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(委托人) 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 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 workmates 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 |
Angus MacLeod was fifty and he had spent his entire life as a shepherd in the remote mountainous region of northwest Scotland. He had never owned a radio or television nor had he travelled further than forty kilometres from his birthplace. His knowledge of the world was gained only from his brief trips to the village to sell his sheep and buy food. However, he had lately come to rely on the growing number of hill-walkers in the region as sources of international news.
In the spring of 1992, a Spanish student came across Angus high in the mountains. Eager to practise his English he engaged Angus in conversation. The student told Angus of the forthcoming Olympic Games in Barcelona. Excited by the student's colourful description of Spain and the Games, Angus decided to attend the event in person and two months later arrived in Barcelona.
The ticketless Angus stood outside the stadium with his canny brain working overtime, watching a growing number of individuals entering the stadium through a small entrance at the side. He noticed that they all seemed to be carrying objects. Perhaps they were workmen, he thought. He moved closer and watched.
Within minutes a thin young man came along carrying an extremely long pole. He approached the official at the door and said "Pole Vault". The official moved to the side and the man entered. Next came a heavy-set man with a spear. Angus wondered how a man could carry such a dangerous weapon in a modern city. The man shouted " Javelin " and was presently admitted. Angus was puzzled. Perhaps they were all connected with security. His puzzlement grew when a huge man appeared with a steel ball in his hand. He shouted "Shot Putt" and walked past the official.
It suddenly dawned on Angus that these people were competitors. He opened his programme and sure enough under the heading "events" he saw the three words the men had said. Angus laughed to himself as a plan began to take shape in his mind. First he needed to buy one or two things.
An hour later he reappeared dressed in a tracksuit with "Scotland" written across the chest. Over his shoulder he carried a roll of barbed wire (铁丝网). Smiling to himself he walked up to the official and as casually as he could, shouted, "Fencing!"
46. Which was Angus' new way of getting information about the outside world?
A. Travelling from his birthplace. B. Listening to radio and watching TV.
C. Going to the nearby village to sell sheep. D. Talking to hill-walkers in the region.
47. What are "Javelin" , "Pole Vault", "Shot Putt" and "Fencing" in the passage?
A. Olympic events. B. Names of competitors.
C. Security weapons. D. Names of countries.
48. From the passage we can learn that ______.
A. more and more people went to Scotland to practise their English
B. the Spanish student's description of his country excited Angus
C. Angus had been planning a trip to Barcelona to see the Olympic Games
D. Angus became a member of the Scottish Olympic team
49. From the passage we know that Angus seemed to be
A. poorly-informed B. intelligent C. strong-minded D. athletic
50. What do you expect the official would do in the end?
A. Help him carry the wire. B. Refuse to let him in.
C. Give him a close inspection. D. Lead him to the competition.
The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues(疫病) that flesh receives.
The most widespread fallacy(谬误) of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes.
During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches(战壕), cold and wet, showed no increased tendency to catch colds.In the Second World War prisoners at the notorious Auschwitz Concentration Camp(奥斯维辛集中营), naked and starving, were astonished to find that they seldom had colds. At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose.
If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? Despite the most pains-taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.
No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors(止痛片) such as aspirin, but all they do is relieve the symptoms.
71. The writer offered examples to support his argument.
A.4 B. 5 C. 6 D. 3
72. Which of the following does not agree with the chosen passage?
A. The Eskimos do not suffer from colds all the time.
B. Colds are not caused by cold.
C. People suffer from colds just because they like to stay indoors. . .
D. A person may catch a cold by touching someone who already has one.
73. Arctic explorers may catch colds when .
A. they are working in the isolated arctic regions
B. they are writing reports in terribly cold weather
C. they are free from work in the isolated arctic regions
D. they are coming into touch again with the outside world
74. Volunteers taking part in the experiments in the Common Cold Research Unit .
A. suffered a lot B. never caught colds C. often caught colds D. became very strong
75. The passage mainly discusses .
A. the experiments on the common cold B. the fallacy about the common cold
C. the reason and the way people catch colds D. the continued spread of common colds
The house was quiet at 5 am and Tim' s mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer broke the quiet. He’d dreamt of the cave last night. The purring (轻微颤动声) of the freezer had been the sea.
Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He'd eat after he’d been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea.
He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches---but his mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches, she' d want to know why he had to leave so early. He settled for some biscuits, and left a note stuck to the table:
Gone to Michael’s. Back tonight, Tim.
The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn't up. Even the highway up the hill was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and sweet.
The sandhills still breathed heat from yesterday’s sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves.
The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched (延伸) across the sea. The sun was pushing its way over the edge of the world.
Over the first rocks, along to the point. Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed higher in the sky.
He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious (神秘的) now? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn't go in all the way. . .
63. What did Tim do at the beginning of the story?
A. He left the house quietly. B. He had breakfast at home.
C. He left a note on the freezer. D. He put a sweater in his schoolbag.
64. "He settled for some biscuits” ( in Paragraph 3 ) means that Tim_______.
A. had to leave the biscuits on the table B. liked biscuits better than sandwiches
C. had to take biscuits instead of sandwiches
D. could only find some biscuits in the kitchen
65. What made it possible for Tim to see the entry to the cave?
A. The height of the first rocks. B. The ups and downs of the waves.
C. The change in the position of the sun. D. The vast stretch of the sunlit beach.
66. In the story, Tim's mood (心情) changed from_________.
A. loneliness to craziness B. anxiousness to excitement
C. helplessness to happiness D. eagerness to nervousness
Volunteers, as an essential part of a successful world exposition, are a major channel for the public to participate in, serve and share the world exposition and a means to showcase the image of the host country and city. The following information is about the volunteer for the World Exposition 2010 Shanghai China.
I.Requirements for Volunteers
● Be willing to participate in voluntary services of Expo 2010;
● Age limit: Expo Site volunteers must be born April 30,
1992 and Expo City Voluntary Service Station volunteers before
April 30, 1994;
● Obey the laws and regulations of the PRC;
● Be able to participate in training and relevant activities before the opening of Expo 2010 on May 1st;
● Possess necessary knowledge and skills needed by the position, one foreign language at least;
● Be in good health to meet the requirements of corresponding voluntary positions.
● Have previous experience of voluntary work.
II.Further Information for Volunteers
● Source
Residents of Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese, and foreigners can all apply to be the volunteers.
● Signup methods
Applicants may log in onto the official websites for online signup.They may also consult or connect with the Expo Volunteer Stations.
● Time
May 1 - December 31, 2009
Ⅲ.Volunteer Training
Volunteer training includes general training, special training and position training.General training is carried out through internet, while special training and position training are provided through classroom lectures and field practice.
IV.Volunteer Types
● Expo Site volunteers refer to those offering voluntary services to visitors and the Organizer in the Expo Site, mainly including information, visitor flow management, reception, translation and interpretation(口译), assistance for the disabled, and assistance in media service, event and conference organization and.volunteer management.
● Information booth volunteers are stationed in the Expo's information booths at key transportation centers, commercial outlets, tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels and cultural event places outside the Expo Site.They offer services including information, translation, interpretation and even first aid.
60. According to the volunteer brochure, which of the following suits the position of Expo Site?
A.Li Hua, a retired Spanish teacher, still recovering from her leg operation.
B.Wang Ming, 19, a former voluntary interpreter of the United Nations.
C.Li Jing, a middle-aged researcher, who is to finish his field work at the end of April.
D.Hong Wei, 17, winner of an English speaking competition, looking for his first voluntary work.
61. Which of the training will be done on the Internet?
A.Position training. B.General training.
C.Classroom training. D.Special training.
62. Which of the following service is offered by information booth volunteers?
A.Visitor flow management. B.Helping the disabled
C.Assistance in media service. D.Emergency first aid.
On any weekend throughout the year one can spend hours browsing through neighborhood flea (跳蚤) markets. These are very popular for those who are in search of bargains and who have a keen eye for picking through what others have discarded. They hunt and search for something they can reuse. Americans love secondhand merchandise (商品) which can be bought cheaply and restored to its original use. In many cases the condition and the quality are still good, though the style might be outdated.
For some people searching through flea markets is a hobby which reaps rewards. They look for possible antiques among the items for sale or for old furniture which can be restored with a little care and used again. Many wise collectors often find rare items worth much more than their bargained price. Since prices are usually not fixed, if one is persistent a bargain can easily be struck. The owner may be selling a rare collectable and may not even be aware of its value. One of the great pleasures of shopping at such markets is the chance to bargain with the shop owner and settle for a price which one can afford and is willing to pay.
Perhaps even more enjoyable than flea markets are the weekend outdoor garage sales which have now become very much a part of American culture. These are held usually in the spring and fall when the weather is still good. Usually a homeowner, having decided that he would like to clear his residence of accumulated items which are no longer useful to him, advertises in a local paper that he is holding a garage sale. More than likely the goods on display are in good condition and great buys can be found if one has the time and patience to search carefully. The home owner places items for sale on display along the driveway leading to his garage or on his front lawn and waits for people to look at what he has to sell. Old magazines, books, paintings, bicycles, ice-skates, items of clothing and electrical appliances of every sort appear on a regular basis. If the owner is in a position where he must sell his home or plans to move soon, then he may be forced to practically give things away at a price far below their true worth.
67. What do you usually do before holding a garage sale?
A. Put on an advertisement in a local newspaper. B. Display your goods in front of the garage.
C. Find rare items and fix their prices. D. Clear your garage and front lawn.
68. The underlined word “discarded” in Paragraph 1 probably means ____.
A. distributed B. rejected C. discovered D. stored
69. When people shop at a flea market, how can they settle on a price?
A. They can bargain on a price acceptable to both. B. They can question their value.
C. They can expect a 50% discount. D. They can compare with the other sellers.
70. What do we know about the garage sale?
A. It is only held in the spring of the year.
B. The goods on display are totally useless.
C. Garage sales are popular with Americans.
D. All the goods are selling far below their real value.