How Super Are Supermarkets?
Buying e week’s groceries is tiring. You want to get it over and done with quickly, so you head for the nearest supermarket, you find everything you need under one roof, and you feel glad that those days of going in and out of different shops in the high street are over. Supermarkets seem to be a big plus. There is a downside, though.
In the UK 90% of all the food people consume is bought at 5 different supermarket chains. This makes these companies extremely powerful, which lets them use their huge buying power to squeeze small suppliers to get the best deal. Milk is a good example. Supermarkets like to use things like milk, which is the top of almost everyone’s shopping list to attract customers. To offer the lowest price possible to the consumer, the supermarkets force dairy farmers to sell milk at less than the cost of production. Supermarkets guarantee their good profits while farmers are left struggling to make ends meet, and the taxpayer pays to support the system without even knowing it.
It would be nice if local grocers supported local agriculture. But for the big supermarkets this just doesn’t make sense. Supermarkets don’t want little farmers thinking they can decide prices. So supermarkets have started a global search for the cheapest possible agricultural produce. In many supermarkets it is difficult to find anything which is produced locally.
UK farmers used to grow a lot of apples. Not anymore. In 1999 36% of apples were imported. By 2015 the figure had risen to 80% and the domestic production of apples had fallen by two thirds. The consumer might just be happy to get a reasonably priced meal made up of foods from Thailand, Spain, Italy and Zambia, but we should also bear in mind the Influence on local producers.
Then there’s packaging. Supermarkets like everything to be packed and wrapped so it can be piled neatly on shelves. Supermarkets produce nearly 10 million tons of waste packaging in the UK every year, of which less 5%is recycled. Some supermarkets make sure that large recycling bins are obvious in their car parks, showing that they are environment-friendly. But that is just an image.
When a new supermarket is planned there are claims about the number of new jobs that will be created. Unfortunately, the number of jobs lost in the area is larger than the number of new positions in the supermarket. On average each new supermarket leads to the loss of 276 jobs.
However, the modern world is all about shopping, and the freedom to buy whatever you what, so it would be impossible to stop people shopping at some particular kind of shop. But some measures do need to be taken when small suppliers lose profits, local producers suffer, sea levels rise and jobs are lost, anyway, we can’t just care about a free car park and special offers.
1.The author mentions “milk” in paragraph 2 to explain how supermarkets ____________.
A. harm small suppliers ‘benefits
B. support local dairy farmer
C.cheat the taxpayers
D.provide customers with the cheapest product
2.According to the passage, supermarkets keep price advantage by_______________.
A. competing against each other
B. reducing product tax
C. purchasing local products
D. importing foreign products
3.What is the author’s attitude towards supermarkets?
A. Doubtful B. Sympathetic
C. Critical D. Cautious
Conventional wisdom is a major barrier to innovation(创新) that threatens the survival of companies everywhere. It’s based on the assumption that old ideas will always work, so they shouldn’t be challenged. While this may be a valid assumption in situations that don’t change, it’s unlikely to hold true in a changing situation. In today’s rapid changing global environment, old methods often don't work, and stubbornly using them can lead to major problems.
Most people seem to agree with conventional wisdom because it gives one a false sense of security. If everyone else believes it, then it must be true. Individuals who use conventional wisdom are certain that they are right, and being right is good. They want to continue using old ideas rather than take risks with changes that might not work. In 1977, Ken Olsen, co-founder and CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), stated “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.” Despite being a dominant leader in the computer industry, DEC no longer exists.
People seem to forget that since innovation is a change, there can be no innovation without change. Unfortunately, conventional wisdom prevents leaders, followers and companies from changing and therefore innovating. If companies don’t innovate, but their competitors do, the future is likely to be problematic. Breaking from conventional wisdom has led to many of the most innovative companies and products in history across many industries, so it has a powerful effect on business success.
Ted Turner (founder of CNN) knew little, if anything, about the news business, but he knew it was inconvenient to watch news only at the dinner hour, as was common before CNN. Turner’s solution was to create a cable channel dedicated to news 24 hours a day. The news establishment reflected conventional wisdom at the time, and predicted his idea would fail because no one wanted to watch the news all day. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that viewers don’t have to watch the news all day for the CNN to work. Viewers just have to watch when they want to get information. Due to conventional thinking, the critics failed to recognize the opportunity that was clear to Ted. They assumed that only what was familiar to them could work in the future.
Conventional wisdom prevents creativity, flexibility and risk-taking, so unconventional leaders enthusiastically break from it. To survive, thrive and maintain competitive advantage, companies must be flexible when reacting to change.
1.DEC has disappeared probably because ___________.
A. the CEO stuck to the conventional ideas
B. the leaders lacked the sense of security
C. the consumers didn’t like its products
D. the employees took many risks with changes
2. The founding of CNN is used as an example to prove _________.
A. missing opportunities could lead to failure
B. conventional wisdom influences business success
C. watching news at the dinner hour is convenient
D. changing could contribute to business success
3. What does the underlined part probably mean?
A. Rocket scientists can ensure the CNN works properly.
B. It’s easy to know people needn’t watch the news all the time
C. It’s necessary to understand when people watch the news.
D. Most of the viewers don’t like to watch the news at work.
4.The passage is mainly written to tell us that ______.
A. conventional wisdom limits innovation
B. opportunities lead to business success
C. old methods are changing with time
D. successful companies need wise leaders
Does happiness have a scent?
When someone is happy, can you smell it?
You can usually tell when someone is happy based on seeing them smile, hearing them laugh or perhaps from receiving a big hug. But can you also smell their happiness? Surprising new research suggests that happiness does indeed have a scent, and that the experience of happiness can be transmitted through smell, reports Phys.org.
For the study, 12 young men were shown videos meant to bring about a variety of emotions while researchers gathered sweat samples from them. All of the men were healthy and none of them were drug users or smokers, and all were asked to abstain from drinking or eating smelly foods during the study period.
Those sweat samples were then given to 36 equally healthy young women to smell, while researchers monitored their reactions. Only women were selected to smell the samples, apparently because previous research has shown that women have a better sense of smell than men and are also more sensitive to emotional signaling—though it's unclear why only men were chosen to produce the scents.
Researchers found that the behavior of the women after smelling the scents—particularly their facial expressions—indicated a relationship between the emotional states of the men who produced the sweat and the women who sniffed them.
“Human sweat produced when a person is happy brings about a state similar to happiness in somebody who breathes this smell,” said study co-author Gun Semin, a professor at Koc University in Turkey.
This is a fascinating finding because it not only means that happiness does have a scent, but that the scent is capable of transmitting the emotion to others. The study also found that other emotions, such as fear, seem to carry a scent too. This ensures previous research suggesting that some negative emotions have a smell, but it is the first time this has proved to be true of positive feelings.
Researchers have yet to isolate(分离) exactly what the chemical compound for the happiness smell is, but you might imagine what the potential applications for such a finding could be. Happiness perfumes, for instance, could be invented. Scent therapies（香味疗法）could also be developed to help people through depression or anxiety.
Perhaps the most surprising result of the study, however, is our broadened understanding of how emotions get communicated, and also how our own emotions are potentially managed through our social context and the emotional states of those around us.
1.What is the main finding of the new research?
A. Pleasant feelings can be smelt out.
B. Negative emotions have a smell.
C. Men produce more sweats.
D. Women have a better sense of smell.
2.The underlined part “abstain from” in Paragraph 3 probably means _________.
A. continue B. practice C. avoid D. try
3.What is the application value of the new research?
A. Perfumes could help people understand each other.
B. Some smells could be created to improve our appearance.
C. Perfumes could be produced to cure physical diseases.
D. Some smells could be developed to better our mood.
4.We can learn from the last paragraph that .
A. happiness comes from a scent of sweat
B. social surroundings can influence our emotions
C. people need more emotional communication
D. positive energy can deepen understanding
City College Union Inc
Secretary/Typist
The Union is a student-run organization with a permanent staff of 20.Typing speed:at least 60 wpm.
The ability to take shorthand dictation and a working knowledge of filling procedures are essential requirements.
The basic salary for the position is $ 18,500 per year.
Enquires to R.Barbar 387-5075.
Emu Airline
Secretary
Emu Airline is now offering a part-time position for a secretary.
The position offers at least 20 hours’ work a week, with a view to full-time work in the future. Monthly salary is about $ 1,400.
Phone 899-3264 for an appointment.
Word Processor
Operator (full-time)
We need an operator to work in an office associated with the building industry.Only experienced operators are expected to apply.
Starting salary:$ 17,950 yearly.
Apply in writing to:
The Personnel Officer Hill Morgan Pty Ltd 38 Green Hill Rd.Kensington 2033.
Sewing Machinist Wanted
Jeans Industry
We are an expanding clothing company located south of the city.Our products include jeans,skirts,shorts and so on.We are looking for sewing machine operators.
The factory works a 38-hour week over 4-5 days.Wages for this are $ 18,050 per year.Wages and conditions are in line with the current industrial award.
If you are interested, come over and pick up an application form from Ripper Jeans,23 North Ave,Beaudesert.
1.What do these four advertisements have in common?
A. Each of them is commented by their manager.
B. They are located in the south of the same city.
C. Their companies are introduced in detail.
D. They all want people in the proper position.
2.The applicants for the post of a secretary in City College Union Inc should have the following qualities except .
A. ability of organization
B. knowledge about filling the form
C. typing skill
D. writing rapidly
3.The attractiveness of the post in Emu Airline is .
A. its promising future
B. its free flying
C. its good salary
D. its nice working conditions
4.If you want to be a sewing machine operator, you may contact this company by .
A. visit B. fax C. phone D. Email
假如你是红星中学高三1 班的李华。请按以下四幅图的顺序，给你校“英语园地”投稿，介绍上学期你们班参加学校组织的“2015，中国”的主题板报的比赛过程。
注意： 1.词数不少于60；
2.开头已给出，不计入总词数。
3.提示词：阅兵式military parade
Last term, our school held a blackboard newspaper contest on
“Unforgettable 2015 in China”._____________________________________
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书面表达
美国友好校学生来你校参加为期一周的艺术交流活动，你负责接待并致辞。
发言内容包括：
1.表示欢迎；
2.简要介绍学校的某艺术社团的基本情况（例如：合唱团、戏剧社、舞蹈队、书画社等）；
3.表示美好祝愿。
注意：1.词数不少于50；
2.开头已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear friends,
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