When Taking an Uber-Should You Tip or Not?
Taking an Uber car may no longer be a direct driver-passenger and guilt-free experience. The ride-sharing experience is about to get awkward.
With the wide application of the Internet, Uber, a new approach to your destination instead of taking an ordinary taxi, has become more popular recently. However, benefits won’t come without its fair share of drawbacks.
Uber drivers are a part of the so-called sharing economy: They use their own vehicles, receive customer reviews via the app’s five-star rating system and make their own hours. Unlike other services, Uber claimed that drivers all over the country could clearly alert customers that tipping is not included. Those drivers that expect to be tipped can make their wishes known. But the company is holding to its official no-tip-required line, according to its website. “Once you arrive at your destination, your fare is automatically charged to your credit card on file—There’s no need to tip.” Although drivers value their independence—the freedom to push a button rather than punch a clock, lack of a clear policy, however, leaves Uber drivers in a vulnerable(脆弱的) position: If they ask a customer for a tip or put up a sign, that customer could give the driver a low star-rating, and the driver could finally be deactivated from the app.
But has the company done a good job working with customers? Some observers say that this new grey area for tipping will create awkwardness about whether they should tip or not—something most Uber customers have not had to deal with until now. Uber did not respond to customers’ comment, just leaving their rating in the air（ignoring it）.
Providing an option to tip on an app sends a clear message to customers to reach into their pockets. Nearly 30% people would be more likely to leave a tip if they were presented with a “no tip” button, according to Guinn’s 2015 survey of roughly 500 people. When people are presented with three tip choices—20%, 25% or 30%—they’re more likely to choose the middle option even if it’s more than the traditional 20%, according to a separate 2014 analysis of 13 million New York City taxi rides.
If the service is twice as expensive during a rain storm or public transport delay, the customer has the right not to tip. However, if the driver is extra helpful or avoids traffic to reach your destination in a more timely manner, you could give an extra tip, says Uber, who will leave tipping options in the hands of the consumer rather than the app.
1. Compared with taxi drivers, Uber drivers ______.
A. enjoy more freedom and choices
B. support the company’s practice
C. clock up the miles while driving
D. receive customers reviews directly
2.The underlined word “deactivated” in Paragraph 4 probably means ______.
A. removed B. degraded C. tracked D. charged
3.From the survey we can conclude most customers ______.
A. would probably tip if there is an option
B. usually do as the “no tip” sign suggests
C. tip because of Uber drivers’ good service
D. are disappointed to reach into their pockets
4.What causes the awkwardness between Uber drivers and their customers?
A. Customers take advantage of the new grey area for tipping.
B. There is no specific policy from the Uber to follow.
C. It’s up to customers to decide the drivers’ earnings.
D. Customers tend to pay least among the 3 choices.
Have you ever wondered when dogs first became “man’s best friend” and the world’s favourite pet? If you have then you’re not alone. When and where dogs first began living side-side with humans are questions that have stirred hot debate among scientists. There are a few hard facts that all agree on. These include that dogs were once wolves and they were the first animal to be domesticated(驯养) by humans. They came into lives some 15000 years ago, before the dawn of agriculture.
Beyond that, there is little agreement. The earliest bones found that are unquestionable dogs and not wolves date from 14,000 years ago. However, 30,000-year-old skulls have been discovered in France and Belgium that are not pure wolf and some scientists think could be dogs.
With such puzzling evidence, many scientists are now turning to DNA to find out when and where dogs were first domesticated. In one research project, tens of thousands of blood samples have been taken from street dogs around the world. The plan is to compare them with those of wolves. It’s even possible to analyse DNA from ancient bones. Tiny pieces of the 30,000-year-old skulls mentioned earlier are currently being studied, and another DNA study has already shown that ancient dogs preserved in the Alaskan ice-fields evolved from Asian wolves, not American ones.
Indeed, the ancient DNA may turn out to be more informative than the DNA of living dogs. Because dogs have accompanied humans around the world for thousands of years, their current distribution may tell us very little of their origins. This is why different groups of scientists believe that dogs variously originated in eastern Asia, Mongolia, Siberia, Europe or Africa.
But why were the animals domesticated in the first place? The most recent theory is that dogs domesticated themselves, initially living in and around our ancient villages to eat any food thrown out. Today, this is a way of life still shared by three -quarters of a billion unowned dogs worldwide.
1. Which is the only statement generally agreed on by scientists studying dogs?
A. They originally were used as farm animal
B. They evolved from wolves found in Europe
C. They helped the development of agriculture
D. They were the first animal to be kept as pets
2. Why does the writer first mention the 30,000-year-old animals skulls?
A. To show that dogs were much larger in the past
B. To prove that dogs developed from Asian wolves
C. To suggest that dogs may have evolved much earlier
D. To argue that dogs were first kept in France and Belgium
3. How did scientists determine the origins of the ancient dogs found in Alaska?
A. By examine the animals’ DNA
B. By analyzing the age of their bones
C. By studying the shape of their skulls
D. By comparing them with modern dogs
4. Why did dogs start living with humans?
A. Because they were attracted by food
B. Because they were trapped by humans
C. Because they couldn’t survive in the wild
D. Because they were trained to protect villages
Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they convey regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.
I don’t only avoid those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. It’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say “I love you” or “I forgive you.” When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality. And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.
1.Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule ?
A. Start the car the moment everyone is seated.
B. Leave the room for a minute with the iron working.
C. Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better.
D. Move an object out of the way before it trips someone.
2.The author decided to go to her office on Good Friday to ______.
A. keep her appointment with the eye doctor
B. meet her father who was already an old man
C. join in the holiday celebration of the company
D. finish her work before the deadline approached
3.The underlined word “foregone” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. avoided B. lacked C. abandoned D. took
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Emotional Well-being
B. The Two Saddest Words
C. The Most Useful Rule
D. The Peace of Mind
A guide to Beijing museums during Spring Festival
The Capital Museum
The Beijing Capital Museum is presenting a special monkey-themed exhibition that decodes the cultural roots of the monkey in traditional Chinese culture. The exhibit shows more than 40 antique collections, including paintings, calligraphy, stamps, and 12 classic Monkey King pictures based on the great Chinese novel, Journey to the West. The museum also prepared a series of cultural activities for children, such as making paper-cuts for window decoration and painting monkeys.
The National Museum of China
Pasting Spring Festival couplets to doors is a traditional custom in Chinese culture. An exhibition Calligraphy Art of Couplets for the Year of the Money is ongoing, with more than 30 calligraphers’ couplet pieces on display. A major exhibition, Treasures of Romania, showcasing Romania’s history from the pre-historical period to the end of the 18th century, is still underway.
National Art Museum of China
The 2016 New Year show, National Art Exhibition of the Great Unity of China is a visual feast that will last until March 7. The works reflect the reality that people of all nationalities in China unite as one and jointly construct a moderately prosperous society. The works also highlight their positive mental attitude and present their picturesque and colorful national customs.
Zhoukoudian Relies Museum
A Spring Festival folk custom culture exhibition will introduce traditional Spring Festival customs in detail. Visitors can enjoy nearly 100 precious exhibits from the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and Minguo Era(1912-1949), including New Year paintings and musical instruments. Children can also take part in the treasure hunt games organized by the museum, watch 4D movies and experience the primitive way of hunting fishing and chipping stone tools in the science experience pavilion.
1.In which column of the newspaper may this article appear?
A. Travel.B. Business.C. Lifestyle.D. Culture.
2.Which of the following statement is True according to the article?
A. The 40 antique collections in the Capital Museum are based on Journey to the West.
B. All four museums provide exhibits of traditional Spring Festival customs.
C. Children can be involved in some activities about the primitive life in Zhoukoudian Relics Museum.
D. Visitors can appreciate exhibits of Minguo Era in National Art Museum of China.
3.Which one is the best choice among the four museums for visitors who’d like to enjoy history of both China and foreign countries?
A. The National Museum of China
B. Zhoukoudian Relics Museum
C. The Capital Museum
D. National Art Museum of China
假如你是校英语俱乐部主席李华，计划下个月在全校开展一次英语演讲比赛，请你给Mr. Smith写一封英文电子邮件，邀请他担任本次比赛的评委，并询问他下周什么时候有空在学校大礼堂做一次关于演讲技巧的讲座。
注意：1.词数100左右
2. 可适当增加细节，已使行文连贯。
3. 邮件的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Mr. Smith,
I'm Li Hua, Chairman of the English Club of our school. ______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____
Looking forward to your reply!
Yours,
Li Hua
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
While walking in a market two weeks before, I saw a little kid looking for his mom. However, I couldn’t find her. I decided to ignoring it and keep walking, but then I saw a person that seemed to have badly intentions. So I made up my mind to help with the little kid. We go from one shop to another to look for his mom. Eventually we entered a flower shop but found her, after nearly one and a half hour of searching. She thanked me for helping her child, which was only 6 years old. It was very happy moment.
