Mr.Selfridge, the Wisconsin-born retailer (零售商) who left school at 14, rose to become a partner in Marshall Field’s, Chicago. Founded in 1852, it was one of the first and most ambitious US department stores. Mr.Selfridge had done well with Marshall Field’s. He liked to say, “The customer is always right,” which made the Chicago store popular. And he is believed to have invented the phrase “Only (so many) Shopping Days until Christmas”.
When he visited London on holiday in 1906 he was surprised to find most of the city’s department stores were no match of their American and Parisian competitors. This led Selfridge to leave the US and establish Selfridges, a department store named after him, at the west end of London’s Oxford Street. In Oxford Street, Selfridge’s design team shaped an ambitious classical palace building with a wall of plate glass windows.
Opened in 1909, Selfridges offered customers a hundred departments along with restaurants, a roof garden,reading and writing rooms, reception areas for foreign visitors, a first aid room and most importantly, a small army of knowledgeable floor-walking assistants who served as guides as well as being thoroughly instructed in the art of making a sale.
Mr.Selfridge did much to make the department store a destination rather than just a big and comprehensively stocked city shop. It became a place to meet and for ladies to lunch. Mr.Selfridge later introduced the department store as a key element of the 20th Century culture, and Chaplin acknowledged the growing trend for shopping in the department store in his film The Floorwalker.
1.What can be learned about Mr.Selfridge from Paragraph 1?
A.He was well-educated. B.He was a modest man.
C.He was a gifted businessman. D.He was dishonest.
2.What was Selfridges’ most impressive characteristic?
A.The broad choice of goods. B.The large number of departments.
C.The small group of guards. D.The well-trained sales guides.
3.What is the main purpose of the article?
A.To encourage shoppers to spend more. B.To introduce the history of Selfridges.
C.To compare different department stores. D.To explain how to start a department store.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Petrol and diesel cars may still dominate our roads, but their days are numbered. A recent university study found that current electric cars could be used for 87 per cent of daily car journeys in the US. That figure could rise to 98 per cent by 2020.
One hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric cars has been ‘range anxiety’--- drivers' concerns about running out of juice on a journey. While petrol stations are conveniently located across national road systems, the necessary network of electric charging stations is still being developed. That said, charging points are becoming increasingly common throughout the USA.
Attitudes towards electric vehicles have changed quite considerably over the last few years. Not that long ago, electric cars were met with distrust, and their large price tags drove customers away. Thanks to improvements in battery capacity, recharging times, performance and price, the current generation of electric cars are starting to persuade critics. Plug-in cars will soon give internal combustion engine models a run for their money.
As well as advancements on the road, electric vehicles are taking to the seas and skies. Electric boats are among the oldest methods of electric travel, having enjoyed several decades of popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century before petrol-powered outboard motors took over. Now, the global drive for renewable energy sources is bringing electric boats back. Steps towards electric air travel are also being made, with Airbus and NASA among the organizations developing and testing battery powered planes. The experiments could soon make commercial electric flight a reality.
Electric vehicles do not produce any emissions. Were the US to act on the study's findings and replace 87 per cent of its cars with electric vehicles, it would reduce the national demand for petrol by 61 per cent. However, because of the production processes and the generation of electricity required to charge these vehicles, they cannot claim to be completely emission-free. That said, as many countries continue to increase their use of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles will become even cleaner.
1.Which is the best title for this passage?
A. My Dream Car
B. History of Electric Cars
C. Problems with Petrol Cars
D. Driving into the Future
2.As used in Paragraph 2, the underlined word “hurdle” means ________．
A. aim B. barrier
C. consequence D. step
3.What is the function of Paragraph 4?
A. To introduce the history of electric travel.
B. To explain why the world needs more electric cars.
C. To show why more people have interest in electric cars.
D. To describe different ways electric vehicles can be used.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
What exactly is intelligence? There aren’t any easy answers. Despite the progress that has been made in genetics and psychology, human intelligence has remained one of the most controversial areas of modern science，until now, that is, for the discovery of a gene(基因) linked to intelligence has made the experts think again.
Robert Plomin of the Institute of Psychiatry in London and his colleagues in the US have been looking into genetic make-up. From their research, they have discovered that a slightly different gene is more common in those with a high IQ. Plomin analyzed DNA from two groups of 51 children aged between 6 and 15. What he found was that the first group had an IQ of 136, putting them in the top 5% of the population, while the other group had an average IQ of 103. An analysis of their genes showed that 32% of children in the higher group had the gene in question, while only 16% in the second group did. However, there is a lot more research to be done, and Plomin himself is cautious at this early stage. He suggests that there are probably many genes that contribute to intelligence, rather than just one.
Several studies have shown a strong link between IQ and career success, although some psychologists remain unconvinced about this. Professor Michael Rowe, who has written a book called Genius Explained, is one of these. “The people with the highest IQs are not usually the ones who do best in their careers.”
Many psychologists now believe that when it comes to intelligence, IQ isn’t everything. Many alternative views have been put forward recently. One example is the idea of multiple intelligences, which was developed in the 1980s by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner. This offers a much broader view than the IQ theory, including creativity and communication skills as relevant factors(因素) in intelligence.
Tony Buzan, brain expert and author of Master your Memory, is enthusiastic about this belief, arguing that true geniuses(天才) do indeed appear to combine high levels of each type of intelligence. He lists Alexander the Great, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein as examples. At the same time, Buzan believes that everyone can develop their intelligence, only if they take the trouble to exercise their brain. Perhaps there’s hope for us all!
1.What is the topic of the passage?
A. The relationship between genes and intelligence.
B. IQ benefits a lot from high intelligence.
C. How to develop intelligence.
D. What makes intelligence.
2.Why does the author use data in Paragraph 2?
A. To make a suggestion. B. To draw a conclusion.
C. To prove an idea. D. To give an example.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Robert Plomin confirms genes have something in common.
B. Howard Gardner thinks intelligence includes various factors.
C. Michael Rowe approves of a strong link between IQ and career.
D. Tony Buzan agrees geniuses exercise brain to improve intelligence.
4.What does the underlined word “This” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A. The development of intelligence.
B. The idea of multiple intelligences.
C. IQ isn’t everything for intelligence.
D. Alternative views have been put forward.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
When people 1. (face) with health or nutrition questions, it is 2. (increasing) common to go online and diagnose themselves. But the Internet is full of conflicting health warnings with no regulation to get rid of the wrong advice, some of 3. is extremely dangerous! Also, search engines rank results by 4. (popular) rather than accuracy, so solid facts can be tricky to find. It is worth 5. (check) if the writer of an online piece is properly qualified as an expert. Anyone can call 6. (they) a “diet expert”, “nutritionist” and even a “doctor” — given it could refer to qualifications like a PhD. But remember, only officially 7. (recognize) practicing doctors as well as dietitians have degrees 8. giving medical 9. (suggest). So if you are unsure and still wondering whether the chocolate diet really does work or not, then it pays to make 10. appointment with your dietician or doctor. The truth is out there, and you just need to look in the right place!
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
为配合学校开展的课外体育活动，学生会向全校学生发出“锻炼身体，从我做起”的倡议。请你代表学生会，用英语写一封倡议书。内容包括：
1. 锻炼身体的好处；
2. 锻炼身体的方式；
3. 呼吁全体学生一起参加。
注意：1. 词数在80左右；
2. 开头已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear fellow students,
Our school has started a program of extra-curricular sports activities. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
E-waste is fast becoming a serious global problem. 1.
The source of e-waste
We live in a society that constantly produces and consumes electronic products. It is often cheaper to buy new pieces of equipment than to repair old ones. Also, through clever advertising, companies persuade consumers to replace their old TVs, mobile phones and computers for the latest models. E-waste is created when we throw away electronic equipment like this. In the EU alone, about 8.7 million tonnes of e-waste is produced each year. 2.
The problem with e-waste
Burying e-waste in landfills or burning it causes serious problems for the environment. 3. These substances can then leak into the ground in landfills or pollute the air when they are burnt.
Global recycling schemes (计划)
4. However, their schemes are not always managed properly and sometimes electronics are just sent to poor countries such as Ghana. Here they are often burnt in public areas, which is very bad for people’s health. Setting up recycling programs in the countries that create e-waste could solve this problem. E-cycling centres could recycle the parts that we can reuse and properly dispose of the rest.
Take-back policy
Another solution to e-waste is to make manufacturers responsible for their used products. This could mean forcing them to take back old products which are no longer wanted. 5.
Consuming less
We can all reduce the amount of waste we produce by buying electrical products only when we have to.
A.In recent years, many countries have started recycling e-waste.
B.They should then make sure they are properly recycled or reused.
C.Sadly, just over one million tonnes is recycled.
D.This report will examine this problem and provide some possible solutions.
E.By resisting the temptation to buy a product just to have the latest version, we cut down on e-waste.
F.Electronics contain dangerous chemicals and metals.
G.Both manufacturers and consumers must accept their responsibilities and make efforts to keep it to a minimum.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
My first lesson is at a meeting. As we settle around the table I hear Meg, who is ____ a recent operation, talking to Judith, the manager of our project. “Thank you so much for ____ my daughters to their dance lessons last week.” “Don’t mention it,” Judith says, “It was nothing.”
Knowing how ____ Judith’s schedule is, with her work, kids and aging parents, I find her driving Meg’s children to lessons unbelievably ____. I am about to say more about this when Donna, another colleague, enters the room ____. She apologizes for being late, saying she just hosted a lunch for her friends who are over seventy. “That is so nice of you,” I say, ____ how busy she is, how she doesn’t like to cook and clean. “Oh,” she says, waving her hand, “It was nothing.” ____, I can still tell the ____ in her voice. She did gain a sense of satisfaction from the entertainment offered to her friends.
Seeing their ____ to help others selflessly, I start thinking about the concept of “nothing”, this peaceful and generous way of living--- had it really been nothing or are they simply saying that? It ____ to me that once I spent a whole afternoon after work helping a friend ____ a speech she was going to deliver. I ____ her to rearrange the sequence of the stories in the lecture to make it sound more ____. After the fifth try, she finally ____ it. She hugged me with ____, saying thanks to me. I smiled and said it was nothing.
Suddenly, I realized that helping someone was really something to me. I learned that giving from the heart doesn’t ____ mean sacrifice and hard work. The ____ is finding something we love to do and finding someone who ____ that something. Our generosity can benefit others ____ ourselves. Once you have a good ____ of it, it’s nothing. And it’s really something.
1.A.going through B.adapting to C.recovering from D.rejoicing in
2.A.guiding B.fetching C.dragging D.driving
3.A.tight B.common C.strange D.practical
4.A.ridiculous B.eccentric C.tiresome D.generous
5.A.hurriedly B.angrily C.disappointedly D.unexpectedly
6.A.ignoring B.forgetting C.knowing D.predicting
7.A.Moreover B.Therefore C.Otherwise D.Somehow
8.A.pleasure B.sadness C.surprise D.regret
9.A.progress B.willingness C.promise D.ambition
10.A.refers B.appears C.occurs D.seems
11.A.prepare for B.put up C.give away D.deal with
12.A.begged B.recommended C.invited D.sponsored
13.A.confusing B.sensible C.sensitive D.typical
14.A.made B.meant C.caught D.got
15.A.concern B.worry C.gratitude D.apology
16.A.normally B.accidentally C.necessarily D.possibly
17.A.treat B.trick C.plot D.plan
18.A.needs B.admires C.loves D.defends
19.A.on account of B.as well as C.except for D.regardless of
20.A.order B.glimpse C.impression D.command
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
Mother's Gift
I grew up in a small town when the primary school was a ten-minute walk from my house. When the noon bell rang, I would race breathlessly home. My mother would be standing at the top of the stairs, smiling down at me.
One lunch-time when I was in the third grade will stay with me always. I had been picked to be the princess in the school play, and for weeks my mother had rehearsed my lines so hard with me. But no matter how easily I acted at home, as soon as I stepped onstage, every word disappeared from my head. Finally, my teacher took me aside. She explained that she had written a narrator's (旁白的) part to the play, and asked me to change roles. Her words, kindly expressed, still hurt, especially when I saw my part go to another girl.
I didn't tell my mother what had happened when I went home for lunch that day. But she sensed my pain. Instead of suggesting we practice my lines, she asked if I wanted to walk in the yard.
It was a lovely spring day and the rose vine (藤蔓) was turning green. Under the huge trees, we could see yellow dandelions (蒲公英) in the grass in bunch, as if a painter had touched our landscape with gold. I watched my mother casually bend down by one dandelion. ''I think I'm going to dig up all these weeds,'' she said, ''pulling it up by its roots. From now on, we'll have only roses in this garden.''
''But I like dandelions,'' I protested. ''All flowers are beautiful---even dandelions.''
My mother looked at me seriously. ''Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn't it? '' She asked thoughtfully. I nodded, pleased that I had won her over. ''And that is true of people too,'' she added. ''Not everyone can be a princess, but there is no shame in that.'' Relieved that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry as I told her what had happened. She listened and smiled.
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150词左右；
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
Paragraph 1:
''But you will be a good narrator, '' she said,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
After the play, I took home the dandelion.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析