“Image is everything.” An entire industry has been built upon the concept that image is everything, but an appealing image isn’t enough when there’s no substance behind it.
First of all, one should consider how important image is in selling products and services. Advertising agencies have raised the art of creating an image to a state of near perfection. But if the product or service doesn’t live up to it, customers will be very dissatisfied. The recent scandal (丑闻) about the Arthur Andersen accounting firm showed that behind that image, it had unfair business practices under the table. Despite the previous positive image, the firm is being accused of criminal actions. Although the image had been nearly perfect, the reality behind the image has led to its downfall.
Similarly, personal consultants(顾问) can build up a very positive public image for politicians and movie stars in the view of the general commons. But once again, history is filled with examples of both that fell from grace (体面) like the story of the Hollywood actor giving in to the pressures of fame and fortune. With people, just as with products and services, image is certainly important, but without positive substance behind it, failure is close.
To conclude, it’s clear that an appealing image is extremely important to success, whether that image is related to selling a product or service or to the “selling” of a person. But image is only half of the equation(等式). What lies behind that image is every bit as important as the image itself — the person or product must live up to that image or there’s little chance for long-term success.The downfall of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm is due to ______.
| A．its dishonesty in business |
| B．its bad management |
| C．its previous images |
| D．its poor service |
Some famous people fall from grace because _____.
| A．their images were not well built up |
| B．they failed to live up to their images |
| C．they felt much pressure from the public |
| D．they paid little attention to fame and fortune |
The structure of the passage is probably .
(A: Argument P: Point C: Conclusion)The author might support that______.
| A．image is the basis of everything |
| B．truth and image are equally important |
| C．truth goes hand in hand with image |
| D．image holds the key to success |
Villa Nicoletta, Genuine Relaxation
Somewhere in the world, there’s a place where stress isn’t allowed and peace and genuine relaxation are the only demands of the day. If you could go there, you would thoroughly enjoy yourself. There are not too many places in the world like this, but this is one of them. It’s luxurious. It’s ultra-private.
Welcome to Villa Nicoletta
Villa Nicoletta is a 4-bedroom luxury villa and an oasis(绿洲) of rest and rejuvenation（恢复活力）in a land of unspoiled peace. Located on a 70-foot cliff overlooking the north shore of the island of St. Thomas and the pretty waters of Caret Bay, Villa Nicoletta offers the finest accommodations in the Caribbean for those seeking a vacation of elegance, peace and privacy. You’ll see how the sun blankets the landscape and water in shimmering brilliance by day and how the sky twinkles like billions of bright diamonds at night.
Completed in 2000, the 3,300-square-foot Villa Nicoletta is fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronics.
When you book Villa Nicoletta, you shall book the entire villa.
Off Season: April 16 to December 14
★4 bedrooms — ＄5,700/week (8 people max)
Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people ＄200/night
Peak Season: December 15 to April 15
★4 bedrooms — ＄6,300/week (8 people max)
Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people ＄200/night The villa can be rented to a maximum of _______ people at a time.
| A．five | B．eight | C．thirteen | D．ten |
If a family with 6 people spends a fortnight’s Christmas holiday in the villa, how much will they pay?
| A．＄12,600. | B．＄15,400. | C．＄11,400. | D．＄13,200. |
Villa Nicoletta is most likely to be popular with tourists who _______.
| A．like adventure |
| B．want to escape the noisy life of the city |
| C．enjoy the winter sports |
| D．seek excitement in the sea |
We can infer that _______.
| A．you can share the villa with other tourists |
| B．the island of St. Thomas is famous for the ocean theme amusement park |
| C．fewer tourists stay in Villa Nicoletta in autumn than in spring |
| D．you can go in for extreme sports in Villa Nicoletta |
Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?
The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol (象征) of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils (灾祸).
People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions (反应) toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.
Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites (食欲). Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.
Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.
The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully. Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their______.
| A．cultural values | B．commercial purposes |
| C．personal experiences | D．physical reactions to the color |
Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?
| A．To relax people physically. |
| B．To increase people’s appetites. |
| C．To encourage people to make a purchase. |
| D．To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise. |
What color might help lose weight according to the text?
| A．Red. | B．Green. | C．Blue. | D．Purple. |
Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
| A．Colors and Human Beings |
| B．The Cultural Meaning of Color |
| C．The Meaning and Function of Color |
| D．Colors and Personal Experiences |
Wildlife faces threats(威胁)from habitat destruction, pollution, and other human actions. Although protecting wildlife may seem too hard at times, even small actions in your own neighborhood can help protect many different animals. Here are some tips on how to protect wildlife through small actions.
1．Create wildlife friendly areas in your backyard.
When trying to make your garden more beautiful, you can choose plants that can provide food and shelter to native wildlife. This will also help cut down on pollution. And bird or bat houses to your yard or garden to attract and shelter these species.
2．Avoid harming the natural ecosystem(生态系统)in your area.
Some plants from other places can kill or harm native plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife.
3．Have a greener lifestyle.
By using less water and fewer fuels, you will be helping to protect the wildlife around you. Take buses or the subway when you can, turn off electric devices when you're not using them, take shorter showers, and keep your room temperature at or below 68 degrees during the winter.
4．Buy products that are wildlife friendly.
Don't buy products that are made from endangered animals. Keep in mind that some endangered animals are killed by traps, catches or hunters who are after other wildlife within the same habitat.
5．Donate money or time to organizations that protect wildlife and their habitats.
You can give money to organizations or groups that protect wildlife species in your neighborhood. We infer that the purpose of this passage is to________.
| A．tell us why protecting wildlife is extremely important now |
| B．suggest that we protect wildlife through actions |
| C．explain why protecting wildlife is not as hard as people think |
| D．give us some tips on how to protect wildlife through small actions |
Which of the following threats to wildlife is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Animal diseases. |
| B．Loss of habitat. |
| C．Pollution. |
| D．Hunters. |
In which section of a newspaper would you most probably read this passage?
| A．Environment | B．Teaching |
| C．Business | D．Geography |
In Japan, people will often go out to restaurants to treat guests. The reason for this is that Japanese homes are small. If you go out to eat with your workmates, it is a custom to share the bill equally, no matter how much you eat or drink yourself.
Japanese people use chopsticks to eat. But if you eat out, you can ask for a fork or a knife. These words have been adopted(采用) from the English language into Japanese. So if you say “fork” or “knife” to a waiter, he will probably understand you. If you eat in an expensive restaurant, waiters will usually place a hot towel on your table at the end of your meal. You can wipe your face and hands with this towel.
In Japan, you can see some people slurp (出声地吃) their noodles. It is considered rude in Western restaurants, but is acceptable in Japan. Western people usually blow on hot noodles first and then eat them, while Japanese do the cooling down gesture (姿势) when they actually eat. Many feel noodles do not taste good if they are cooled with the air. It is also normal to lift the noodle or soup bowl to mouth so that food doesn’t spill.
Eating with chopsticks requires proper manners. Never leave your chopsticks standing upright, especially not on rice. It is a symbol of death, and people will find this impolite if you are not at a funeral (葬礼). Never wave your chopsticks around, nor use them to move dishes around. If you are eating from a common bowl, use the back end of the chopsticks that you have not put in your mouth to dish the food out.Japanese people often treat their guests in restaurants because_____.
| A．they need to share the bill equally |
| B．it is a traditional custom in Japan |
| C．dishes in restaurants are delicious |
| D．their homes can’t hold many people |
Which of the following can we learn from the text?
| A．A hot towel is not offered in most ordinary restaurants in Japan. |
| B．You are asked to wipe your hands after a meal in a Japanese restaurant. |
| C．The Japanese always wait until the noodles become cool. |
| D．It is impolite to lift your bowl to your mouth in Japan. |
Which of the following is the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．How to use chopsticks in Japan. |
| B．When to use chopsticks in Japan. |
| C．The Japanese like using chopsticks. |
| D．Chopsticks are the symbol of Japan. |
Which would be the best title for the text?
| A．Treating guests in Japan. |
| B．Table manners in Japan. |
| C．Eating tools in Japan. |
| D．Eating customs in Japan. |
We all know that if we want to keep our body in good shape we have to do physical exercise regularly as well as be careful with what we eat. What we tend to forget is that this goes for our eyes as well. Medical science confirms that a diet rich in carotenoids (类胡萝卜素) can help maintain good vision(维持好视力) and prevent against a number of eye diseases. Here's some advice about how to choose the right diet to keep your eyes healthy.
— Eat orange food. Fruits and vegetables with orange flesh are rich in carotenoids. In addition to carrots，oranges，pumpkins and sweet potatoes are also available. All of these contain high levels of carotenoids，which help to maintain good vision.
— Include dark green vegetables，such as spinach (菠菜) and broccoli (西兰花) in your diet, to act as natural sunglasses. Recent scientific studies have shown that these vegetables can help block (阻挡) the damaging UV radiation(紫外线辐射)from the sun's rays.
— Prevent some eye diseases with orange juice, yellow corn, whole milk, nuts and leafy vegetables. These foods are good sources of vitamins A, C, D and E. All of these are necessary to good eye health.
— Increase your intake of omega3 with some sea fish, and some other seafood. Omega3 helps build cell walls and is especially beneficial to keeping eyes healthy .It also helps regulate the eye's internal pressure and helps the eye dry up excess fluid.We can learn from the first paragraph that healthy food .
| A．keeps eyes healthy |
| B．means you don't need exercise |
| C．can help cure eye diseases efficiently(有效地) |
| D．means people don't have to wear glasses |
Why should people eat orange food according to the text？
| A．It is beneficial to building cell walls in eyes. |
| B．It is more delicious than other food. |
| C．It is good for eyesight. |
| D．It is rich in various vitamins. |
Which of the following can help block the damaging UV radiation from the sun's rays？
| A．Pumpkins. | B．Juice. | C．Nuts. | D．Broccoli. |
The purpose of the text is to tell people how to .
| A．keep their body in good shape |
| B．choose a healthy diet for their eyes |
| C．prevent serious eye diseases |
| D．get natural sunglasses from food |
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