There is nothing in the US quite like Black Friday. Before midnight on Thursday, in malls across the US, people start queuing up outside the locked entrances of stores, making longer and longer lines, holding coupons (优惠券), sipping coffee and hot chocolate, rubbing their hands and stamping (跺脚) their feet for warmth, excitedly chatting, and waiting for the clerks to open the door when the time arrives.
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, which fell on Nov 28，2014, “has become in recent decades a special American holiday”, said the International Business Times. Indeed, up to 147 million Black Friday shoppers were expected to put up with the dark of night and the elbows(手肘)of other shoppers so that they could bring home some bargains, according to the US National Retail Federation.
But why does the shopping festival have such a name?
The name was first used in Philadelphia in the 1970s. The streets and sidewalks of the city became so packed with traffic and crowds on the day after Thanksgiving Day that the local police did not look forward to it. Because of this, they called the day “Black Friday”, said The Huffington Post. However, others believe that Black Friday takes its name from the fact that because of the increase in sales on the day, shops are able for the first time in the year to move out of the “red” – that is, debt – and into the “black”, or profit. Businesses, of course, try to take advantage of this day. A decade ago, retailers (零售商) opened at 5 or 6 am. Now, many of the big stores open at midnight.
People really seem to like the whole experience of queuing up before midnight, “for it isn’t just about the bargains”, noted CNN. “For many shoppers, it’s just fun to be part of a large crowd. Those who go to the malls at midnight are driven by the same thing that makes a million people get together in Times Square each New Year’s Eve.”Which of the following statements about Black Friday is TRUE?
| A．It is a special day in the US on which government hands out coupons to customers. |
| B．It is a shopping festival in the US that falls on the second Friday after Thanksgiving. |
| C．It has been a traditional American holiday since the founding of the nation. |
| D．It is an opportunity for Americans to get things they want at a much lower price. |
According to The Huffington Post, the name of “Black Friday” may be first used ______.
| A．at the beginning of the 20th century in the US |
| B．by American people who expected to bring home bargains after Thanksgiving Day |
| C．by the police to show their displeasure toward heavy traffic caused by shopping crowds |
| D．to describe the bad weather on the day |
According to the article, people who queue up for Black Friday ______.
| A．usually help each other to find good bargains |
| B．have great fun as part of the waiting crowd |
| C．have a lot of complaints about the service of the retail clerks |
| D．have to wait until 5 to 6 am to start shopping |
What is the article mainly about?
| A．The shopping habits of Americans. |
| B．An introduction to the origin and influences of Black Friday. |
| C．Tips on how to get good bargains on Black Friday. |
| D．People’s mixed feelings toward Black Friday. |
While firing off pictures of a curious five-month-old fox, photographer Simon Czapp soon realized his subject had quite an interest in photography herself. The clever fox was so curious about the camera equipment that she climbed right on top of it. And while she was supposed to be the subject of the shoot, the fox stood on the shutter release button (快门按钮) and took her own frames.
Mr.Czapp visited the New Forest Wildlife Park to capture images of new arrival Jessie. She has been at the animal park in Ashurst, Hampshire — home to wolves, deer and other animals in 25 acres of ancient woodland — after being abandoned by her mother.
Mr.Czapp said, “Jessie was very playful and curious and not at all camera shy. Soon after I arrived she was chewing my shoes and everything seemed to be a game to her. Then she started exploring the camera I had set up on a tripod (三脚架). She stood on her back legs to look at the back of the camera. She balanced her front paws on it and at one point knocked it over.”
He put the camera back on the tripod and Jessie soon jumped back up. At one point she had all four paws on the camera and was keeping her balance. Mr.Czapp added, “She jumped up there several times and I realized it could make a good picture. As I was leaving with the public’s viewing window behind me, I thought I heard the camera go off but didn’t think much of it. But when I checked the memory card afterwards, I was amazed to see Jessie had actually taken two pictures of me photographing her. I couldn’t believe a fox had gained an advantage over me! Jessie is a lovely little fox. There were some lovely photos of her but she obviously thought the photographer was worthy of a picture too!” The underlined word “frames” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_________”.
| A．photographers |
| B．pictures |
| C．buttons |
| D．advantages |
What do we know about Jessie from the passage?
| A．She arrived at the park five months ago. |
| B．She lives at the park together with some wolves. |
| C．She was sent to the park because her mother left her. |
| D．She loved the life in the park so much that she left her mother. |
What is the RIGHT time order of the following steps in Jessie taking a photo?
a. Jessie pressed the shutter release button.
b. MrCzapp left the camera to take a photo.
c. Jessie climbed onto the camera and balanced herself.
d. MrCzapp set up his camera on a tripod.
e. Jessie stood up to look at the back of the camera.
| A．d, e, c, b, a |
| B．a, b, c, d, e |
| C．c, b, e, a, d |
| D．d, e, b, c, a |
From the passage we can infer that _________.
| A．sometimes foxes are better at photographing than men |
| B．some foxes are more friendly than humans |
| C．Mr.Czapp felt ashamed that the fox gained an advantage over him |
| D．Mr.Czapp and Jessie took photos for each other |
I wasn’t surprised when I read that actress Helen Hunt recently stated that she would never allow her young daughter to become a child star. Ms. Hunt is the daughter of aHollywood technical director, and grew up in Hollywood. Now in her late 40s, she started acting and modeling when she was eight and has probably seen a lot over those years in show business.
She has had a successful career. She earned four Golden Globesand four Emmys. She also attained the top honor of her profession when she won the Best Actress Academy Awardfor her role in the 1992 movie. As Good As It Gets. Given those accolades, Ms. Hunt is successful. There is no doubt that her early experiences as a child star prepared her for what has been an outstanding adult career. Given those achievements, why would this star declare she’ll never allow her daughter, now at the age of six, to follow in her footsteps?
Everyone familiar with the entertainment scene is aware of the reasons for her attitude. Recent tabloid (小报) news headlines featuring the troubles of former child stars, among themLinsayLohan, Britney Spears and the late Gary Coleman, may answer the question. Although Ms. Hunt managed to become a successful grown-up star, she apparently believes she’s an exception.
What Ms. Hunt may be suggesting is that many very young stars go through unnatural childhoods on movie and TV sets. While they’re earning big incomes, they’re so pampered (纵容) by directors and praised by fans; they may get false impressions that their lives will always be that way. Then, within a few years, when faced with reality, they’re hurt and confused. After all the overwhelming affection, they find they can’t deal with the problems. That’s often when drugs and alcohol take over their lives.
Helen Hunt has some other reasons why she doesn’t want her daughter to be in the entertainment business. Many child stars can never make a successful transition to meaningful adulthood. However, as with many Hollywood movies, I believe there are both good and bad scenes about how it can be played out in real life.According to the passage, Ms Hunt _________.
| A．has been acting for about 30 years |
| B．entered Hollywood when she was a little girl |
| C．is the daughter of a famous actor |
| D．was a model when she was six |
The underlined word “accolades” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_________”.
| A．difficulties |
| B．awards |
| C．salaries |
| D．opinions |
Helen Hunt wouldn’t allow her daughter to become a child star because she thinks _________.
| A．child stars often take drugs and alcohol |
| B．being a child star may ruin her future |
| C．child stars aren’t able to solve their problems |
| D．it is difficult to succeed as a child actor |
From the passage we can conclude that _________.
| A．few child stars will succeed in the future |
| B．there is no way to save the entertainment business |
| C．the author has a different opinion about child stars |
| D．meaningful adulthood only belongs to non-child stars |
A firm handshake could be a sign of a longer life expectancy (预期寿命), according to British researchers. Scientists at the Medical Research Council found that elderly people who could still give a firm handshake and walk at a quick pace were likely to outlive their slower peers.
They found simple measures of physical capability like shaking hands, walking, getting up from a chair and balancing on one leg were related to the life expectancy, even after accounting for age, sex and body size. The study is the first to provide a comprehensive (综合的) view of the existing data from 33 studies. “These measures have been used in population-based research for quite a long time,” said Rachel Cooper of the Medical Research Council’s Unit for Lifelong Health and Aging. “They may be useful indicators for subsequent health.”
Cooper, whose study appears in the British Medical Journal, said more studies are needed to clarify whether the measures would be helpful to doctors as a screening tool. “I wouldn’t suggest that we roll them out into clinical practice tomorrow, but it is possible that they could be used in the future,” she told the media.
The researchers examined 33 studies involving tens of thousands of people, most of whom were aged over 60 but living in the community rather than in hospital or care homes. The researchers found that those with the strongest hand grasps tended to live longer than those with weak grips. The death rate over the period of the studies for people with weak handshakes was 67 percent higher than for people with a firm grip.
The slowest walkers were nearly three times more likely to die during the study period than swifter walkers. The people who were slowest to get up from a chair had about double the death rate compared to the quick risers.
“Those people in the general population who have higher physical capability levels are likely to live longer,” Cooper said. Which of the following are measures of physical capability according to the passage?
a. shaking hands b. balancing c. getting up
d. weight lifting e. walking
| A．a, b, c, e |
| B．a, c, d, e |
| C．b, c, d, e |
| D．a, b, d, e |
What does Cooper think about the measures of physical capability?
| A．They are of little help to doctors. |
| B．They can’t be used as a screening tool. |
| C．They can be applied to medical practice. |
| D．They are potentially beneficial to people. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．People who walk quickly and shake hands firmly have a lower death rate. |
| B．People with the strongest hand grasp are more outgoing. |
| C．Most of the people who received the study live in the community. |
| D．People who always sit are more likely to die than those who stand. |
In which part of a newspaper would you most probably find this passage?
| A．Sports. |
| B．Health. |
| C．Economics. |
| D．Culture. |
A clever cat has been called a hero after he prevented his owners’ home from burning down. Five-year-old Pepper has learned to open windows and lets himself out every night by using his paws to turn the latch. So when a fire broke out while his owners were at Christmas shopping, the quick-thinking cat leapt into action and opened the window to allow the poisonous smoke to escape.
Owner Sharon White said, “He can climb back in through the window, so he really does come and go as he pleases. Pepper is still a bit afraid but is still managing to eat plenty of food.” Sharon and her husband Phil were handed Pepper over four years ago after a neighbor could no longer look after it.
The fire started at 4 pm on Saturday after the couple went to the shops and left their microwave on a ten minute timer, which then caught fire. Sharon said, “We put something in the microwave for ten minutes and then went out to do our Christmas shopping in the local town. I discovered on the way that I had left my purse at home but decided not to turn around. It was my relative who lives next door that rang us and told us that we’d better get home as there was quite a lot of smoke coming out of our house and the firefighters were here.”
Firefighters rushed to their £350,000 house and put out the fire before it could spread and the kitchen suffered only smoke damage. Phil added, “Pepper managed to get out and smoke must have been pouring out the window which attracted the attention of the neighbors. He’s got a real mind of his own. Without him, the fire could have been so much worse.” What is this passage mainly about?
| A．A quick-thinking cat thanked his owners. |
| B．A quick-thinking cat saved a house from a fire. |
| C．A quick-thinking cat saved himself from a fire. |
| D．A quick-thinking cat showed how clever he was. |
How did Pepper help avoid the danger of the fire?
| A．By ringing a neighbor’s bell. |
| B．By running into a neighbor’s room. |
| C．By standing in the way of some fire fighters. |
| D．By opening the window and letting out smoke. |
From Paragraph 2 we know that Pepper ____.
| A．didn’t belong to Sharon at first |
| B．was not frightened by the fire at all |
| C．has been taught to open the window |
| D．was found by its owners on the street |
What can we learn from what Sharon said in Paragraph 3?
| A．She and her husband were terribly frightened. |
| B．She and her husband didn’t call the firefighters. |
| C．It was that [LU2] relative who first noticed the smoke. |
| D．She and her husband knew there would be no damage. |
We can infer that Sharon and her husband Phil ____.
| A．are very careful |
| B．lived a very poor life |
| C．are very thankful to Pepper |
| D．didn’t like Pepper before the fire |
I wasn’t surprised when I read that actress Helen Hunt recently stated that she would never allow her young daughter to become a child star. Ms. Hunt is the daughter of a Hollywood technical director, and grew up in Hollywood. Now in her late 40s, she started acting and modeling when she was eight and has probably seen a lot over those years in show business.
She has had a successful career. She earned four Golden Globesand four Emmys. She also attained the top honor of her profession when she won the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in the 1992 movie. As Good As It Gets. Given those accolades, Ms. Hunt is successful. There is no doubt that her early experiences as a child star prepared her for what has been an outstanding adult career. Given those achievements, why would this star declare she’ll never allow her daughter, now at the age of six, to follow in her footsteps?
Everyone familiar with the entertainment scene is aware of the reasons for her attitude. Recent tabloid (小报) news headlines featuring the troubles of former child stars, among them Linsay Lohan, Britney Spears and the late Gary Coleman, may answer the question. Although Ms. Hunt managed to become a successful grown-up star, she apparently believes she’s an exception.
What Ms. Hunt may be suggesting is that many very young stars go through unnatural childhoods on movie and TV sets. While they’re earning big incomes, they’re so pampered (纵容) by directors and praised by fans; they may get false impressions that their lives will always be that way. Then, within a few years, when faced with reality, they’re hurt and confused. After all the overwhelming affection, they find they can’t deal with the problems. That’s often when drugs and alcohol take over their lives.
Helen Hunt has some other reasons why she doesn’t want her daughter to be in the entertainment business. Many child stars can never make a successful transition to meaningful adulthood. However, as with many Hollywood movies, I believe there are both good and bad scenes about how it can be played out in real life. According to the passage, Ms Hunt _________.
| A．has been acting for about 30 years |
| B．entered Hollywood when she was a little girl |
| C．is the daughter of a famous actor |
| D．was a model when she was six |
The underlined word “accolades” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_________”.
| A．difficulties |
| B．awards |
| C．salaries |
| D．opinions |
Helen Hunt wouldn’t allow her daughter to become a child star because she thinks _________.
| A．child stars often take drugs and alcohol |
| B．being a child star may ruin her future |
| C．child stars aren’t able to solve their problems |
| D．it is difficult to succeed as a child actor |
From the passage we can conclude that _________.
| A．few child stars will succeed in the future |
| B．there is no way to save the entertainment business |
| C．the author has a different opinion about child stars |
| D．meaningful adulthood only belongs to non-child stars |