It’s a goal for millions and millions of families every year——keep the Christmas spending within a certain amount, but can still afford the gifts that your loved ones will enjoy. Never has this concern been greater in recent years than right now. Even so, there are several things that you can do to help.
Hit the sales.
No one wants to get up at four o’clock in the morning and fight to get the best deal on Black Friday, and it’s surely very tough to pick up the courage and get out there in the cold for a good deal, but sometimes——it can be well worth. Many retailers(零售商) offer specials all through the day——and some even offer online Black Friday specials, so you may still be able to get a great deal on Black Friday.
Pay close attention to advertisements.
Once the Christmas shopping season is coming, retailers hungry for business will do just about whatever to get you in the store. Pay very close attention to weekly advertisements of sales among the major retailers and you may be lucky enough to find different prices for the same thing in different shops.
Shop online.
Some of us don’t like running from store to store in order to get the best price on the perfect gift, and some of us don’t like to go out in the cold at all——thankfully for us, we can do online shopping.
The world of online shopping lets people visit all the major retailers as well as some specialty stores that could only be found on the Internet. Customers can find exactly what they are looking for, at the best possible price without ever having to leave the house. With traditional Christmas shopping consumers are sometimes limited to what’s left in stock if they wait too long to get to a particular store.
1.The first paragraph implies that ______.
A. nowadays not many people can afford expensive gifts
B. recently many people don’t want to spend money on gifts
C. Christmas is a time to make our loved ones enjoy their gifts
D. Christmas is a time to make us feel free to buy our loved ones gifts
2.In the writer’s opinion, it is rewarding on Black Friday _____.
A. if the weather is not very cold B. if we don’t have to fight for the best deals
C. if we don’t have to get up early D. If we get what we want at a good price
3.The underlined word “specials” means_______.
A. some experts in shopping
B. certain things for especially low price
C. some kind of help for a certain customer
D. things that can only be found on Friday
4.We can have more choices _____.
A. on Black Friday B. in a particular store
C. on the Internet D. from retailers
Some time ago, I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn’t think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a lot of antique (古董)shops near my home. So I left my home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception (接待). I was quite wrong. The man wouldn’t even look at my chair.
The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth. So I decided that my approach must be wrong.
I entered the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, "Would you like to buy a chair?" He looked at it over carefully and said, "Yes, not a bad chair. How much do you want for it?" "Twenty pounds." I said. "OK," he said, "I will give you twenty pounds." "It’s got a slightly broken leg," I said. "Yes, I saw that, it is nothing. "the shopkeeper answered.
Everything was going according to my plan and I was getting excited. "What will you do with it?" I asked. "It will be easy to sell once the repair is done." "I will buy it." I said. "What do you mean? You just sold it to me." "Yes, I know, but I have just changed my mind, I am sorry. I will give you twenty - seven pounds for it." "You must be crazy." he said. Suddenly the penny dropped. "I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair." " You are right," I said, "What would you have done if I had walked in and asked you to mend the chair?" "I would not have agreed to do that. We don’t do repairs, not enough money in it, and too much trouble. But! will mend this for you. Will you pay it for five? ". He was a very nice person and was greatly amused (感到有趣)by the whole thing.
1. We can learn from the passage that in the first shop the writer________.
A. was rather impolite
B. was warmly received
C. asked the shopkeeper to buy his chair
D. asked the shopkeeper to repair his chair.
2. The expression" the penny dropped" in the last paragraph means the shopkeeper_________.
A. changed his mind B. accepted the offer
C. saw the writer’s purpose D. decided to help the writer
3.How much did the writer pay for the repair?
A. 5. B. 7. C. 20. D. 27.
4. From the text, we can learn that the writer was___________.
A. honest B. careful C. smart D. funny
完形填空：（包括20个小题，每小题1。5分， 共30分）
It was a bitter, cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old man was waiting for a ride across the 36 . The wait seemed 37 .
At last he heard the slight, steady rhythm of approaching hooves (马蹄) coming along the frozen path. Anxiously, he 38 as several horsemen came around the bend (转角处). He let the first one 39 . Then another, and another. Finally, as the 40 rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue, the old man 41 the rider’s eye and said, “Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There doesn’t appear to be a passage way by 42 .”
The rider replied, “Sure.” Seeing the old man was unable to 43 his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman got down and helped the old man onto the horse. The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination.
As they neared the tiny but cozy (舒适的) cottage, the horseman’s 44 caused him to ask, “Sir, I notice that you let several other riders go by without making a(n) 45 to get a ride. Then I came up and you 46 asked me for a ride. I’m curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. 47 I had refused and left you there?”
The old man replied, “I’ve been 48 here for some time. I think I know people pretty good.” He continued, “I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no 49 for my situation. But when I looked into your eyes, 50 was evident. I knew, 51 , that your gentle spirit would 52 the opportunity to give me help in my time of 53 .”
Those heartwarming comments 54 the horseman deeply.
“I’m most grateful for what you have said,” he told the old man. “May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I 55 to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”
With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
1.A. town B. river C. country D. island
2.A. meaningless B. useless C. careless D. endless
3.A. watched B. asked C. waved D. approached
4.A. come over B. get off C. pass by D. take off
5.A. coming B. leaving C. next D. last
6.A. missed B. caught C. avoided D. saw
7.A. bus B. car C. foot D. horse
8.A. feel B. push C. lift D. stand
9.A. honesty B. courage C. enthusiasm D. curiosity
10.A. choice B. stop C. effort D. scene
11.A. immediately B. hurriedly C. friendly D. strangely
12.A. What about B. What if C. How come D. If only
13.A. in B. out C. around D. beyond
14.A. concern B. doubt C. chance D. reason
15.A. meaning B. kindness C. seriousness D. help
16.A. then and there B. for a moment
C. all of a sudden D. sooner or later
17.A. offer B. create C. find D. welcome
18.A. need B. danger C. fortune D. happiness
19.A. influenced B. excited C. touched D. hit
20.A. happen B. try C. disagree D. fail
— Why not have a new machine designed?
—__________. I’ll have someone do it soon.
A. I don’t think so B. I’m not sure
C. It’s up to you D. Sounds like a good idea
The newcomers found if impossible to _______themselves to the climate sufficiently to make permanent homes in the new country.
A. suit B. adapt C. fit D. match
_____no point in beating around the bush. Let’s ________.
A. It’s ; come straight to the point B. There’s; come to the point
C. This is; get to the point D. That is; reach the point
