The traditional distinction between products that satisfy needs and those that satisfy wants is no longer adequate to describe classes of products. In today’s prosperous societies, the distinction has become unclear because so many wants have been turned into needs. A writer, for instance, can work with paper and pencils. These are legal needs for the task. But the work can be done more quickly and efficiently with a word processor. Thus a computer is soon viewed as a need rather than a want.
In the field of marketing, consumer goods are classed according to the way in which they are purchased. The two main classes are convenience goods and shopping goods. Two lesser types are specialty goods and unsought(主动提供的) goods. It must be emphasized that all of these types are based on the way shoppers think about products, not on the nature of the products themselves. What is regarded as a convenience item in France (wine, for example) should be a specialty goods in the United States.
People do not spend a great deal of time shopping for such convenience items as groceries, newspapers, toothpaste, aspirin, and candy. The buying of convenience goods may be done routinely, as some families buy groceries once a week. Such regularly purchased items are called staples. Sometimes convenience products are bought without enough thinking; someone has a sudden desire for an ice cream sundae(圣代) on a hot day. Or they may be purchased as emergency items.
Shopping goods are items for which customers search. They compare prices, quality, and styles, and may visit a number of stores before making a decision. Buying an automobile is often done this way.
Shopping goods fall into two classes; those that are recognized as basically the same and those that are regarded as different. Items that are looked upon as basically the same include such things as home appliances, television sets, and automobiles. Having decided on the model desired, the customer is primarily interested in getting the item at the most favorable price. Items regarded as essentially different include clothing, furniture, and dishes. Quality, style and fashion will either take precedence(优先) over price, or they will not matter at all.It can be learned from the first paragraph that ______.
A.a writer needs a word processor |
B.needs and wants can’t be separated clearly |
C.the way to distinguish the products is unimportant |
D.a computer is a need rather than a want |
The example of wine is used to illustrate that ______.
A.goods are classified differently in different countries |
B.the types of the product lie on the people rather than its nature |
C.Frenchmen often drink but Americans sometimes do |
D.one product may belong to many types |
Staples are items that ______.
A.are convenient to purchase |
B.are purchased without enough thinking |
C.people “want but don’t need” |
D.people are in constant need of |
Shopping goods that are considered as basically the same are those that ______.
A.consumers don’t care where to buy them |
B.consumers spend much time searching for |
C.satisfy similar needs of the consumer |
D.can be found in nearly every shop |
【改编】Ceaseless technology. A punishing workweek. That to –do list that keeps multiplying. It is no wonder many of us find it difficult to have a sufficient amount of sleep. But will sleeping more on the weekend make up for hours of lost snoozing (小睡)? One sleep expert, W. Christopher Winter raised the question.
Sleeping binge
Getting eight hours of shut-eye each night is generally recommended, but many people don’t. As the week rolls from Monday to Friday, they accumulate a sleep debt. Spending a few extra hours in bed on a Saturday morning, people assume, will help them “ catch up” on lost sleep. They’re likely right, “ Nobody knows how long the horizon is, probably a few nights, but studies show that recovery sleep in the short term does work,” says Dr. Winter, a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Sleep banking
Recent data suggests that banking sleep in advance of a long night can actually offset (补偿) upcoming sleep deprivation. If you knew you were going to have to stay up all night on a particular day, for example, you could sleep for 10 hours a day for multiple days before the event, and be fine, Dr. Winter says. Just plan ahead.
Routine naps
A scheduled nap is healthier than catching up on or banking sleep. “ Because sleep extension can make you feel groggy (昏昏沉沉), I always recommend a short nap (if a person feels they need it ), at the same time, every day,” says Dr. Winter. He adds that 25 minutes is ideal. “ When you schedule a short nap, your body anticipates it and slows down, without falling into a deep dream sleep,” he says. That refreshing, scheduled break is better than an occasional weekend lie-in. “ The body likes routine,” he says, “ When it’s prepared, it works more efficiently.”What is the topic of this passage?
A.The bad effect of lacking sleep. |
B.Advantages of enough sleep. |
C.Some knowledge about sleep. |
D.The ways to get sound sleep. |
Why do people accumulate a sleep debt during the week?
A.Because they have a tight weekday. |
B.Because they watch TV late into night. |
C.Because they have to look after children. |
D.Because they want to catch up on lost sleep on weekend. |
Which is the recommended way to keep healthy ?
A.Banking sleeping. | B.Catching up on lost sleep. |
C.An occasional weekend lie-in. | D.Scheduled naps. |
what is the meaning of the underlined word “deprivation”.
A.Increase. | B.Loss. | C.Time. | D.Problem. |
Which is right according to the passage?
A.Most people always get 8-hour-sleep each night. |
B.Recovery sleep can make a difference. |
C.Everyone should have a short nap. |
D.A nap won’t work as expected. |
Looking back on my childhood, I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects. Unlike them, I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do mental math.
Before World War I we spent out summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim(模糊的)memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys, Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal clear memory of dogs, the farm animals, the local birds and above all, the insects.
I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and my enthusiasm has led me into various investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil reading about other people’s observations and discoveries. Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle. Because it all seems to fit together. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books, which some may light honor, with the title of scientific research.
But curiosity, a keen eye ,a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist: one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline, a quality I lack, A scientist can be made a naturalist. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds.According to the author, a born naturalist should first of all be
A.full of ambition | B.self-disciplined |
C.full of enthusiasm | D.knowledgeable |
The first paragraph tells us that the author
A.lost his hearing when he was a child |
B.didn’t like his brothers and sisters |
C.was interested in flowers and insects in his childhood |
D.was born to a naturalist’s family |
The author says that his a naturalist rather than a scientist probably because he thinks he
A.just reads about other people’s observations and discoveries |
B.lacks some of the qualities required of scientist |
C.has a great deal of trouble doing mental arithmetic |
D.comes up with solutions in most natural ways. |
The author can’t remember his clearly because
A.He didn’t live very long with them |
B.He was too young when he lived with them |
C.The family was extremely large |
D.He was fully occupied with observing nature |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.The author believes that a born naturalist cannot be a scientist |
B.The author read a lot of books about the natural world and oil industry |
C.The author’s brothers and sisters were good at music and languages |
D.The author spent a lot of time working on riddles. |
【改编】Electrical devices could soon use power made by human energy. Scientists say they have developed an experimental device that produces electricity from the physical movement of a person walking. British scientist Max Donelan and other scientists in Canada and the United States developed the device.
The device connects to a person’s knee. As the person walks, the device captures energy each time the person slows down. To do this, the device helps with the slowing down movement of the leg. The movements of the walking person push parts of a small machine that produces electricity. Using the device, an adult walking quickly could produce thirteen watts of electricity in just a minute. Donelan says walking at that speed could produce enough power to operate a laptop computer for six minutes.
There are several possible uses for the device. Developers say it could help people who work in areas without electricity to operate small computers. The device could also be used in hospitals to operate heart pacemakers(起搏器). It could even be used to assist in the movement of robotic arms and legs.
The experimental version of the device weighs about one and a half kilograms, but it is too costly for most people to buy. But the researchers hope to make a lighter, less costly version. An improved version shou1d be ready in one year.
The developers hope the device will one day help developing countries. Nearly twenty five percent of people around the world live without electric power.
A similar product was invented in 2005 by Larry Rome of the University of Pennsylvania. He created a bag carried on a person’s back that also produces power from wa1king.
The knee device does not produce as much electricity as the bag. But the bag requires the walker to carry a load of twenty to thirty kilograms.From the passage we can know the electrical devices _____.
A.are environmentally-friendly |
B.need to be charged |
C.produce electricity to make people walk faster |
D.are invented by German scientists. |
Which of the following statement is wrong?
A.The device is beneficial to human. |
B.The device can even be used in robots. |
C.An improved version of the device has been made. |
D.The device is expected to be used in developing countries. |
In which aspect the electrical device should be improved?
A.Its cost should be lowered. |
B.The electricity it produces should be used in daily life. |
C.Its weight should be lightened. |
D.Its inconvenience should be avoided . |
Compared with the knee device, the bag invented by Larry Rome _____.
A.is more expensive. | B.is much heavier. |
C.is less effective. | D.is much cheaper. |
In which part of the newspaper can you find this passage?
A.Recreation and Entertainment |
B.Occupation and Employment. |
C.Medicine and Health. |
D.Science and Technology. |
【原创】Amazon is taking a leap into movie production, planning to fund a dozen original feature films each year, and to compress the time it takes to move them from theatres to viewers’ homes.
The first film projects are expected to begin production at Amazon Studios later this year, and to make their first public appearance in U.S. theatres. But Amazon plans to push them to its Prime Instant Video subscription service as little as 30 to 60 days later.
The long-standing timeline for movie releases is already under pressure, and Amazon’s latest move is another step toward collapsing it to satisfy increasingly impatient audiences. But where competitor Netflix Inc. has sought to do away with wait times entirely.
When Netflix promised last October to commission a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and to release it on its streaming site the same day when it would open in theatres in the fall of 2015, cinema owners refused. “We believe the theatrical window is an important part of the overall movie sales cycle,” a spokesperson for theatre chain said.
Paul, a senior media analyst, expects many of Amazon’s original movies will have the feel of independent films with their more challenging subject matter, often made for $10-million or less. The goal isn’t to go toe to toe with “the big blockbuster machine,” with their $100-million-plus production budgets.“I don’t see this as laying down the gauntlet,” Mr. Dergarabedian said. “It’s a strategy of co-existence.”
Prime Instant Video offers online access to a wide array of films and television shows for $99 (U.S.) a year. But it is not currently available in Canada, unless viewers use a virtual private network to disguise their location.
The new company, Amazon Original Movies, will be led by Ted Hope, an American independent filmmaker.
“Audiences already recognize Amazon has raised the bar with productions in the episodic realm, coping with bold material in unique ways and teaming with top talent, both established and emerging,” Mr. Hope said.Why does Amazon begin to make original feature films?
A.To attract more Prime Instant Video customers |
B.To win the Golden Globe Award |
C.To cooperate with Netflix Inc. |
D.To contribute to the film industry. |
The original films that Amazon release _______.
A.may not use new actors |
B.will first be shown in Canadian theatres |
C.may be seen at home two months after they are released |
D.may not be welcome in the US |
From the passage we can infer the theatre _______.
A.doesn’t want to show Amazon’s new films |
B.prefers to co-operate with Netflix Inc. |
C.will make more profits because Amazon’ films cost less. |
D.doesn’t like the time being shortened from theatres to homes |
What does the underlined word “compress” mean?
A.Lengthen. | B.Shorten. | C.Increase. | D.Quit. |
What can be the best title?
A.Amazon comes into world market. |
B.Amazon has a bright future. |
C.Amazon jumps into movies |
D.The competition in film industry becomes serious. |
【改编】However urban life strikes you, cities worldwide have been growing ever more rapidly. Some of this growth has occurred in the developed world, but the most dramatic increase has been in the Third World. Almost all the world’s population growth over the next 30 years will take place in the cities of developing countries
By the year 2030, for the first time in history, 60 percent of the world’s people will be living in cities.
This is actually good news in some ways. “Cities are the fundamental building blocks of prosperity,” says Marc Weiss, chairman of the Prague Institute for Global Urban Development, “ both for the nation and for families.” Industrial and commercial activities in urban areas account for between 50 and 80 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in most countries of the world“ there’s the crazy notion that the way to deal with a city’s problems is to keep people out of them, ”Weiss continued. “But the problems of the rural life are even more serious than those of the city.” For better or worse, urban-watchers are clear on one point: The quality of life for most people in the future will be determined by the quality of cities. Those cities will be bigger than ever. And yet, population numbers by themselves don’t determine a city’s prospects; after all, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Hamburg, Germany, have the same population. Nor is explosive growth necessarily the determining factor. “City problems,” one authority points out, “mostly have to do with weak, ineffective, and usually unrepresentative city governments.”What is the topic of this passage?
A.The development of population. |
B.The problems in big cities. |
C.The development of big cities. |
D.The improvement of people’s life quality. |
What is Marc Weiss’s attitude toward city growth?
A.Negative. | B.Optimistic. |
C.Unclear. | D.Doubtful. |
According to the passage ,Addis Ababa may be _______.
A.a state. | B.a rural country. |
C.a country. | D.a city. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.A city’s prospects is determined by its population numbers. |
B.The problems of the rural life are less serious than those of the city. |
C.The population will mainly grow in developing countries in the following three decades. |
D.By 2030, three fourths of the population in the world will live in urban areas. |
What is the determining factor of the city problems?
A.An ineffective city government. |
B.The population explosion. |
C.Urban-watchers. |
D.Fast expansion of the city. |