I have had just about enough of being treated like a second-class citizen, simply because I happen to be that unfairly treated member of society --- a customer. The more I go into shops and hotels, banks and post offices, railway stations, airports and the like, the more I am convinced the things are being run solely to suit the firm, the system, or the union. There seems to be a deceptive (欺骗的) new motto for so-called “service” organizations --- Staff Before Service.
How often, for example, have you queued for what seems like hours at the Post Office or the supermarket because there were not enough staff on duty to man all the service grilles or checkout counters? Surely in these days of high unemployment it must be possible to hire cashiers and counter staff. Yet supermarkets, hinting darkly at higher prices, claim that uncovering all their cash registers at any one time would increase operating costs. And the Post Office says we cannot expect all their service grilles to be occupied “at times when demand is low”.
It is the same with hotels. Because waiters and kitchen staff must finish when it suits them, dining rooms close earlier or menu choice is cut short. As for us guests, we just have to put up with it. There is also the nonsense of so many friendly hotel night porters having been thrown out of their jobs in the interests of “efficiency” and replaced by coin-eating machines which offer everything from lager to laxatives (从贮藏啤酒到通便剂). Not to mention the tea-making kit in your room: a kettle with a mixed collection of tea bags, plastic milk boxes and lump sugar. Who wants to wake up to a raw teabag? I do not, especially when I am paying for “service”.
Can it be stopped, this worsening of service, this growing attitude that the customer is always a bore? I angrily hope so because it is happening, sadly, in all walks of life.
Our only hope is to hammer home our anger whenever and wherever we can and, if all else fails, bring back into practice that other, older slogan --- Take Our Deal Elsewhere.
1.The writer feels that nowadays customers __________.
A. deserve the lowest status in society
B. are unworthy of proper consideration
C. have received high quality service
D. have become victims of modern organizations
2.The writer argues that the quality of service is changing because __________.
A. customers’ demands have greatly changed
B. the staff receive more consideration than customers
C. customers’ needs have become more complex
D. staff members are less considerate than their employers
3. According to the writer, long queues at counters are caused by __________.
A. not having enough male staff on duty
B. difficulties in hiring more efficient staff
C. lack of cooperation between staff members
D. not providing enough staff on purpose to reduce budget
4.The writer suggests that a customer __________.
A. be patient when queuing before checkout counters
B. put up with the rude manners of the staff
C. try to control his temper when ill-treated
D. go to other places where good service is available
They once seemed more at home on the busy streets of Asia like Delhi, Calcutta and Bangkok but cycle powered rickshaws (人力车) can now be seen taking people across town in many European cities. Many people believe that rickshaws are a good way of experiencing a city close-up, while also cutting down on traffic jams and pollution. In Berlin, one of the first cities to introduce this new model of transport, more than 200 bike-taxis go along at 15km per hour, past many tourist attractions and city parks.
“It is completely environmentally friendly; we have new models with an engine to help the driver up the hills but they use renewable energy.” said a spokesman for VELOTAXI, the leading rickshaw company which has carried a quarter of a million people this year.
While the city still has 7,000 motor-taxis, rickshaw company officials say their taxis’ green ideas, speed and safety make them more than just a tourist attraction. While now increasingly out of fashion in Delhi, Berlin people have eagerly accepted the new fleet since their launch in 1997.
“It’s better than a taxi, better than a bus, better than the train,” said ULF Lehman, 36, as he leapt out of a rickshaw near the world famous Brandenburg gate. “ It feels so free.”
“ This is something out of the ordinary, you feel you are on holiday in Bangkok instead of Berlin,” said another traveler.
In Amsterdam, driver Peter Jancso said people like to be driven around in his bright yellow rickshaw and pretend to be a queen in a golden carriage. "I like my passengers to feel important," he said as he dropped off another passenger. Another visitor noted how cheap it was compared with a normal taxi.
Although increasingly popular in Europe, it is the opposite in India, where hand-pulled rickshaws are considered inhuman and a symbol of India's backward past.
Nearly 500 bike-rickshaws are running in London and are not required to pay the city's road tax but things may change as other taxi drivers complain of unfair treatment.
1.Where are rickshaws becoming more popular?
A. Delhi, Berlin, Paris. B. Amsterdam, Bangkok, Delhi.
C. Athens, London, Berlin. D. Berlin, Amsterdam, London.
2.Why are rickshaws no longer as widely used in India as in the past?
A. They are a reminder of a bad period in India's history.
B. They have been banned because they are inefficient.
C. The streets of India are too crowded for them to move through easily.
D. Indians now prefer to travel by car because they are richer.
3.What does the underlined sentence "This is something out of the ordinary, you feel you are on holiday in
Bangkok instead of Berlin" suggest?
A. The passenger didn't like taking a rickshaw as it reminded him of Bangkok.
B. The passenger enjoyed being on holiday in Berlin more than in Bangkok.
C. The passenger was impressed when taking a rickshaw and considered it unusual.
D. The passenger disapproved of rickshaws because they were not original to Berlin.
4.What is the author's attitude towards rickshaws?
A. He gives no personal opinion.
B. He believes they will be of no use.
C. He thinks they will reduce pollution.
D. He thinks they are old-fashioned.
For several days I saw little of Mr. Rochester. In the morning he seemed much occupied with business, and in the afternoon gentlemen from the neighborhood called and sometimes stayed to dine with him. When his foot was well enough, he rode out a great deal.
During this time, all my knowledge of him was limited to occasional meetings about the house, when he would sometimes pass me coldly, and sometimes bow and smile. His changes of manner did not offend me, because I saw that I had nothing to do with the cause of them.
One evening, several days later, I was invited to talk to Mr. Rochester after dinner. As I was looking at him, he suddenly turned, and asked me, “Do you think I’m handsome, Miss Eyre?”
The answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I realized it: “No, sir.”
“Ah, you really are unusual! You are a quiet, serious little person, but you can be almost rude.”
“Sir, I’m sorry. I should have said that beauty doesn’t matter, or something like that.”
“No, you shouldn’t! I see, you criticize my appearance, and then you stab（刺）me in the back! You have honesty and feeling. There are not many girls like you. But perhaps I go too fast. Perhaps you have awful faults to counterbalance your few good points.”
I thought to myself that he might have too. He seemed to read my mind, and said quickly, “Yes, you’re right. I have plenty of faults. I went the wrong way when I was twenty-one, and have never found the right path again. I might have been very different. I might have been as good as you, and perhaps wiser. I am not a bad man, take my word for it, but I have done wrong. It wasn’t my character, but circumstances that were at fault. Why do I tell you all this? Because you’re the sort of person people tell their problems and secrets to, because you’re sympathetic and give them hope.”
“Don’t be afraid of me, Miss Eyre.” He continued. “You don’t relax or laugh very much, perhaps because of the effect Lowood school has had on you. But in time you will be more natural with me, and laugh, and speak freely. You’re like a bird in cage. When you get out of the cage, you’ll fly very high. Good night.”
1.Which of the following cannot describe Miss Eyre’s first impression of Mr. Rochester?
A. Friendly. B. Sociable. C. Busy. D. Changeable
2.Why did Mr. Rochester say “…and then you stab me in the back!”?
A. Because Jane had intended to kill him with a knife.
B. Because Jane had intended to be more critical.
C. Because Jane had regretted having a talk with him.
D. Because Jane had said something else to correct herself.
3. From what Mr. Rochester said to Miss Eyre, we conclude that he wanted to __________.
A. tell her all his troubles B. tell her his life experience
C. change her opinion of him D. change his circumstances
4.At the end of the passage, Mr. Rochester sounded __________.
A. rude B. cold C. depressing D. encouraging
Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the websites you’ve visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.
In fact, it’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen—the 21st century equivalent (相等物) of being caught naked.
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it’s important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread pieces you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter?
For many Americans, the answer apparently is “no.”
When opinion polls (民意测验) ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found a serious depression about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is “slipping away, and that bothers me.”
But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny part of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths (收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessanfro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠券).
But privacy does matter—at least sometimes. It’s like health: when you have it, you don’t notice it. Only when it’s gone do you wish you’d done more to protect it.
1.What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
A. Friends should open their hearts to each other.
B. Friends should always be faithful to each other.
C. There should be a distance even between friends.
D. There should be fewer disagreements between friends.
2. Why does the author say “we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret”?
A. Modern society has finally developed into an open society.
B. People leave traces around when using modern technology.
C. There are always people who are curious about others’ affairs.
D. Many search engines profit by revealing people’s identities.
3.What do most Americans do about privacy protection?
A. They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.
B. They use various loyalty cards for business deals.
C. They rely more and more on electronic devices.
D. They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.
4.According to the passage, privacy is like health because __________.
A. people will make every effort to keep it
B. its importance is rarely understood
C. it is something that can easily be lost
D. people don’t cherish it until they lose it
I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a passage from the Bible about husbands being thoughtful of their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.” “Oh, Tom, you noticed,” she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with distress, “do you know something I don’t?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…that medical checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me？Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying?” It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out laughing.
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”
1.From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage __________.
A. with his family B. with Evelyn
C. all by himself D. with his children
2.During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because __________.
A. she looked lovely in her new clothes
B. he could afford time to care for her
C. he was willing to be a good husband
D. she was seriously ill
3.The author says, “There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment.” What was the one thing that went wrong?
A. He praised her sweater, which puzzled her.
B. She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated.
C. He knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her.
D. He was so good to her that she thought she would be dying.
4.By saying “I’m just starting to live,” Tom means that __________.
A. he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life
B. he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband
C. he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change
D. he is beginning to regret what he did to his wife before
The young couple had another quarrel. They were sitting silently when the landlady came in and asked, “You don’t 31 the house any more?” He kept silent and she 32 shook her head.
The landlady began 33 the house. After looking around, the landlady screamed, “See how you have 34 my house? The walls are full of nails! How could I rent it to others?”
She began looking around her 35 room. Four years ago on the wedding night, he felt deeply 36 to her, saying, “I feel so sorry to you for 37 you live in this small room. In the future I will buy our own big house.”
This tiny room has two nails on the wall next to the door, one for her bag and the other 38 . At that time, she threw all her stuff such as her bag and umbrella on the 39 once she entered the room, staring at the whole 40 and feeling terribly upset. Then he began 41 more nails into the wall. There were three nails on the left, on which 42 his clothes yesterday and four on the right used to 43 their wedding photo frame.
The landlady started to pull the nails out with a tool. After the nails were 44 , the walls were left with countless holes. Suddenly, she felt heartbroken as if she were 45 nonstop through these holes.
She 46 to her feet and exclaimed, “Stop removing the nails! We will rent the house 47 we buy our own!” He gazed at her surprised, and then turned round, tears over his cheek.
She 48 realized that marriage was like a wall and that all 49 and “cold wars” were like the nails on the wall. 50 , when they were removed, only a wall with holes would remain. But if all the nails were still in their own places, the wall was still complete and reliable.
1.A. like B. clean C. rent D. keep
2.A. simply B. barely C. coldly D. proudly
3.A. observing B. examining C. watching D. spotting
4.A. shared B. ruined C. kept D. decorated
5.A. familiar B. dirty C. empty D. bright
6.A. devoted B. attached C. optimistic D. guilty
7.A. leaving B. having C. asking D. getting
8.A. clothes B. pictures C. umbrellas D. hats
9.A. floor B. wall C. ceiling D. door
10.A. trouble B. mess C. confusion D. order
11.A. putting B. striking C. driving D. beating
12.A. hung B. fastened C. dropped D. swung
13.A. connect B. fix C. hang D. put
14.A. replaced B. separated C. unfastened D. removed
15.A. crying B. aching C. bleeding D. disturbing
16.A. jumped B. held C. stuck D. got
17.A. if B. unless C. as D. until
18.A. especially B. eventually C. fortunately D. sadly
19.A. chaos B. troubles C. quarrels D. challenges
20. A. Therefore B. Besides C. Thus D. However
