For many people shopping is considered to be one of the favorite activities. For most of them it is just buying some new clothes or presents for close people. But there is another way for whom shopping is much more than just enjoyable activity, it is a real addiction that in many cases leads to a financial disaster, as well as it brings troubles to person’s life and family.
So why can shopping be so addictive? What are the possible signs to be aware of? And how is it possible to stop the need of spending?
“Some of the new evidence suggests that some people, maybe 10%-15%, may have a genetic preference to an addictive behavior, coupled with an environment in which the particular behavior is caused, but no one really knows why.” However, it is much better understood as to why “shopaholics” continue with their unhealthy and destructive behaviors. Individuals get pleasure from their addiction the same way as if they were under drugs.
And when is it really possible to determine whether simple shopping has crossed the border and has already turned into addiction?
Shopaholics go out and buy things much more often than other people do. They often buy things they do not need. Many shopping addicts go on shopping binges(放纵) all year long and may be forced to buy certain items, such as shoes, clothing or kitchen items. Some just will buy anything. Many times they will spend over their budget limits and get into deep financial trouble, spending well above their income. While someone else will think many times if they can afford this or that thing, shop addicts will not recognize the boundaries of a budget.We can learn from the 3rd paragraph that .
| A．shopping addiction is mainly caused by genetic factors |
| B．shopping addicts are also addicted to drugs |
| C．the real cause of shopping addiction is known already |
| D．shopaholics can’t control their unhealthy and destructive behaviors |
The last paragraph is mainly about .
| A．the destructive behaviors of shopaholics |
| B．the early signs of shopping addiction |
| C．the problems of shopaholics |
| D．the binge of shopaholics |
What could be most probably discussed in the paragraph to follow the passage?
| A．How to treat shopping addiction. |
| B．What really causes shopping addiction. |
| C．When shopping addiction takes place. |
| D．What kind of people can become shopping addicts. |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．shopping addiction can’t cause serious problems |
| B．shopping addicts only want enjoyable activities through buying |
| C．it’s not a good idea to let a shopping addict pay by credit cards |
| D．shopping addiction can spread among different people |
Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them. Take my family's last vacation. It was my six-year-old son's winter break form school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day. I had meeting in New York，So I had to get back . But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home.
The next day my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouraged一okay, ordered-them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up.
I've made living looking for the best deals and exposing (揭露) the worst tricks . I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in. I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money's worth. I'm also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts.
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Why did Delta give the author's family credits?（）
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| 2． |
What can we learn about the author?（）
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| 3． |
What does the author do?（）
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| 4． |
What does the author want to tell us?（）
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When I was a baby, I entertained you and made you laugh．Whenever I was “bad”, you'd shake your finger at me and ask, “How could you?”--but then you'd give up, and roll me over for a belly scratch and I believed that life could not be any more perfect．
My housetraining was a long process, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. We went for long walks, runs in the park and car rides. We stopped for ice cream. I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.
Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate．Eventually, you fell in love．She, now your wife, is not a dog person, but I still welcomed her into our home．I was happy because you were happy．Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement, I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them too．
Your wife was afraid I would bite them．But nevertheless, as they began to grow, I became their friend．Now, you have a new job in another city and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets．You've made the right decision for your “family”, but there was a time when I was your only family．
I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the dog pound．It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness．You filled out the paperwork and said, “I know you will find a good home for her”．They shrugged and gave you a pained look．The children were in tears as they waved me goodbye．And “How could you?” were the only three words that swept over my mind．
Is it better to live with hope or without hope? At first, whenever anyone passed my pen （围栏）, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you, that you had changed your mind and that this was all a bad dream．
My beloved master, I will think of you and wait for you forever．I hope you receive more faithfulness from your family than you showed to me．Who tells this story?
| A．A dog． | B．A child． | C．A dog's owner． | D．A dog trainer. |
Why did the dog's owner take his dog to the pound?
| A．He had a newborn baby． | B．His wife did not like the dog． |
| C．He was moving into a new building． | D．He thought the dog too troublesome． |
Which is true about the dog when it lived at the pound?
| A．It hoped to be adopted by another family | B．It continued to love its former owner． |
| C．It did not trust humans any more． | D．It was excited about the pound． |
What is the theme of the story?
| A．Be ready for changes． | B．Never expect too much． |
| C．Never complain about your life． | D．Be faithful to those who love you |
Spring is here and so is the cycling season. Here are some tips on how to do it safely and comfortably.
Watch your feet—Pushing with the wrong part of the foot can raise your risk of developing a painful injury of the heel and arch（脚心）, says Rob Werstine, a sports physiotherapist（理疗师）and board member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. You should push with the ball of your foot, he says.
Layer up—While it’s still cool, wear layers of clothing, with clothing close to the body that breathes and outer layers that do not absorb water. Go for bright colors that increase your visibility（可见度）.
Be reasonable—If you are just starting out and aren’t in good shape, don’t sign up for a 50-kilometre ride. And while cycling is great exercise for people who want to get into shape, if your doctor advises you not to do tiring exercise, cycling shouldn't be your starting position, Werstine says. Walk to begin getting into shape and then graduate to cycling.
Fix the fit—If you develop lower back pain or numbness in your hands and fingers from cycling, it could be your bike isn’t adjusted properly for your height. A good cycle shop can help you find the right height for the seat and handlebars, but if you have continuing problems, consider consulting a bike fit physiotherapist, Werstine says.
Be mindful—You have to pay attention on the roads to vehicles, other cyclists and pedestrians（行人）.Consider taking a cycling safety course to practise your skills. Or do some reading about how to avoid dangerous cycling situations. bicyclesafe.com, for instance, lists 10 types of car-bike accidents and how to avoid them.Which part of the foot should one use when cycling?
| A．The heel. | B．The arch. | C．The ball. | D．The toes. |
From Paragraph 4 we can conclude______.
| A．not everyone can exercise by cycling | B．walking is better than cycling |
| C．cycling is popular with people | D．cycling is helpful to everyone |
According to the last paragraph, if you want to avoid danger when cycling, you should ______.
a. consider taking a cycling safety course
b. search for information on bicyclesafe.com
c. consider consulting a bike fit physiotherapist
d. adjust the bike properly for your height
| A．a. c | B．c. d | C．a. b | D．b. d |
In many African countries, the care of orphans has been mainly led by foreign donor organizations. However, Sister Florence has changed all that. Using her own resources, Sister Florence is leading the work of raising orphans from different backgrounds. Sister Florence Wanjala’s biggest motivation to start the orphan program was when she saw a little boy whose parents had died. The boy was living with a cruel grandparent and he would visit the grave of his mother, crying for support. Sister Wanjala wanted to give a helping hand and give him hope. From that time, she started feeling the call to help a larger number of orphans.
She opened an office with a few friends and coordinated (协调）a program to help the orphans. All the registrations were done in the office and the program so far has 8000 children. Sister Wanjala said, “My dream is to help the orphan to live a holistic (完整)life and be a good Kenyan citizen to help this country. Many people think that the way to support orphans is to put them in an institution（孤儿院）. Others support them up to the age of eighteen, but here, we do it very differently.” For Sister Wanjala, putting a child in an institution is normally her last choice. She prefers the orphans to live in a foster(寄宿的) home.
She said, “I’m so encouraged and happy to see the orphans succeeding. When they come first or second in class, it shows how the program has helped them, and that’s encouraging to me as I continue to coordinate the program.”Through her charity work, more than 1000 orphans have been able to find a home. Sister Wanjala, as a mother, takes care of her own family.What inspired Sister Wanjala to start the orphan program?
| A．Her preference for kids. | B．Her own similar experience. |
| C． A sad story about an orphan. | D．Her successful charity work. |
Sister Wanjala opened an office mainly to ______.
A. set up as many institutions as possible for orphans
B start a program to offer orphans a foster family
C. provide school education for those orphans
D. raise more money for the homeless kidsWhat does the underlined sentence probably mean?
| A． She didn’t want orphans to live in an institution. |
| B． She preferred to put orphans into an institution. |
| C． She had no choice but to put orphans in institutions. |
| D． She sent orphans into an institution in the end. |
What can we learn from the text?
| A． Sister Wanjala finally adopted the little boy. |
| B． Sister Wanjala found foster homes for 8000 orphans. |
| C． Sister Wanjala was too busy to care for her own family. |
| D． Sister Wanjala was not alone in helping orphans. |
It was an autumn morning shortly after my husband and I moved into our first house. Our children were upstairs unpacking，and I was looking out of the window at my father moving around mysteriously on the front lawn. “What are you doing out there?” I called to him.
He looked up, smiling. “I’m making you a surprise.’’ I thought it could be just about anything. When we were kids, he always created something surprising for us. Today, however, Dad would say no more ，and caught up in the business of our new life ，I eventually forgot about his surprise.
Until one gloomy day the next March when I glanced out of the window，I saw a dot of blue across the yard. I headed outside for a closer look. They were crocuses (番红花）throughout the front lawn 一 blue, yellow and my favorite pink ，with little faces moving up and down in the cold wind. I remembered the things Dad secretly planted last autumn. He knew how the darkness and dullness of winter always got me down. What could have been more perfectly timely to my needs?
My father’s crocuses bloomed (开花）each spring for the next five seasons, always bringing the same assurance： Hard times are almost over. Hold on, keep going, and light is coming soon.
Then a spring came with only half the usual blooms and the next spring there were none. I missed the crocuses ，so I would ask Dad to come over and plant new bulbs. But I never did. He died suddenly one October day. My family were in deep sorrow, leaning on our faith.
On a spring afternoon four years later, I was driving back when I felt depressed. It was Dad’s birthday, and I found myself thinking about him. This was not unusual — my family often talked about him, remembering how he lived up to his faith. Suddenly I slowed as I turned into our driveway. I stopped and stared at the lawn. There on the muddy grass with small piles of melting snow ，bravely waving in the wind, was one pink crocus.
How could a flower bloom from a bulb more than 18 years ago, one that hadn’t bloomed in over a decade? But there was the crocus. Tears filled my eyes as I realized its significance.
Hold on, keep going, and light is coming soon. The pink crocus bloomed for only a day, but it built my faith for a lifetime.According to the first three paragraphs, we learn that ______.
| A． it kept bothering the author not knowing what the surprise was |
| B． the author was unpacking when her father was making the surprise |
| C． it was not the first time that the author’s father had made a surprise |
| D． the author knew what the surprise was because she knew her father |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A． The author usually felt depressed in the season of winter. |
| B． The author’s father planted the crocuses to lift her low spirits. |
| C． The author often thought about her father after he died. |
| D． The crocuses bloomed each spring before her father died. |
The author’s father should be best described as ______.
| A． a part-time worker who loved flowers |
| B． a kind-hearted man who lived with faith |
| C． a full-time gardener with skillful hands |
| D． an ordinary man with doubts in his life |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A． Crocuses — My Source of Faith | B．Crocuses— Father’s Surprise |
| C． A Pink Crocus — My Memory | D．Crocuses in Blossom — My Favorite |
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