Cooks at the Qingfeng Steamed Bun Shop in west Beijing can’t make the pork and scallion baozi (buns) fast enough since Xi Jinping visited for some traditional workers’ food and ate it among the workers.
The Chinese president’s visit late last month went down a treat, while web commentators were enthusiastic in their praise for Xi’s easy populism, after he left the government headquarters in nearby Zhongnanhai and ordered six steamed buns filled with pork and scallions, a bowl of stewed pig liver and a plate of green vegetables.
The bill came to 21 yuan, about €2.50, and he sat and finished it at one of the restaurant tables, just like any other working Joe. While Xi is known as “President Xi” abroad, in China he is known as “Chairman Xi”, in the same way as the country’s late founding father Mao Zedong is known as “chairman Mao”.
The Chinese government is keen for its leaders to have the president title abroad, as it sounds, well, more presidential. But in Qingfeng, it’s all about the chairman.
“Since Chairman Xi came here, the restaurant has had queues like this every day. We didn’t know the chairman was coming beforehand. We only recognized him when he was at the window picking up his food because he also waited in the line,” says a waitress.
Xi is building up a reputation as a more approachable kind of leader, a man of the people – something people in Ireland got a taste of when they saw how he handled a hurley in Croke Park during his visit.
There were rumours last year that Xi even took a taxi to ask the driver what was really going on in Beijing, although that may have been a hoax. While his predecessor Hu Jintao was seen as a theorist, Xi’s public profile is high.The cooks in Qingfeng Restaurant are very busy because _______ .
| A．the foods in the restaurant have to be updated. |
| B．the restaurant is shorthanded at present. |
| C．Xi’s visit made this restaurant extreme popular among consumers |
| D．the food Mr. Xi ate was specially made. |
According to the passage, President Xi is building up a reputation of __________.
| A．frankness. | B．toughness. |
| C．plain work style. | D．indifference. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE? __________
| A．Xi’s arrival was arranged ahead of time. |
| B．“President” and “chairman” are the same titles overseas. |
| C．Chairman Mao queued in the same restaurant. |
| D．Present Xi was good at food in Ireland during his visit. |
What does the underlined word hoax mean in the last paragraph? ________
| A．Feature story. | B．Joke. |
| C．Interview. | D．Conversation. |
Every fall, like clockwork, Linda Krentz of Beaverton, Oregon, felt her brain go on strike. “I just couldn’t get going in the morning,” she says. “I’d get depressed and gain 10 pounds every winter and lose them again in the spring.” Then she read about seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that occurs in fall and winter, and she saw the light-literally. Every morning now she turns on a specially constructed light box for half an hour and sits in front of it to trick her brain into thinking it’s still enjoying those long summer days. It seems to work.
Krentz is not alone. Scientists estimate that 10 million Americans suffer from seasonal depression and 25 million more develop milder versions. But there’s never been definitive proof that treatment with very bright lights makes a difference. After all, it’s hard to do a double-blind test when the subjects can see for themselves whether or not the light is on. That’s why nobody has ever separated the real effects of light therapy from placebo(安慰剂) effects.
Until now. In three separate studies published last month, researchers report not only that light therapy works better than a placebo but that treatment is usually more effective in the early morning than in the evening. In two of the groups, the placebo problem was resolved by telling patients they were comparing light boxes to a new anti-depressant device that emits negatively charged ions. The third used the timing of light therapy as the control.
Why does light therapy work? No one really knows. “Our research suggests it has something to do with shifting the body’s internal clock,” says psychiatrist Dr. Lewey. The body is programmed to start the day with sunrise, he explains, and this gets later as the days get shorter. But why such subtle shifts make some people depressed and not others is a mystery.
That hasn’t stopped thousands of winter depressives from trying to heal themselves. Light boxes for that purpose are available without a doctor’s prescription. That bothers psychologist Michael Terman of Columbia University. He is worried that the boxes may be tried by patients who suffer from mental illness that can’t be treated with light. Terman has developed a questionnaire to help determine whether expert care is needed.
In any event, you should choose a respectable manufacturer. Whatever product you use should emit only visible light, because ultraviolet light damages the eyes. If you are photosensitive, you may develop a rash. Otherwise, the main drawback is having to sit in front of the light for 30 to 60 minutes in the morning. That’s an inconvenience many winter depressives can live with.What is the probable cause of Krentz’s problem?
| A．An unexpected gain in body weight. |
| B．Unexplained impairment of her nervous system. |
| C．Weakening of her eyesight with the setting in of winter. |
| D．Poor adjustment of her body clock to seasonal changes. |
By saying that Linda Krentz saw the light” (Line 4, Para. 1), the author means that she _______.
| A．learned how to lose weight |
| B．realized what her problem was |
| C．came to see the importance of light |
| D．felt sleepy and blue |
What is the CURRENT view concerning the treatment of seasonal depression with bright lights?
| A．Its effect remains to be seen. |
| B．It serves as a kind of placebo. |
| C．It proves to be an effective therapy. |
| D．It hardly produces any effects. |
What is psychologist Michael Terman’s major concern?
| A．Winter depressives will be addicted to using light boxes. |
| B．No mental patients would bother to consult psychiatrists. |
| C．Inferior light boxes will emit harmful ultraviolet lights. |
| D．Light therapy could be beyond the tolerance of certain mental patients. |
When we worry about who might be spying on our private lives, we usually think about the Federal agents. But the private sector outdoes the government every time. It’s Linda Tripp, not the FBI, who is facing charges under Maryland’s laws against secret telephone taping. It’s our banks, not the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that pass our private financial data to telemarketing firms.
Consumer activists are pressing Congress for better privacy laws without much result so far. The legislators lean toward letting business people track our financial habits virtually at will.
As an example of what’s going on, consider U.S. Bancorp, which was recently sued for deceptive practices by the state of Minnesota. According to the lawsuit, the bank supplied a telemarketer called Member Works with sensitive customer data such as names, phone numbers, bank-account and credit-card numbers, social security numbers, account balances and credit limits.
With these customer lists in hand, Member Works started dialing for dollars-selling dental plans, videogames, computer software and other products and services. Customers who accepted a “free trial offer” had 30 days to cancel. If the deadline passed, they were charged automatically through their bank or credit-card accounts. U.S. Bancorp collected a share of the revenues.
Customers were doubly deceived, the lawsuit claims. They didn’t know that the bank was giving account numbers to Member Works. And if customers asked, they were led to think the answer was no.
The state sued Member Works separately for deceptive selling. The company denies that it did anything wrong. For its part, U.S. Bancorp settled without admitting any mistakes. But it agreed to stop exposing its customers to nonfinancial products sold by outside firms. A few top banks decided to do the same. Many other banks will still do business with Member Works and similar firms.
And banks will still be mining data from your account in order to sell you financial products, including things of little value, such as credit insurance and credit-card protection plans.
You have almost no protection from businesses that use your personal accounts for profit. For example, no federal law shields “transaction and experience” information-mainly the details of your bank and credit-card accounts. Social Security numbers are for sale by private firms. They’ve generally agreed not to sell to the public. But to businesses, the numbers are an open book. Self-regulation doesn’t work. A firm might publish a privacy-protection policy, but who enforces it?
Take U.S. Bancorp again. Customers were told, in writing, that “all personal information you supply to us will be considered confidential.” Then it sold your data to Member Works. The bank even claims that it doesn’t “sell” your data at all. It merely “shares” it and reaps a profit. Now you know.Contrary to popular belief, the author finds that spying on people’s privacy ________.
| A．is practiced exclusively by the FBI |
| B．is more common in business circles |
| C．has been intensified with the help of the IRS |
| D．is mainly carried out by means of secret taping |
We know from the passage that ________.
| A．the state of Minnesota is considering drawing up laws to protect private information |
| B．most states are turning a blind eye to the deceptive practices of private businesses |
| C．legislators are acting to pass a law to provide better privacy protection |
| D．lawmakers tend to give a free hand to businesses to inquire into customers’ buying habits |
When the “free trial” deadline is over, you’ll be charged without notice for a product or service if ________.
| A．you happen to reveal your credit card number |
| B．you fail to cancel it within the specified period |
| C．you fail to apply for extension of the deadline |
| D．you find the product or service unsatisfactory |
Businesses do not regard information concerning personal bank accounts as private because ________.
| A．it is considered “transaction and experience” information is not protected by law |
| B．it has always been considered an open secret by the general public |
| C．its sale can be brought under control through self-regulation |
| D．its revelation will do no harm to consumers under the current protection policy |
It is love that makes the world go round. And it is also love that has such power to overcome all difficulties. So we say: “Love will find a way.” As smile is a facial expression showing pleasure, affection, and friendliness, it is the commonest way to show our good will perfectly without saying anything. A Chinese saying runs: “never hit a person who is smiling at you.” It is a time-proven fact that the smile is a language all its own— a universal language—understood by the people of every nation in the world. We may not speak the same tongue as our foreign neighbors, but we smile in the same tongue. We need no interpreter for thus expressing love, happiness, or good will.
One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality contradicted mine. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store. My anger toward that grew with each step. Outside, standing at the corner, was a dark-complexion young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling smile covered his face. I gave in immediately. The magnetic power of that shining smile drove away all bitterness within me, and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” I remarked, in passing. Then, suddenly something inside me sent me turning back. “I really owe you a debt of gratitude,” I said softly. His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman stepped forward and eyed me inquiringly. “Carlos, he no speak English,” she volunteered. “You want I should tell him something?” In that moment I felt transformed. Carlos’ smile had made a big person of me. My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stood ten feet tall. “Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said ‘Thank you!’” “Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled. I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave. “Just tell him that,” I insisted. “He’ll understand. I am sure!” Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning.
From that day on, I became smile – conscious, and I practice that diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody. When I got excited in traffic, taking the right–of–way (公路用地) from the other car with my stupid mistake, I’d smile and shrug my shoulders apologetically. This action on my part would always draw a good–natured smile in return. If the other fellow was at fault – and if I could remember my resolution in time! – he’d get a broad smile of understanding. This took a bit of doing at first. I’ll admit it wasn’t always easy, but it was fun. The results were sometimes amazing. Many times, a broad, friendly smile would completely turn aside ill–feeling and tension. I’m wondering now how many tragic accidents could be avoided on our overcrowded highways, if every driver remembered to smile!The author got angry while shopping one day because .
| A．of the clerk’s unfriendliness and lack of concern |
| B．of her misfortune |
| C．she failed to purchase what she intended |
| D．a dark–complexion young man laughed at her |
From the conversation between the author and the Mexican woman, we can infer that the woman .
| A．was well–educated but unwilling to help others |
| B．was able to speak English |
| C．knew some English and was ready to help others |
| D．was familiar with the young man |
In the author’s opinion, if all people remembered to smile when driving, .
| A．many traffic accidents could be avoided |
| B．they would receive a good natural smile in return |
| C．they could get a broad smile of understanding |
| D．they wouldn’t feel any tension |
The best title for this passage could be .
| A．The Art of Smiling | B．The Universal Language |
| C．The Power of Love | D．The Magic Power of Friendship |
A Sydney Pass gives you unlimited and flexible travel on the Explorer Buses: the 'red' Sydney Explorer shows you around our exciting city sights while the 'blue' Bondi Explorer visits Sydney Harbor bays and famous beaches. Take to the water on one of three magnificent daily harbor cruises(游船). You can also travel free on regular Sydney Buses, Sydney Ferries or City Rail services (limited area), so you can go to every corner of this beautiful city.
Imagine browsing at Darling Harbor, sampling the famous seafood at Watsons Bay or enjoying the city lights on an evening ferry cruise. The possibilities and plans are endless with a Sydney Pass. Wherever you decide to go, remember that bookings are not required on any of our services so tickets are treated on a first in, first seated basis.
Sydney Passes are available for 3, 5 or 7 days for use over a 7 calendar day period. With a 3 or 5 day pass you choose on which days out of the 7 you want to use it. All Sydney Passes include a free Airport Express inward trip before starting your 3, 5 or 7 days, and the return trip is valid (有效的) for 2 months from the first day your ticket was used.
Sydney Pass Fares
*A child is defined as anyone from the ages of 4 years to under 16 years. Children under 4 years travel free.
**A family is defined as 2 adults and any number of children from 4 to under 16 years of age from the same family.
A Sydney Pass doesn’t offer unlimited rides on ______
| A．the Explorer Buses | B．the harbor cruises |
| C．regular Sydney Buses | D．City Rail services |
With a Sydney Pass, a traveler can ______.
| A．save fares from and to the airport |
| B．take the Sydney Explorer to beaches |
| C．enjoy the famous seafood for free |
| D．reserve seats easily in a restaurant |
If 5-day tickets were to be recommended to a mother who travelled with her colleague and her children, aged 3, 6 and 10, what would the lowest cost be?
| A．$225 | B．$300 |
| C．$360 | D．$420 |
Earlier this year，my oldest daughter got braces (牙箍) on her teeth，and let's just say she did not go quietly into that dentist's chair. Fear and hate pretty much describe the days leading up to her first appointment.
So when she finally walked out with shiny teeth，a sore mouth and a broken spirit, I told her I was proud of her and took her to Ben & Jerry's for an ice cream reward. Two weeks later, we returned to the scene of the crime.The dentist spent about 45 seconds checking her teeth before sending her on her merry way. Before I could start the car, she was placing her ice cream order. She was shocked when I told her that she wasn't going to get a reward every time we got her teeth checked.
Apparently，she's not alone. According to some parenting experts, kids are easily addicted(上瘾的)to a benefitproducing system of parental rewards and bribes(贿赂)—not all ice creams, candies and cool toys.Some parents are offering their children novel prizes just to let them sit down and behave in a restaurant—or sleep in their own beds—or score a goal in the next soccer game.
While the experts agree that occasional awards are okay，the danger lies in the system's overuse.Kids quickly gain a sense of entitlement(应得权益)，where they come to expect a big reward for every good thing that they do, no matter how small.To keep things in check，experts say parents should reduce the number of rewards they offer, make sure rewards match the behavior and explain the real benefits of behaving.The intended readers of the passage are________.
| A．children | B．parents |
| C．doctors | D．teachers |
Misguided by the parental reward system，children easily believe________.
| A．they should benefit from their every desired behavior |
| B．they can be successful as long as they work hard |
| C．their parents will give them more presents in the future |
| D．their parents will feel happy when they behave well |
In the experts' opinion，parents________.
| A．should provide their children with many luxurious things |
| B．shouldn't give their children too many rewards |
| C．should give their children more spiritual rewards |
| D．should tell their children the benefits of rewards |
What would be the BEST title for the passage?
| A．Do Parents Know How to Help Their Children Behave? |
| B．Is Your Child Afraid to Visit A Dentist? |
| C．Are Parents Rewarding Their Children Too Much? |
| D．Does Your Child Show Interest in Rewards? |
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