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 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 on the first £4500 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 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 a 25-year agreement with the supplier, which could prevent you from changing the roof.
1.If you earn £5000 from renting a room in one year, the tax you need to pay will be based on ______.
A. £800 B. £4500 C. £500 D.5000
2. If you want to use energy free, you have to_____.
A. sign an agreement with the government
B. keep the roof unchanged for within 25 years
C. sell the roof to some energy companies
D. pay around £14,000 for the equipment
3.For whom the text most probably written?
A. Lodgers. B. Advertisers.
C. Online companies D. House owners.
随着工业的发展,人们的生活水平得到了很大的改善。然而,工业的发展也使得污染日益严重。如何解决空气污染已经成为人们越来越关注的问题。请你根据以下提示,写一篇120词左右的短文。
1. 问题: 空气污染
2. 原因:工厂排污:汽车尾气:人们吸烟等
3. 措施:引起重视,采取有效措施
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阅读下面短文,根据以下提示:1)汉语提示,2)首字母提示,3)语境提示,在每个空格内填入一个适当的英语单词,并将该词完整地写在右边相对应的横线上。所填单词要求意义准确,拼写正确。
Amsterdam, known 1.______ the City of Bicycles, is a good place for cycling because of its 2.______(convenient) for bikes. The bikes there are placed at special parking places and anyone 3.______wants to use them has to take them to4. _____special parking place with enough room. Now each bike is equipped 5.______a computer chip to record6.______ every move for fear of being7.______(stole). The idea was started by a group of cycling fans. It was their belief 8.______ if only bicycles were in the city center everyone would_9.____(受益). Thanks to their clever ideas, there’s already 10.______traffic in center Amsterdam.
The brothers Grimm(格林兄弟), Jacob and Wihelm are synonymous with(同义的)fairytales. The stories they gathered have been read by millions of children in all countries over the last two hundred years. It’s difficult to think that any children could not be attracted by a tale like Red Riding Hood(小红帽),which never seems to grow old.
This year, Dec20 marked the 200th anniversary of publication of the tales. The Brimms collected the stories and gave them to the world because they wanted to show what German culture was about. In their time, Germany was not yet a nation; it was a collection of little states. Like many patriotic intellectuals(爱国知识分子),they thought they could help people in German territories(领土) to understand their own traditions.
Quite a few adult were shocked by brothers Grimm’s work. They wrote about a wolf who eats a little girl’s grandmother and an awful old woman who wants to put Hansel and Gretel in a stove. In fact, the original Grimm fairy tales are often far more unpleasant, and more adult in theme(主题).There is a lot of cruelty too. In the wedding scene of Snow White ,the stepmother dances in red-hot iron shoes that kills her.
However, other people came along and made these stories more “suitable” for children. The modern children’s writer Philip Pullman recently published a book of his versions of some Grimm tales. He points out that the Grimms themselves changed the stories, but for the better. They knew how to hold the attention of readers. “A Grimm tale,” he says, “moves with a dreamlike speed from event to event, pausing only to say as much as is needed and no more.” So, when we read a story from Grimms’ collection, we’re getting something from old Germany, but our enjoyment is also thanks to the brothers’ great storytelling skills.
1.According to Paragrah1, Red Riding Hood____.
A. is popular with children all the time.
B. is too old for children to read
C. is a poorly organized story
D. is too stupid to be believed.
2.What is the Brimms’ purpose in publishing the fairy tales?
A. To improved children’s reading skills.
B. To develop educational system.
C. To introduce their country’s culture.
D. To make a living by selling books.
3.By mentioning Philip Pullman, the author intends to____.
A. describes the achievement of the Brothers Grimm
B. present a different side of Grimm fairy tales
C. prove the excellence of the Grimm fairy tales
D. compare the difference between the two versions
4.In which section of a paper is the passage taken from?
A. Fun Times B. Comment
C. Life and Style D. Culture.
Car washes are a common sight throughout Nigeria, but Madinat Aliyu's roadside business is very special: she is the only woman car-washer in the north of the country.
“This job has caused me a lot of problems,” said the 27-year-old, checking cars waiting to be cleaned in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara state.
Aliyu took up her work two years ago, hoping to use the 7,000 naira (£28) she earned every month to put her younger sisters and brothers through school following the death of their mother, the only one who made money to support the family. But her family begged her to stop doing this job, and she has received “judgment and warnings” from strangers too.
“My grandmother cried for many days. Some people thought it was a joke to bring more customers (顾客). Others said if she is doing it for money, let's just give her money to stop bringing us shame,” she said as she got water from a well by the roadside. “But I hate laziness or depending on somebody else.”
However, Aliyu has admirers. “Some customers only allow her to wash their cars,” said her colleague (同事) Shamsudeen Mohammed. “I was trained to wash cars by men, and I can honestly tell you women are better to work under,” he added.
Recently another woman came to Aliyu to ask for advice on starting her own car wash. “Unfortunately her family discouraged her. I told her, if you listen to them, you will find yourself begging or marrying a man who is older than your grandfather,” she said.
Though she is considered a pariah (贱民) by many, Aliyu has no plans to stop her work. “I see men doing something and I think I can do it too.”
1.Madinat Aliyu washes cars mainly to _____.
A. make a living
B. learn about cars
C. meet her future husband
D. know the life of the poor
2.From the fifth paragraph, we know Shamsudeen Mohammed _____.
A. thought Aliyu did a good job
B. trained Aliyu to wash cars
C. had more customers than Aliyu
D. liked to work with men
3.As a woman car-washer, Aliyu _____.
A. gets her family's support
B. dreams of going to school
C. is thought highly of by strangers
D. sets an example for the women in Nigeria
4.Which of the following can best describe Aliyu?
A. Shy but smart.
B. Independent and confident.
C. Honest but lazy.
D. Humorous and imaginative.
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
Where: Becket, Massachusetts
When: June 15-Aug. 24 Each summer, this influential dance center presents a number of classes and performances by more than 50 companies from around the world. Highlights (最精彩的部分) this season include the Dance Theater of Harlem's production of Alvin Ailey's “The Lark Ascending”, which opens the festival.
Many events are free. Ticketed performances start at $22. jacobspillow.org.
Moab Music Festival
Where: Moab, Utah
When: Aug. 29-Sept. 9
This area is better known for mountain biking than for music. But since 1992, it has hosted a private festival that brings classical, jazz, Latin and other types of music to the land. This year there will be 16 concerts, including three “Grotto Concerts”, where guests take a 45-minute boat ride down the Colorado River to performances.
Events start at $25. moabmusicfest.org.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
Where: Cheyenne, Wyoming
When: July 19-28
There's something for everyone at this 117-year-old festival, from an “Indian village” and Old West museum to country concerts. But the competition is still the main attraction, with cowboys (牛仔) and cowgirls competing for major money in the world's largest outdoor stage.
Competition tickets start at $18, and concert tickets at $23. cfdrodeo.com.
The Glimmerglass Festival
Where: Cooperstown, New York
When: July 6-Aug. 24
Each summer, opera lovers from around the country (and the world) travel to upstate New York to watch productions that include stars like Nathan Gunn and Ginger Costa-Jackson. This year's performances include Wagner's “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi's “King for a Day”, in honor of the 200th birthdays of both composers (作曲家).
Tickets start at $26. glimmerglass.org.
1.If you want to enjoy a “Grotto Concert”, which date suits you best?
A. June 15. B. July 19.
C. August 24. D. September 4.
2.If you go to Cheyenne to watch a competition and enjoy a concert, how much will you pay at least?
A. $18. B. $22.
C. $36. D. $41.
3.If you are a big fan of Wagner, you're advised to go to _____.
A. Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
B. the Glimmerglass Festival
C. Cheyenne Frontier Days
D. Moab Music Festival
4.Which part of a website is the text probably chosen from?
A. Education. B. Art.
C. Business. D. Literature.