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BEUING (Associated Press 美联社)—China has a growing middle class, a tradition of expecting education and 21 million new babies every year. Selling educational toys should be easy.
While China may be the world’s biggest toy maker, many of the best are exported. Department stores here do not have enough toys of high quality. It is said that the demand for educational toys is low.
A US company, Baby Care, is trying to change that with a new way to sell toys in China.
Baby Care works basically together with doctors in Beijing hospitals. People who join the company’s "mother club" can get lectures and newsletters on baby and child development at no extra cost, if they agree to spend 18 dollars a month on the company’s educational toys and child-care books.
"We want to build a seven year relationship with those people," said Matthew J. Estes, Baby Care’s president. "It starts during pregnancy (孕期), when the anxiety and needs are highest." Baby Care works on a one-to-one basis. Doctors, nurses, and teachers paid by Baby Care advise parents and explain toys that are designed for children at each stage of development to age six.
Baby Care opened its first store in China last June in a shopping center in central Beijing and another near Beijing Zoo. It plans to have 80 stores in China within six years.
It is a new model for China and develops a market in young children’s education and health that no other companies are in.
1.What do the first two paragraphs mainly tell us?
A. Educational toys and foreign toy markets.
B. Problems with China’s toy market and education.
C. Reasons for pushing sales of educational toys in China.
D. Baby population and various kinds of toys made in China.
2. Which of the following is a fact according to the passage?
A. Club members buy Baby Care products for free child care advice.
B. Doctors in Beijing help in making Baby Care products.
C. Parents are encouraged to pay $ 18 for club activities.
D. Baby Care trains Chinese doctors at no extra cost.
3. Baby Care is developing its business in China by ___________.
A. opening stores in Beijing hospitals
B. offering 18 month courses on child care
C. setting up children’s education centers
D. forming close relationships with parents
4.Which of the following would be the most suitable title for the passage?
A. Mother’s Club in China. B. Baby Care and Doctors.
C. American Company Model. D. Educational Toys in China.
Born in America, I spoke English, not Chinese, the language of my ancestors. When I was three, my parents flashed cards with Chinese 21 at my face, but I pushed them 22 . My mom believed I would learn 23 I was ready. But the 24 never came.
On a Chinese New Year’s Eve, my uncle spoke to me in Chinese, but all I could do was 25 at him, confused, scratching my head. “Still can’t speak Chinese?” He 26 me , “You can’t even buy a fish in Chinatown .”
“Hey, this is America, not China. I’ll get some 27 with or without Chinese.” I replied and turned to my mom for 28 .
“Remember to ask for fresh fish, Xin Xian Yu,” she said, handing over a $20 bill. I 29 the words, running downstairs into the streets of Chinatown.
I found the fish 30 surrounded in a sea of customers. “I’d like to buy some fresh fish,” I shouted to the fisherman. But he 31 my English words and turned to serve the next customer. The laugh of the people behind increased 32 their impatience. With every 33 ,the breath of the dragons on my back grew stronger—my blood boiling— 34 me to cry out. “ Xian Sheng Yu, please.” “Very Xian Shen ,” I repeated. The crowd erupted into laughter. My face turned 35 and I ran back home 36 , except for the $20 bill I held tightly in my pocket.
Should I laugh or cry? They’re Chinese. I should feel right at 37 . Instead, I was the joke , a disgrace (丢脸)to the language.
Sometimes, I laugh at my fish 38 , but, in the end, the joke is on 39 . Every laugh is a culture 40 ; every laugh is my heritage (传统) fading away.
1.A. custom B. games C .characters D. language
2.A. ahead B. around C. along D. aside
3.A. when B. before C. unless D. until
4.A. success B. study C. time D. attempt
5.A. aim B. joke C. nod D. stare
6.A. cared about B. laughed at C. argued with D. asked after
7.A. right now B. from now C. at times D. in time
8.A. decision B. permission C. information D. preparation
9.A. repeated B. reviewed C. spelled D. kept
10.A. farm B. stand C. pond D. market
11.A. guessed B. forget C. doubted D. ignored[来
12.A. by B. as C. with D. from
13.A. second B. effort C. desire D. movement
14.A. forcing B. allowing C. persuading D. leading
15.A. bright B. blank C. pale D. red
16.A. open-mouthed B. tongue-tied C. empty-handed D. broken-hearted
17.A. service B. home C. risk D. root
18.A. trade B. deed C. challenge D. incident
19.A. it B. us C. me D. them
20.A. thrown B. lost C. divided D. reflected
Exciting as its special effects are ______, there is too much violence in the film.
A. to watch B. to be watched C. watching D. being watched
---May I take your order now?
---______.
A. Yes, two hamburgers B. No, my affairs are in order
C. Yes, we must obey orders D. No, it isn’t my order
We were all surprised when he made it clear that he ______ office soon.
A. leaves B. left C. would leave D. had left
Many new______ will be opened up in the future for those with a university degree.
A. realities B. necessities C. probabilities D. opportunities
