Although his 1-year-old smart-phone still works perfectly, Li Jijia already feels the need to replace it.
“There are many better ones available now. It's time to upgrade(更新）my phone.”
Li's impatience is shared by many. Shortly after the season when new products are released, many consumers feel the urge to upgrade their electronic equipment, even though the ones they have still work just fine.
As consumers' minds are occupied by Apple's newly released products and debate whether the Google tablet is better than the new Amazon Kindle, it might be time to take a step back and ask: “Do we really need the latest upgrades?"
According to Donald Norman, an American author, “planned obsolescence (淘汰）” is the trick behind the upgrading culture of today's consumer electronics industry.
Electronics producers strategically release new upgrades periodically, both for hardware and software, so that customers on every level feel the need to buy the newest version.
“This is an old-time trick- they're not inventing anything new,” Norman said. “This is a wasteful system through which companies-many of them producing personal electronics - release poor-quality products simply because they know that, in six months or a year, they'll put out a new one.”
But the new psychology of consumers is part of this system, as Norman admitted，“We now want something new, something pretty, the next shiny thing.” In its most recent year, Apple's profit margin was more than 21 percent. At Hewlett-Packard, the world's biggest PC maker, it was only 7 percent.
Apple's annual upgrades of its products create sales of millions of units as owners of one year's MacBook or iPhone line up to buy the newest version, even when the changes are slight.
As to Li Jijia, the need for upgrading his smart-phone comes mainly from friends and classmates. When they are switching to the latest equipment, he worries about feeling left out.
“Some games require better hardware to run, ”said Li. “If you don't join in, you lose part of the connection to your friends.”What's the author's attitude towards people's desire for new products?
| A．Supportive. | B．Happy. |
| C．Critical. | D．Unclear. |
Why is Apple Company interested in producing latest version of its product?
| A．To provide customers with better service. |
| B．To defeat other competitors like Hewlett-Packard. |
| C．To establish a favorable image of itself among its customers. |
| D．To make huge profits out of its business. |
How do the electronics companies successfully promote their latest products?
| A．They make full use of the "planned obsolescence” strategy. |
| B．They make a fool of customers by recycling their old products. |
| C．They control the customers' way of thinking while shopping. |
| D．They invent new products to attract the youth like Li Jijia. |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that Li Jijia feels the need to replace his smart-phone as a result of____.
| A．new psychology |
| B．pressure from friends and classmates |
| C．life style |
| D．friends' expectation |
The aims of the Illustrators’(插图画家的) Exhibition，staged as part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair，organized by BolognaFiere and held from 23 to 26 December，are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers.
QUALIFICATIONS
•Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality，if they were born before 31st December 1992，whose artwork is intended for use in children’s books，are qualified to enter the Exhibition，either directly or through publishing houses or schools.
•Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Nonfiction Category.Illustrators may only enter one category.
•Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be reentered.
•The confirmation(确认) form must be filled in and a photograph attached，then presented together with illustrations no later than 15 October.
SHIPMENT
Entries may be delivered by post，express delivery service or by hand.From abroad，please use the following forms：Form “A” for registered mail or post by air；Form “B” if using an international forwarding agent or airline.
To avoid delays，material should not be sent by normal post.Material should be sent “carriage(运费) paid”，including any customs and delivery costs.
BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the nonarrival or late arrival of artwork.All published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number，publisher’s name and address.
REQUIREMENTS
The illustrations(i.e.the size of the sheet) must not exceed(超过) the following dimensions：
Fiction：
32×42 cm (or 42×32 cm)
Nonfiction：
50×70 cm (70×50 cm)
Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered，nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere.The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board，maximum thickness 2 mm (for scanner separation purposes)．
SELECTION PROCESS
All artworks received by the stated deadline and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group (whose decision is final)，including five members (from publishing houses and art schools) appointed each year by BolognaFiere.
EXHIBITIONS ABROAD
After the Bologna event，the Illustrators Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY.The Illustrators Exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues in other countries.The exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the Illustrators Exhibition，and the provisions (条款) of the regulations are extended to the organizers of the exhibitions held abroad.
RETURN OF ARTWORK
All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere or directly by the organizers of the exhibitions held abroad by the end of July next year.According to the text，the Illustrators’ Exhibition ________.
| A．will last five days in all in July every other year |
| B．is intended for college students who are good at painting |
| C．is held by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in BolognaFiere |
| D．can strengthen the relationship between illustrators and publishers |
The illustrators of the Illustrators’ Exhibition ________.
| A．should be at least 16 and no more than 25 |
| B．may reenter their artwork after it is returned |
| C．should state the category of their artwork clearly |
| D．may choose to attach a photo to the application form |
The illustrators’works will not be considered if they ________.
| A．are received after the day of 15 October |
| B．are smaller than the required size |
| C．have already been published abroad before |
| D．don’t meet the demands of the international experts |
Life in space will certainly take some getting used to！But the space station has been designed to keep the astronauts as comfortable as possible—the modules(舱) are roomy，bright，and kept at a constant 70 degrees Fahrenheit.It’s important the crew members are comfortable because they’ll be busy aboard the station.In a typical workday，crew members will spend 14 hours working and exercising,1.5 hours preparing and eating meals，and 8.5 hours sleeping.Here are some other fun facts about life aboard the station：
Food
Come mealtime，astronauts will have a special dining kitchen.Space food just keeps getting better—and more like food we enjoy here on Earth.In early space missions，astronauts could eat only freezedried food that didn’t require any preparation.But the space station is equipped with water，microwave ovens，and refrigerators，allowing the folks on board to eat more “normal” types of food，including fruit，vegetables，and ice cream!
Sleep
Each crew member has a private room.With no gravity，they’ll need to tie themselves to their beds，or they will float away！That might sound like a strange way to sleep，but astronauts from past space missions report that sleeping in space is actually pretty great!
Exercise
You might not think it，but exercise is even more important on the station than it is on Earth.There is not much gravity in space.Astronauts don’t stand up，sit down or walk in space，so their muscles and bones don’t have to work much—and this muscle and bone loss can be dangerous back on Earth.To fight this，astronauts on the station will exercise on bikes，rowing machines，and other equipment about two hours every day.
Clothing
Astronauts will have to wear special space suits while traveling aboard the U．S.shuttle or Russian rockets.But once they’re safe inside the space station，crew members can wear regular clothing.Of course，a specially designed，pressurized space suit is required for space walks.It has to withstand(经受住) flying pieces and protect the astronauts from dramatic temperature changes.It can range from 120 degrees below Fahrenheit in the shadow of the station to 250 degrees in the hot sun.
Personal Cleanliness
Simple tasks like brushing your teeth can be challenging in a weightless environment.A little water doesn’t flow in a stream—it suspends in a bubble！Astronauts will use a freshwater hose(软管) to take showers，shampoo，and wash off—then a second vacuum hose to suction(吸) off the dirty water.And how do you go to the bathroom in space？With a special “air toilet” that uses flowing air instead of water to dispose of waste.The facts about life in space are all mentioned EXCEPT ________.
| A．clothing | B．entertainment |
| C．sleep | D．exercise |
What can be learned from the paragraph “Clothing”？
| A．The temperature is quite different in different places in space. |
| B．Astronauts must wear special space suits all the time in space. |
| C．Astronauts can wear regular clothing for space walks now. |
| D．Astronauts wear pressurized space suits just to keep warm. |
Why is exercise more important in space than on earth?
| A．It can make astronauts feel relaxed in space. |
| B．It can help astronauts spend their spare time happily. |
| C．Astronauts’ lives are more important in space than on earth. |
| D．It can prevent astronauts from causing muscle and bone loss. |
What do we know about space food from the text?
| A．Astronauts could eat apples in space in the past. |
| B．Astronauts eat only fruit，vegetables and ice cream now. |
| C．Fresh food isn’t available to astronauts in space. |
| D．Space food is getting better now than before. |
One summer I was driving from my home town of Tahoe City，Calif.，to New Orleans.In the middle of the desert，I came upon a young man standing by the roadside.He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand.I drove right by him.There was a time in the country when you’d be considered a jerk if you passed by somebody in need.Now you are a fool for helping.With gangs，drug addicts，murderers，rapists，thieves lurking everywhere，“I don’t want to get involved” has become a national motto.
Several states later I was still thinking about the hitchhiker.Leaving him standing in the desert did not bother me so much.What bothered me was how easily I had reached the decision.I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator.
Does anyone stop any more？I wondered.I recalled Blanche DuBois’s famous line：“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers”．Could anyone rely on the kindness of strangers these days？One way to test this would be for a person to journey from coast to coast without any money，relying solely on the good will of his fellow Americans.What kind of Americans would he find？Who would feed him，shelter him，carry him down the road?
The idea intrigued me.
The week I turned 37，I realized that I had never taken a gamble in my life.So I decided to travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic without a penny.It would be a cashless journey through the land of the almighty dollar.I would only accept offers of rides，food and a place to rest my head.My final destination would be Cape Fear in North Carolina，a symbol of all the fears I’d have to conquer during the trip.
I rose early on September 6,1994，and headed for the Golden Gate Bridge with a 50pound pack on my back and a sign displaying my destination to passing vehicles：“America”．
For six weeks I hitched 82 rides and covered 4,223 miles across 14 states.As I traveled，folks were always warning me about someplace else.In Montana they told me to watch out for the cowboys in Wyoming；in Nebraska they said people would not be as nice as in Iowa.Yet I was treated with kindness everywhere I went.I was amazed by people’s readiness to help a stranger，even when it seemed to run contrary to their own best interests.Why did the author drive past the young man in the desert without stopping?
| A．Because he failed to notice this man. |
| B．Because he was driving too fast. |
| C．Because he thought the young man didn’t need help. |
| D．Because he was afraid of being tricked. |
What was it that made the author upset?
| A．Leaving the young man alone in the desert. |
| B．Being considered a fool. |
| C．Making the decision of not offering help so easily. |
| D．Keeping thinking about the young man. |
The author decided to travel without a penny in order to ________.
| A．find out how long he could survive without help |
| B．go through the great difficulty in surviving unexpected environment |
| C．find out whether strangers would offer help to him |
| D．figure out how strangers thought of his plan |
The following part might probably ________.
| A．describe how he fooled the strangers |
| B．describe how strangers went out their way to help him |
| C．explain why people refused to help strangers |
| D．explain how he overcame his difficulties on the way |
If you are ever planning to buy a telescope and want to get yourself involved in astronomy it is always a good idea to know a bit of the sky.Get acquainted with a few constellations(星座) so that it will be easier for you to spot the constellations when you are using your telescope.
It’s a good idea to buy a few magazines on astronomy to help you to get familiar with the constellations in the sky and also read a few reviews on the different types of telescopes in the market.This will help you gather all the information that is out there regarding telescopes and what people have to say about them.
It’s advisable to go in for a pair of binoculars(双筒望远镜) before you buy your first telescope so that you can get used to spotting constellations before your view of the sky is narrowed down.This will also help you know if you really want to get involved in astronomy.Many people buy a costly telescope and then discover that they’re not actually interested in astronomy.
Experience has no substitute，and there certainly is nothing better than using different telescopes before you buy one.This will help you to get the feel of all the types of telescopes and you will know which one is easier for you to use.A large aperture(光圈) refractor(折射) may give you an excellent image but you may not be able to keep a steady hand while using it resulting in a blurry image.
There are three types of telescopes that are available in the market.If you want a more elegant looking telescope you can always choose to buy a fine brass telescope.It’s good to become acquainted with each type before going for the plunge of a first telescope.The first type of telescope is the refractor telescope，which uses lenses to gather light to a focus at the eye piece.The use of lenses helps the telescope have a superior image.A refracting telescope is not as portable as the other two types of telescopes and so you will have to buy one with a small aperture.
The second type of telescope is the Reflector.Made by Sir Isaac Newton，this telescope functions by focusing the light back at the front of the tube，which is where the eyepiece sits，by using parabolic(抛物线的) mirrors and another smaller mirror to deflect the light.There is no added color in the image caused by refraction of light since this telescope does not use lenses.These are the cheapest of all telescopes and are more portable than refractors.According to the text，a telescope is intended to be bought for ________.
| A．getting experience |
| B．watching stars |
| C．studying the climate |
| D．learning about a bit of the sky |
What can we learn from Paragraph 2?
| A．One must know something about astronomy and telescopes. |
| B．One can’t buy a telescope without buying several astronomy magazines. |
| C．One should check the telescopes in the market and try to find a better one. |
| D．One must be familiar with new information of astronomy and space instruments. |
Why does the author advise buying a pair of binoculars first?
| A．The telescope is too expensive. |
| B．The binoculars are easier to use. |
| C．You may gain plenty of experience in astronomy. |
| D．Your view will be narrow by using a pair of binoculars. |
What do we know about the refracting telescope?
| A．It looks very elegant. |
| B．It refracts light by an eye piece. |
| C．It has clear images without any lenses. |
| D．It is not convenient to take along for its size. |
Art is everywhere in our lives.Every manmade object is linked with art—a house，a motor car，a bridge，a chair，a teapot，or a piece of cloth.Throughout history，humans have made articles for a wide variety of purposes；generally for everyday practical requirements.The style of practical objects reflects the outlook and the spirit of the times in which they are made and in consequence style is constantly changing.
It seems that humans possess a natural urge to improve constructed objects with decoration：sometimes for beautification，sometimes for religious reasons，sometimes to show off their wealth and power，and sometimes to tell a story.Decoration is not art in itself.Unnecessary decoration can ruin the form and perhaps the function of an object，but when decoration is used with care，it can beautify，produce variety，and add interest.
The first essential(要点) in every creation is that it should properly fulfil its purpose；for instance，a teapot should pour perfectly，an easy chair should provide comfortable relaxation，a block of flats should be a pleasant place in which to live，and a factory or commercial building should be a suitable building in which to work.
The second essential is that an object should please the eye with its form，line，proportion(比例)，colour and texture(质地)，and it should be capable of inspiring the emotions.For example，contemporary furniture designers must think of form，function and structure，and have taken their lead from the outstanding Scandinavian designs of Denmark，Finland and Sweden，whose preference was for simple functional furniture to suit the architectural environment of the day.Heavy furniture is no longer desirable，and by contrast，modern furniture is often characterised by its good proportion，pleasing lines，simple fittings and attractive structures.
Motor vehicles are a perfect example of how design has changed to suit function.Early car design was greatly influenced by the horsedrawn carriage，but today we find functional design satisfying every requirement of practical use and good appearance.Designs in the 1980s and 1990s included streamlining(流线型) to reduce wind resistance in fastmoving vehicles，and，at the same time，satisfy an important art principle—rhythm.But the cars of today，often half size of their predecessors(前身)，have taken the concept of industrial design way beyond simple strength，comfort and beauty.They now include safety and ecological characteristics，reflecting the need to be environmentally friendly through，for example，reduced fuel consumption，while at the same time satisfying the need to be stylish，and appealing to the eye.For many people，the 21stcentury car represents the greatest work of art.What point does the writer make about decorating objects?
| A．It is something people have always done. |
| B．It can show the object has a range of functions. |
| C．It always improves the appearance of an object. |
| D．It is usually done to make the object more noticeable. |
The underlined word “fulfil” in Paragraph 3 means “________”．
| A．keep | B．find |
| C．change | D．realize |
What is the best title for the text?
| A．Form Follows Function |
| B．Life Is Art，Art Is Life |
| C．Art in Everyday Life |
| D．The Best Work of Art |