Shopping for clothes is not the same experience for a man as it is for a woman. A man goes shopping because he needs something. His purpose is settled and decided in advance. He knows what he wants, and his objective is to find it and buy it; the price is a secondary consideration. All men simply walk into a shop and ask the assistant for what they want. If the shop has it in stock(有现货的), the salesman promptly produces it, and the business of trying it on follows at once. All being well, the deal can be and often is completed in less than five minutes, with hardly any chat and to everyone's satisfaction.
For a man, slight problems may begin when the shop does not have what he wants, or does not have exactly what he wants. In that case the salesman, as the name implies, tries to sell the customer something else, he offers the nearest to the article required. No good salesman brings out such a substitute impolitely; he does so with skill: “I know this jacket is not the style you want, sir, but would you like to try it for size? It happens to be the color you mentioned.” Few men have patience with this treatment, and the usual response is: “This is the right color and may be the right size, but I should be wasting my time and yours by trying it on.”
Now how does a woman go about buying clothes? In almost every respect she does so in the opposite way. Her shopping is not often based on need. She has never fully made up her mind what she wants, and she is only “having a look round”. She is always open to persuasion; indeed she sets great store by what the saleswoman tells her, even by what companions tell her. She will try on any number of things. Uppermost in her mind is the thought of finding something that everyone thinks suits her. Contrary to a lot of jokes, most women have an excellent sense of value when they buy clothes. They are always on the lookout for the unexpected bargain. Faced with a roomful of dresses, a woman may easily spend an hour going from one rail to another, to and fro, often retracing her steps, before selecting the dresses she wants to try on. It is a laborious process, but apparently an enjoyable one. Most dress shops provide chairs for the waiting husbands.The underlined sentence “the price is a secondary consideration” in the first paragraph means when a man is shopping ______.
A.he buys good quality things, so long as they are not too dear |
B.he buys whatever he likes without considering its value |
C.he does not mind how much he has to pay for the right things |
D.he often buys things without giving the matter proper thought. |
What does a man do when he can not get exactly what he wants?
A.He buys a similar thing because of the color he wants. |
B.He usually does not buy anything. |
C.At least two of his requirements must be met before he buys. |
D.So long as the style is right, he buys the thing. |
What is the most obvious difference between men and women shoppers?
A.Men do not try clothes on in a shop while women do. |
B.Women bargain for their clothes, but men do not. |
C.The time they take over buying clothes. |
D.Men go shopping based on need, but women never. |
Do you know what really troubles me? For some reason, words with silent letters have always bothered me. For example, consider these words: know, design, island, school, wrist, naughty, and salmon. All of these words have at least one letter that is not typically pronounced, and these words are just a very small part of words with silent letters in them.
Some words are even worse, consider this word: colonel. Not only are some letters not pronounced, but letters that are not even there are pronounced.
Even foreign languages, especially French, are guilty of this needless complexity and confusion. I know there must be some main historical reasons why the words are spelled and pronounced the way they are, but that does not mean bad traditions must continue to survive. Especially if they are no longer logical.
Unfortunately, there is very little that anyone can do for it, because there’s no group of people who can change or have the right to change the English language for everyone. However, the only thing we can do is make changes in the way we talk and write in hopes that it catches on. For example, I pronounce the letter “l” in salmon on purpose to make people annoyed and to sound more different or complicated. I even pronounce colonel the correct or French way.
I can only hope these two minor changes to the English language make sense to you, and you will help to keep up these minor changes forever in your everyday life.We can learn from the passage ________.
A.colonel is pronounced |
B.salmon is pronounced |
C.all the words with silent letters come from French |
D.linguists will solve the problem of dumb letters |
Which of the following is the main reason for silent letters?
A.French language. | B.Historical reasons. |
C.Some linguists | D.Bad traditions. |
The underlined phrase “catches on” probably means “________”.
A.becomes popular | B.gets across |
C.follows the fashion | D.doesn’t fall behind |
Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
A.Troubles in everyday life | B.Traps in English words |
C.Words with silent letters | D.Necessary changes of languages |
Jack lay, quiet and unmoving, for thirty minutes while a stranger repeatedly stabbed(刺) him with sharp needles, causing blood to pour steadily out of his leg. Jack was getting a tattoo. His friend Tony had recently gotten a tattoo, and Jack was so impressed by it that he decided to get one too. Peer pressure, media influence, and personal expression are some of the common reasons for wearing tattoos today.
The desire to be accepted by one’s friends or peers can have a great influence on what a person does. Sometimes, wearing a tattoo can be a sign that you belong to a certain group. Gangs often use special clothes and tattoos to identify their particular group. Some of these groups wear only brand-name clothes. Others wear tattoos. When a person’s friends are all doing something, that person is more likely to do the same thing.
The media is another big influence behind the popularity of tattoos in North America. A wide variety of media images show tattoos—people appearing in commercials selling expensive cars, famous sports heroes with tattoos in magazines, fashion models wearing designer clothes that show their bodies tattooed with detailed and colorful patterns. These media images link tattoos to ideas of wealth, success, and status. As a result, many people decide to get a tattoo for its fashion and status value.
Many people decide to wear tattoos in order to express their artistic nature, their beliefs, or their feelings-in other words, to show their individuality(个性). A musician in a rock band may get a tattoo of a guitar on the arm. Some environmentalists may tattoo pictures of endangered animals on their shoulders. A tattoo can be a public sign to show what is important in a person’s life.
As you can see, there are many reasons why young North Americans get tattoos. A tattoo can be part of a group’s uniform, a sign of fashion, or an expression of individuality. The decision to get a tattoo is most often a result of the influence of friends or media or the desire to express oneself. For Jack, it was a mixture of all three.Jack has got tattoos in order to ________.
A.show his great bravery | B.gain a special experience |
C.make himself more healthy | D.be different from others |
According to the passage, media images are linked to ________.
A.traditional lifestyle | B.social position |
C.cultural background | D.public interest |
We can infer from the passage that ________.
A.some people get tattoos out of pressure |
B.tattoo is related to religious belief |
C.getting tattoos costs a lot of money |
D.most people with tattoos are artists |
1. The Video Camera Pen
Item 78431; $129.95
Available for Immediate Shipment
Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484
This is the pen that has a built-in video camera, capturing videos or still images with a click of its button. Ideal for use while secured in a pocket, it can capture up to five hours of video and up to 20,000 images. Its battery provides up to two hours of power before requiring a recharge.
2. The Wristwatch Camcorder
Item 78098; $149.95
Available for 3-day shipment
Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484
This is the men’s watch with an unnoticeable camcorder, so you’ll always have a camera ready to capture a chance famous person or a pet’s ridiculous actions. The camera is located at the two-o’clock position,
yet the watch’s hands never make it covered. The camera’s rechargeable battery provides up to two hours of use from a four-hour charge.
3. The only 55 Inch Widescreen Personal Movie Theater
Item 77918; $249.95
Available for Immediate Shipment
Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484
This is the only personal media viewer that provides a
private viewing experience just like watching a widescreen 55 inch television from 10 meters away. It connects to a video iPod, iPhone, portable DVD player. Includes two AA batteries that provide up to six hours of continuous operation and iPod cable.
4. The Digital Phone Album Watch
Item 77281; $99.95
Available for Immediate Shipment
Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484
This is the watch that vividly displays 120 of your favorite digital photographs. You can download digital photographs to the watch. The watch can be viewed in the Photo Album mode(time and photo view) or digital mode (time and date view). A six-hour charge provides up to 10 days of use.What’s the purpose of this passage?
A.To compare some creative inventions |
B.To advertise some unique goods. |
C.To teach how to operate the items |
D.To show how fashionable the items are. |
What do Item 78431 and Item 78098 have in common according to this passage?
A.They both sell well. |
B.They are both cheap. |
C.They both have unusual appearances. |
D.They both can take photos. |
If you’re a movie fan, you probably show strong interest in ________.
A.The Video Camera Pen |
B.The Wristwatch Camcorder |
C.The only 55 Inch Widescreen Personal Movie Theater |
D.The Digital Phone Album Watch |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.In fact, Item 78098 cannot tell time. |
B.Item 77918 works as a DVD player. |
C.In a way, Item 77281 is user-friendly. |
D.All the items include rechargeable batteries. |
“Hey, Jenna, do you think we’ll still be friends when we’re eighty-two?” I asked my friend. It was clear that she was wondering where I had come up with such a question. Losing Jenna would be like losing a very close sister. We hung out together. We gave each other advice.
“Of course, we’ll still be friends when we’re eighty-two.” Jenna announced loudly.
The next year, in the fourth grade, we met Jamie. The three of us soon became close friends. We played together almost every day. I thought even time couldn’t pull us apart, but I was sadly mistaken.
The three of us started fighting a lot. Before Christmas, we had a really big fight, and Jamie and Jenna were against me, both saying I was bossy. I felt helpless and lonely. I thought Christmas would be horrible!
I was surprised when Jenna came to my house and gave me an awesome Christmas card she had made for me. I was so sure that she was still disappointed with me.
“Wow, ” I said, breaking the silence as we stood on either side of my front door. “Thanks.”
“Okay…well…I have to go,” she said softly.
“Okay. See you later then…” and I closed the door.
“Who was that at the door?” my mum asked.
The card started off with “Merry Christmas”, but then it said, “I am so glad we’re friends. I am sorry about what I said when we were fighting. A fight won’t stop us from being friends. Besides, we said we were going to be friends even when we’re eight-two.”
I stopped reading and started laughing. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten what she said that day in her back yard. I couldn’t believe I had been so selfish in trying to get even and making my friends feel sorry for me that I had forgotten about real friendship.How would the author and Jenna get along with each other after Christmas?
A.They would be close friends again. |
B.They would not speak to each other. |
C.They would lose touch with each other. |
D.They would go on fighting with each other. |
The underlined sentence “I was bossy” in the fourth paragraph means “_________”.
A.I looked like a boss | B.I acted as a boss |
C.I was fond of giving orders | D.I was fond of fighting |
Which of the following is the right time order according to the passage?
a. Jamie became our friend.
b. I felt lonely and unhappy.
c. Jenna, Jamie and I fought a lot.
d. Jenna brought me a Christmas card.
e. I was sorry for what I did to her.
f. Jenna and I promised to be lifelong friends.
A.f a b c e d | B.a c f b d e | C.a b c f e d | D.f a c b d e |
The author was delighted when she read the card from Jenna because _________.
A.what Jenna wrote was funny |
B.Jenna would be her friend again |
C.she was happy about the coming Christmas |
D.she was happy to receive a Christmas card |
Many famous painters worked in Antwerp during the city’s period of greatest power but Peter Paul Rubens is undoubtedly the most famous one of them. Known as Rubens House, the palace-like residence(大宅) and studio where Rubens worked and lived from 1616 until his death in 1640 is now one of Antwerp’s most visited museums.
Almost all of the works Rubens and his students created in the Rubens House have been dispersed (分散) over major museums across the whole world, but there is still an impressive collection well worth the visit. Besides paintings form the master himself you will find other works of art and furniture of the 17th century as well as paintings from his students, including works by Jacob Jordaens and Anthony Van Dyck.
The Rubens House was not only a studio but also a meeting place for the rich and famous. His clients(委托人) included wealthy merchants, diplomats, and there were also many noblemen who often visited his studio to see how work progressed. The Rubens House even had a special viewing area which allowed visitors to see the artists at work.
Ruben bought the house at the beginning of the 17th century after his eight-year-long stay in Italy. Influenced by Italian architecture, he rebuilt the building into an Italian-styled palace with a beautiful garden and moved in the house in 1616.
After his death the building was sold. New owners modified the building greatly and by 1937, when the building was purchased by the city of Antwerp, it hardly resembled the original structure.
The impressive entrance hall, which connected the studio and the residence, is one of the few parts that survived. Other parts have been carefully restored and reconstructed after original plans and paintings of the house.As a museum, the Rubens House is popular because ________.
A.it lies in the famous city of Antwerp |
B.it holds all the works by Rubens and his students |
C.there are many people who enjoy visiting it |
D.Rubens, a great artist, lived and worked there |
We can learn from the third paragraph that ________.
A.the Rubens House was popular with upper-class people |
B.the Rubens House was the best studio in its time |
C.Rubens’s students included noblemen and diplomats |
D.people were not allowed to view the artists working |
What can be inferred from the text?
A.Thanks to its great painters, Antwerp became a rich city. |
B.Ruben possibly showed strong interest in Italian buildings. |
C.Antwerp must be a historical city in Italy. |
D.The Rubens House was completely rebuilt before 1937. |
Which of the following is TRUE, according to the text?
A.Rubens created his works by worki![]() |
B.A beautiful garden was added to the Rubens House by new owners. |
C.Today’s Rubens House looks like its original structure. |
D.The Rubens House is decorated with furniture of the 17th century. |