In our modern world, when something wears out, we throw it away and buy a new one. The _______ is that countries around the world have growing mountains of _______ because people are throwing out more rubbish than ever before.
How did we _______ a throwaway society? First of all, it is now easier to _______ an object than to spend time and money to repair it. _______ modern manufacturing (制造业)and technology, companies are able to produce products quickly and inexpensively. Products are plentiful and _______.
Another cause is our _______of disposable (一次性的) products. As _______ people, we are always looking for _______ to save time and make our lives easier. Companies ________ thousands of different kinds of disposable products: paper plates, plastic cups, and cameras, to name a few.
Our appetite for new products also ________ to the problem. We are ________ buying new things. Advertisements persuade us that ________ is better and that we will be happier with the latest products. The result is that we ________ useful possessions to make room for new ones.
All around the world, we can see the ________ of this throwaway lifestyle. Mountains of rubbish just keep getting bigger. To ________ the amount of rubbish and to protect the ________, more governments are requiring people to recycle materials. ________, this is not enough to solve (解决) our problem.
Maybe there is another way out. We need to repair our possessions ________ throwing them away. We also need to rethink our attitudes about ________. Repairing our possessions and changing our spending habits may be the best way to reduce the amount of rubbish and take care of our environment.
1.A.key B.reason C.project D.problem
2.A.gifts B.rubbish C.debt D.products
3.A.face B.become C.observe D.change
4.A.hide B.control C.replace D.withdraw
5.A.Thanks to B.As to C.Except for D.Regardless of
6.A.safe B.funny C.cheap D.powerful
7.A.love B.lack C.prevention D.division
8.A.sensitive B.kind C.brave D.busy
9.A.ways B.places C.jobs D.friends
10.A.donate B.receive C.produce D.preserve
11.A.adapts B.returns C.responds D.contributes
12.A.tired of B.addicted to C.worried about D.ashamed for
13.A.newer B.stronger C.higher D.larger
14.A.pick up B.pay for C.hold onto D.throw away
15.A.advantages B.purposes C.functions D.consequences
16.A.show B.record C.decrease D.measure
17.A.technology B.environment C.consumers D.brands
18.A.However B.Otherwise C.Therefore D.Meanwhile
19.A.by B.in favour of C.after D.instead of
20.A.spending B.collecting C.repairing D.advertising
Training for a marathon (马拉松) requires careful preparation and steady, gradual increases in the length of the runs. 1., buy the best-fitting running shoes you can find. No one can say which brand will work best for you or feel best on your feet, so you have to rely on your experience and on the feel of each pair as you shop. When you have found shoes that seem right, walk in them for a few days to double-check the fit. 2.. As always, you should stretch (伸展) at least ten minutes before each run to prevent injuries.
During the first week, do not think about distance, but run five minutes longer each day. 3., it is wise to take a day off to rest. But during the next week, set a goal of at least a mile and a half per run. 4.. After two weeks, start timing yourself. 5.. Depending on the kind of race you plan to enter, you can set up a timetable for the remaining weeks before the race.
A.After six days
B.For a good marathon runner
C.Before you begin your training
D.With each day, increase the distance by a half mile
E.If they still feel good, you can begin running in them
F.Time spent for preparation raises the quality of training
G.Now you are ready to figure out a goal of improving distance and time
FLORENCE, Italy—Svetlana Cojochru feels hurt. The Moldovan has lived here seven years as a caregiver to Italian kids and elderly, but in order to stay she’s had to prove her language skills by taking a test which requires her to write a postcard to an imaginary friend and answer a fictional job ad.
Italy is the latest Western European country trying to control a growing immigrant(移民) population by demanding language skills in exchange for work permits, or in some cases, citizenship.
Some immigrant advocates worry that as hard financial times make it more difficult for natives to keep jobs, such measures will become more a vehicle for intolerance than integration(融合). Others say it’s only natural that newcomers learn the language of their host nation, seeing it as a condition to ensure they can contribute to society.
Other European countries laid down a similar requirement for immigrants, and some terms are even tougher. The governments argue that this will help foreigners better join the society and promote understanding across cultures.
Italy, which has a much weaker tradition of immigration, has witnessed a sharp increase in immigration in recent years. In 1990, immigrants numbered some 1.14 million out of Italy’s then 56.7 million people, or about 2 percent. At the start of this year, foreigners living in Italy amounted to 4.56 million of a total population of 60.6 million, or 7.5 percent, with immigrants’ children accounting for an ever larger percentage of births in Italy.
Cojochru, the Moldovan caregiver, hoped obtaining permanent residence(居住权) would help her bring her two children to Italy; they live with her sister in Moldova, where salaries are among the lowest in Europe. She was skeptical that the language requirement would encourage integration.
Italians always ＂see me as a foreigner,＂ an outsider, even though she’s stayed in the country for years and can speak the local language fluently, she said.
1.Why does Cojochru have to take a language test?
A.To continue to stay in Italy.
B.To teach her children Italian.
C.To find a better job in Italy.
D.To better mix with the Italians.
2.Some people worry that the new language requirement may ____________.
A.reduce Italy’s population quickly
B.cause conflicts among people
C.lead to financial difficulties
D.put pressure on schools
3.What do we know about Cojochru?
A.She lives with her sister now in Italy.
B.She enjoys learning the Italian language.
C.She speaks Italian well enough for her job.
D.She wishes to go back to her home country.
In ancient Egypt, a shopkeeper discovered that he could attract customers to his shop simply by making changes to its environment. Modern businesses have been following his lead, with more tactics (策略).
One tactic involves where to display the goods. For example, stores place fruits and vegetables in the first section. They know that customers who buy the healthy food first will feel happy so that they will buy more junk food (垃圾食品) later in their trip. In department stores, the women’s shoe section is generally next to the women’s cosmetics (化妆品) section: while the shop assistant is going back to find the right size shoe, bored customers are likely to wander over and find some cosmetics they might want to try later.
Besides, businesses seek to appeal to customers’ senses. Stores notice that the smell of baked goods encourages shopping, so they make their own bread each morning and then fan the bread smell into the store throughout the day. Music sells goods, too. Researchers in Britain found that when French music was played, sales of French wines went up.
When it comes to the selling of houses, businesses also use highly rewarding tactics. They find that customers make decisions in the first few seconds upon walking in the door, and turn it into a business opportunity. A California builder designed the structure of its houses smartly. When entering the house, the customer would see the Pacific Ocean through the windows, and then the pool through an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant view of water on both levels helped sell these $ 10 million houses.
1.Why do stores usually display fruits and vegetables in the first section?
A.To save customers time. B.To show they are high quality foods.
C.To help sell junk food. D.To sell them at discount prices.
2.According to Paragraph 3, which of the following encourages customers to buy?
A.Opening the store early in the morning. B.Displaying British wines next to French ones.
C.Inviting customers to play music. D.Filling the store with the smell of fresh bread.
3.What is the California builder’s story intended to prove?
A.The house structure is a key factor customers consider.
B.The more costly the house is, the better it sells.
C.An ocean view is much to the customers’ taste.
D.A good first impression increases sales.
4.What is the main purpose of the passage?
A.To explain how businesses turn people into their customers.
B.To introduce how businesses have grown from the past.
C.To report researches on customer behavior.
D.To show dishonest business practices.
Papa, as a son of a dirt-poor farmer, left school early and went to work in a factory, for education was for the rich then. So, the world became his school. With great interest, he read everything he could lay his hands on, listened to the town elders and learned about the world beyond his tiny hometown. "There's so much to learn," he'd say. "Though we're born stupid, only the stupid remain that way.” He was determined that none of his children would be denied an education.
Thus, Papa insisted that we learn at least one new thing each day. Though, as children, we thought this was crazy, it would never have occurred to us to deny Papa a request. And dinner time seemed perfect for sharing what we had learned. We would talk about the news of the day; no matter how insignificant, it was never taken lightly. Papa would listen carefully and was ready with some comment, always to the point. Then came the moment—the time to share the day's new learning. Papa, at the head of the table, would push back his chair and pour a glass of red wine, ready to listen. "Felice," he'd say, "tell me what you learned today.” "I learned that the population of Nepal is ....” Silence.
Papa was thinking about what was said, as if the salvation of the world would depend upon it. “The population of Nepal. Hmm. Well . . . . ” he’d say. “Get the map; let's see where Nepal is.” And the whole family went on a search for Nepal.
This same experience was repeated until each family member had a turn. Dinner ended only after we had a clear understanding of at least half a dozen such facts.
As children, we thought very little about these educational wonders. Our family, however, was growing together, sharing experiences and participating in one another's education. And by looking at us, listening to us, respecting our input, affirming our value, giving us a sense of dignity, Papa was unquestionably our most influential teacher.
Later during my training as a future teacher, I studied with some of the most famous educators. They were imparting what Papa had known all along—the value of continual learning. His technique has served me well all my life. Not a single day has been wasted, though I can never tell when knowing the population of Nepal might prove useful.
1.What do we know from the first paragraph?
A.The author's father was born in a worker's family.
B.Those born stupid could not change their life.
C.The town elders wanted to learn about the world.
D.The poor could hardly afford school education.
2.The underlined word "it" in the second paragraph refers to .
A.one new thing B.a request
C.the news D.some comment
3.It can be learned from the passage that the author .
A.enjoyed talking about news
B.knew very well about Nepal
C.felt regret about those wasted days
D.appreciated his father's educational technique
4.The author's father can be best described as .
A.an educator expert at training future teachers
B.a parent insistent on his children's education
C.a participant willing to share his knowledge
D.a teacher strict about everything his students did
Share with us!
Would you like to have your writing published in this magazine?
Then let us know! We pay for stories, anecdotes and jokes:
Anecdotes and Jokes
$50
What’s made you laugh recently? A funny sign? A colleague’s behaviour? Got a joke? Send it in for Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Email: Juliet@sws.com
Smart Animals
Up to $100
Send us a tale about the strange behaviour of unique pets or wildlife in up to 300 words.
Email: audrey@sws.com
Power of Love
Up to $150
Acts of generosity can change lives or just give you that warm feeling full of love. Share your moments in 100-500 words.
Email: susan@sws.com
My Story
$350
Do you have an inspiring or life-changing story to tell? Your story must be true, unpublished, original and 800-1000 words.
Email: nanjc@sws.com
For more information, please visit: http://www.sws.com./share
1.How much will the magazine pay for a joke to be published?
A.$50. B.$100. C.$150. D.$350.
2.If you want to share a story of your pets with the readers, you need to submit it to ________.
A.Anecdotes and Jokes B.Smart Animals
C.Power of Love D.My Story
3.A story showing people’s generosity should be emailed to the editor at ________.
A.juliet@sws.com B.susan@sws.com
C.Audrey@sws.com D.nanjc@sws.com
4.An inspiring story sent to the magazine should ________.
A.describe strange behaviour B.contain less than 800 words
C.be real and original D.be published before
