John and Bobby joined a wholesale company together just after graduation from college the same year. Both worked very hard. After several years, however, the boss promoted (提升) Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary worker. John couldn't understand it anymore, gave his resignation(辞呈) to the boss and complained that the boss didn't value hardworking workers, but only promoted those who flattered (奉承)him.
The boss knew John worked very hard for the years. He thought for a moment and said, "Thank you for your criticism(批评), but I have a request. I hope you'll do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps you'll change your mind and take back your resignation."
John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelon on the market. John went and returned soon. He said he had found out a man selling watermelon. The boss asked how much per kg? John shook his head and went back to the market to ask and returned to tell the boss$1.2 per kg.
Boss told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to come to his office. He asked Bobby to go and find anyone selling watermelon on the market. Bobby went, returned and said,"Boss, only one person selling watermelon. $1.2 per kg, and $ 10 for 10 kg. He has 340 melons in all, 58 of which are on the table. Every melon weights about 2kg. Bought from the South two days ago, they're fresh and red, good quality."
John was very impressed and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. He decided not to resign but to learn from Bobby.
My dear friends, chances exist in the daily details. For the same matter, a more successful person sees more and farther so that he can find out an opportunity and catch it to achieve his aim.According to the first paragraph, John thought that _____.
A.Bobby was lazy though he was clever |
B.it was unfair that the boss just promoted Bobby |
C.Bobby wasn't fit to be a manager |
D.the boss disliked hardworking workers |
The boss told John and Bobby to go to find anyone selling watermelon on the market in order to __.
A.show watermelons were in great need on the market |
B.test their abilities to make market research |
C.make John find out the differences between them two |
D.convince John of Bobby's ability to do business |
It is known from the text that John was hardworking but _____.
A.a little stupid | B.a little rude | C.not good at learning | D.not thoughtful |
The story shows such an opinion that _____.
A.a successful person observes and thinks more |
B.a successful person is curious and eager to learn |
C.the main key to success is to know what you want |
D.one's success sometimes is not related to his hard work |
Starting from April, 2010, you won’t be hearing the word “NBA” on sports programs on CCTV. Instead, sport host will give the full Chinese name when they refer to the NBA – National Basketball Association. You also won’t hear any other English abbreviations (缩略词) on CCTV’s Chinese programs, such as GDP (gross domestic product), or WTO (World Trade Organization). You will hear their Chinese translations.
CCTV received a notice from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television telling it to avoid using English-language abbreviations in their reports to protect the “purity” of the Chinese language. A few other TV stations also received the notice.
Fu Zhenguo, an editor of People’s Daily, is one of the people who suggested the change. “Firstly, using English in a Chinese-speaking environment is against Chinese law,” he said. “Then, using English on Chinese TV programs is unfair to people who don’t understand English. What’s worse, it will have a bad language influence on kids and teenagers.”
A lot of netizens have criticized the move, saying that it will cause problems for them.
“I understand what CD, VCD and DVD mean when I hear them. But I won’t know what the TV programs are talking about if I hear those products’ full Chinese names,” a netizen wrote in a BBS post. Following the same post, another netizen wrote jokingly: “I’m not listening to my MP3 now. I’m listening to my Moving Picture Experts Group-1 Audio Layer 3 (动态影像专家压缩标准音频第三层面).”What does the underlined word “purity” in the second paragraph mean?
A.纯正 | B.高贵 | C.时髦 | D.潮流 |
How many reasons did Fu Zhenguo list to show his support for the change?
A.1 | B.2 | C.3 | D.4 |
Some netizens went against the change because_______________.
A.the application of abbreviations will make Chinese popular. |
B.the application of abbreviations will attract the youth. |
C.the application of abbreviations will not simplify the understanding. |
D.the application of abbreviations will not bring Chinese to an end. |
What can be the full name of CCTV mentioned in the text?
A.Close Closet Top Video | B.China Central Television |
C.China Common Time Voice | D.Closed-Circuit Television |
Taylor sings with heart
The music industry is never short of teen pop stars with wonderful looks, but it doesn’t often find one like US singer Taylor Swift. “Beneath Taylor Swift’s not-a-girl, not-yet-a-woman sweetness hides a very skillful songwriting technique (技巧),” writes Leah Greenblatt with Entertainment Weekly.
Songwriting, the country singer explains, is “how I deal with problems. I am used to writing about things that really influences me most.” So in her songs, there is always something true and honest. They seem like stories from a diary. And that certainly helps Swift attract her audience.
She’s sold more than 13 million copies worldwide of her first two albums, 2006’s self-titled debut (首张专辑) and 2008’s Fearless. She’s the youngest artist ever to be named Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards. Not surprisingly, there were great expectations for her third album, Speak Now, which came out late last month, where she again returned to her own life for material. The 14 songs “are all about the last two years... when life was a little bit bigger and crazier,” says Swift. “So I’ve written about the lessons and confusion and heartbreak and all the different things that go along with being 18, 19 and 20.”What led to Taylor’s fame?
A.Her wonderful looks. | B.Her songwriting skills together with her looks. |
C.Her beautiful voice. | D.Her special life experience in her teenage years. |
Which of the following is true?
A.Taylor is now in her twenties. |
B.Taylor’s the youngest Artist of the Year at the Academy Awards |
C.Taylor has produced three albums up till now. |
D.Taylor has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide. |
What may be written in the album, Speak Now?
A.Her unhappy experience with her boyfriend. |
B.Her concern for her popularity. |
C.Her happy childhood. |
D.Her worries for environmental pollution. |
Britain is facing a sharp rise in its rat population as growing numbers of people leave what they cannot finish of the fast food in the street, an environment group warned .Keep Britain Tidy said the rats were stopping their traditional hunts underground and were running across the streets, invited by burgers, pizzas and crisps left behind by man. “The rat population is on the rise and soon it’ll be as common to see a rat on our street as it is to see a dog or a cat,” said group Director, Sue Nelson. The practice of spreading fast food litter and scraps on the street rather than in the dustbin—with young men the worst group—was behind the rise. According to the National Rodent Survey in 2005, Britain’s rat population has grown by nearly one quarter since 2000 and is now estimated at 60 million, two million more than the human population. On average a rat can give birth every 24-28 days and just a single pair of rats can produce a family of 2,000 a year. Around 200 people a year get Weil’s Disease –an infection which can lead to liver or kidney(肝肾)failure and eventually death and which is carried in rats’ waste. To attract people’s attention to the problem, Keep Britain Tidy produced a cinema ad with a title “How close do you want them to get?” The ad gave a shocking image of a young woman sleeping in a bed of rats--reminding people of the terrible scene from James Herbert’s classic horror tale The Rats, in which rats begin to hunt for humans.Where did the rats use to search for food?
A.In the street | B.Under the ground |
C.From the dustbins | D.In burger shops |
What was the rat population in Britain in 2000 according to the writer?
A.Around 60 million | B.Around 45 million |
C.Around 38 million | D.Around 2 million |
We may infer from the passage that ______________.
A.Weil’s Disease will finally end the world |
B.pizzas and crisps will become unpopular |
C.rats will put human beings’ life in danger |
D.young people should take the responsibility for the rat population |
By writing the passage, the author tries to _____________.
A.close some of the burger and pizza restaurants |
B.draw the public attention to the problem of rats |
C.prevent the rats from growing up |
D.making an advertisement for the classic horror tale The Rats |
The creation of a Chinese Green Card in 2004 was a milestone in the country’s immigration law. Five years on, the card is an increasingly sought-after document.
On August 15, 2004, the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence
oAliens in China created a Green Card system granting qualified foreigners the right to live in
China permanently.
Liu Lili, who works in the Exit and Entry Administration of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, has watched the Green Card system develop since its inception. She said nearly all applications received by the Bureau are approved. So far, 323 people have been granted a “Green Card” qualifying them for permanent residence in Beijing. Another 15 are awaiting final approval. It takes around 6 months to process each application.
Of the 323 Green Card holders, 94 are wives or husbands of Chinese citizens; 50 are minors dependent on their parents; 20 are senior citizens returning to live with relatives; 114 are individuals who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China (another 7 are their family members); and 23 are high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses (another 15 are their family members).
Liu said the authorities had been granting residence to returning senior citizens for some time before the Green Card system was formally launched .The government has approved permanent residence for over 3,000 foreigners since the implementation of the Law on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens which was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in November 1985.
Four groups of people are eligible for permanent residence: high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China’s economic, scientific and technological development or social progress; foreign citizens who make large direct investments in China; persons who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China; and people who come to China to be with family, such as husbands and wives, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives.
Liu said that most applications she dealt with were from American citizens.
Why do overseas citizens apply for permanent residence status in China? The main concern, aid Liu, is the political factor. Once people have a “Green Card”, they feel they are accepted and trusted by the Chinese government. The “Green Card” also facilitates entry and exit. With permanent residence status, visas are no longer needed and people can enter and leave the country using only a valid passport. China offers outstanding career opportunities and is seen by many as safer and more secure than many other countries, said Liu.
Liu said that Green Card holders have the same rights and responsibilities as Chinese citizens. However the card is not equivalent to Chinese nationality and holders are not allowed to vote in elections, hold political office, or serve in the military.
Obtaining a Green Card is not easy. The qualifying conditions are tough. Unless you are a close relative of a Chinese citizen,you will either have to invest a substantial amount of money in the country or make a genuinely outstanding contribution to the country’s development.
To meet increasing demand, he authorities are considering making the Green Card more available by broadening the range of applicants without lowering the requirements, aid Liu, but she gave no further details.Which of the following can’t get a green card?
A.A foreigner whose wife of husband is of Chinese nationality. |
B.A foreign child whose parents are Chinese citizens. |
C.A foreigner who invests large sum of money in China. |
D.A foreigner who works in China for a long time. |
If a foreign gets a Green Card in China, he /she_________.
A.has the right to vote in China. | B.can be a high official in China |
C.can enter or leave China without a visa | D.becomes a citizen of Chinese nationality |
From the article we can see foreigners apply for Green Cards mainly to ________.
A.show that they are important | B.be accepted and trusted by the Chinese |
C.make entry and exit easier | D.make more money. |
Which of the following is not the reason for foreigners to work or live permanently in China?
A.They can find satisfactory jobs. |
B.China is more secure country than many. |
C.They have their professions, families and investments in China. |
D.The weather, working conditions are better than better than their own countries. |
People are talking about the “new economy.” It’s very different from the “old economy”.
In the old economy, people travel to walk. They buy things in stores. They use the post office, the fax and the telephone to send information. They see people face-to-face at their jobs or in stores. People get information from newspapers, radio, television, books and libraries.In the new economy, people do business through the “net,” which is a connection of millions of computers everywhere in the world. In the new economy, workers often work at home. They can get information online. They can communicate with employers and co-workers by e-mail. Businesses have “virtual stores”. They are websites on which customers can see the products. Businesses can sell to customers anywhere in the world.
In the new economy, people live a fast paced, convenient and colorful life. The whole world develops more quickly than before. But the new economy is a double-edge sword. Its disadvantage is also obvious. For example, the Internet has led to a huge increase in credit card cheating. Some illegal websites offer some cheap or banned goods or services. Online shoppers who enter their credit card information may never receive the goods they want to buy and their card information could even be for sale in an illegal website. So people in the new economy should be smarter and knowledgeable.The cause of the differences between the new economy and the old economy is ____.
A.the change of people’s idea | B.the business people do |
C.the use of the Internet | D.the change of people’s life |
In the old economy, people can do the following things EXCEPT____.
A.getting information from books |
B.communicating with friends by telephone |
C.meeting people face to face |
D.shopping online |
“But the new economy is a double-edge sword ” in the last passage means_____.
A.The new economy is as sharp as a sword |
B.The new economy has advantages and disadvantages |
C.The new economy is better than the old economy |
D.Both the new economy and the old economy have disadvantages |
Which of the following is NOT true?
A.People can get all kinds of information on the Internet. |
B.Telephone, radio, television, newspapers and so on will disappear in the new economy. |
C.People in the new economy should have high quality. |
D.Life in the new economy is more comfortable than the one in the old economy. |