David Rees runs a very distinctive business. He charges customers $15 to sharpen their pencils to perfection, using a variety of tools.
I know what you’re thinking—is this a joke? The 39-year-old gets asked that question a lot. To clarify everything, he even created a special section on his website telling everyone he’s actually providing a real service.
You can supply your own pencil or you can have Rees sharpen one of his own favorite 2B pencils. After that, he mails it to you in a display tube with the shavings in a separate bag, and an authentic certificate which just happens to mention the pencil is so sharp as to be a dangerous object.
To achieve the desired result, the master sharpener uses all kinds of tools, including general sandpaper, pocket knives and even a special $ 450 sharpening machine. “It depends on what the customer wants to use his/her pencil for,” he says. That determines the most appropriate pencil-sharpening technique. Some customers buy pencils as inspirational symbols while others buy them because of their special memories of classic 2B pencils.
$15 to have a pencil sharpened is a bit expensive though, right? You’re not the only one who feels that way, and David’s unique business has really angered lots of people, who talk of inequality in America, saying it is so insane for the wealthy to pay $15 to sharpen a pencil. But others will say, “This is just our urge to put an end to the welfare state because new ideas arise along with the business.”
David admits his trade is sort of unusual. But there are those who actually value his service, as is proven by the over 500 orders he has gotten.
1. How could David make money by sharpening pencils?| A．He invented new tools for the job. |
| B．He provided quality service for his customers. |
| C．He promoted his skill on his website. |
| D．He saved lots of time for other people. |
| A．He provides personalized services. |
| B．He knows all kinds of pencil users. |
| C．He values ideas behind the pencils. |
| D．He always writes in pencil. |
| A．Deliberate. | B．Rewarding. | C．Unreasonable. | D．Irresponsible. |
| A．It’s a waste of time and money. | B．It needs further improvement. |
| C．It’s awfully expensive. | D．It’s a fancy service. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】In February, news broke that Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff had taken a “digital detox(脱瘾)”: 10 tech-free days at a French Polynesian resort. For a small group of people, taking a step back from devices is an achievable dream, but for most, it’s an impossibility, especially.
A digital detox requires dismissing technology almost entirely: taking a break from screens, social media and video conferences for multiple days. The goals—reducing stress or anxiety, and reconnecting with the physical world—are well-intentioned. However, experts say a digital detox isn’t practical anymore for most people.
“Technology is very much a part of us now. We bank with an app, read restaurant menus on phones and even sweat with exercise instructors through a screen,” says Seattle-based consultant Emily Cherkin, who specialises in screen-time management. “It’s so embedded(嵌入式的) in our lives, we’re setting ourselves up for failure if we’re going to go phone-free for a week.”
As people become increasingly interdependent on technology, doing a digital detox no longer seems like a reasonable goal. But there may be a more realistic solution that will lessen our tech obsession(着迷), without forcing us to totally disconnect.
Rather than cutting out technology altogether, practice digital mindfulness. Make sure the use of technology is purposeful. Instead of a full detox, digital mindfulness may be more practical for some people: less worry about cutting tech out entirely, and more focus on being intentional with its use.
The goal shouldn’t be to cut off technology or to put a full stop. People still need to send an email, but can do so without getting distracted by the various online contents.
This approach is called “grey detoxing”—you’re not totally immersed(沉浸的) or totally cut off from technology. Instead of causing ourselves more anxiety by attempting to live without our phones for a week, we can approach unavoidable screen time in a way that feels right for our individual lives.
1. Why does the author mention Marc Benioff in paragraph 1?| A．To criticize the idea of digital detox. | B．To urge readers to take a digital detox. |
| C．To bring digital detox up for discussion. | D．To recommend a French Polynesian resort. |
| A．They are more stressed and anxious. | B．They are deeply influenced by tech. |
| C．They are unwilling to go phone-free. | D．They tend to be more pessimistic. |
| A．Going on a holiday to Polynesia. | B．Avoiding tech altogether. |
| C．Disconnecting occasionally. | D．Using tech purposefully. |
| A．It is achievable. | B．It is unreasonable. |
| C．It is ridiculous. | D．It is unrealistic. |
【推荐2】Age discrimination(歧视）is a large problem in the United States today. Teenagers are considered dishonest, old people are considered incapable(无能的）,kids considered noisy.
Picture this: a teenage boy, with a group of friends, walks laughing into a store.They read some magazines, walk by the candy, and then walk out without buying anything. What’s the first thought of this? It might be that they stole something. Maybe the employees would even go as far as to call the police about these boys, who didn’t steal anything but were discriminated against simply because they were “teenage boys”.
This happens every day, all over America. We don’t tell the kids much, because they won’t understand, they’re too young. We feel surprised when we see old people run marathons, or even take part in simple fun activities such as volleyball or swimming, because they are “old”, and “incapable".
People who are discriminated against, no matter what the reason, can be hurt by it.They can be offended, because it isn't something they can help.Like my example of the teenage boy above, he was simply having fun as he walked into the store.He wasn’t planning to steal anything or to cause any trouble; he could even be one of the best students in school, but he was discriminated against for being a teenager.
Of course,this doesn’t mean you should persuade your grandparents right away to run a marathon,but give them a little trust.They are capable of doing things we are,and sometimes more.So next time you tell your little brother that he’s “too young to understand” or think that your grandmother is “too old” to do sports, listen to yourself. I know you are offended by being considered as a teenager, so how do you think they feel? Remember, it all hurts. Everyone should have equal opportunities, no matter how old he is.
1. The underlined word “It” in Paragraph 2 refers to .| A．The fact | B．The result |
| C．The thought | D．The problem |
| A．people should give more opportunities to teenagers |
| B．age discrimination is serious in today’s world |
| C．teenagers should behave in a proper way |
| D．it's really hard to depend on teenagers |
| A．we shouldn’t judge others by their age |
| B．we should try to help incapable people |
| C．we should encourage old people to run marathons |
| D．we shouldn’t enter a store if we don’t want to buy anything |
| A．an unfortunate teenager |
| B．different age groups |
| C．equal opportunities |
| D．a social problem |
【推荐3】From Mozart to Metallica, tons of people enjoy listening to various types of music while they paint or write. Many believe that music helps boost creativity, but an international study conducted by British and Swedish researchers is challenging that belief. Their findings indicate that music actually stymies creativity.
To come to their conclusions, researchers had participants complete verbal insight problems designed to inspire creativity while sitting in a quiet room, and then again while music played in the background. They found that background music “significantly damaged” the participants’ ability to complete tasks associated with verbal creativity. The research team also tested background noises such as those commonly heard in a library, but found that such noises had no impact on subjects’ creativity. The tasks were simple word games. For example, participants were given three words, such as dress, dial, and flower. Then, they were asked to find a single word associated with all three that could be combined to form a common phrase or word. The single word, in this case, would be “sun” (sundress, sunflower, sundial). Participants completed the tasks in either a quiet room, or a room with 3 different types of music: music with unfamiliar lyrics (歌词), instrumental music, or music with familiar lyrics.
“We found strong evidence of damaged performance when playing background music in comparison to quiet background conditions,” says co-author Dr. Neil McLatchie of Lancaster University.
Dr. McLatchie and his colleagues theorize that music interferes (干涉) with the verbal working memory processes of the brain, blocking creativity. Also, as far as the library background noises having seemingly no effect, the study’s authors believe that was the case because library noises create a “steady state” environment that doesn’t disrupt concentration. It’s worth mentioning that even familiar music with well-known lyrics damaged participants’ creativity, regardless of whether or not it caused a positive reaction, or whether participants typically studied or created while listening to music.
1. Why are Mozart and Metallica mentioned at the beginning?| A．To prove they are very creative. | B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To show the importance of music. | D．To offer some background information. |
| A．Blocks. | B．Boosts. | C．Inspires. | D．Strengthens. |
| A．man | B．store | C．work | D．boy |
| A．The tasks were very difficult for participants to finish. |
| B．All participants were exposed to two different types of music. |
| C．Music with famous lyrics didn’t harm participants’ creativity. |
| D．Library background noises hardly affected participants’ creativity. |
【推荐1】At first glance Esther Okade seems like a normal 10-year-old. She loves dressing up as Elsa from “Frozen”, playing with Barbie dolls and going to the park or shopping. But what makes the British-Nigerian youngster stand out is the fact that she’s also a university student.
Esther, from Walsall, an industrial town in the UK’s West Midlands region, is one of the country’s youngest college freshmen. The talented 10-year-old enrolled at the Open University in January and is already top of the class, having recently scored 100% in an exam.
“It’s so interesting and super easy,” she laughs. “My mum taught me in a nice way.” She adds: “I want to finish the course in two years. Then I’m going to do my PhD in financial maths when I’m 13. I want to have my own bank by the time I’m 15 because I like numbers and I like people and banking is a great way to help people.”
And in case people think her parents have pushed her into starting university early, Esther disagrees. “I actually wanted to start when I was seven. But my mum didn’t agree.” After three years of begging, Mother Efe finally agreed to explore the idea.
Esther has always jumped ahead of her peers. Her mother noticed her daughter’s gift for figures shortly after she began homeschooling her at the age of three. Initially, Esther’s parents had enrolled her in a private school but after a few short weeks, the usually-energetic youngster refused to go back to that school because the teachers didn’t let her talk in class. In the UK, education is not compulsory until five, so Efe started to do little things at home by teaching basic number skills but Esther was miles ahead. By four, her natural talent for maths had seen the eager student move on to algebra (代数学) and quadratic equations (二次方程式).
And Esther isn’t the only maths miracle in the family. Her younger brother Isaiah, 6, will soon be sitting his first A-level exam in June.
1. Which of the following makes Esther Okade different from her normal peers?| A．She is the youngest college student in the UK. |
| B．She goes to university at a much earlier age. |
| C．She often gets full marks in maths exams. |
| D．She loves acting as a university student. |
| A．Esther thinks her parents expect too much of her |
| B．Esther cannot adapt herself well to college life |
| C．Esther asked to go to university even earlier |
| D．Esther dislikes being taught at home |
| A．The gene from her family. | B．Her course in the university. |
| C．The criticism from her teachers. | D．Her mother’s homeschooling. |
| A．is ambitious and has a clear goal | B．is creative and loves exploring the unknown |
| C．is rebellious but ready to help others | D．is energetic but reluctant to challenge herself |
Bertha von Suttner received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905—she was the first woman to receive it, and also the inspiration for the creation of the Nobel Prize.
She met Alfred Nobel, a rich millionaire, by answering his newspaper ad for a secretary. Although she only worked for him for a few weeks, she remained good friends with Alfred Nobel for the next 20 years. When she became involved in the peace movement in Europe, she promised to keep Nobel informed of its progress. When Alfred Nobel died in 1896, his will included the establishment of a peace prize, thanks to Bertha von Suttner’s influence.
Bertha von Suttner was born in an aristocratic (贵族) military family, but she spent the second half of her life working for peace. She wrote books, attended peace conferences, gave lectures and helped organize peace societies in Austria, Germany and Hungary, as well as the International Peace Bureau in Switzerland. Her novel Lay Down your Arms, was one of the most influential anti-war books of all time, and helped to make her a leader of the peace movement in Europe. Its end to war theme was both the ambition (抱负) and the most important goal in the life of this great woman.
Bertha von Suttner worked so hard for peace because she believed that a terrible war would break out in Europe if nations didn’t work hard to establish lasting peace institutions. She made many major achievements for a more peaceful world, but two months after she died, World War I broke out. A hundred years after she won the Nobel Peace Prize, nations still seem to view war as a choice to work out their problems. But like Bertha von Suttner did, many today are working hard around the world to help strengthen peace institutions and spread the idea that it’s time to put an end to war.
1. Which of the following is true about Bertha von Suttner?| A．She worked for Alfred Nobel for 20 years. |
| B．She helped Alfred Nobel draw up his will. |
| C．She persuaded Alfred Nobel to join the peace movement. |
| D．She inspired Alfred Nobel to establish the Nobel Peace Prize. |
| A．efforts and contributions to the peace movement. |
| B．family background and work experiences. |
| C．writing career and life experiences. |
| D．ambition and goals in life. |
| A．It was based on a true story. |
| B．It recorded Bertha von Suttner’s daily life. |
| C．It was about an aristocratic military family. |
| D．It showed Bertha von Suttner’s wish for peace. |
| A．Her fight for peace is still shared by many. |
| B．She failed to found peace institutions. |
| C．She successfully predicted a war. |
| D．She lost her life in World War I. |
【推荐3】Glenda and Raphael Savitz moved to Newton h 2016. They found themselves welcomed into the neighbourhood with truly open arms. Three months later, they gave birth to Samantha. Unluckily, she was born entirely deaf. The neighbourhood was still excited to welcome little Samantha, of course, but they were worried about her parents.
The neighbours wanted to do something to make things easier for the family. All the neighbourhood agreed to take on the responsibility of learning an entirely second language all for their youngest member. Samantha would grow up learning to "speak" American Sign Language, so her friends and neighbours would learn to speak it right along with her. The group of 18 residents employed a sign language teacher and the whole neighbourhood except Glenda and Raphael Savitz began to learn American Sign Language in a neighbour's big living room. They believed people everywhere wished to have a community with something positive around and Samantha was bringing about a reason for them to get together.
The neighbours went on learning hard and kept things secret for as long as possible. They wanted to communicate with the little girl. Finally, the time came to show Raphael, Glenda, and Samantha what they had done. The family found themselves overwhelmed by the welcoming signs of their friends and neighbours. Glenda recalled it as one of the most affecting experiences she'd ever felt. A present for Samantha would have made her grateful, but this was so much more. Now after the neighbours say hello to her parents, they bend down to greet three-year-old Samantha with sign language. At every turn, in the street, the grocery store, or by the canal, Samantha feels included.
1. What was the neighbours' decision about helping the couple?| A．Collecting money online. | B．Learning the sign language. |
| C．Teaching Samantha a second language. | D．Keeping Samantha company all the time. |
| A．She forced her parents to struggle hard. | B．She set an example to other children. |
| C．She was a tie of the neighbourhood. | D．She made her family poor. |
| A．Frightened. | B．Excited. | C．Worried. | D．Moved. |
| A．Terrible. | B．Warm. | C．Disappointing. | D．Peaceful. |
【推荐1】Last weekend I made my first visit to a remote village, home to one of our students, Tombe. Another teacher and I walked for two and a half hours to get there—first, up a mountain from where we had fantastic views, and then down a shaded path to the valley below. When we arrived at the village, Tombe’s mother, Kiak, saw us coming and started crying “ieee ieee”. We shook hands with all the villagers. Everyone seemed to be related to Tombe.
Tombe’s father, Mukap, a man with a strong jaw and a wrinkled forehead, led us to his house, a low, round bamboo hut with no windows, with a door just big enough to get through, and with grass sticking out of the roof—this shows it is a man’s house. Such housing is dark inside so it took time for our eyes to adjust. Fresh grass had been laid on the floor and there was a platform for Jenny and me to sleep on. There was a fireplace in the centre of the hut. The only possessions I could see were one broom, a few saucers, a kettle, cups, pans, and a couple of jars.
Mukap built a fire outside and laid stones on it to heat. He then placed the hot stones in an empty oil drum with kau kau(sweet potato), ripe corn, and greens. He then covered the vegetables with banana leaves and left them to steam. It smelled delicious. We ate inside the hut sitting round the fire. I loved listening to the family talking softly to each other in their language, even though I could not participate much in the conversation. Luckily, Tombe interpreted for us.
Later, I noticed a can standing upside down on the grill (烤架) over the fire. After a while. Tombe threw it out of the doorway. Tombe told me that the can was heated to dry out the leftover food. His family believes that leftovers attract bad spirits in the night, so any leftover food is dried up in a can and the can is then thrown out of the hut.
We left the village the next morning after many goodbyes and firm handshakes. My muscles were aching and my knees shaking as we dragged ourselves down the mountain towards home. That evening I fell happily into bed. It was such a privilege to have spent a day with Tombe’s family.
1. Why did Tombe’s mother start crying “ieee ieee”?| A．Because she was excited to see her son home | B．Because she saw someone who scared he |
| C．Because she was welcoming the teachers. | D．Because that was her daily routine. |
| A．He’s not a considerate one. | B．He has a luxury house. |
| C．He had a good talk with the author. | D．He is good at cooking |
| A．amazed | B．puzzled | C．frightened | D．happy |
| A．drive bad spirits | B．protect the hut | C．hold the leftovers | D．be thrown out of the hut |
| A．She hated the long and tiring visit |
| B．She was pleased to visit the Tombe family. |
| C．She thought Tombe’s family was too poor. |
| D．She thought some of the Tombe family’s actions were stupid. |
【推荐2】In Cos Angel, a waiter served a group of teens. The waiter remembered his experience as a young high school prudent. So he made sure the teens had a pleasant experience at the restaurant. The waiter made sure of it.
After serving all the teens doing a great job, he was left a tip（消费）,only＄3.28. That was hardly enough to buy a drink at Roebucks.
The waiter went home. And he felt hatred for the students who did not know the value of hard work. They looked down on people like him. Or so he thought.
After several days, the waiter forgot about it. His life went on as usual. But ten days later, he received a letter from the teens.
“About a week and a half ago, on October 7, my three friends and I came to eat at this restaurant as our own homecoming celebration. It was an exciting experience for us to be here alone, and it was all new to us. And you were the best waiter we could ask for. You were kind, helpful, and didn’t treat us like babies! So I want to say thank you for making our ‘groan-up’ experience so amazing and fun.
“I would also like to say sorry on behalf of(代表) my group. Since we were new to all of this, reasonable(合乎情理)，but we had completely forgotten(and didn’t know,to be honest) what a tip even was, let alone how much to give. So we emptied our pockets, and all our money added up to $3.28.
“Having no idea of how small this really was ,we left. Later, we realized our mistake and felt terrible. We knew we had to make it right.
“So together with this letter, you will find the correct 18% tip + extra for simply being amazing. Thank you for your help and patience and also thank you for making our night fun. Thank you!”
1. How did the waiter receive the group of teens?| A．He tried to make then pay more. |
| B．He served them like other waiters. |
| C．He treated them as young children. |
| D．He did his best to make them happy. |
| A．Because they looked down on the waiter. |
| B．Because they didn't know what a tip meant. |
| C．Because they weren't pleased with the service. |
| D．Because they thought the tip should be that much. |
| A．The tip they left for the waiter. |
| B．The bill the restaurant received. |
| C．The way the waiter served them. |
| D．The fun they had at the restaurant. |
| A．What kind of guests they receive. |
| B．What dishes people usually order. |
| C．Whether they are given reasonable tips. |
| D．How much customers pay for their meals. |
【推荐3】Dan McKena’s high school construction class has quietly worked on charitable (慈善的) projects to benefit the Westerly, Rhode Island, community for more than two decades. That suddenly changed when the Internet caught wind that more than ten of McKena’s students at Westerly High School banded together to build a bus stop for a local school student who is wheelchair dependent.
It all started when 5-year-old Ryder Killam’s father, Tim, posted on Facebook in September that the family was seeking (寻找) a bus stop to replace their bus shelter. Tim Killam was trying to find a way to keep his son, who is completely wheelchair dependent, sheltered from the unpleasant New England weather while waiting for the school bus. The Facebook post caught the attention of a local guidance counselor who told the Killams to reach out to McKena.
McKena had been sitting with one of his students, Mason Heald, trying to figure out a senior project when Tim Killam’s email reached his inbox. It was perfect timing. “I looked at him. I said, ‘You’re designing a bus stop,’” McKena said. With the help of 14 other students, Heald got to work.
After about a month of hard work, Killam’s replacement — which was designed so he could actually sit in this chair and see the bus — was finished. The end result was a hut (小屋) with two windows that is up to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards.
After the community caught wind of the story, someone dropped off a blanket (毯子) for Ryder, Tim Killam said. The Killams were blown away by the support from the community.
It “makes getting on and off the bus perfect,” Tim Killam said. “The size is perfect and because it’s up to ADA standards, we are able to be inside with him. Ryder can get anxious (焦虑的), so having one of us with him is so important.”
1. What made McKena’s students widely known on the Internet?| A．Their effort to get support for their charitable projects. |
| B．Their bravery in following their dreams. |
| C．Their big achievements in construction. |
| D．Their making of a bus stop shelter. |
| A．To look for help. |
| B．To apply for a job. |
| C．To provide a service. |
| D．To ask for some information. |
| A．Disappointed. |
| B．Frightened. |
| C．Impressed. |
| D．Shocked. |
| A．He is worried about the quality of the bus stop. |
| B．He is very satisfied with the replacement. |
| C．His son is afraid to take a bus alone. |
| D．His son is deeply inspired. |
