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 high quality toys. It is said that the demand for educational toys is low.
A US company, BabyCare, is trying to change that with a new way to sell toys in China.
BabyCare 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 childcare books.
"We want to build a sevenyear relationship with those people," said Matthew J. Estes, BabyCare’s president. "It starts during pregnancy , when the anxiety and needs are highest." BabyCare works on a one to one basis. Doctors, nurses, and teachers paid by BabyCare advise parents, explain toys that are designed for children at each stage of development to age six.
BabyCare 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 BabyCare products for free child care advice.
B. Doctors in Beijing help in making BabyCare products.
C. Parents are encouraged to pay $ 18 for club activities.
D. BabyCare trains Chinese doctors at no extra cost.
3.BabyCare is developing its business in China by.
A. opening stores in Beijing hospitals
B. offering 18month courses on childcare
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. BabyCare and Doctors.
C. American Company Model. D. Educational Toys in China
A woman renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …”
“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”
“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation… ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
One day I found myself in the same situation. The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation?” she asked.
The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.
I repeated the title slowly, then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “Just what you do in this field?”
Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (鼓舞) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal（嗓音的） pattern.
I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”
Motherhood…What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.
1.What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?
A. Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society.
B. The recorder was impatient and rude.
C. The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced.
D. The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was.
2.How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?
A. curious B. indifferent C. interested D. puzzled
3.Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?
A. Because the author cared little about rewards.
B. Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab.
C. Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of.
D. Because she thought the author did admirable work.
4.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
A. To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it.
B. To show that the author had a grander job than Emily.
C. To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect.
D. To show that being a mother is hard and boring work.
Many years ago, I owned a service station and roadhouse on the main road between Melbourne and Adelaide.
One very cold, wet night at about 3:30 a.m., there was a 36 on the front door of our house. A young man, wet from 37 to toe, explained that he had 38 out of petrol about 30 km up the road. He had left his pregnant wife and his two children 39 at the car and said that he would hitchhike(搭便车) back.
Once I had 40 a can with petrol, I took him back to his car where his two-year-old and four-year-old children were both 41 , saying that they were cold. Once the car had started, I suggested that he 42 me back.
Before leaving, I had turned the heater 43 in the roadhouse, so that when we went in, it was nice and 44 .While the little ones played and ran 45 ,I prepared bread and butter for the children, and hot chocolate for the 46 .
It was about 5 a.m. before they 47 .The young fellow asked me how much he 48 me and I told him that the petrol pump had 49 $15.He offered to pay “call-out fee”, but I wouldn’t accept it.
About a month later, I received a 50 from Interstate, a large bus company that we had been trying to 51 to stop off at our roadhouse for a long time. It 52 out that the young fellow I had helped was its general manager, the most 53 person in the company.
In his letter, he thanked me again and 54 me that, from then on, all their buses would stop at my service station. In this 55 ,a little bit of kindness was rewarded with a huge amount of benefits.
1.A. kick B. hit C. beat D. knock
2.A. finger B. shoulder C. head D. hand
3.A. driven B. used C. come D. run
4.A. away B. behind C. over D. out
5.A. supplied B. poured C. equipped D. filled
6.A. sleeping B. crying C. quarrelling D. fighting
7.A. allow B. ring C. lead D. follow
8. A. on B. off C. in D. over
9.A. neat B. hot C. warm D. attractive
10.A. around B. inside C. nearby D. along
11.A. drivers B. guests C. customers D. adults
12.A. left B. arrived C. ate D. disappeared
13.A. gave B. paid C. owed D. offered
14.A. appeared B. exhibited C. calculated D. shown
15.A. call B. letter C. check D. notice
16.A. get B. force C. require D. hope
17.A. pointed B. turned C. worked D. found
18.A. generous B. successful C. serious D. powerful
19.A. praised B. persuaded C. informed D. convinced
20.A. lesson B. business C. aspect D. case
---Oh dear! I’ve just broken a glass.
--- Never mind. _____.
A. It can’t be helped B. You are so careless
C. You are welcome D. Bad luck
Those natives who _________ move from place to place with their animals in the past have moved into new houses at last.
A. could B. would C. might D. should
Your opinion about the modern education is not similar to ____ of the other teachers’.
A. it B. one C. that D. what
