They like using the Internet．They have lots of pocket money to spend．And they spend a higher proportion of it online than the rest of us．Teenagers are just the sort of people an online seller is interested in, and the things they want to buy－games, CDs and clothing－are easily sold on the Web.
But paying online is a tricky business for consumers who are too young to own credit cards．Most have to use a parent’s card．They want a facility that allows them to spend money.
That may come sooner than they think: new ways to take pocket money into cyber (网络的) space are coming out rapidly on both sides of the Atlantic．If successful, these products can stimulate online sales.
In general, teenagers spend huge amounts: $153bn (billion) in the US last year and ￡20bn annually in the UK．Most teenagers have access to the Internet at home or at school－88 percent in the US, 69 percent in the UK．According to the Jupiter Research, one in eight of those with Internet access has bought something online－mainly CDs and books.
In most cases, parents pay for these purchases with credit cards, an arrangement that is often unsatisfactory for them and their children．Pressing parents to spend online is less productive than pressing on the high street．They are more likely to ask “Why?” if you ask to spend some money online.
One way to help teenagers change notes and coins into cybercast is through prepaid cards such as Internet Cash in the US and Smart cards in the UK．Similar to those for pay-as-you-go mobile telephones, they are sold in amounts such as￡20 or $50 with a concealed 14-digit number that can be used to load the cash into an online account.
1.What does the word “They” in paragraph 1 refer to?
A．Sellers. B．Buyers. C．Teenagers. D．Parents.
2.According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．More than half of the teenagers in the US and the UK have Internet access．
B．Teenagers pay for goods online with their own credit cards.
C．Most teenagers in the US and the UK have bought something online.
D．Teenagers found it easier to persuade parents to buy online than in a shop.
3.A new way to help teenagers shop online is to use ______.
A．a new machine B．special coins and notes
C．prepaid cards D．pay-as-you-go mobile phones
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A．Online shopping traps. B．Internet users in the US and the UK.
C．New credit cards for parents. D．The arrival of cyber pocket money.
For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D．Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Is there a job for you after college? What does the world of work keep in store for you? That 50 in large measure on who you are.
If you’ve enjoyed your studies in English and history, 50 , you’ll be glad to know that in a recent survey by Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York State, a majority of CEOs said that the liberal arts (文科) are essential for 52 critical thinking and problem-solving skills．If you thought college was for acquiring specific work skills, only 37 percent of the CEOs in the survey agree with you.
If you plan to start your career as a secretary, be aware that this job is undergoing tremendous 53 ．In offices where secretaries have not already been eliminated, the
54 role of a clerk is now unrecognizable．Most bosses 55 their own mails and meetings and travel plans, thanks to e-mail and the Internet, so secretaries are 56 taking on higher-level tasks such as drafting contracts and handling customer service problems．Those willing to expand their 57 should do well.
If you are a woman interested in law enforcement (执法), note that some states and cities are working hard to reach 58 standards for female applicants．Although most small suburban police departments are deeply traditional, and some are 59 even to employ woman, among the nation’s largest forces about 15 percent of the officers are female, five times as many as a generation ago.
Degrees in sports management are also 60 ．Two hundred U.S colleges and universities, 10 times as many in 1985, now 61 undergraduate courses in sports management, and some have advanced degree programs．At some school you can also combine an MBA in sports management with a law degree.
62 , if you’ve set your sights on a traditional MBA, take heart．MBA recruitment (招聘) is way up, and salaries are 63 ．But money isn’t all today’s MBAs are looking for．A recent study of nearly 1,800 MBA students in the United States and Canada found that 68 percent 64 the statement, “My family will always be more important than my career.”
1.A．concentrates B．depends C．takes D．passes
2.A．by comparison B．as a result C．for instance D．in return
3.A．developing B．discouraging C．confirming D．appreciating
4.A．troubles B．pains C．tests D．changes
5.A．active B．small C．useful D．traditional
6.A．await B．handle C．transfer D．classify
7.A．increasingly B．unwillingly C．diligently D．intentionally
8.A．horizons B．activities C．organizations D．operations
9.A．medium B．high C．fair D．legal
10.A．keen B．resolved C．reluctant D．qualified
11.A．on display B．at an end C．at rest D．on the rise
12.A．cancel B．offer C．register D．drop
13.A．Contrarily B．Consequently C．Finally D．Strictly
14.A．competitive B．moderate C．fixed D．regular
15.A．give out B．agree with C．wonder about D．focus on
Complete the following passage by using the words in the box．Each word can only be used once．Note that there is one word more than you need.
|
A．primarily |
B．similar |
C．considerately |
D．connections |
E．instructed |
|
F．series |
G．personal |
H．served |
I．defined |
J．environment |
In a study of the university of Minnesota, twins (some raised together and others who had grown up apart) were tested for a wide range of personality traits (特征)．In terms of happiness－ 1. as the ability to enjoy life－twins who are separated soon after birth were much less alike than twins raised together．But when it comes to unhappiness, the twins raised apart－some without contact for as long as 64 years－were as 2. as those who had grown up together.
Why is unhappiness less influenced by 3. ? When we are happy, we are more responsive to people and keep up 4. better than when we are feeling sad．
This doesn’t mean, however, that some people are born to be sad and that’s that．Unhappiness may be related to genes, but this inherited trait can be influenced by 5. choice．You can increase your happiness through your own actions.
In a whole6. of experiments by psychologists John Reich and Alex Zautra at Arizona State University, they asked students to select their favorite activities from a list of everyday pleasures－things like going to a movie, talking with friends and playing cards.
Then the researchers 7. some of the students in the experiment to increase the number of favorite activities the participated in for one month (the participants in the study 8. as controls (对照组) and did not vary their activity level)．Result: Those who did more of the things they enjoyed were happier than those who didn’t．The conclusion, then, is that the pleasure we get from life is 9. ours to control.
Harrison Ford is thought to be one of the few movie stars ______ as a carpenter before．
A．to work B．to be working
C．to have worked D．to have been working
______ comes will be welcomed to the open-air concert.
A．Whatever B．Whoever C．No matter what D．No matter who
The result of the study indicated that it was the type of fat ______ made the difference．
A．that B．what C．who D．as
