Sparrow is a fast-food chain with 200 restaurants. Some years ago, the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company. Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining, the chain was generally in an unhealthy state. With more and more fast-food concepts reaching the market, the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention. And to make matters worse, its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.
Sparrow failed to grow for another two years. Until a new CEO, Carl Pearson, decided to build up its market share. He did a survey, which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain, while customers of other fast-food chains were unwilling to turn away from them. Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.
Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand. The chain's owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy's restaurants. Pearson resisted, arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun. Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time. Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success, rather than customers' speeding power. Finally, the owner accepted his idea.
The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast-food industry. The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original songs performed by a variety of stars. Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product, the intention was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.
Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image. For example, he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover (营业额) .
These efforts paid off, and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast-food chains in the regions where it operated.
| 1． |
Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?
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| 2． |
What does the underlined word "them" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
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| 3． |
For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?
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| 4． |
The TV ads of Sparrow.
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| 5． |
What was Pearson's achievement as a CEO?
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Of the thousands of different kinds of animals that exist in the world man has learned to make friends with an enormous number. Some are pets, and offer him companionship; some give protection, and some do hard work which man cannot do for himself. Dogs, which serve man in all three capacities, are found in various species in all countries of the world. The Husky can live in the cold polar regions, and the Saluki is at home in the hottest parts of Central Africa. The inhabitants of certain countries are dependent for their very lives on the camel. In the West Indies the little donkey, strong and sure-footed, carrying heavy loads even in mountainous places, is a familiar sight.
Trained and tamed for many generations, domestic animals are not accustomed to roaming in search of food and shelter. They look to their masters to provide for their needs, and as long as these are supplied, they are content to do what their masters require.
All domestic animals need proper food. It must be suitable for them, sufficient in quantity, fresh and clean. Some people feed a pet dog or cat on odds and ends of table scraps(剩饭), and then wonder why the animal seems tired and dull. The quantity of food depends on the size of the animal and the amount of exercise it takes. Overfeeding is as bad as underfeeding. Containers for food and water must be washed regularly if the animal is to maintain good health.
Even well cared for animals may sometimes fall ill. If this happens, the wise master seeks the best advice he can get. All sorts of medicines and treatments are available for sick animals, and in some countries organizations exist to provide them free or at a cheap price. Useful, friendly, hardworking animals deserve to have some time, money and attention spent on their health. What main idea does the author want to convey in the first paragraph?
| A．There exists thousands of species of animals in the world. |
| B．Man came to establish a close relationship with a number of animals. |
| C．In some regions a donkey seems to be a very useful beast. |
| D．An animal will be useless unless domesticated. |
When an animal doesn’t get enough food, it will probably _________.
| A．refuse to obey its master | B．immediately fall ill |
| C．require its master to offer some food | D．seek for food on its own |
Which of the following is NOT true of dogs according to the passage?
| A．They can act as friends, guards, and servants to man. |
| B．They have great adaptation for the environment. |
| C．There live a great variety of species of dogs on the globe. |
| D．The Husky and the Saluki are the strongest species ever known in the world. |
To keep a domestic animal physically fit, its owner is advised _________.
| A．not to hesitate to spend enormous amount of money on it |
| B．to pay attention to its proper feeding |
| C．not to allow it to take excessive amounts of exercise |
| D．to join some sort of pet-keeping organizations |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Domesticated Animals—Man’s Best Friends. |
| B．Proper Diet—the Road to Health. |
| C．The Advantages of Raising Domestic Animals. |
| D．Some Tips on Pet-keeping. |
Suppose you want to go abroad and learn about the foreign exchange in culture in different countries. Here is some information you may need.
| Name: Susan Lane Age: 22 Place: Reykjavik, Iceland, 2010. Cost: $7,000 Organization: AFS Experience: “I think it was a turning point in my life. I began to understand more about my own culture by experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live.” |
| Name: Sara Small Age: 23 Place: Crivitz, Germany, 2012. Cost: $8,000 Organization: EF Foundation Experience: “I love the traveling and I made a lot of friends. I found the European school system to be hard but I am fluent now in German so it was worth it I did miss my family and friends in Australia but I would love to do it again.” |
| Name: David Links Age: 16 Place: Stuttgart, Germany, 2012.. Cost: $6,000 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “I wanted to try something that was very different in culture. In Germany everything was different but I soon got settled. The family I was with was great and I really feel as though I have a second family.” |
| Name: Tom Jennings Age: 21 Place: Conflans, France, 2011.. Cost: $7,000 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “There were times when it was difficult but I liked it, experiencing a different culture. You just have to play each situation as it comes. If there is one thing you learn when you are on a student-exchahge program it is how to take care of yourself.” |
| Name: Linda Marks Age: 19 Place: Chonburi Province, Thailand, 2010. Cost: $3,500 Organization: Rotary International Experience: “There are lots of ups and downs, but you always come back for more. I had a few problems but there was always someone to turn to and that was great.” |
According to the information, taking part in a foreign exchange program can cost _________.
| A．from $6,000 to $8,000 | B．from $3,500 to $8,000 |
| C．anything from $3,500 | D．no more than $7,000 |
Which organization held more foreign exchanges?
| A．EF Foundation | B．AFS |
| C．Rotary International | D．SCCE |
The students who refer to both the good and bad times as an exchange student include _________.
| A．Susan Lane and Sara Small | B．Linda Marks and David Links |
| C．Tom Jennings and Linda Marks | D．Susan Lane and Tom Jennings |
As a result of his experience in the foreign exchange program Tom Jennings learnt to become _________.
| A．independent and adaptable | B．determined and independent |
| C．selfish and defensive | D．defensive and determined |
If a student wanted to take part in a foreign exchange program, but had not enough money, then the best place would be _________.
| A．Iceland and America | B．Thailand and France |
| C．Germany and Iceland | D．Germany and Thailand |
Clothes can make phone calls, play music, dial your pal’s number, keep you warm during cold weather and operate your computer?
This is not a fantasy. A British company, called Electrotextiles, has created a wide range of clothes—clothes that have minds of their own! Scientists, working for the company, have invented a kind of fabric that can be blended(混合) with flexible electronic materials to create intelligent clothing. The result are electronic garments.
If you think the wearer has to be wired to different devices, think again. These designer clothes are wire-free, soft to touch and washable! Like any electronic device, these high-tech clothes have to be powered. Currently, a tiny nine-volt battery serves the purpose. But the researchers hope that in the near future the clothes will generate electricity by using body heat. These clothes are 100 percent shock proof, they say.
The Electrotextiles team has also created the world’s first cloth keyboard. This keyboard can be sewn into your trousers or skirt. To use this device, you will have to sit down and tap on your lap! These ‘lap-tap’ gadgets(器具) are all set to take over laptop computers!
Another useful garment is the shirt-cum-mobile phone. This handy invention enables drivers to chat comfortably with others at the wheel! Other popular electronic wear include the denim(牛仔布) jacket with flexible earphones sewn into the hood(风帽) and the electronic ski jacket with a built-in heater. The ski jacket is also programmed to send signals to a satellite. This technology is known as global positioning system and can be used to track lost skiers and wandering kids.
Having completed the cloth keyboard, scientists have already started to work on a new project—a necktie that can be used as a computer mouse. What is the next? Do you have any idea?The electronic garments are similar to other electronic devices in that _________.
| A．they feel smooth and soft | B．they use electricity as power |
| C．they can be washed in water | D．they are made from flexible materials |
How will researchers improve these high-tech clothes?
| A．Body heat will be used as power. | B．The wearer will not get shocked. |
| C．A tiny nine-volt battery will work. | D．They will get charged automatically. |
What does the underlined phrase “This handy invention” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．The laptop computer. | B．The electronic ski jacket. |
| C．The shirt-cure-mobile phone. | D．The world’s first cloth keyboard. |
If you are going on a ski adventure, which device do you need?
| A．The cloth keyboard. | B．The electronic ski jacket. |
| C．The necktie to be used as a mouse. | D．The denim jacket with earphones. |
The main purpose of the text is _________.
| A．to advertise for an English company | B．to predict the future trend of science |
| C．to show how rapidly science develops | D．to introduce some intelligent clothing |
It was blazing hot, just like most July days. I stepped into a tiny ice-cream shop to cool off with a
chocolate ice-cream. It was an old woman bent over a table near the door. Her back was so badly twisted that her face nearly touched the tabletop. I sat down facing her a couple of tables away.
“Poor woman,” I thought, “What does she get out of life? Why God let people live so long past their prime?”
As I thought, another aged lady entered the shop and sat down with her. Soon the two of them were talking about childhood days. They talked of how little the shop had changed in 70 years... In minutes, the two of them were trembling with laughter.
I looked again at the first woman, then in the mirror on a nearby wall, catching a picture of myself. I was wearing a dirty shirt. She was well dressed in white, her hands sparking with gold rings. I was sad. She was laughing, smiling. I was putting the pieces of my life together. She had millions of wonderful memories to recall. I sat alone. She was sharing the day with a good friend. I was secretly worried about getting old. She was old, but it wasn’t hurting her.
As I left the shop, I thought of my foolish question about God letting people live past their prime. Why, that woman was more alive, more sensitive to life than I was. Age has not bent her spirit.From the passage we know that the ice-shop _________.
| A．changed a lot in the past | B．had only a couple of tables |
| C．started its business 70 years ago. | D．had only women shoppers. |
What is the meaning of the underlined word “prime” in this passage?
| A．miserable life |
| B．wonderful experience |
| C．long career |
| D．time of great strength, beauty, vigor(活力) |
The writer implies all of the following except that _________.
| A．the old lady had lived a full and satisfying life |
| B．the writer had more problems than the old lady |
| C．the old lady was very lonely and sad |
| D．the old lady had learned to enjoy the simple things in life |
Which of the following is the conclusion the writer made about the old lady?
| A．She was more alive and sensitive to life than the writer. |
| B．She considered the young man pitiable. |
| C．She was to be pitied for her old age. |
| D．People should not be allowed to live when they are too old. |
Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
| A．To tell us the life of old people |
| B．To show that old age does not mean being short of spirit. |
| C．To show the difference between the old and the young. |
| D．To make the reader have a pity on the old people. |
On Christmas morning, Linda wakes up, and tries to imagine the wide-eyed surprise of children in another household as they unwrap the presents she carefully chose for them. Linda has never met the children, but that’s all part of the joy of giving as secret Santas, she says.
"It's an amazing feeling to buy gifts on an anonymous (匿名的) basis," says Linda.
"It brings a whole new meaning to the holidays."
Linda and Tony are an American couple living in Toronto, Canada, and Linda did charitable work as a member of the American Women's Club of Toronto. As the name suggests, members are U.S. citizens living in Toronto, who join together for fellowship and community service.
To find her "adopted" family, Linda goes to the local schools and requests a wish list for a family that's struggling to survive. Last year she helped a single mother with three children. The mother works as a cleaning lady in a nursing home.
"The list is always heartbreaking. They have an opportunity to ask for anything and do just the opposite, asking for basic clothes or simple toys," she says. "We always buy the kids a new winter coat, hats, and gloves." She also buys gifts for the parents.
Last year Linda asked the mother for a second wish list--one that didn't include the basics. "Every child should have a Christmas that sticks with them for a lifetime." She purchased iPods for the two older children and a video game system for the youngest."I have learned a very valuable lesson in all of this," says Linda. "Pay attention to what's going on in your own backyard--no matter where you live."
The joy of giving as secret Santas is much sweeter when the gift is anonymous.What reaction does Linda imagine the children will have?
(No more than 5 words) (2 marks)
Why did Linda join the American Women's Club of Toronto?
(No more than 10 words) (2 marks)
Why did Linda ask for a second wish list?
(No more than 15 words) (3 marks)
What kind of people does "secret Santas" in the passage refer to?
(No more than 12 words) (3 marks)
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