Boeing said Wednesday that it was entering the space tourism business, an announcement that could bolster（增强）the Obama administration’s efforts to transform the National Aeronautics and Space Administration into an agency that focuses less on building rockets and more on nurturing a commercial space industry.
The flights, which could begin as early as 2015, would most likely launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida to the International Space Station. The Obama administration has proposed turning over to private companies the business of taking NASA astronauts to orbit, and Boeing and Bigelow Aerospace of Las Vegas won an $18 million contract this year for preliminary (初步的)development and testing of a capsule that could carry seven passengers.
Current NASA plans call for four space station crew members to go up at a time, which would leave up to three seats available for space tourists. The flights would be the first to give nonprofessional astronauts the chance to go into orbit aboard a spacecraft launched from the United States. Seven earlier space tourists have made visits to the space station, riding in Russian Soyuz capsules.
“We’re ready now to start talking to possible customers,” said Eric C. Anderson, co-founder and chairman of Space Adventures, the space tourism company based in Virginia that would market the seats for Boeing.
Boeing and Space Adventures have not set a price, although Mr. Anderson said it would be competitive with the Soyuz flights, which Space Adventures arranged with the Russian Space Agency. Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil, paid about $40 million for a Soyuz ride and an eight-day stay at the space station last year. But the possibilities that anyone buying a ticket will get to space on an American vehicle depend on discussions in Congress about the future of NASA. Which of the following is most probably a private travel company?
A. Boeing. B. Space Adventure.
C. NASA. D. Russian Space Agency. How many people can be carried along on a capsule to the space station?
| A．3. | B．4. | C．7. | D．11. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．The American space tourism company is located in Virginia. |
| B．Russia has already taken lead in working on the space tourism business. |
| C．NASA has decided to focus less on building rockets because of the financial crisis. |
| D．In 2015, America would be the first country in the world to run the space tourism business. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Taking NASA Astronauts to Orbit. | B．Living in the Space Station Space. |
| C．Ticket Price under Discussion. | D．Boeing Could Fly You to Orbit by 2015. |
Recently I came in contact with the true meaning of love． That would have been, Kane, a boy． Kane was the two-year-old son of Jolene, my new neighbor．
At a glance Kane was a sight． He’d been born with hard sticks for legs． And on that morning I witnessed the effect that Kane’s physical shortcomings had on his family． But I also witnessed much more than that．
I saw an extraordinary family that embraced this special child． A family that wouldn’t allow Kane to know he was different． Jolene had constructed a small cart just a few inches off the floor for his son to get around． Using his hands to move about, Kane moved the cart to “go to” any place just as everyone else was able to do． Kane worked that little cart like a master． Kane was a vital focus of the entire family． He was more than just a member of the family; he was the soul． This child was the driver, the motivator, and the founder of much of the interaction．
Much later in my life, I came to realize that God had sent this child to help some of us who just weren’t getting what love was all about． Even with my limited capacity for understanding at the time that Kane was a highly developed spirit with great wisdom．
Kane demanded attention, but not because of his mobility challenges or other apparent shortcomings． In his mind, he had no challenges or shortcomings． The truth is that he received attention because he was alive and real and had so much to offer．
Kane was and still is a lot of warm and powerful energy sent to us all, so we might learn that love surpasses all things． Kane, a fragile yet lovely baby, was here to teach us all an important lesson． And at the age of two he did just that． How did the author think of Kane’s family members?
| A．They were strange because they locked Kane at home． |
| B．It was respectable for them to start their own business． |
| C．It was ridiculous for them to make a cart for Kane． |
| D．They were greatly brave to face all the difficulties． |
How did Kane “get to” everywhere he wanted to go?
| A．By moving his cart with his own hands． |
| B．By asking his father to lead him ahead with a stick． |
| C．By asking his grandparents to push hin everywhere． |
| D．His parents specially employed a babysitter for him． |
According to the author, God made Kane with disability to help _______．
| A．his parents get to know their responsibility |
| B．his family members know the importance of union |
| C．people especially the healthy realize what love really means |
| D．people especially the disabled realize their inner power |
Kane needed attention because he wanted to show ________．
| A．he can challenge his difficulty in moving |
| B．he had challenges or shortcomings in his life |
| C．he himself needed to be looked after by others |
| D．he had the power to prove he was capable too |
What can we learn from Kane’s story?
| A．Love me, love my dog． |
| B．Love is above all things． |
| C．Many hands make light work． |
| D．Pure gold fears no fire． |
The fourth round of heavy smog to hit Beijing in four weeks has sent more people to the hospital with respiratory（呼吸的） illnesses and led to calls for laws to control the pollution.
Pan Shiyi, a celebrity real estate developer said he is planning to propose (提案) a Clean Air Act to the local government. As a representative to the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, he started an online survey at 9:20 a.m. Within three hours, more than 25,000 web users, or 99 percent of total respondents（应答者）, welcomed his proposal on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter.
They have good reasons to stand alongside Pan. The latest round of haze（雾霾）reduced visibility to under 500 meters in many parts of the city. The smog has also led to a great increase in respiratory illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly. Anxious parents and doctors almost all blame the smoggy air for the illnesses. Though most schoolchildren are home for the winter holidays, the bad air can easily move indoors. Besides, ordinary medical masks fail to provide adequate protection, so some people have turned to gas masks and respirators（呼吸器）.
The causes of the scary smog are rather mysterious, though experts blame excessive emissions and the mountains around Beijing that trap pollution in winter, unless there is adequate wind to clear it away. Some critics have pointed fingers at China’s top two oil firms, China National Petroleum Corp and China Petrochemical Corporation, saying the companies’ outdated production technologies produce large quantities of substandard, high-polluting gas fuel.
Meanwhile, concerned Beijingers have moved their brainstorming sessions to cyberspace. If Pan’s proposal for a Clean Air Act is adopted, netizens say the new law should include items providing for “car-free days” in times of smog, higher standards for vehicle fuel, stricter restrictions on industrial and exhaust gas emissions, and more effective protection for the public.
Beijing is not the only city that has ever lost the blue sky. Five days of thick fog caused thousands of deaths in Britain in December 1952, urging the government to pass the first Clean Air Act in 1956, which introduced smokeless zones and cleaner fuels to reduce pollution. That may provide some experience for Beijing to refer to.What can we learn from the passage?
| A．People are clear about the causes of the smoggy weather. |
| B．Children staying indoors will not get respiratory illnesses. |
| C．Smog is worse for people with lower resistance to diseases. |
| D．Masks can give people protection against the smoggy weather. |
Britain is mentioned in the last paragraph to ______.
| A．suggest Beijing should learn from other countries |
| B．let people know many places have this problem |
| C．tell people the situation in Britain is worse |
| D．call on the government to pass Britain’s Clean Air Act |
What’s the best title for this passage？
| A．The Use of Gas masks and Respirators |
| B．Beijingers Call for Clean Air Act |
| C．Effective Protection for Blue Sky |
| D．The Mysterious Causes of the Scary Smog |
The booking notes of the play "the Age of Innocence":
Price: $10
BOOKING
There are four easy ways to book seats for performance:
------ in person
The Box Office is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a. m. -8 p. m.
-----by telephone
Ring 01324976 to reserve your tickets or to pay by credit card(Visa, MasterCard and Amex
accepted)
------ by post
Simply complete the booking form and return it to Global Theatre Box Office.
------on line
Complete the on-line booking form at www. Satanfiedtheatre. com
DISCOUNTS:
Saver: $2 off any seat booked any time in advance for performances from Monday to Thursday.
Savers are available for children up to 16 years old, over 60s and full-time students.
Supersaver: half-price seats are available for people with disabilities and one companion. It is advisable to book in advance. There is a maximum of eight wheelchair spaces available and one wheelchair space will be held until an hour before the show.
Standby: best available seats are on sale for $6 from one hour before the performance for people eligible(suitable)for Saver and Supersaver discounts and thirty minutes before for all other customers.
Group Bookings: there is a ten percent discount for parties of twelve or more.
School: school parties of ten or more can book $6 standby tickets in advance and will get every tenth ticket free.
Please note: we are unable to exchange tickets or refund money unless a performance is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.If you want to book a ticket, you CANNOT ________.
| A．use the Internet. |
| B．ring the booking number and pay for the tickets by credit card. |
| C．go to the Box Office on Sundays. |
| D．complete a booking form and post it to the Box Office. |
According to the notes, who can get $2 off?
| A．A 20-year-old full-time college student. |
| B．A 55-year-old woman. |
| C．An 18-year-old teenager. |
| D．The people who book the tickets on Fridays. |
If you make a group booking for a group of 14 adults, how much should you pay?
| A．$120 | B．$126 |
| C．$140 | D．$150 |
From the passage we can know all the following information except that ________.
| A．There are only 8 wheelchair spaces in the theatre. |
| B．The audience can't refund money if the performance is on show. |
| C．A group of 12 persons can get 10 percent discount. |
| D．A school party of 15 students should pay $90 for the standby tickets. |
A brand is a name, word, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of these, intended to identify the goods or services of a company or a group of companies. Another purpose of a brand is to contrast one company from another. The most important skill of professional marketers is the ability to create, maintain, protect, and enhance the brands of their products and services. Branding has become so important that today hardly any company or product is without one. Therefore, brand management is an increasingly important element in marketing.
Brand power refers to the relative strength of a company’s brand in the minds of consumers, and can influence consumers’ choice of products. Brands are powerful to the extent that they give high brand loyalty and strong brand associations, name recognition, perceived quality and other assets to a company. A strong brand can be one of a company’s most important assets.
High brand power provides a company with many competitive advantages. A powerful brand enjoys a high level of consumer brand awareness and loyalty. Because consumers expect stores to carry the brand, the company has more bargaining power when negotiating with retailers (零售商). And because the brand name brings high credibility, a company with a strong brand can more easily launch new products with the same brand name.
Many companies use the advantage of a strong brand power strategically to expand their business. When a company introduces an additional item with a new flavour, form, colour or package size in a given product category and under the same brand name, it is called a line extension. Another strategy is called brand extension. This involves the use of a successful brand name to launch new or modified products in a new category, thereby employing brand recognition in order to increase sales of new products.
Brand recognition is certainly important. Because consumers often hold long-standing perceptions about brands, high brand power ensure a company continued sales of its products.What does the word “assets” in the 2nd paragraph mean?
| A．points | B．advantages | C．aspects | D．elements |
All of the following statements are the advantages of a high brand power EXCEPT that______.
| A．a high brand wins the loyalty of consumers |
| B．a high brand usually sets a much higher price |
| C．it’s easy for a high brand company to launch new products |
| D．a high brand company is more competitive when doing business with retailers |
A brand extension ______.
| A．happens when the company is developing a new product |
| B．means the expansion of a company’s business in its established field |
| C．takes place when the company introduces a similar item but with a new colour |
| D．refers to the use of an established brand name to promote a new product in a new category |
What might be the best title of this passage?
| A．Brand Power | B．Famous Brands |
| C．Company Brands | D．Brand Products |
Watson entered Mr. Smith's office. The boss was a hard man. He fired people who didn't do well without giving them a second chance.
"Watson," said Mr. Smith, "this past year your department hasn't earned money. We're going to drop that department. It's finished. I’m sorry, —but you'll have to go." "But, sir — if I just had a little more time. For the moment I need the job to keep my son at Riverside School."
"What's that!" said the boss. "Riverside! I didn't know you had a boy there. That's an expensive school for a man with your salary."
"I know, sir. But he likes it there so much! He's a star athlete and the best boxer in the school. The boys call him Champ there."
The boss sat perfectly still for a long time — a faraway (恍惚的) look in his eyes. Then, suddenly, he said, "We've got to close your department, Watson. But you'll take over a new job in another department. It means longer hours—maybe more pay. Now get out. You're here for life."
Watson got out, with surprise on his face. Then the boss took a letter from the top drawer of his desk. It was Herbie's last letter from Riverside School —written a few days before he died. He had read it over and over again with sick pain. The letter read:
I can’t say the boys here are any nicer to me than the others were. I guess it's the same everywhere when you're a cripple (跛脚的人). But don't worry about me, Dad. They've got a good chemistry department here. And there’s one boy here who is really great. He's a track star and boxing champ (冠军) and just tops in chemistry. The boys call him Champ. He made them stop throwing my books around. And he knocked a boy down who hit me. He is the best friend I ever had. Dad, when I grow up, 1 want to do something for Champ. Something big — that he won’ t even know about.
Your son,
HerbieMr. Smith wanted to fire Watson because _____.
| A．Watson would take over a new job in another department |
| B．Watson had his son study in Riverside School |
| C．Watson's son knocked a boy down who hit Herbie |
| D．Watson's department didn't earn money that year |
We can learn from the text that _____.
| A．Mr. Smith didn't know that Champ was Watson's son at first |
| B．Mr. Smith was told not to fire Watson by Herbie |
| C．Mr. Smith decided to give Watson another chance in no time |
| D．Mr. Smith wanted to realize Champ's dream |
According to the text, which words can best describe Mr. Smith?
| A．Selfish and greedy. |
| B．Sympathetic and grateful. |
| C．Hardworking and strict. |
| D．Easy-going and optimistic. |
The author wrote the text in order to _____.
| A．share a moving story with us |
| B．make our children enjoy life |
| C．provide us with tips on work |
| D．help us to deal with our boss |