Consumer electronics once again topped the list of the most wanted gifts this holiday season．“Seventy-six percent of consumers who plan to buy holiday gifts say that they will spend money buying at least one technology product; definitely a solid vote of confidence for technology．” Steve Koenig is with the Consumer Electronics Association． He says the group’s latest research also shows that Americans this year are spending more on technology products．
“Here in 2012，$252 on average–the technology spend for consumers this year．” From tablet computers to smart phones， American shoppers have been lining up to get the newest and coolest electronic devices on the market． There are more choices today than ever before．“It’s kind of hard to make a decision．”
Tablet computers are one of the best-selling products this year． Brian Tong is Senior Editor of CNET． com． The website reports on tech news and examines the latest electronic products． He says the Apple iPad Mini is one of the most popular tablets． Its starting price is $329．One of Apple’s biggest competitors is the Google Nexus 7．It starts at $199．
“The hardware inside is more powerful than what’s in the iPad Mini， but also it offers you a lot of things like maps that work better than Apple’s maps．” Brian Tong says there is one reason why people may like the iPad Mini more than the Nexus 7．“If you just want to read books and surf the Internet， you don’t really need to get an iPad Mini， but if you want the largest group of apps that’s where the iPad and Apple’s ecosystem shines the most．”
Elman Chacon is with the electronics store Best Buy．He says another hot product this season is smart cameras． They connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi． This makes it easy for users to email or upload photographs directly from the camera． “You can literally take a picture， upload it into your Facebook in a matter of seconds． These things are pretty cool because they do a lot of things．”
Streaming media boxes also connect to the Internet．People are able to watch web content such as movies and YouTube videos on their televisions．Another popular item is wireless speaker systems．The newest ones work with any device that has Bluetooth technology，including smart phones，laptops and tablets．
With the growing popularity of Internet shopping，many consumers will visit a store first to look at a product，and then go online to find it at a lower price．Stores like Best Buy understand that and they want to stay competitive．
“We have something called the perfect match promise which means if you buy a certain device and you find it cheaper within 30 days we’ll go ahead and price match that for you．” Elman Chacon said．
According to Brain Tong，________．
| A．the Apple’s iPad Mini is more suitable for enthusiastic readers |
| B．the hardware in iPad Mini is more advanced than that in Nexus 7 |
| C．iPad Mini is more eco-friendly |
| D．Nexus 7 has fewer apps than iPad Mini |
If you’ve discovered that a certain device you bought at Best Buy is more expensive than one at another store，________．
| A．you are sure to get double the amount you paid |
| B．the store will return the price differences |
| C．you can return the device and get your money back |
| D．the store will lower the price within 30 days |
Which of the following would be the best gift for a cab driver？
| A．Smart cameras． |
| B．Streaming media boxes． |
| C．Tablet computers． |
| D．Wireless speaker systems． |
What is true about the smart cameras？
| A．To show the varieties of products |
| B．The smart cameras are more powerful |
| C．It can make the users upload their photographs easily |
| D．The smart cameras makes it more convenient to go on Internet |
From the passage ，we can infer _______．
| A．Electronics have become one of the biggest consumer industries in the US． |
| B．There are many electronics in the United States． |
| C．The US becomes the Number One electronics consumers． |
| D．We can buy much cheaper products in US． |
What’s On
Stage
An acrobatic（杂技）soul: To celebrate its 50th anniversary , the China Acrobatic Troupe will present “The Soul of China”, where the seemingly impossible is made real . Chills（寒战）will run down your spine（脊柱）as you watch breathlessly as performers take their art and their bodies to the edge .
Time : 7:30 p.m , September13—19
Place : Capital Theatre , 22 Wangfujing Dajie , Dongcheng District
Exhibitions
Joint Show : A group ink painting exhibition is running at the Huangshicheng Art Gallery in Beijing . About 50 works by 25 young artists including Ge Yun and Yu Yang are on display .
Time : 9 a .m —5p. m. until September 10
Place : Huangshicheng Gallery , 136 Nanchizi Dajie , Dongcheng Distirct
Oil paintings : The Wanfung Art Galley will host a joint show of oil paintings by 10 young and middle-aged artists . On display are more than 30 of their latest works , which capture（捕捉）the wondrous variety of life in unique（独特的）styles .
Time : 9 a.m. —4p.m until September 15
Place: 136 Nachizi Street , Dongcheng District
Literature（文学）museum : The National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature offers an indepth study of the evolution of Chinese contemporary literature from 1919 to 1949 .
Time : 9 a. m —4 p.m , daily
Place: 45 Anyuan Donglu , Chaoyang District（Shaoyaoju area ）
Concerts
Beijing rocks : “ The Fashionow Night of Chinese Rock” is set to bring rock fans out by the thousands next month . Nine Chinese rock bands will perform at the concert , including older generation bands , middle generation and some recent arrivals. The audience（听众）will be given a chance to decide what songs they want to hear , which is sure to bring a storm .
Time: September 16
Place: The Olympic Center
Belgium Orchestra（管弦乐队）:La Petite Bande , the Baroque Orchestra of Belgium will perform in Beijing at the Grand Theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities as part of activities across the world to commemorate（纪念）the 250th anniversary of Bach’s death .
Time: 7:30 p.m . September11—14
Place: Grand Theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities What do you think of the acrobatic show mentioned here ?
| A．When you watch it , you will certainly feel cold . |
| B．Something strange will puzzle everyone , including scientists . |
| C．Unexpected things will make you excited and surprised . |
| D．Even the bravest ones will be too frightened to go on watching . |
The most characteristic thing about the Fashionow Night of Chinese Rock is that_______ .
| A．it will let the audience choose the performers and the music |
| B．it is to bring thousands of rock fans out of their homes |
| C．it will certainly cause a rock storm throughout China |
| D．it is to be held in memory of one of the greatest musicians |
Suppose it is September 14 today , how many activities can people choose to attend ?
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
On the whole ,we can conclude _________________.
| A．people in Beijing prefer modern culture to something traditional |
| B．there are usually more cultural activities in September than in any other month |
| C．most of the cultural activities in Beijing are for foreign visitors only |
| D．we can enjoy a large variety of cultural activities in Beijing |
Alzheimer’s disease is a major national health problem. Nearly 2 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. It is a leading cause of death among the elderly. But Alzheimer’s disease is not confined(限于)to the aged. There may be a million or more people under the age of 65 suffering from the disease.
At one time, people suffering from the disease were said to be“getting old”.The disease was though to be a natural part of growing old, but it is now known that Alzheimer’s disease strikes young and old alike. It is an organic(器官的)disease that destroys brain cells.
Alzheimer’s disease affects the patient’s memory, speech, and movement. In the beginning stages of the disease, the patient may seem slightly confused. He may have trouble speaking. Then the patient’s memory begins to fail. He may forget dates, telephone numbers, names and plans.
As the disease progresses, the patient may not recognize family and friends. These symptoms(症状)often cause terrible anxiety in the patient. He may feel lost and frightened. Sometimes the patient reacts with wild and bad behavior.
In the last stages of the disease, the patient may not be able to take care of himself. He may have lost the ability to speak and walk.
Scientists don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease. It may be caused by a virus(病毒).It may be caused by a poisonous substance(物质)in the environment. At present, there is no cure for the disease. But there are ways to slow its progress. Exercise and physical treatment can help the patients of this disease.The main idea of the passage is that Alzheimer’s disease________.
| A．is a terrible part of the aging process |
| B．is an organic disease that affects young and old |
| C．can be cured by physical treatment |
| D．causes forgetfulness |
All of the following are symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease EXCEPT_________.
A. forgetfulness B. difficulty in speaking
.loss of sight D. loss of the ability to walkAccording to the passage, which of the following may be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease?
| A．Poisons produced by the brain. | B．Getting old. |
| C．A virus. | D．Lack of exercise. |
he progress of Alzheimer’s disease can be slowed by________.
| A．operation | B．a change in environment |
| C．medicines | D．physical treatment and exercise |
Special trees that grow faster, fight pollution, produce better wood, and even sense chemical attacks are being planted by scientists in the US.
When 40 per cent of Hawaii's US$14 million-a-year papaya (木瓜)industry was destroyed by a virus five years ago, work began on creating genetically engineered(转基因的) trees.
Researchers successfully introduced seeds that were designed to resist the virus. Since then, more and more people have been testing genetically engineered trees.
Some researchers put special bacteria into trees to help them grow faster and produce better wood. Others are trying to create trees that can clean polluted soil.
Meanwhile fruit farmers are looking for trees that are strong enough to resist worms, and paper companies want trees that produce more wood and therefore more paper.
The Pentagon (五角大楼) even gave the researchers US$500,000 this year after they developed a pine tree that changes its colours if it senses a chemical attack..
So far, the poplar, eucalyptus (杨树与桉树), apple and coffee trees are among those being engineered. All this can be done today because we have a better understanding of tree genomes(基因组).
However, some people fear that the genetically engineered trees will cause dangerous results. They are worried that the new trees will breed with natural species and change the balance of the forest environment.
"It could be destructive," said Jim Diamond, an environmentalist. "Trees are what is left of our natural environment and home to many endangered species."
But researchers insist that science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers.
They hope to answer the critics by stopping the new trees from breeding, so their effect on the environment can be controlled.What trees are NOT the ones that scientists are planting in the US?
| A．Trees that worms can't hurt. |
| B．Trees that can protect themselves at a chemical attack. |
| C．Trees that can resist wind better. |
| D．Trees that can improve soil conditions. |
What caused the American scientists to work on special trees?
| A．They think science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers. |
| B．Great numbers of trees have been lost due to attacks by viruses. |
| C．Researchers successfully introduced seeds designed to resist the virus. |
| D．Tree genomes are mapped out so scientists know how to improve trees. |
Which of the following was probably the first kind of trees being engineered?
| A．Papaya. | B．Pine. | C．Apple. | D．Poplar. |
The best title of the passage is .
| A．The improvement of environment |
| B．The side-effects of special trees |
| C．The development of special trees |
| D．the program of genetically engineered trees |
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Fax（800)123-6461 Email: sakes @fitness. ComWhat is ROM?
| A．A peice of exercise equipment. |
| B．A club membership card. |
| C．A commercial health club. |
| D．An electric wheelchair. |
How many people bought ROM after trying it out?
| A．92% | B．88% |
| C．97% | D．90% |
One selling point of ROM is that_____.
| A．it makes full body exercise possible in 4 minutes |
| B．it can kill back and shoulder pains in 10 minutes |
| C．it needs no repair in the first 20 years |
| D．it is sold on a 3-month trial basis |
The advertisement is made believable by______.
| A．telling stories |
| B．using figures |
| C．making comparisons |
| D．asking question |
Asian athletes have had a spare time in the first two days of the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England. But Chinese hurdler(跨栏运动员) Liu Xiang surprised everyone by taking the bronze medal in the men's 60-meter hurdles.
Liu became the first Chinese male athlete to get a world indoor medal in the 18-year history of the championship and was the only Asian medallist this time.
"Karaoke (卡拉OK)! That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to get a big group of my friends together and sing. I love both Western and Chinese music but especially Michael Jackson," said Liu after clocking 7.52 seconds in the final to take his place on the podium (领奖台).
"Frankly speaking, I didn't think I was in the shape to win a medal," Liu said. "On my arrival here, my aim was just to fight my way into the final. After I did that, I thought I might just get into the top six. I knew British hurdler Colin Jackson was going to be here and he's the world record holder indoors and out."
"There was also Cuba's reigning (统治的) Olympic champion Anier Garcia and Allen Johnson, from the United States." It was Johnson, the reigning world outdoor champion, who was successful in 7.47 seconds with Garcia second and Jackson finished back in fifth.
Now Liu will never underestimate his chances again and is aiming for glory in Paris later this year.
"There is the World Championship outdoors in the summer and I have now got to think that I can get a medal. I can never again think that I can't get a medal," he said. Liu's success here marks his rapid transition into the senior ranks.
"The university gives me a lot of flexibility. My courses are very easy and the teachers are very helpful," said Liu.
They might have to be even more accommodating(乐于助人的) now if Liu starts taking on celebrity status, although an invite to his homecoming karaoke party may help. The first sentence "Asian athletes have had a spare time in the first two days…" means "________".
| A．Asian athletes can do things at their will in the first two days |
| B．Asian athletes haven't any achievements in the first two days |
| C．Asian athletes could match athletes from other continents |
| D．Asian athletes are tired of competing in the first two days |
The underlined sentence means "________".
| A．I was not satisfied with my performances |
| B．winning a medal can't show what I have done |
| C．I didn't think I was able to win a medal |
| D．I haven't told anyone about my achievements in the hurdles |
Liu ________ the World Championship outdoors in Paris later this year.
| A．is busy preparing for |
| B．has great pressure on |
| C．is more confident of his ability in |
| D．pays little attention to |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Liu Xiang was the youngest athlete to take part in the competition in England. |
| B．Liu Xiang was the first Asian medallist to get a world indoor medal. |
| C．Liu Xiang is not only a good athlete but a music-lover. |
| D．Liu Xiang finds it hard to get along with teachers in university. |