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
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC has thousands of objects on display, including the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St．Louis, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, and a lunar rock you can touch．In addition to our exhibition galleries, you may want to visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, and the Public Observatory on the east end． There are many things to do at the Museum in DC． We offer daily tours and educational activities for both children and adults．We also have scheduled lectures and events throughout the year.
Hours & Admission: Open every day except December 25.Admission is free.
Regular Hours: 10: 00 am to 5: 30 pm
Extended Hours: 10: 00 am to 7: 30 pm
December 26—30, 2014.
March 30—April 20, 2015.
Fridays and Saturdays, April 24—May 16, 2015.
May 17—September 7, 2015.
VISITING TIPS:
Limit the Number of Bags: All visitors are screened through metal detectors upon entry．The fewer items you bring inside the Museum, the faster your entry．Before you visit, please review the list of prohibited items, which include pocket knives and tripods (三脚架)．Visitors carrying prohibited items will not be allowed inside the Museum, so please leave them at home or in your car.
No Food and Drink: Only bottled water is permitted in the Museum．You may only consume food and other drinks in the Food Court, not in the Museum．Groups who bring food are encouraged to picnic on the National Mall.
Please Take Photos: You are welcome to take photos for personal use．However, tripods and monopods (单脚架) are not permitted without approval.
First Aid: The Museum has a First Aid office and a nurse on duty．Please contact the nearest security officer or the Welcome Center for assistance.
Visit the Welcome Center:
At our Welcome Center in the South Lobby, staff and volunteers can answer any questions you have during your visit.
Open 10: 00 am to 5: 30 pm
Phone: 202-633-2214
E-mail: NASM-VisitorServices@ si．eduAccording to the passage, the National Air and Space Museum is a museum __.
| A．where only adults can take part in some educational activities |
| B．everyone can pay a visit to without buying tickets |
| C．where one can touch anything he likes |
| D．everyone can visit without time limits all the year round |
If the Greens plan to visit the Museum at 6: 00 pm, it is accessible on _______.
| A．December 24, 2014 (Wednesday) | B．March 1, 2015 (Sunday) |
| C．July 6, 2015 (Monday) | D．September 15, 2015 (Tuesday) |
A visitor to the museum can _______.
| A．eat and drink in the Museum or in the Food Court |
| B．take photos with tripods for personal use |
| C．bring fewer bags to go through metal detectors |
| D．get some medical treatment if he suddenly falls ill |
The purpose of this passage is to _______.
| A．make an advertisement for the museum |
| B．attract people to explore the universe |
| C．encourage adults to bring their children there |
| D．show what is on display in the museum |
Every one of us gets so used to punctuation marks that not many of us give them a second thought．Actually, the ancient Greeks wrote this way．The lack of punctuation marks probably didn’t bother good readers, though．As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best．Also at this time, sentences switched directions．A sentence read from left to right．The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc． The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this: They put something that can separate words in a sentence．The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a dot.
When the 5thcentury arrived, there were just two punctuation marks: spaces and points．The spaces separated words while the points showed pauses in reading．Then in the 13thcentury, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation．He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence．He used a slash (/) to indicate a short pause．Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma (逗号).
Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family．The exclamation mark (感叹号) comes from the Latin word io．It means “exclamation of joy.” The question mark originally started out as the Latin word questio, meaning question．Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question.
Punctuation even keeps changing nowadays．New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways．Take for example the “interrobang”．This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both．For example, “She did what?” or “How much did you pay for that dress?” Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized yet, but its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.From the first paragraph, we can know that _______.
| A．good readers had trouble reading without punctuation marks |
| B．a sentence always read from left to right in ancient Greece |
| C．ancient Greeks switched the direction of punctuation marks |
| D．the use of punctuation marks can date back to ancient times |
The passage is developed _______.
| A．by time | B．by space |
| C．by comparison | D．by importance |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．ancient Romans didn’t use any punctuation marks |
| B．exclamation and question marks came from Latin |
| C．spaces and slashes were already used before the 5thcentury |
| D．Aldus Manutius first started to use commas |
What can be concluded from the last paragraph?
| A．The combination of two marks will not work. |
| B．It takes time for people to accept new punctuation marks. |
| C．Old punctuation marks need to be standardized. |
| D．Punctuation marks are still changing today. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
To most people, noise pollution is a jet flying over their head． For one Spanish woman, it is a neighbor playing the piano．The woman has taken her neighbor to court．Now she wants to send her neighbor to prison for over seven years on the charges of psychological damage and noise pollution.
In a country known for its noisiness, the case has raised eyebrowsNeighbors often complain about street noise in Spain, but people seeking prison time for someone practicing the piano is unheard of．At the trial, Sonia Bosom says she has been suffering noise pollution up to now due to the practice sessions of Laia Martin, who lives below her．Martin, 27, didn’t admit that she played at home that often, saying she took regular classes in other towns and mostly practiced at home on the weekends.
On the first day of the trial, the newspaper reported that Bosom told the court she now hated pianos so much that she couldn’t even stand seeing them in a film.
Bosom says years of hearing constant playing has caused her “psychological injury”．Medical reports show she has suffered from a variety of problems, including insomnia (失眠), anxiety, and panic attacks.
She says tests by local authorities have found that the sound levels made by the piano are up to 10 decibels (分贝) higher than the limit．City authorities have asked the family several times to either stop the piano playing or soundproof (隔音) the room．The family told the court they carried out soundproofing work twice but the complaints continued.
The court hasn’t made a final decision．A spokeswoman says the trial will end before May.Bosom wants to send Martin to prison because _______.
| A．Martin’s playing the piano damaged her health |
| B．Bosom suffered from heart attack |
| C．Martin refused to take regular classes in other towns |
| D．Martin flew a jet over her head |
How did Laia Martin respond to the complaints?
| A．She stopped playing the piano. |
| B．She soundproofed the room. |
| C．She didn’t admit she played at home. |
| D．She took her neighbor to court. |
Which of the following may probably be the best title for the passage?
| A．A 7-year Sentence Caused by the Piano |
| B．Pianist Charged with Noise Pollution |
| C．Health Problems of a Spanish Woman |
| D．Actions Against Noise by Local Authority |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
I am a vegetarian（素食主义者）．Many people are quick to think of vegetarianism as strange behavior．I treasure our Earth, and since we only have one, we should protect it and the wildlife that lives on it．But that’s only one of the reasons to be a vegetarian．
Vegetarians may live longer, healthier lives．There is a connection between red meat consumption and various diseases．From an economic standpoint, it requires less land, money and energy to produce foods for a vegetarian diet．While there are many benefits to being a vegetarian, only a handful of those who attempt to adopt this lifestyle succeed．
The most important quality required to be a vegetarian is firmness since surrounded by the temptation of meat, we tend to give up vegetarianism easily．Creativity is almost as important as commitment．It’s easy to tire of eating nothing but salad． But with a little creativity and some soy products, almost any meal can become vegetarian-friendly．
Not everyone wants to be vegetarian．Accepting this is part of being a vegetarian with style．Forcing your beliefs on others is disrespectful．Stylish vegetarians should also be able to turn down a meaty dish politely without annoying their hosts．
Being a successful vegetarian has been easy for me, but it may not be so for others．acommon mistake is quitting before your body has adjusted to the change．It can be difficult to keep the lifestyle in the beginning because of temptation．However, it fades over time．Another common mistake is quitting because you’ve been misinformed about the nutritional wisdom of being a vegetarian．That’s why it is vital to be educateD． Countless people will tell you that it’s impossible to obtain the nutrients and protein（蛋白质）your body requires without meat, but they are incorrect．People actually need only 44-55 grams of protein a day, and that is easily found in a vegetarian diet．Many meat eaters are consuming three times that amount, which is not beneficial．It leads to diseases．Vegetables can also supply all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs．However, if you’re still not convinced, you can take a multi-vitamin．According to the passage, being a vegetarian helps ______．
| A．protect the wildlife |
| B．free people from diseases |
| C．rid people from strange behaviors |
| D．develop a better economy |
What’s the underlined word temptation in Paragraph 3 closest in meaning to?
| A．Unpleasant taste | B．Extreme attraction |
| C．Great consumption | D．Significant importance |
Stylish vegetarians do not ______．
| A．force others to be vegetarians |
| B．respect other people’s beliefs |
| C．turn down hosts gracefully |
| D．refuse an offer of meat |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Many people give up before their bodies can adjust to the transition． |
| B．Many people quit because they’re poorly educated about nutrition． |
| C．Consuming 150 grams protein a day can be harmful． |
| D．Vegetarians need multi-vitamins to keep healthy． |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Reasons why the author became a vegetarian． |
| B．Important qualities required to be a vegetarian． |
| C．Advantages and disadvantages of being a vegetarian． |
| D．Common mistakes on the way to being a vegetarian． |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
When people think of Hollywood, they think of the city where dreams come true．This did not apply to F．Scott Fitzgerald, a screenwriter who had his share of ups and downs in this land． Fitzgerald was not a successful Hollywood writer because he was not good at the career path he chose．He was an amazing novelist, but his efforts of turning them into screenplays ended in disappointment and confusion．It was because of a lack of potential for screenwriting as well as his addiction and desire to be famous．
Growing up as a boy, Fitzgerald went to movies a lot．He wanted to write stories that would eventually turn into movies．The problem was: just because Fitzgerald wanted to do something didn’t necessarily mean that he was good at it．He made his attempts, but most of these efforts ended in disappointment because he thought about the change from script（剧本）to screen too much．His plot was too detailed and complicated; his tone was too serious or his dialogue too sentimental（感伤的）．
Fitzgerald’s quick rise to fame also led to his fall．In life, things are not meant to happen all at once, all that the same time but it did for Fitzgerald． At his best time, three of his early stories were made into short films, including The Great Gatsby and Babylon Revisited． As the twenties approached, he was gradually forgotten by the reading public． He became drunk and constantly took pills both to sleep and wake up．His marriage was destroyed and his wife broke down mentally．He seemed unsure about his life．
Fitzgerald had another chance at success when many opportunities came his way, including revisions of Emlyn William’s play The Light of Heart and production of one of his own scripts, Cosmopolitan．However, these were all put aside and he was right back where he started, left behind and called a “ruined man”．Fitzgerald simply wanted too much in his life．He wanted “to be both a great novelist and a Hollywood success, to write songs like Cole Porter and poetry like John Keats”．His addiction to fame held him back and led to his failure as a Hollywood writer．Which is a reason that Fitzgerald failed in screenwriting?
| A．He was not talented in screenwriting． |
| B．He had a miserable family life． |
| C．He spent too much time watching movies． |
| D．He was greedy for money in his life． |
Fitzgerald’s screenwriting was _____．
| A．disappointing in ending |
| B．complex in plot |
| C．playful in tone |
| D．simple in dialogue |
Which of the following was NOT written by Fitzgerald?
| A．The Great Gatsby | B．Babylon Revisited |
| C．The Light of Heart | D．Cosmopolitan |
When Fitzgerald had another chance at success, he ______．
| A．took full advantage of it |
| B．went back home to start business |
| C．refused to make changes |
| D．started to write songs and poems |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Fallen for Fame Addiction: F．Scott Fitzgerald |
| B．An Inch into Fame: F．Scott Fitzgerald |
| C．F．Scott Fitzgerald: A Great Novelist |
| D．F．Scott Fitzgerald: A Great Screenwriter |