September 30, 2014
Greetings shareholders(股东) ,
GLA Electronics of America Inc. is placed to show a summary of its yearly income report for the year 2014. Thanks to our recently-enlarged international markets, the total earnings reached US$160 million in 2014, with a net profit of US$ 40 million
CarPhone Quarterly Sales
GLA Electronics sold l.6 million CarPhones the whole year, with half of these being sold during the fourth quarter, which ended September 24, 2014. In addition, the first quarter saw sales of 400,000 units, with the remaining units sales divided equally between the second and third quarters.
CarPhone Sales Have Improved Greatly since 2011.
We are excited to announce that we sold more CarPhones in 2014 than in the year of 2011 to 2013 combined. In 2011, only 150,000 units were sold. Thanks to strong advertising afterwards, sales increased by 50% in 2012, and then double in 2013.
Distribution of CarPhone Sales by Region
Sales onside of North America made up nearly 50% of the total sales volume in 2014. Half of the units sold internationally were in Asian markers, with 300,000 units sold in Europe. The remaining units were sold in South America.
A Vision of the Future
GLA Electronics will continue to invest(投资) in the growth of our company. In 2015, we expect sales to increase by up to 300% , partly due to the upcoming opening of three large factories in China, Taiwan, and Malaysia. In addition, the demand for CarPhones continues to increase worldwide and shows no sign of slowing down. We are grateful for the success of 2014. Hopefully, the coming year will see continued growth.
Sincerely,
Brian Fisher
CEO
GLA Electronics of America Inc.Based on the report, which of the following is true about GLA Electronics' earnings in 2014?
A.The first half of山e year saw the most earnings. |
B.All four quarters showed similar earnings. |
C.The least successful quarter was the first. |
D.The most successful quarter was the fourth. |
Which of these best describes CLA Electronics' sales since it started?
A.Sales growth has continued year after year. |
B.Sales growth slowed down in 2013. |
C.All the units were sold in North America. |
D.Sales will increase thanks to strong advertising in China. |
What does the underlined word "units" refer to?
A.Quarters. | B.CarPhones. | C.Dollar amounts. | D.Store locations. |
The last paragraph suggests that the writer is ________about the future of the company.
A.cautious | B.modest | C.confident | D.worried |
America is growing older. Fifty years ago, only 4 out of every 100 people in the United States were 65 or older. Today, 10 out of every 100 Americans are over 65. The aging of the population will affect American society in many ways — education, medicine, and business. Quietly, the graying of America has made us a very different society — one in which people have a quite different idea of what kind of behavior is suitable at various ages.
A person's age no longer tells you anything about his/her social position, marriage or health. There's no longer a particular year in which one goes to school or goes to work or gets married or starts a family. The social clock that keeps us on time and tells us when to go to school, get a job, or stop working isn't as strong as it used to be. It doesn't surprise us to hear of a 29-year-old university president or a 35-year-old grandmother, or a 70-year-old man who has become a father for the first time. Public ideas are changing.
Many people say, “I am much younger than my mother — or my father — was at my age. 'No one says Act your age' any more. We've stopped looking with surprising at older people who act in youthful ways."
1. It can be learnt from the text that the aging of the population in America _______________________.
A. has made people feel younger
B. has changed people's social position
C. has changed people's understanding of age
D. has slowed down the country's social development
2. The underlined word "one" refers to "__________________."
A. a society B. America C. a place D. population
3 "Act your age" means people should __________________.
A. be active when they are old
B. do the right things at the right age
C. show respect for their parents young or old
D. take more physical exercise suitable to their age
4. If a 25-year-old man becomes general manager of a big firm, the writer of the text would most probably consider it _________________.
A. normal B. wonderful C. unbelievable D. unreasonable
The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of September 2, 1666. In four days it destroyed more than three-quarters of the old city, where most of the houses were wooden and close together. One hundred thousand people became homeless, but only a few lost their lives.
The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King's baker in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window in the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from the bakery into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into the Thames Street. That was the beginnings.
By eight o'clock three hundred houses were on fire. On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames. Tuesday was the worst day. The fire destroyed many well-known buildings, old St Paul's and the Guildhall among them.
Samuel Pepys, the famous writer, wrote about the fire. People threw their things into the river. Many poor people stayed in their houses until the last moment. Birds fell out of the air because of the heat.
The fire stopped only when the King finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out.
After the fire, Christopher Wren, the architect, wanted a city with wider streets and fine new houses of stone. In fact, the streets are still narrow; but he did build more than fifty churches, among which was new St Paul's.
The fire caused great pain and loss, but after it London was a better place: a city for the future and not just of the past.
1. The fire began in ___________________________.
A. a hotel B. the palace C. Pudding Lane D. Thames Street
2. The underlined word "family" in the second paragraph means “________________________________”.
A. home B. children C. wife and husband D. wife and children
3. It seems that the writer of the text was most sorry for the fact that ________________________________.
A. some people lost their lives
B. the birds in the sky were killed by the fire
C. many famous buildings were destroyed
D. the King’s bakery was burned down
4. Why did the writer cite(引用) Samuel Pepys?
A. Because Pepys was among those putting out the fire.
B. Because Pepys also wrote about the fire.
C. To show that poor people suffered most
D. To give the reader a clearer picture of the fire.
5. How was the fire put out according to the text?
A. The king and his soldiers came to help.
B. All the wooden houses in the city were destroyed.
C. People managed to get enough water from the river.
D. Houses standing in the direction of the fire were pulled down.
6. Which of the following were reasons for the rapid spread of the big fire?
(a) There was a strong wind.
(b) The streets were very narrow.
(c) Many houses were made of wood.
(d) There was not enough water in the city.
(e) People did not discover the fire earlier.
A. (a) and (b) B. (a), (b) and (c)
C. (a), (b), (c) and (d) D. (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e)
第三部分阅读(共两节,满分40分)
第一节阅读理解(共15小题,每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A man once said how useless it was to put advertisements in the newspaper. "Last week," he said, "my umbrella was stolen from a London church. As it was a present, I spent twice its worth in advertising, but didn't get it back."
"How did you write your advertisement?" asked one of the listeners, a merchant.
"Here it is," said the man, taking out of his pocket a slip cut from a newspaper. The other man took it and read, "Lost from the City Church last Sunday evening, a black silk umbrella.. The gentleman who finds it will receive ten shillings on leaving it at No. 10 Broad Street."
"Now," said the merchant, "I often advertise, and find that it pays me well. But the way in which an advertisement is expressed of extreme importance. Let us try for your umbrella again, and if it fails, I'll buy you a new one."
The merchant then took a slip of paper out of his pocket and wrote: "If the man who was seen to take an umbrella from the City Church last Sunday evening doesn't wish to get into trouble, he will return the umbrella to No.10 Broad Street. He is well known."
This appeared in the newspaper, and on the following morning, the man was astonished when he opened the front door. In the doorway lay at least twelve umbrellas of all sizes and colors, and his own was among them. Many of them had notes fastened to them saying that they had been taken by mistake, and begging the loser not to say anything about the matter.
1. What is an advertisement?
A. A news item. B. public opinions.
C. One way to voice one's view. D. A public announcement on papers, TV, etc.
2. The result of the first advertisement was that _________________________.
A. the man got his umbrella back
B. the man wasted some money advertising
C. nobody found the missing umbrella
D. the umbrella was found somewhere near the church
3. The merchant suggested that the man should ________________________.
A. buy a new umbrella B. go on looking for his umbrella
C. write another and better advertisement D. report the police
4. "If it fails, I'll buy you a new one," suggested that the merchant ________________________.
A. was quite sure of success B. wanted to buy him a new umbrella
C. didn't know what to do D. was rich enough to buy one
5. The story is mainly about ________________________.
A. a useless advertisement
B. how to make an effective advertisement
C. how the man lost and found his umbrella
D. what the merchant did for the umbrella owner
A study of art history might be a good way to learn more about a culture than is possible to learn in general history classes. Most typical history courses concentrate on politics, economics, and war. But art history focuses on much more than this because art reflects not only the political values of a people, but also religious beliefs, emotions, and psychology. In addition, information about the daily activities of our ancestors — or of people very different from our own — can be provided by art. In short, art expresses the essential qualities of a time and a place, and a study of it clearly offers us a deeper understanding than can be found in most history books.
In history books, objective(客观的) information about the political life of a country is presented; that is, facts about politics are given, but opinions are not expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective(主观的): it reflects emotions and opinions. The great Spanish painter Francisco Goya was perhaps the first truly “political” artist. In his well-known painting The Third of May, 1808, he criticized the Spanish government for its misuse of power over people. Over a hundred years later, symbolic images were used in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica to express the horror of war. Meanwhile, on another continent, the powerful paintings of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros — as well as the works of Alfredo Ramos Martinez — depicted these Mexican artists’ deep anger and sadness about social problems.
In the same way, art can reflect a culture’s religious beliefs. For hundreds of years in Europe, religious art was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches and other religious buildings were filled with paintings that depicted people and stories from the Bible. Although most people couldn’t read, they could still understand biblical stories in the pictures on church walls. By contrast, one of the main characteristics of art in the Middle East was (and still is) its absence of human and animal images. This reflects the Islamic belief that statues are unholy(不圣洁的).
1. More can be learned about a culture from a study of art history than general history because art history ____________.
A. shows us the religious beliefs and emotions of a people in addition to political values
B. provides us with information about the daily activities of people in the past
C. gives us an insight into the essential qualities of a time and a place
D. all of the above
2. Art is subjective(主观的) in that _________.
A. a personal and emotional view of history is presented through it
B. it can easily rouse our anger or sadness about social problems
C. it will find a ready echo in our hearts
D. both B and C
3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Unlike Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso and several Mexican artists expressed their political opinions in their paintings.
B. History books often reveal the compilers’ political views.
C. Religious art remained in Europe for centuries the only type of art because most people regarded the Bible as the Holy Book.
D. In the Middle East even today you can hardly find any human and animal figures on palaces or other buildings.
4. The passage mainly discusses __________.
A. the difference between general history and art history
B. the making of art history
C. what we can learn from art
D. the influence of artists on art history
5. It may be concluded from this passage that __________.
A. Islamic artists have had to create architectural decoration with images of flowers or geometric forms
B. history teachers are more objective than artists
C. it is more difficult to study art history than general history
D. people and stories from the Bible were painted on churches and other buildings in order to popularize the Bible
Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance(零花钱) would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike, money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be going in no time.
Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn — and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with your expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil — and some self-control.
First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns(栏), list your sources of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.
The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget.
Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in that space simply because you wish you were spending less.
If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!
Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
Allowance (零花钱) |
$20.00. |
Snacks |
$20.00 |
Money earned selling drinks |
$25.00 |
Music downloads |
$12.00 |
Money earned babysitting |
$12.50. |
Movies |
$18.00 |
Money earned delivering newspapers |
$30.00 |
Video rental |
$10.00 |
Total |
$87.50 |
Total |
$66.00 |
1. Who is the passage written for?
A. Children. B. Parents. C. Breadwinners. D. Bank managers.
2. The purpose of making a budget is to help people _________.
A. learn to be realistic B. increase their saving
C. manage their money well D. test their power-control
3. What should people do when planning a budget?
A. Fill in the expenses as they really are.
B. Avoid spending money on expensive things.
C. Set aside a fixed amount of money as savings.
D. List income and expenses on two pieces of paper.
4. Which of the following budgets is effective?
A.
Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expenses |
Amount |
Allowance(零花钱) |
$20.00 |
Money earned walking dogs |
$20.00 |
Bus fares |
$40.00 |
Movies |
$28.00 |
Total |
$60.00 |
Total |
$48.00 |
B.
Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expenses |
Amount |
Allowance(零花钱) |
$20.00 |
Movies |
$30.00 |
Money earned washing cars |
$10.00 |
Bus fares |
$10.00 |
Total |
$30.00 |
Total |
$40.00 |
C.
Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expenses |
Amount |
Allowance(零花钱) |
$27.50 |
Money earned selling drinks |
$22.00 |
Money earned |
$22.50 |
Birthday gifts |
$28.00 |
Total |
$50.00 |
Total |
$50.00 |
D.
Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expenses |
Amount |
Allowance(零花钱) |
$26.00 |
Radio rentals |
$22.00 |
Money earned doing yard work |
$24.00 |
Birthday gifts |
$28.00 |
Total |
$50.00 |
Total |
$50.00 |
5. The passage mainly tells us ________.
A. the importance of making a budget B. how to make a budget
C. how to form good habits D. how to spend money