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A used book or nearly-new kitchen gadget (配件) may not be at the top of every Christmas wish list, but hard economic times coupled with a new green awareness are changing attitudes about gift-giving in France.
French holiday shoppers are choosing larger numbers for “green” gifting this Christmas, studies show. About 30 percent of French consumers will give second-hand items as gifts to stretch out their tight budgets but also to do their little bit for recycling, according to a study by international consulting firm Deloitte.
The survey of Christmas consumer behaviors in 18 European countries found the French were more than twice as likely as other Europeans to give second-hand items. Websites promoting re-gifting and green gifting are popular in France, with many reporting a rise in business.
“Concerns about the ecology and the economy have come together and we are now seeing people who accept the types of gifts that were not appreciated just a short time ago,” said Sebastien Ravut, who runs a website promoting eco-friendly consumerism. His site lists shops in France that offer fair trade products, bio-friendly goods and recycled items. Over the Christmas holidays, the number of visits to the site has doubled from last year, reaching 60,000 a month.
A study by online survey firm Vivodi for PriceMinister showed eight out of 10 people would be happy to receive a used item as a gift and that younger consumers were more open to the idea.
But Gilles Goldenberg, author of the Deloitte study, said that environmental concerns are not why customers buy used goods. “The number one concern is getting the lowest possible price,” said Goldenberg. “Eco-friendly products are drawing a lot of interest, but not if that means paying more.”
Theatre tickets and other low-carbon gifts are fashionable, and eco-friendly websites are also encouraging gift givers to offer time and services instead of stuff. “The order of the day is to spend less time shopping and more time connecting” over the holidays, said Florence de Monclin from the Nicolas Helot foundation for Nature and Humanity.
We can judge from the Deloitte study that _________.

A.over a quarter of the French give second-hand Christmas gifts
B.the French are less willing to buy eco-friendly gifts than other Europeans
C.80% of French people are happy to receive second-hand gifts
D.less than 10% of European consumers are likely to give second-hand gifts

According to Goldenberg, the main reason for customers to buy used goods is that _______.

A.they want to be eco-friendly B.they want to save money
C.it is encouraged by websites D.it is a new fashion in Europe

All the following might be a promoted gift EXCEPT ________.

A.a theatre ticket
B.a second-hand book
C.a nearly-new digital toaster
D.a box of heavily packaged chocolate

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A.Old people are not open minded enough to accept second-hand gifts.
B.People wish to receive second-hand gifts because of the economic downturn.
C.Ravut’s website received a sharp decrease in visits during the Christmas holidays.
D.In de Monclin’s opinion, people should spend more time with friends and family during holidays
科目 英语   题型 阅读理解   难度 容易
知识点: 日常生活类阅读
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相关试题

A few years ago it was popular to speak of a generation gap, a disagreement between young people and their elders.Parents said that children did not show them proper respect and obedience(服从), while children complained(抱怨)that their parents did not understand them at all.What had gone wrong? Why had the generation gap suddenly appeared? Actually the generation gap has been around for a long time.Many people argue that a gap is built into the fabric(结构)of our society.
One important cause of the generation gap is the chance that young people have to choose their own ways of life.In more traditional societies, when children grow up, they are expected to live in the same area as their parents, to marry people that their parents know and agree to, and to continue the family occupation(职业).In our society, young people often travel great distances for their education, move out of the family home at an early age, marry or live with people whom their parents have never met, and choose occupations different from those of their parents.
In our easily changing society, parents often expect their children to do better than they did: to find better jobs, to make more money, and to do all the things that they were unable to do.Often, however, the strong desire that parents have for their children are another cause of the disagreement between them.Often, they discover that they have very little in common with each other.
Finally, the speed at which changes take place in our society is another cause of the gap between the generations.In a traditional culture, elderly people are valued for their wisdom, but in our society the knowledge of a lifetime may become out of date overnight.The young and the old seem to live in two very different worlds, separated by different skills and abilities.
No doubt, the generation gap will continue to be a feature(特点)of American life for some time to come.Its causes are rooted in the freedom and changes of our society, and in the rapid speed at which society changes.
The main idea of the first paragraph is that _______.

A.the generation gap suddenly appeared
B.the generation gap is a feature of modern social life
C.people can reduce the generation gap
D.many critics argue over the nature of the generation gap

The word “around” in Paragraph 1 means _______.

A.on all sides B.near
C.in every direction D.in existence(存在)

Which cause of the generation gap is not mentioned in the passage?

A.Young people like to choose their own life styles.
B.American society is changing very fast.
C.Parents place high hopes on their children.
D.Modern education makes them think differently.

In American society, young people often _______.

A.depend on their parents to make a life
B.stay with their parents in order to get a chance for higher education
C.seek the best advice from their parents
D.have very little in common with their parents

Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A.Parents should be strict with their children.
B.The younger generation should value the older generation for their wisdom.
C.The generation gap is partly caused by the older generation.
D.The generation gap does not exist in American society.

The other day I heard a few local musicians talking: "I hate all the pianos in this town and I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They cannot even understand rhythm (韵律).""Nobody wants to pay musicians anything. I’m sick of all the people who want you to play without paying you."...
One younger musician said, "There are a couple of clubs who want me to play for a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also planning to join in several summer festivals this year."
I really liked what the younger musician said so I made friends with him. Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative (消极的), they’re all rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who are always complaining or blaming (责备) others, it is possible that you will start doing the same as well. If you spend lots of time with people who don’t support your dreams, it is time to take a look at the people you call "friends".
There is an easy exercise you can try. Make a list of the people who you often stay with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard. The choice is always yours to make. Of course, this exercise is entirely different from making friends only for the good of oneself. We really should try to help and spend time with those who are working towards a goal or dream.
The musicians’ conversation at the beginning is to show that ______.

A.musicians’ living conditions are not good
B.people in that town have poor taste in music
C.different people have different attitudes
D.young people are more likely to succeed

The underlined part "they’re rubbing off on you" in Paragraph 3 means ______.

A.they’ll push you ahead
B.they’ll have an influence on you
C.they’ll keep you from moving on
D.they’ll help you realize your dreams

Why did the author want to make friends with the younger musician?

A.He is more active than the others.
B.He can earn more than the others.
C.He has more things to do than the others.
D.His attitude is more positive than the others.

By doing the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 4, you can ______.

A.make the right kind of friends
B.improve your ability to make friends
C.develop a better relationship with your friends
D.make some new friends with the same interests as you

We can get the following information from the passage EXCEPT ______.

A.the younger musician is a positive person and would be a good friend
B.one will start complaining if one spends too much time with negative people
C.the exercise can help you keep close to really helpful friends
D.one should avoid making friends with people who have lots of difficulties

Rome had the Forum. London has Speaker's Corner. Now always–on–the-go. New Yorkers have Liz and Bill.
Liz and Bill, two college graduates in their early 20s, have spent a whole year trying to have thousands of people talk to them in subway stations and on busy street corners. Just talk.
Using a 2-foot-tall sign that says, "Talk to Me." they attract conversationalists, who one evening included a mental patient, and men in business suits.
They don't collect money. They don't push religion. So what's the point?
"To see what happens, said Liz. " We simply enjoy life with open communication."
Shortly after the September 11,2001 attacks, they decided to walk from New York City to Washington, a 270-mile trip. They found they loved talking to people along the way and wanted to continue talking with strangers after their return.
"It started as a crazy idea, "Liz said." We were so curious about all the strangers walking by with their life stories. People will talk to us about anything: their jobs, their clothes, their childhood experiences, anything."
Denise wanted to talk about an exam she was about to take. She had stopped by for the second time in two days, to let the two listeners know how it went.
Marcia had lost her husband to a serious disease. "That was very heavy on my mind," Marcia said. "To be able to talk about it to total strangers was very good," she explained.
To celebrate a year of talking, the two held a get-together in a city park for all the people they had met over the past year. A few hundred people showed up, as well as some television cameramen and reporters.
They may plan more parties or try to attract more people to join their informal talks. Some publishers have expressed interest in a book, something they say they'll consider.
What did Liz and Bill start doing after September 2001?

A.Chatting with people. B.Setting up street signs
C.Telling stories to strangers D.Organizing a speaker's corner

What they have been doing can be described as_________. .

A.pointless B.normal C.crazy D.successful

Why are Denise and Marcia mentioned in the text?

A.They knew Liz and Bill very well.
B.They happened to meet the writer of the text.
C.They organized the get-together in the city park.
D.They are examples of those who talked to Liz and Bill.

What will Liz and Bill do in the future?

A.Go in for publishing. B.Do more television programs.
C.Continue what they are doing. D.Spend more time reading books.

How do they like the idea of writing a book?

A.They have decided to wait a year or two
B.They will think about it carefully
C.They agreed immediately
D.They find it hard to do that

In 1977, a dead author of detective stories saved the life of a 19-month-old baby in a most unusual way. The author was Agatha Christie, one of the most successful writers of detective stories in the world.
In June 1977, a baby girl became seriously ill in Qatar, near Saudi Arabia. Doctors were unable to find out the cause of her illness with confidence, so she was sent to Hammersmith Hospital in London. She was then only semi-conscious and on the "Dangerously Ill" list. A team of doctors hurried to examine the baby only to discover that they, too, were confused by the very unusual symptoms (症状). While they were discussing the baby's case, a nurse asked to speak to them. "Excuse me," said Nurse Marsha Maitlan, "but I think the baby is suffering from thallium (铊) poisoning."
"What makes you think that?" Dr. Brown asked. "Thallium poisoning is extremely rare."
"A few days ago, I was reading a novel called A Pale Horse by Agatha Christie," Nurse Maitlan explained. "In the book, somebody uses thallium poison, and all the symptoms are described. They're exactly the same as the baby's."
"You're very thoughtful and you may be right," another doctor said. "We'll carry out some tests and find out whether it's thallium or not."
Tests showed that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium, a rare metallic substance used in making special glass. Once they knew the cause of the illness, the doctors were able to give the baby the correct treatment. She soon recovered and was sent back to Qatar. Later it was reported that the poison might have come from an insecticide (杀虫剂) used in Qatar.
The one who first suggested the correct cause of the baby's illness was _____.

A.a doctor in Qatar B.Dr. Brown
C.Nurse Maitlan D.Agatha Christie

As far as we can tell from the passage, Agatha Christie _____.

A.had spent a long time studying the baby's case
B.visited the baby in the hospital at Hammersmith
C.had never met this baby
D.gave Nurse Maitlan some advice on the phone

It seems likely from the passage that the baby's illness had something to do with _____.

A.a harmful substance used to kill insects
B.a dangerous pair of glasses
C.the water in Qatar
D.a dead writer

I first went to Harrow in the summer term. The school had the biggest swimming pool I had ever seen. It was a good joke to come up behind a naked boy, and push him into the pool. I made quite a habit of this with boys of my own size or less.
One day I saw a boy wrapped in a towel on the side of the pool. He was no bigger than I was, so I thought him a fair game. Coming secretly behind, I pushed him in, holding on to his towel so that it would not get wet, I was surprised to see an angry face come out from the water, and a being of great strength masking its way by face strokes (猛力地划)to the shore. I fled, but in vain. He overtook me, seized me violently, and threw me into the deepest part of the pool. I soon climbed out on the other side, and found myself surrounded by a crowd of younger boys.” Do you know what you have done?” they said, “It’s Amery; he is in Grade Six. He is champion at gym; he has got his football honor.”
I was frightened and felt ashamed. How could I tell his position when be was wrapped in a bath towel and so small.” He didn’t seem pleased at all, so I added in a most brilliant word,” My father, who is a great man, is also small.” At this be laughed, and after some general words about my rude behavior and how I had better be careful in the future, signified the incident was closed.
The writer thought Amery” a fair game” because the boy .

A.was of similar size
B.was fond of games
C.looked like an animal
D.was good at sports

The writer felt” ashamed” because .

A.he was laughed at by other boys
B.he played a joke on an outstanding athlete
C.Amery turned out to be in the same grade
D.he pushed Amery hard and hurt him

By saying “My father, who is a great man, is also small”, the writer .

A.challenged Amery B.threatened Amery
C.admired his father D.tried to please Amery

Which of the following is TRUE?

A.The writer could run faster than Amery.
B.Amery forgave the writer for his rude behavior.
C.The writer liked playing on boys of all sizes.
D.Amery was a student in Grade Four.

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