Dear Mr. Plant,
I am an enthusiastic camper and longtime X-Ports customer, but after being offended（冒犯）for the third time at your Sierra Vista location, I am writing to complain about your impolite employees.
Several months ago ,I bought a tent that leaked（漏）the first time I used it and wanted it replaced . When I took it back, your employees accused me of tearing it myself. I left not only withm1, torn tent, but no refund(退款) and no satisfaction.
A couple of weeks ago , I bought a sleeping bag that was supposed to sleep two people comfort-ably. It didn't. Your employees refused to give me my money back even though I had the receipt. I was asked to leave the store, again with no satisfaction.
To my misfortune, my latest purchase(购买), of a piece of camping equipment at your store proyed to be another disappointment. The propane (丙烷) camp stove I bought didn't work properly. When I returned to exchange it, the rude clerk refused to help me because I did not have my sales receipt. It was an even exchange! He said that I was a problem and even asked if I had seen what products I-could purchase at one of your competitor's stores at comparable prices. Was he accusing me of something? Why would I have brought a receipt for an even exchange? Why would I know the price at other stores?
Furthermore, the clerk called security and forced me to leave your store-without my camp stove! How can I go camping now? The tent leaks, the sleeping bag is just wrong, and I don't have a stove to keep warm ! Who is going to refund my money for my stove? Who is going to help me get over the abuse I suffered in your store?
You, as the area manager must clear these matters up for me immediately! I am sending copies of this letter to your main office and the Sierra Vista Store.
Sincerely ,
Ima KumpaneeWhat was Ima' s proposed solution for the problem with the tent?
| A．To have it replaced. |
| B．To have it repaired. |
| C．To get a refund for it. |
| D．To get their apology. |
The clerk didn' t want to exchange the stove for Ima because_____.
| A．the clerk was offended |
| B．Ima destroyed it herself |
| C． Ima didn' t have the receipt |
| D．the clerk had given Ima the refund |
What was Ima' s attitude towards the purchase?
| A．Doubtful. | B．Surprised. |
| C．Dissatisfied. | D．Uninterested |
The letter is organized in order of ______.
| A．complexity | B．importance |
| C．space | D．time |
The letter was written to______.
| A．apply for a job in the store |
| B．complain about poor service |
| C．introduce some camping equipment |
| D．provide someone with information |
Part-time jobs for 15 and 16 years olds
| Waiter / Waitress A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips (小费). Most people that visit a restaurant don’t just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant. |
| Work in a library If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students. |
| Internet jobs There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don’t pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers. |
A student who is busy with his research paper will probably choose to work ______.
| A．in a restaurant | B．in a library |
| C．on the Internet | D．in an IT company |
The writer wrote this text to ______.
| A．tell us the importance of doing part-time jobs |
| B．advise teenagers how to choose a part-time job |
| C．teach young people how to make lots of money |
| D．introduce his/her experience of doing part-time jobs |
Why do some companies ask the teens to do surveys?
| A．The teens have more free time. |
| B．They can pay less to the teens. |
| C．They need advice to make products for teens. |
| D．The teens usually express their true opinions. |
In the past hundred years, the world’s attitude toward whales has changed a lot. The animals are no longer seen as frightening creatures and worldwide protection efforts have reduced whale hunting. Through careful observation, scientists have shown that whales are generally peaceful, playful creatures, and that they have a high level of intelligence.
But even now, some behaviour of whales is still a mystery. A lot of information gathered by whale researchers has raised new puzzles about the animals. Whales’ communication is particularly difficult to understand. Male humpbacks (also known as bulls) give off a sequence (一连串) of low moans（呻吟）, high screams and clicking noises. These noises are sometimes combined in songs that last as long as 30 minutes. And in a particular region, every male will sing the same song, making small changes every once in a while so that it evolves (逐渐形成) into a completely different song over time.
This behavior seems to be related to reproduction. During the mating (交配) season, a male humpback starts the long song sequence, stopping only to join a passing female whale (also known as a cow). Eventually, the bull and the cow may dive deep into the ocean, probably to mate. Male humpbacks’ songs are similar to what birds display to attract mates (配偶), except that the sound carries over many miles, attracting some other male humpbacks in the area. It’s very odd that a male would call his own competition to him, unless he actually wanted to test his strength against others. Some whale researchers believe that the songs are actually acoustic (听觉的) contests of strength.What can we infer from the first paragraph?
| A．We used to have wrong ideas about whales. |
| B．Whales are in danger of dying out today. |
| C．Whales have always been considered as fierce creatures. |
| D．Whales are only protected in some parts of the world. |
We can learn from the second paragraph that .
| A．male whales and female whales both sing songs |
| B．people can’t fully understand whales’ communication |
| C．people only understand the songs of male whales |
| D．the songs of male whales never change |
The last paragraph suggests that male humpbacks sing songs most probably to .
| A．find their own family members |
| B．work together with others to hunt |
| C．compete against other male humpbacks |
| D．frighten away other male humpbacks |
Robots that can chat, find misplaced glasses, draw airplanes and play with your children are attracting thousands of visitors during an expo in Tokyo as Japan adapts to changes in society.
Robots, such as the sound-sensitive Chapit, answer simple questions and even joke with people to help the solitary fight loneliness and stay alert (机警的) in old age. “Many old people in Japan live alone and have no one to talk to,” said Kazuya Kitamura, a representative of the expo organizer. “Communication robots stay together with old people and don’t mind listening to the same stories over and over again.”
While Chapit, a relatively simple robot, managed to attract a partner, many researchers, such as Kiyoshi Matsumoto, a professor at the University of Tokyo, struggle to attract sponsors for more expensive projects.
Matsumoto’s “Personal Mobility Robot”, equipped with four cameras and a sensor to recognize the user’s centre of gravity, is designed to help the elderly move around without pressing buttons as in traditional wheelchairs.
The robot can also help find misplaced glasses by recognizing them with a sensor. “We have developed a robot that can assist many people, but because of the high cost, we still haven’t found a sponsor,” said Matsumoto, who added that the cost of the machine, if produced in large quantities, would be comparable to that of a small car. “In the current economic environment there are few companies willing to invest (投资) in such a costly project,” he said.
Other robots, such as the award-winning “DiGRO”, can support busy parents who have little time to play with their children. The robot can use the Internet to find a simple image and then draw pictures, looking after children while parents work.
Japan is one of the world’s fastest-aging countries and the government predicts that by 2050 the population of people over 65 will reach 40 percent.What can Chapit do according to the text?
| A．It can find misplaced objects for the elderly. |
| B．It can help the elderly to move around freely. |
| C．It can communicate with people. |
| D．It can tell the same story over and over again. |
What is the problem with Matsumoto’s “Personal Mobility Robot”?
| A．It is too expensive. |
| B．It is not practical. |
| C．It is just like traditional wheelchairs. |
| D．It is not quite convenient for the elderly to use. |
“DiGRO” is designed to .
| A．keep children busy |
| B．create simple images |
| C．keep children company |
| D．help children learn how to draw |
What does the underlined word “solitary” in the second paragraph mean?
| A．Poor. | B．Lonely. | C．Unemployed. | D．Disabled. |
Sagrada Familia ( 2,056,448 visits/year)
Opening hours: 09:00-18:00 (October-March) 09:00-20:00 (April-September).
Admission: $11, or $10 with the Barcelona Card.
Disabled access: Yes.
The temple has been under construction since 1882 and they’ve still got another 30 to 80 years to go before it will be finished. The project’s vast scale (规模) and its special design have made it one of Barcelona’s top tourist attractions for many years.
La Pedrera (1,133,220 visits/year)
Opening hours: 09:00-18:30 (November-February) 09:00-20:00 (March-October)
Admission: $9.50. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card.
Disabled access: No.
This building used to be called Casa Mila, but nowadays it’s more commonly known as La Pedrera. It was made of bricks and had colorful tiles (瓷砖).
Barcelona FC Museum (1,032,763 visits/year)
Opening hours: 6th April-4th October: (Monday to Saturday) 10:00-20:00; the rest of the year: 10:00 to 18:30.
Admission: $8.50 for entry to museum and an extra $17 for a guided tour.
Disabled access: Yes.
It is now generally considered as the best football museum in the world. You can see so many trophies (奖杯), pictures and statues of great football players. I’m not a football fan but I still enjoyed walking round this museum.
Miró Museum (518,869 visits/year)
Opening hours: Check website for details as they vary depending on the time of the year.
Admission: $8. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card.
Disabled access: Yes.
This museum has a wide range of Miró’s works dating back as far as 1914. This artwork collection includes not only his paintings but also a good selection of sculptures.Which of the following attractions is the most popular?
| A．Sagrada Familia. | B．La Pedrera. |
| C．Barcelona FC Museum. | D．Miró Museum. |
What can we know about the four tourist attractions?
| A．Sagrada Familia is the largest building in Barcelona. |
| B．La Pedrera is well known for its colors. |
| C．Barcelona FC Museum will attract football fans. |
| D．Miró Museum was built in as early as the year of 1914. |
If you visit the Barcelona FC Museum with a tour guide, you should pay .
| A．$8.5 | B．$25.5 | C．$17 | D．$25 |
What do the four attractions have in common?
| A．They are famous for their architectural styles. |
| B．They are all accessible for the disabled people. |
| C．Their opening hours are changeable in different times. |
| D．Tourists can get a discount of 20% with the Barcelona Card. |
The other day when I was passing a clothing store, I fell in love with a skirt. I knew it would suit me best at first sight. But when I looked at the price tag (标签), I knew I had to give it up.
The love for beautiful clothes has been planted in my heart the day when I was born to be a woman. Several years ago I read an article in a magazine. The article stated that when a woman is at her best time, she is usually poor or tasteless, so she can’t get the right clothes; when she can afford to buy the clothes she likes, she often finds that they do not suit her anymore.
On the way home, I was quite disturbed by such thoughts. It was just a pity, like many other pities. I thought to myself this way. But when I was about to enter the building where I was living, I saw the big mirror placed in the entrance. I saw a girl in it who was in cheap but cleanly washed sweater and jeans. She was rather young, healthy and energetic. For quite a while I was touched by what I had seen in the mirror.
Then I almost forgot the tale: A person without shoes cried until he saw a man without feet. Being young without good clothes is like the person without shoes. I should have felt grateful that I haven’t lost my feet.How did the author feel when she decided not to buy the skirt?
| A．Embarrassed. | B．Wise. |
| C．Regretful. | D．Relieved. |
The underlined word “She” in Paragraph 3 refers to .
| A．the author’s friend | B．a stranger |
| C．the author’s roommate | D．the author |
Why was the author touched by what she saw in the mirror?
| A．She came to realize what she really possessed. |
| B．She was reminded of her devotion to beauty. |
| C．She didn’t feel at ease when looking into a mirror. |
| D．She never thought over the other side of a person. |
We can learn from the text that the author considered her love for beautiful clothes as .
| A．funny | B．natural | C．silly | D．Simple |