A new system that scans customers’ fingerprints and deducts (扣除) the grocery bill from their bank accounts has taken supermarkets in southwestern Germany by storm and is being picked up by hardware stores, school restaurants and even bars are picking it up.
The Edeka supermarket chain is the first retail (零售) business in Germany to use the new system. “Almost a quarter of our customers pay with their fingers,” said an employee at the headquarters. Edeka has tried the system at 70 of its supermarkets and customers like it.
“At first we thought that only the young who really keep up with the latest technology would be interested, but we were wrong,” said Stefan Sewoester from IT Werke. “Almost two-thirds of the people who use the system are 40 and older,” he said.
IT Werke, a computer company, is one of the pioneers of fingerprint payment software in Germany. It has helped about 150 shops, restaurants and bars to put in the fingerprint scanning machines.
To sign up for the service, customers must have their fingerprints taken and leave their addresses and banking details with the shop. The shop then takes the cost of goods directly out of the customer’s bank account.
“It is a godsend for elderly people because they do not have to remember their pin-code to pay with their bank cards, or to look around for their glasses or cash.” Sewoester said.
The stores benefit from the system, too. It saves more than time in the check-out line. It also cuts out the hidden costs of accepting electronic card payments.
Fingerprint date profiling has long been used to control access and for other security purposes in Germany’s airports, laboratories and nuclear power plants. IT Werke plans to keep refining the retail use of the system. It wants to introduce fingerprint payment in school restaurants with an additional feature that might appeal to parents－they could disable their children’s access to junk food.
1.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A. Pay with Fingers. B. New Development in Technology.
C. Supermarket Revolution. D. Change in Computer Software.
2.Most of the people who use the fingerprint system are ______.
A. youngsters B. housewives C. IT fans D. the elderly
3.The underlined word “godsend” probably means ______.
A. great fortune sent by God B. good luck sent by God
C. good things that happen unexpectedly D. gift sent by God
4.What do we know by inference from the passage?
A. Fewer shops will try the new software because of the cost.
B. The new service requires certain personal information.
C. IT Werke should be the largest computer company in Germany.
D. The new change in payment only benefits elderly people.
Tattoos (纹身) and body piercings (穿孔) have moved up on the trend list in recent years.
Around Western schools lots of teens are showing off new holes and “flesh ink” (纹身). As with all other subjects, the Chinese will surely have to deal with this situation with respect to their children. To get a better view of what has happened in the West, let’s sit down and hear what they say.
Tiara from Indiana:
I personally think body piercing is sickening. If there were supposed to be holes in your body, you would have been born with them. I do, however, think that ear piercing, is not wrong. There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button (肚脐) piercing. Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous. I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button.
Lee from Illinois:
Hi! I live in Illinois. I am 23. I have 12 tattoos and three piercings. I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector. You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs-up on my art work. People on the street stop me to look at the tattoo on my leg. Most of them don’t know what it is. They just think the work itself is great.
Subotai from Califomia:
I’m not against self-expression, but when I see high school students getting these piercing, I really wonder. In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion. A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin. It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow’s.
Jackson from Ohio:
I don’t think it’s wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything—I think that’s ridiculous (荒唐的). People who get the big dragons that cover their whole body—I don’t think that’s necessary. When I see naked chicks on guys, I think “You have no respect for women.”
1.We can infer from the passage that _________.
A. Tiara must have body piercing B. Subotai doesn’t have body piercing
C. Lee dislikes tattoos D. Jackson likes tattoos and piercing
2.Who doesn’t think tattoos and piercings are beautiful except ear piercing?
A. Jackson B. Lee C. Tiara D. Subotai
3.From the passage, we can make a conclusion that _________.
A. tattoos and piecrings are a new kind of art
B. all the teachers in the West are in favour of tattoos and piercings
C. everything is changeable as time goes on
D. it is necessary to live with different views of beauty
4.The best title for this passage is probably _________.
A. Body Art or Causing Damage
B. Doing Damage to the Young People’s Bodies
C. Young People’s Different Curiosities
D. The Latest Fashion
Bill Clinton was born on August 19, 1946 in a town called Hope, with the birth name William Jefferson Blythe. His birth father died in a car accident just three months before his birth. When he was born, his mother sent him to live with his grandparents because she couldn’t possibly support a child by herself. He lived with his grandparents for two years while his mother was away at a nursing school in New Orleans, trying to advance her career. When Bill was four, his mother returned to Hope, where she met and married Roger Clinton Sr. A few years later, Bill and his family moved to Hot Springs, where Bill attended school. When he was nine years old, he changed schools and went to Ramble Elementary. When Bill was ten, Roger Clinton Jr. was born, and at age fifteen, Bill took his stepfather’ s last name in hopes of helping his mother’s troubled relationship.
While Bill was growing up in Hot Springs, the town was troubled by gambling (赌博), but Bill had little contact with this part of society despite his parents’ frequent participation (参与) in these illegal practices. As time went by, his mother’ s relationship with Roger Clinton Sr. became more and more unstable. His parents often separated. In high school, Bill was a member of the band, student government, honor society and many other organizations. One summer at a political summer camp called Boys State, Bill ran for delegate (代表) to Boys Nation. He won this election and was on his way to Washington to meet John F. Kennedy, the president. Bill said of his victory, “I didn’t know if I could win a race like that... ”. After that, Bill became determined to enter politics.
1.William Jefferson Blythe moved to Hot Springs ________.
A. when he was born B. before he was nine years old
C. when his mother remarried D. when he was two
2.Bill Clinton once stayed in the following places EXCEPT ________.
A. the town of Hope B. the nursing school in New Orleans
C. Hot Springs D. Ramble Elementary
3.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Roger Clinton Sr. was always kind to Bill and his mother.
B. Bill Clinton was once called William Jefferson Blythe before 15.
C. Bill’ s mother and stepfather were interested in gambling.
D. Roger Clinton Jr. was Bill Clinton’ s half (同母异父) brother.
4.It can be learned from the passage that ________.
A. Bill wanted to be a president while studying at school
B. Boys Nation was a political summer camp
C. members of Boys State could see the president
D. Bill decided to enter politics after meeting John F. Kennedy
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
All kids need to be motivated（激发）to learn. As a teacher, you should find out what motivates your students. Some kids have to be 1into learning.
Ten years ago, I taught a class in a local high school, even though I knew it would be a(n) 2task: the students were badly behaved. The first few years, I tried my best to teach them, but 3cared about learning. I felt 4I was banging（碰撞）my head against a wall. Every day my car was covered with eggs as my students’ masterpiece（杰作）. This type of behavior was 5, even expected. However, I was still 6not to give up.
Then one day, I decided to use a trick to 7the kids to learn. I made a 8that if everyone in the class 9the term with an average score of 80 or better, I would 10them to egg my car as much as they wanted to. The kids took the 11. They spent almost all their time studying, and my car was 12for the whole term.
To my 13, when the last day came, every student 14above 80. The kids pulled out their eggs, and ten minutes later my car was 15covered with eggs.
In spite of this, I think it was really 16. The kids made a lot of progress, and all I needed to do was have my car 17. I considered myself the winner of the bet（打赌）.
I’ve made this 18with my students for the past ten years with no 19and 100% success. I still drive my old car, without fully cleaning the eggs off. For me, it’s a 20of their success.
1.A. praised B. tricked C. punished D. encouraged
2.A. boring B. difficult C. endless D. steady
3.A. somebody B. anybody C. everybody D. nobody
4.A. now that B. if only C. as though D. even though
5.A. ordinary B. common C. normal D. usual
6.A. forbidden B. annoyed C. disappointed D. determined
7.A. force B. teach C. motivate D. cheat
8.A. promise B. choice C. demand D. decision
9.A. marked B. ended C. supported D. obeyed
10.A. allow B. persuade C. help D. inspire
11.A. advice B. warning C. responsibility D. challenge
12.A. put out B. put off C. left alone D. left behind
13.A. excitement B. disappointment C. horror D. sorrow
14.A. totaled B. grasped C. progressed D. averaged
15.A. completely B. specially C. naturally D. usually
16.A. terrible B. shocking C. rewarding D. sudden
17.A. painted B. checked C. changed D. cleaned
18.A. bet B. game C. career D. point
19.A. plans B. decision C. regrets D. promise
20.A. pride B. reminder C. replacement D. signal
— We ______ to put off our school sports meet until next month.
— I ______ that.
A. have decided; didn’t expect B. decided; didn’t expect
C. have decided; haven’t expected D. decide; don’t expect
Sarah hopes to become a friend of ______ shares her interests.
A. anyone B. whomever C. whoever D. no matter who
