An American shopper, Emma Mumford, who was named “the Coupon(优惠券) Queen” has spent just £350 on a luxury(奢侈) Christmas for her and her family—but got £2,500 worth of food, drink and presents thanks to coupons and offers.
Ms Mumford is a so-called “extreme coupon ” and spends hours hunting out the best deals and bargains. She has been preparing for this Christmas since the end of the last one. Ms Mumford made the huge savings by checking price comparison websites and as a result collected more presents than she needed for Christmas. After sorting out gifts for all of her family, she has even been able to donate £1,000 worth of presents to her local hospital.
“It has been so nice to have Christmas sorted and not having to worry about breaking the bank. I wanted to get high quality presents for my family and show that you can do it without spending a fortune. There is a misunderstanding that everyone who does couponing only gets value products but through my careful shopping I have managed to purchase designer perfumes(香水), a high-end coffee machine .”she explained.
She said “What started as a hobby to help me save money has turned into my life and I am able to run a business helping people save money. I know what it feels like to struggle as my ex-partner had a lot of debt which I took on for him. We were in a poor situation where every penny counted. That’s what really inspired me.”
She has now turned her bargain-hunting addiction into a business where she searches for the best deals and offer tips to the general public through video blogging and her Facebook Page.
“I try and show people that it is just a little bit of work in the beginning but it will eventually pay off. One of the best things to do is just to be a bit forward thinking and save throughout the year.”
How did Emma make the huge savings?
| A．She compared prices through websites. |
| B．She hunted out bargains in real shops. |
| C．She used coupons and offers worth £2,500. |
| D．She collected more Christmas presents than needed. |
What does “breaking the bank” in the third paragraph mean?
| A．Buying presents of low quality. |
| B．Spending more money than you have. |
| C．Breaking into the bank. |
| D．Taking out money from the bank. |
What really inspired Emma to help people save money?
| A．Her addiction to bargain-hunting. |
| B．The financial difficulties she shared with her ex-partner. |
| C．The poor situation people around her were going through. |
| D．Her experience of running an unsuccessful business. |
Which of the following can best describe Emma?
| A．Ambitious and stubborn. |
| B．Sensitive and determined. |
| C．Brave and lucky. |
| D．Careful and caring. |
There’s a body of water in Israel that is actually below sea level. Water constantly runs into it, but, because of the law of gravity (万有引力定律)，nothing can flow out of it. Do you know the name of this famous lake? It’s called the Dead Sea. It’s called this because no living thing could live there. The water is almost dead, compared to what happens with “living water”.
When you think of the term “living water”, the image that comes to mind is a rushing river that is flowing. It’s filled with life and movement. It doesn’t just “receive”, but is also “giving” simultaneously.
Many of us believe that we need to receive more of something in order to be happy. Whether what we desire is money or something else, we think we need more of it in order to be fulfilled.
As a result, we begin to operate in fear and therefore don’t give anything because we’re afraid that we won’t have enough. The result? Like the Dead Sea, we become lifeless. Life is meant to flow. when a pool stops flowing, it becomes stagnant(停滞的). Stagnant water breeds disease and death. It can’t breathe. It can’t receive any more. If nothing is flowing out, there’s no room for anything else to come in.
The solution? Give. As you give, you’ll receive. It’s a universal law. You see it at work everywhere. we’ve somehow been deceived （ 欺骗 ）into believing that if we don’t give, we’ll have more. Or we’re afraid that if we do give, we won’t have anything left. On one hand, this seems to make sense. But it doesn’t work. Because when we don’t give, we shut off the flow of what’s coming in.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
| A．The development of the Dead Sea |
| B．The special character of the Dead Sea |
| C．The position of the Dead Sea |
| D．The present situation of the Dead Sea |
According to the passage, people wouldn’t like to give because________.
| A．they are really poor in fact | B．they don’t know how to give |
| C．they don’t know who to give | D．they are still not satisfied |
According to the passage, if you refuse to give, you will___________.
| A．be like a pool with stagnant water |
| B．have enough space for what you’ll receive |
| C．need something more to be satisfied |
| D．do everything according to the law |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Give and you’ll receive | B．The secret of the Dead sea |
| C．A universal law | D．come in and come out |
When the recent research was analyzed（分析）, it was found that a lot of people wanted free pictures or free music from the Web. If it couldn’t be free, then they wanted it “new” or at least at a low price. It seems that 70 percent of people aged 16 to 24 download music online but only 1 in 40 tracks are bought legally.
Thus, some companies are planning to give all of their music away for free. The music will be totally free except that you will have to pay with your time by watching advertisements. This will be perfect for those who have lots of time but little money.
The Web has encouraged a belief that things can be free, or at least very cheap. It seems that everyone is looking for a good deal on the Web. The desire for free objects is part of the nature of the Web because the Web is about self-service and self-service is all about being free, cheap, fast and convenient. It’s interesting how words change their meaning. Stealing has now become file sharing, but it’s not really stealing, is it?
Free is a funny word. We all know that very little is really for free. If we go searching on the Web for free music, we know—or should know—that there are risks involved. However, it doesn’t matter. We still want free things, or at least the sense that we’re getting a real bargain and that at a minimum we’re saving time.
What can be the worst experience on the Web? A site that charges us high prices and wastes our time.What is the best title for the text?
| A．The Nature of the Web | B．The Web and the Culture of “ Free” |
| C．Stealing and File Sharing | D．What Does the Word “ Free” Mean? |
Why do some companies “ sell” their music for free?
| A．Their music is not popular and is out of date. |
| B．Most people have lots of time but little money. |
| C．Their music can’t be sold new or for a low price. |
| D．They can earn money from the advertisements added in the music. |
Which of the following can best describe the belief of the Web?
| A．Risky behaviour | B．Stealing | C．File sharing | D．For fun. |
Gardening can be a very relaxing hobby for many people and this wonderful experience is not just for adults. Children are interested in gardening as well, if given the chance to explore nature and science in this way. Gardening can bring joy to both children and their parents alike, especially when the experience is shared together.
The time that is spent gardening together builds precious memories within their hearts and minds for years to come. When you are gardening with your children, try to give them their own special area. Keep their area in the center of the best soil and light, as you want to make sure of a successful gardening experience.
Plastic tools easily break and are difficult to use in the dirt, so when you are gardening with your children, give them real tools to use if possible. Even offering to let them use your tools is a way to admit the worth of the work they are doing. It is also important to talk with your children about the whole process of gardening, from planting to the harvest. They need to understand how things work and the importance of what they are doing.
Show off the children’s gardening work by taking friends and visitors for a walking tour through the garden and point out the children’s particular spot. When you give attention to the children’s work, this is a great motivation（动机） for children to continue wanting to be involved. Do not force children to take part when they are in a bad mood or if they are becoming bored. Instead, allow them to do something different, like building a scarecrow(稻草人)! This makes the gardening experience even more interesting. As you work together side by side with your children, you will encourage a love of the land in them, as well as create lasting memories of time spent with you.What is the text mainly about?
| A．Teaching children how to garden. |
| B．Giving children the chance to show off |
| C．Helping children realize the importance of work. |
| D．Sharing the joy of gardening with children. |
Why should you introduce your children’s work to your friends?
| A．It makes your friends believe your children are smart. |
| B．It helps you gain more confidence in your children. |
| C．It encourages children to continue doing such work. |
| D．It attracts your friends to take part in your gardening. |
What kind of people is the text mainly written for?
| A．Children | B．Parents | C．Farmers | D．Teachers |
In 2016, athletes from around the world will compete for gold medals in the Summer Olympics. Even though the games are three years away, Brazil’s residents already feel like winners.
The nation was named to host this important sporting event in October,2009. It will be the first Olympics held in South America.
The games will take place in Rio de Janeiro. The city beat out three other sites, Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago, to host the event. When the International Olympic Committee chose Rio de Janeiro, cheering people flooded the city’s streets. “This is huge for Rio and for the whole country,” says resident Sueli Ferreira.
The Olympics are expected to attract tens of thousands of people. Brazilian officials have already started to prepare for the crowds. “ We know what we need to do,” explains Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. “ The words from now on are work, work and work.”
Officials want to fix up local sports centers before Rio de Janeiro steps into the spotlight. They also want to reduce the amount of crime.
They hope hosting the games will improve life in Brazil. About 30 percent of people there live in poverty, or poor conditions. Tourism during the Olympics is expected to create more than 2 million jobs.
“ It’s going to be good for the economy, good for the people,” Ferreira says. “ This gives us hope that things will be better here.”According to the passage, the 2016 Olympics will be held in ______.
| A．Europe | B．Asia | C．North America | D．South America |
The feeling of Brazilians can be described as _________.
| A．proud | B．surprised | C．worried | D．nervous |
The underlined word “flooded” in Para.3 means_______
| A．crossed | B．filled | C．visited | D．cleaned |
According to Brazil’s president, we can know________.
| A．the government needs help from the Brazilian public |
| B．the government will begin to prepare for the Olympics soon |
| C．Brazilian officials will try hard to prepare for the Olympics |
| D．Brazilian official are now too busy to prepare for the Olympics |
We can learn from the last two paragraphs that___________.
| A．Brazilians’ life will be better because of the Olympics |
| B．not all Brazilians are interested in the Olympics |
| C．most Brazilians are now living in poor conditions |
| D．Brazilians worry about losing jobs during the Olympics |
Tracy Caulkins is known as the first American to set an American record and win an American title in each of four swimming strokes（泳姿）: breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke, freestyle.
Tracy Caulkins was born in Minnesota and lived in Iowa until she was six. She began swimming when she was eight, after the family had moved to Nashville, Tennessee. While unwilling at first to swim in cold water or get her face wet, she began to train in earnest (认真地) as her talent became clear. Though her father worked for the public schools, the family sent her to a private school when the public schools could not accommodate (适应) her training schedule.
At age 13, Tracy Caulkins took part in the trials(选拔赛) for the 1976 Olympics, but did not make the team. She continued to win national and international titles, and was disappointed in 1980 when the U.S. didn’t attend the Moscow Olympics. She continued to train and compete.
In 1981, Tracy Caulkins began college, graduating in 1985. In college, she continued competing and training, though she had slowed down from her peak (顶峰) years.
Caulkins trained especially hard for the 1984 Olympics, and not only made the team, but was captain of the swim team and at Los Angeles, won three gold medals and was named Sportswoman of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee. After that she retired from swimming, and was a commentator (解说员) for swimming events as well as taking advantage of her fame to do business.
Tracy Caulkins married Australian swimmer, Mark Stockwell, in 1991, their romance having begun at the 1984 Olympics when he jumped into a warm-up pool to introduce himself. They married in Nashville and moved to Australia, where they had three children. Caulkins continued to be professionally involved in sports. Tracy Caulkins was sent to a private school because _____.
| A．the schedule of the public school wasn’t suitable for her |
| B．her parents had to work in the school |
| C．her family had moved to Nashville, Tennessee |
| D．she showed strong interest in swimming |
Which Olympic Games did Tracy Caulkins attend?
| A．The 1976 Olympic Games. | B．The 1980 Olympic Games. |
| C．The 1984 Olympic Games. | D．The 1992 Olympic Games. |
Give the correct order of the following events in Tracy Caulkins’ life.
a. She was named Sportswoman of the Year.
b. She became a commentator.
c. She got married.
d. She went to college.
e. She attended the Olympics.
| A．d; e; a; b; c | B．d; e; c; b; a | C．d; a; e; c; b | D．d; e; a; c; b |
When was Tracy Caulkins born?
A. In 1963 B In 1953 C In 1960 D Not mentioned
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