A few degrees can make a big difference when it comes to food storage. Foods can go bad if they get too warm. But for many of the world’s poor, finding a good way to keep food cool is difficult. Refrigerators are costly and they need electricity.
Yet spoiled food not only creates health risks but also economic losses. Farmers lose money when they have to throw away products that they cannot sell quickly.
But in nineteen ninety-five a teacher in northern Nigeria named Mohammed Bah Abba found a solution. He developed the “Pot-in-Pot Preservation/Cooling System.” It uses two round containers made of clay. A smaller pot is placed inside a larger one. The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand. The inner pot can be filled with fruit, vegetables or drinks. A wet cloth covers the whole cooling system.
Food stored in the smaller pot is kept from spoiling through a simple evaporation(蒸发) process. Water in the sand between the two pots evaporates through the surface of the larger pot, where drier outside air is moving.
The evaporation process creates a drop in temperature of several degrees. This cools the inner pot and helps keep food safe from harmful bacteria. Some foods can be kept fresh this way for several weeks.
People throughout Nigeria began using the invention. And it became popular with farmers in other African countries. Mohammed Bah Abba personally financed the first five thousand pot-in-pot systems for his own community and five villages nearby.
In two thousand, the Rolex Watch Company of Switzerland honored him with the Rolex Award for Enterprise. This award recognizes people trying to develop projects aimed at improving human knowledge and well-being. A committee considers projects in science and medicine, technology, exploration and discovery, the environment and cultural history. Winners receive financial assistance to help develop and extend their projects.
1. What keeps the food fresh in the container from spoiling?| A．The wet cloth covering the cooling system. |
| B．The moving drier air outside the container. |
| C．A drop in temperature by evaporation. |
| D．The wet sand between the containers. |
| A．Rich and advanced families. |
| B．Poor and underdeveloped areas. |
| C．Scientific experiment laboratories. |
| D．Supermarkets needing to store goods |
| A．financed the systems in all communities |
| B．invented the controversial cooling system |
| C．received financial assistance for his invention |
| D．invented a more complex cooling system later |
| A．Spoiled Food Creates Health Risks and Economic Losses |
| B．The Evaporation Process Creates a Drop in Temperature |
| C．A Few Degrees Can Make a Big Difference for Storage |
| D．A Cooling Way to Keep Food from Spoiling |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Imagine flying from Tokyo to Paris,enjoying first-class travel,a four-course dinner and a city tour—all without leaving the ground.This is the future of air travel according to Japanese company First Airlines,which has used the power of virtual reality to create dream vacations.
Passengers avoid the costly airport transfer,the baggage fees or busy airport terminal(航站楼)—and instead enjoy the privileges of business or first-class travel and an expensive tour of Paris—all while remaining motionless in Tokyo.As well as Paris,First Airlines also offers the virtual destinations of New York,Rome and Hawaii.
After boarding,guests can settle down for the two-hour flight on their advanced Airbus seat-surrounded by decoration that is modeled on the inside of an aircraft,for maximum realism.There is flight service and VR,foods,music for every destination.Passengers will be served a delicious meal by air stewards,alongside drinks and other desserts.The menu depends on the destination of choice—Manhattan clam chowder(蛤蜊杂烩汤) and cheesecake for New York and salmon and onion soup for Paris.After landing at the destination,guests can enjoy a 360-degree tour of the destination—all thanks to projection(投影) mapping and video.
It makes for a supposedly stress-free vacation,perfect for those whose ability to travel abroad is limited by cost or health.Virtual reality is becoming increasingly present everywhere at all times in the world of travel—allowing travellers to appreciate the wonders of the world,all without leaving their houses.
At just 4,980 yen($46) for business class and 5,980 yen($56) for first class—these two-hour flights are far more affordable than their real-life flights.
1. What can we learn about the future of air travel from Tokyo to Paris?| A．It is high-flying. | B．It is money-saving. |
| C．It is power-wasting. | D．It is time-consuming. |
| A．People who do little physical exercise. | B．People who work under great pressure. |
| C．People who desire to travel a long distance. | D．People who have health or money troubles. |
| A．A scientific fantasy | B．The power of virtual reality |
| C．Japan’s virtual air travel abroad | D．Appreciation of the global wonders |
【推荐2】Researchers at MIT and in China developed a simple, solar-powered water desalination (脱盐) system. They have made a breakthrough in getting fresh drinking water from sea water by using sunlight.
As the research paper published in Energy & Environmental Science explains, equipment applied in this system includes several layers of flat evaporators (蒸发器) that turn water sources into fresh water through solar energy, as well as condensers (冷凝器) that cool the gas into the liquid. The authors of the paper are MIT students Lenan Zhang and Lin Zhao, Professor Evelyn Wang, and nine other researchers at MIT and at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.
How the system uses each of the multiple stages to remove salt from the water is critical to its efficiency. The heat released per stage will be used by the next stage. In this way, the team’s device can convert the energy of sunlight into the energy of water evaporation with an efficiency of 385 percent.
The device can be considered as a multilayer solar still. The heat is absorbed by its flat panels and then transferred to make water evaporate. The vapor then cools down and turns into liquid water on the next panel. As the water is collected, the released heat is transferred to the next layer.
The team’s 10-stage system produces pure water. Its quality is above the city drinking water standards. It also has the highest yield compared to other similar systems, at a rate of nearly six cubic decimeter per hour for every square meter of the solar collecting area. The system is distinguished from some others by the fact that there is no accumulated salt to be got rid of. Most materials of the demonstration unit don’t cost much and are easy to get.
Further experiments will be carried out on the device to optimize (优化) the choices of materials and test its durability (持久性) under realistic conditions. Researchers will also work on the design of the device to make it more consumer-friendly. It is expected that the system could finally help developing regions that are short of electricity supplies but rich in sea water and sunlight handle water crises.
1. What contributes most to the high efficiency of the device?| A．The choice of materials. | B．The simplicity of the structure. |
| C．The use of multilayer equipment. | D．The recycling of released heat. |
| A．What the device is for. | B．How the device works. |
| C．How the heat is collected. | D．What the device consists of. |
| A．do not cost too much money at all | B．produces more water than other systems |
| C．displays better quality than drinking water | D．still contains a certain amount of salt |
| A．Its zero accumulation of salt. | B．The quality of water it produces. |
| C．Its stable and high production level. | D．The low cost of the whole operation. |
| A．To make it environment friendly. | B．To check its performance in labs. |
| C．To reduce its cost in developing area. | D．To make it more suitable for consumers. |
【推荐3】In elementary school, Glenn Cameron was very aware of the challenges faced by his friend, Roger, who was missing a hand. Now he has built an artificial helper for him.
The robotic hand is called “Dexi”. Its each finger can move independently. The strength and speed of the hand’s “muscles” can be controlled. The fingers stop closing when they come across something, allowing the hand to shake hands, for example. He’s also created a digital version of this hand, which responds on a computer screen. The system considered unusual by experts is that it takes electrical signals from a human brain and sends them to a computer. Cameron managed to apply the brain interface (接口) after hundreds of experiments. Wearing a special headset, he can open and close the robotic hand just by thinking. To make the hand close, he “sees” a fist in his head. To open the hand, he thinks about the beep (嘟嘟声).
In fact, Cameron’s first robotic hand was 3D printed from an online robot kit. Realizing the hand was too limited, he decided to build his own. It was quite a challenge, but his new version was better. It’s also cheap, compared to many other robotic hand projects. Mr. Cameron says designing and building the hand is hard and finds programming computers easier. Then came the one Roger is using.
Cameron is working on a hand that can actually be used by a person who’s lost a hand at present. He says the new hand will be simpler, because there won’t be as much space. To make up for this, he’s adding a mini camera and trying to make the hand smarter. He wants to let users think of a task and have the hand do it automatically.
Cameron encourages young people who think they might want to do something demanding and similar: “You just begin working towards it, taking one little step at a time, purposeful and determined, sooner or later you’re going to get to where you long for.”
1. What’s the most special about the robotic hand Roger uses?| A．The mini camera. | B．Controllable muscles. |
| C．3D printing. | D．The brain interface. |
| A．The first. | B．The second. | C．The third. | D．The fourth. |
| A．Well begun is half done. |
| B．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
| C．All things are difficult before they are easy. |
| D．The longest journey begins with the first step. |
| A．Cameron’s road to success. | B．A robotic helper for the disabled. |
| C．Cameron’s latest artificial hand design. | D．The evolution of Cameron’s robotic hands. |
【推荐1】All forms of tobacco — cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco — are dangerous. It doesn’t help to substitute products that seem like they’re better for you than regular cigarettes, such as filtered or low-tar cigarettes.
The only thing that really helps a person avoid the problems associated with smoking is staying smoke free. This isn’t always easy, especially if everyone around you is smoking and offering you cigarettes. It may help to have your reasons for not smoking ready for times you may feel the pressure, such as “I just don’t like it” or “I want to stay in shape for soccer (or football, basketball or other sport)”．
The good news for people who don’t smoke or who want to quit is that studies show that the number of teens who smoke has dropped evidently. Today, about 23% of high school students smoke.
If you do smoke and want to quit, you have lots of information and support available. Different approaches to quitting work for different people. For some, quitting cold turkey is best. Others find that a slower approach is the way to go. Some people find that it helps to go to a support group especially for teens. These are sometimes sponsored by local hospitals or organizations like the American Cancer Society. The Internet offers a number of good resources to help people quit smoking.
When quitting, it can be helpful to realize that the first few days are the hardest. So don’t give up. Some people find they have a few setbacks before they manage to quit for good.
Staying smoke free will give you a whole lot more of everything — more energy, better performance, better looks, more money in your pocket, and, in the long run, more life to live!
1. What will be the best title of the passage?| A．Staying smoke free | B．Live a long life |
| C．The smoking problems | D．The good news for smokers |
| A．Sports activities. | B．Finding no reasons. |
| C．Cigarettes offered around you. | D．The pressure from your work. |
| A．Walking slowly. | B．Eating cold turkey. |
| C．Staying in hospital. | D．Finding a suitable approach. |
| A．have no cancer | B．be more attractive |
| C．run for a long time | D．get more opportunities |
【推荐2】Some people may be picky eaters, but as a species we are not. Birds, bugs and whales, we’ll eat them all. Yet our reliance on wild animals goes far beyond just feeding ourselves. From agricultural feed to medicine to the pet trade, modern society exploits wild animals in a way that beats even the most aggressive wild predator (捕食者). Now, for the first time, researchers have tried to capture the full picture of how we use wildlife, including how many, and for what purposes. The research showcases just how broad our influence on wild animals is.
In the study, researchers have found that humans kill, collect or otherwise use about 15,000 species. That’s up to 300 times more than the next top predator in any ecosystem.
Yet according to Chris Darimont, a co-author of the study, the biggest shock isn’t how many species we affect but why we take them. “The result,” he says, “is that we remove, or essentially prey on, more species of animals for non-food reasons than for food reasons.”And the biggest non-food use is as pets and pet food. “That’s where things have gone off the rails (轨道),” he says. The problem is especially serious for tropical birds. The helmeted hornbill, for example, is captured mainly for the pe trade, or for its beak to be used as medicine or to be carved like ivory. Their disappearance limits seed dispersal and the spread of trees around the forest.
Another big difference between humans’ influence on wild animals and that of other predators is that we tend to favor rare and exotic (外来的) species in a way other animals do not. Most predators target common species, since they are easier to find and catch. Humans, nowever, tend to covet the novel. “The more rare it is,” say scientists, “the more that drives up the price, and therefore it may go into extinction.”
If we want wild species to survive, we need to reestablish our relationship with them, perhaps from predator to caretaker.
1. What role do humans play in their present relationship with wildlife according to the author?| A．Picky predators. | B．Protectors of biodiversity. |
| C．Greedy predators. | D．Caretakers of the environment. |
| A．More species hunted for non-food use. |
| B．The impact of pet industries on wildlife. |
| C．The number of species affected by humans. |
| D．The consequences caused by species extinction. |
| A．Long for huge profits. |
| B．Favor domestic species. |
| C．Take interest in pet trade. |
| D．Seek after new and unique things. |
| A．To promote stricter rules for hunting. |
| B．To advocate eco-friendly pet choices. |
| C．To reveal how humans affect biodiversity. |
| D．To highlight the need for wildlife conservation. |
【推荐3】Regenerative tourism is concept that is gaining attraction in the travel industry. It is different from sustainable tourism in that it goes beyond just minimizing the negative impact of tourism. It is a philosophy that aims to not only minimize the negative impact of tourism but also to actively contribute to the regeneration of local ecosystems, economies, and cultures.
The concept of regenerative tourism is not new. Native communities around the world have been practicing regenerative tourism for centuries. However, it has gained renewed interest in recent years due to the growing awareness of the impact of tourism on the environment and the need for sustainable travel practices, particularly post-pandemic-indeed it could even be argued that, as the global tourism industry and those who depend on it start to recover, tourism in itself is a regenerative act.
One example of regenerative tourism is ecotourism. Ecotourism involves traveling to natural areas with the aim of learning about and conserving the environment. It involves activities such as hiking, bird watching, and wildlife viewing. Another example of regenerative tourism is community-based tourism. Community-based tourism involves staying with local communities and participating in their cultural activities, such as our Buffalo Curd Experience in Sri Lanka, or our Rice Wine Trek in Laos. Regenerative tourism can also involve the use of sustainable and regenerative practices in the tourism industry itself. For example, hotels can use renewable energy sources, reduce their water consumption, and use sustainable materials in their construction.
The benefits of regenerative tourism are many. However, carrying out regenerative tourism practices requires a shift in mindset and a commitment to sustainability. It requires tourism businesses to not only minimize their negative impact but to actively contribute to the regeneration of the environment and communities. It requires tourists to be conscious of their impact and to choose travel options in line with their values.
In conclusion, regenerative tourism is a promising concept that has the potential to transform the travel industry. By actively contributing to the regeneration of local ecosystems, economies, and cultures, regenerative tourism can create a better future for both people and the planet.
1. What is the aim of the regenerative tourism?| A．To attract more investments. |
| B．To highlight the advantages of tourism. |
| C．To protect conventional economy and culture. |
| D．To promote a renewable and sustainable tourism. |
| A．Tourism industry has globally boomed. |
| B．People have suffered from the pandemic. |
| C．People show more concern about environment. |
| D．Regenerative tourism has been practised for long. |
| A．The definition of ecotourism. |
| B．The illustration of regenerative tourism. |
| C．Environmental conservation practices. |
| D．Reasonable doubts about regenerative tourism. |
| A．Regenerative tourism has a bright future. |
| B．Tourists can choose whatever travel they like. |
| C．Travel industry is able to transform regenerative tourism. |
| D．Regenerative tourism can be practiced in traditional ways. |
【推荐1】When I’m travelling, someone always asks me, “Doesn’t Australia have a holiday for a horse race?” It's just one of those things that flash across the mind when people hear the word“Australia”.
I never quite know how to respond. I mean, Australia indeed has such a public holiday. There’s the race that stops the nation.
I mean that we should give sporting events their own day. Sport in itself is an event that is shared by people. It bridges differences and unites us on a primitive level—the cheers of the crowd, the desire for victory and the creation of the community.
However, it is difficult to neglect the advertising promotion of these public holidays. Big businesses use these days to develop our bad habits, such as large bets and alcoho1. As these public holidays roll around, our screens are filled with ads telling us to place bets with money-back guarantees.
I really believe that we can have public holidays that consider our human need for community. But it requires a change from sport to culture. And here’s my case study: Singapore. Singapore has a long list of public holidays, and the list is long for a very specific reason—to acknowledge the cultural holidays of its diverse population.
The effectiveness of its public holidays is obvious：they expose the entire population to difference. I remember growing up in Singapore and celebrating Hari Raya with my friends, learning about Islamic culture and the reasons behind certain traditions. Isn’t that what public holidays are about, a day off to reconnect with yourself, your family and the wider community?
1. Why does the author not know how to respond to the question about the horse race holiday?| A．The author thinks there is no need to explain it. |
| B．The author doesn’t really know about this holiday. |
| C．The author can’t give away too many things about it. |
| D．The author considers such a holiday quite embarrassing. |
| A．Ignore. | B．Ban. | C．Seek. | D．Understand. |
| A．They encourage people to purchase things. | B．They have a negative effect on the public. |
| C．They don’t unite people on a primitive level. | D．They’re completely controlled by businesses. |
| A．Australia doesn’t have a very rich culture. | B．Sporting events should have their own day. |
| C．There should be various holidays in Australia. | D．Holidays should meet human need for community. |
【推荐2】Finland is the happiest place on Earth, according to the 2018 World Happiness Report of 156 nations.
The report, released Wednesday by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranks the countries of the world based on six different categories of well-being: income, freedom, trust, life expectancy, generosity and social support. This year's report also pays special attention to the happiness of each country’s immigrants.
The U.S. dropped four spots from 2017 and landed in 18th place, and last year’s winner, Norway, came in second place — followed by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland.
“The top five countries all have almost equally high values for the six factors found to support happiness, and four of these countries—Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and now Finland — have been in first place in the six World Happiness Report rankings since the first report" in 2012, ”co-editor John Helliwell told CNN. “In a division with such excellent teams, changes in the top spot are to be expected."
Rounding out the top 10 happiest countries was Canada in sixth place, then New Zealand, Sweden and Australia. The order of the top 10 nations changed from the 2017 list but the countries did not, according to the report. They were also 10 of the 11 top spots in the immigrant happiness category (including Mexico — 24th overall, but 10th in immigration).
“The most striking finding of the report is the remarkable consistency between the happiness of immigrants and the locally born,” Helliwell said in a statement. “Although immigrants come from countries with very different levels of happiness, their reported life evaluations resemble those of other residents in their new countries. Those who move to happier countries gain, while those who move to less happy countries lose.”
Other major world powers placed in significantly low spots on the list. Germany came in 15th, the UK was 19th — followed by Japan in 54th place, Russia in 59th and China in 86th.
The report, based on surveys completed by citizen volunteers, came just under a week before World Happiness Day on March 20, when the UN declared to recognize “the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives”
1. The US ranked ______ in 2017.| A．18 | B．10 |
| C．14 | D．22 |
| A．That immigrants are different from residents in the country. |
| B．That immigrants and locals feel the similar level of happiness. |
| C．That immigrants become happy when they leave the country. |
| D．That immigrants come from countries with different levels of happiness. |
| A．Happiness is no less important than any other aspect in life. |
| B．People’s happiness and well-being should be considered when it comes to policy-making. |
| C．The happiness report came under a week before World Happiness Day. |
| D．What the UN declared was beneficial to all human beings. |
| A．World Happiness Day. | B．Happiness — forever pursuit. |
| C．The 2018 World Happiness Report. | D．What's your happiness index(指数)? |
【推荐3】The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand—a system of rapid handwriting, and now it's threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced to the SAT exams for the class of 2012, just 15%of the 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive(草书). The rest used block letters.
And those college hopefuls are just the first wave of US students who no longer get enough handwriting instruction in the primary grades, frequently 10minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive.
There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written words to the typed ones. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter？
It was at the University of Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity(真实性) can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.
The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive(认知的) opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better—a lifelong benefit.
It doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George's County, elementary school students use a program called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript(手写的) letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.
1. What is the author concerned about after the 2012 SAT exams?| A．Keyboarding. | B．Shorthand. |
| C．Handwriting. | D．Block letters. |
| A．prove how valuable handwriting is |
| B．explain what a famous poet he is |
| C．show how unique his poem is |
| D．stress how fascinating handwritten documents are |
| A．In the kindergarten. | B．In the primary school. |
| C．In the high school. | D．In the college. |
| A．Negative. | B．Sceptical. |
| C．Critical. | D．Supportive. |
【推荐1】For many people, going a few hours without your smartphone can feel like a lifetime. Now, one expert claims that humans are becoming so dependent on technology, that we’re actually merging (融合) into it.
Speaking at the Fast Company European Innovation Festival, Professor Yuval Noah Harari, a historian at the Hebrew University claimed that it’s becomingmore and more difficult to tell where humans end and machines begin. He said: “It’s increasingly hard to tell where I end and where the computer begins. In the future, it is likely that the smartphone will not be separated from you at all. It may be embedded in your bodyor brain, constantlyscanning your biometric data and your emotions.”
During his speech, Professor Harari highlighted how humans have affected our environment over time, and suggested that now may be thetime to affect ourselves. He said: “Humanity has always remained constant. If we told our ancestors in the Stone Age about our lives today, they would think we are already Gods. But the truth is that even though we have developed more wonderful tools, we are the same animals. We have the same emotions, the same minds. The coming revolution will change that. It will change not just our tools, it will change the human being itself. ”
If we do manage to merge with machines, Professor Harari suggests it could open the door to setting upcivilizations beyond Earth. He added: “Life willbe able to break out of planet Earth and no longer be confinedto this flying rock.”
While Professor Harari’s claims may sound farfetched (牵强的), he isn’t alone in his vision of a machinehuman world. Back in 2017, Elon Musk claimed that humans should merge with machines, or risk becoming irrelevant. He said: “Over time I think wewill probably see a closer merger of biological intelligence anddigital intelligence.”
1. Why does the authormention smartphone in paragraph 1?| A．To collect data for his speech. |
| B．To have a good leadin of the topic. |
| C．To say it isharmful to the environment. |
| D．To catch up with the development of science. |
| A．His opinions gained much support. |
| B．He is the first expert toput forward the idea. |
| C．He thinks technology will change ourselves as well. |
| D．His suggestion of us staying on planet Earth isconsiderate. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Favourable. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Humans are near to combining with machines |
| B．Call on people to develop advanced machines |
| C．Aspeech caused people’s concerns onmachines |
| D．Finding new ways to break away from apps is vital |
【推荐2】When I was 12， all I wanted was a signet（图章） ring. They were the“in”thing and it seemed every girl except me had one. On my 13th birthday， my Mum gave me a signet ring with my initials（姓名首字母） carved into it. I was in heaven.
What made it even more special was that it was about the only thing that wasn't being “replaced”. We'd been burnt out in fires that swept through our area earlier that year and had lost Everything-so most of the “new” stuff（东西） we got was really just to replace what we'd lost. But not my ring . My ring was new.
Then， only one month later， I lost it. I took if off before bed and it was missing in the morning. I was sad and searched everywhere for it. But it seemed to have disappeared. Eventually， I gave up and stopped looking for it. And two years later， we sold the house and moved away.
Years passed， and a couple of moves later， I was visiting my parents' when Mum told me that she had something for me. It wasn't my birthday， nor was it Easter or Christmas or any other gift-giving occasion. Mum noticed my questioning look. “You'll recognize this one，” she said smiling.
Then she handed me a small ring box. I took it from her and opened it 1o find my beautiful signet ring inside.
The family who had bought our house 13 years earie had recently decided to do some redecorations， which included replacing the carpets. When they pulled the carpet up in my old bedroom， they found the ring. As it had my initial carved into it， they realized who owned the ring. They'd had it professionally cleaned up by a jeweler before sending it to my mother. And it still fits me.
1. The underlined word “in” in the first paragraph probably means“ ”.| A．practical | B．renewable | C．fashionable | D．useful |
| A．The writer never stopped looking for her ring. |
| B．The writer's ring was cleaned up by the new house owner. |
| C．The writer lost her ring in the morning when she took it off. |
| D．The write's family moved several times. |
| A．My New Ring | B．An Expensive Ring |
| C．Lost and Found | D．Lost and Replaced |
【推荐3】Yesterday, I went to the bookstore to pick up a present for my mother’s upcoming birthday. I found one of the books I wanted, but not the other one my mother had discussed with me the other day. When I went to pay. I asked the clerk behind the counter if I could order the second book.
A lady was standing in line behind me at the checkout. The clerk said she could order the book. but asked if I would mind letting the lady behind me pay for her purchases first. The lady behind me said no and that it was fine to wait.
It took nearly 15 minutes to put my order through! The lady behind me chatted agreeably with us for the entire time. When it finally came time for me to pay, I placed two $10 off cards on the counter. The clerk informed me the offer was only valid(有效) for the book I was purchasing in-store and wouldn’t work for the book I’d ordered. This meant that I’d have one $ 10 card left.
“You can come back and purchase another book.” the clerk smiled. “The offer is valid until the end of the week.”
I thought about this for a millisecond and then turned around to face the lady behind me who’d been so patient, kind, and charming through the very long wait at the checkout. “Here.” I gave her the $10 off card. She was very surprised and said. “Really?”
The gift didn’t cost me anything. I knew I wouldn’t be back before the end of the week and it rewarded someone whose attitude left a smile in my heart. Most definitely a win-win moment.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．The author couldn’t afford anything else but books as a birthday present. |
| B．The book store had no suitable books available as a birthday present. |
| C．Reading was probably appealing to the author and the mother alike. |
| D．The author was a regular customer of the book store. |
| A．Impolite. | B．Considerate. | C．Cold | D．Easy-going. |
| A．The author was always very generous to strangers. |
| B．The $ 10 off card would become invalid next week. |
| C．The author believed the lady would smile at her/him. |
| D．The author wanted to thank the lady for her kindness. |
| A．Win win Moment at the Bookstore | B． Bread, Another |
| C．Lovely Delay at the Bookstore | D．Patience and Friendship Rewarded |
