On March 28th, the New York Times will begin charging all but the most infrequent users to read articles online.
In a letter to readers, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., the publisher of the paper, laid out the details of the paywall, which he said will go into effect immediately in Canada and on March 28th for the rest of the world. He called the move “an important step that we hope you will see as an investment in the Times, one that will strengthen our ability to provide high-quality journalism to readers around the world and on any platform.”
Sulzberger said that readers will be able to read 20 articles per month at no charge. Once they click on the 21st piece, however, they’ll be presented with three payment options: $ 15 for four weeks of online and mobile application access, $ 20 for access to the site and the iPad application, or $ 35 for access to everything. People who already receive the printed paper through home delivery will enjoy free and unlimited access to the Times on all platforms.
These details largely agree with earlier reports on how the paywall would work. The Times had made it clear that it did not want to imitate the total paywalls put into effect by papers such as The Times of London and Newsday, which block access to all contents unless the reader pays.
The paper also signaled that it wants to stay relevant in the social media world. According to Sulzberger's announcement, people who come to the Times site from Facebook, Twitter or from blogs will be able to read those articles even if they have gone over their monthly limit.
However, Sulzberger said that a limit will be placed on “some search engines”, meaning that after readers have accessed a certain number of articles from search engines, any further articles they access from there will be added to their monthly count. It was reported that the only search engine that will be affected this way is Google, where there will be a five-article limit. This marks a clear attempt by the Times to close what could be a giant loophole （漏洞）, since so much online traffic is directed through Google. But it also presents a risk for the Times for the same reason.
Sulzberger seems well aware of the risk. “The challenge now is to put a price on our work without walling ourselves off from the global network,” he said, adding that the Times must “continue to engage with the widest possible audience.”The author’s main purpose in the text is to _______.
| A．describe research findings | B．report a piece of news |
| C．make advertisements | D．suggest a solution |
Why will the Times charge their online readers?
| A．It wants to stay relevant in the social media world. |
| B．It has too many readers coming from the other sites. |
| C．It is seeking new financial sources for its development. |
| D．It is trying a way to offer better service to its readers. |
Who will be limited to the New York Times articles?
| A．Those subscribing to the printed newspapers |
| B．Readers clicking through from Facebook. |
| C．Those using Google research engine |
| D．Readers paying $ 35 a month. |
What challenge may the paywall bring to the New York Times?
| A．It may bring the Times more competition with the other media |
| B．It may stop the Times connecting to the global network |
| C．It may block the readers from the other websites |
| D．It may result in huge drops in papers' online readership |
Prague is an ancient European city, featuring one of the most magnificent Old Towns in Europe, along with delicious food, inexpensive shopping and friendly people. Prague is also famous as being home to one of the most famous 20th century writers, Franz Kafka. The famous Czech beer is also one of the reasons to visit Prague.
The narrow streets of the older parts of the town are appealing the visitors to take nice long walk and settle in some of the many restaurants, which offer top-quality foods at a low price. The buildings there are mostly tower-shaped，and so Prague is called “city of a hundred spires.”
Mauritius
Also known as the Paradise on Earth, Mauritius lies about 560 miles (900 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It is a place of magnificent natural beauty coupled with excellent customer service, which makes for an unforgettable romantic experience at the edge of the world’s warmest ocean.
There are lots to see and do in Mauritius: the coral reefs (珊瑚礁) surrounding the island offer stunning beauty and great underwater adventures to those who want to dive into the precious waters. The nature of Mauritius mostly resembles that of Paradise, allowing every couple visiting this island to feel like Adam and Eve. That is an experience nobody would want to miss!
Cyprus
The very name Cyprus, it has been said, glitters with an age-old myth. Today, history and hedonism (快乐论) are comfortably mixed on the island. Some five-star resorts within walking distance of well-preserved Greek and Roman ruins offer the convenience the modern traveler has come to expect.
Cyprus features a romantic history, as it was Anthony’s gift to his beloved Cleopatra during the glorious days of the Roman Empire. Maybe that is why you feel always a little special once you set foot on Cyprus.
For more information about many other most romantic places in the world, just log on at http://www.jurgita.com.The underlined word “spires” in Paragraph 2 means .
| A．narrow streets | B．inexpensive restaurants |
| C．top-quality foods | D．tower-shaped buildings |
We learn from the text that Mauritius .
| A．is part of Madagascar | B．is an ideal destination for couples |
| C．is in central Indian Ocean | D．is most famous for its good service |
What makes Cyprus different from the other two places?
| A．It is located on an island. | B．It offers charming resorts. |
| C．It was given as a present. | D．It has a very long history. |
A common feature of Mauritius and Cyprus is that they are .
| A．old | B．romantic |
| C．rich | D．mysterious |
What is the main purpose of the author?
| A．To attract more visitors. | B．To tell traveling experiences. |
| C．To sell information on line. | D．To introduce historical places. |
I made a pledge (发誓) to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving . No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting (引用) a Biblical (圣经的) passage about husbands being thoughtful（体贴的） of their wives. Then he went on to say," Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love." To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well , for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said," That new yellow sweater looks great on you."
"Oh, Tom, you noticed," she said, surprised and pleased, maybe a little puzzled.
After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, "Evelyn's been alone here with the kids all the week and now she wants to stay with me. " We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that's how the whole vacation passed, I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love. There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. Last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“ Tom ,” se said in a voice filled with distress, “ do you know something I don’t?”
"What do you mean?"
"Well...that checkup(体检) I had several weeks ago...our doctor...did he tell you something about me? Tom , you've been so good to me... am I dying?"
It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out laughing.
"No, honey," I said, wrapping her in my arms. "You're not dying; I'm just staring to live."
71.In the first paragraph, "No ifs, ands or buts" probably means___.
A. unnecessarily B. unexpectedly C. impossibly D. unconditionally
72. From the story we may infer that Tom went to the beach cottage___.
A. with his family B. with Evelyn C. alone D. with his children
73. During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because___.
A. she looked lovely in her new clothes
B. he had made a lot of money in Wall Street
C. he was determined to be a good husband
D. she was seriously ill
74.The underlined words "one thing" in the passage refer to the fact that___.
A. he praised her sweater, which puzzled her
B. she insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated
C. he knew something about her illness but didn't tell her
D. he was so good to her that she thought she must be dying
75.By saying "I'm just starting to live", Tom means that___.
A. he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life
B. he is just beginning to enjoy his life as a loving husband
C. he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change
D. he is beginning to feel regretful for what he did to his wife
It has always been said that women are not good drivers, because they simply don't have very good driving ability. On the other hand, most car accidents happen to men; very few happen to women.
From this, we can see that women are much more careful while driving. Another very interesting fact that we should point out is that in the past, women preferred to let their husbands be the only driver in the family rather than have a driving license. Somehow they were prevented from making this step in their lives, but nowadays there are many women that want to pass their driving tests from an early age.
However, we have to admit that men are more skillful drivers than women, but this does not mean that a woman cannot become a good driver by accumulating (积累) experience. So more and more teenagers and women around the age of thirty now want to pass their driving tests. While taking their driving lessons, they also have a number of special lessons with their parents or somebody in the family that has a driving license, this is just to improve their driving abilities and help them to pass the tests more easily.
To conclude, we can say that women are not such bad drivers. They just need more experience than men in order to be able to drive well. And on the other hand, there are a number of women that show better driving skills than the men around them.
67. Compared with the past, nowadays many women___.
A. prefer to have a driving license
B. have more accidents while driving
C. are somehow prevented from driving
D. are the only driver in the family
68.What advantage do women have over men in driving?
A. They have more skills.
B. They are much more careful
C. They know more traffic rules
D. They have more driving experience
69.What can we infer from the passage?
A. Teenage girls cannot take driving tests.
B. Men didn't allow women to drive in the past.
C. With enough experience, women can become good drivers.
D. Women can easily pass their tests by taking driving lessons.
70.The passage mainly talks about___.
A. women and their driving ability.
B. men and their driving ability.
C. why men are better drivers than women.
D. why more women like to have a driving license
The Los Angeles Zoo has many public programs that aim to teach the public about animals and natural protection.
Safari shuttle(旅游电车)
While you’re here, take the Safari shuttle for a quick trip from one end of the Zoo to the
other. All day long, seven days a week (from 10 am to 5 pm), the Safari Shuttle picks up passengers, circles the Zoo, and returns to the main flamingo (火烈鸟) exhibit near the front entrance. You can get on and off the shuttle as often as you like.
Food
Safari Café (at the Zoo entrance) offers Starbucks coffee, fresh-baked cookies, and ice
cream. Gorilla Grill is the spot for grilled (烤的) food, kids’ meals, refreshments (点心), and ice cream. La Casita serves a variety of Mexican food and refreshments. Silverback's Cafe offers sandwiches, salads, bread bowls, cold beer, and refreshments.
Hour
The Zoo is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day of the year except Christmas Day. Special summer long hours are until 6 pm from July 1 to September 7. Please remember, the Zoo starts putting animals in for the night at 4 pm during regular hour, and at 5 pm during summer hours.
Admission Prices(票价)
Adults (aged 13 and above):$9
Seniors(aged 62 and above):$6
Children(aged 2 to 12):$4
Children(under 2):free
Items Not Allowed on Zoo Grounds
Alcohol, Glass bottles, Pets, Bicycles, Skateboards, and In--line skate.
If you are planning a picnic while visiting the Zoo, please do not bring any glass items or other things that are easy to break. Also for the safety of the animals, no plastic bags are allowed within the Zoo.
63.Which of the following provides kids' meals?
A. Safari Cafe. B. Gorilla Grill. C. La Casita. D. Silverback's Café
64.People can see all the animals at the Los Angeles Zoo at ___.
A. 11 am on Christmas Day B. 4:30 pm on May 5
C. 3 pm on March 5 D. 6 pm on September 7
65.How much does it cost if a couple with their one-year-old twins visit the Los Angeles Zoo?
A. $18B. $26 C. $22 D.$17
66. When visiting the Los Angeles Zoo, people can___.
A. ride a bike through the Zoo B. have a picnic on the Zoo grounds
C. take food with plastic bags D. take their pets along
One Canada, Two Languages
Canada is one of the few nations in the world to have two official languages: English and French. There are 10 provinces in the country but only one of these—Quebec is known as “French Canada”. This is because it was founded by French explorers while British adventurers discovered the rest.
Canada left the British empire(帝国) in 1867 to become an independent country and English and French have been recognized as the official languages ever since.
Most people speak English as their first language and the two national television networks broadcast in English throughout the country. Apart from in Quebec and a few places on the east coast, French television is very rare.
The same goes for traffic signs and menus, for example, outside of Quebec, there are only a few places where you’ll see traffic signs in French. In restaurants, it’s almost impossible to find French on the menu unless you are in the heartland (中心地带) of French Canada. However, all products sold in Canada must, by law, have labels (标签) and instructions in both languages.
In Canada’s English speaking provinces, official bilingualism (双语) means that students can choose to complete a special French language course. Under this program, they are taught most of their subjects in French.
If a student begins the course in kindergarten (幼儿园) or Grade One, it is likely that all their lessons will be in French. However, if they start at junior high school, 25 percent of the teaching will continue to be in English.
59. How many provinces are there in Canada?
A. Ten. B. Nine. C. Eleven. D. Two.
60. Which country controlled Canada before its independence?
A. France. B. Britain. C. America. D. Germany
61. Where can you watch French television programs?
A. Only in Quebec.
B. In Quebec and a few other places.
C. From the two national television networks.
D. All over Canada
62. What do we know about the education in Canada?
A. In English speaking provinces only English courses are offered.
B. If you choose a special French language course, most of the subjects are taught in French.
C. The courses in primary school are all taught in English.
D. Most of the courses in junior high schools are taught in English.