Question

    I needed to get some money so, after Christmas, I took a job in the clothes department at Graham’s for the first fortnight of the January sale. I can’t say that I enjoyed it, but it was an experience I’ll never forget. I could never understand why there were so many things in the sales; where did they all come from? Now I know the secret! Firstly, there is the special winter stock and the stock that people buy all the year round; some of these things are slightly reduced. Secondly, there are the summer clothes they couldn’t sell last year; these are heavily reduced to clear them. Thirdly, there are cheap clothes bought in specially for the sales; these are put out at high prices ten days before the sale begins and then are reduced by 60% in the sale. Clever! Lastly, they buy in “seconds” (clothes not in perfect condition) for the sale and they are sold very cheaply.

When I arrived half an hour before opening on the first day of the sale, there was already a queue around three sides of the building. This made me very nervous. When the big moment arrived to open the doors, the security guards, looking less confident than usual, came up to them, keys in hand. The moment they had unlocked the doors, they hid behind the doors for protection as the noisy crowd charged in. I couldn’t believe my eyes; this wasn’t shopping, it was a battlefield! One poor lady couldn’t keep her feet and was knocked over by people pushing from behind. Clothes were flying in all directions as people searched for the sizes, colors and styles they wanted. Quarrels broke out. Mothers were using their small children to crawl(爬行) through people’s legs and get hold of things they couldn’t get near themselves.

Within minutes I had half a dozen people pushing clothes under my nose, each wanting to be the first served. Where had the famous English Queue gone? The whole day continued like that, but I kept my temper! I was taking money hand over fist and began to realize why, twice a year, Graham’s were happy to turn their expensive store into a battlefield like this. In the sale fever, people were spending money like water without thinking whether they needed what they were buying. As long as it was a bargain it was OK. You won’t believe this but as soon as I got home I crashed out for four hours. Then I had dinner and went back to bed, fearing the sound of the alarm which would tell me to get ready for the second day of the sale.

1.What kind of clothes is likely to be sold 5% cheaper?

A.Last summer’s clothes. B.Clothes not in perfect condition.

C.Clothes bought in specially for the sales. D.Clothes for winter.

2.In the author’s opinion, why were Graham’s happy to make their expensive store into “Battlefield”?

A.There were too many clothes and they wanted to clear them in the sales.

B.They were eager to show that they were clever at doing business.

C.They could take the chance to raise the prices of all their clothes.

D.They wanted to make more money by having sales.

3.Which of the following statements is true?

A.The customers gave up the queuing for which the English are famous.

B.The customers kept their temper while looking for clothes they wanted.

C.Small children enjoyed crawling through people’s legs.

D.The security guards were fearless of the crowd.

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A.The Best Bargain. B.Hunting For a Job.

C.Sale Fever. D.A Pleasant Fortnight.

Answer

1.D

2.D

3.A

4.C

【解析】

本文是记叙文。文章叙述了作者在Graham’s百货公司的一月大减价做销售时的人们疯狂抢购商品的经历。

1.细节理解题。第一段中提到各类降价的衣服以及降价幅度。根据“Firstly, there is the special winter stock and the stock that people buy all the year round; some of these things are slightly reduced.”，可知，对于冬季库存的衣服和人们常年购买的库存的衣服，降价幅度不大，只是稍微降价。因此冬季的衣服有可能便宜5%卖出。故选D项。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段中“In the sale fever, people were spending money like water without thinking whether they needed what they were buying. As long as it was a bargain it was OK.”在销售热潮中，人们花钱如流水，不考虑是否需要他们所买的东西。只要是便宜就行。因此可以推断， Graham’s百货公司乐意把昂贵的商场变成“战场”是因为Graham’s百货公司想从大减价销售中赚钱。故选D项。

3.细节理解题。第三段中提到“Within minutes I had half a dozen people pushing clothes under my nose, each wanting to be the first served. Where had the famous English Queue gone?（几分钟之内，就有六个人把衣服送到我的鼻子底下，每个人都想成为先得到衣服。英国著名的排队到哪里去了?）”。根据背景知识，英国人有着排队的传统。但是在降价热中，人们都争先恐后抢便宜的衣服，根本不排队，放弃了这一传统。 故选A项。

4.主旨大意题。文章中多次提到“sale”，如第一段中“why there were so many things in the sales”，第二段中“on the first day of the sale”。根据最后一段“ In the sale fever”可知，作者在文章中描绘了在Graham’s百货公司“the January sale（一月大降价）”时，人们疯狂抢购的场面。因此本文的标题应该是“Sales Fever(降价热)”。故选C项。