If a business wants to sell its products internationally, it had better do some market research first. This is a lesson that some large American corporations have learned the hard way.
What’s in the name?
Sometimes the problem is the name. When General Motors introduced its Chevy Nova into Latin America, it overlooked the fact that Nova in Spanish means “It doesn’t go”. Sure enough, the Chevy Nova never went anywhere in Latin America.
Translation problems
Sometimes it is the slogan that doesn’t work. No company knows this better than Pepsi-Cola, with its “Come alive with Pepsi!” campaign. The campaign was so successful in the United States , Pepsi translated its slogan literally for its international campaign. As it turned out , the translations weren’t quite right. Pepsi was begging Germans to “Come out of the grave(坟墓)” and telling the Chinese that “Pepsi brings your ancestors(老祖宗) back from the grave.”
A picture’s worth a thousand words
Other times, the problem involves packaging . A picture of a smiling baby has helped sell countless jars of Gerber baby food. When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with the smiling baby on the label. Later they learned that in African countries, the picture on the jar shows what the jar has in it, for many people there can’t read.
Twist of fate
Even the culture and religious factors and pure coincidence can be involved. Thorn McAn shoes have a Thorn McAn “signature” inside. To people in Bangladesh, which is a Muslim country, this signature looked like Arabic script for the word Allah. In that country, feet are considered unclean, and Muslims felt the company was offending God’s name by having people walk on it.From the text we learned that _________.
| A．Chevy Nova was brought in Latin America |
| B．General Motors did the best market research of all companies |
| C．Pepsi still sold well in China owing to the translation problems |
| D．the “Come alive with Pepsi” campaign worked well in the US |
What was “Gerber’s problem”?
| A．A translation problem | B．Cultural factor |
| C．Religious factor | D．The picture on the jar |
For what reason were Thorn McAn shoes turned down in Bangladesh?
| A．They are not designed attractively |
| B．Their advertisements are not persuasive |
| C．A signature looking like the word Allah was in the shoes |
| D．Problem for Thorn McAn was the company’s name |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．Lessons from some large corporations. |
| B．How to make use of advertisements |
| C．The importance of market research |
| D．The importance of packaging |
Most of the news in the newspapers is bad but sometimes there is a story with good news. This is one of those stories. Millions of people around the world suffer from AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other serious diseases. There are medicines to treat these diseases but for people in poor countries, these medicines are too expensive to buy. When a pharmaceutical（制药的）company produces a new medicine, they receive a special license called a patent. This license means that the new medicine or drug is protected for a period of 20 years. The company that produced the drug can fix the price of the drug and no other company is allowed to produce the same drug or a copy of the drug for 20 years. At the moment, these patents operate all over the world, both in rich countries and in poor countries. The drugs companies say that they need patents so that they can get the money to pay for research to find new drugs and medicines. In rich countries people usually have enough money to pay for these drugs but in poor countries people can’t afford to buy them and cannot treat diseases like AIDS and malaria.
Last month, however, a group of experts published a report which says that patents are very bad for poor countries. The report says that drug companies do not want to find new medicines for diseases of poor people in poor countries. It says that poor countries should be allowed to buy cheap drugs without patents from other countries.
The authors of the report were lawyers, scientists and a senior director from the drug company Pfizer. Of course, the pharmaceuticals industry doesn’t agree with the report, “We need patents so that we can develop new medicines to fight disease both in the developed and developing world,” said a spokesman. But the report is the first sign that there might be a change in the patent system. This change could save millions of lives in the world’s poorest countries. This really is good news. Why are medicines expensive for people in poor countries?
| A．They are protected by patents. | B．They are produced in rich countries. |
| C．They are imported. | D．They can cure the deadly diseases. |
What does the underlined word “patent” in Para1 mean in Chinese?
| A．执照 | B．专利权 | C．专利品 | D．商标 |
Why do drugs companies need patents?
| A．To sell drugs in rich countries. |
| B．To sell drugs in poor countries. |
| C．To get money to produce new drugs. |
| D．To compete with other companies. |
What does the report say?
| A．Poor countries should spend more money on drugs. |
| B．Poor countries shouldn’t obey a pharmaceutical patent. |
| C．Poor countries should import drugs. |
| D．Poor countries should be allowed to make copies of drugs. |
What might happen if the patent system is changed?
| A．Millions of lives will be saved in poor countries. |
| B．Drugs companies will stop producing drugs. |
| C．Drug companies will make more money. |
| D．The competition will be canceled. |
Peggy Hilt wanted to be a good mother. But day after day, she got out of bed feeling like a failure. No matter what she tried, she couldn’t connect with Nina, the 2-year -old girl she’d adopted from Russia as an infant （幼儿). The preschooler （学龄前儿童）pulled away whenever Hilt tried to hug or kiss her. Nina was physically aggressive with her 4-year-old sister, who had been adopted from Ukraine, and had violent tantrums（发脾气). Whenever Hilt wasn’t watching, she destroyed the family’s furniture and possessions. “Every day with Nina had become a struggle,” she recalls now.
As the girl grew older, things got worse. Hilt fell into a deep depression. She started drinking heavily, something she’d never done before. Ashamed, she hid her problem from everyone, including her husband.
On the morning of July 1, 2005, Hilt was packing for a family vocation, all the while swallowing one beer after another and growing increasingly angry and impatient with Nina’s deeds. “Everything she did just got to me,” Hilt said. When Hilt caught her reaching into her diaper（尿布）and smearing feces（粪便）on the walls and furniture, “a year and a half of frustration came to a head,” Hilt says. “I snapped（崩溃). I felt this uncontrollable rage.”
Then Hilt did something unthinkable. She grabbed Nina around the neck, shook her and then dropped her to the floor, where she kicked her repeatedly before dragging her up to her room, punching her as they went. “I had never hit a child before,” she says. “I felt horrible and promised myself that this would never happen again.” But it was too late for that. Nina woke up with a fever, and then started throwing up. The next day she stopped breathing. By the time the ambulance got the child to the hospital, she was dead.
Hilt is now serving a 19-year sentence for second-degree murder in a Virginia prison. She and her husband divorced, and he is raising their other daughter. She realizes the horror of her crime and says she isn’t looking for sympathy. “There is no punishment severe enough for what I did,” she told NEWSWEEK in an interview at the prison. This story mainly tells us __________.
| A．a cruel mother who killed her daughter |
| B．a social problem of adoption |
| C．a family problem in Western countries |
| D．an unlucky child’s fortune |
How did Hilt let out her depression at the beginning?
| A．By hitting her adopted girl. |
| B．By showing her more love. |
| C．By drinking heavily. |
| D．By hugging and kissing her. |
What does the underlined sentence in Para.4 mean?
| A．It was too late to hit the girl in order to make her good. |
| B．It was too late to save the girl’s life. |
| C．It was too late to regret hitting the girl. |
| D．It was too late to regret adopting the girl. |
“NEWSWEEK” in the last sentence of this text refers to a __________.
| A．magazine | B．journalist | C．book | D．policeman |
Why do some adoptions go so wrong？
| A．It’s the kid’s fault. | B．It’s the mother’s fault. |
| C．It’s the fault of the society. | D．The writer doesn’t mention the reason. |
Bernstein had been appointed Assistant Conductor for the New York philharmonic only a few months before that night. Just 25 years old, he was relatively inexperienced. At the last minute, Bernstein was told he was to take Walter’s place, so he didn’t have any time to rehearse（排演）. The music he was going to conduct was very difficult. Plus, the concert was going to be broadcast nationally on the radio. Despite all these pressures, Bernstein rose to the occasion and received a standing ovation（长久的鼓掌）at the end of the concert. The event made national headlines, and Bernstein became famous overnight.
Some people feel they do their best under the most stressful circumstances. What was it about Leonard Bernstein that made him do so well in such a difficult situation?
Perhaps Leonard Bernstein did so well because music was his devotion. The son of a man who supplied hairdressing products, Bernstein became interested in music at the age of 10. By the time he was a teenager, he was performing in public. He became a soloist of the Boston Public School Orchestra, and for 13 weeks in 1934, he played classics on the radio. The underlined word “break” in the first paragraph means “__________”.
| A．rest | B．chance | C．pause | D．gap |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the second paragraph?
| A．The concert Bernstein was to play at was going to be broadcast nationally on TV. |
| B．The music Bernstein was going to conduct was very difficult. |
| C．When Bernstein was told he was to take Walter’s place, he had no time to practice the performance. |
| D．Before his performance as a conductor, Leonard Bernstein had little experience. |
Leonard Bernstein was successful at the concert because of __________.
| A．the wonderful music | B．the stress of the circumstances |
| C．his devotion to music | D．Bruno Walter’s absence |
From the last paragraph, we can learn that __________.
| A．Leonard Bernstein was very clever |
| B．Leonard Bernstein’s parents worked hard |
| C．chances are important to a famous person |
| D．early interest led to Leonard Bernstein’s success |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．Leonard Bernstein’s Debut | B．Leonard Bernstein’s Life |
| C．A Young Soloist | D．A Great Conductor |
请根据Helen, Sophie, Peter, Elena和Jacques五人各自的情况，从A、B、C、D、E、F六条信息中选出适合各人的匹配选项（选项中有一项为多余项）。
1. Helen: A foreign tourist who loves rare animals.
2. Sophie: An economical mother with three children on holiday.
3. Peter: A man traveling in the north on business who enjoys southern dishes.
4. Elena: A young lady who pays special attention to her appearance.
5. Jacques: A French businessman who is particular about lifestyle.
A. Shangri-La Hotel Harbin
Located on the banks of the picturesque Songhua River, Shangri-La Hotel Harbin is close to the city's bustling business district and about 50 kilometers from the airport. Its 404 guestrooms, combining comfort and luxury, include the specially designed Horizon Club Executive Suite on floors 14 though 16. These cater to discerning business travelers and offer fast check-in and check-out privileges, free breakfast and afternoon tea. The hotel's Chinese restaurant Shang Palace is renowned for its authentic Cantonese dishes, but serves local Heilongjiang dishes and Sichuan fare too. The hotel has an imposing 1,350-square-meter banquet hall that can accommodate over 1,000 diners.
B. Sofitel Xi'an on Renmin Square
Ideally located inside the Xi'an city wall, Sofitel Xi'an on Renmin Square has 414 well-decorated guest rooms and suites equipped with elegant furniture and excellent facilities, including rainforest shower, broadband internet, and the specially designed Sofitel MyBed, which treats every Sofitel guest to the distinctions of a French lifestyle. In addition, the ClubSofitel lounge and all its 56 rooms and suites are equipped with advanced facilities, with a staff ready to provide tailor-made services that meet the demands of discerning business travelers.
C. Millennium Hotel Chengdu
The Millennium Hotel Chengdu, the newest upscale 5-star hotel in the Millennium Hotels & Resorts family, has opened its doors. Situated in the Chengdu Hi-tech Zone, the hotel features 360 elegant rooms, with beautiful views towering over the lush Shenxianshu Park and nearby Zishan Road, which is also known as “European Street.” The hotel features a 400-square-meter banquet hall and 9 smaller meeting halls, providing an ideal place for conferences or business activities. Special packages for company year-end parties and wedding celebrations are available. In addition, the hotel’s distinctive London cabs are on hand to whisk guests in style to destinations like the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and the Chengdu Panda Base.
D. Hilton Beijing Wangfujing
The Hilton Beijing Wangfujing presents its “Spring Essentials Spa Package,” inviting guests to indulge themselves in an organic body wrap, and lavish themselves with perfect moisture and skin-care, coupled with a massage (90 minutes) that will restore and renew the body’s energy flow. This promotion is now available for only RMB 780—35 percent off the normal rate of RMB 1,260 for this luxurious service.
The Spa, located on the hotel’s sixth floor, is open daily from 10 am to 11 pm.
Address: 8 Wangfujing East Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing
E. Legendale Hotel Beijing
On Easter weekend April 3 and 4 (Saturday and Sunday), chefs of the Legendale Hotel Beijing will serve up a special selection of delicious holiday cuisines, various desserts and traditional painted eggs to celebrate Easter. Plenty of traditional fun and games including egg hunts, pictures with the Easter Bunny, face painting and Easter egg decorating for you and your kids to take part in.
Lunch time: 12:00 to 14:30
Price: RMB 288 per adult (including soft drinks and wine but excluding service fee)
Up to two children per table are entitled to a free meal!
F. Zhaolong Hotel
The Zhaolong Hotel is conveniently located in Beijing’s Central Business District in Chaoyang, adjacent to the Yingke Center, home to many business giants and the well-known Sanlitun Village for shopping and entertainment. The hotel has 270 cozy, exquisitely decorated guestrooms set in a tranquil environment. VIP guests staying in the hotel’s suites on the Executive Floor will be privileged to enjoy a variety of tailor-made services. The restaurants in the hotel, which include the Hanmeifang Chinese Restaurant, Treasure Food Palace, the Tandoor Indian Restaurant, the Emerald Café, Lobby Bar and Longxi Function Room, provide guests with a fine selection of cuisines and professional conference services.
ROME: The legend of Leonardo da Vinci is covered in mystery: How did he die?Are the remains buried in a French castle really those of the master? Was the "Mona Lisa" a self-portrait in disguise (伪装)?
A group of Italian scientists believe the key to solving those puzzles lies with the remains, and they say they are seeking permission to dig up the body to conduct carbon and DNA testing.
If the skull is undamaged, the scientists can go to the heart of a question that has fascinated scholars and the public for centuries: the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Recreating a virtual and then physical reconstruction of Leonardo's face, they can compare it with the smiling face in the painting.
"We don't know what we'll find if the tomb is opened. We could even just find grains and dust," says Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist who is participating in the project. "But if the remains are well kept, they are a biological record of events in a person's life, and sometimes in their death." Silvano Vinceti, the leader of the group, said that he plans to press his case with the French officials in charge of the said burial site at Amboise Castle early next week.
Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who named him "first painter to the king." He spent the last three years of his life there, and died in 1519 at age 67. The artist's original burial place, the palace church of Saint Florentine, was destroyed during the French Revolution and remains that are believed to be his were eventually reburied in the Saint-Hubert Chapel near the castle.
"The Amboise tomb is a symbolic tomb; it's a big question mark," said Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of a museum dedicated to Leonardo in his hometown of Vinci. Vezzosi said that investigating the tomb could help identify the artist's bones with certainty and solve other questions, such as the cause of his death. He said he asked to open the tomb in 2004 to study the remains, but the Amboise Castle turned him down.
The group of 100 experts involved in the project, called the National Committee for Historical and Artistic Heritage, was created in 2003 with the aim of "solving the great mysteries of the past," said Vinceti, who has written books on art and literature.
Arguably the world's most famous painting, the "Mona Lisa" hangs in the Louvre in Paris, where it drew some 8.5 million visitors last year. Mystery has surrounded the identity of the painting's subject for centuries, with opinions ranging from the wife of a Florentine merchant to Leonardo's own mother.
That Leonardo intended the "Mona Lisa" as a self-portrait in disguise is a possibility that has interested and divided scholars. Theories have existed: Some think that Leonardo's taste for tricks and riddles might have led him to hide his own identity behind that puzzling smile; others have guessed that the painting hid an androgynous lover.
If granted access to the grave site, the Italian experts plan to use a tiny camera and radar to confirm the presence of bones. The scientists would then exhume (挖掘) the remains and attempt to date the bones with carbon testing.
At the heart of the proposed study is the effort to discover whether the remains are actually Leonardo's, including with DNA testing.
Vezzosi questions the DNA comparison, saying he is unaware of any direct descendants (后代) of Leonardo or of tombs that could be attributed with certainty to the artist's close relatives.
Gruppioni said that DNA from the bones could also eventually be compared to DNA found elsewhere. For example, Leonardo is thought to have rubbed colors on the canvas with his thumb, possibly using saliva (唾液), meaning DNA might be found on his paintings.
Even in the absence of DNA testing, other tests could provide useful information, including whether the bones belonged to a man or a woman, and whether the person died young or old.
Even within the committee, experts are divided over the identity of the "Mona Lisa."
Vinceti believes that a tradition of considering the self-portrait to be not just a faithful imitation of one's features but a representation of one's spiritual identity may have resonated (共鸣) with Leonardo.
Vezzosi, the museum director, dismissed as "baseless and senseless" the idea that the "Mona Lisa" could be a self-portrait of Leonardo. He said most researchers believe the woman may have been either a wife of the artist's sponsor, the Florentine nobleman Giuliano de Medici, or Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a rich silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. The traditional view is that the name "Mona Lisa" comes from the silk merchant's wife, as well as its Italian name: "La Gioconda." Where is this passage most probably taken from?
| A．A magazine. | B．A newspaper. | C．A textbook. | D．A research report. |
Why does the author ask a couple of questions in the beginning?
| A．To arouse the interest of readers. | B．To puzzle Italian scientists. |
| C．To answer the questions himself. | D．To make fun of French officials. |
The best title of this story might be “_____”.
| A．What Is the Purpose of an Investigation? |
| B．How Did Leonardo da Vinci Die in France? |
| C．Are the Remains Really Those of the Master? |
| D．Did Leonardo Paint Himself as 'Mona Lisa'? |
The sentence “he plans to press his case with the French officials” (underlined in Paragraph 4) suggests that Vinceti intends to _____.
| A．press the French officials to participate in their project |
| B．urge the French officials to open the tomb early next week |
| C．persuade the French officials to allow opening the tomb |
| D．record events in a person’s life with the French officials |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Scholars have the same opinion on DNA testing. |
| B．Scientists doubt if the remains are those of da Vinci. |
| C．The identity of “Mona Lisa” has already been proved. |
| D．Alessandro Vezzosi got permission to open the tomb. |
We can infer from the last two paragraphs that _____?
| A．“Mona Lisa” is the name of the wife of a silk merchant |
| B．the “Mona Lisa” is a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci |
| C．experts divided the committee into several groups |
| D．opinions differ of the identity of the “Mona Lisa” |
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