way that is understandable to children. |
| D．He was the first person to write about the environment. |
When was the book The Lorax written?
| A．Early 1960s. | B．Early 1970s. |
| C．Late 1960s. | D．Late 1970s. |
Which of the following is true about Seuss?
| A．Many of the issues he discussed attracted greater concern in later years. |
| B．He is widely considered as the twentieth-century Shakespeare. |
| C．His books are more popular now than when they were first published. |
| D．Most readers thought his ideas were difficult to understand. |
Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them. Take my family’s last vacation. It was my six-year-old son’s winter break form school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day. I had meetings in New York，So I had to get back. But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home.
The next day, my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouraged—okay, ordered—them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up.
I've made living looking for the best deals and exposing （揭露）the worst tricks. I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in.
I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money’s worth. I’m also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its shape longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts.Why did Delta give the author's family credits?
| A．They took a later flight. |
| B．They had early bookings. |
| C．Their flight had been delayed. |
| D．Their flight had been cancelled. |
What can we learn about the author?
| A．She rarely misses a good deal. |
| B．She seldom makes a compromise. |
| C．She is very strict with her children. |
| D．She is interested in cheap products. |
What does the author do?
| A．She's a teacher. | B．She's a housewife. |
| C．She's a media person. | D．She's a businesswoman. |
What does the author want to tell us?
| A．How to expose bad tricks. | B．How to reserve airline seats. |
| C．How to spend money wisely. | D．How to make a business deal. |