Starting a bank a child’s play? Absolutely, if you ask some enterprising youngsters in India, who have not only managed to establish one, but also, unlike many of the large International banks, run it successfully since 2001. What’s even more impressive is that the young bankers and their 90,004---clients are all homeless!
The Children’s Development Khazana (treasure) opened its first branch in 2001 at a homeless shelter in New Deli as a way to help the street children protect their hard-earned money from thieves. Since then, the idea has caught on like wildfire.
Today, Khazana has 12 branches all across New Deli, with a total of Rupees 12lakh (about 22,000USD) in deposits. Not only that, there are now 77 affiliated branches in other parts of Asia, ranging from Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to the island of Sri Lanka, and even Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. While no deposit or balance is too small for the bank, they do have strict regulations about where the money is earned from. Funds obtained by begging or selling drugs are not welcomed at this bank !
Also, unlike the real banks, all employees are volunteers, which means that they go to school or a paying job during the day and work at the bank in the evening. To ensure that everybody gets a chance to participate in running the branch, two volunteer managers are elected from the clients base every six months.
Karan, the current manager is just 14-year-old. During the day he earns a living by helping out the cleaning crew at wedding banquets and other big parties. In the evening, he handles the deposits（存款）and withdrawals（取款）in the bank. After the bank closes, he along with an adult volunteer from the shelter head over to a regular bank and deposit the funds collected into Khazana’s interest-bearing bank account and though it started with one single purpose. The Children’s Development Khazana is today a well-developed bank, one kids can not only deposit money which earns them 5% interest, but also, request loans for family emergencies, to start a business or even to pay for school.The initial aim of starting the Children’s Development Khazana is to______.
| A．provide for jobs for homeless children |
| B．help homeless families with emergencies |
| C．sponsor homeless children to go to school |
| D．safeguard homeless children’s hard-earned money |
The children’s Development Khazana is different from regular banks in that_______.
| A．all its workers are street children |
| B．it pays its customers no interest |
| C．customers can be made its managers |
| D．it opens in the evening six month a year |
According to the passage, the Children’s Development Khazana________.
| A．welcomes all money, however small it is |
| B．offers more and better service than before |
| C．is run by a 14-year-old boy, Karan alone |
| D．has more than 70 branches across India |
Sarah Outland’s weeklong “staycation” gave her a chance to explore her new surroundings after moving to Chicago. A day after moving to the Windy City last year, Outland started a new job and never got a chance to explore her new surroundings. After nine months as a resident, she finally took a week off work to visit famous landmarks, museums and shopping centers that were right under her nose.
If you glance through a newspaper or listen to a news broadcast recently, you may hear or spot a strange word, “staycation”. Staycation is a new word the American press is employing to describe a vacation very close to your home, or simply staying at home during your vacation. It is a combination of words “stay”and “vacation”.
According to many news reports, these staycations are achieving great popularity among American families this year. When asked about the reason for their expected staycation, respondents stated “gas prices are too high” (61 percent), “travel in general is too expensive (44 percent). The high price of gas for cars and airplanes has made it very expensive for Americans to travel compared to past years. When you combine this with the weak American dollar, it all adds up to people deciding to stay close to home during their traditional summer vacations.
For aggressive young Americans who are trying to balance family and work, a staycation can be a great concept. They want to enjoy their homes and the attractions in their area without the stress of packing or making reservation. They won’t be paying high fuel prices either directly, at the pump, or indirectly, in airfare, other than the gas required to drive around town. Absolutely, it’s friendlier on the environment when locals take trips to attractions in their own area, and not everyone is game for a vacation that involves staying on a hotel compound. Few people live close enough to a real destination to make this worth their while.How long after moving to Chicago did Sarah Outland take a staycation?
| A．A day | B．A week | C．A month | D．Nine months |
The author develops the second paragraph of the passage by______.
| A．making a comparison | B．giving a definition |
| C．offing an analysis | D．providing an example |
Staycations are popular with American people mainly due to _____.
| A．high traveling expenses | B．stress of packing |
| C．relatively low income | D．lack of real destinations. |
The Dangers of Dieting
Thanks to our modern lifestyle, with more and more time spent sitting down in front of computers than ever before, the number of overweight people is at a new high. As people crazily search for a solution to this problem, they often try some of the popular fad(时尚) diets being offered. Many people see fad diets as harmless ways of losing weight, and they are grateful to have them. Unfortunately, not only don’t fad diets usually do the trick, but they can actually be dangerous for your health.
Although permanent weight loss is the goal, few are able to achieve it. Experts estimate that 95 percent of dieters return to their starting weight, or even add weight. While the irresponsible or unwise use of fad diets can bring some initial results, long-term results are very rare.
Nonetheless, people who are bored with the difficulties of changing their eating habits often turn to fad diets. Rather than being moderate, fad diets involve extreme dietary changes. They advise eating only one type of food, or they prohibit other types of foods entirely. This results in a situation where a person’s body doesn’t get all the vitamins and other things that it needs to stay healthy.
One popular fad diet recommends eating lots of meat and animal products, while nearly eliminating carbohydrates（碳水化合物）. A scientific study from Britain found that this diet is very high in fat. According to the study, the increase of damaging fats in the blood can lead to heart disease and, in extreme cases, kidney failure. Furthermore, diets that are too low in carbohydrates can cause the body to use its own muscle for energy. The less muscle you have, the less food you use up, and the result is slower weight loss.
Veteran(老兵) dieters may well ask at this point, “What is the ideal diet?” Well, to some extent, it depends on the individual. A United States government agency has determined that to change your eating habits requires changing your psychology of eating, and everyone has a different psychology. That being said, the British study quoted above recommends a diet that is high in carbohydrates and high in fiber, with portions of fatty foods kept low. According to the study, such a diet is the best for people who want to stay healthy, lose weight, and keep that weight off. And, any dieting program is best undertaken with a doctor’s supervision.After losing weight by dieting, what usually happens to people?
| A．They have kidney failure. |
| B．They gain the weight back again. |
| C．They keep the weight off. |
| D．They have less muscle. |
Which of the following best expresses the essential information in paragraph 3?
| A．Bored people turn to fad diets, which, being too extreme, don’t give the body everything it needs. |
| B．People are bored with fad diets and turn to diets which provide what the body needs. |
| C．People prefer fad dieting to moderate dieting because it requires fewer foods to give the body what it needs. |
| D．Fad diets give boring people the moderate dietary changes they need to get all the required vitamins. |
Which is not mentioned as an effect of the meat and animal product diet?
| A．Heart disease. | B．Slower weight loss. |
| C．Psychological changes. | D．Kidney failure. |
According to the passage, why does the ideal diet depend on the individual?
| A．The less muscle you have, the less food you use up. |
| B．Everyone can gain the weight back. |
| C．Everyone has a different psychology. |
| D．Everyone likes different foods. |
One day, Jack told his friend Tom that he loved a very beautiful girl with charming eyes and long hair, and that he wanted to marry her. Tom was so happy to hear the news and asked Jack to lead him to her. However, Tom loved her at first sight, He then told Jack, “This girl is not suitable for you. She deserves a handsome man like me.” Jack was astonished and struggled with Tom until they went to the police to solve the problem.
They told the policeman their story. The policeman asked them to bring the girl to his office. However, when the policeman saw her, he became taken with her and said, “This girl is not suitable for you two. She deserves someone with a status like me.” The three men struggled with each other and then went to the king.
The king asked them to bring him the girl. When the king saw the girl, he said, “Oh, the girl should marry a king like me.” They all argued with each other.
Then the girl said, “I have a solution. I’m going to run and you’ll run after me. I’ll be the wife to the one who catches me first.” The four men all agreed and ran after her. While running after her, they suddenly fell into a deep hole. From the top, the girl looked at them and said, “Now, let me tell you who I am.”
“I’m Reputation--I’m the one all people run after. They compete against each other to get me. They leave principles aside to seek for me, and they are sure to fall like you!”What makes the four men love the girl?
| A．The girl’s beauty. |
| B．The girl’s reputation. |
| C．The girl’s smart mind. |
| D．The girl’s way to speak. |
The underlined part “ taken with” in Para. 2 means.
| A．close to | B．attracted to |
| C．confused about | D．delightful with |
According to the passage, we can infer that.
| A．men can never touch beautiful girls |
| B．running after girls makes us fall down |
| C．seeking only for reputation may bring disasters |
| D．love at risk is all the time taking place everywhere |
What could be the best title of the passage?
| A．All Men Are Similarly Stupid |
| B．A Smart Girl Has All Solutions |
| C．Be Careful about Beautiful Girls |
| D．Always Follow the Principles in Life |
MetroPocketGuide
Metrorail (地铁)
Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out. Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer.
Farecard machines are in every station. Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the stations and farecard machines only provide up to $5 in change. Get one ticket of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass. Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations. Use it after 9:30 a.m, until closing on weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays.
Hours of service
Open: 5a.m Mon.-Fri. 7a.m Sat.-Sun.
Close: midnight Sun.-Thurs. 3 a.m Fri.-Sat. nights
Last train times vary. To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train times posted in stations.
Metrobus
When paying with exact charge, the fare is $1.35. When paying with a SmarTrip card, the fare is 1.25.
Fares for senior/ disabled customers
Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare.
On Metrorail and Metrobus, use a senior/disabled farecard or Smar/Trip card. For more information about buying senior/disabled farecard, SmarTrip card and passes, please visit MetroOpensDoors.com or call 202-637-7000 and 202-637-8000.
Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorail services by calling 202-962-1100.
Travel tips (提示)
Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4 and 6 p.m. If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost &Found at 202-962-1195.What should you know about farecard machines?
| A．They start selling tickets at 9:30 a.m. |
| B．They are connected to change machines. |
| C．They offer special service to the elderly. |
| D．They make change for no more than $5. |
At what time does Metrorail stop service on Saturday?
| A．At midnight. | B．At 3 a.m. |
| C．At 5 a.m. | D．At 7 p.m. |
What is good about a SmarTrip card ?
| A．It is convenient for old people. |
| B．It saves money for its users. |
| C．It can be bought at any time. |
| D．It is sold on the Internet. |
Which number should you call if you lose something on the Metro?
| A．202-962-1195. | B．202-962-1100. |
| C．202-637-7000. | D．202-637-8000. |
Exploit your parking space
An unused parking space or garage can make money. If you live near a city center or an airport, you could make anything up to £200 or £300 a week. Put an advertisement（广告）for free on Letpark or Atmyhousepark.
Rent a room
Spare room? Not only will a lodger（房客）earn you an income, but also, thanks to the government-backed “rent a room” program, you won’t have to pay any tax on the first £4500 you make per year. Try advertising your room on Roomspare or Roommateeasy.
Make money during special events
Don’t want a full-time lodger? Then rent on a short-term basis. If you live in the capital, renting a room out during the Olympics or other big events could bring in money. Grashpadder can advertise your space.
Live on set
Renting your home out as a “film set” could earn you hundreds of pounds a day, depending on the film production company and how long your home is needed. A quick search on the Internet will bring up dozens of online companies that allow you to register your home for free—but you will be charged if your home gets picked.
Use your roof
You need the right kind of roof, but some energy companies pay the cost of fixing solar equipment(around￡14,000), and let you use the energy produced for nothing. In return, they get paid for unused energy fed back into the National Grid. However, you have to sign a 25-year agreement with the supplier, which could prevent you from changing the roof.If you earn ￡5000 from renting a room in one year, the tax you need to pay will be based on ______.
| A．￡800 | B．￡500 | C．￡4500 | D．5000 |
If you want to use energy free, you have to_____.
| A．sign an agreement with the government |
| B．pay around ￡14,000 for the equipment |
| C．sell the roof to some energy companies |
| D．keep the roof unchanged for within 25 years |
For whom the text most probably written?
| A．Lodgers. | B．Advertisers. |
| C．House owners. | D．Online companies |