Supermarkets are trying out new computers that make shopping carts more intelligent(具备智能的). They will help shoppers find paper cups or toilet soap, and keep a record of the bill.
The touch-screen devices(触摸屏装置) are on show at the Food Marketing Institute’s exhibition here this week, “These devices are able to create value and get you around the store quicker,” said Michael Alexander, manager of Springboard Retail Networks Inc., which makes a smart cart computer called the Concierge.
Canadian stores will test the Concierge in July. A similar device, IBM’s “Shopping Buddy”, has recently been test-marketed at Stop & Shop stores in Massachusetts.
Neither device tells you how many fat grams or calories are in your cart, but they will flash you with items on sale. The idea is to make it easier for people to buy, not to have second thoughts that maybe you should put something back on the shelf.
“The whole model is driven by advertisers’ need to get in front of shoppers,” said Alexander. “They’re not watching 30-second TV ads anymore.”
People can use a home computer to make their shopping lists. Once at the store, a shopper can use a preferred customer card to start a system(系统) that will organize the trip around the store. If you’re looking for toothpicks, you type in the word or pick it from a list, and a map will appear on the screen showing where you are and where you can find them.
The device also keeps a record of what you buy. When you’re finished, the device figures out your bill. Then you go to the checker or place your card into a self-checkout stand and pay.
The new computerized shopping assistants don’t come cheap. The Buddy devices will cost the average store about $160,000, and the Concierge will cost stores about $500 for each device.
1. The underlined word “they” (paragraph 1) refers to ______.
A. supermarkets B. shop assistants C. shopping carts D. shop managers
2. Which of the following is the correct order of shopping with computerized shopping carts?
a. Start the system. b. Make a shopping list.
c. Find the things you want. d. Go to a self-checkout stand.
A. abdc B. bacd C. acbd D. bcad
3. We can learn from the last paragraph that ______.
A. intelligent shopping carts cost a large sum of money
B. the Concierge is cheaper than the Buddy devices
C. shop assistants with computer knowledge are well paid
D. average stores prefer the Concierge to the Buddy devices
4. What might be the most suitable title for the text?
A. New age for supermarkets
B. Concierge and Shopping Buddy
C. New computers make shopping carts smarter
D. Touch-screen devices make shopping enjoyable
Using the Internet and CD-ROM databases in the library
Bramley College now has full electronic information resources in the College Library to help you in your studies. On CD-ROM in the library we have about fifty databases (数据库), including many statistical sources. Want to know the average rainfall in Tokyo? It’s easy to find out.
You can conduct your own CD-ROM search for no charge, and you can print out your results on the library printers using your library photocopying card. Alternatively, you can download your results to disk, again for no charge, but bring your own USB flash disk ( U盘 ) or CD-ROM. If you are not sure how to conduct a search for yourself, librarians can do it for you , but we charge $5 each time for this service, no matter how long or how short a time it takes.
All library workstations have access to the Internet, so you can find the Web-based information you need quickly and easily. If you are unfamiliar with using the Internet, help is available in several ways. You can start with the online tutorial ( 指南) Netstart. The tutorial will take you through the basic step to using the Internet, at any time convenient to you. If you prefer, ask one of the librarians for Internet advice ( at times between 8:00 am and 12：00 am weekdays ) or attend one of the introductory group sessions that are held in the first two weeks of each term.
A word of warning: demand for access to library workstations is very high, so you are strongly advised to book a workstation, and we have to limit your use to a maximum of one hour at any one time. Also, use of the computers is limited to students only, so you may be asked to show your Student Identification Card to make a booking, or while using the workstations.
1. The passage is mainly intended for_______.
A. students B. teachers C. librarians D. citizens
2. If a librarian conducts the CD-ROM search for you three times, you should pay_____.
A. No fee B. $5 C. $10 D. $15
3. A librarian can help you learn to use the Internet___________.
A. at any time if you are in need of help
B. in the first three weeks of each term
C. in the morning from Monday to Friday
D. when the librarians are available
4. At any one time, a library workstation can used for_____
A. half a day B. one hour C. two hours D. an unlimited time
Spain— what’s on
Joaquín Sorolla
First major exhibition devoted to the Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla(1863-1923). The show brings together about 100 paintings by Sorolla, one of the key figures in the history of Spanish art. It offers a comprehensive survey based on examples of his finest works.
| Time |
24/05/2009-06/09/2009 |
| Location |
Madrid, Museum Nacional del Prado |
| Phone |
34-91-3302800 |
| Website |
http://www.museodelprado.es |
Kees van Dongen
First exhibition in Spain of the works of the Dutch painter Kees van Dongen(1877-1968), bringing together almost 100 of his works, and a number of works by Pablo Picasso, bearing witness to the friendship between the two artists.
| Time |
11/06/2009-10/09/2009 |
| Location |
Barcelona, Museum Picasso |
| Phone |
34-93-2563000 |
| Website |
http://www.bcn.cat |
Chopin Festival 2009
The annual festival dedicated（专注于）to the Polish composer Frederic Chopin(1810-1849). This year the festival is honoring five composers: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy(1809-1847), Jaume Mas Porcel (1909-1993), Franz Josef Haydn(1732-1809), Isaac Albniz(1860-1909)and Wanda Landowska(1877-1959). Works by these composers are performed together with works by Chopin.
| Time |
09/09/2009-30/09/2009 |
| Location |
Valdemossa, Monestry of Valdemossa/Chopin Museum |
| Phone |
34-97-1612106 |
| Website |
http://www.festivalchopin.com |
Antoni Solà
Exhibition of the works of the Spanish sculptor Antoni Solà(1780-1861). A resident of Rome from 1803, Solà made his name and fame there and became one of the only two foreigners to be appointed president of the Accademia di San Luca. He took part in Rome’s main cultural affairs and supported the imitation of ancient Greek art looking for idealized beauty.
| Time |
15/07/2009-17/09/2009 |
| Location |
Barcelona, Museum Frederic Marès |
| Phone |
34-93-2563500 |
| Website |
http://www.museumares.bcn.cat |
1. To find further information about Pablo Picasso’s works, you should dial_________
A. 34-91-3302800 B. 34-97-1612106
C. 34-93-2563500 D. 34-93-2563000
2. If you are a music lover, which website would you like to visit?
A. http://www.bcn.cat. B. http://www.museodelprado.es.
C. http://www.festivalchopin.com.D. http://www.museumares.bcn.cat.
3. Who was involved in Rome’s main cultural affairs?
A. Antoni Solà. B. Kees van Dongen. C. Isaac Albniz D. Frederic Chopin
4. The event that lasts more than three months is_______.
A. Antoni Solà. B. Joaquín Sorolla
C. Kees van Dongen D. Chopin Festival 2009
Ever wondered why some businesses fail and others seem to go from strength to strength（越来越兴旺发达）? One of the major reasons for success or failure in any business is the choice of location. The ABS can be of great help in choosing the most likely place to set up your business. Whether it’s simple or a complex business.
Case study one
A Sydney doctor specializing pediatrics(小儿科) was hoping to set up a practice outside the metropolitan area, probably on the northern coast of New South Wales. He was unsure of the best place in this region and came to the ABS for help. The ABS was able to put together a report containing details of the proportion of the children in particular areas, along with information on regions with the highest birth rates. This enabled the doctor to work out where future demand for his services would be.
Case study two
A suburban retailer（零售商）in Perth owned a shoe store which stocked a wide range of shoes for men, women and children. There had been an increase in the number of similar shoe stores in the suburban shopping center and the owner wanted to assess the possibility of switching to selling imported shoes and handbags for women only. In order to ensure whether there was a market for these products, the retailer needed to obtain details of income by age, sex, and occupation for all the women in the city of Perth. Using information from the 1996 Census(普查)of Population and Housing, the ABS was able to provide this type of information in a detailed report. With the information, the retailer was able to believe that there were enough professional working women in the area with middle to high incomes, which makes his business possible.
1. What information did the Sydney doctor get from the ABS about the northern coast of New South Wales?
A. The number of medical practices there.
B. The detailed information about the children.
C. Its present and future economic situations.
D. The ideal place to start a practice there.
2. The retailer wanted to switch to selling imported shoes and handbags for women because________.
A. there were more and more working women
B. he wanted to enlarge the original store
C. there were more and more shoe stores
D. imported products were popular
3. What does the ABS do for its customers?
A. Doing research work in the fields.
B. Suggesting the most potential market.
C. Providing considerable amounts of data.
D. Predicting the possible consumer goods.
4. This passage is most probably a(n) _____________.
A. handout for management B. income report
C. advertisement D. plan for a project
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分满分40分)
US first lady Michelle Obama is among the world’s 100 most powerful women on a list topped by German premier Angela Merkel for four years in a row, according to a Forbes ranking released recently.
Michelle Obama debuted（初次露面）at No.40,coming in ahead of talk show host Oprah Winfrey at 41 and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth at 42.
Sheila Bair, chair of the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, which insures bank deposits,remained NO.2 after debuting on the Forbes list last year. She has gained increased fame as the US recession（经济衰退） lasts.
The list is based on factors such as economic impact, media reach and career accomplishments. Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice fell off the list after leaving office in January. Rice’s successor （继任者）,Hillary Clinton, came in at NO.36, dropping from No.28 last year when her presidential bid made her the woman with the highest public profile on the list.
“women im power are rising to leadership positions in business, government and philanthropy （慈善）by making daring and unconventional moves,”Forbes said.“Gone are the days of women feeling they must stick with one employer and patiently wait for promotions.”
“Highly ambitious women… are moving across companies and industries, making big leaps with each change, and repositioning themselves for opportunities that allow them to gain a breadth of experience,” the business magazine said.
Merkel,55, became the first female premier of Germany in 2005 and succeeded in retaining(保留) power in a federal election not long ago.
Michelle Obama,45,has won fans for her down-to-earth personality, her support of causes including healthy eating and the arts.
1.Condoleezza Rice is not included on the list probably because_______________ .
A. she exercises less influence
B. she keeps her new job a secret
C. she has become an ordinary woman
D. she is silent after leaving office
2.Hillary Clinton was ranked No.28 last year because_____________
A. she was the former first lady
B. she was running for president then
C. she frequently appeared in public
D. she got support from her husband
3. We learn from the passage that powerful women today_____________
A. change their jobs more frequently
B. are better political leaders than men
C. are not content with being housewives
D. have changed their traditional concept
4. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The most powerful women in the world
B. Women in power are rising to leadership postitions
C. Forbes: Germany’s Merkel again most powerful woman
D. Forbes: The rise and fall of the women in power
D. The latest source of biofuel
A girl with blue eyes is a blue-eyed girl. A man with long legs is a long-legged man. A woman with white hair is a white-haired woman. Children who have good looks are good-looking children. What do you do when you want to buy clothes? You go to a shop. If you can find clothes that are the right size for you, and if they are ready to wear, you will probably buy them. They are called ready-made clothes. If you can not find clothes that are the right size, you will go to a tailor’s shop. A tailor is a man who makes clothes. He will measure you carefully and will then make clothes for you. Such clothes are called tailor-made clothes.
What do we call a man who is dressed badly? We call him a badly-dressed man. A woman who is dressed well is called a well-dressed woman.
What do you wear when it rains heavily? You wear a coat that will keep the rain out. Such a coat is called a raincoat. It is made of waterproof cloth—cloth that does not let water pass through. We have a lot of rain in England. If you come to England, bring a raincoat and an umbrella. You will find them useful.
If the floor, walls and ceiling of a room are made so that sound cannot pass through the wall, we say that the room is sound-proof. There are sound-proof rooms in all broadcasting stations.
1. The clothes which you buy from the supermarket are called________clothes.
A. tailor-made B. ready-made
C. hand-made D. mass production
2. If you come to England, bring both a raincoat and an umbrella because________.
A. there is a lot of rain in England
B. there are few umbrellas in the country
C. gentlemen usually carry umbrellas with them in England
D. walking with an umbrella in hand is popular in England
3. On back of a watch we can often see the word “water-proof”. The word means________.
A. water won’t get into the watch
B. you can put water into the watch
C. not putting the watch into water
D. you can see the watch clearly in water
4. What do you think is the best title for the article?
A. The Forms of Compound Words.
B. Compound Words in Everyday Life
C. How to Use Compound Words.
D. Water-proof Cloth in the Best.