Don’t talk to me; I’m busy with my iPhone
Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times. That’s not rudeness—people are just too busy to bother looking.
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they’re certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection, nor are they reading a book. New technology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book.
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters（乘车上下班的人）. Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000—yes, that’s 40,000—“apps” （programs downloaded for the iPhone） have been designed.
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers. One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the “ steam” on your phone screen.
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be another choice. It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music—iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you occupied， then perhaps you would prefer a film. The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all this entertainments, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train.People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because they are busy ________.
| A．playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films. |
| B．going to work |
| C．reading books |
| D．thinking private things |
Those who like war games can download ________ to their iPhones.
| A．Tube Exits | B．iShoot | C．ISteam | D．iPod |
The underlined word “occupied” in the last paragraph probably means ________.
| A．delighted | B．busy | C．controlled | D．amused |
The article tells us that ________.
| A．London commuters are unfriendly to strangers |
| B．Apple has earned a lo of money from selling 40,000 iPhones |
| C．with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train. |
| D．technology is changing the way London commuters spend their traveling time. |
How long do you want to live? How many years might be added to a life? Do you want to live another 100 years or more? Some experts say that scientific advances will one day enable humans to last tens of years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life span.（寿命）
“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality(永生) , " said Michael Zey, a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. "I think by 2075 we will see it and that's a conservative estimate(保守的估计)."
At the conference in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nanotechnology(纳米技术) make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past. "There is a great push so that people can live from 120 to 180 years," he said. "Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years.
However, many scientists who research into ageing are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last past about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less disease, they say the failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.
Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live. "It remains to be seen if you pass 120,you know, could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life?" said Leonard Poon, director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre. "At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all."By saying "we are knocking at the door of immortality", Michael Zey means ______.
| A．they have got some ideas about living forever |
| B．they are sure to find the truth about long living |
| C．they believe that there is no limit of living |
| D．they are able to make people live past the present life span |
Donald Louria's attitude towards long living is that ______.
| A．people can live from 120 to 180 |
| B．it is possible for humans to live longer in the future |
| C．the human body is designed to last past about 120 years |
| D．it is still doubtful how long humans can live |
The underlined word "it"( in Paragraph 4)refers to______.
| A．using genes as well as nanotechnology |
| B．the idea of living beyond the present life span |
| C．a great push |
| D．the conservative estimate |
What would be the best title for this text?
| A．No Limit for Human Life | B．Science, Technology and Long Living |
| C．Living Longer or Not | D．Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living |
While many other teen stars built up their celebrity status(名人地位) by working hard on popular TV shows, Justin shot straight to the top by using social media.
A few years ago, Justin uploaded(上传) videos of himself on YouTube, showing covers of his favorite songs at home. He just saw it as a bit of fun for friends and family, but when music manager Scooter Braun saw one of the videos, he flew to Justin’s hometown of Ontario, Canada to sign him up. Justin was just 13.
Shortly after, Justin was flown to the US. He eventually started working with R&B superstar Usher. Justin’s first album My world was released in 2009. But all the time, Justin continued to build his fan base on his YouTube account, where some of his original home videos can still be found, and where he continues to post music. “I wasn’t sending mixtapes or anything like that to record labels,” he told us when we met him on his promotional tour for his latest film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. “I was just doing regular stuff at home and I just posted videos online without purpose. I would never be here if it wasn’t for the Internet and YouTube.”
But it isn’t just YouTube that helps Justin’s popularity. He also updates his Twitter account (@Justin-Bieber) regularly and has about 8.8 million followers. In fact, he’s so popular that Justin was responsible for 3% of the site’s activity at one time and so popular that entire racks of servers on Twitter were devoted to him.
In light of his story, many young, aspiring artists are now taking advantage of Twitter and YouTube. Both these sites can help artists build fan bases in the hope that they’ll become the next big thing. Justin added, “I think my story brings hope to people and I think that’s very important. The only thing holding you back is yourself. Never say never.”What is the best title for the passage?
| A．A famous young man | B．YouTube---A popular website |
| C．Justin’s way to success | D．Social media is the most important |
The underlined word “covers” in Paragraph 2 means_____.
| A．The cover of a book. |
| B．The shelter from attack. |
| C．The sheet on the bed. |
| D．Another version of a pop song by a different artist. |
Which one is right according to the passage?
| A．Justin posted videos online in order to succeed. |
| B．Justin becomes a celebrity partly owing to social media. |
| C．Justin has the same way to succeed as others. |
| D．Justin has built many websites. |
What can we know from Paragraph 5?
| A．Many young, aspiring artists are objection to Justin’s way. |
| B．Many celebrities like Justin must appear in the future. |
| C．Justin tells others never to depend on social media. |
| D．Justin has set an example to many young, aspiring artists. |
Zhang Li is studying at Cambridge, UK. She has bought a bicycle and is worried about security. Her friend, Kate, found this article and sent it to her.
Introduction
A lot of crime is against bicycles. About 150,000 bicycles are stolen every year and most are never found. You can prevent this happening by following a few careful steps.
Basic Security
Do not leave your bicycle in out-of-the-way places. Always lock your bicycle when you leave. Secure it to lampposts(灯柱) or trees. Take off smaller parts and take them with you, for example lights and saddles(车座).
Locks
Get a good lock. There are many different types in the shop. Buy one that has been tested against attack. Ask for advice from a bike shop.
Marking
Security marking your bike can act as a deterrent to a thief. It can also help the police find your bicycle. It should be clearly written and include your postcode and your house or flat number. This will provide a simple way to identify your bicycle.
Registration
There are a number of companies who will security mark your bicycle for you. They will then put your registration number and personal details on their computer database(数据库). Then if your bicycle is found it will be easy to get in touch with you.
Finally
Keep a record of the bicycle yourself: its make, model and registration number. You can even take a photograph of it. This will prove the bicycle belongs to you. Which part of the article gives you information on how to lock up your bicycle when you leave it?
| A．Locks | B．Marking | C．Registration | D．Basic Security |
The underlined phrase “act as a deterrent to a thief” means__________.
| A．help you recognize your bike |
| B．help the police find your bicycle |
| C．stop someone from stealing your bicycle |
| D．stop you worrying about your bike |
The article advises you to keep a record of your bicycle .
| A．in the bike shop and your computer. |
| B．in a police station and security company. |
| C．in a security company and your university. |
| D．by yourself and in a security company. |
The main purpose of this article is .
| A．to tell you what to do if your bicycle is stolen |
| B．to suggest ways of keeping your bicycle safe |
| C．to give you advice on where to buy a good lock |
| D．to say why you shouldn’t keep your bicycle in a quiet place |
When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin; I wasn’t a good student; I talked too much; I was too proud and so on. I tried to bear all these things as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, then he asked, “Are the things she said true or not? Janet, didn’t you ever wonder what you are really like? Well, you now have the girl’s opinion. Go to make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to other things she said.”
I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half of the things were true. some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I got a fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it, “That’s just for you,” he said. “You know better than anyone else, the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just closing your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to other people’s opinions, but hear the truth and do what you know is right.”
Daddy’s advice returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice.Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Not an Enemy, but a Best Friend |
| B．The Best Advice I’ve Ever Had |
| C．My Father |
| D．My Childhood |
“Week by week her list grew” means “________”.
| A．Week by Week, my shortcomings grew more serious. |
| B．She had made a list of shortcomings. |
| C．I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on. |
| D．Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out. |
Her father listened to her quietly was because .
| A．He believed what her daughter’s enemy said was mostly true. |
| B．He had been so angry with his daughter’s shortcomings. |
| C．He didn’t believe in his daughter. |
| D．He wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth. |
After the father heard his daughter’s word, he .
| A．told her to write down what her “enemy” had said and pay attention to the true things. |
| B．criticized(批评) her and told her to overcome her shortcomings. |
| C．told her not to pay any attention to what her “enemy” said. |
| D．refused to take the list and have a look at it. |
No matter what type of business you run, it has to deal with situations in which things go wrong from your customer’s point of view. Complaints can be a great source of information for the organizations. So it’s important to learn to deal with customer complaints efficiently.
Firstly, listen actively to what the customer has to say by keeping comfortable eye contact and giving full attention with no interrupting. You should also show your customer that you do understand him.
Secondly, when receiving a complaint you should apologize for the failure the customer has identified. It’s important for you to know that your apology must appear authentic to the customer, and not an empty exercise. And also you should show the customer you’ve accepted the responsibility and provide him with choices if you have some in hand or otherwise assure the customer you’ll do something about his complaint.
Thirdly, talk with the consumer and discover the best means to resolve his problem. There will be times when, after gathering the facts of a situation, you’ll be unable to resolve the problem immediately. In this case it’s important to let your customer know how long it’ll take to take action on his complaint.
Fourthly, a simple “Thank you” is one way to let the customer know you appreciate the time and effort he has taken to inform you about a problem with your company’s service or product you need to know about.
Lastly, give your customer something that shows your appreciation for him giving the feedback to you. And let him know you’re sorry for the mistake that was made. It isn’t necessary to give something that is costly; but a coupon(赠券) for a free drink or movie is fine.
Your professional and well-organized method of dealing with your customer complaints is one more way that will make you stay ahead of your competitors.What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Importance of dealing with customer complaints. |
| B．Effects of customer complaints on business. |
| C．Tips for handling complaints from customers. |
| D．Several factors resulting in customer complaints. |
The author thinks that customer complaints _____________.
| A．are easy to deal with | B．are really quite annoying |
| C．can actually be avoided | D．are sometimes beneficial |
The underlined word “authentic” in Paragraph 3 most probably means _______.
| A．touching | B．believable | C．attractive | D．clever |
According to the passage, what is the first thing you should do when facing the customer complaints?
| A．Showing sincere attitude. |
| B．Making an honest apology. |
| C．Making an absolute promise. |
| D．Listening to the complaint attentively. |