Jimmy is an automotive mechanic (汽车修理技工), but he lost his job a few months ago. He has a good heart, but always feared applying for a new job.
One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment was at 10 a.m. and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, “Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It’s the least I could do. Please, I insist.” Jimmy agreed.
Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease (油渍) on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer’s office with disappointed looks on their faces. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, “Do you really need to be interviewed?” Jimmy’s heart sank. “With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?” He thought to himself.
Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy’s surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out that he was the General Manager of the company.
“Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce (职工) before you even stepped into this office. I just know you’d be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!” Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.
1.What did Jimmy see on the way to the interview?
A.A friend’s car had a flat tyre. B.A wild man was pushing a car.
C.A terrible car accident happened. D.An old man’s car broke down.
2.How did Jimmy feel on hearing the interviewer’s question?
A.He was sorry for the other applicants. B.There was no hope for him to get the job.
C.He regretted helping the old man. D.The interviewer was very rude.
3.What can we learn from Jimmy’s experience?
A.Where there’s a will, there’s a way. B.A friend in need is a friend indeed.
C.Good is rewarded with good. D.Two heads are better than one.
The Origins of Famous Brands
Our lives are full of brand names and trademarked products that we use every day. Although many brand names are simple acronyms(首字母缩略词) or versions of their founders' names, some of the companies we trust every day actually have fascinating and surprising back stories.
Starbucks
It seems fitting that the most famous coffee brand in the world would take its name from one of the world's greatest works of literature. The inspiration for the name of the coffeehouse came from Herman Melville's Moby Dick. The founders' original idea was to name the company after the Captain Ahab's ship — Pequot, but they eventually decided that Pequot wasn't a great name for coffee, so they chose Ahab's first mate, Starbucks, as the name instead.
Nike
Originally founded as a distributor for Japanese running shoes, the company was originally named BRS, or Blue Ribbon Sports. In 1971, BRS introduced its own soccer shoe, a model called Nike, which is also the name for the Greek goddess of victory. In 1978, the company officially renamed itself as Nike, Inc.
The right name is essential to a company's success, and a great origin story is just as crucial as a great product. An attractive origin story is one more thing that keeps customers guessing, wondering, and buying its products.
Google was originally called BackRub, for it searched for links in every corner of the Web. In 1997, when the founders of the company were searching for a new name showing a huge amount of data for their rapidly improving search technology, a friend suggested the word “googol”. When a friend tried to register the new domain name, he misspelled “googol” as “google”.
1.What is the name of the Captain Ahab's ship?
A.Moby Dick. B.Starbucks. C.Pequot. D.Herman Melville.
2.When did the Nike get its name eventually?
A.In 1971. B.In 1978. C.In 1997. D.In 1987.
3.Why did the founders of the Google change its name?
A.They disliked their name.
B.They wanted new customers.
C.The company's original name was too long.
D.The company's search technology was improving rapidly.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What is the main topic of the talk?
A.Furniture. B.Technology. C.Old days.
2.What is the speaker’s job?
A.He makes things. B.He repairs things. C.He sells things.
3.How does the speaker feel if an old table has been repaired many times?
A.He still loves it. B.He will use it carelessly. C.He will throw it away at once.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where are the speakers?
A.On a train. B.In a taxi. C.On a bus.
2.What is wrong with the man?
A.He can’t see. B.He feels sick. C.He feels lazy.
3.What are the speakers going to do?
A.Tour the city. B.Climb a mountain. C.See an exhibition.
4.What are the speakers talking about at the end?
A.A doctor. B.A tourist. C.A tour guide.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is a disadvantage of working from home according to the man?
A.There is no manager to keep order.
B.There is difficulty in being inspired.
C.There is a possibility of sleeping too long.
2.What does the man spend more on at home?
A.Clothes. B.Food. C.Heating.
3.What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A.Family members. B.Former colleagues. C.Boss and employee.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How many people will be playing tennis this afternoon?
A.Three. B.Four. C.Five.
2.Why doesn’t the woman want to play tennis this afternoon?
A.She has to get ready for a trip.
B.She has to take care of her mother.
C.She has to find the information about jobs.
3.What will the woman do tomorrow morning?
A.Have an interview. B.Visit her friends. C.Go to the park.
