【推荐1】Comfort is comforting, but it might narrow our experience at work — and beyond.
In our modern world, discomfort is considered a terrible thing. If not terrible, it’s at least a thing of the past. Dishwashers, washing machines, computers, remote controls—yes, they add convenience, but also a level of comfort our forefathers did not enjoy.
As pain of any kind discourages happiness, we tend to reason anything that prevents us to feel good must be bad. And that’s also particularly true for our careers. Success makes us feel great, not terrible. Such a view, however, is a matter of personal opinion. And it may blind us to hidden opportunities.
Artists throughout history have tried to experience suffering, instinctively(本能地) if not consciously(有意识地), to produce works that explore the darker hidden sides of the human condition. This was done, in part, because pain is a reality of life for everybody in some form at some time. Pain is something everybody can relate to. And pain makes a person very real. For such artists, to deny pain would be to block the creative thinking, which drives them to explore and express. In fact, Germans have a term(术语) for this, “Weltschmerz”, which means “suffering from the world.” Writers, from Lord Byron to Kurt Vonnegut, have used the term to describe the psychological pain along life’s roller-coaster journey. It was not to be avoided; it was to be understood and employed.
So I believe that discomfort is good for us. Or, put another way, it tells us that something needs to be attended to. It develops us by forcing us to view our circumstances(环境) through a wholly different view. Because we’re attracted by safety and security, we do our best to create pleasant comfort zones for ourselves and our loved ones through the cars we drive, the houses we live in, and the places we work. But by resisting discomfort, we deny ourselves an important opportunity: the chance to shake ourselves out of our predictable perspectives(视角) and allow ourselves to make knowledgeable observations that we could not possibly have made before. Discomfort gives us fresh eyes.
1. Which of the following is NOT a reason why artists throughout history have been exploring sufferings?

A．Pain is a mirror that can reflect the life of everybody.

B．Pain is something that no one can escape from.

C．Pain can strengthen the feeling of existence of a person.

D．Pain can help them to avoid the creative thinking.

2. The term “Weltschmerz” couldn’t be used to describe something like __________.

A．social inequality

B．great achievements

C．racial discrimination(歧视)

D．mass killings

3. The author believes that by challenging discomfort, one may _________.

A．lose an important chance to make a big fortune

B．feel upset and fail to think calmly

C．control the situation properly when things go wrong

D．judge and think about the world in a new particular way

4. By writing this passage, the author tries to __________.

A．explain why discomfort is good for us

B．criticize(批评) a world full of comfort

C．persuade people to lead a life full of discomfort

D．blame those who enjoy an easy life

【推荐2】Well-known companies are powered by their names and reputations. When people walk into a Pizza Hut in Tokyo, Rome, or Miami, they know exactly what they are getting. Through franchising, an investor (投资者) can make use of this brand power by opening a Pizza Hut of his or her own. The risk is low, and the rewards can be big. No wonder franchising is such a successful business model.
Franchising had been around for more than 100 years, but its popularity took off in the 1950s. Leading the trend were fast food restaurant like McDonald’s. These days, there are franchises in more than eighty-five industries, including dry cleaning, hotels and supermarkets. It’s a very big business. In the US, there are some 760,000 franchises, totaling more than $1.5 trillion in yearly revenues (income).
There are two sides in a franchise: the franchisor—the owner of the business system and the franchisee—the person who licenses the system. After signing a “franchise agreement”, the franchisee pays a fee. He or she also pays for equipment, supplies, and, if necessary, building costs. The total investment usually ranges from $10,000 to $1,000,000. After the business opens, the franchisee also pays a percentage of sales revenues—called a royalty—to the franchisor. Marking fees must also be paid.
In return, the franchisee receives many benefits. Training is among the most common ones. It includes everything from dealing with customers to understanding the company’s standards. The franchisor also handles advertising. On top of that, there’s the benefit of the brand reputation that the company has built up. All of these benefits make the risk of opening a franchise much smaller than that of starting a business from scratch.
However, a franchise can also have drawbacks. If a customer at a single restaurant gets sick, it may hurt every franchise in the system. Running a franchise also means closely following the company’s standards. So, one has to give up a degree of independence. You have to do things their way and trust that the system will work.
If you want to earn a lot of money from the business, you have to work hard. Also, remember that the monthly royalty must be paid, even if you are losing money. However, there are thousands of opportunities in franchising. They will surely grow as brand recognition becomes more important in the global economy(经济学).
1. What does the word “franchise” mean in the passage?

A．A company policy for building up service reputation.

B．A permission given by a company for selling its goods.

C．An official association for improving business network.

D．A system operated by an organization for lower marketing fee.

2. What is the most important factor to make a franchise successful?

A．Brand power.	B．Agreement.
C．Training.	D．Royalty.

3. After signing a franchise agreement, a franchisee will _________.

A．pay for the advertisement

B．get free necessary equipment

C．receive the monthly revenues

D．maintain the company’s standards

4. What does the author think of franchising?

A．It will have a promising future.

B．It will bring higher business risk.

C．It will control the global economy.

D．It will cause losses of brand recognition.

【推荐3】After three quarters of an hour they reached the height where the hut（小屋）of the old man stood on a rock, exposed to every wind, but bathed in the full sunlight. From there you could see far down into the valley.

Overlooking the valley the old man had made himself a bench, by the side of the hut. Here he sat, with his pipe between his teeth and both his hands resting on his knees. He quietly watched the children climbing up with the goats and Aunt Deta behind them. Heidi reached the top first, and approaching the old man, she held out her hand to him and said, “Good evening, grandfather！”

“Well, well, what does that mean?” replied the old man in a rough voice. Giving her his hand for only a moment, he watched with a long and penetrating（穿透性的）look from under his bushy brows. Heidi gazed back at him and examined him, for he was strange to look at.

Deta had arrived in the meantime with Peter, who was eager to see what was going to happen.

“Good-day to you, uncle,” said Deta as she approached. “This is Tobias’s and Adelheid’s child. You won’t be able to remember her, because last time you saw her, she was only a year old.”

“Why do you bring her here?” asked the uncle, and turning to Peter, he said: “Get away and bring my goats. How late you are already！”

Peter obeyed and disappeared; the old man had looked at him in such a manner that he was glad to go.

“Uncle, I’ve brought the little girl for you to keep,” said Deta. “I have done my share these four years and now it’s your turn to provide for her.”

1. How did Heidi feel about the old man at first sight?

A．Angry.

B．Afraid.

C．Curious.

D．Cheerful.

2. What do we know about Peter from the passage?

A．He was Heidi’s brother.	B．He treated the old man’s visitors.
C．He was one of Deta’s friends.	D．He took care of the old man’s goats.

3. What do we learn from the passage?

A．The old man expected Heidi’s coming.

B．The old man saw Heidi several years ago.

C．Heidi came to the old man’s hut for a holiday visit.

D．Heidi had lived with her parents in the last four years.

4. What might happen in the following paragraph?

A．The old man decided whether to keep Heidi.

B．Deta decided whether to leave Heidi or not.

C．Peter decided whether to help Deta and Heidi.

D．Heidi decided whether to stay with the old man.

【推荐2】People
People is America’s No.1 magazine about fascinating (迷人的) people. It’s a guide to who and what’s hot in the arts, science, business, politics, television, movies, books, music and sports. It is published weekly.
Publisher: The Time Inc. Magazine Company
Cover Price: $211.47
Our Price: $117.00
Issues (期数): 53 issues/12 months
Lucky
Lucky is the shopping magazine with the best buys (合算的商品), and the fashion tips you’ll need before you hit the stores. What makes Lucky really special is that it gets you the information you need before anyone else has it.
Publisher: Conde Nast Publications Inc.
Cover Price: $35.40
Our Price: $15.00
Issues (期数):12 issues/12 months
Parents
The most trusted magazine for parents who want to raise smart, loving and self-confident children. Each issue has age-specific child-development guidance, advice on your child’s health and safety, and the best ways to encourage your child’s learning.
Publisher: Meredith Corporation
Cover Price: $42.00
Our Price: $9.97
Issues (期数): 12 issues/12 months
Entertainment
This magazine covers movies, television, music, Broadway stage productions, books, and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused magazines like People, its main concentration is on entertainment media and reviews. It’s intended for a more general audience.
Publisher: The Time Inc. Magazine Company
Cover Price: $199.50
Our Price: $38.95
Issues (期数): 57 issues/12 months
1. Which of the following is for common readers?

A．Lucky.

B．Parents.

C．Entertainment.

D．People.

2. According to the passage, what makes Lucky so special?

A．It has lots of cartoons.	B．It has pictures of stars.
C．It tells you where to find bargains.	D．It has information no one else has.

3. The underlined phrase, “celebrity-focused magazines” , probably refers to magazines focusing on ______.

A．hot events and famous stars	B．festivals and celebrations
C．political events	D．daily life

4. You’re most likely to find the above information ______.

A．on a magazine club website	B．in an educational magazine
C．in a guide to magazines	D．in a magazine sales report

5. Buy ______, a reader can save most.

A．Lucky.

B．Parents

C．Entertainment.

D．People.