World's coolest bookstores
(CNN)-Someday there may be a generation of kids who think bookstores are fictional creations found only in novels that come in the mail.
Understandable, since many of the world's most beautiful independent bookstores have closed in recent years. Not all of them are facing unhappy endings, however. The brick-and-mortar(砂浆)survivors-and brave newcomers-have adapted to the Age of Amazon in their own ways. Old or new, all with fascinating stories, the bookstores below serve as historic sites, sanctuaries(避难所),salons of culture and must-visit entries in any travel guide.
Librairie Avant-Garde (Nanjing, China)
China's most beautiful bookstore is located inside a massive underground parking lot once used as a bomb shelter. The 4,OOO-square-meter store's unusual features include large crosses, a copy of Rodin's "The Thinker" and a checkout counter built out of thousands of old books,
The store also functions as a sort of public library, with more than 300 reading chairs. "A good bookshop should provide space, vision and nurture the city with its humanitarian spirit," owner Qian Xiaohua tells CNN. "It's a place for people to have dreams in the city."
Foyles flagship (London)
In June 2014, the century-old London bookseller moved into its spacious new digs -- the size of 13 tennis courts-just a step away from its former home. Foyles new space has its own interest- ing history as the former Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design building, where Alexan- der McQueen and Stella McCartney once studied.
The stage where the Sex Pistols played their first gig(演奏) in 1975 now houses the Foyles children's department. The store also launched a helpful in-store digital book search map that's automatically enabled on customers' smart phones when they connect to the store's Wi-Fi net- work- the first of its kind in the country.
The Last Bookstore (Los Angeles)
Hopefully, the Last Bookstore will never fulfill the prophecy(预言) of its name.
The popular warehouse-like store buys and sells new and used books and is home to an excel-lent coffee bar and a record shop. The 100,000 books stacked in the "Labyrinth Above the Last Bookstore" section on the mezzanine(夹层楼面) level sell for a dollar each.
"The space we occupy was originally a bank, and there are still vaults(穹顶 ) on both floors of our store, but now they are full of books," says store manager Katie Orphan. "We generally have around 200,000 books in the store at any given time."
1.The first sentence of the text implies that
A. many bookstores have disappeared
B. kids like fictional books to read
C. bookstores provide the service of mailing
D. novels are mailed to kids for free
2.What is strange of Foyels flagship?
A. Readers can use WiFi free of charge.
B. Readers can use their phones to search books.
C. Readers can download digital books onto their phones.
D. Readers can play tennis in the bookstore.
3.According to Qian, his bookstore is where
A. people get support to achieve their dreams
B. people can park their cars underground
C. people experience their mental enjoyment
D. people read various books as a thinker
4.What do we know about the Last Bookstore?
A. It is the last bookstore in Los Angeles.
B. Its books are sold for a dollar each.
C. It provides readers free coffee all day.
D. It is formerly used as a bank.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Valentine's Day had arrived and like other days of the year, I was very busy.
My romantic husband, Roy, planned a date like we had never had before. A reservation at an expensive restaurant was made. A beautifully wrapped present had been sitting on my dresser for a few days before the heart-filled holiday.
After a hard day at work, I hurried home, ran into the house and jumped into the shower.
When my sweetheart arrived, I was dressed in my finest outfit and ready to go. He hugged me, just as the babysitter arrived. We were both excited.
Unfortunately, the youngest member in our household wasn't so happy.
"Daddy, you were going to take me to buy Mamma a present," Becky, my eight-year-old daughter said, as she sadly walked over to the sofa and sat down beside the babysitter.
Roy looked at his watch and realized that if we were to make our reservations, we had to leave right away. He didn't even have a few minutes to take her to the store to buy a heart-shaped box of chocolate candy. "I'm sorry, I was late getting home, honey," he said.
"That's OK," Becky replied. "I understand."
The entire evening was bittersweet. I couldn't help being concerned about the disappointment in Becky's eyes. I remembered how the joy of Valentine's Day had left her face just before the door closed behind us. She wanted me to know how much she loved me. She didn't realize it, but I already knew it very well.
Today, I can't remember what was wrapped in that beautiful box, which I was excited for sev- eral days, but I'll never forget the special gift, which I received when we arrived, back home.
Becky was asleep on the sofa., holding a box, which was sitting on her lap. When I kissed her cheek, she awoke. "I've made something for you, Mamma," she said, as a big smile covered her ti- ny face.
The little box was wrapped in newspaper. As I tore the paper off and opened the box, I found the sweetest Valentine gift that I have ever received. It was a heart-shaped pillow, filled with love, which I'll cherish forever.
My wonderful Valentine gift has a special place in my bedroom today, some thirteen years later. As she was growing up into a young woman, many times I held that pillow close to my heart. I don't know if a pillow can hold magic, but this pillow has surely held a great deal of joy for me over the years. It has helped me through several sleepless nights since she left home for college. I not only treasure the gift, but the memory, as well.
I know that I am a very lucky mother, indeed, to have such a wonderful little girl, who wanted so much to share her heart with me. As long as I live, there will never be another Valentine's Day, which will be any more special to me.
1.How did the writer plan to spend Valentine's Day?
A. To stay at work.
B. To have dinner with her husband.
C. To have a family dinner.
D. To celebrate the day alone.
2.How did Becky feel when she knew her father had no time to take her to buy mother a gift?
A. She was sad and cried.
B. She was lonely and frightened.
C. She was disappointed but understanding.
D. She was happy to be together with the babysitter.
3.What's the best title for this passage?
A. A Gift in Newspaper. B. Becky's Dream.
C. Valentine's Day. D. A Special Gift.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Teaching is more than leadership. Some of the teacher's time and effort are directed toward instruction, some toward evaluation. But it is the teacher as a group leader who creates an effective organizational structure and good working environment so that instruction and evaluation activities can take place. A group that is totally disorganized, unclear about its goal . or constantly fighting among its members will not be a good learning group. The pattern includes helping to form and maintain a positive learning environment so that instruction and evaluation activities can take place.
On the first day of class, the teacher faces a room filled with individuals (个体 ). Perhaps a few closely united groups and friendships already exist. But there is no sense of group unity, no set of rules for conduct in the group , no feeling of belonging. If teachers are successful leaders, they will help students develop a system of relationships that encourages working together.
Standards and rules must be set to keep order, make sure of justice and protect individual rights, but do not contradict(相悖) school policy. What happens when one student hurts another's individual rights? Without clear regulations agreeable to the students and teachers, the classroom can become chaotic,(混乱的). Students may break rules they did not know existed. If standards are set without participation from the class, students may spend a great deal of creative energy in destroying the class environment or finding ways to break rules.
No matter how skillful the teacher is in uniting students and creating a positive atmosphere, the task is never complete. Regular maintenance(维持) is necessary. Conflicts arise. The needs of individual members change. A new kind of learning task requires a new or organizational structure. Sometimes outside pressures such as holidays, upcoming tests or sport competitions, or family troubles cause stress in the classroom. One task for the teacher is to recreate a positive environment by helping students deal with conflict , change, and stress.
1.The underlined word “maintain" in Paragraph l probably means
A. keep B. build
C. recreate D. evaluate
2.According to the author, the teacher should .
A. free students from outside pressures
B. set the standards and rules on his own
C. be responsible for a well-organized class
D. focus more on instruction and evaluation
3.From the passage we can lean that .
A. rules cannot be changed once they're formed
B. outside pressures may not cause tension among students
C. if the teacher well units his students, he then will finish his task
D. if rules are not acceptable both to students and teachers, the classroom can be a mess
4.What is the author's main purpose of writing the passage?
A. To provide information for teaching.
B. To show the importance of' teaching a class.
C. To study the teacher's behavior in the classroom.
D. To compare the teacher's behavior with the students' in class.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Have you ever wondered where the chocolate in your favorite candy bar comes from? Choco-
late comes from the cacao tree, which grows in warm, tropical areas of West Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, and South America. And who eats the delicious chocolate made from the cacao grown in these places? The majority of chocolate is consumed in Europe and North America. This probably sounds like a familiar story-developing countries produce inexpensive raw materials that are manufactured and sold as finished goods in developed countries, and generally, that is what happens with chocolate. Large chocolate companies buy cacao beans at a low price and produce cocoa and chocolate products to sell at a relatively high price.
But the familiar story has a new chapter. Beginning in the 1980s, some consumers learned that cacao farmers were living difficult and uncertain lives. The farmers received money for their crops based on world markets, and the market price for cacao was sometimes so low that farmers received less for their crops than the crops had cost to produce. In response, groups of consumers in Europe and the United States developed "fair trade" organizations to guarantee that farmers of cacao, as well as coffee and tea, would receive fair and consistent prices for their crops.
Fair trade organizations benefit farmers by buying cacao beans or other products from them directly at higher-than-market prices and eliminating（消除）“middle men" such as exporters. Fair trade organizations also encourage farming techniques that are not harmful to the environment or to farm workers. for example, growing cacao without chemical pesticides or fertilizers in the shade of rain forest trees.0ne organization, Equal Exchange, helps farmers set up farming cooperatives in which they can share resources and work on projects such as community schools. Another, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International(FLO),guarantees that products bearing its label meet standards that improve the lives of growers and producers.
The results of fair trade are a better standard of living for some farmers and nicer chocolate bars made with organically produced cocoa that consumers don't feel guilty about buying. And al- though fair trade chocolate is somewhat more expensive than other chocolate and now makes up only 1% of chocolate sold, the fair trade idea is spreading quickly. You may soon see fair trade chocolate right next to the more famous bars in your favorite store.
1.The underlined word“that”in Paragraph l refers to ．
A. the unfair trade between countries
B. the high price of chocolate products
C. the traditional production of raw materials
D. the major consumption of the finished food
2.The organization Equal Exchange aims to ．
A. promote chocolate sales
B. offer support to the farmers
C. reduce the cost of growing crops
D. increase the production of chocolate
3.What does the author imply in the last paragraph?
A. There will be more fair trade chocolate ill the future.
B. Fair trade chocolate is not as tasty as other chocolate.
C. Consumers feel guilty about buying fair trade chocolate.
D. There is probably no reason to worry about cacao farmers.
4.The passage mainly talks about ．
A. giving tips on how to undertake fair chocolate trade
B. advising people to join in Fair trade organizations
C. encouraging farmers to adopt organic farming
D. informing people of fair trade chocolate
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
How to Negotiate
when you're negotiating（协商）with someone, listen for the messages that he or she might be sending to you.1. Imagine you're staying in a hotel, and you want to change your room-The manager s answer of“That would be very difficult, sir”,does not mean that he is 8aymg“no．”It Just means that he wants to know what you are prepared to offer him in return for the change of room．
If you are buying a new car, and want to pay less than the price being asked, then the sales. man s comment, 2.means that they do negotiate on other things, like the delivery time, or the “extra” that might be available as part of the purchase. In the same car showroom, if the salesman says,3.then your response should be to ask who can. The message the salesman is sending suggests that his boss is the one you need to be talking to.
4.In any negotiation, the two “players” wish to get as much out of it as they can, of course. In the three examples above. the salesmen and the hotel manager are hoping that you will accept their price or conditions——but their “messages” make it clear that there may be room for movement and compromise. 5..
A. Patience plays a vital role in listening, which leads to a successful negotiation.
B. “Sorry, I myself can't negotiate prices",
C. "I'm sorry, but we never negotiate on the price",
D. "I'm sorry, but our price is quite reasonable",
E. In all of these situations, the message is never communicated in clear terms.
F. For example, the word "difficult" does not mean the same as impossible.
G. In a successful negotiation, the two sides move towards each other and reach an agreement on conditions that satisfy both sides.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
We were standing at the top of a tower. My father had______ me to this spot in a small town not far from our home.1 wondered______.
“Look down, Elsa," Father said. I gathered all my_____and looked down. I saw the square in the center of the village. And I saw the crisscross of twisting, turning streets leading to the ____．
“See, my dear." Father said gently." There is more than one way to a square .Life is like that. If you can't get to the place where you want to go ____ 0ne road, try another."
Now I understood why l was there. Earlier that day I had ______my mother to do something about the awful school lunches. But she ______because she could not believe the lunches were as ____as I said.
When I turned to Father, he would not help. Instead, he brought me to this high tower to give me a_____—the value of the open, searching mind. By the time, we reached home. I had a_____．
At school the next day,1______poured my lunch soup into a bottle and brought it home. Then I talked the cook into serving it to Mother at dinner. Everything went on smoothly. She swallowed one ______and spat it out．Quickly I t01d her what I had done，and Mother stated__that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day!
In the years that followed I often remembered what Father taught me. I began to work as a fashion designer two years ago.1 was busy getting ready to show my winter fashions. But just 13 days before presentation the sewing girls all stopped working.1 was as______as my models.” Well never make it.” one of them cried.
Accept the failure? __use wisdom to find another mad to my goa17 Then a great idea flashed through my mind———why not _______ the clothes unfinished?
And-exactly 13 days later, our showing turned out to be so______that it was a great success. Our different showing caught the_____ of the public, and orders for the clothes ____ in. Father's wise words had______me once again,” There is always more than one way to thesquare．
1.A. sent B. brought C. directed D. welcomed
2.A. who B. how C. what D. why
3.A. thoughts B. strength C. courage D. spirits
4.A. square B. tower C. town D. village
5.A. in B. on C. by D. across
6.A. persuaded B. begged C. encouraged D. ordered
7.A. failed B. agreed C. promised D. refused
8.A. bad B. expensive C. delicious D. hot
9.A. 1esson B. chance C. shock D. ride
10.A. goal B. result C. plan D. choice
11.A. skillfuUy B. actively C. carelessly D. secretly
12.A. cupful B. spoonful C. handful D. bagful
13.A. thoughtfully B. simply C. firmly D. repeatedly
14.A. positive B. cheerful C. calm D. hopeless
15.A. Or B. And C. But D. So
16.A. show B. buy C. change D. sell
17.A. famous B. poor C. unusual D. ordinary
18.A. notice B. attention C. desire D. impression
19.A. turned B. handed C. stepped D. poured
20.A. suggested B. guided C. corrected D. defeated
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It is difficult for parents of nearly every family to teach their children to be responsible1. housework, but with one of the following 2.(suggest), you really can get your children3. (help) at home.
If you usually give your children the deep impression that they can never do anything quite right, then they4.(regard) themselves as unfit or unable persons.5.children do not believe they can succeed, they will never become totally independent.
My daughter Mary's fifth-grade teacher made every child in her class feel special. When stu- dents received less than a perfect test score, she would point out6.they had mastered and declared7. (firm) they could learn what they had missed.
You can use the same way when you evaluate your child's work at home. Don't always scold and you should give lots of praise instead. Talk about what he has done right, not about what he hasn’t done. If your child completes 8.difficult task, promise him a Sunday trip or a ball game with Dad.
Learning is a process of trying and9. (fail)and trying and succeeding. If you teach your children not to fear a mistake of failure, they will learn10.(fast) and achieve success at last.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
I'm so annoying at school and at home because of my best friend who is perfect at everything. She is of the smartest kid in the grade, good at sports. She can play violin really good. She is very creative at anything. But when he gets a 940/0 quiz back, she says she does a horrible job at it.
She also says I probably got best than her when she knows I didn't. I am such depressed and feel
like an ugly, stupid, not-good-at-anything kind of person with no friend.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是李华，一名高三学生，在网络上看到一所国外大学的招生( admission)信息，该大学对中国学生开设了30多个专业(major)，你对此非常感兴趣，打算用英语撰写一份个人申请，主要内容包括：
1．想申请的专业；2．个人优势；3．进大学后的设想。
注意：
1．词数：100字左右；2．书信格式已给出；3．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Sir or Madam,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Yours Sincerely,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析