Chinese consumers' crazy appetite for luxury goods and services appears unstoppable, with just 2 percent of the Chinese population responsible for one-third of the world's luxury items.
As China's economic miracle develops, the market opportunities for all sorts of luxury goods and services are increasing. Luxury consumption in China now extends way beyond well - known car. Clothing and jewelry brands. For example, the luxury jet market in China is the fastest - growing in the world, even outstripping that of the United States, with a market share of 25 percent. This trend appears to continue, with 20 to 30 percent growth expected in China, compared with only 2 to 3 percent in the US. But more important, China's luxury jet market growth represents a major development in the private consumption of luxury items.
China's high - quality red wine market also provides evidence of the growth in private consumption of luxury goods. In 2013, China became the largest market for red wine in the world, even overtaking the French, with 1. 86 billion bottles consumed in China last year. Over the past five years, China's red wine consumption has grown 136 percent.
According to my ongoing consumer research in this area while working at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, public consumption of such expensive global luxury brands such as Prada and Armani is easily explained by the desire to "gain face" and publicly display social climbing through material possesses. On the other hand, it is "self-reward" that lies behind consumer motivation in this area. Chinese consumer, who have experienced rapid financial and economic gains appear particularly prone to the need to reward themselves for their success. But this has little to do with "gaining face" and impressing others and much more to do with the need for personal contentment.
Finally, the growth in private luxury consumption in China is set to continue in part due to the maturity of the Chinese consumer and advancement of Chinese consumer culture generally.What do you think the author would most probably be?
| A．A news reporter, | B．An accountant. |
| C．A professor. | D．A conductor. |
The underlined word "outstripping" in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.
| A．falling far behind of | B．going hand in hand |
| C．going far ahead of | D．keeping pace with |
What can we learn from paragraph 2 and 3 ?
| A．China's luxury jet market growth is only 2 to 3%. |
| B．French was once the largest market for red wine in the world before 2013. |
| C．The luxury jet market in the US shares 25% of the jet consumption in the world. |
| D．China's red wine consumption has increased to 1. 86 billion bottles since 2013. |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Future Private Luxury Consumption in China |
| B．Chinese Appetite for Luxury Goods and Services |
| C．The Potential Luxury Jet Market in China |
| D．The Maturity of the Chinese Consumers |
The Catskill Mountains are a year-round playground for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. You will find a number of relaxing inns ready to meet your needs.
Caleb Street’s Inn
Located in the historic village of Catskill at the base of the mountains, Caleb Street’s Inn was built in 1785. It provides a view of the garden and Catskill Creek or guests can step outside for a walk along the Hudson River. A full breakfast is served every morning. Each of the four Pet-friendly rooms offers a private bath and a view of the river and neighboring buildings. Hiking trails(小路), golf courses and historic sites are only a short drive away.
Winter Clove Inn
Nature lovers can enjoy a pleasant location in the Northern Catskill Wilderness Preserve at Winter Clove Inn. With wood floors, each room has a private bath and air conditioning(空调). With active days of tennis, hiking or cross- country skiing ahead, guests don’t have to go far for a breakfast, lunch or dinner beside the fireplace at inn’s restaurant.
Windham House
A former pub built in 1805, Christman’s Windham House is the oldest inn continually operating in the Catskills. The 300 acres of grounds in the town of Windham include a tennis court, golf course, heated pool and a restaurant. Guests can relax on private balconies (阳台) overlooking a golf course and take their meals at Christman’s Windham House Restaurant. The inn is less than 2 miles from the hiking trails of Windham Mountain.
Washington Irving In
If you’re looking for a mountain inn with a Victorian feel, Washington Irving Inn has much to offer. Furnished with antiques, each of the 15 rooms has a private bath. Free breakfast is served. Hikers are a short walk from Kaaterskill Falls and Hunter Mountain trails. What is special about Caleb Street’s Inn?
| A．It has a golf course for guest |
| B．It provides a beautiful view of Kaaterskill Falls |
| C．It’s decorated with wood floors |
| D．It allows guests to take their dog or cat with them |
All the four inns in the passage ______
| A．have private bathrooms |
| B．has air conditioning in the rooms |
| C．are convenient for hiking |
| D．serve free breakfast in the morning |
Australia’s koalas could be dying out within 30 years, unless urgent measures is taken to stop the losing in population, according to researchers. They say development, climate change and bushfires have all related to reduce the number of wild koalas sharply. The Australian Koala Foundation said a recent survey showed the population could have dropped by more than half in the past six years. Previous estimates put the number of koalas at more than 100,000, but the latest figures suggest there could now be as few as 43,000.
The foundation collected field data from 1,800 sites and 80,000 trees to calculate the numbers. In one area in northern Queensland estimated to have 20,000 koalas a decade ago, a team of eight people could not find a single animal in four days of searching.
The foundation said besides problems caused by cutting down forests, hotter and drier conditions because of global warming had reduced the nutritional(营养的)value of their staple food, eucalyptus leaves, leading to poor nutrition for them.
Koalas, which live in the forests in Australia’s east and south, are very particular about what types of the leaves they eat.
Foundation chief Deborah Tabart said: “The koalas are missing everywhere we look. It’s really no tree, no me. If you keep cutting down trees you don’t have any koalas.”She is hoping the new figures will persuade the government’s Threatened Species Steering Committee (TSSC) to list the koala as threatened. But committee chairman Bob Beeton said a decision was not likely recently and the koala’s status as one of the country’s favorite animals would not be a factor. “There’s a number of species which are attractive and people have special feelings towards them. We don’t consider that,” Mr. Beeton was reported as saying by the AFP agency.The writer gives the example of the area in northern Queensland in Paragraph 3 to show that _____.
| A．the environment is being polluted seriously |
| B．the number of koalas is dropping quickly |
| C．the forests are being damaged heavily |
| D．koalas usually live in wild mountainous areas |
Global warming is an important cause of koalas’ reduction because _____.
| A．the leaves koalas eat are losing nutritional value |
| B．koalas cannot get enough water to drink |
| C．koalas can hardly stand the hot weather |
| D．the leaves koalas eat cannot grow in hot weather |
According to Bob Beeton, _____.
| A．they needn’t pay special attention to koalas |
| B．a decision will be made to protect koalas |
| C．koalas are his favorite animals |
| D．koalas needn’t be protected at all |
Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours. This kind of loneliness is not serious. In fact, it is quite normal. For some people, though, loneliness can last for years. Now researchers say there are three different types of loneliness.
The first kind of loneliness is temporary. This is the most common type. It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention. The second kind is situation, for example, family problem, the death of loved one, or moving to a new place. Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it usually does not last for more than a year. The third kind of loneliness is the most serious. Unlike the second type, chronic (the opposite of “temporary”) usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause. People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others. However, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition.
Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person’s social contacts, for example, friends, family members, co-workers, etc. We depend on various people for different reasons. For instance, our families give us emotional support, our parents and teachers give us guidance, and our friends share similar interests and activities. However, psychologists have found that, though lonely people may have many social contacts, they sometimes feel they should have more. They question their popularity.
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons: they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease, while temporary and situational loneliness can be a sad, and sometimes dangerous condition. How would you treat temporary loneliness according to the passage? ________.
| A． Just ignore it |
| B．Talk to friends |
| C．Go to see a doctor |
| D．Ask your teachers for guidance |
Why do psychologists want to help chronically lonely people? ________
| A．Chronic loneliness can cause family problems. |
| B．Chronic loneliness can not be overcome. |
| C．Chronic loneliness can cause serious illness. |
| D．Chronic loneliness is incurable. |
Loneliness is divided according to _____.
| A．different seasons when it appears |
| B．different people it happens to |
| C．the time it lasts |
| D．the places where it appears |
What is the best title for the passage? ________
| A． Loneliness and diseases |
| B．Three kinds of loneliness |
| C．Loneliness and social contacts |
| D．Chronic loneliness |
Lakes, ponds, and beaches mean summer fun and cool relaxation from hot weather．But water also can be dangerous for kids if you don't take great care．Nearly 1,000 kids die each year by drowning．Here are some tips to keep your kids safe in the water:
At the Lake or Pond
●Don't let little kids swim alone without adult supervision— lakes or ponds may be shallow near the bank and are suddenly deep sharply further out from shore．
●Ponds and lakes may hide sharp rocks, broken glass, or rubbish．
●Make sure kids wear foot protection; even in the water, they should wear socks or water shoes．
●Watch out for weeds and grass in the water that could trap a leg or arm．
●Most boating accidents, particularly among teenagers, are related to alcohol．Be sure teens know about the dangers of alcohol, on and off the water．
At the Beach
●Teach kids to always swim when and where a lifeguard is on duty．Unlike the calm waters of a swimming pool, the beach has special dangers like currents and tides．Check with the lifeguard when you arrive to find out about the water conditions．
●Tell kids never to stand with their back to the water because a sudden wave can easily knock a child over．
●Teach kids that if they're caught in a dangerous wave, they should swim to the shore or should tread water and call for a lifeguard's help．
Whether at the lake or at the beach, teach your child to get out of the water during bad weather, especially lightning．Which is the right behavior when swimming at the beach? ________
| A．Go off the water without a lifeguard on duty. |
| B．Go on swimming in a heavy rain. |
| C．Call for help if caught in a dangerous wave. |
| D．Go off the water before checking the water conditions. |
Swimming at a beach is more dangerous than in a pool because ________.
| A．there are currents and tides at a beach |
| B．there are no lifeguards at a beach |
| C．the waters of a beach are more calm |
| D．the waters of a pool are warmer |
The passage is probably written for ________.
| A．students at school |
| B．parents with little children |
| C．kids who want to learn swimming |
| D．coaches who teach kids to swim |
In which column of a magazine can you find this passage? ________
| A．Sports | B．Science |
| C．Entertainment | D．Education |
Every morning Grandpa got up early sitting at the table, reading his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to copy him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the book just like you, but I don’t understand it, and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?” The grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”
The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandpa laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned. Out of breath, he told his grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, so he went to get a bucket instead. The grandpa said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.”
The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandpa the basket was empty again. Out of breath, he said, “Grandpa, it’s useless !”“So, you think it is useless?” the grandpa said, “Look at the basket.”
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean.
“Grandson, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you’ll be changed, inside and out.”What puzzled the grandson most was ________.
| A．what kind of book he could understand |
| B．whether it was useful to read books |
| C．why he forgot what he read soon |
| D．how he could read books like his grandpa |
Why did Grandpa ask his grandson to fetch a basket of water? _______
| A．To punish him for not reading carefully. |
| B．To train him to run faster. |
| C．To get him to realize the use of reading books. |
| D．To clean the dirty basket in the river. |
What lesson can we learn from the story? ________
| A．It is foolish to carry water with a basket. |
| B．The old are always wiser than the young. |
| C．Reading books can change a person gradually. |
| D．You can’t expect to remember whatever you read. |
What can be the best title for the text? _______
| A．Grandpa and grandson | B．Carrying water in a basket |
| C．Baskets and books | D．Reading for total changing |