For years, life went something like this: We’d grow up in one place, head off to college, then find a city to live in for a few years to pursue a job or higher education. The end goal was to find somewhere to settle down, buy a house, start a family, and begin the whole cycle all over again. But a new model for living is emerging: Some people are increasingly opting to move from city to city throughout their entire lives, sometimes as frequently as every month.
Just ask Alex Chatzielefteriou, who has had a front-row seat watching this evolution unfold. Six years ago, he launched a startup called Blueground that rents out beautifully designed, fully furnished apartments for a month at a time, at rents that are cheaper than hotels. Today, the company has 3,000 properties in six U.S. cities, along with Dubai, Istanbul, London, Paris, and Chatzielefteriou’s native Athens, and a staff of 400.
The company just landed $ 50 million in Series B funding, bringing its total investment to $ 78 million, to continue its rapid expansion. It hopes to have 50,000 properties in 50 cities over the next three years, and the goal is to make each one feel unique and cozy, rather than standardized, like what you might find in a traditional hotel.
Chatzielefteriou first came up with the idea for Blueground while he was working as a management consultant for McKinsey. “The accommodation of choice for consultants is the hotel,” he says. “I had to spend five years in a hotel room, living in 12 different cities. I loved seeing the world, but I didn’t love feeling like I didn’t have a home.”
As he spoke to his friends and coworkers, he realized that many people were dejected with this lifestyle that meant living out of a suitcase in the same few hotel chains that all began to blend together. And what’s more, hotels aren’t a particularly cost-effective solution for companies either. In Chatzielefteriou’s case, McKinsey sometimes paid $10,000 or more for him to stay in a major city for a month, which was far more expensive than local rents.
1. Chatzielefteriou launched the company Blueground for the following reasons except ________.| A．he wants to feel like home when exploring the world |
| B．many people around him are tired of hotels |
| C．hotels are comparatively more expensive |
| D．he doesn’t have a real home |
| A．An apartment that costs dearly but is fully furnished. |
| B．An apartment that is standardized and commonly seen. |
| C．An apartment that has its own style and is comfortable to live in. |
| D．An apartment that is simply designed with only necessary furniture. |
| A．frustrated | B．confused | C．inspired | D．satisfied |
| A．An introduction of a new hotel for consultants. |
| B．An introduction of a creative company founder. |
| C．An introduction of new accommodation for travelers. |
| D．An introduction of the history of a promising company. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】How to Rent Your House
Before handing the keys to your house over to a complete stranger for care, there are decisions you need to make. In fact, the decisions you make now, before searching for a tenant (房客), will make the biggest impact on the success of your rental.
What Condition Do You Want Your House in?
There is no end to the amount of improving you can do to your house before renting it out.
A house should be clean, empty (unless you are offering it “furnished”, which is uncommon) and free from any major repairs at the time the tenant moves in.
Remember, the home does not need to be as fancy as you would want it to be.
Should You Use a Property Manager?
How Much Can You Rent Your House for?
Luckily, discovering what the monthly rent will bear for your house is not difficult.
| A．The problem becomes learning when to stop. |
| B．No one wants to be a landlord with those problems. |
| C．The following are some questions to answer before you rent out your house. |
| D．Have a professional carpet cleaner clean the carpets before showing the property. |
| E．Look around at other rentals in your area and try to see what the typical quality is. |
| F．The best way to determine how much your house will rent for is to simply do market research. |
| G．The decision about whether to manage yourself or hire a property manager cannot be made by anyone other than you. |
【推荐2】Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic (经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own home town of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate (影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt (破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的)and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people’s feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward . If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different , even though that might be the more risky choice.
1. What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?| A．Some of them are not attractive. |
| B．Most of them ate too expensive to preserve. |
| C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings. |
| D．They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area. |
| A．We should reproduce the same old buildings. |
| B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings. |
| C．Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in. |
| D．No one understands why people speak against new buildings. |
| A．destroy old buildings |
| B．put things in a different place |
| C．respect people’s feelings for historical buildings |
| D．choose new architectural styles |
| A．To explain why people dislike change. |
| B．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas. |
| C．To warn that we could end up living in caves. |
| D．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings. |
【推荐3】Building a woodland den with friends and family is a great way to explore nature, have fun and improve your teamwork skills.
A good place to build a den is in a forest or wood. You need to have lots of fallen branches, sticks that bend and perhaps some leaves. Never break branches off trees. Some parks have areas on the edge of woodlands set aside for making a den, with a good supply of materials already on the ground. Don’t build on a slope because this could make your den unstable.
One method is to place long branches upright against a tree. Push them hard into a fork in a low branch of the tree to make it stronger. Fan the upright branches around in a teepee (圆锥形帐篷) shape, making sure the wood won’t slip. Now you can carefully weave smaller, bendy sticks between the uprights to fill in your shelter. Leave some of the higher areas clear so that you can see out.
Keep an opening to act as your entrance and exit. If it’s sunny, use a compass (there are phone apps for this, too) and put your “door” facing south so that you get more sunlight and warmth. Dried leaves can be scattered inside to make the ground better for sitting on. You could also make a tent-shaped den if you have two trees or branches near each other. Place a long branch level between them and put upright branches against it on both sides. Be creative with your shelter structures and make the most of what’s around. You may want to bring string or rope to tie branches together, or perhaps a waterproof sheet to help make a roof or act as a groundsheet.
When you’ve finished, take your items home with you, take your den down and leave the land as you found it. Other people can then build dens and have adventures, too. Remember: always make sure you are accompanied by an adult or have sought their permission first before you set off.
1. What does a den possibly refer to in the passage?| A．An outdoor space to hide away for fun. |
| B．A bushy forest to explore by yourself. |
| C．A good place to shelter from danger. |
| D．A small tent to live in with friends. |
| A．Rescuers. | B．Parents. | C．Teenagers. | D．Teachers. |
(1) Squeeze some long branches into a fork in a low branch.
(2) Weave smaller, bendy sticks between the uprights.
(3) Fan the upright branches around in a cone shape.
(4) Place long branches on end against a tree.
| A．(1)-(3)-(4)-(2) | B．(4)-(1)-(3)-(2) | C．(4)-(2)-(3)-(1) | D．(2)-(1)-(3)-(4) |
| A．We can make a den by taking branches from trees. |
| B．We should wrap the den with dried leaves. |
| C．We can build the den wherever we like. |
| D．We should tear down the den finally. |
【推荐1】The 2022 World Internet Conference closed on November 11, 2022 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province. There were a lot of cool inventions shown there. Let’s have a look at some of them.
A Smart Helmet
When delivery people send food around, they often use their mobile phones while riding. It’s very dangerous. To make them safer, a company has created a new helmet. It connects with the mobile phone and can “talk”. It can tell delivery people new orders and where the customers are. Delivery people can also take orders and answer messages by talking to the helmet. If the wearer has an accident, the helmet can make a call for help right away.
Type with Eyes
Many disabled people can’t move their hands. They find it hard to type on a computer. A company has developed eye-controlling technology. By looking at the screen and moving their eyes, people can type words easily.
A Business Card? A Computer!
A computer which was as big as a business card caught people’s eyes. It’s called Raspberry Pi. It’s one of the world’s smallest computers. Although it only costs a few hundred yuan, it has a memory of 8G. It is designed for learning computer programming. It can do a lot of difficult calculations. You can also use it to create your computer games.
Magic Mirror for Health
Scan your face, and then the software will know a lot about your health. This is what Magic Mirror can do. It’s a smart health check system. You don’t need to wear any devices. Just stand in front of it for 30 seconds, and it will know your heart conditions, blood pressure and the risks of some diseases.
1. Which is true about the smart helmet?| A．It can help delivery people ride slowly. |
| B．It can remind delivery people of danger. |
| C．It can make delivery people relaxed by talking. |
| D．It can help delivery people work much safer. |
| A．By talking loudly. | B．By moving their eyes. |
| C．By waving their hands. | D．By touching the keys. |
| A．eating habits | B．blood pressure |
| C．heart conditions | D．risks of some diseases |
| A．Nature. | B．Business. | C．Science. | D．Lifestyle. |
Year 7 students across the UK have been given a BBC micro: bit—a small, wearable piece of tech. Much like a tiny, pocket-sized computer, the BBC micro: bit encourages kids to learn basic coding and programming skills to prepare them for today’s world.
It can be programmed to do a number of different things; it can be a digital watch, or fitness tracker. The device features 25 LED lights and two programmable buttons, which can be used in game-play or to skip through tracks in a playlist. It also features an on-board compass to track the direction of the wearer. Each micro: bit comes with a USB, cable and battery holder. To programme a micro : bit, kids simply need to connect it to their computer and add some simple lines of code to create the device they want. The hope is that all those computer science skills might inspire a new generation of enthusiastic game developers, super software programmers and wild website builders.
What can we do with my BBC micro: bit? The following are just some examples.
Fashion—make a digital watch, or accessories that can display the time, your own design or message.
Fitness—count your steps with a DIY version of something like the ‘Fitbit’, or create an obstacle course and use the micro: bit in a balancing game.
Music—connect the micro : bit to your phone and control your music player, compose a piece of music, or even use a banana as a music keyboard.
Home & garden—place a sensor in the soil under a plant and connect it to the micro: bit, and it can tell you when the plant is happy with a simple smile or is in need of a drink with a frown.
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about concerning the micro : bit?| A．Its features. | B．Its programs. | C．Its convenience. | D．Its popularity. |
| A．Sensor. | B．Soil. | C．The micro: bit. | D．A plant. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By stating arguments. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By making comments |
| A．Health. | B．Science. | C．Travel. | D．Sports. |
【推荐3】Two female students have made history at the 2022 Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Competition, after they won the top two awards. It’s the first time both top prizes have been won by girls. The two winners were Connie Gray and Avye Couloute, who are both 14 years old.
Gray won the UK’s Young Scientist award for her research comparing the structures of birds’ feathers from different environments and climates. Her aim was to help with conservation efforts in areas around the world that are most affected by climate change. Couloute won the UK’s Young Engineer award for inventing a device to measure the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a building, in an attempt to improve air quality. Reducing CO2 levels could benefit classrooms and offices. Both winners received prizes of 2,000 pounds to continue their journeys in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM).
The competition was hosted at the Big Bang Fair in Birmingham, which ran from 22 to 24 June, and is a free celebration of STEM for 11 to 14-year-olds. More than 40, 000 young people enjoyed activities such as slime-making, drone-flying and using virtual reality (VR) to look at how the oceans can be saved. The organizers aimed to inspire young people to consider careers in STEM.
A survey was carried out before the event to find out how many young people are interested in STEM subjects and careers. It found that 40% of 11 to 16-year-olds said a career in STEM would allow them to make positive change in the world.
Dr Hilary Leevers, who was involved in organizing the fair, said, “It’s really encouraging that people are embracing STEM at an early age. We need more young people from all backgrounds to understand the role that STEM careers play, and for more of them to go on to work in science, engineering and technology.”
1. What do we learn about the 2022 Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Competition?| A．The top prizes went to girls. |
| B．It only lasted for four days. |
| C．It was designed for 11 to 16-year-olds. |
| D．Only a small fee was charged for admission. |
| A．She won the UK’s Young Scientist award. |
| B．She is a regular participant in the competition. |
| C．She tried to improve air quality in a building. |
| D．Her prize money will be used to improve her classroom. |
| A．To encourage girls to love science and technology. |
| B．To motivate the youth to take up jobs in STEM. |
| C．To celebrate the great achievements in STEM. |
| D．To make the youth better know the competition. |
| A．Inspiring. | B．Moving. | C．Interesting. | D．Surprising. |
【推荐1】Rain is vital to life on Earth. However, rain isn’t just made of water anymore — it’s partly made of plastic.
Millions of tiny pieces of plastic, called microplastics, are wandering around Earth’s atmosphere and traveling across entire continents, according to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on April 12. Another study, published in the journal Science in June 2020, has revealed that every year more than 1,000 tons of the particles — equivalent to over 120 million plastic bottles — fall in rain.
Microplastics are plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter and come from a number of sources. Plastic bags and bottles released into the environment break down into smaller and smaller bits. Some microplastics are manufactured deliberately to provide abrasion in a host of products, such as toothpaste and cleansers, according to the Daily Mail. Another major source is your washing machine. When you wash synthetic clothing, tiny microfibers get flushed away with the wastewater. Even though the water is treated by a wastewater plant, the microplastics remain, and they are released into the sea, according to American magazine Wired.
Plastic rain may remind people of acid rain, but the former is far more widespread and harder to deal with. The tiny particles, too small to be seen with the naked eye, are collected by the wind from the ground. They are so light that they stay in the air to be blown around the globe. As they climb into the atmosphere, they are thought to act as nuclei around which water vapor condenses to form clouds. Some of the dust falls back to land in dry conditions, while the rest comes down as rain, according to the Daily Mail.
Microplastics have been found everywhere you can imagine. From fish and frogs to mice and mosquitoes, their bodies have been found, on average, to contain 40 pieces of microplastic, reported Daily Mail. As the top of the food chain, humans are exposed to microplastics, too. “ We live on a ball inside a bubble,” microplastic researcher Steve Allen at University of Strathelyde, Scotland, told Wired. “There are no borders, there are no edges. It (plastic rain) is raining on the land and then getting blown back up into the air again, to move somewhere else. There’s no stopping it once it’s out.”
1. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?| A．How microplastics are used widely. |
| B．How microplastics come into being. |
| C．How microplastics pollute water. |
| D．How microplastics should be handled. |
| A．They are light and can be easily dealt with. |
| B．They result in both acid rain and plastic rain. |
| C．They have nearly affected the whole food chain. |
| D．They have a diameter of at least 5 millimeters. |
| A．Countries should work together to fight pollution. |
| B．The atmosphere possesses the capacity to self-cleanse. |
| C．It is important to remove microplastics somewhere else. |
| D．No place is safe from microplastic pollution. |
| A．The sources and effects of microplastics. |
| B．The difference between acid rain and plastic rain. |
| C．The dangers of microplastics. |
| D．The microplastics in food chain. |
【推荐2】When it comes to higher education in the United States, one of the biggest issues of discussion and concern in recent years has been the cost. Data from the U.S. Department of Education suggests the average cost of college doubled between 1989 and 2016.
James Kvaal is the director of The Institute for College Access and Success. He told VOA that one of the main reasons for the cost increase is reduced government support for colleges and universities. This, in turn, has led schools to raise their prices.
Earlier this year, the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University published a report on state spending on higher education. The report found a 5% overall increase in proposed spending throughout the country. But Kvaal argues this is still nowhere near the level it was 30 years ago or where it needs to be now. He notes that a lot of students still depend on loans to help pay for their education. To date, about 10% of student borrowers are in default. In other words, they are failing to make the necessary payments toward their debts.
Last November, Georgetown University published a study on return on investment in American higher education. Students who attended private colleges and universities made an average of about $73,000 more over 40 years than those who attended public schools. Although the immediate costs to attend a private U.S. university might be higher, the increased cost might be worth it, notes Professor Martin, associate director of the Georgetown Center.
One reason these schools have a better return on investment is their reputation. The selectiveness that makes these schools so well-known and well respected, however, creates its own form of inequality. These colleges pay off well if you can afford to go there and if you can get in. But the fact is, the vast majority of people can't do either: They can't afford it.
1. Why did the American universities increase their fees?| A．They followed the rules of the market. |
| B．They required more pay for teachers. |
| C．They improved their quality of higher education. |
| D．They received less support from the government. |
| A．More uneducated people. | B．More unpaid debts of students. |
| C．A larger gap between universities. | D．An effect on the government's reputation. |
| A．Positive. | B．Objective. | C．Negative. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．A speech. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A business magazine. | D．An education report. |
【推荐3】Creators (创造者) say robot dolphins can swim happily in shopping mall display tanks and be watched closely, which would usually be harmful to real animals. And they could soon be coming to zoos in China.
A robot dolphin that can nod an answer to a child — thanks to the human operating from a distance — might not sound interesting. But as marine (海洋的) parks worldwide face increasing pressure to give up exhibitions with real whales and dolphins, the robot dolphins provide an interesting choice.
“The marine park industry has had a drop in income for over a decade due to the cost of live animals, but the public’s hunger to experience these animals is still as strong as ever,” said Roger Holzberg, former creative director at the Walt Disney Company. “We believe it’s time to reimagine this industry and that this can be kinder and earn more money.”
But with a price of about £20.8 million per dolphin, the biggest trouble to the creators is making sure that the robotic sea animals will be cheaper in the long run than the real thing. Li Wang, a business developer for Edge Innovation, the New Zealand-based company making out a case for the robots, said they did cost four times more than normal dolphins but would last longer.
Mike Wang, vice president at Red Star Macalline Group, said it had started the first step of the dolphins’ development, and was considering founding a “lab” for their business in China.
The prototype (原型) for the dolphin is over 270 kg and can’t be discerned from the real thing — the condition Red Star Macalline required for starting the project. The test audience had been unable to guess the dolphin wasn’t real.
Animal rights advocates (倡导者) also welcomed the change. Elisa Allen, the UK director for People for the Good Treatment of Animals, said she hoped robot dolphins would replace real ones so that people could experience nature without harming them.
1. What do we know about the robot dolphins according to the text?| A．They can find danger. | B．They look better than real ones. |
| C．They work under human control. | D．They make automatic replies. |
| A．The challenges marine parks are facing. | B．The possibility of creating robot dolphins. |
| C．A way to the problems with sea animals. | D．The importance of developing robot dolphins. |
| A．Recognized. | B．Protected. | C．Separated. | D．Controlled. |
| A．It made more money for some organizations. | B．It served an environmentally valuable cause. |
| C．It helped make advances in robot technology. | D．It would replace real dolphins in the long run. |
