In China, Double Eleven Shopping Day is approaching. And there is a similar case in the United States—Black Friday. It has been regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Although it’s not an official holiday, millions of employers give their employees the day off, and many people use that day to get a jump-start on their holiday shopping. A similar day in Canada and Great Britain is called “Boxing Day”.
Black Friday has become somewhat of a marketing sensation in recent years. Since 2005, it has been the busiest shopping day of the year. To lure shoppers, retailers (零售商) routinely open their doors as early as 4 a.m. and offer special sales and promotions to the shoppers that arrive early. Some of the special deals offered by stores are only available in limited quantities. That is why some shoppers intent on getting the best deals often camp out in front of stores overnight so that they’ll be the first in line when the doors open.
But why is it called Black Friday? Historians believe the name started in Philadelphia in the mid-1960s. Bus drivers and police used “Black Friday” to describe the heavy traffic that would block city streets the day after Thanksgiving as shoppers headed to the stores.
Businesses, however, didn’t like the negative tone associated with the “Black Friday” name. In the early 1980s, a more positive explanation of the name began to circulate. According to this alternative explanation, Black Friday is the day when retailers finally begin to turn a profit for the year. In accounting terms (会计行业), operating at a loss is called being “in the red” because accountants traditionally used red ink to show negative amounts. Positive amounts were usually shown in black ink. Thus, being “in the black” is a good thing because it means stores are operating at a profit.
Recently, for those who are too busy to shop on Black Friday or who just don’t want to fight the crowds, the Monday following Black Friday has become known as Cyber Monday (网络星期一) for the many online deals.
1.On Black Friday, the Americans .
A.don’t have to go to work as usual
B.look exactly like the Canadians
C.are usually busy doing shopping
D.stay at home and relax themselves
2.The underlined word “lure” (in Paragraph 2) probably means .
A.protect
B.attract
C.persuade
D.remind
3.How do the retailers understand Black Friday?
A.It is totally different from Boxing Day.
B.They usually lose some money on the day.
C.It never keeps them very busy.
D.It probably brings them more money.
4.The author writes this passage in order to .
A.state the development of Cyber Monday
B.tell the difference between red and black
C.introduce Black Friday to the readers
D.explain the meaning of Boxing Day
Miep Gies, the woman who hid the Dutch girl Anne Frank’s diary from the Nazis to become one of the world’s most-read books, died after a brief illness at the age of 100.
It was Gies who guarded Anne’s diary, and presented it to the girl’s father, Otto, when he returned from the Auschwitz concentration camp(奥斯威辛集中营) at the end of World War Ⅱ—the only one of his family to survive.
In her diary, Anne Frank wrote about her teenage life hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam from 1942 to 1944, when the Nazi police discovered her and her family’s hiding place. The diary, first published in 1947, has been translated into 70 languages.
Anne Frank expressed a great wish to live on after her death. Miep Gies saw it as her duty to help in making this happen.
Born in Vienna in 1909, Gies moved to the Netherlands at the age of 11. In 1933, she began working for Otto Frank at his trading company. At great risk to her own safety, she and four other helpers brought food and supplies to the Frank family hiding in a secret office building for more than two years.
When she turned 100, Gies tried to play down her own role. “I’m not a hero,” she said. “It wasn’t something I planned in advance. I simply did what I could to help.”
Every day she received letters from all over the world with questions about her relationship with Anne Frank and her role as a helper. Gies received many honors for her role, including from the Netherlands, Germany and Israel.
1.When did Miep Gies move to the Netherlands?
A.In 1909. B.In 1947.
C.In 1920. D.In 1933.
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Only Miep Gies helped the Frank family.
B.Anne’s father Otto survived World War Ⅱ.
C.Anne’s hiding place was discovered in 1943.
D.Miep Gies wasn’t highly honored until her death.
3.By saying “Gies tried to play down her own role”, the writer means Gies ________.
A.didn’t play a role in saving the diary. B.regretted saving the diary.
C.was proud of what she had done. D.thought she was overpraised.
4.What’s the best title for the passage?
A.Woman who saved Anne’s diary dies at 100.
B.Anne Frank’s diary.
C.Survivors of World War Ⅱ.
D.The story of Miep Gies and Anne Frank.
Camp All-Star
One of a Kind Summer Camps for Kids
Welcome to Camp All-Star, your No. 1 summer sports camp for kids! Located on the famous Kents Hill School campus by the beautiful lake, Camp All-Star hosts kids from around the world. When thinking about your next overnight summer camp, consider the best—Camp All-Star!
Great Sports Summer Camps for Kids
Camp All-Star stands out among the successful camps in the U.S. We have the best sports fields and courts to make your child’s sports camp experience a successful one. Your child can enjoy playing for hours in any of our more than 30 sports and activities each day. Our camper to staff rate is three to one, which makes it possible for children to receive more careful instruction.
We have a wide variety of activities and sports to choose from: fishing, dance, basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis. Boys and girls, aged 8-16, can customize their own schedules in our 2, 3, 4 or 6 week summer camp session for kids.
The aim of Camp All-Star is to develop athletic skills, encourage abilities in leadership, fair play and team work, and provide a fun, rewarding and memorable summer sports camp experience. Our staff have the experience and qualified training necessary to ensure that your child has a successful, memorable and enjoyable time at our summer camp.
Call Today About Our Overnight Summer Camps for Kids
Don’t let your kids waste another summer playing video games and sitting around. Let them enjoy their time and get some exercise at our exciting and friendly summer sports camp. Information for our upcoming camps can be found on our website. For additional information or questions, contact us today. We hope your kids can join us at Camp All-Star!
1.Camp All-Star stands out among the others because it ______.
A.is surrounded by a beautiful lake
B.provides various activities and sports
C.offers timely information on its website
D.allows children to play outside all day long
2.One of the goals of Camp All-star is to ______.
A.fire kids’ imagination B.build up kids’ confidence
C.develop kids’ leadership skills D.promote kids’ self-control
3.This advertisement is intended for ______.
A.parents B.coaches
C.staff D.campers
People’s____of life has greatly improved since the reform and opening-up policy(政策)was carried out in China.
A.quantity B.quality C.activity D.reality
The houses across the street are_______,but they were in good condition a few years ago.
A.in rows B.in ruins C.in number D.in detail
American English has so many_________because the American people have come from all over the world.
A.grammar B.vocabulary C.pronunciations D.dialects
