A new retail phenomenon from Japan which allows customers to walk away with free products is to launch in Britain.
From tomorrow, visitors to Sample Trend’s central London store can try anything on its shelves, and all of the products can be taken home without charge. For a nominal annual membership fee of £60, users are free to enter the shop once a month and help themselves to no less than £250 worth of goods every year. The only ‘catch’ is that shoppers are asked to complete a simple questionnaire about each product they try.
Known as ‘try-vertising’, the concept allows manufacturers to test products and receive consumer feedback before launching onto the open market. It is already very popular in Japan and now looks set to transform the fortunes of the embattled（严阵以待的） UK retail industry. According to new figures, stores are facing a Christmas crisis with the weakest High Street trading for six months.
Michael Ghosh, the brainchild（创意者）behind Sample Trend, said: “The concept behind Sample Trend is unique in the UK. It allows shoppers the opportunity to walk away with a number of real, full-size products of their choosing without handing over a penny.”
The concept of in-store try-vertising is simple but effective. Businesses across all sectors, from cosmetic manufacturers to beverage（饮料） makers, place new products on the shelves at Sample Trend and wait for consumers to try them out.
Customers complete a short 10-point questionnaire about the product, and the feedback they provide is used to make any last-minute improvement before the product is brought officially to market. The Sample Trend store stocks everything from cosmetics, food and drink, and household goods.
Ghosh, the former advertising and sales director for Disney Europe, said such feedback may also build brand loyalty from the outset---a particularly appealing prospect for new businesses.
1.What can we know about the Sample Trend?
A. It has turned out to be a success in London.
B. The goods in the shop are free for everyone
C. The customers can only go to it once a month.
D. It sells everything people need.
2.The word “catch” (in para2) can be replaced by _________
A. advantage B. disadvantage C. problem D. requirement
3.The customers need to fill a questionnaire to________
A. give suggestions for the products
B. recommend the products
C. give feedback about the products
D. express their thanks
Everyone wants to have a healthy heart. Still, heart diseases affect more than 1 in 3 adults in the United States. The good news is that some simple, everyday habits can make a big difference in your ability to live a healthy lifestyle. Here are some worst habits for your heart, and how to avoid them.
Watching TV
Sitting for hours on end increases your risk of heart attack and stroke(中风),“some exercise doesn’t make up for the time you sit,”says Harmony R. Reynolds, Why? The lack of movement may affect blood levels of fats and sugars. Dr. Reynolds advises walking around regularly and, if you’re at work, standing up to talk on the phone.
Leaving hostility and depression unchecked
Are you feeling stressed or sad? It can do harm to your heart. While everyone feels this way some of the time, how you handle these emotions can affect your heart health.“Those with stress are in greater danger; research has shown a benefit to laughter and social support,” Dr. Reynolds says. “And it’s helpful to be able to go to someone and talk about your problems.”
Cutting off from the world
It's no secret that on some days, other human beings can seem annoying and too difficult to get along with.
However, it makes sense to strengthen your connections to the ones you actually like. People with stronger connections to family, friends, and society in general tend to live longer, healthier lives.
Everyone needs alone time, but you should still reach out to others and keep in touch whenever you can.
Drinking (too much) alcohol
Sure, studies suggest a small amount of alcohol may be good for your heart. However, too many of us drink over. Too much alcohol is linked to a greater risk of high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, and heart failure.
1.Watching TV for a long time may ______________.
A. help you live a healthy life B. lead to heart attack
C. make up for the time you sit D. make you feel stressed
2.Which of the following is bad for those with stress and sadness?
A. Laughing a lot B. Talking about their own problems.
C. Getting social support D. Leaving these emotions alone.
3.If you want a long healthy life, you should____________.
A. cut off from the world B. get along well with others
C. stay alone as much as possible D. drink no alcohol
4.From the passage we can infer that _____________.
A. some everyday habits can help avoid heart attacks
B. standing up to talk on the phone is not a good idea
C. it’s easy to strengthen your connections to others
D. too much alcohol is not linked to heart failure
A new study suggests that the roundtheclock availability that cell phones have brought to people's lives may take a toll on family life. The study，which followed more than 1,300 adults over 2 years, found that those who consistently used a mobile phone throughout the study period were more likely to report negative “spillover” between work and home life—and，in turn，less satisfaction with their family life.
Spillover essentially(本质上)means that the line between work and home begins to become unclear. Work life may invade home life when a parent is taking jobrelated calls at home，for instance—or family issues may start to take up work time. For example，a child may call mum at work，telling her “microwave exploded”，explained Noelle Chesley，an assistant professor of sociology at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and the author of the study. The problem with cell phones seems to be that they are allowing for even more spillover between work and home.
This may be especially true for working women，the study found. Among men，consistent use of mobile phones seemed to allow more work issues to creep (潜入)into family time. But for women，the spillover tended to go in both directions. Being “connected” meant that work cut into home time，and family issues came into work life.
Cell phones seem to be opening more lines for stressful exchanges among family members. But there may be ways to control the spillover，according to Chesley. Employers, she said，could look at their policies on contacting employees after hours to make sure their expectations are “reasonable”．For their part，employees could decide that cell phones go off during family time, Chesley said.
1.What does the underlined phrase “take a toll on” probably mean in Paragraph 1?
A．explaining. B．founding. C. extending D．damaging.
2.According to Chesley，what is the best solution to the problem caused by cell phones?
A．Separate work hours from family time.
B．Refuse to use cell phones.
C．Ignore coming calls during family time.
D．Encourage women to stay at home.
3.We can learn from the passage that ________.
A．cell phones affect men as much as women
B．cell phones seem to be convenient to families
C．cell phones make the line between work and home unclear
D．we can do nothing to solve the problem
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. How to control the negative spillover caused by cell phones.
B. How work life invades home life.
C. Consistent use of cell phones makes people feel less satisfied with their work.
D. Cell phones cause negative "spillover" between work life and home life.
When a dirty and untidy orange cat showed up in the prison yard，I was one of the first to go out there and pet it．I hadn’t touched a cat or a dog in over 20 years．I spent at least 20 minutes，knelt down behind the kitchen as the cat rolled around，relaxed．What he was expressing outwardly, I was feeling inwardly．It was an amazing bit of grace to feel him under my hand and note that I was reaching a life or another creature with something as simple as my care．
Over the next few days，there were other prisoners responding to the cat．Every yard period，a group of prisoners gathered there．They stood around talking and taking turns petting the cat．These were guys you wouldn’t usually find talking to each other．Several times I saw an officer in the group，not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners．Bowls of milk and water appeared along with bread, wisely placed under the edge of the dustbin to keep the birds from getting it．
The cat was obviously homeless and in pretty bad shape．People said that the cat came to the right place．He's getting treated like a king．This was true．but as I watched I was also thinking about what the cat was doing for us．There was a lot of talk about what's wrong with prisons in America．We need more programs．We need more psychologists or treatment of various kinds．Some may even talk about making prisons more kind．But I think what we really need is a chance to practise our own kindness．Not receive it，but give it．After more than two decades here，I know kindness is not a value that's encouraged．It's often seen as a weakness．
Instead，the culture encourages keeping your head down，minding your own business，and never letting yourself be weak．
The cat did my heart good to see the effect he had on me and the men here．By simply saying，”I need some help here”，he did something important for us．He needed us．And we needed to be needed．I believe we all do．
1.Which of the following statements is true?
A．The cat was dirty because it was kept in prison．
B．The officer in the prison enjoyed petting the cat．
C．The prisoners prepared food for both the cat and birds．
D．The author realized the importance of practising kindness．
2.We can infer from the third paragraph that______
A．showing love to others can make prisoners strong
B．the American prison culture will be improved
C．the author is not content with the prison culture
D．caring for others is encouraged in American prisons
3.What is the best title for the passage?
A．Caring Makes US Human． B．Prison Culture is Important．
C．Animals Need Care． D．Everyone Needs to be Cared for．
4.In Paragraph 2，the author mentioned that "Several times I saw an officer in the Group, not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners." to______ ．
A．show us the officer and prisoners get along well with each other
B．show us the American prison culture does need improvement
C．show us the officer and prisoners all like cat
D．show us the American prison culture is great
The following story took place long ago in Israel．One day when government officials were rebuilding barn(粮仓)，they found a mouse hole in a corner and used to force the mice inside the hole to come out．A while later they indeed saw mice running out，one after another．
Then，everyone thought that all the mice had ．But just as they were about to clean up，they saw two mice squeezing out at the of the hole．After some the mice finally got out． ，they did not run away immediately．Instead，one chased after the other．It seemed that one was trying to the tail of the other．
Everyone was ，so they stepped closer to take a look．They that one of the mice was blind，and the other one was trying to the blind mouse to bite on his tail so he could the blind one with him to escape．
After what happened，everyone was lost in thought．One serious Rome official said："I think the relationship between those two mice was that of emperor and ．" The others thought for a while and said：“That was why！”
A smart Israeli said："I think the relationship was husband and wife．"Again the others thought for a while，and all felt it made ；so they agreed．Therefore，the Israeli’s expression showed ．
A Chinese，who was accustomed to the firm tradition of to parents，said："I think their relationship was that of mother and ．"Once again the others thought for a while，and felt this was more reasonable．So they agreed yet another time．Therefore，the face of the Chinese professional modesty．
At that moment，one pureminded Samaritan looked at other people，and asked："Why did those two mice have to have a certain relationship？"
Suddenly，the atmosphere ．The group looked back at the Samaritan and remained speechless．The Rome official，the Israeli and the Chinese who had spoken earlier all lowered their heads in ．
In fact，the true love is not on benefit，friendship and loyalty or blood relationship．Instead，it is based on no relationship．
1.A．water B. gas C．smoke D．fire
2.A．died B．escaped C．left D．removed
3.A．gate B．sight C．moment D．exit
4.A．attempt B．discovery C．conduct D. encouragement
5.A．Strangely B．Interestingly C．Fortunately D．Extremely
6.A．sting B．bite C．snatch D．exploit
7.A．amused B．fascinated C．speechless D．puzzled
8.A．supposed B．realized C．predicted D．assumed
9.A．encourage B．stimulate C．allow D．invite
10.A．pull B．help C．lead D．defend
11.A．reviewing B．sharing C．spotting D．witnessing
12.A．queen B．prince C．minister D．maid
13.A．difference B．way C．reason D．sense
14.A．selfconfidence B．selfsatisfaction C．selfcontrol D．selfassessment
15.A．loyalty B．bond C．devotion D．commitment
16.A．daughter B．father C．grandma D．son
17.A．surveyed B．signed C．conveyed D．flooded
18.A．transformed B．exchanged C．froze D．faded
19.A．shame B．relief C．astonishment D．pride
20.A．founded B．established C．depended D．measured
—Did you have a good time in Thailand last week?
—________，it was too hot．
A．Not really B．Yeah，why not C．Oh, great D．You're right
