Plastic pollution has long been a problem, but now it's gotten to a new height-literally.
Microplastics, referring to plastic fragments and particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter, have been found on Mount Qomolangma as high as 8,440 meters above sea level, just 408.86 meters below the peak of the mountain, according to a recent study published in the journal One Earth.
“These are the highest microplastics ever discovered so far, “ lead author Imogen Napper from the University of Plymouth, UK, said in a statement.
Scientists collected snow and water samples from 19 different locations from 4, 200 meters above sea level all the way up to the top of Mount Qomolangma. They found microplastics in all the water samples and part of the snow samples. The most polluted sample was from the Base Camp in Nepal, where most human activity on the mountain is concentrated. It had 79 particles of microplastics per liter of snow.
But how have these fragments made it all this way and in such a great abundance? The answer is apparent-human activities. It is climbers who bring plastic products to the mountain. Even if they don't litter, just walking for 20 minutes or opening a bottle of water can release microplastics into the environment.
Even covered in ice, the Arctic is also a victim of plastic pollution. A 2020 report published in Nature suggests that there are 2,000 to 17,000 plastic particles per cubic meter in Arctic ice cores. Experts think microplastics may be transported by air and then reach the North Pole in snowfall.
“What we don't yet fully know is the potential problems these tiny pieces of plastic could be having to ecosystems," said Christian Dunn of Bangor University , UK.
Then what can we do? “We need to start focusing on deeper technological solutions that focus on microplastics, like changing fabric design and include natural fibers instead of plastic when possible, " Napper said.
1. Where did Napper's team find the microplastics?| A．At 408.86 meters below the top of Mount Qomolangma. |
| B．In all water and snow samples collected. |
| C．At 4,200 meters above the Everest Base Camp. |
| D．At the foot of Mount Qomolangma. |
| A．Stopping littering. | B．Avoiding bottled water. |
| C．Limiting use of equipment. | D．Forbidding climbing at all. |
| A．By planes flying in the air | B．By wind from other places. |
| C．By humans traveling there | D．By huge tides in the sea. |
| A．Promoting new styles of clothes. | B．Improving technology for ecosystems. |
| C．Replacing plastic with natural fibers. | D．Researching microplastics' harm. |
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【推荐1】Scientists in Antarctica have recorded,for the first time,unusually warm water beneath a glacier (冰川)the size of Florida that is already melting and contributing to a rise in sea levels.
The researchers,working on the Thwaites Glacier,recorded water temperatures at the base of the ice of more than 2℃,above the normal freezing point.Critically,the measurements were taken at the glacier's grounding line,the area where it transforms from resting wholly on bedrock to spreading out on the sea as ice shelves.It is unclear how fast the glacier is getting worse:Studies have forecast its total collapse in a century or in a few decades.The presence of warm water in the grounding line may support estimates at the faster range.
That is worthy of attention because the Thwaites,along with the Pine Island Glacier and several smaller glaciers, acts as a brake on part of the much larger West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which , if melted, would raise the world's oceans by more than a meter over centuries,an amount that would put many coastal cities underwater.
“Warm waters in this part of the world,as remote as they may seem,should serve as a warning to all of us about the potential terrible changes to the planet brought about by climate change,” said David Holland, director of New York University's Environmental Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.
Glaciologists have previously raised alarm over the presence of warm water melting the Thwaites from below.This is the first time,though,that warm waters have been measured at the glacier's grounding line.
To observe activity beneath the glacier,Dr.Holland's team drilled a hole -about 30 centimeters wide and 600 meters deep-from the surface to the bottom and then placed equipment that measures water temperature and ocean turbulence,or the mixing of freshwater from the glacier and salty ocean water.Collecting the data took about 96 hours in subzero weather.Warm waters beneath the Thwaites are actively melting it, the team found.
While scientists may not yet be able to definitively predict how soon glaciers like the Thwaites will melt, human-caused climate change is a key factor.The biggest predictor of “how much ice we will lose and how quickly we will lose it,”Dr.Holland said,”is human action.”
1. What does warm water found in the glacier's grounding line indicate?| A．Sea levels should be remeasured. |
| B．It may take a century for the glacier to melt. |
| C．The grounding line is getting shorter. |
| D．The glacier might disappear sooner |
| A．they hold back ice |
| B．they are extremely large |
| C．they are located at bedrocks |
| D．they are collapsing |
| A．We can predict how much ice can be kept. |
| B．Human beings are to blame for the loss of ice. |
| C．Glaciers serve a more important purpose than expected. |
| D．More data needs to be collected to support the estimates. |
| A．The efforts made to avoid the presence of warm water. |
| B．The alarm voiced on the worsening situation of glaciers. |
| C．The tools employed to measure the temperature of Antarctica. |
| D．The prediction based on a scientific study of the grounding line. |
【推荐2】Man’s relation with animals is very old. They can be traced back to the beginning of civilization. Man is the best creation and measure of all things. However, his kinship with animals is well established. Darwin believed that man has evolved from monkeys. Thus, they are our ancestors.
The friendship between man and animals is more reliable and lasting. Man’s friendship with man may not last long, but it is of permanent nature with the domesticated and pet animals. Domesticated creatures are never ungrateful. They will never turn hostile. That’s why they have been so useful to mankind and live in perfect harmony with us.
In western countries cats are very popular as pets, for they kill rats and other rodents and make a good constant company. Dogs are kept for protection and safety. They are matchless in faithfulness and loyalty. They help in hunting, in rearing sheep and in protecting properties. They also help in detecting and tracking thieves and criminals. They are trained for many other purposes as well, including being good guides and rescuing services.
Horses are domesticated, for they’re well-known for their speed, strength, faithfulness and an unerring road sense. They are dependable friends both in war and peace. Similarly, elephants have been great and reliable friends of mankind from immemorial times. An elephant is very intelligent, brave, faithful and hardworking animal. Being an intelligent animal, it never forgets both the acts of kindness and acts of wrongdoing.
Donkeys, camels, yaks, bullocks are the beasts of burden. They serve us in a way that none can do. Similarly, the cow is raised for its milk, dung and hide. In western countries cow-meat is also eaten with relish(风味佐料). But in India cow is worshipped by the Hindu as mother and a symbol of holiness, care, affection and innocence. Monkeys are widely used in the discovery of medicines. Whenever a new medicine is discovered, it is first tried on them.
Really, these animals are great and reliable friends of ours, without which life would have lost half of its charm and usefulness. We should always be kind to them.
1. Why the author mentions Darwin in paragraph one?| A．To illustrate humans have evolved from monkeys. |
| B．To suggest Darwin was a highly accomplished biologist. |
| C．To imply the relation between man and animals is close. |
| D．To show the human civilization has a long history. |
| A．Hospitable. | B．Grateful. | C．Agreeable. | D．Aggressive. |
| A．Dogs are domesticated simply to be pets for people. |
| B．Elephants are so intelligent that they can’t be domesticated. |
| C．Horses can find its way home because of their sound sense of direction. |
| D．Cows are worshiped in India as well as in western countries. |
| A．A science fiction | B．A textbook | C．A magazine | D．The Internet |
【推荐3】Exploration is about how we experience our most meaningful geography. A geography education without actively learning how to explore places is as frustrating as teaching music lessons without sound. Besides that, in its widest sense, exploration has the potential to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things we humans will ever do. It can be good for developing problem-solving, teamwork, social and other vital skills. Therefore, we should be given the opportunities to learn properly how to do it.
The sad reality is that millions of children are socially and geographically deprived (剥夺的). Their learning environments lack the diversity of place and experience-based opportunities that they need to develop well and as a result, they will not reach their full potential.
There is plenty of research showing that many children have little time and space to explore, play and learn outdoors. Perhaps most shockingly, Dirt is Good conducted a survey which found that three-quarters of UK children spend less time outside than prisoners, that the amount of time children spend playing in natural places has decreased and that a fifth of children do not play outside on an average day.
There are a large number of good and complex reasons why parents do not let their children play (and so learn) outdoors and not overcoming these barriers comes with its own risks. Changing the parenting cultures that are overly limiting many children’s freedom will potentially need efforts of generation after generation.
Partially as a response to this situation, an increasing number of doctors are providing social prescriptions (处方). Instead of being offered medicine for a mental or physical illness, young patients are being prescribed time with nature, volunteering, doing sports or some other activities instead.
Teachers are, in many ways, in a better position to provide time and space for children to benefit from experiences that help them not only to learn, but also to be well. Teachers can spare both formal and informal time and space for exploration that helps not just children who are ill, but also those who are well to remain well or become even better.
1. What does Paragraph 1 mainly talk about?| A．The way to reach full potential. |
| B．The methods of doing exploration. |
| C．The different attitudes to exploration. |
| D．The importance of doing exploration. |
| A．Prisoners in the UK are treated very well. |
| B．Children are badly in need of time outdoors. |
| C．Children are becoming less outgoing nowadays. |
| D．There aren’t enough natural places in many countries. |
| A．It’s interesting but tiring. |
| B．It’s complex and risky. |
| C．It’s challenging but worthwhile. |
| D．It’s troublesome and demanding. |
| A．playing outside can promote people’s health |
| B．traditional medicines may have side effects |
| C．experienced doctors are in short supply |
| D．mental illness needs special treatment |
| A．①-②③④⑤-⑥ | B．①-②③-④⑤⑥ |
| C．①②③-④⑤-⑥ | D．①②-③④-⑤⑥ |
【推荐1】With their main food source dying off, manatees (海牛) in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon have turned to eating large amounts of algae (海藻) as their food. Researchers are concerned about what this change will do to the animals’ health.
About a decade ago, a harmful algal bloom (HAB) significantly reduced the amount of seagrass in the lagoon (泻湖). These blooms happen when algae grows out of control and can have bad effects on living things in the ecosystem or use up all the oxygen in the water. Around that time is when Florida manatees went from eating primarily seagrass to eating primarily algae, a team of researchers found. Several years ago, scientists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) noticed that many manatees were dying in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) for an unknown reason.
Study author Aarin-Conrad Allen, a Ph.D. student at Florida International University, Institute of Environment, had just finished work on manatee diets in Belize and began studying the Florida situation. Manatees primarily eat seagrass, but will sometimes eat other foods like algae.
Researchers had collected more than 100 stomach samples from manatees that had died in the lagoon between 2013 and 2015. They found that their diet consisted of about 50% algae and 34% seagrass.
They compared data that had been archived (存档) from the late 1970s through late 1980s when the lagoon was not so unhealthy. Then, the manatees’ diets were almost 62% seagrass and only 28% algae. The rest of their diets included other plants and small fish.
“The lack of seagrass within the lagoon is a grave concern for the well-being of manatees, so we were eager to present this data documenting the diet of manatees before and after periods of seagrass decline,” Allen says.
1. What possibly leads to the manatees’ death?| A．The change of their main food. | B．The loss of their living space. |
| C．The polluted water in the lagoon. | D．The disappearance of seagrass. |
| A．By experimenting with some manatees. |
| B．By comparing the data kept for ten years. |
| C．By interviewing fishermen near the lagoon. |
| D．By analyzing the water’s change in the lagoon. |
| A．Positive. | B．Unconcerned. | C．Objective. | D．Worried. |
| A．Sports. | B．Health. | C．Nature. | D．Education. |
【推荐2】Tiny sensors inspired by dandelion (蒲公英) seeds could be spread to the winds to help track of climate change and global warming.
As the climate crisis continues to strengthen, tracking changes in temperature and other environmental signals across a wide area is useful. But doing effectively requires distributing sensors throughout the environment, which can be time-consuming.
“We wondered whether it’s possible to build a system that can spread sensors in the wind, rather than having a person go out and place sensors alone, which can be dangerous in hard-to-reach places,” says Vikram Iyer at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Iyer and his colleagues used a laser-powered tool to make devices. Each one weighs 30 milligrams with a diameter of 28 millimeters, and has a number of small holes through which air can float in the air like dandelion seeds.
The devices carry tiny sensors, essentially a microcomputer powered by small solar panels that can send back signals to the researchers, who developed different types that can measure temperature，pressure，light and so on. A small capacitor (电容器) can store energy overnight or in cloudy conditions.
In all, the team tested 75 different designs before finding the right mix of variables. The final design can move through the air at 0.87 metres per second, travelling up to 100 metres in a mild wind when released from a drone (无人机). Real-world tests showed that the sensors can transfer data up to 60 metres.
“The production of the ‘seeds’ is especially interesting, so is the design of the electronic devices,” says Jonathan Aitken at the University of Sheffield, UK. “Both seem to be very strong to the natural environment.”
Aitken is also impressed by the range of the sensors’ communication abilities. “Plus the cheapness of the device, it means that it can be placed in large numbers, and the communication range makes this an excellent choice, especially within agriculture or disaster area monitoring,’’ he says.
1. What can we learn about the sensors like dandelion seeds?| A．They are quite expensive to make. |
| B．They are efficient in space and time. |
| C．They can be carried by dandelion seeds. |
| D．They can change the temperature. |
| A．The sun. | B．Strong wind. |
| C．A smalI capacitor. | D．A drone. |
| A．The seed-like sensors can rise up from the ground without any help. |
| B．The seed-like sensors can only travel in a mild wind. |
| C．The scientists have tried many other designs before the seed-like sensors. |
| D．The seed-like sensors travel much slower than its common competitors. |
| A．Costly. | B．Risky. |
| C．Complicated. | D．Promising. |
【推荐3】Rayner Loi keeps a note on his iPhone with details of the fruit and vegetables that go bad every week at his home. That way, when he goes to the supermarket, he has a better idea of how many apples or bananas he actually eats in a week, and can adjust his shopping accordingly. He believes individual action like this is important to tackle the problem of food waste. But he also has higher goals.
In 2017, Loi founded Lumitics, a company that tracks food waste with the aim of helping hotels and airlines, which serve thousands of meals a day, figure out how much avoidable waste they are generating. Loi says most chefs can’t easily monitor all the food that never gets eaten and find it very hard to develop strategies and implement measures to reduce food waste.
Lumitics uses garbage cans equipped with weight sensors, cameras, and Al technology that can identify and track the type and amount of food that gets thrown out--including whether it’s spoiled, uneaten or kitchen waste. Later, Lumitics’ customers use the waste data to adjust the amount of food put out at a breakfast buffet, or cut back on buying certain ingredients. Loi points to company data that shows he has helped the hotels he work with reduce food waste significantly. That’s not only green, it’s good for the bottom line. Hotel restaurants often operate on relatively thin profit, “so any savings for them actually is really immense for their business” he says.
Loi and his small team are already working with major clients like the Four Seasons hotel in Singapore and airlines including Etihad Airways. Now, Loi is expanding his ambitions beyond Singapore: Lumitics is working to begin operations next year in hotels in the Middle East and in other cities across Asia. What they want to achieve is really tangible in terms of the number of meals saved and the amount of carbon emissions avoided.
1. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．keep track of his food consumption. |
| B．buy less apples and bananas. |
| C．buy food in supermarket every week. |
| D．handle the problem of food waste. |
| A．It develops strategy and implements measures. |
| B．It makes full use of the garbage cans. |
| C．It recognizes and traces the food waste. |
| D．It analyzes the waste data from hotels. |
| A．It is environmentally-friendly. |
| B．It can help hotel restaurants cut their cost. |
| C．It can reduce food waste. |
| D．It can attract more customers. |
| A．He loves cooking in hotel restaurants. |
| B．He is the manager of hotel restaurants. |
| C．He is ambitious to reduce food waste. |
| D．He is working with hotels in Middle East. |
【推荐1】The sunk cost effect is the ongoing investment of time, money and effort that an individual makes in any attempt, even if rationally the results appear unpromising. When any individual has already made an investment of time, money or effort, it becomes difficult to withdraw from the task. An error of judgement occurs when we fail to cut our losses—the sunk cost.
The simplest method of beating this error of judgement is to simply stop investing when it’s not producing results. As the age-old proverb goes, ‘Why cry over spilt milk?’ But we still can’t seem to do it ! Why?
People perceive the same amount of losses and gains in a different light. This means that the same amount of losses will hurt more than an equal amount of gain. For example, if a business is going through heavy losses, one must decide to either shut it down or continue. Shutting it down is a definite loss of money, time and effort. People become risk-seeking when they are facing a definite loss. They will pump more money as a gamble to achieve a positive outcome. If there is a positive outcome and the business starts making a profit, this has given them a higher utility( 效用) than simply making profits from the beginning. They managed to rise up from a heavy loss, thereby giving higher satisfaction about the decision to continue investing.
We, however, will not choose to honor sunk costs on every occasion. This is especially true in the case of insurance. Let’s say that you have taken home insurance and probably never used it. You are not going to burn your house down just so you can utilize your house insurance.
1. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 probably refer to?| A．Crying over spilt milk. | B．Stopping investing. |
| C．Refusing judgement. | D．Keeping finishing the task. |
| A．Going on investing when your sales are increasing. |
| B．Breaking up with those who aren’t interested in you. |
| C．Continuing eating ordered food even if it tastes bad. |
| D．Keeping on working out when you’re a little thinner. |
| A．Fear of loss and expectation for better. | B．Spirit of adventure and unwise decision. |
| C．Endless desire and ambition. | D．Positive attitude and behavior. |
| A．To describe. | B．To persuade. | C．To argue. | D．To explain. |
【推荐2】For the British, the home is a private place in which he or she goes to hide away from the troubles of life. It is very seldom that one would be invited to a British person's home. It is rude to knock on a person's door if you are not invited. If you are invited, don't ask to see more than the downstairs that your British host invites you into. Never ask how much the house or any of the items in it cost.
To the American，most of them want their home to be a place where they can entertain (款待) and share their lives with their friends. They may be delighted to give you a full tour of their houses. They may also be pleased when you show your interest and pleasure in their houses.
Both British and American people will engage in quite a bit of chat and a drink or two before the meal is served. After the first mouthful, you should say how delicious the food is and ask something about it. Remember, never eat with your mouth open and make very little noise while eating. It would be nice of you to help your host in any way. Maybe offer to pour some drinks or clear up after the meal.
1. British people _____ invite friends to their home.| A．often | B．always | C．seldom | D．never |
| A．see anything you like |
| B．ask how much his house is |
| C．ask the cost of any of the items in it |
| D．only see the downstairs that you’re invited into |
| A．angry | B．happy | C．sad | D．worried |
| A．陷入 | B．参与 | C．回避 | D．限制 |
| A．Some manners on visiting British and American people's home. |
| B．Different table manners between British and American people. |
| C．Different ideas about the home between British and American people. |
| D．Different ideas about how to get along well with neighbors between British and American people. |
【推荐3】Popcorm Park Zoo is not like most zoos. It is a very special place.
This unusual place was not originally a zoo. At first it was called the Forked River Animal Care Center. The workers there looked after lost or unwanted cats and dogs. Today the center is part of the zoo, but now many other kinds of animals are helped there, too.
The changes to the center began in 1977 when a raccoon(浣熊)needed help. One of its front paws(爪子)had been badly hurt. The workers cared for the animal. Finally it was better, but it could not care for itself. The raccoon was allowed to live there. Then a hurt deer was brought there for help. It, too, stayed there after it got well.
Once people heard about the wonderful work being done at the center, they began taking all kinds of hurt or homeless animals there. Soon it was no longer just a home for cats and dogs. So many animals were living there that it became more like a zoo.
Popcorn Park Zoo got its funny name because many of the animals there like to eat popcorn made without oil or salt. The popcorn is sold there to help make money to care for the animals. People buy the popcorn to feed the animals as a treat.
Popcorn Park Zoo now looks after more than 200 kinds of animals. Many of them live freely there. Some of the gentler ones, such as goats, sheep, geese, and deer, walk among the visitors who come to see them. Others are kept in large closed-in areas almost like their natural homes. All the animals there get care and love.
1. Before 1977, the center was a home for .| A．lost or unwanted cats and dogs |
| B．hurt or homeless raccoons and goats |
| C．lost or unwanted deer and sheep |
| D．hurt or homeless raccoons and geese |
| A．They changed its front paws. |
| B．They cured it and let it live there. |
| C．They sent it back to its home. |
| D．They built another home just for it. |
| A．treat the visitors | B．reward the workers |
| C．trick the animals | D．raise money |
| A．They all live in closed-in areas. |
| B．Some of them can walk out of the zoo freely. |
| C．All of them are taken good care of. |
| D．Some of them have already returned to nature. |
【推荐1】Jonas was careful about language. Not like his friend, Asher, who talked too fast, mixing up words and phrases until they were barely recognizable and often very funny.
Jonas smiled, remembering the morning that Asher had dashed into the classroom, late as usual, arriving breathlessly in the middle of the chanting of the morning anthem (国歌). When the class took their seats at the conclusion of the patriotic song, Asher remained standing to make his public apology as was required.
“I apologize for inconveniencing my learning community.” Asher ran through the standard apology phrase rapidly, still catching his breath. The Instructor and class waited patiently for his explanation.
“I left home at the correct time but when I was riding along near the pool, the crew was separating some salmon. I guess I just got distraught, watching them.”
“I apologize to my classmates,” Asher concluded. He smoothed his messy collar and sat down.
“We accept your apology, Asher.” The class recited the standard response in unison. Many of the students were biting their lips to keep from laughing.
“I accept your apology, Asher,” the Instructor said. He was smiling. “And I thank you, because once again you have provided an opportunity for a lesson in language. ‘Distraught’ is too strong an adjective to describe salmon viewing.” He turned and wrote “distraught” on the instructional board. Beside it he wrote “distracted.”
Jonas, nearing his home now, smiled at the recollection.
Thinking, still, as he wheeled his bike into its narrow port beside the door, he realized that frightened was the wrong word to describe his feelings, now that December was almost here. It was too strong an adjective.
He had waited a long time for this special December, when the Ceremony of the Twelve will be held and the future assignment will be announced by the Elders in the committee.
Now that it was almost upon him, he wasn’t frightened, but he was... eager, he decided. He was eager for it to come. And he was excited, certainly. All of the Elevens were excited about the event that would be coming so soon. But there was a little tremble of nervousness when he thought about it, about what might happen.
Anxious, Jonas decided. That’s what I am.
1. Asher arrived at the school _________.| A．as soon as the students concluded the national anthem |
| B．after all the other students had taken their seats |
| C．when the Instructor had begun the language lesson |
| D．when students had started singing the patriotic song |
| A．To show he accepted the apology. |
| B．To explain the confusing words. |
| C．To warn students against using it. |
| D．To shame Asher for using the wrong word. |
| A．he found himself struggling to describe his feelings precisely |
| B．he was certain that he would make the same mistake as Asher did |
| C．he was reminded to use the appropriate language for the ceremony |
| D．he finally understood how Asher was feeling that morning |
| A．a science fiction novel |
| B．a journal of applied linguistics |
| C．a documentary about campus life |
| D．a manual for using language correctly |
【推荐2】King's Point (Canada) (AFP) — At dusk, tourists are amazed at the breakdown of an iceberg at the end of its long journey from Greenland to Canada's cast coast, which now has a front row scat to the melting (触化）of the Arctic’s ice.
While the rest of the world nervously eyes the effect of global warming, melting icebergs have breathed new life into the far coastal villages of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Once a center of cod (鳕鱼) fishing, the province now plays host to large groups of photographers and tourists hoping to sec the breathtaking ice melt. As winter ends, iceberg finding begins. The increase in tourism around here in the past 10 to 15 years has been unbelievable. Last year, a total of 500,000 tourists visited Newfoundland and Labrador, a number almost as large as the province's total population. Those visitors spent nearly $433 million, government numbers show. The tourism boom has helped solve the decrease in the regions traditional fishing industry, which is in crisis (危机) because of overfishing at the end of the last century.
But under the shiny surface of economic success is the dark truth that the area is in part profiting from global warming. The Arctic is warming three limes faster than the rest of the world. In mid-July, record temperatures were recorded near the North Pole. In recent years, the icebergs have traveled further and further south. For now, tourists are enjoying the view and the experience while they can.
Laurent Lucazcau, a 34-year-old French tourist, said seeing an iceberg was upsetting. “It is a picture of global warming to see icebergs making it to these places where the water is warm,” he told AFP. “There’s something mysterious and impressive about it, but knowing too that they are not supposed to be here makes you wonder, and it’s a little scary.”
1. What can we learn about the tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador?| A．It benefits local economy. | B．It bothers local people. |
| C．It prevents global warming. | D．It hurts the fishing industry. |
| A．The total number of tourists is the same as the province's total population. |
| B．The shiny economic success is more important than global warming. |
| C．All of the tourists are enjoying the view along Canada's cast coast. |
| D．In mid-July, the Arctic is much warmer than ever before. |
| A．Summer is coming to an end in King's Point. |
| B．New icebergs will form along the Canadian coast. |
| C．Visitors don't know why icebergs come down south. |
| D．The view is a sign of serious environmental problems. |
The best starting place for a business plan is the 4Ps: product, place, price and promotion. All these must be strong to be successful.
□Product
Your product must have something unique. What makes it special compared to other similar products? If you want to start a noodle shop that has nothing new, don’t expect people to show much interest. You can research your product. For food, let people try it for free. For toys, let a few children play with them to see if they like them.
□Place
There’s no point having a product that people want to buy if your shop is in an empty mall. Think about which type of person is going to buy what you sell. Where do they usually go shopping? When looking at possible places, spend the day there. See how many people pass by. Also, are there other shops nearby selling similar products?
□Price
Work out how much it costs to make or provide your product. As a general rule, your price will be double the cost. After all, you’re also paying for rent, staff and you need to eat too!
□Promotion
How can you attract people to your shop? Advertising in newspapers and on TV is expensive. Perhaps you can get free advertising by getting a newspaper to write about your business.
1. What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．How to start a business. |
| B．Starting a business soon. |
| C．Starting your own business. |
| D．Preparations for starting a business. |
| A．a business plan | B．a shop | C．money | D．successful businessmen |
| A．expect people to show much interest |
| B．research your noodles |
| C．let people try it at a low price |
| D．let children have a try |
| A．There are shops selling the goods like yours. |
| B．Many people pass by. |
| C．You should think about which type of person is going to buy what you sell. |
| D．You should spend the day on possible places. |
| A．15 yuan. | B．5 yuan. | C．10 yuan. | D．50 yuan. |
