Exploit your parking space
An unused parking space or garage can make money. If you live near a city center or an airport, you could make anything up to £200 or £300 a week. Put an advertisement(广告)for free on Letpark or Atmyhousepark.
Rent(出租)a room
Spare room? Not only will a lodger(房客)earn you an income, but also, thanks to the government-backed “rent a room” program, you won’t have to pay any tax (税) on the first £4,500 you make per year. Try advertising your room on Roomspare or Roommateeasy.
Make money during special events
Don’t want a full-time lodger? Then rent on a short-term basis. If you live in the capital, renting a room out during the Olympics or other big events could bring in money, Grashpadder can advertise your space.
Live on set
Renting your home out as a “film set” could earn you hundreds of pounds a day, depending on the film production company and how long your home is needed. A quick search on the Internet will bring up dozens of online companies that allow you to register(注册、登记) your home for free—but you will be charged if your home gets picked.
Use your roof
You need the right kind of roof, but some energy companies pay the cost of fixing solar equipment(around£14,000), and let you use the energy produced for nothing. In return, they get paid for unused energy fed back into the National Grid. However, you have to sign(签)a 25-year agreement with the supplier, which could prevent you from changing the roof.
1.If you earn £5,000 from renting a room in one year, the tax you need to pay will be based on ______.
A. £300 B. £500 C. £4,500 D.5,000
2.Where can you put an advertisement to rent out a room during a big event?
A. On Letpark. B. On Roomspare.
C. On Grashpadder. D. On Roommateeasy.
3.If you want to use energy free, you have to_____.
A. sign an agreement with the government
B. pay around £14,000 for the equipment
C. sell the roof to some energy companies
D. keep the roof unchanged within 25 years
4.For whom is the text most probably written?
A. Lodgers. B. Advertisers.
C. House owners. D. Online companies
It’s 5:00 in the morning when the alarm (闹钟) rings in my ears. I get out of bed and walk blindly through the dark into the bathroom. I turn on the light and put on my glasses. The house is still as I walk downstairs while my husband and three kids sleep peacefully. Usually I go for a long run, but today I choose my favorite exercise DVD Insanity. Sweat pours down my face and into my eyes. My heart races as I force my body to finish each movement. As I near the end of the exercise, I feel extremely tired, but a smile is on my face. It’s not a smile because the DVD is over, but a smile of success from pushing my body to its extreme limit.
Some people enjoy shopping, smoking, food, work, or even chocolate. But I need exercise to get through each day. Some shake heads when they see me run through the town. Others get hurt when I refuse to try just one bite of their grandmother’s chocolate cake. They raise their eyebrows, surprised by my “no thank you,” or by my choice to have a salad. Over the years, I have learned it’s okay to just say “no.” I shouldn’t feel sorry for refusing food that I don’t want to eat.
So what drives me to get out of bed at 5:00 a.m.? What gives me the reason to just say no to ice cream? Commitment. A commitment to change my life with a way that reduces daily worry, increases self -confidence and energy, extends (延长) life and above all improves my body shape. This is the point where a smile appears on my face as I look at myself in the mirror or try on my favorite pair of jeans that now fit just right. It’s through commitment and sweat that I can make a difference within myself inside and out.
1.Why is there a smile on the author’s face in the morning?
A. Because she sees her family sleeping peacefully.
B. Because she finishes her favorite exercise
C. Because she enjoys the interesting DVD
D. Because she feels a sense of achievement
2.Which of the following is true according to Paragraph 2?
A. She doesn’t treat others politely
B. She likes to make others surprised
C. Others don’t understand what she does
D. Others try to help her by offering her food
3.What does the underlined word “commitment” in the last paragraph mean?
A. Good health B. Strong belief
C. strong power D. good habits
4.What can we learn about the author from the text?
A. She acts in a strange way
B. She wants to look different from others
C. She aims to develop a good body shape
D. She has difficulty getting along with others
My father brought home a sailboat (帆船) when I was ten, and almost each Sunday in summers we would go sailing. Dad was quite skilled in sailing, but not good at . As for me, I learned both before twelve because of living close to Lake Ontario.
The last time Dad and I set sail together is really . It was a perfect weekend after I graduated from university. I came home and Dad to go sailing. Out we set soon on the lake. Dad hadn’t sailed for years, but everything well with the tiller(舵柄)in his hands.
When we were in the middle of the lake, a wind came all of a sudden. The boat was hit hard. Dad was always at his best in any , but at this moment he was .
“John! !” he shouted in a trembling voice, with the tiller still in his hands.
In my memory he could fix any problem. He was the one I always for power and safety . Before I could respond, a of water got into the boat. I rushed to the tiller it was too late. Another huge wall of water the boat in a minute. We were thrown into the water, and Dad was struggling aimlessly. At that moment, I felt strongly protective of him.
I swam to Dad and helped him in climbing onto the hull(船壳)of the boat. On sitting on the hull, Dad was a little shy about his flash(瞬间) of . “It’s all right, Dad. We are safe now,” I comforted him.
That was the first time Dad had depended on me in a moment of danger. More importantly, I found it was my turn to start looking out for my father.
1.A. boating B. running C. swimming D. teaching
2.A. unforgivable B. unforgettable C. cheerful D. thankful
3.A. sent B. ordered C. invited D. allowed
4.A. calm B. icy C. stormy D. thundery
5.A. finished B. went C. seemed D. sounded
6.A. strong B. gentle C. cold D. hot
7.A. danger B. place C. sport D. job
8.A. suffered B. fell C. frightened D. moved
9.A. look B. Help C. Run D. Jump
10.A. turned to B. lived with C. argued with D. came to
11.A. basin B. river C. shower D. wave
12.A. if B. for C. after D. but
13.A. got through B. poured into C. turned over D. lifted up
14.A. hopelessly B. quickly C. slowly D. helplessly
15.A. pain B. anger C. fear D. shame
Surrounded by the armed police and having no way to escape ,the rebels (叛乱者) in Xinjiang Autonomous Region were forced to _____
A. give up B. give away
C. give in D. give out
It was the third time that she ______to this mountain village to see the children.
A. has come B. had come
C. came D. would come
I can well remember that there was a time _____I played sports with my close friends in junior school.
A. what B. which C. that D. when