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 |
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 (半清醒状态) 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 poisoning. (铊中毒)"
"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．Nurse Maitlan |
| C．Dr. Brown | D．Agatha Christie |
The baby was sent to London because _____.
| A．she was born there |
| B．the hospitals in Qatar were full at that time |
| C．she was the daughter of a doctor in London |
| D．the Qatar doctors were not sure whether they could cure her |
As far as we can tell from the passage, Agatha Christie _____.
| A．had never met this baby |
| B．had spent a long time studying the baby's case |
| C．visited the baby in the hospital at Hammersmith |
| 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 dangerous pair of glasses |
| B．the water in Qatar |
| C．a harmful substance used to kill insects |
| D．a dead writer |
When the baby was sent to the hospital in London, her case was considered to be _____.
| A．an urgent one | B．quite a simple one |
| C．a usual one | D．the result of thallium poisoning |
You are watching a film in which two men are having a fight. They hit one another hard. At the start they only fight with their fists. But soon they begin hitting one another over the heads with chairs. And so it goes on until one of the men crashes (撞击) through a window and falls thirty feet to the ground below. He is dead！Of course he isn't really dead. With any luck he isn't even hurt. Why? Because the men who fall out of high windows or jump from fast moving trains, who crash cars or even catch fire, are professionals (专业人士). They do this for a living. These men are called stuntmen. That is to say, they perform tricks. There are two sides to their work. They actually do most of the things you see on the screen. For example, they fall from a high building. However, they do not fall on to hard ground but on to empty cardboard boxes covered with a mattress (床垫). Again, when they hit one another with chairs, the chairs are made of soft wood and when they crash through windows, the glass is made of sugar! But although their work depends on trick of this sort, it also requires a high degree of skill and training. Often a stuntman' s success depends on careful timing. For example, when he is "blown up" in a battle scene, he has to jump out of the way of the explosion just at the right moment.
Naturally stuntmen are well paid for their work, but they lead dangerous lives. They often get seriously injured, and sometimes killed. A Norwegian stuntman, for example, skied over the edge of a cliff a thousand feet high. His parachute (降落伞) failed to open, and he was killed. In spite of all the risks, this is no longer a profession for men only. Men no longer dress up as women when actresses have to perform some dangerous action, for nowadays there are stunt girls too!Stuntmen are those who ______.
| A．often dress up as women |
| B．prefer to lead dangerous lives |
| C．often perform seemingly (表面上) dangerous actions |
| D．often fight each other for their lives |
Stuntmen earn their living by ______.
| A．playing their dirty tricks | B．selling their special skills |
| C．jumping out of high windows | D．jumping from fast moving trains |
When a stuntman falls from a high building, ______.
| A．he needs little protection |
| B．he will be covered with a mattress |
| C．his life is endangered |
| D．his safety is generally all right |
Which of the following is the main factor (因素) of a successful performance?
| A．Strength. | B．Exactness. | C．Speed. | D．Power. |
What can be inferred from the author' s example of the Norwegian stuntman?
| A．Sometimes an accident can occur to a stuntman. |
| B．The percentage of serious accidents is high. |
| C．Parachutes must be of good quality. |
| D．The cliff is too high. |
When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day holidays posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers. It was Christmas eve when I arrived home, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments (装饰物) shining against the green of a pine. “Where did it come from?” I asked.
“I asked the Gates boy to cut it,” my mother said. “I wouldn’t have had one just for myself, such a rush！He just brought it in this afternoon…” The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the tree top crystal star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas. “It’s not like the one you used to find,” my mother went on. “Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn’t know where to look for a good one. But I couldn’t be fussy (挑剔的)．”
“Don’t worry,” I told her. “It’s perfect.” It wasn’t, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect． From the passage, we can infer that ______．
| A．the writer spent his first Christmas during the war |
| B．soldiers did not all go home for Christmas during the war |
| C．all the soldiers had three-day holidays |
| D．the writer could not go home for Christmas |
When the writer got home, ______．
| A．it was December 23th |
| B．it was snowing heavily |
| C．he found a Christmas tree in the living room |
| D．the Gates boy was cutting a Christmas tree for his mother |
From this passage，we can conclude that ______．
| A．the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees |
| B．his mother didn’t like perfect trees |
| C．his mother didn’t want to have a tree |
| D．the writer wouldn’t have a tree cut by someone else |
“All Christmas trees are perfect”，because they can remind you of ______．
| A．the wartime | B．the green of a pine |
| C．the pleasant smell | D．the sweet home |
The best title for this passage would be “______”．
| A．How to Choose a Christmas Tree |
| B．How Soldiers Spent Christmas |
| C．The Perfect Christmas Tree |
| D．The Christmas Without a Tree |
Most of us fear getting up and speaking in public. Many people don’t like to go gathering where they don’t know anyone, but while most of us soldier on (迎难而上), those with social anxiety disorder are often stopped by the terror and worry.
Research shows that around fifteen million Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder. People in this condition feel that they are always being watched. Even though they know these fears are unreasonable, they cannot overcome their fears on their own.
Social anxiety disorder sufferers are often misdiagnosed with conditions such as schizophrenia (精神分裂症) and personality disorder. Many feel lonely, and are unsure whether anyone else can understand their thoughts and emotions. This can lead to withdrawal from most social situations, even to being unable to hold employment.
Those who suffer from social anxiety disorder are often dismissed(辞退)as being shy. This is simply not the case; shyness is not even a symptom of social anxiety disorder. The majority of sufferers find their symptoms linked to specific situations, rather than all types of social interactions.
An important step in overcoming social anxiety disorder is seeking out a therapist who specializes in training this type of disorder. Group treatment has been shown to be especially effective. Medication also help reduce the symptoms, but it should not be used as a replacement for psychotherapy (心理疗法).
On your own, you can help reduce the symptoms by taking deep breaths and practising medication or prayer. Alcohol and nicotine should be avoided, as both can cause panic attacks. Exercises can relieve the symptoms, because it burns up the chemicals in your body that cause stress.
54.Patients with social anxiety disorder_________________.
A. are shy in all situations
B. feel they don’t understand themselves
C. are anxious and terrified while speaking in public
D. feel it is unreasonable to be watched by others
55. We know from the passage that___________________________________.
A. most people will try to fight against social anxiety disorder
B. shyness is the main symptom of social anxiety disorder
C. people who feel lonely are often misdiagnosed with social anxiety disorder
D. psychotherapy is very important in treating social anxiety disorder
56. According to the passage, if Jack suffers from social anxiety disorder, he should_________.
A. burn up some unsafe chemicals B. ask for help from a doctor
C. practise speaking in public D. resign from his present job
57. We are most likely to find this passage in__________.
A. American Culture B. Cross Country
C. Family Doctor D. English Nature
My bookshelves are full of dust — and with good reason. When it comes to cleaning that part of my home, I suffer from the most serious case of avoidance (回避反应症).
The thing is this: when I do set out to clean and re-organize my books, which seldom happens, I place myself into a really bad situation. No sooner do I take a title from the shelf, blow off the dust, and wipe down the cover than I find myself sitting on the floor with legs crossed and my back against the wall. Pretty soon books get piled up on my legs as I am reunited with old friends.
It is as if these books have voices, and each wants to say its piece. “Remember me? I was given to you when you went into the Navy, so that you would never lack for companionship,” one whispers. Another says, “I was your first book of poems, given to you before you learned to love poetry.” And a third, “I was the book that made history so attractive to you.”
Perhaps the greatest pleasure of re-organizing my books are the surprises — or better said, reunions — that occur. During my latest book-cleaning adventure, I found one that had fallen behind the shelf: “Tales of Edgar Allan Poe.” Not an unusual title, but the words written on the first page made it very special: “With Love from Mom and Dad, Christmas 1965.” What’s this? A book on the physics of lasers（激光）. It is filled with mathematical statements, and I had bought it at a library sale when I was 12, not long after the laser had been invented. I couldn’t understand a bit of it, but I did learn what “laser” meant.
What I end up with when I empty my bookshelves is a cross-section (横剖面) of my personal history. It’s like a road cut where one sees all the layers of rock going back through time to the beginning of the simplest life forms. The books I’ve read — and kept — are not just old friends. They are my résumé.
50. What could be said about the author?
A. He is too busy to tidy up his bookshelves.
B. He considers his books treasured possessions.
C. He has made a lot of notes in his books.
D. He is a lover of science books.
51. By saying that his books have voices, the author means ________ .
A. they bring back happy memories
B. they are recorded in human voice
C. they say a lot about human history
D. they offer good topics for discussion
52. What does the author enjoy most from re-organizing his books?
A. Finding some missing books.
B. Putting books in good order.
C. Learning something new from the books.
D. Rediscovering interesting stories behind some books.
53. The underlined word “résumé” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
A. personal history B. precious notes
C. good companion D. simple life forms