Over three million people will do their Christmas shopping entirely online this year without once visiting an actual shop, a poll (民意调查) has found. Overcrowding and long queues in shops are forcing people away from the high street as the hassle (烦扰) of Christmas shopping becomes too much.
The number of people turning their backs on the high street is almost one million higher than it was last year, according to the poll by YouGov. Last Christmas 2.4 million shoppers did not do any of their shopping in actual shops. The figure this year is predicted to be around 3.4 million, equal to around 7 percent of the adult population.
Over a third of people said that the main turn-off about shopping on the high street is 0ver-crow-ding. Meanwhile almost a quarter said that long queues at the cheek-out are the worst thing about it.
Of the 2.065 people pored, even those who are stir taking to the shops plan to spend less time in them this Christmas. Around 31 percent of shoppers who plan to spend at least some time on the high street will spend less than half of their shopping time in actual shops, using the rest of the time to shop remotely via the internet. This compares to 28 percent of people last year. Meanwhile the proportion of people spending over half of their shopping time in high street shops has dropped from 41 percent last year to 39 percent this year. Just 2 percent of people said that they are looking forward to dealing wi.th store staff this festival season.
Guy Boxall, senior product marketing manager at Casio Business Solutions Division, which commissioned the research from YouGov, said that despite the fall in people visiting the high street,humans are "social creatures" who actually like spending time together.
"Although the high street is facing a big challenge Christmas, retailers (零售商) should see this research as a challenge to improve the in-store shopping experience, rather than the nail in the coffin. We are social creatures, and the desire to spend time with each other, particularly at Christmas, is never going to go away," said Mr. Boxall.
1.According to the poll, in this year's Christmas ________
A.about 7 % of the population will do both online and actual shopping
B.about 31% of shoppers will do half of their shopping in actual shops
C.about 39% of shoppers will do more than half of their shopping in actual shops
D.over three million shoppers will quit actual shopping just because of the long queues
2.What's the meaning of "turn-off" in Para.5?
A.Something that makes people lose heart
B.Something that makes people lose face
C.Something that makes people lose interest
D.Something that makes people lose courage
3.It can be inferred from Mr. Boxall's words that ________
A.retailers should reduce their in-store goods.
B.retailers wiR be pessimistic about the result of this research.
C.retailers should focus on the advantage of in-store shopping.
D.retailers will make more profits this Christmas than last Christmas
4.Wheat's the writer's attitude towards Christmas online shopping?
A.Concerned. B.Doubtful. C.Approving. D.Objective.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Over three million people will do their Christmas shopping entirely online this year without once visiting an actual shop, a poll (民意调查) has found. Overcrowding and long queues in shops are forcing people away from the high street as the hassle (烦扰) of Christmas shopping becomes too much.
The number of people turning their backs on the high street is almost one million higher than it was last year, according to the poll by YouGov. Last Christmas 2.4 million shoppers did not do any of their shopping in actual shops. The figure this year is predicted to be around 3.4 million, equal to around 7 percent of the adult population.
Over a third of people said that the main turn-off about shopping on the high street is 0ver-crow-ding. Meanwhile almost a quarter said that long queues at the cheek-out are the worst thing about it.
Of the 2.065 people pored, even those who are stir taking to the shops plan to spend less time in them this Christmas. Around 31 percent of shoppers who plan to spend at least some time on the high street will spend less than half of their shopping time in actual shops, using the rest of the time to shop remotely via the internet. This compares to 28 percent of people last year. Meanwhile the proportion of people spending over half of their shopping time in high street shops has dropped from 41 percent last year to 39 percent this year. Just 2 percent of people said that they are looking forward to dealing wi.th store staff this festival season.
Guy Boxall, senior product marketing manager at Casio Business Solutions Division, which commissioned the research from YouGov, said that despite the fall in people visiting the high street,humans are "social creatures" who actually like spending time together.
"Although the high street is facing a big challenge Christmas, retailers (零售商) should see this research as a challenge to improve the in-store shopping experience, rather than the nail in the coffin. We are social creatures, and the desire to spend time with each other, particularly at Christmas, is never going to go away," said Mr. Boxall.
1.According to the poll, in this year's Christmas ________
A.about 7 % of the population will do both online and actual shopping
B.about 31% of shoppers will do half of their shopping in actual shops
C.about 39% of shoppers will do more than half of their shopping in actual shops
D.over three million shoppers will quit actual shopping just because of the long queues
2.What's the meaning of "turn-off" in Para.5?
A.Something that makes people lose heart
B.Something that makes people lose face
C.Something that makes people lose interest
D.Something that makes people lose courage
3.It can be inferred from Mr. Boxall's words that ________
A.retailers should reduce their in-store goods.
B.retailers wiR be pessimistic about the result of this research.
C.retailers should focus on the advantage of in-store shopping.
D.retailers will make more profits this Christmas than last Christmas
4.Wheat's the writer's attitude towards Christmas online shopping?
A.Concerned. B.Doubtful. C.Approving. D.Objective.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Millions of people around the world cook their food over smoky fire every day.It is often difficult to find wood for the fire .People who do not have wood must spend large amounts of money on cooking fuel. However, there is a much easier way to cook food using energy from the sun.
Solar cooker, or ovens,have been used for centuries.A Swiss scientist made the first solar oven in seventeen sixty-seven. Today ,people are using solar cookers in many countries around the world. People use solar ovens to cook food and to heat drinking water to kill bacteria and other harmful organisms.
There are three kinds of solar ovens.The first is a box cooker, It is designed with a special wall that shines or reflects sunlight into the box .Heat gets trapped under a piece of glass or plastic covering the top of the cooker. A box oven is effective for slow cooking of large amonts of food.
The second kind of solar oven is a panel cooker. It includes several flat walls.or panels.that directly reflect the sun’s light onto the food. The food is inside a separate container of plastic or glass that traps heat energy. People can build panel cookers quickly and with very few supplies. They do not cost much.In Kenya ,for example ,panel cookers are being manufactured for just two dollars.
The third kind of solar oven is a parabolic cooker.It has rounded walls that aim sunlight directly into the bottom of the oven .Food cooks quickly in parabolic ovens .However, these cookers are hard to make.They must be re-aimed often to follow the sun .Parabolic cookers can also cause burns and eye injuries if they are not used correctly.
You can make solar ovens from boxes or heavy paper. They will not catch fire. Paper burns at two hundred thirty-two degrees Celsius. A solar cooker never gets that hot. Solar ovens cook food at low temperatures over long periods of time. This permits people to leave food to cook while they do other things.
1.What is the main purpose of the author in writing the passage?
A.To tell the readers how to make solar ovens.
B.To advertise the solar ovens.
C.To give the readers brief introduction of solar ovens.
D.To help readers to save cost on fuel.
2.According to the passage we can conclude that ______.
A.panel cooker is the cheapest oven of the three
B.panel cooker is easy to make
C.box cooker is easy to make
D.box cooker is the most effective oven
3.If you have much food to cook ,you’d better choose .
A.a box cooker | B.a panel cooker |
C.a parabolic cooker | D.a paper cooker |
4.From the passage we know that .
A.solar cookers are dangerous to use
B.solar cookers don’t burn while cooking
C.solar cookers cost less than other cookers
D.Swiss often use solar cookers while cooking
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
The fact that over 1.24 million people lose their lives each year in road accidents is a horrifying statistic that could soon be prevented. It should be of no surprise to understand that the autonomous vehicle industry is predicted to be worth $2.6 trillion a year within 15 years.
What's the future of personal transportation? Well, you'll likely be spending a lot less time behind the wheel, for one. The rise of self-driving cars means that some scenes out of science-fiction flicks(电影)(think Total Recall or I, Robot)are now reality—and even more will be available soon.
Cars today already include many semi-autonomous features, like assisted parking and self-braking systems. And completely autonomous vehicles—able to operate without human control—are rapidly becoming more of a reality. You're probably familiar with Google's version, which has made headlines with its Google Chauffeur software, which the company hopes to bring to market by 2020.
The pros of autonomous cars are many. "The sensors in a self-driving car are always observing, are not affected by the state of the driver(sleepy, angry, etc.), and can scan in multiple directions simultaneously(同时地)," says Dr. Dominique Freckmann, an automotive engineering manager at TE Connectivity, "Autonomous driving is a key aspect of the industry's drive toward safer roadways."
"Recent NHTSA research shows that approximately 94 percent of accidents are caused by human error," adds Alan Amici, a vice president of automotive engineering at TE. "Cars with advanced safety features and eventually, self-driving cars, can significantly reduce the number of collisions. The impact of this innovation can be far-reaching, including reduced demand on emergency response systems and reduced auto insurance and health care costs."
1.What is the author's attitude towards the autonomous vehicle industry?
A.Positive. B.Disapproving.
C.Uncaring. D.Doubtful.
2.Why is Google Chauffeur software given as an example here?
A.Because people believe Google will sell it in 2020.
B.Because it is the most famous software of the company.
C.Because people are all familiar with the famous software.
D.Because it shows completely autonomous vehicles will be true.
3.Which is the main reason why Alan Amici favors self-driving?
A.Self-driving will cost less than now.
B.People will easily save a lot of time.
C.Self-driving will be safer than now.
D.People will rely more on auto insurance.
4.What is the author's purpose of writing the text?
A.To show his adoration of self-driving cars.
B.To predict the future of personal transportation.
C.To prevent so many road accidents caused by driving.
D.To introduce the benefits of autonomous vehicle industry.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As we all know, millions of people worldwide cook their food over smoky fire every day. It is often difficult to find wood for the fire. People who do not have wood must spend large amounts of money on cooking fuel. However, there is a much easier way to cook food using energy from the sun.
Solar cooker, or ovens, have been used for centuries. A Swiss scientist made the first solar oven in seventeen sixty-seven. Today, people are using solar cookers in many countries around the world. People use solar ovens to cook food and to heat drinking water to kill bacteria and other harmful organisms.
There are three kinds of solar ovens. The first is a box cooker, It is designed with a special wall that shines or reflects sunlight into the box .Heat gets trapped under a piece of glass or plastic covering the top of the cooker. A box oven is effective for slow cooking of large amounts of food.
The second kind of solar oven is a panel cooker. It includes several flat walls or panels that directly reflect the sun’s light onto the food. The food is inside a separate container of plastic or glass that traps heat energy. People can build panel cookers quickly and with very few supplies. They do not cost much. In Kenya ,for example ,panel cookers are being manufactured for just two dollars.
The third kind of solar oven is a parabolic cooker. It has rounded walls that aim sunlight directly into the bottom of the oven .Food cooks quickly in parabolic ovens .However, these cookers are hard to make. They must be re-aimed often to follow the sun .Parabolic cookers can also cause burns and eye injuries if they are not used correctly.
You can make solar ovens from boxes or heavy paper. They will not catch fire. Paper burns at two hundred thirty-two degrees Celsius. A solar cooker never gets that hot. Solar ovens cook food at low temperatures over long periods of time. This permits people to leave food to cook while they do other things.
1.If you have much food to cook , you’d better choose________ .
A. a box cooker B. a panel cooker
C. a parabolic cooker D. a paper cooker
2.According to the passage we can conclude that ______.
A. panel cooker is easy to make
B. box cooker is easy to make
C. box cooker is the most effective oven
D. panel cooker is the cheapest oven of the three
3.What is the main purpose of the author in writing the passage?
A. To advertise the solar ovens.
B. To help readers to save cost on fuel.
C. To tell the readers how to make solar ovens.
D. To give the readers brief introduction of solar ovens.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Every week in China, millions of people will sit in front of their TVs watching teenagers compete for the title Character Hero, which is a Chinese-style spelling bee(拼写大赛). In this challenge, young competitors must write Chinese characters by hand. To prepare for the competition, the competitors usually spend months studying dictionaries.
Perhaps the show’s popularity should not be a surprise. Along with gunpowder and paper, many Chinese people consider the creation of Chinese calligraphy(书法)to be one of their primary contributions to civilization. Unfortunately, all over the country, Chinese people are forgetting how to write their own language without computerized help. Software on smart phones and computers allows users to type in the basic sound of the word using the Latin alphabet. The correct character is chosen from a list. The result? It’s possible to recognize characters without remembering how to write them.
But there’s still hope for the paint brush. China’s Education Ministry wants children to spend more time learning how to write.
In one Beijing primary school we visited, students practice calligraphy every day inside a specially decorated classroom with traditional Chinese paintings hanging on the walls. Soft music plays as a group of six-year-olds dip brush pens into black ink. They look up at the blackboard often to study their teacher’s examples before carefully attempting to reproduce those characters on thin rice paper. “If adults can survive without using handwriting, why bother to teach it now?” we ask the calligraphy teacher, Shen Bin. “The ability to write characters is part of Chinese tradition and culture,” she reasons. “Students must learn now so they don’t forget when they grow up.” says the teacher.
1. What can we learn about the Character Hero?
A. It’s open to people of all ages and all walks.
B. It’s the most-viewed TV programs in China.
C. It aims to spread Chinese culture to the world.
D. It draws great public attention across the country.
2.Why are Chinese people forgetting how to write the characters?
A. Chinese people don’t refer to dictionaries very often.
B. Chinese people no longer use brush pens or practice calligraphy.
C. Chinese people are using the Latin alphabet instead of the characters.
D. Chinese people needn’t write by hand as often with the help of technology.
3.According to Shen Bin, being able to write characters by hand is_________.
A. necessary for adults to survive in China
B. a requirement made by the Education Ministry
C. helpful to keep Chinese tradition and culture alive
D. an ability to be developed only when you are students
4.Where does this text probably come from?
A. A news report. B. A science report.
C. An advertisement. D. Children’s literature.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Every week in China, millions of people will sit in front of their TVs watching teenagers compete for the title Character Hero, which is a Chinese-style spelling bee(拼写大赛). In this challenge, young competitors must write Chinese characters by hand. To prepare for the competition, the competitors usually spend months studying dictionaries.
Perhaps the show’s popularity should not be a surprise. Along with gunpowder and paper, many Chinese people consider the creation of Chinese calligraphy(书法)to be one of their primary contributions to civilization. Unfortunately, all over the country, Chinese people are forgetting how to write their own language without computerized help. Software on smart phones and computers allows users to type in the basic sound of the word using the Latin alphabet. The correct character is chosen from a list. The result? It’s possible to recognize characters without remembering how to write them.
But there’s still hope for the paint brush. China’s Education Ministry wants children to spend more time learning how to write.
In one Beijing primary school we visited, students practice calligraphy every day inside a specially decorated classroom with traditional Chinese paintings hanging on the walls. Soft music plays as a group of six-year-olds dip brush pens into black ink. They look up at the blackboard often to study their teacher’s examples before carefully attempting to reproduce those characters on thin rice paper. “If adults can survive without using handwriting, why bother to teach it now?” we ask the calligraphy teacher, Shen Bin. “The ability to write characters is part of Chinese tradition and culture,” she reasons. “Students must learn now so they don’t forget when they grow up.” says the teacher.
1.What can we learn about the Character Hero?
A. It’s open to people of all ages and all walks.
B. It’s the most-viewed TV programs in China.
C. It aims to spread Chinese culture to the world.
D. It draws great public attention across the country.
2.Why are Chinese people forgetting how to write the characters?
A. Chinese people don’t refer to dictionaries very often.
B. Chinese people no longer use brush pens or practice calligraphy.
C. Chinese people are using the Latin alphabet instead of the characters.
D. Chinese people needn’t write by hand as often with the help of technology.
3.According to Shen Bin, being able to write characters by hand is_________.
A. necessary for adults to survive in China
B. a requirement made by the Education Ministry
C. helpful to keep Chinese tradition and culture alive
D. an ability to be developed only when you are students
4.Where does this text probably come from?
A. A news report. B. A science report.
C. An advertisement. D. Children’s literature.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
How do you design a pay plan that motivates people to do their best work? A new study by three Harvard researchers suggests a novel answer: Shortly after you hire new workers, give them a raise.
"Previous research has shown that paying people more than they expect may elicit reciprocity(相互作用) in the form of greater productivity," notes Deepak Malhotra, a Harvard business-administration professor who worked on the study. What he and his colleagues found, however, was that the connection between more pay and extra effort depends on presenting the increase "as a gift—that is, as something you've chosen to do purely as a nice gesture, with no strings attached."
Malhotra and his team studied 267 people hired by oDesk, a global online network of freelancers, to do a one-time data-entry project for four hours. All of the new hires were people in developing countries, for whom hourly wages of $3 and $4 were higher than what they had been making in previous jobs.
The researchers split the group up into three equal parts. One group was told they would earn $3 an hour. A second group was initially hired at $3 an hour but, before they started working, they got a surprise: The budget for the project had expanded unexpectedly, they were told, and they would now be paid $4 an hour. The third group was offered $4 an hour from the start and given no increase.
Even though the second and third groups were eventually paid the same amount, the second group worked harder and produced more—about 20% more—than either of the other two. People in the second group also showed the most stamina, maintaining their focus all the way through the assigned task and performing especially well toward the end of the four hours. Interestingly, the more experienced employees in the high-performing group were the most productive of all, apparently because their previous work experience led them to appreciate the rarity of an unexpected raise.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, Malhotra points out that higher pay, in and of itself, didn't promote productivity: People who made $4 an hour from the beginning worked no harder than those who were hired at $3 and were then paid $3.
To get the most impact from their pay plans, he adds, companies might consider not only what to pay new hires, but when to pay it.
"The key thing is how you present [the reason for an increase]," he says. Doling out extra money could promote productivity most "if you make it clear that the pay raise is something you're choosing to do just because you can. Our theory is that people will reciprocate. If you do something nice, they'll do something nice back."
1.Which of the following is true about the research?
A. None of the participants earned more than $4 an hour in previous jobs.
B. 89 of the participants got a $1 wage raise for their high productivity.
C. It was so important that the budget for it was increased in the process.
D. Stamina shown in it was positively related to the amount of money paid.
2.What does the underlined word “stamina” most probably mean?
A. The quality of being intelligent or clever.
B. The quality of doing something difficult or dangerous.
C. The physical or mental energy needed to do a tiring activity for a long time.
D. A particular method of doing an activity, usually involving practical skills.
3.Why did the second group produce more than the other two groups?
A. Because they thought they were better paid than the other groups.
B. Because they were experienced employees from developing countries.
C. Because an unexpected raise reminded them of their previous work.
D. Because they felt they were nicely treated and tried best to repay it.
4.What can we infer from this passage?
A. No pains, no gains.
B. It matters not what we give but how.
C. Honesty is the best policy.
D. Actions speak louder than words.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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1.One of the benefits mentioned in HD Magazines is that____________.
A. you can read Kindle Magazines with a 30-day free trial
B. readers can read magazines at any time and at any place
C. readers can only look through just a few magazines given
D. readers can take back issues home free of charge
2.What do you think of Ian Fleming?
A. A seller. B. A film. C. A book. D. A writer.
3.How much will the reader probably save if he or she wants to buy Kindle eTextbooks at most?
A. 20 %. B. 50%. C. 58%. D. 80%.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
His advertisement income this year is about $36 million, over three times________of last year.
A. that B. what C. those D. ones
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
IT’S over – millions of Senior 3 students across the country have finished their last exams. But in two years, it’ll be your turn in the examination room. How can you spend the time you have left to best effect? Read these thoughts from new graduates to get some pointers.
Cao A’min, 18
Xuanhua No 1 High School, Hebei
Study: Keeping pace (步伐) with teachers is a good way to study. Teachers are experienced and their plans are systematic (系统的). But remember to work in a way that suits you. It’s also important to learn from past mistakes. Keep a notebook to make a record of the mistakes you make – it’ll help you avoid making the same ones later.
Zhang Zilu, 17
Xinyu No 1 High School, Jiangxi
Friendship: This time of life may be hard, but you’re not alone. You may be busy studying, but you can show you care by calling your friends or sending a short message. Don’t let your friendships die. Some boys and girls in my class were in love, but I’d advise against a relationship at this stage.
Zhan Yu, 17
Huanggang High School, Hubei
Health: It’s as important to live well as it is to study well, I think. I went to bed no later than 11:30 pm. It put me in the right mood for the next day. I didn’t follow a special diet (饮食), but I did make sure I ate a nutritious (有营养的) breakfast each day.
Ju Shuntian, 18
Yantai Economic and Technological Development Zone Senior High School, Shandong
Relaxation: The person who plays well, studies well. Having a lot of schoolwork doesn’t mean having to give up on every other activity. I played basketball or took a walk to relax when I felt tired. Time out is not a waste of time but helps you study more efficiently (高效地).
Zhang Qingzhou, 17
Dongtai High School, Jiangsu
Options: Besides taking the big exam, you have other choices for college. I took the independent enrollment (自主招生) exam held by Peking University and some other students even prepared to study abroad. Pay attention to any relevant information you can find, whether it’s from school, the news media or another source (来源).
1.Who is the passage mainly written for?
A.teachers |
B.senior students |
C.junior students |
D.parents |
2.This passage shows students some aspects of proper arrangement except ________.
A.Study | B.Friendship | C.Health | D.Sports |
3.What’s Zhang Zilu’s attitude to students’ love happening in senior life?
A.Approval |
B.Rejective |
C.Neutral |
D.Not mentioned |
4.If you’d like to take the independent enrollment, what should you do?
A.Do morning exercises every day |
B.Go to bed later than11:30 |
C.Pay attention to any relevant information |
D.Call your friends or send short message |
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析