Market analysts in the United States have recently been quoted as saying that the biggest threat to the luxury (奢侈品) industry in the US is the tech industry. This is according to an article by fellow journalist Ashley Lutz. Her suggestion is sound. The main idea of her article is that products from Tiffany & Co. find their biggest competition not from other luxury brands but from companies like Apple. Lutz points out that luxury products are often only for “show,” while the attraction behind tech products is functionality.
You find few people in the United States today willing to purchase luxury goods at full price. It didn’t use to be that way. Luxury goods used to be actually exclusive. That meant you needed to travel to the right store to purchase them, and you didn’t even have the option of getting a deal.
Today, no one wants to pay full price for luxury goods. People have the unfortunate belief that fakes (赝品) somehow are equal to originals, and if you can’t get a deal on eBay, Amazon, or in an outlet store, purchasing a luxury product probably isn’t worth it. Luxury brands struggle to remain high-end (高档的) images despite the reality that the American consumer is motivated much more by discounts than they are by brand names or image.
Yet people stand in line to pay full price for a new product from Apple and crowds gather to hear about a new smart phone. While electronics are updating every day, people are purchasing technology at full prices much more than they are purchasing luxury goods. What are high-tech makers doing right that luxury makers are pitifully failing at?
Carefully looking at the situation, it would appear as if the Internet didn’t hurt the luxury industry, expectation from the consumers did. What people want these days more than anything is stuff that does something. They want cars that drive, shoes that are comfortable, games that are fun to play, screens that are beautiful to look at, tools that are useful, and entertainment that is entertaining. Little of that fits into what the luxury industry has typically offered with its status, image, and fine materials. The sad reality is that luxury products aren’t that luxury any more.What does this passage mainly talk about?
| A．Nobody likes luxury goods any more. |
| B．Luxury goods are of poor quality nowadays. |
| C．Tech products become the new “luxury goods”. |
| D．Iphones have taken the place of luxury products. |
The underlined word “exclusive” in paragraph 2 means _______.
| A．unique and with no bargain | B．low in price |
| C．hard to find | D．easy to sell |
From paragraph 3 we can know that _______.
| A．people have found that some luxury goods are fakes |
| B．people can buy luxury goods at a low price on eBay |
| C．luxury brands will give up high-end images |
| D．consumers prefer brand names to discounts |
What do people pay most attention to nowadays?
| A．The Internet service. | B．The images of luxuries. |
| C．The function of products. | D．The expectation from the consumers. |
Today, the biggest killers stem as much from our lifestyles as from bacteria and viruses. One of the worst of these is heart disease, and specifically high blood pressure. It’s a slow, but efficient killer that robs many people of what should be the last 10, 20 or 30 years of their lives.
Scientists are claiming that they have now separated unusual ingredients in a rare seaweed discovered by fishermen off the coast of Korea that offer incredible health benefits—including the ability torestore blood pressure to normal levels.
Dr. Haengwoo Lee, afamous biochemist conducted a clinical study on these two ingredients. The first is Seanol, an extremely rare seaweed extract(浓缩物) fromEcklonia Cavathat's proven to be 100 times more powerful than any land-based antioxidant(抗氧化剂). That's because it stays working in your body for 12 hours, compared to land-based antioxidants that work for 30 minutes. "Its secret is its make-up of special chemicals that are ahuge 40% fat soluble( 可溶的)," Dr. Lee explains. "Unlike nearly all land-based antioxidants that are water soluble, Seanol's protective compounds can get into things like the fatty tissues of your brain and penetrate（渗透） all three layers of your cells, including the outside, the oil-based cell membranes（细胞膜）, and your DNA." Indeed, Seanol is so powerful, it's the only FDA-approvedEcklonia Cavamarine-algae (海藻) extract in existence.
The second ingredient is Calamarine, a deep-sea omega-3 discovery that delivers 85% more DHA omega-3sto your heart, brain, joints, and eyes. It's known to reduce the problems from tiredness and poor memory, joint pain, mood swings and depression.
With that research in mind, Dr. Lee combined Seanol and Calamarine with a high dose of vitamin D to form Marine-D3, the newest supplement in the fight against age-related illnesses and high blood pressure.
Dr. Lee found that Calamarine delivers some of the greatest concentration of omega-3s known to science. Combined with Seanol's ability to reduce body inflammation(炎症), as well as help cells get the nutrients they need to thrive, stay healthy and protected, Marine-D3 is able to boost a body's entire well being.
The makers of Marine-D3 are so confident that you'll seefast dramatic results from this product, that if you aren't happy after two full months, simply return the unused portion and they'll buy it back. They'll even give youten dollars extrajust for giving it an honest try! That kind of faith, combined with Dr. Lee's exhaustive research, shows that Marine-D3 really is a one-of-a-kind product.From the first paragraph we can infer that ________.
| A．Our lifestyles result from the biggest killers |
| B．our lifestyles do less harm to our bodies than bacteria and viruses do. |
| C．High blood pressure left untreated may cause shorter life. |
| D．Heart disease is incurable. |
What can we know from paragraph 2 ?
| A．Fishermen off the coast of Korea have isolated unusual ingredients. |
| B．Scientists have purified ingredients that can lower blood pressure to normal standard. |
| C．Scientists discovered a rare seaweed. |
| D．Scientists have imagined a medicine that treat blood pressure. |
Which is right about Seanol ?
| A．According to FDA , Seanol reaches the agreed standard. |
| B．Seanol can be fat soluble entirely. |
| C．Seanol is a common seaweed extract fromEcklonia Cava. |
| D．Seanol's protective compounds can get into all things like the fatty tissues of your brain. |
What do we know about Calamarine?
A. Calamarine is easy to find in the surface of the sea.
B. Calamarine 's ability to reduce body inflammation(炎症) alone.
C. Calamarine has a low dose of vitamin D and C.
D. Calamarine may relieve you if you feel blue.What’s the makers’ attitude toward Marine-D3？
| A．pessimistic | B．indifferent | C．doubtful | D．Optimistic |
Do you want to speak fluent English like native English speaker, like Obama or Cameron? Do you want to master business English? If your answers are yes, Just follow me!
Part I:
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Basic Business English: Sun. 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Intermediate Business English: Sun. 7:00-9:00 p.m.
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Part II : ENGLISH SALON
A place for you to practice your English, to exchange your English learning experiences, to know more about the culture of English-speaking countries, to make more friends who can speak very good English.
You will have free talks, famous English films and songs appreciation, English lectures and games; all are for you to improve yourself in English in the special, full-of-fun Salon.
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Mr. Jiu Chan at: 47129198 English Salon, your best friend! Join Right Now!What is the function of the first paragraph ?
| A．To raise the interest of readers. |
| B．To show the structure of the passage. |
| C．To list the function of fluent English. |
| D．To give a clue of the advertisement. |
Which choice can be filled in the blank of paragraph 2?
| A．We have all the languages you want! |
| B．Enjoy English, enjoy your beautiful life! |
| C．Want to be an English teacher, follow me! |
| D．Top English City, your smart choice! |
According to the passage, which following courses can one person choose at a time?
| A．Standard Spoken English and Basic Studies. |
| B．Basic Business English and Intermediate Spoken English. |
| C．TOEFL Super Studies and Standard Spoken English. |
| D．TOEFL Super Studies and Intermediate Business English. |
In which section of a newspaper can you read the passage ?
| A．sports section | B．family section |
| C．advertisement section | D．entertainment section |
Since I was a child, I called my father my Kong, after King Kong. I believed that he was just as strong as the giant ape(猿猴). As he faced death, I did my best to help release him to the next life.
Two months after he passed away, my sister called to ask if I would like to go see Lisa Williams, a well-known witch（巫婆）. I was familiar with Lisa from her show on Lifetime, and since I was eager to get a sign from my father, I agreed to go.
I took my father’s gold watch and listened as Lisa helped audience members communicate with their loved ones. “I have a grandfather-like figure with me and he is speaking about his granddaughter Jilly,” she announced. The audience was quiet; no one raised a hand. I nudged（用肘轻推） my sister and whispered to her that this was Dad ,for my third child and my father had a deep bond(关系，纽带) and he called her Jilly.
Although I sensed his presence, I wasn’t confident enough to raise my hand. I needed something a bit more concrete, something undoubted.
“This man is letting me know he had cancer,” she continued. I nudged my sister harder and assured her this was our father. Lisa went on to say that this person died in June (my father had died June 8th). There was swelling of the legs.
“Important information,” she called out. My heart beat fast . I jumped up when she asked, “Who is holding his watch?” I waved the watch in the air.
“He wishes you congratulations.” My fourth child was born three weeks after my father died. I was in shock and could not believe I was getting a chance to hear from him, yet I knew our bond was strong enough that he could come to the world. She banged on her chest like an ape and apologized, saying, “I don’t know why but he wants me to do this like Tarzan.” It didn’t resonate（共鸣） with me until my sister called out “King Kong!” I was convinced. No way could this woman have ever known a detail unless Dad was communicating through her.
Each bit of information she gave us was just as meaningful. She ended our session by informing us that he would send us coins. The very next day I found six coins in various places; they seemed to have come out of nowhere. Even in death he is my Kong, and he remains important in my life.What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Information from Lisa Williams |
| B．Miraculous Messages from Heaven |
| C．Strange Things in the Party. |
| D．Unforgettable memories |
What’s the meaning of underlined sentence?
| A．I tried my best to make my father feel relieved in another world . |
| B．I wanted to help my father live a better life in future. |
| C．I tried to set my father free next time. |
| D．I wanted to help my father in everything. |
What do we know about Lisa Williams?
| A．She may be a learned teacher. |
| B．She may be a woman knowing witchcraft |
| C．She may be is a scientist researching Lifetime. |
| D．She may be a fairy. |
From the passage we know that father _________________.
| A．cared little about our life |
| B．withdrew from the society and lived alone |
| C．liked to live with giant ape |
| D．was still concerned about my family after his death . |
What kind of writing style did the author use in the passage?
| A．Narration | B．Illustration | C．Discussion | D．Description |
Festivals play an important role in a culture’s identity．I can’t think of a better way of appreciating a new culture than by taking part in one of its festivals. Here are some special festivals around the world．
★ Boryeong Mud Festival－Boryeong, South Korea
For two weeks in July, millions gather in Borueong to experience the grey pools and slides．What began as a way of promoting the region’s mineral-rich mud has turned into a festive party, complete with music and fireworks．While the mud is usually only available in cosmetic products, here you can cake yourself in grey as you want．
★Holi－India
Holi, the Festival of Colors, is a Hindu celebration full of joy and one of India’s most important holidays, During the day of the last full moon of the lunar month, usually late February throughout the country, but the cheerful spirit is common throughout Hindu communities around the world．
★Koninginnedag－The Netherlands
Although their current Queen’s birthday is really during the winter, the Queen still celebrates it on April 30th, the country’s official “ Queen’s Day” since 1949．Orange is the national color, and the streets become a sea of feather boas（长围巾）and body paint as crowds gather in the plazas（广场）．Amsterdam is the center of this outdoor party, with many live music acts, but nearly every town is alive with orange on this day．
★National Elephant Day in Thailand
In Thailand, March 13 is regarded as National Elephant Day to show that the Thai elephant plays an important role in the Thai history．Thai Elephant Day has been held on an annual basis since the idea was first approved by the Thai government in 1998．Special events are held at a number of venues in northern Thailand．At the Mae Sa Elephant Camp, it has become a tradition on March13 for the dozens of elephants there to be treated to a huge feast of fruits and sugarcane．What we can learn from the passage is that．
| A．Boryeong Mud Festival was originally held to advertise for their mineral resources |
| B．people around the world celebrate Holi differently to promote their religions |
| C．Koninginnedag－The Netherlands was celebrated on their current Queen’s birthday |
| D．it is an international custom for the Thai elephant to eat all kinds of fruits and sugarcane |
What is the purpose of the festival held on March 13 in Thailand?
| A．To call on people to protect these endangered elephants． |
| B．To give the Thai elephant a chance to eat fruits and sugarcane． |
| C．To give the importance of the elephant in the Thai history． |
| D．To help people relax themselves by feeding the Thai elephant． |
You can experience the Festival of Colors in．
| A．South Korea | B．Thailand | C．the Netherlands | D．India |
What is the main purpose of the text?
| A．To tell people how to enjoy and relax themselves． |
| B．To introduce some unique festivals around the world． |
| C．To get people to celebrate different kinds of customs． |
| D．To show the importance of celebrating different festivals． |
Two friends have an argument that breaks up their friendship forever, even though neither one can remember how the whole thing got started. Such sad events happen over and over in high schools across the country. In fact, according to an official report on youth violence, "In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence". Given that this is the case, why aren't students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive cars, or stay physically fit?
First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. A report on violence among middle school and high school students indicates that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult (侮辱). For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence. The problem isn't in the sandwich, but in the way students deal with the conflict.
Once students recognize that conflict is unavoidable, they can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution (解决):stay calm. Once the student feels calmer, he or she should choose words that will calm the other person down as well. Rude words, name-calling, and accusation only add fuel to the emotional fire. On the other hand, soft words spoken at a normal sound level can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.
After both sides have calmed down, they can use another key strategy for conflict resolution; listening. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side, and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterward, the listener can ask non-threatening questions to clarify the speaker's position. Then the two people should change roles.
Finally, students need consider what they are hearing. This doesn't mean trying to figure out what's wrong with the other person. It means understanding what the real issue is and what both sides are trying to accomplish. For example, a shouting match over a peanut butter sandwich might happen because one person thinks the other person is unwilling to try new things. Students need to ask themselves questions such as these: How did this start? What do I really want? What am I afraid off? As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller. Even if it doesn't, careful thought helps both sides figure out a mutual solution.
There will always be conflict in schools, but that doesn't mean there needs to be violence. After students in Atlanta started a conflict resolution program, according to Educators for Social Responsibility, "64 percent of the teachers reported less physical violence in the classroom; 75 percent of the teachers reported an increase in student cooperation; and 92 percent of the students felt better about themselves". Learning to resolve conflicts can help students deal with friends,. teachers. parents, bosses, and coworkers. In that way, conflict resolution is a basic life skill that should be taught in schools across the country.This article is mainly about______.
| A．the lives of school children |
| B．the cause of arguments in schools |
| C．how to analyze youth violence |
| D．how to deal with school conflicts |
From Paragraph 2 we can learn that________ .
| A．violence is more likely to occur at lunchtime |
| B．a small conflict can lead to violence |
| C．students tend to lose their temper easily |
| D．the eating habit of a student is often the cause of a fight |
Why do students need to ask themselves the questions stated in Paragraph 5?
| A．To find out who to blame. |
| B．To get ready to buy new things. |
| C．To make clear what the real issue is. |
| D．To figure out how to stop the shouting match. |
After the conflict resolution program was started in Atlanta, it was found that______.
| A．there was a decrease in classroom violence |
| B．there was less student cooperation in the classroom |
| C．more teachers fell better about themselves in schools |
| D．the teacher-student relationship greatly improved |