On the island of New Zealand, there is a grasshopper-like species of insect that is found nowhere else on earth. New Zealanders have given it the nickname weta, which is a native Maori word meaning “god of bad looks”. It’s easy to see why anyone would call this insect a bad-looking bug. Most people feel disgusted at the sight of these bulky(笨重的)，slow-moving creatures.
Wetas are natural creatures; they come out of their caves and holes only after dark. A giant weta can grow to over three inches long and weigh as much as 1.5 ounces. Giant wetas can hop up to two feet at a time. Some of them live in trees, and others live in caves. They are very long-lived for insects, and some adult wetas can live as long as two years. Just like their cousins grasshoppers and crickets, wetas are able to “sing” by rubbing their leg parts together, or against their lower bodies.
Most people probably don’t feel sympathy for these endangered creatures, but they do need protecting. The slow and clumsy wetas have been around on the island since the times of the dinosaurs, and have evolved and survived in an environment where they had no enemies until rats came to the island with European immigrants. Since rats love to hunt and eat wetas, the rat population on the island has grown into a real problem for many of the native species that are unaccustomed to its presence, and poses a serious threat to the native weta population..According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
The weta is a newly discovered insect species.
The Maoris nicknamed themselves “Wetas”.
The Europeans brought wetas to New Zealand.
Wetas are unpleasant to the eye. .The strange thing about wetas is that they can produce pleasant sounds by ________.
| A．rubbing their body parts |
| B．moving slowly on the ground |
| C．hopping up to two feel at a time |
| D．coming out only at night |
Which of the following descriptions of wetas is accurate?
| A．They are quick in movement. |
| B．They are decreasing in number. |
| C．They are very active in the daytime. |
| D．They have a short lifespan for insects. |
The underlined word “its” in the last paragraph is the closest in meaning to “_________”.
| A．The dinosaur’s | B．The weta’s |
| C．The island’s | D．The rat’s |
From which of the following is the passage LEAST likely to be taken?
| A．A science magazine. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A business journal. | D．biology textbook. |
| Home Laundry Automatic Dryer Product Full Two Year Warranty(保修) Limited Five Year Warranty on Cabinet(机箱) |
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| Warranty Provides for: FIRST TWO YEARS Amana will repair or replace any faulty part free of charge. THIRD THRU FIFTH YEARS Amana will provide a free replacement part for any cabinet which proves faulty due to rust |
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| Warranty Limitations: • Warranty begins at date of original purchase. • Applies only to product used within the United States or in Canada if product is approved by Canadian Standards Association when shipped from factory. • Products used on a commercial or rental basis are not covered by this warranty. • Service must be performed by an Amana servicer. • Adjustments covered during first year only. |
Owner’s Responsibilities: • Provide sales receipt. • Normal care and maintenance. • Having the product reasonably accessible for service. • Pay for service calls related to product installation or usage instructions. • Pay for extra service costs, over normal service charges, if servicer is requested to perform service outside servicer’s normal business hours. |
| Warranty Docs Not Cover It If: • Product has damage due to product alteration, connection to an improper electrical supply, shipping and handling, accident, fire, floods, lightning or other conditions beyond the control of Amana. • Product is improperly installed or applied. |
In no event shall Amana be responsible for consequential damages. ★ ★This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have others which vary from state to state. For example, some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so this exclusion may not apply to you. |
According to Warranty Limitations, a product can be under warranty if ______ .
A. shipped from a Canadian factor
B. rented for home use
C. repaired by the user himself
D. used in the U.S.A.According to Owner’s Responsibilities, an owner has to pay for ______ .
| A．the loss of the sales receipt |
| B．a servicer’s overtime work |
| C．the product installation |
| D．a mechanic's transportation |
Which of the following is true according to the warranty?
| A．Consequential damages are excluded across America. |
| B．A product damaged in a natural disaster is covered by the warranty. |
| C．A faulty cabinet due to rust can be replaced free in the second year. |
| D．Free repair is available for a product used improperly in the first year. |
Why does the writer mention Warranty Limitations ?
| A．To arouse the readers’ attention |
| B．Users must know something about the product in case that you are involved in some problems |
| C．Users must know something about the product. |
| D．Know something about the products used on a commercial or rental basis |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．It informs all aspects of the Home Laundry Automatic Dryer Product about the warranty |
| B．Anything wrong about the Home Laundry Automatic Dryer Product can be in warranty. |
| C．Servicer can use the Home Laundry Automatic Dryer Product freely |
| D．Service must be performed by an Amana servicer. |
Consumer electronics once again topped the list of the most wanted gifts this holiday season. “Seventy-six percent of consumers who plan to buy holiday gifts say that they will spend money buying at least one technology product; definitely a solid vote of confidence for technology.” Steve Koenig is with the Consumer Electronics Association. He says the group’s latest research also shows that Americans this year are spending more on technology products.
“Here in 2012, $252 on average–the technology spend for consumers this year.” From tablet computers to smart phones, American shoppers have been lining up to get the newest and coolest electronic devices on the market. There are more choices today than ever before. “It’s kind of hard to make a decision.”
Tablet computers are one of the best-selling products this year. Brian Tong is Senior Editor of CNET.com. The website reports on tech news and examines the latest electronic products. He says the Apple iPad Mini is one of the most popular tablets. Its starting price is $329. One of Apple’s biggest competitors is the Google Nexus 7. It starts at $199.
“The hardware inside is more powerful than what’s in the iPad Mini, but also it offers you a lot of things like maps that work better than Apple’s maps.” Brian Tong says there is one reason why people may like the iPad Mini more than the Nexus 7. “If you just want to read books and surf the Internet, you don’t really need to get an iPad Mini, but if you want the largest group of apps that’s where the iPad and Apple’s ecosystem shines the most.”
Elman Chacon is with the electronics store Best Buy. He says another hot product this season is smart cameras. They connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi. This makes it easy for users to email or upload photographs directly from the camera. “You can literally take a picture, upload it into your Facebook in a matter of seconds. These things are pretty cool because they do a lot of things.”
Streaming media boxes also connect to the Internet. People are able to watch web content such as movies and YouTube videos on their televisions. Another popular item is wireless speaker systems. The newest ones work with any device that has Bluetooth technology, including smart phones, laptops and tablets.
With the growing popularity of Internet shopping, many consumers will visit a store first to look at a product, and then go online to find it at a lower price. Stores like Best Buy understand that and they want to stay competitive.
“We have something called the perfect match promise which means if you buy a certain device and you find it cheaper within 30 days we’ll go ahead and price match that for you.” Elman Chacon said.According to Brain Tong, ________.
| A．the Apple’s iPad Mini is more suitable for enthusiastic readers |
| B．the hardware in iPad Mini is more advanced than that in Nexus 7 |
| C．iPad Mini is more eco-friendly |
| D．Nexus 7 has fewer apps than iPad Mini |
If you’ve discovered that a certain device you bought at Best Buy is more expensive than one at another store, ________.
| A．you are sure to get double the amount you paid |
| B．the store will return the price differences |
| C．you can return the device and get your money back |
| D．the store will lower the price within 30 days |
Which of the following would be the best gift for a cab driver?
| A．Smart cameras. | B．Streaming media boxes. |
| C．Tablet computers. | D．Wireless speaker systems. |
What is true about the smart cameras ?
| A．To show the varieties of products |
| B．The smart cameras are more powerful. |
| C．It can make the users upload their photographs easily . |
| D．The smart cameras makes it more convenient to go on Internet . |
From the passage , we can infer _______ .
| A．Electronics have become one of the biggest consumer industries in the US. |
| B．There are many electronics in the United States . |
| C．The US becomes the Number One electronics consumers . |
| D．We can buy much cheaper products in US . |
Alibaba started taking the lead in China, simply enough, by connecting big Chinese manufacturers(制造商)with big buyers across the world. Its business-to-business site, Alibaba.com allowed business to buy almost everything. Alibaba’s advantage wasn’t hard to identify: size. Alibaba is just big, even by Chinese standards. Its marketplaces attract 231 million active buyers, 8 million sellers, 11.3 billion orders a year—and Alibaba is just the middleman. It encourages people to use its markets—not charging small sellers a percentage of the sale.
If you want a quick look into the influence of Alibaba on daily Chinese life, take my experience. I moved to Beijing almost a year ago and quickly got tired of visiting small stores across the crowded, polluted city of 20 million people in search of new electronics, bathroom furnishings, and anything else my wife wanted. “You’re looking for what exactly? Why not try it? ” my Chinese teacher asked me one day. With that, my wonderful new relationship with Alibaba began.
Alibaba’s original business-to-business model now is secondary to consumer buying. Chinese retail（零售）buying makes up 80% of Alibaba’s profit, and leading that group is Taobao, with 800 million items for sale and the most unbelievable selection of things you’ll ever find. TMall.com is Alibaba’s other big site, where you can find brand name goods from Nike and Unilever near the lowest prices.
What I have a hard time explaining to friends and family back in the U.S. is how China has gone beyond traditional shopping—big-box retailers especially —in favor of online purchases on Taobao and a few other sites. In smaller towns than Beijing, where big retailers have not yet traveled, shopping online is shopping, and shopping is Taobao.
I have a list of some of my recent purchases on Taobao for a sense of how extensive the marketplace is. Almost everything arrived a day or two after ordering with free shipping. I’m not even a big buyer, because I need friends to help me search the Chinese-language site. When I was searching my purchase history on my Chinese teacher’s iPad, which helps me buy goods, I looked through with great difficulty about 10 of her purchases for every one of mine.Alibaba’s advantage mainly lies in ___________.
| A．its big size |
| B．its business-to-business service |
| C．its not charging small sellers |
| D．its low price |
What can we learn from the underlined sentence in the passage?
| A．Alibaba is of middle size among all the online sites |
| B．Alibaba will continue to develop. |
| C．Alibaba stands out as the best online site. |
| D．Alibaba acts as a bridge between the buyers and sellers. |
What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．a new store | B．Alibaba |
| C．a business | D．a foreign website |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．The author’s Chinese teacher is also an online purchase lover. |
| B．Taobao has no obvious advantage over other similar online sites. |
| C．Alibaba’s business-to-business service earns more money than retail now. |
| D．TMall.com provides more profit than Taobao. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Shopping online is TaoBao. |
| B．The influence of shopping online goes beyond traditional shopping. |
| C．Alibaba greatly influences people’s daily purchase in China. |
| D．How the author purchases online in China. |
Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was born Agatha May Clarissa Miller in Devon, England in 1890, the youngest of three children in a conservative, well-to-do family. Taught at home by a governess and tutors, as a child Agatha Christie never attended school. She became skillful at creating games to keep herself occupied at a very young age. A bashful child, unable to adequately express her feelings, she first turned to music as a means of expression and, later in life, to writing.
In 1914, at the age of 24, she married Archie Christie, a World War I fighter pilot. While he was off at war, she worked as a nurse. It was while working in a hospital during the war that Christie first came up with the idea of writing a detective novel. Although it was completed in a year, it wasn’t published until 1920, five years later.
“The mysterious Affair at Styles” gave the world the unique Hercule Poirot, a retired Belgian police officer who was to become one of the most enduring characters in all of fiction. With his waxed moustache and his “little grey cell,” he was “meticulous (careful to do things correctly), a tidy little man, always neat, orderly and a bit absurd.”
Christie wrote more than 30 novels featuring Poirot. Among the most popular were” The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”(1926), “Murder on the Orient Expredd”(1934), and “Death on the Nile” (1937).
Another of Christie’s most well-known and beloved characters was introduced in “Murder at the Vicarage” in 1930. Miss Jane Marple, an elderly single in the old- fashioned English village of St. Mary Mead, solved all manner of mysteries with intense concentration and instinct.
Christies ultimately (finally)became the acknowledged Queen of the Golden Age. In all, she wrote over 66 novel, numerous short stories and screenplays, and a series of romantic novels using the pen name Mary Westmacott. Several of her works were made into successful feature films, the most notable being Murder on the Orient Express (1974). In short, she is the single most popular mystery writer of all time. In 1971 she was awarded the high honor of becoming a Dame of the British Empire.Which of the following is the correct order in which the events happened?
a. Agatha became a Dame of The British Empire.
b. Agatha worked as a nurse
c. The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published.
d. Murder on the Vicarage Express was published
e. Murder on the Orient Express was filmed
f. Archie Christie went to the front as a fighter pilot.
| A．f-b-d-c-e-a | B．f-b-c-d-a-e |
| C．f-d-b-c-a-e | D．f-d-c-b-e-a |
What does the underlined word “bashful” probably mean?
| A．Shy | B．Conservative | C．Stupid | D．Sensitive |
Mary Westmacott is_________________.
| A．Agatha’s governess |
| B．the name of Agatha’s novel |
| C．another name for Agatha |
| D．the heroine of Agatha’s novel |
Which of the following is NOT true about Hercule Poirot?
| A．He was once a policeman |
| B．He paid much attention to details |
| C．He sometimes seems rather foolish |
| D．He solved mysterious with a sixth sense |
In Agatha Christie’s life, What were the most popular novels that she wrote?
A; biography B. detective novel
C. romantic fiction D. science fiction
Wang Zhongjin said she “runs around faster than a rabbit”
Every time she leaves home to ravel abroad with her husband. Traveling has been a new career for this gray-haired couple after retirement.
Wang,61，boasts of the fact that，knowing a little English，she and her husband，Zhang Guangzhu,63，have visited about 40 countries and regions as backpackers since 2008.
“You are awesome” were the words Zhang said to her after she bought food and drinks using only body language while they waited for a ferry in Athens in 2008.
They organize everything for their overseas journeys，including for their trip to the Antarctic in March.
The 11day journey was full of incredible new experiences. “We can die without any regrets after the Antarctic visit，”Wang said，“I will always remember penguins waving their wings，seals playing nearby and camping out one night.”
Wang and her husband had to wait almost three months for a tourist visa for Argentina，which is the launching point for the Antarctic.
For the couple，traveling is the best way to get along in retirement. “How to get along with your partner after retirement is really a challenge for old people like us because you need to face the person almost 24 hours a day. We have learned to appreciate and admire each other for tiny things while traveling abroad.” Wang said，“Traveling has helped me and my husband fall in love again.”
“I hope our experiences and stories can encourage more retired people in China to pursue a happy life instead of sacrificing their own happiness for their children，”said Wang，who had spent six years staying at home to help her married daughter raise her child.
The couple also shares travel tips and their experiences online. Their microblog on Sina.com，China's version of Twitter，is called “huajia beibaoke” and had attracted more than 56,000 fans by the middle of last month. “The old couple can overcome so many difficulties to enrich their life，but as a young person just over 20，I don't have the guts and strong will to follow my heart，”Lin Xiao wrote on the couple's microblog.
Next the couple was considering Asia or Africa as their next destination，but only after regaining some weight she lost on their last adventure.The underlined sentence in the first paragraph suggests ________.
| A．Wang Zhongjin is used to traveling abroad with her husband |
| B．Wang Zhongjin is unwilling to travel abroad with her husband |
| C．Wang Zhongjin is crazy about traveling abroad with her husband |
| D．Wang Zhongjin is in good condition due to traveling abroad |
From the second and the third paragraphs we can infer that ________.
| A．Wang's English is very good |
| B．Wang's English is very poor |
| C．Zhang was very surprised at his wife's English |
| D．Wang speaks English as well as her husband |
In which column on a website can you find the article?
| A．Health and care. |
| B．Business. |
| C．Entertainment. |
| D．Travel around. |
From what Lin Xiao wrote on the couple's microblog，we conclude that Lin Xiao was ________.
| A．admired |
| B．sad |
| C．discouraged |
| D．satisfied |
What would be the best title of the article?
| A．Old Travelers |
| B．An Old Couple Traveling around the World |
| C．Gray-haired Backpackers |
| D．Old but Vigorous |
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