I grew up in Hastings, a small coastal town in East Sussex, famous for 1066 years of history and seaside charm. I have a memory as a boy, saving my pocket money by placing it in a special drawer, the golden pound coins collecting into a neat pile. When I was 14 in 2007, I saved up money for a gap year, by working at a bingo hall, and I put the money into a savings account. I remember getting £70 ($91) interest rates one year, which made me feel very rich indeed.
Skip forward to 2018 and I was living and working in Beijing, China, as a journalist. All around me Beijing residents were paying for everything using just their smart phones. They would walk up to a counter of a restaurant, shop, or convenience store, and offer up a QR code(二维码)for the cashier to scan. Once scanned, the online system would immediately deduct(扣除) the exact amount owed from the payer’s e-wallet. No reaching for cash and waiting for change. The transaction would take seconds.
But I was a stubborn holdout. My friends, both Western and Chinese, would make fun of me for being so traditional – for sticking to ―dirty cash. But there were a couple of reasons why I kept using physical money and avoided getting into e-payments and e-wallets. Firstly, it felt safer. I wasn’t really aware of how electronic money would work on my smart phone and I feared it would somehow get easily taken away. Secondly, I feared that by moving to e-payments, I would end up spending more. I would lose all sense of how much, day by day, I would be spending.
Were these fears justified? As more and more people across the world escape cash, these are essential issues for me to consider.
1. Which of the following made the writer feel very rich?| A．Saving £70 ($91) by placing it in a special drawer. |
| B．Collecting £70 ($91) coins into a neat pile. |
| C．Putting £70 ($91) into a savings account in bank. |
| D．Getting £70 ($91) interest rates from a bank. |
| A．No reaching for cash. | B．No waiting for change. |
| C．Taking only few seconds. | D．Spending more money. |
| A．Because he was too traditional to save money. |
| B．Because he liked the sense of paying in cash. |
| C．Because he thought e-payments would deduct more. |
| D．Because he knew how e-payments work on smartphones. |
| A．He accepted the idea that money is abstract. |
| B．He eventually turned to using e-payments. |
| C．He thought the pain of e-payment is delayed. |
| D．He insisted that having physical cash is safer. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Every pet owner loves his pet. There is no argument here.
But when we asked our readers whether they would clone their beloved animals, the responses were split almost down the middle. Of the 228 readers who answered it, 108 would lone, 111 would not and nine weighed each side without offering an opinion.
Clearly, from readers’ response, this is an issue that reaches deeply into both the joy and eventual sadness of owning a pet. It speaks, as well, to people’s widely differing expectations over the developing scientific procedure.
Most of the respondents who favored the idea strongly believed it would produce at least a close copy of the original; many felt the process would actually return an exact copy. Those on the other side, however, held little hope a clone could never truly recreate a pet, many simply didn’t wish to go against the natural law of life and death.
Both sides expressed equal love for their animals. More than a few respondents owned “the t dog/cat in the World”. They thought of their pets as their “best friend”, ‘‘a member of the family,” “the light of my life.” They told moving stories of pets’ heroism, intelligence and selfless devotion.
Little wonders the loss is so disturbing---and the cloning so attractive. “People become very lose to their animals, and the loss can be just as hard to bear as when a friend or family member
dies,” says Gary Kowalski, author of Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet. “For me, cloning feels like an attempt to turn death away... It’s understandable. Death is always painful. It’s difficult to deal with. It’s hard to accept.”
But would cloning reduce the blow? This question seemed to be at the heart of this problem.
1. So far as the cloning of pets is concerned, a recent survey shows that, of all pet owners, ,| A．a lot more of them are for it | B．a lot more of them are against it |
| C．very few of them are willing to tell their opinions | D．about half of them are for it and the other half against it |
| A．the troubles one has to deal with in keeping a pet |
| B．the high cost of owning a pet |
| C．the death of one’s pet |
| D．the dangers involved in the cloning of a pet |
| A．has never thought about the problem of cloning |
| B．is in favor of the idea of cloning pets |
| C．is going to write another book on pets |
| D．is all against the cloning of pets |
| A．Can cloning make the pain one suffers less when a pet dies? |
| B．Can pet owners afford the cost of cloning? |
| C．Does cloning go against the law of nature? |
| D．How reliably does cloning produce an exact copy of one’s pet? |
【推荐2】Whether you’re close to home or far away, it’s always a little worrying to drive in a big city. Driving in a sea of cars can be stressful even if you’re an experienced city driver. You probably know this all too well if you live in the state with the worst drivers in America.
Take Paris, France, for example. The City of Light is famous for its chaotic roads, including the Champs-Elysees, a famous avenue with no median(中央隔离带), and the “Etoile” , or “star” ,a very large traffic circle that connects no fewer than 12 separate roads. You’d think stop signs would be a necessity.
Paris hasn’t always been a stop-sign-free capital city, though.
There may not be stop signs, but plenty of other signs prevent the Parisian streets from becoming chaotic.
| A．However, the city doesn’t have a single one. |
| B．This is why road sign are different shapes. |
| C．But stressful city driving isn’t unique to that state --- or America. |
| D．According to a Paris police report, the city did have one stop sign at one point. |
| E．Although this sign was famous, it seemed that no one paid much attention to it. |
| F．Cars on the right have the right of way, at both regular crossings and in traffic circles. |
| G．One of the -most common is the red circle, “Do Not Enter”, indicating a-one-way street. |
【推荐3】Carlos Slim’s proposal that we work a three - day week sounds crazy. But many, in 1922, thought Henry Ford crazy when he announced that his staff would work a five - day week.
Our working week seems normal to us because it is what we all always do. He certainly could be for those he was most concerned about when he made his three - day - week statement at a business conference in Paraguay: the workers who are not ready to retire. As Mr. Slim said, it no longer makes sense for people to stop working in their fifties or sixties when they may still have up to a third of their lives ahead of them. “People are going to have to work for more years, until they are 70 or 75, and just work three days a week - perhaps 11 hours a day.” he said.
Keeping older employees at work makes sense for societies, especially those with a diminishing number of young people who are expected to support long - living retirees.
He appeared to be suggesting that these short - week workers earn the same as they did full - time. That is what happens at Telmex, his Mexican fixed - line phone company, where those qualified for retirement can choose to work four - day weeks on full pay.
Older workers elsewhere might prefer shorter weeks on reduced pay - and eight or nine - hour days rather than 11. Their companies might value keeping their experience while saving money on their salaries. What about everyone else? There are those who are unemployed, or in unstable jobs, who would be delighted to have three secure, well - paid days of work a week.
Shorter weeks don’t work in every job, but they work in more jobs than most tradition - bound managers think. Agreeing to them requires two shifts in management thinking. The first is the realization that much of the time spent in offices is wasted anyway. Second, senior executives need ro understand that the best way to measure people is by the work they produce - not by how much time they spend at their desks.
People living longer, in better health, are changing working life too. Mr. Slim’s idea is in tune with the times.
1. According to paragraph 2 why did Mr. Slim think it unwise for people in their fifties or sixties to retire ?| A．Because they have longer life to live in their future. |
| B．Because they have children and old parents to support |
| C．Because they have much interest in their present work. |
| D．Because they have more experience than young workers. |
| A．The decision of working five days a week by Ford was considered normal in the past. |
| B．Old people continuing working can reduce young people’s pressure to support their old parents |
| C．Some companies don’t want their old workers to go on working because they can save money. |
| D．Much time spent at work is wasted if managers don’t agree to reduce old employees’working time. |
| A．Different from. | B．Superior to. |
| C．Far from. | D．Consistent with. |
| A．Retire Or Not, This Is A Question! |
| B．Shorter Weeks Is Welcome By All |
| C．Working Three Days A Week: A Great Idea |
| D．Carlos Slim - Crazy For More Resting Time |
【推荐1】Singapore’s tradition of eating out in places called hawker centers is now recognized by the United Nations for its cultural importance.
A hawker is a person who sells food or goods and advertises by shouting at people walking by on the street. Hawkers are an important part of Singaporean culture. Open-air eating areas where hawkers sell their goods are very popular. Famous chefs, such as Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay have praised them.
On Wednesday, the United Nations, cultural agency, UNESCO, added the city’s “hawker culture,” to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Singapore sought to have hawker culture added to the list about two years ago. Now that it has been recognized, Singapore must provide a report every six years to UNESCO. The report must show efforts the city-state has made to save and support its hawker culture.
“These centers serve as ‘community dining rooms’, where people from diverse backgrounds gather and share the experience of dining over breakfast, lunch and dinner,” UNESCO said.
In the 1970s, Singapore cleaned up its streets so the city moved street hawkers to new eating centers. These areas were part of an effort to improve the island. Now, the centers offer many different low-cost meals for local people and provide a pleasing social setting. The 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians showed its stars enjoying meals at a famous night market. Some sellers even received Michelin stars from a famous restaurant rating system for their meals costing only a few dollars.
But, now the average age of a hawker in Singapore is 60 years old. Younger Singaporeans now want to work in offices. They are less interested in working in small restaurants. The COVID-19 health crisis also hurt sales, preventing foreign visitors and locals from eating out.
1. What do we know about hawkers from paragraph 2?| A．They sell goods in the open-air area. |
| B．They are famous chefs. |
| C．They are Singapore natives. |
| D．They are popular all over the world. |
| A．For the efforts Singapore has made. |
| B．For its importance in showing Singapore’s culture. |
| C．For the report Singapore provided. |
| D．For the recommendation by UNESCO. |
| A．To advertise the film. |
| B．To introduce the stars. |
| C．To show the popularity of hawker centers. |
| D．To help the sellers receive Michelin stars. |
| A．The difficulties hawker culture are facing. |
| B．The average age of hawkers. |
| C．The effect caused by COVID-19. |
| D．The future of the hawker culture. |
【推荐2】Tang Dynasty poets sang for about three centuries in different tones. There were many famous poets living in the Tang period such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi and Li Shangyin. Quan Tangshi edited in the Qing Dynasty is a collection of about 48, 900 poems that were written by over 2, 200 poets. But it doesn't cover all the poems of the Tang Dynasty.
During the Tang Dynasty, poems were recited when lovers walked under the moonlight. Poems were also recited when soldiers fought on the battlefield. People recited them in the open air or at temple fairs.
In the Tang Dynasty scholars（学者）had to be poets. Their readers were not only people of high social position but also common people. Poets recited poems；women singers sang poems and other ranks of people, including old women and children, read Tang poems. This atmosphere affected foreigners who visited the country at that time. As a result, Tang poetry was introduced to some adjacent countries, like Japan and Vietnam.
Tang poetry is a most brilliant page in the history of ancient Chinese literature. It's a miracle（奇迹）in the cultural history of mankind. The Tang Dynasty was a powerful empire with a vast territory. It inherited（继承）Chinese civilization that went back to ancient times, and was combined with the best of other cultures and adopted the benefits of other nations in the world. Tang poetry wasn’t the only spiritual wealth created by people of the Tang Dynasty. Philosophy, handwriting, painting, music and dance all gained new peaks of development. Tang poetry, however, was the jewel in the crown and the greatest achievement in the Tang Dynasty.
1. It can be learned from Paragraph 1 that ________.| A．there were more than 48, 900 poems written in the Tang Dynasty |
| B．in total there were four famous poets in the Tang Dynasty |
| C．only people of the Tang Dynasty created poems |
| D．in the Tang Dynasty most common people were poets |
| A．neighboring | B．strong |
| C．poor | D．western |
| A．In the Tang Dynasty all poets were scholars. |
| B．In the Tang Dynasty poems were quite popular. |
| C．Many foreigners came to the east during the Tang Dynasty. |
| D．In the Tang Dynasty many poems were sung by women singers. |
| A．The reasons for the poets to create poems in the Tang Dynasty. |
| B．Tang poetry, the greatest spiritual wealth in ancient China. |
| C．The significance and influence of Tang poetry. |
| D．The editors of Tang poetry in the Qing Dynasty. |
【推荐3】Learning the word for fish in Chinese can be a highly useful skill. Knowing how to say “fish” in Chinese is both practical and helpful in understanding cultural values.
The Chinese Character for Fish
The Chinese character for “fish”, written in the traditional form, is 魚 .
Cultural Importance of Fish in China
The pronunciation of fish in Chinese, “yú” is a homophone (同音字) for “abundance (充裕).”
Fish in Chinese Mythology
One of the most interesting Chinese myths about fish is the idea that a carp (鲤鱼) that climbs the waterfall on the Yellow River (known as the Dragon Gate) changed into a dragon.
| A．The simplified form is 鱼. |
| B．But very few make the climb. |
| C．Surprisingly, a lot of them are not related to fish at all. |
| D．This addition suggests that fish is most useful to humans. |
| E．The dragon is another important symbol in Chinese culture. |
| F．For example, Asian carp are the subject of many Chinese stories. |
| G．This similarity has led to fish becoming a symbol of abundance in Chinese culture. |
“Can I see my baby?” asked the happy new mother. The bundle (婴儿包) was placed in her arms and when she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped—the baby had been born without ears. Time, however, proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect except his appearance.
One day when he rushed home from school and threw himself into his mother’s arms, he cried out bitterly, “A boy, a big boy…called me－a f... freak.” She sighed, knowing that his life was to be endless of heartbreaks.
He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift for literature and music.
The boy’s father had a talk with the family doctor. Could nothing be done? “I believe we could graft (移植) on a pair of outer ears, if they could be donated (捐献) ,” the doctor decided. So the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice (牺牲) for a young man. Two years went by. Then, “You’re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’s a secret.” said the father.
The operation was a brilliant success. His talents blossomed into genius. School and college became a series of successes. Later he married and entered the diplomatic (外交) service. “But I must know!” he urged his father. “Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him.”
“I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know…not yet.” The years kept the secret, but the day did come...one of the darkest days that ever passed through a son. He stood with his father over his mother’s casket(棺材). Slowly and tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to let out the secret.
1. The story is mainly about ________.
| A．how a boy had new ears through an operation |
| B．what a devoted parent privately did for the child |
| C．how a disabled boy turned into a useful person |
| D．why a donator made a sacrifice to a bright boy |
| A．was determined to donate her ears to perfect her son |
| B．kept her husband unknown about the baby’s situation |
| C．felt shocked and disappointed to see her new baby |
| D．complained of her bad luck to have a disabled child |
| A．slow-acting person | B．ugly-looking child |
| C．badly-behaved student | D．strangely-shaped creature |
| A．The agreement was between the donator and the family. |
| B．The boy was so popular that he was made class president. |
| C．Finally the boy came to know who the donator was. |
| D．The mother donated her ears to her son after she died. |
| A．Real love lies in what is done unknown rather than what is done known. |
| B．It is parents’ responsibility to help their children heart and soul. |
| C．True beauty lies only in the heart not in appearance. |
| D．Young generations should learn to be grateful. |
【推荐2】The wife of British superstar singer Sir Tom Jones has died after a short battle with cancer.
The news has come just weeks after Tom Jones suddenly announced the cancellation of planned concerts in Asia and the Middle East, saying it was for a serious illness in his family. He did not say at the time the patient was his wife. Lady Melinda Jones.
His tour would have seen him perform at concerts in Japan, Thailand, South Korea and then the Middle East at the end of 2016.
In a message on social media, the Wales-born singer announced that his beloved wife of 59 years. Lady Melinda Jones, known as Linda, passed away.
The 75-year-old singer said his wife had fought a “short but fierce battle with cancer" .
The statement added, “Surrounded by her husband and loved ones, she passed away peacefully at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles."
“Sir Tom and his family have asked for privacy at this difficult time and no further information is accessible at present."
The couple had known each other since they were both aged 12, and were both the children of coal miners in South Wales. They started dating all the age of 15, and married a year later when they were 16. Next year would have been their 60th wedding anniversary. The couple had one son, Mark, who is Sir Tom's manager.
Jones has had 36 Top 40 hits in Britain and 19 in the United State, some of his famous songs include It's Not Unusual, Delilah, Green, Green Grass of Home and She's a Lady.
1. What can we learn from the second paragraph?| A．Tom Jones loves his son very deeply. |
| B．The couple's son, mark, is Sir Tom's manager. |
| C．Lady Melinda Jones suffers from cancer for a long lime. |
| D．Tom Jones stopped his planned concerts in Asia. |
| A．36. | B．19. | C．55. | D．59. |
| A．Top 40 Hits in Britain And The United States. |
| B．A Brief introduction to British Singer Tom Jones. |
| C．Wife of Britain Singer Tom Jones Died of Cancer. |
| D．Sir Tom Jones And His Story of Success. |
【推荐3】I will always remember my mother's last few days in this world.
On February 14th, 2000 my class went on a field trip to the beach. I had so much fun. When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster's office. When I got into the office, I saw a police office. Suddenly I realized something was wrong. The police office told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up. After that, we went to the hospital and waited. Time went slowly. Finally, we got to see our mother. It was terrible.
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happened. I was taking a rest that day. I knew it had something to do with my mother. I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better. How I wished that she had gotten better. When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me. She started crying, “She's gone. Teresa, mommy's gone. She's dead.” I couldn't believe it. We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital. Most of my family were there. The silence was terrible. I knew I had to say goodbye.
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live. My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart. My mother was an angel walking on the earth. I will always remember her as living. When someone is asked who their hero (英雄) is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears, When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother. My mother lives every day. That is what makes her a true hero.
1. Where was the writer when she learned her mother was very ill?| A．On the beach. | B．At the hospital. | C．At school. | D．At home. |
| A．Her sister. | B．The headmaster. | C．Her teacher. | D．The police officers. |
| A．Her mother had been very ill. | B．Her mother had been dead. |
| C．Her mother had gotten better, | D．Her sister came to see her. |
| A．the writer is afraid of her mother | B．the writer is proud of her mother |
| C．the writer feels sad about her mother | D．the writer feels sorry for her mother |
| A．famous | B．free | C．rich | D．great |
Two U. S.— based groups, the Council on Foreign Relations and the National Geographic, Society commissioned an online survey earlier this year. They wanted to know what young people educated in American colleges knew about geography, U. S. foreign policy, recent international events, and economics.
The survey was given to over 1,200 Americans between the ages of 18 and 26 years. All of them presently attending, or having previously graduated from, a 2- or 4-year college or university.
The average test score, out of 75 total possible answers, was 55 percent. The study identifies a few important problems. For example, only 30 percent knew that the only part of the U. S. government that can declare war is Congress. Only 60% of those taking the survey could identify Brazil on a world map.
Part of the problem, argue the organizers of the survey, is the internet. They say it is becoming harder to find high-quality information about world events amongst all the fake news and trivia which swamp the web. Forty-three percent of those questioned said they read about the news on Facebook.
Another problem is that most college courses do not require students to learn about international issues. If such information is not required, Richard Haass from the Council on Foreign Relations said, then the United States could have leaders like Gary Johnson. He was a recent presidential candidate who did not know about the Syrian city of Aleppo when a reporter asked him about it.
The survey results were not all bad. The young people also demonstrated a good understanding of climate change and renewable energy. And the majority of them said that international issues were becoming more important to them.
Haass says these findings suggest the need to find was to get good information to students, both in school and online. To help, the Council on Foreign Relations is creating a new program called CFR Campus, designed to help build knowledge about global issues.
1. What can we learn about the survey?| A．All the participants were recent university graduates. |
| B．It was an online survey conducted by two US universities. |
| C．Its aim is to figure out what the young people know about America. |
| D．It was given to over 1,200 American people aged from 18 to 26. |
| A．Young people are unwilling to travel abroad. |
| B．The sources from which they get their information. |
| C．The US university system is of poor quality. |
| D．Their lack of interest in knowing more about the world. |
| A．Environmental matters. | B．Geographic information. |
| C．Foreign relations. | D．Government organizations. |
| A．Economics. | B．Entertainment. |
| C．Politics. | D．Education. |
【推荐2】Theresa May is the second female prime minister（首相）, taking charge of the UK at one of the most hard times in recent political history.
Born in Sussex but raised largely in Oxfordshire, Mrs. May was educated in a grammar school in the village of Wheatley. The young Theresa Brasier threw herself into village life.
Like Margaret Thatcher, she went to the University of Oxford to study. In 1976, in her third year, she met her husband Philip May. They were introduced at a Conservative Association disco and got married four years later.
Her university friend Pat Frankland, speaking in 2011 on a BBC Radio 4, said, “I cannot remember a time when she did not have political ambitions（政治抱负）.”
There are no tales of drunken student celebration, but Pat Frankland and other friends said May was not the serious figure she would later come to be seen as, and that she had a sense of fun and a full social life.
After graduating with a degree in geography, May went to work in the Bank of England. But it was already clear that she saw her future in politics. Like Margaret Thatcher, it took a bit of time for her to find hers. She first dipped her toe in the water in 1992, when she gained a Labour seat in North West Durham. She entered Parliament in 1997 and Theresa was chosen as Home Secretary（内政大臣） in May 2010 and became the longest-serving Conservative Home Secretary for over 60 years. During this time she was in charge of reductions in crime, reform of the police, and the introduction of the landmark Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Following her election as Leader of the Conservative Party, Theresa was chosen as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 13th July 2016.
1. Theresa May got married in ______.| A．1976 | B．1980 |
| C．1992 | D．1997 |
| A．Her strong ambitions. |
| B．Her husband’s help. |
| C．A sense of fun. |
| D．A full social life. |
| A．They received the degree in geography. |
| B．They didn’t become politicians on graduation. |
| C．They spent their childhood in the countryside. |
| D．They got to know their husbands in university. |
| A．She was a successful Home Secretary. |
| B．She was popular with her classmates. |
| C．She was serious when she was young. |
| D．She studied politics in university. |
【推荐3】Venice is a famous 1, 700-year-old city and one of Italy’s most important cities and a very romantic travel destination.
Transportation in Venice
The Grand Canal，which cuts through the center of the city, is like Venice’s main street in this canal-filled city. The boats runs along the Grand Canal from the train station and makes many stops, so it’s a good way to visit the main canal and get a good overview of the city. If you want something more up close and personal, take a taxi and a gondola, though they tend to be more expensive.
Venice Festivals
Venice’s Carnevale held 40 days before Easter, is one of the most lively and colorful celebrations in Italy. The Venetians go all out, wearing festive masks and costumes for a 10-day street party. In July, there’s the Redentore Regatta, an important festival held right on the Grand Canal.
Guided Tours
You’ll find guided tours for every place worth visiting, from well-known palaces to lesser-known destinations. Also, there are food tours and classes in rowing, cooking or making those beautiful theatrical masks Venice is famous for.
When to Go
Since it’s near the sea. Venice has gentle weather, although it can be rainy there nearly all year round. Venice experiences high-water flooding about 60 days a year, from October through early January. In Venice, make sure you have some way to check the changeable weather every day.
1. Which transportation will you choose if you want to have a good overview of the city?| A．By gondolas. | B．By car. |
| C．By train. | D．By boat. |
| A．Carnevale. | B．Easter. |
| C．Redentore Regatta. | D．Christmas. |
| A．stay in a romantic hotel | B．wear a nice mask. |
| C．know its weather first. | D．take a guided tour |
