Exploit your parking space
An unused parking space or garage can make money.If you live near a city center or an airport,you could make anything up to￡200 or￡300 a week.Put an advertisement for free on Letpark or Atmyhousepark
Rent a room
Spare room?Not only will a lodger（房客）earn you an income,but also,thank to the government-backed "rent a room" program,you won't have to pay any tax on the first￡4500 you make per year.Try advertising your room on Roomspare or Roommateeasy.
Make money during special events
Don't want a full-time lodger?Then rent on a short-term basis.If you live in the capital,renting a room out during the Olympics or other big events could bring in money.Grashpadder can advertise your space.
Live on set
Renting your home out as a "film set" could earn you hundreds of pounds a day,depending on the film production company and how long your home is needed.A quick search on the Internet will bring up dozens of online companies that allow you to register your home for free—but you will be charged if your home gets picked.
Use your roof
You need the right kind of roof,but some energy companies pay the cost of fixing solar equipment (around￡14,000),and let you use the energy produced for nothing.In return,they get paid for unused energy fed back into the National Grid.However,you have to sign a 25-year agreement with the supplier,which could prevent you from changing the roof.
1.If you earn￡5000 from renting a room in one year,the tax you need to pay will be based on .
A. ￡800 B. ￡4500
C. ￡500 D. ￡5000
2.Where can you put an advertisement to rent out a room during a big event?
A. On Letpark. B. On Roomspare.
C. On Roommateeasy. D. On Grashpadder.
3.If you want to use energy free,you have to .
A. sign an agreement with the government
B. pay around￡14,000 for the equipment
C. sell the roof to same energy companies
D. keep the roof unchanged for within 25 years
4.For whom is the text most probably written?
A. Lodgers. B. Advertisers.
C. Online companies D. House owners.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
If you watch British television on Friday March 15,you might be surprised to see celebrities wearing funny red noses and joking around.But don't worry.They're not mad.It's all part of a biannual fund-raising event called Red Nose Day.
Organized by the charity Comic Relief,founded in 1985 by two British comedians,the aim of the event it is to raise money to fight poverty and injustice in the UK and Africa.Celebrities and public figures support the event by making appearances on comic TV shows broadcast by the BBC.This year,for example,UK Prime Minister David Cameron appeared in a music video by One Direction,which the band produced for the event.
But Britons don't just raise money for charitable causes on one day a year.They do it all year round.One way of doing so is-by shopping in charity shops.These small,inconspicuous shops sell clothes,books and household goods just like any other shop But there's one big difference—everthing sold in the shops is second-hand.
There are nearly 10,000 charity shops in the UK,according to the Charity Retail Association.Their business model is simple: Anybody who has things they don't want anymore can donate them to a charity shop,where they are checked for damage,cleaned and priced.Most items go back on sale at a small part of their original price and the money that is made by selling them is used for a charitable cause.
The idea of buying used clothes may sound off-putting,but for shoppers who have less spending money,such as the elderly or those in low-paying jobs,it has been a welcome option for years.Now,shopping at charity shops is also becoming popular with young people looking for alternative fashion."You can find very unique clothes for a very cheap price.It doesn't bother me that other people may have worn them.I simply wash them before I wear them,"said Anne Marie,a 19-year-old Internet user from the US,in a comment on a Yahoo forum.
So next time you spot a charity shop,why not go inside?Who knows,you might find a lovely dress for just a few pounds.Even better,you can enjoy wearing it in the knowledge that your money helped a good cause.
1.Why did Cameron appear in One Direction's music video?
A. To earn a living. B. To support the band.
C. To entertain the audience. D. To help raise money.
2.What do we learn from the passage about Comic Relief?
A. It was founded in 1985 by two British comedians in Africa.
B. It runs nearly 10,000 charity shops in the UK.
C. It organizes the Red Nose Day fund-raising event.
D. It is financially supported by the UK government.
3.What's Anne Marie's attitude to charity shops?
A. Disapproving. B. Particular.
C. Doubtful. D. Favorable.
4.The passage is written mainly to .
A. explain how charity shops work in the UK
B. introduce the traditions of the Red Nose Day
C. inspire more people to join in charitable causes in the UK
D. analyze why charity shops are popular in the UK
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Living in the wild can be hard.Finding food and staying safe aren't easy.Each day,animals struggle to survive in their habitats.Not all animals get by on their own.Some animals form a close partnership with other kinds of animals. These pairings are called symbiotic (共生的) relationships.
In a symbiotic relationship,the animals depend on each other.One animal helps the other meet its needs.Sounds good,right?Not always.Some animals are not very kind to their partners.In some cases,one animal meets its needs but hurts its partner.Take ticks,for example.These insects suck blood to live.To get blood,they attach themselves to other kinds of animals.Ticks can pass germs that cause disease instead of helping their hosts.
In other relationships,animals don't treat their partners so poorly Both animals benefit from living with the other animal.
Small animals called cleaner shrimps have found a way of helping fish at coral reefs.As their name suggests,the shrimps clean the fish.They hang out at what scientists call a cleaning station.A fish stops by.Then a shrimp climbs onto the fish and even steps into the fish's mouth.The shrimp uses its tiny claws to pick stuff off the fish's body.That can include dead skin,tiny pieces of food,and wee creatures that can hurt the fish.The fish gets a nice cleaning.The shrimp enjoys a tasty meal offish trash.
Small birds called plovers are also in the cleaning business.They have big customers—crocodiles.Crocs have long snouts（鼻子）filled with sharp teeth,Cleaning them is tricky.When a croc opens its mouth,the plover hops right in.The croc does not snap its snout shut.Instead,it lets the plover eat small,harmful animals attached to its teeth.The plover gets an easy meal while the croc gets clean teeth.
1.The text is mainly about .
A. the hard life in the wild
B. animals in a symbiotic relationship
C. animals living together
D. some dangerous animals
2.According to the text,in a symbiotic relationship, .
A. animals depend on each other
B. birds depend on animals for food
C. both sides can get help
D. not all animals treat their partners well
3.Why do the cleaner shrimps clean the fish?
A. To get fish trash for food.
B. To eat wee creatures.
C. To help fish go out of coral reefs.
D. To get food for fish.
4.According to the text,it can be inferred that .
A. living in the wild can be hard
B. different animals have different living ways
C. crocodiles mainly live on plovers
D. ticks are useful to some animals
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
New York Time—A gunman killed eight people at a mall in Omaha this afternoon and then killed himself, setting off panic among holiday shoppers,the police said.
"The person who we believe to be the shooter has died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds,"Sergeant Teresa Negron of the Omaha Police Department said at televised news."We have been able to clear the mall,"she said."We don't believe we have any other shooters."The police said that at least five other people had been injured in the shootings.
She did not give the shooter's identity."We are still conducting the investigation,"Sergeant Negron said,adding that the city's mayor,who was out of town,was on his way back to Omaha.
She said the police received a 911 call from someone inside the Westroads Mall on the west side of Omaha,and shots could be heard in the background.The first police officers arrived at the mall six minutes after the first call,she said but by then the shootings were over.
It is reported that the gunman left a suicide note that was found at his home by relatives.A law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity（匿名）said the note indicated that the gunman wanted to "go out in style."
The shootings broke the usually ordinary routine of holiday shopping.The gunman was said by some witnesses to have fired about 20 shots into a crowd.Some customers and workers ran screaming from the mall,while others dived into dressing rooms to hide from the shooter.
Shoppers and store workers were trapped inside the mall,which has roughly 135 stores.Others streamed out of mall exits with their hands raised.President Bush was in Omaha this morning to deliver a speech,but he had left the city by the time the shootings took place.
1.What do the underlined words "go out in style" probably mean?
A. To go out of the mall in particular clothes.
B. To walk in the mall with oneself focused on.
C. To stop his life in an impressive way.
D. To go to a social event by fashionable means.
2.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Nobody knows why the shooter did so and nothing was found at his home.
B. The city’s mayor went to the site when the shooting took place.
C. Police arrived at the mall before the shooting was over and rescued customers.
D. The official who showed what the note meant wanted to keep himself from being known to the public.
3.Which of the following can be the best title of the news?
A. Bush Happened to Escape a Shot
B. Shoppers in Great Panic before the Holiday
C. Shooter Found Dead in a Mall on the west of Omaha
D. Gunman Killed 8 People,Then Himself at a Mall in Omaha
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Lazy people will never achieve anything in life.However,laziness can be defeated once a few changes have been made in your mind.
1.Many people lack sleep constantly,since they stay up too late and get up too early to prepare for work. These people have little motivation once they arrive home.Laziness works hand in hand with a lack of motivation and a tendency to put off things.By adjusting yow sleep schedule to provide a few more hours of meaningful rest,you can fight laziness throughout the day.
Another way to fight laziness is to change your mind from passive to active.Some people treat their lives as if they were pushed from project to project.Others take a more proactive approach,viewing each project or task as a challenge they must overcome alone.2.
Some people fight laziness by removing the temptations that surround them.A television in the living room may provide entertainment,but watching too much TV often promotes laziness3.Complete a certain number of chores and reward yourself with a good dinner or a film.
Laziness can also be a lasting problem at home.Couples and children may all have different energy levels,but laziness can be spread if not dealt with quickly.4.Be the first to collect and wash dishes after a meal.Others in the home may eventually follow your example and perform their own chores.It is difficult to practice laziness when you are surrounded by motivated people.
5.Enough exercise and a balanced diet can help you to develop a healthy lifestyle,thus enabling you to have more energy and help boost your mood.
A.Knowing how to fight laziness is important.
B.Om way to fight laziness is to get enough sleep.
C.Finally,taking exercise regularly can help you fight laziness.
D.With strong determination,you will be able to achieve your goal.
E.Laziness sets in when you no longer feel in charge of your own life.
F.Create a reward system for yourself,just as parents do for the children.
G.To fight household laziness,set an example.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Although I love my life,it hasn't been a lot of fun as I've been ill for 28 years.
Music has always been a great love of mine and,in my 20s,when my____was more manageable,I____ten years as a professional singer in restaurants,playing and singing folk songs.____that was years ago and times have changed.____I live with my mother on a country farm.
Two years ago,I decided that I would need to have some kind of extra work to____my disability pension（残疾抚恤金）.____I needed to sleep in the afternoons,I was limited in my____.I decided that I would consider____to singing in restaurants.
My family are all musicians,so I was____when I went into our local music store.I explained that I wanted to sing again but using recorded karaoke music.I knew that discs were very expensive and I really didn't have a lot of ____to get started.And____you find only three to four songs out often on a disc that you can____use.
When I told the owner of the shop about my____,he gave me a long thoughtful____."This means a lot to you, doesn't it?"he said."Come with me."
He led me____the crowded shop and to a bench with a large professional karaoke box on it.He placed his large hand____on his treasure and said,"I have 800 karaoke songs in here.You can take your____and I'll record them for you.That should get you started."
I____.Thanking him,I made a time with him to listen to all the songs and choose____that I could sing.I have come full circle with his help.
His____still warms my heart and makes me do just that bit extra,when I have the chance.
1.A. loneliness B. sadness C. sickness D. tiredness
2.A. set B. shared C. kept D. enjoyed
3.A. Gladly B. Eventually C. Surprisingly D. Unfortunately
4.A. Then B. Now C. Sometime D. Meanwhile
5.A. add up to B. get rid of C. make up for D. take advantage of
6.A. As B. If C. Though D. Before
7.A. movement B. condition C. positions D. choices
8.A. reaching out B. living up C. going back D. getting on
9.A. invited B. interviewed C. found D. recognized
10.A. energy B. time C. money D. knowledge
11.A. thus B. once C. often D. seldom
12.A. hardly B. actually C. nearly D. formerly
13.A. job B. family C. offer D. idea
14.A. face B. look C. view D. sight
15.A. over B. along C. through D. towards
16.A. unhappily B. pitifully C. lovingly D. gratefully
17.A. tum B. pick C. role D. step
18.A. had to cry B. ought to cry C. could have cried D. should have cried
19.A. more B. the rest C. few D. the ones
20.A. courage B. devotion C. trust D. kindness
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
You might have seen this in US TV dramas.A group of girls knock on people's doors,trying to sell cookies.What are they doing?They are Amercican Scouts（女童子军）,and1.(sell) cookies is a tradition of2.(they).
Selling cookies is just one activity among all the fun things that Girl Scouts do.The Girl Scouts of the USA is a group3.(found) in 1912.It offers all kinds of activities to girls and lets them learn skills.
Boys can be scouts too.4.they join a different group called the Boy Scouts of America (RSA),5.was founded in 1910.
Now there are 1.9 million Girl Scouts in the US,according to the group,Usually,they go6.(camp) and learn how to build fires and use a compass.Sometimes they also stay7.(indoor) doing crafts or learning arts.Every time they do an activity or pass a test,they get a badge.
The Boy Scouts love to win the badges too.They have a ranking system.And winning enough badges is 8. must to get into a9.(high) rank.The highest rank is "Eagle",which10.(require) at least 21 badges.Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon,and Bill Gates,the father of Microft,were both Eagle Scouts when they were young.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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短文。短文中共有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（∧），并在此符号下面写出该加的词。
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。
Recently,as the development of the Internet,there is a kind of language calling the Web Language.The other day our class have a discussion about if we should welcome the Web Language.Forty percent of students think it ridiculous.In their opinions,it does no good to helping people communicating,nor is it useful for learning English Besides,it'll make Chinese more standard,finally ruining our mother tongue.However,60% of our class are fond of it.They think it simple,convenient and helpful in expressing them.Personally,I think it's not a good habit to use the Web Language.It may be popular,but you may also make yourself be misunderstood.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你校将举行一个成人仪式，你将作为代表在仪式上发言。请你按以下内容要点准备一篇英文发言稿。
1.过去对成年的向往； 2.现在的感受和认识； 3.将来的目标及措施。
参考词汇：（责任 responsibility）注意：1.词数100左右；2.可以适当增加细节，使行文连贯；3.发言稿的开头与结束语已为你写好（不计入总词数）
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难度: 困难查看答案及解析