EBay will launch an online group gift-buying service today designed to make it easier for several people to chip in, buy and pay for gifts using their social-network and e-mail contacts．
EBay North America Vice President Christopher Payne says it is going to be a major step forward in social commerce, which is the still-small practice of selling products through social networks．Online retail experts aren't as certain, but eBay says the new tool makes it easier for friends and relatives to chip in （凑钱） for gifts because it eliminates the headache of collecting contributions．It can also be used for family members to pitch in to buy, say, an expensive child seat for a mother．
Anything on eBay that's available immediately, rather than up for bid, can be purchased this way starting today at groupgifts．eBay．com．If members of an extended family wanted to buy a gift for one member, one person would choose a gift — or have one recommended by eBay — and invite family members to chip in using Facebook or e-mail．Those who wanted to join in would choose an amount to contribute （or agree to pay a requested amount） and pay using either PayPal or a credit card．They could also add a personal note．
If enough people don't chip in, the organizer can ask people to contribute more or choose a less expensive gift．
"I see myself using this most in cases when I typically might not buy someone what they want because of price," says Nitzan Shaer of Boston, who was part of an online test of the site．
EBay, with its 200 million products, millions of sellers and mobile commerce proficiency, is a logical place to pull together the products, groups of buyers and payment tools, Payne says．
At least 12 sites, such as FrumUs．com and eDivvy．com, facilitate （便于,利于） group purchases but don't sell products．Although a handful of retailers, including Victoria's Secret and 1-800-Flowers, sell products through Facebook, Payne says he expects social commerce will take off as rapidly as shopping using mobile devices．EBay did more than $600 million in sales on mobile devices last year and expects mobile sales to increase to $1．5 billion this year．
Although one in five consumers surveyed said they'd used Facebook for shopping in the past year, 88% said they would not be buying holiday gifts through a social network, mobile phone or smartphone．Of these, 26% were reluctant because of security or privacy concerns, and 20% were unclear about the benefits of using phones or Facebook to shop．What procedure should be followed if your extended family intends to buy your grandpa an 80th birthday gift?
①Asking family members to contribute more money if enough members don’t chip in
②Choosing a gift at groupgifts．eBay．com
③Paying using PayPal or a credit card
④Contributing or agreeing to pay a requested amount of money via Facebook or e-mail
| A．②-①-③-④ | B．①-③-②-④ |
| C．②-④-①-③ | D．②-③-④-① |
Where can we most probably read this text?
| A．In a research paper | B．In a travel magazine |
| C．In a microblog | D．On a website |
What does “it” mean in the 2nd paragraph?
| A．The online group gift-buying service |
| B．People’s social-network and e-mail contacts |
| C．A major step forward in social commerce |
| D．The still-small practice of selling products through social networks |
It can be inferred from the text that ______．
| A．through eBay’s new tool, 200 million products on eBay are available to online shoppers |
| B．social commerce can eliminate the headache of collecting contributions |
| C．eBay’s new tool will gain mass adoption by online shoppers |
| D．with the help of eBay’s new tool, FrumUs．com and eDivvy．com will also sell products |
On the New York set of the film Hide and Seek, ten-year-old Dakota Fanning spends her time playing a deeply disturbed girl who deals with her mother's suicide (自杀) by creating an imaginary friend, who may not frighten her family.
Today, though, she has the day off. "This week I only worked two days,"says Fanning, sitting in a sofa in her hotel's library, "but I get bored when I'm not working. Especially because it's cold here and I can't do anything, you know? So, I've been knitting (编织) --- all day, every day."The actress, who's held her own opposite Oscar winners such as Sean Penn and Denzel Washington, recently mastered the fine art of scarves (围巾). Though she's about ready to move on to hats, she first plans to make a souvenir (纪念品) scarf for Robert De Niro, who plays her father in the film. "He's the nicest guy you'd ever meet in your entire life,"she says, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I would make him a brown one.”
Like any other fifth-grader, Fanning spends several hours a day going to school. In addition to her personal trailer (活动住房) --- which is kept well-supplied with hot chocolate packets, lemon Gatorade, and a TV that doesn't always work --- she has another trailer where her teacher, Jan, conducts classes in history, spelling, reading, math, science and health. "We have this big board where we have a calendar (日历),"Fanning says. "When we were here in January, I wrote the calendar in all blue. February was red, and March was green.”
On this particular morning, she had a spelling test. "There was a topic for each of the word lists,"she says, sitting on her knees. "This one was flowers --- they were all names like oxygen, carbon dioxide, chrysanthemum (菊花)..."Chrysanthemum? "Well, they didn't make me spell that one. They just had me fill in the ‘e'. But I can spell it: c-h-r-y-s-a-n-t-h-e-m-u-m.”Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Dakota Fanning is a young gifted actress. |
| B．Dakota Fanning is a lonely orphan. |
| C．Dakota Fanning is a creative pupil. |
| D．Dakota Fanning has many interests. |
Dakota Fanning has to knit all day in order to _____.
| A．kill time | B．make money | C．master a skill | D．make a scarf for her boyfriend |
By saying that "He's the nicest guy you'd ever meet in your entire life”, Dakota Fanning really means that _____.
| A．she is the daughter of Robert De Niro |
| B．she has fallen in love with Robert De Niro |
| C．she is in love with Robert De Niro |
| D．she admires Robert De Niro very much |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Dakota Fanning's Role |
| B．Dakota Fanning's Knitting Art |
| C．Dakota Fanning's Day Off |
| D．Dakota Fanning's Spelling Test |
In only two decades Asian Americans have become the fastestgrowing U. S. minority. As their children began moving up through the nation schools, it became clear that a new class of academic achievers was emerging. Their achievements are reflected in the nation’s best universities, where mathematics, science and engineering departments have taken on a decidedly Asian character. This special liking for mathematics and science is partly explained by the fact that Asian-American students who began their education abroad arrived in the U. S. with a solid grounding in mathematics but little or no knowledge of English. They are also influenced by the promise of a good job after college. Asians feel there will be less unfair treatment in areas like mathematics and science because they will be judged more objectively. And the return on the investment in education is more immediate in something like engineering than with an arts degree.
Most AsianAmerican students owe their success to the influence of parents who are determined that their children take full advantage of what the American educational system has to offer. An effective measure of parental attention is homework. Asian parents spend more time with their children than American parents do, and it helps. Many researchers also believe there is something in Asian culture that breeds success, such as ideals that stress family values and emphasize education.
Both explanations for academic success worry Asian Americans because of fears that they feed a typical racial image. Many can remember when Chinese,Japanese and Filipino immigrants were the victims of social isolation. Indeed, it was not until 1952 that laws were laid down giving all Asian immigrants the right to citizenship.
While making tremendous achievements at college, AsianAmerican students .
| A．feel they are mistreated because of limited knowledge of English |
| B．are afraid that their academic successes bear a strong Asian character |
| C．still worry about unfair treatment in society |
| D．generally feel it a shame to have to depend on their parents |
What are the major factors that determine the success of Asian Americans?
| A．A solid foundation in basic mathematics and Asian culture. |
| B．Hard work and intelligence. |
| C．Parents’ help and a limited knowledge of English. |
| D．Asian culture and the American educational systerm. |
Few Asian American students major in human sciences mainly because .
| A．their English is not good enough |
| B．they are afraid they might meet with unfair judgment in these areas |
| C．there is a wide difference between Asian and Western cultures |
| D．hey know little about American culture and society |
Why do “both explanations” (Para. 3) worry Asian Americans?
| A．They are afraid that they will again be isloated from American society in general. |
| B．People will think that Asian students rely on their parents for success. |
| C．Asian Americans will be a threat to other minorities. |
| D．American academic achievements have taken on too strong an Asian character. |
Don't go to Kauai. Go to any of the other Hawaiian Islands --- Maui, Lanai, the Big Island --- but leave Kauai for us. The weather on Kauai is so unpredictable (不可预测的) that sometimes it rains all day --- in fact, it's the second-wettest spot on the earth. Yes, there are giant double rainbows all the time, and the sunlight through the clouds is magical. But if you are not interested in these, go somewhere else. You just can't control the nature on Kauai, and who wants to surrender (屈服) to the nature when you could be at a fine hotel, lying in a comfortable chair next to a swimming pool, with food served upon request?
So what if Kauai produces surf champions the way Texas produces cowboys？Most of its 300 white-sand beaches are unmarked. Unless you connect with the local people, the hidden spots are hard to find. While Hanalei is the most beautiful town you've ever dreamed of, you can forget about discos and clubs. Worse, it doesn't have one single four-star restaurant. What it does have is the original drive-through places where you pass by a rambutan tree (红毛丹树), and pick a piece of fruit.
Shopping in Kauai? Forget it --- unless you are interested in shell necklaces and beautifully carved wood bowls. Kauai is not about pampering. It's about going natural and finding the nature within you. It's a do-it-yourself place that offers walking along the coast, diving and swimming in the Pacific Ocean, and lying on the beach.
Don't go to Kauai unless you have a lot of time, because there's only one road, which can be slightly dull. It winds through the beautiful scenery of waterfalls, rivers flowing into the ocean, and taro (芋头) fields. You have no choice but to look at everything, because the speed limit is 35 m.p.h.
If you're not interested in color, don't bother with Kauai, because that's what you get --- red roads, blue oceans, and a hundred different shades of green. It's like diving on land. Many people on Kauai believe that this is Lemuria --- a lost island in the Atlantic. Can you imagine? Those Hawaiians, surfers, New Agers, and people who love nature and beauty and want a different quality of life --- what do they know, anyway? Forget about it --- you're not going to like it. Go somewhere else. Leave Kauai for us. After reading the text, we come to know that it is _____.
| A．a piece of shocking news | B．an exciting story |
| C．an interesting introduction | D．a moving advertisement |
It can be learned from the text that _____.
| A．Kauai is an island near the Hawaiian Islands |
| B．Kauai is another name of the Hawaiian Islands |
| C．Kauai is one of the Hawaiian Islands |
| D．Kauai does not belong to the Hawaiian Islands |
In the writer's real opinion, Kauai _____.
| A．is not worth visiting at all | B．is well worth visiting |
| C．is not a beautiful island | D．is a dangerous island |
Who would like to visit Kauai?
| A．Those who love nature. | B．Those who love city life. |
| C．Those who love the comfort in a fine hotel. | D．Those who love going shopping. |
African-American talk show queen Oprah Winfrey is the world’s most powerful celebrity (名人), according to Forbes （福布斯） magazine. It placed Winfrey at the top of the annual ranking of the 100 people with the biggest pull （影响力）.
Winfrey, 51, draw 30 million viewers weekly in the United States. Her talk show reaches 112 countries. She earned US ＄225 million over the past 12 months to rank second in celebrity riches. The annual Forbes list gives most weight to annual earnings. But it also looks at the celebrity’s presence on the Internet and in the media. “After 21 years, her exciting chat show still rules the airwaves,” the magazine said.
Winfrey is most popular with her popular talk show “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. She can always attract the superstars and let them open up to her intimate interviewing style. Winfrey’s approach appears to be simple. She is in a pursuit （追求）of self-improvement and self-empowerment. This has proved to be just what people, especially women, want.
Winfrey often talks about her personal secrets on her show. That pulls in viewers. For example, she made it known that she had been sexually abused as a child, and has spoken freely of her struggle with her weight.
Her success has not just been on the screen. Her media group includes a women’s TV network and websites for women. Her work has extended to social change. In 1991, she did a lot of work for the National Child Protection Act. She testified before the US Senate to establish a national database （数据库）of dangerous child abusers. The then President Bill Clinton later signed the “Oprah Bill” into law.The annual Forbes list selects its celebrities according to ____.
| A．their names | B．their annual earnings |
| C．their presence on the Internet and in the media | |
| D．their annual earnings and presence in the public |
Which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．Oprah Winfrey was the first of the 100 celebrities according to Forbes magazine. |
| B．Oprah’s success has been only on the screen. |
| C．Oprah can attract superstars and get them to open up to her interview. |
| D．Oprah ranked second in celebrity riches that year. |
The underlined phrase “rules the airwaves” in the passage means ____.
| A．attracts many readers’ attention | B．causes many people to take planes |
| C．has a large number of viewers | D．measures the airwaves |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Oprah Winfrey Conquering the Americans. | B．Oprah Winfrey—the No 1 Celebrity. |
| C．Forbes Ranking First. | D．The Oprah Winfrey Show. |
In some remote Turkish village of Kuskoy, whistling is as important as talking．In fact, whistling is talking because the villagers speak and sing by whistling．Kuskoy parents begin to teach their boys and girls the language of whistling about the time the children learn to talk．It is considered so important that the village school includes it as one of the subjects taught along with the Turkish language.
This art of communication has taken centuries to develop．The village of Kuskoy spreads out across two hillsides that are separated by a deep valley．The villagers had to find an easy way to communicate where their voices couldn’t carry．They developed a high-pitched (高音的) whistle language that could be transmitted as far as five miles through air．As a result, Kuskoy, which means “bird village” in Turkish, has come to be known as a whistler’s paradise (乐园).
Whistling is so much part of everyday life in Kuskoy that men and women speak, argue, and court (求爱) in whistles．The story was recently told of a young couple who ran away secretly．The news was sent over the “mountain telephone” by whistling．The lover’s adventure was quickly known to all the villagers.
It is little wonder, then, that the children of Kuskoy study whistling in school．Wouldn’t it be fun to start the school day with a song—whistled of course!The children of Kuskoy learn to whistle because __ _．
| A．it is fun | B．it is an important way to communicate |
| C．it helps them learn to sing | D．it is like the Turkish language |
In Kuskoy, whistling as a way of talking started __ _．
| A．recently | B．hundreds of years ago |
| C．fifty years ago | D．ten years ago |
Which one of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The high-pitched whistle can be heard at a distance of 5 km. |
| B．The parents were too ready to allow the young couple to marry each other. |
| C．The villagers found an easy way to communicate where they could be heard. |
| D．The villagers of Kuskoy are often informed of news by whistling. |
Which of the following do you think is the best title for this story?
| A．To Learn Whistle Is Very Important | B．Whistling Is Fun |
| C．Whistling—The Mountain Telephone | D．The Strange Turkish Language |
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