In the mid 1990’s, people started doing business on the Internet. At that time, there were two kinds of companies(公司). First, there were traditional companies. They sold things in stores. Then there were Internet companies. They didn’t have a store, and they only sold things on the Net.
Traditional companies didn’t want to lose any business. Quickly they made their own websites and began selling things on the Net. These are the so-called “brick and click” companies. Many stores are made of brick. And you click on your mouse to buy things with your computer. That’s where the name “brick and click” comes from.
By the late 1990’s, e-business like amazon.com, buy.com and etoys.com were in trouble. Their profits(利润)were not very high. Competition was great. Many of these business were losing lots of money. In 2000, many e-business went out of business.
Why are “brick and click” companies, like Barnes and Noble, Toys RVs and Walmart so successful? First, many customers know and trust their names. Their websites like walmart.com. are easy to remember. These companies also have lots of experience. They know how to run a successful business.
In the world of e-commerce, companies are fighting for every dollar and every customer. Will “brick and click” companies win the war? Only time will tell.
72. Which of the following would be a “brick and click” company?
A. A restaurant.
B. A clothing company with no website.
C. A bookseller with five stores and a website.
D. A video seller with a big website but no stores.
73. What did many traditional companies do in the mid 1990’s? .
A .They went out of business. B. They made their websites.
C. They bought Internet companies. D. They sold their companies.
74. What gave Internet companies lots of trouble in the late 1990’s?.
A. Heavy competition. B. They were short of money.
C. They didn’t know what to do. D. people didn’t believe in them.
75. “Brick and click” companies are so successful because______.
A. people trust them B. their names are easy to remember
C. they are experienced D. all the above
76. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. All the “brick and click” companies run a successful business.
B. “Brick and click” companies are certain to win the business competition.
C. It is uncertain whether “brick and click” companies will win the competition.
D. Both “brick and click” companies and Internet companies will be successful in the future
If you're into sports, you've seen it happen. You've probably even experienced it: basketball players shaking hands after four quarters of knocking each other around, tennis players leaping over the net to shake hands with their oppone
nts (对手) after a hard-fought match, soccer players exchanging sport shirts after an intense 90 minutes, even boxers touching gloves at the beginning of each round, then hugging each other after beating each other into a pulp for 12 rounds. It seems like competitors in every event, from spelling bees to hockey, behave this way. What's going on?
It's all part of sportsmanship, a great tradition in sports and competition that means playing clean and handling both vict
ory and defeat with grace, style, and dignity.
What is sportsmanship? Sportsmanship is defined as: playing fair, following the rules of the game, respecting the judgment of referees and officials, treating opponents with respect.
Some people define good sportsmanship as the "golden rule" of sports --- in other words, treating the people you play with and against as you'd like to be treated yourself. You demonstrate good sportsmanship when you show respect for yourself, your teammates, and your opponents, for the coaches on both sides, and for the referees, judges, and other officials.
But sportsmanship isn't just reserved for the people on the field. Cheerleaders and fans also need to be aware of how they behave during competition. Sportsmanship is a style and an attitude; and it can have a positive influence on everyone around you.
Learning good sportsmanship mea
ns finding that the positive attitude learned on the field carries over into other areas of life. At school, for example, you're able to appreciate the contributions made by classmates and know how to work as part of a team to complete a project. You may enjoy more success at work as well, because a big part of learning good sportsmanship is learning to be respectful of others, including customers and co-workers.The author introduces the topic of the passage by___________.
| A.showing an interesting discussion |
| B.comparing several sport events |
| C.explaining some game rules |
| D.giving some specific examples |
When players play clean, ____________.
| A.they play in fresh air | B.they play in a skilled way |
| C.they play within the rules | D.they play without hurting each other |
The purpose of writing this passage is to ____________.
| A.advise readers to take some exercise | B.provide some basic sport knowledge |
| C.show the meaning of sportsmanship | D.expect players to compete actively |
Lawmakers in the United States have expanded an investigation into the use of location-tracking systems on mobile devices. The action follows recent reports about the storing of information on the Apple iPhone. Some people consider location tracking to be a threat to personal privacy and security.
Allan Friedman, the research director, says, “All wireless companies do some location tracking as part of their networks. This information is usually stored by the companies, not the devices, and there are laws to protect it. Law enforcement(执法) agencies, for example, have to have a fairly high standard before it can access that data. And the phone company is also prohibited from selling that information.
Now, two researchers report that location tracking information is being stored directly on Apple devices. They said Apple’s newest operating systems gather global positioning system and timestamp information. The information is stored on the device in a file that is also uploaded (上传) to any computer that the device is connected to. The researchers say the information is available to anyone who has access to the device or computer.
Allan Friedman says, “This raises additional concerns. There’s the idea tha
t because it’s on my phone and on my computer, rogue applications(恶意程序) that I pay for or that I’m tricked into downloading may be able to access this data and somehow misuse it.”
Apple says it is “not tracking the location of your iPhone”. It is simply keeping a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cellphone towers near the user’s location. This information is meant to help the iPhone quickly find its location when needed.
Letters have been sent to some of the leading mobile device developers, including Apple and Google. The letters asked for more information about their location tracking systems. Allan Friedman calls this an important start to strengthening privacy laws. He says, “There aren’t strong controls over things like location information, what they are doing with it, how long they are keeping it. And perhaps the most important question is, is my location data with other facts about me?”Why did American lawmakers investigate the use of location-tracking systems on cell-phones?
| A.Because the systems can store users’ information |
| B.Because many users have suffered loss after using them. |
| C.Because it is thought to threaten users’ privacy. |
| D.Because many reporters have shown the problem of the systems. |
Allan Friedman believes that ________.
A.wireless compa nies focus on personal privacy. |
| B.people are forbidden to get access to private data at will |
| C.phone companies may sell private information secretly |
| D.customers may ask wireless companies to locate their tracking |
What do we know from Paragraph 3?
| A. Location tracking information is stored online. |
| B.Apple’s newest operating systems collect all kinds of information. |
| C.Location tracking information may be uploaded to any iPhone. |
| D.Apple’s newest operating systems may reveal the private information of users. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A.Apple denies that it tracks the location of users. |
| B.The researchers may misunderstand the Apple’s systems. |
| C.The global positioning system is to blame for rogue applications. |
| D.The iPhone can quickly find its location by using its user’s information. |
It was a week before Christmas, but things were far from cheery. Our task was to deliver as many boxes of food as possible to those in need in Camden, New Jersey. There were no Christmas carolers (唱颂歌的人) walking these streets that were lined with boarded-up (用木板封住的) houses and broken windows. Mothers kept their children close as they hurried down the streets. It was mid-afternoon, but even the bright sun couldn't warm this place.
Red tickets in the windows marked which houses we were to visit. Our white truck stopped in front of one townhouse and our group knocked on the door. In our arms were boxes filled with ham, bread and other essentials to make the perfect Christmas dinner. Four small faces glanced through the curtains and one exhausted mom answered the door. She seemed embarrassed to be caught in her nightgown with undone hair. She was in her mid-20s, but her rough skin and tired eyes added years.
"Sacred Heart food delivery service," I smiled. "Where can we put this for you?"
She pointed and as we entered the house, I noticed the conditions they lived in. The children climbed around, wearing only diapers (尿布). There were no carpets, only cold concrete beneath our feet. There was no Christmas tree or decorations. My heart sank. It was so cold, and I found it hard to believe that this was reality for this family. We set the boxes down and the mother grabbed my hand.
"You don't know how much of a blessing this is to me and my family," she said, crying. "We are just getting by." I opened my arms and gave her a hug.
"Happy holidays!" I replied before I headed out the door. I realized how warm I felt inside.
This was
unlike anything I had ever experienced. We cannot help what family we are born into, but we can help each other.From Paragraph 1, we can infer that Camden may be a place where ________.
| A.the living conditions were terrible | B.people had no belief |
C.there was no sign of life |
D.little sunshine was received |
What impression did the woman leave on the author?
| A.She was shy and cold to visitors. | B.She was confident and energetic. |
| C.She wasn't good at dressing herself up. | D.She looked much older than her age. |
By saying "We are just getting by", the woman meant __________.
| A.they were waiting for help | B.they were looking for food and clothing |
| C.they were going to move away | D.they were living a very poor life |
The passage mainly tells us that _______________.
| A.the poor can also help others | B.assisting the poor needs actions |
| C.people should help each other | D.having more children causes poverty |
As the population of the planet increases, so does the number of homes, businesses, parking lots, schools, airports and roadways. All these structures use electricity and need to be lighted. Humans demand these lights. They want their homes more comfortable and they want their streets sage. The problem is that researchers are finding that all the light is having a negative effect on humans and wildlife as well.
Less than 10 years ago I drove to a thinly populated section of my town, lay down in the middle of the road and watched an attracted meteor shower(流星雨). The area was short of homes, street lights and traffic. If I did that today, I wouldn’t be able to see the meteor shower as well, and I would surely be run over by a car.
Nowadays scientists are finding light pollution can be almost as bad as carbon dioxide pollution. If you’ve ever taken a flight at night, the view is beautiful, but you must remember that all the light you see is wasted electricity. The crew of the space shuttles see an even bigger picture of ho
w extensive the wasted electricity is worldwide.
Additionally, electricity needs to be generated, and the generation of electricity creates pollution by giving off greenhouse gases. This affects the air we breathe and our quality of life.
Scientists are also studying the effects of light pollution on wildlife. Thousands of birds die each year when they crash into highly lighted buildings, as they become puzzled by the light. It has been long known that tiny sea turtle hatchlings become lost and follow lights on the shore instead of heading towards the sea.
Fortunately, light pollution is one of the easiest sources of pollution that can be corrected without a negative effect. Following some guidelines and a little searching on Google can give you many ideas on how to reduce your contribution to light pollution.The author tells the story in the second paragraph mainly to _________.
| A.remember the past beauty of the town. |
| B.stress the advantages of less pollution |
| C.show the great changes of the town |
D.prove the bad effects of li ght pollution |
In the passage the author advises people _________.
| A.to try to reduce unnecessary light. |
| B.not to ignore the beauty around. |
| C.to set proper light for animals |
| D.not to destroy the animal’s living conditions. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A.Light pollution is difficult to deal with. |
| B.Light pollution is a threat to some animals. |
| C.Light pollution has nothing to do with global warming |
| D.Astronauts can’t see clearly in space due to light pollution. |
What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph which follows the last par
agraph?
| A.The author’s contribution to light pollution |
| B.Other sources of light pollution |
| C.Ways of reducing light pollution |
| D.More bad effects of light pollution |

RINGSTEAD B
AY, DORSET
A picturesque 210 ft crescent (弦月状) of pebbles with clean water--- that’s a perfect escape from some of the busier beaches around Weymouth. You reach it by passing through the village of Upton, then along a narrow country road. Next to the car park is a well-stocked shop. The cliffs behind RINGSTEAD Bay are an excellent place for fossil hunting.
Accommodation: Glenburn Hotel (01305 832318, www. Glenburnhotel.com) with doubles from £79 including breakfast.
BRANSCOMBE, DEVON
Lying on the East Devon Heritage Coast, Branscombe has good facilities with t
oilets and a car park close to the beach, as well as a small picnic area. A well-stocked shop sells the most attractive dairy ice cream. Next to the shop is the Sea Shanty restaurant—open every day until 5 pm during the summer.
Accommodation: The Mason’s Arms, Branscombe Village (01297 680300, www. Masonsarms. Co.uk) with doubles from £65 pp with breakfast.Which beach is the most wonderful place for summer bathing?
| A.COMPTON BAY. | B.BRANSCOMEBE. |
| C.KINGSGATE BAY. | D.RINGSTEAD BAY. |
If you want to know more information about Fayreness Hotel, you’d better refer to the following website_____________.
| A.www. Masonsarms. co. uk | B.www. Fayreness. Com |
| C.www. Glenburnhotel.com | D.www. Sandpipershotel.com |
What is the purpose of the passage?
| A.To attract more tourists. |
| B.To describe some beautiful beaches. |
| C.To tell us the most beautiful places in UK are beaches. |
| D.To tell us where to spend summer. |