---- How was the television debate last night?
---- Super! Rarely______ so much media attention.
A. a debate attracted B. did a debate attract
C. a debate did attract D. attracted a debate
偶像崇拜
你们班英语课上进行了一场有关偶像崇拜的讨论，同学们提出了不同的看法，请根据下表的提示写一篇有关讨论的英语短文。
一些同学的看法 :
1．我们需要偶像；2． 偶像是我们的榜样，能激励我们努力上进；
3．不少名人是得益于偶像崇拜而成名的。
另一些同学的看法:
1．我们不需要偶像；2． 偶像崇拜浪费时间、金钱，影响学习；
3．不健康的偶像崇拜，害人害已。
你的观点?
注意：
1．词数120左右；文章开头已给出，不计入总词数。
2．可适当发挥，使行文连贯。
3．参考词汇：偶像—idol; 崇拜—worship
Our class have had a discussion about idol worship
阅读下面对话，掌握其大意，并根据所给首字母的提示，在标有题号的右边横线上写出一个英语单词的完整、正确形式，使对话通顺。
A：Excuse me, sir, but I’m writing a report on what people prefer to do on holiday. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
B：No, not at all. Please go (1.)a_______.
A：How often do you go on holiday?
B：I generally have two weeks’ holiday a year.
A：And what do you prefer to do when you are on holiday?
B：Well, I don’t usually visit my family. We live quite(2.) c_____ and I can see them any time. But I do like to visit museums, (3.)e__________ if there is a special exhibition on. I don’t like to stay at home, though my parents do. (4.)I________, I prefer to get away from the city and just (5.)e________ the peace of the country. You know, just sit under a tree, listen to the birds in the morning, or maybe go walking over the hills.
A：Have you ever (6.)t_________ abroad?
B：No, I haven’t .It’s too (7.)e__________ for me. But my wife loves to visit the coast, so if the (8.)w_________ is good we often go swimming in the sea, or maybe just lie on the (9.)b________ and bathe in the sun.
A：OK. Well, thank you very much for your time.
B：You are (10.)w_________.
下图反映的是当前一些学生在学习上的做法。请你根据对下面这幅漫画的理解用英语写一篇短文，描述一下这种做法并发表你的看法。
注意：1．词数150左右。开头已经写，不计入总词数。
2．要适当发挥想象，不要做简单的描述。
3．作文中不得提及考生所在学校和本人姓名。
参考词汇：缸vat；漏出来leak out；漏洞 loophole
In the picture, four people are trying to fill a vat with water. Two men are carrying water while two others are pouring water into the vat._______________________________________________________
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Computerised trading agents may help humans build better markets
THANKS to declining markets, investment banks are getting rid of many of their highly-paid traders. When markets recover, the banks might be tempted to replace them with rather cheaper talent. One alternative has been around for a while but has yet to catch on: autonomous trading agents-computers programmed to act like the human version without such annoying costs as holidays, lunch breaks or bonuses. Program trading has, of course, been done before; some blamed the 1987 stock market crash on computers instructed with simple decision-making rules. But robots can be smarter than that.
Dave Cliff, a researcher at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in Bristol, England, has been creating trading robots for seven years. In computer simulations he lets them evolve "genetically", and so allows them to adapt and fit models of real-world financial markets. His experiments have suggested that a redesign of some markets could lead to greater efficiency. Last year, a research group at IBM showed that Mr Cliff's artificial traders could consistently beat the human variety, in various kinds of market. Nearly all take the shape of an auction(拍卖). One well-known type is the English auction, familiar to customers of the salesrooms(拍卖场)of Christie's and Sotheby's, where sellers keep mum on their offer price, and buyers increase their bids by stages until only one remains.
At the other extreme is the Dutch auction, familiar to 17th-century tulip-traders in the Netherlands as well as to bidders for American Treasury bonds. Here, buyers remain silent, and a seller reduces his price until it is accepted. Most markets for shares, commodities, foreign exchange and derivatives are a mixture of these two types: buyers and sellers can announce their bid or offer prices at any time, and deals are constantly being closed, a so-called "continuous double auction".
Mr Cliff's novel idea was to apply his evolutionary computer programs to marketplaces themselves. Why not, he thought, try and see what types of auction would let traders converge(趋同) most quickly towards a balance price? The results were surprising. In his models, auctions that let buyers and sellers bid at any time like most of today's financial exchanges were less efficient than ones that required relatively more bids from either buyers or sellers. These "evolved auctions" also withstood big market shocks, such as crashes and panics, better than today's real-world versions. Mr Cliff's most recent results, which will be presented in Sydney, Australia, on December 10th, show that the best type of auction for any market depends crucially on even slight differences in the number of buyers and sellers.
Bank of America has been investigating these new auctions, along with robotic traders, for possible use in electronic exchanges. The hope is that today's financial auctions and online marketplaces might work better by becoming more like their English and Dutch ancestors.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A. A review of two kinds of auctions. B. An introduction of trading robots.
C. A survey of the trading market. D. About trading alternatives.
2.Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. Mr Cliff’s robot traders have now been used in real-world markets.
B. Robot traders can evolve like creatures.
C. There is room for improvement in efficiency in trading markets.
D. The English auction is the most popular trading form.
3.What can we infer from the text?
A. Existing auctions cannot withstand market shocks
B. The Dutch auction is better than the continuous double auction
C. It’s hard for traders to reach a balanced price
D. The best type of auction takes place when the number of the buyers is equal to that of sellers
4.What’s the author’s attitude toward robot traders?
A. Prejudiced B. Objective C. Critical D. Optimistic
Chances are you’ve enjoyed a cup of coffee from Starbucks. Since the opening of the first Starbucks in 1971 as a vendor of high-quality coffee beans and brewing equipment, the company has expanded to become the most popular coffeehouse chain in the world. Its 14,000 stores in 43 countries sell coffee beverages, beans, teas, brewing equipment, pastries, and more. How did this happen?
Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz took over the company in 1987. He recognized an untapped market in busy individuals in urban areas who could afford fine coffees. In 1995, Schultz hired Anna Niess and Will Chassaing to redesign his booming chain. In addition to laying the groundwork for Starbucks’ well-known symbols and distinctive style, they created a program that led to opening one store per day throughout the 1990s.
One thing that makes Starbucks so popular is the company’s vision of their stores as a “third place” to spend time in addition to work and home. It’s a cozy environment that serves as a meeting place. This attracts a loyal following of customers that come not only to drink coffee, but to relax, work, socialize, and attend cultural events.
Schultz still sees a great deal of potential for his company. Starbucks plans to have 40,000 stores worldwide with 20,000 in the US and Canada. The company is now a household name around the world.
Howard Schultz is the perfect example of a person living the American dream. After growing up in public housing, he received a football scholarship to Northern Michigan University. This allowed him to become the first in his family to graduate from college in 1975.
Schultz first experienced Starbucks as a salesman for Swedish drip coffeemakers on a trip to visit the Seattle company that had been buying his products. A year later, he joined the company. Conflict arose when Schultz recommended Starbucks sell brewed coffee in addition to beans and equipment. The owners disagreed, and in 1985, Schultz went on to start his own coffee shop, II Giornale. In 1987, the original Starbucks owners sold their company to Schultz, and refocused their attention on selling coffee beans and teas.
Schultz promoted an aggressive expansion of Starbucks throughout the US and Canada. When Starbucks began selling stock shares in 1992, he had already grown the chain to 165 stores. Throughout the expansion of Starbucks, Schultz has held strong principles of social responsibility. Starbucks takes good care of its employees with health insurance, stock options (认股权), and stable hours. In fact, under Schultz, Starbucks has been consistently ranked one of the best places to work in the US and UK.
Commitments to environmentalism, fair pay for coffee bean growers, and a positive contribution to society contribute to Schultz’s reputation as a truly ethical (道德的) businessman. That means with Schultz in charge of Starbucks, you can enjoy your coffee with a clear conscience.
1.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Starbucks sells coffee beverages, beans, teas, brewing equipment, pastries and more.
B. The original Starbucks owners focused their attention on selling coffee beans and brewing equipment until 1987.
C. Starbucks has been the best place to work in the US and UK.
D. It was Anna Niess and Will Chassaing who redesigned Starbucks’s well- known symbols and style.
2.What makes Starbucks so popular?
A. Starbucks’ care for its employees.
B. Starbucks’ Chairman Howard Schultz.
C. Starbucks’ expansion around the world
D. Starbucks’ cozy environment
3.Which of the following is the correct order of the events?
a. Schultz started his own coffee shop.
b. Schultz recommended Starbucks sell brewed coffee.
c. Schultz bought Starbucks.
d. Schultz grew the chain to 165 stores.
A. b, c, a, d B. b, a, c, d C. b, c, d, a D. b, a, d, c
4.What helps Schultz to earn a reputation as a truly ethical businessman?
A. His being the first to graduate in his family.
B. The fast expansion of Starbucks.
C. His strong principles of social responsibility.
D. His being the perfect example of a person living the American dream.
