1 . Christmas is long gone and Valentine’s Day is a distant memory. That means it’s a slow time for jewelers, and a good time for you to make a purchase. Whether you’re out shopping for gold, or silver, here are a few things you need to know:
What determines price?
The purity of the metal is one of the elements that determines the price. Gold purity is indicated with a stamp of 10K, 14K, 18K, or 24K. And different countries have their own standards. For example, for a piece to be considered gold in the US, it must be at least 10K. In Britain and Canada: 9K. In Italy and France: l8K. Anything over l8K is really too soft for everyday wear. That’s why jewelry stores in the US sell mostly 14K.
How much can you expect to pay?
That depends on the weight of the metal and the gemstone(宝石). So keep that in mind, especially when buying online. To keep yourself from getting ripped off, ask yourself the following:
●How long has the company been around?
●What is its return policy?
● Is the jewelry featured on the website visible from all directions?
● Is the company transparent with the gram weights and the size of the gemstones?
Yellow gold? White? Rose?
Yes, it’s confusing, and while this is largely a personal decision, there are a few things to keep in mind. For starters. white or rose gold costs about l 0% more than yellow gold. If you want the “look for less”, consider gold plated jewelry. “Gold plated” and “gold overlay” mean the same thing and guarantee a thicker layer of finish than “vermeil” which is a flash finish that is thinner and less consistent, but more affordable. Buy vermeil finished pieces you want for a season or two just to follow the fashion. For pieces you want to wear for a lifetime, solid gold is best.
What about sterling silver(标准纯银)?
Sterling silver has been an alternative for white gold during the difficult economy, and while it used to be more popular with just the younger these days it has much more mass appeal. So much so that retailers are now offering fine gemstones with silver-something you used to see only with gold.
Keep in mind that in the US. the sterling silver standard is 92.5% real silver. Don’t buy it if there isn’t a “925” stamp on it. And keep in mind that the lower price you’re paying for silver means more maintenance. To keep silver jewelry from becoming less shiny, consider keeping a piece of chalk in your jewelry box.
1. According to the passage, the underlined phrase “getting ripped off” in Paragraph 3 probably means “_______”.| A．being charged | B．being affected |
| C．being cheated | D．being attracted |
| A．A 14K necklace. | B．A gold-plated ring. |
| C．A gemstone necklace. | D．A vermeil earring. |
| A．in a cold place | B．in a dry place | C．in a wet place | D．in a hot place |
| A．encourage young people to buy fashionable jewelry |
| B．tell people the best time to purchase gold and silver |
| C．introduce the real value and popularity of gold and silver |
| D．inform people of the factors to consider in buying jewelry |
2 . WHEN my brother Joe was 6 months old, my mother brought him home from the hospital and told me to watch him while she fixed supper. We started playing a game I called “dogs”, rolling on the floor like pups (小狗). Then I looked up and saw my mother watching us. She was crying.
“He’s blind,” she said. “The doctor told me today.” I looked at Joe. He was laughing. “He can’t be blind,” I said. “He smiles at my face.” “He smiles at your voice,” she said. “He’ll never see your face.” That was that. Joe was blind. Mama went back to cooking. I went back to playing a dog.
From the age of 8, Joe boarded at a school for the deaf and the blind, learning to read Braille. When he was 16, the school said he’d learned enough and sent him home with a Braille typewriter. At 21, Joe moved out to live on his own, he said, “like a man,” in an apartment 30 miles (48 km) away. He learned to cook, clean, do his own laundry, and do almost anything else he needed.
Then he met the love of his life. She, too, was blind. When Joe called to tell me, he said: “Even a blind man can fall in love at first sight.” They shared 10 good years before he lost her to cancer. Painfully soon after, he also lost our mother, who was his champion, and our stepfather, who was Joe’s best friend.
What is left when you lose the loves of your life? My brother clung with an iron fist (拳头) to three gifts: Faith, hope and love.
His faith grew stronger. He always had hope. And his love for his family has never gotten weaker, despite death or disappointment. Loved ones leave, but love remains.
The years ahead may prove to be his hardest. His legs are growing weaker, threatening to take away the independence he’s fought so hard to keep. My sister and I often wonder what will happen if Joe can’t live on his own. It’s not up to us. We’ll do what we can, but it’s his life. He won’t have it any other way.
You don’t find strength to do something until it’s time to do it. Joe has found it whenever he has needed it. I believe he will again.
1. When the author’s mother brought her little brother Joe back from the hospital, the author ______.| A．was sad because he couldn’t see things clearly |
| B．immediately introduced him to the family dog |
| C．worried that he might steal her mother’s love from her |
| D．had great fun playing a game with him |
a. Joe started learning Braille at a school for the deaf and the blind.
b. Joe moved out to live independently and learned to cook and clean.
c. Joe was sent back home with his Braille typewriter.
d. Joe had a hard time when he lost three beloved family members.
e. Joe fell in love with a blind girl the first time they met.
| A．abedc | B．acbed | C．acebd | D．aecbd |
| A．People have to spend more time with their loved ones. |
| B．The disabled deserve our respect and support so that they can live an independent life. |
| C．Love, hope and determination can keep a man going despite hardship. |
| D．People should learn to get over the loss of their loved ones as love always remains. |
3 . IT was a 12-minute walk into the unknown, and it changed the history of space exploration forever. The first-ever spacewalk by former Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, 50 years ago on March 18, was also the first big test of space suit technology.
The old Soviet-style space suit was not quite ready yet, however. It was affected by the lack of atmospheric pressure in space. When Leonov had completed his space walk, he realized that his space suit “had inflated like a balloon, preventing him from getting back inside the spacecraft”, according to the BBC. The cosmonaut let half of the air out of his spacesuit and survived despite losing oxygen.
Nowadays, of course, this type of incident does not happen. But the problem of what to wear in space is still important, as space travel may soon be available to more people than ever.
In 2017, Space X and Boeing may become the first private companies to put people in space. What should the new, rich space travelers wear?
Well, their outfits won’t be like the white, boxy suits in the film Gravity. Those types of extra-vehicular activity (EVA) suits will be for professionals working outside a spacecraft. The average space traveler will instead need something to wear inside in case of an emergency when getting up and down again in a rocket or during docking.
These are called IVA (intra-vehicular activity) pressure suits, which should be effective, comfortable, and perhaps even fashionable. The best-known example is the orange “pumpkin suit” made famous by NASA, but more fashionable options may later be available.
In fact, fashion and space have been together for years. The first space suits for the Apollo moon program were built by Playtex, an underwear maker, and the company still works with NASA.
Nowadays in Brooklyn, New York there is a company called Final Frontier Design that makes the latest in space suit technology. All of their staff have backgrounds in show business, making Broadway musical and circus costumes. They are currently looking to introduce their space tech, like vibrating belts that can give directions by feel, to people on Earth.
The walk into unknown space fashion is just beginning. How would you show off in space?
1. According to the article, today’s space travelers have different experiences to that of Alexei Leonov because ______.| A．they have to perform space walks for long periods |
| B．today’s space suits are much safer and more convenient |
| C．they are provided with extra oxygen to survive in space |
| D．they can wear their own outfits on space missions |
| A．fail their space walk missions |
| B．put on the wrong space suit |
| C．have trouble with their space suits |
| D．forget the correct operating procedures |
| A．They will be intended for tough working conditions outside a spacecraft. |
| B．They will have to be orange. |
| C．They will be very heavy and expensive despite their fashionable look. |
| D．They will be created with the help of artists and designers. |
| A．Fashion comes to space. |
| B．Space travel exploration becomes more popular. |
| C．What happened to Alexei Leonov 50 years ago? |
| D．How space suits work? |
4 . Are parents rational (理性的) about their children? No. Parents aren’t rational because
My eldest daughter’s
“I sailed around the Mediterranean in a yacht (游艇) when I was seventeen,” she said. “I hiked through the Pyrenees from Spain to Paris. I’ve done rock climbing and deep-sea diving and slept in rainforests in the jungle of Indonesia. Right?”
“Right,” I said, “So
“So this,” she went on. “When I go to the corner drugstore to pick up some shampoo, why do you always tell me to be
There is no
All I could mumble (嘟囔) in
There is something else, too, that children find it hard to
But when the children are
Most
In the parent’s mind, a child ages but does not
| A．anxiety | B．fear | C．love | D．desire |
| A．accept | B．improve | C．remove | D．dislike |
| A．problem | B．question | C．warning | D．explanation |
| A．anger | B．pride | C．worry | D．surprise |
| A．when | B．how | C．what | D．why |
| A．brave | B．careful | C．quick | D．helpful |
| A．necessary | B．different | C．satisfactory | D．ordinary |
| A．apology | B．turn | C．regret | D．reply |
| A．persuade | B．promise | C．remind | D．expect |
| A．different | B．same | C．extra | D．right |
| A．age | B．distance | C．gender | D．power |
| A．decide | B．miss | C．choose | D．understand |
| A．success | B．happiness | C．luck | D．safety |
| A．argue | B．think | C．forget | D．complain |
| A．aware | B．hesitant | C．close | D．frightened |
| A．prove | B．matter | C．mean | D．mind |
| A．accidents | B．failures | C．changes | D．mistakes |
| A．follow | B．protect | C．spoil | D．treat |
| A．impression | B．effect | C．opportunity | D．response |
| A．stop | B．compete | C．leave | D．grow |
5 . Store scent(香味)
What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed (展示) at the entrance? Or the soft background music?
But have you ever noticed the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop’s scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is proving to be an increasingly powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.
A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers’ intention to purchase increased by 80 per cent.
When it comes to the best shopping streets in Paris, scent is just as important to a brand’s success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sale. That is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.
Some years ago, the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants’ disproving attitude and don’t-touch-what-you-can’t-afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e-commerce) has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar stores (实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination．And scent is just one way to achieve this.
Now, a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut (椰子) scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store’s windows to smell books，pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.
1. According to the passage, _________ is an increasingly powerful tool in the success of some brand stores.| A．Friendly assistants. | B．Soft background music. |
| C．Unique scents. | D．Attractive window display. |
| A．urge shop assistants to change their attitude |
| B．show the advantages of bricks-and-mortar stores |
| C．push stores to use sights and sounds |
| D．introduce the rise of e-commerce |
| A．a platform that exhibits goods | B．a spot where travelers like to stay |
| C．a place where customers love to go | D．a target that a store expects to meet |
| A．compare and analyze | B．examine and conclude |
| C．argue and discuss | D．inform and explain |
6 . Ice cream can’t cure cancer or bring back a lost love, but it can make one feel better for a while. About 18 months ago, my father was in hospital recovering from a major lung operation. My mother had recently
| A．passed away | B．gone out | C．comeback | D．calmed down |
| A．work | B．life | C．studies | D．games |
| A．speak | B．laugh | C．drink | D．eat |
| A．though | B．however | C．instead | D．therefore |
| A．joy | B．satisfaction | C．surprise | D．relief |
| A．if | B．unless | C．so | D．because |
| A．borrowed | B．bought | C．made | D．fetched |
| A．woman | B．granny | C．girl | D．child |
| A．question | B．situation | C．process | D．decision |
| A．better than | B．more than | C．rather than | D．other than |
| A．pretty | B．honest | C．sick | D．shy |
| A．offered | B．told | C．sold | D．charged |
| A．hardly | B．finally | C．gradually | D．totally |
| A．accepted | B．stored | C．exchanged | D．gave |
| A．remembering | B．denying | C．explaining | D．forgetting |
| A．ordinary | B．similar | C．interesting | D．great |
| A．have | B．like | C．expect | D．attract |
| A．reported | B．expressed | C．noticed | D．repeated |
| A．covered | B．connected | C．rewarded | D．filled |
| A．politeness | B．kindness | C．selflessness | D．willingness |
7 . I had worried myself sick over Simon’s mother coming to see me. I was a new
So when Simon’s mother entered the room, my palms (手掌心) were sweating. I was completely
I sat, stunned (惊呆), for about half an hour,
It taught me the most
| A．cleaner | B．teacher | C．monitor | D．reporter |
| A．Or | B．And | C．But | D．So |
| A．abilities | B．courage | C．feelings | D．dream |
| A．desperate | B．responsible | C．unsuitable | D．unprepared |
| A．panicking | B．relieving | C．surprising | D．defeating |
| A．envied | B．loved | C．pleased | D．criticized |
| A．gradually | B．constantly | C．recently | D．obviously |
| A．self-defense | B．self-doubt | C．self-pity | D．self-respect |
| A．imagining | B．observing | C．wondering | D．regretting |
| A．difference | B．impression | C．improvement | D．conclusion |
| A．remember | B．expect | C．believe | D．accept |
| A．writing | B．giving | C．editing | D．reviewing |
| A．quietly | B．repeatedly | C．quickly | D．firmly |
| A．lucky | B．only | C．lonely | D．likely |
| A．entrance | B．middle | C．front | D．back |
| A．slept | B．shouted | C．smiled | D．quarreled |
| A．intended | B．pretended | C．refused | D．happened |
| A．change | B．thanks | C．praise | D．visits |
| A．difficult | B．painful | C．valuable | D．enjoyable |
| A．early | B．slowly | C．frequently | D．occasionally |
8 . Bored? Lonely? Out of condition? Need to relax? Why not try the SPORT CENTER?
TENNIS
Indoor and outdoor courts. Coaching from beginners to advanced learners. Children only. Mornings.
SKIING
Gentle slopes. Instructors of 3levels at weekends and Fridays. Daytime practice. 8 years upwards.
SWIMMING
2 pools, heated, Olympic length. Women: Tuesday and Thursday. Men: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Children: Saturday.
GOLF
9- hole practice course. Professional Coaching. Lessons must be booked in advance in daytime. Evening practice. Minimum (最小的) age — 9 years.
GYMNASTICS (体操)
Maximum (最大的) age—18 years. Children aged 5—10. Monday and Wednesdays. 4:00—6:00 p.m. 10—18 year-old. Friday evenings.
AND MUCH MORE
Table Tennis, Snooker (台球), Darts (标枪), Café (all day), Bar (lunch time and evenings), Nursery (weekdays and weekends, not evenings). Centre open 10:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. Daily. Interested? More details, call 800-1234-5678.
1. What is this ad mainly about?| A．It mainly shows us some ways to spend weekends. |
| B．It mainly introduces us a place to relax ourselves. |
| C．It mainly introduces some events in a sports meet. |
| D．It mainly gives us some ideas to spend our holidays. |
| A．People can play tennis day and night. |
| B．Men and women swim in the SPORTS CENTER separately． |
| C．Children at any age can play golf in the SPORTS CENTER． |
| D．People under 20 can also take gymnastics． |
| A．5. | B．6. | C．8． | D．11． |
9 . Is It Worth Buying Organic Food?
Organic food, grown without artificial chemicals, is increasingly popular nowadays. Consumers have been willing to pay up to twice as much for goods with organic labels (标签). However, if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious (有营养的) and safer product, you might want to save your money. A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren’t necessarily more nutritious, and they’re no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria, either.
The latest results, published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, suggest that buyers may be wasting their money. “We did not find strong evidence that organic food is more nutritious or healthier,” says Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler from Stanford. “So consumers shouldn’t assume that one type of food has a lower risk or is safer.”
For their new study, Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories of research, including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products, and 223 studies that analyzed the nutritional content of the foods, including key vitamins, minerals and fats.
While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content, they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces. Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards. And both organic and traditional meats, such as chicken and pork, were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates. The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, these nutritional differences were too small, and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends.
Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices, but that doesn’t always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that “Whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste.” Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic.
1. The new research questions whether organic food ________.| A．should replace traditional food |
| B．has been overpriced by farmers |
| C．is grown with less harmful chemicals |
| D．is really more nutritious and healthier |
| A．organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease |
| B．traditional food was grown with more natural methods |
| C．both organic and traditional food they examined were safe |
| D．there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food |
| A．Organic chicken and pork. |
| B．Organic milk and chicken. |
| C．Traditional chicken and pork. |
| D．Traditional fruit and vegetables. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Approving. |
10 . You know the feeling — you have left your phone at home and feel anxious, as if you have lost your connection to the world. “Nomophobia” (无手机恐惧症) affects teenagers and adults alike. You can even do an online test to see if you have it. Last week, researchers from Hong Kong warned that nomophobia is infecting everyone. Their study found that people who use their phones to store, share and access personal memories suffer most. When users were asked to describe how they felt about their phones, words such as “hurt” (neck pain was often reported) and “alone” predicted higher levels of nomophobia.
“The findings of our study suggest that users regard smartphones as their extended selves and get attached to the devices,” said Dr Kim Ki Joon. “People experience feelings of anxiety and unpleasantness when separated from their phones.” Meanwhile, an American study shows that smartphone separation can lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
So can being without your phone really give you separation anxiety? Professor Mark Griffiths, psychologist and director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, says it is what is on the phone that counts — the social networking that creates Fomo (fear of missing out).
“We are talking about an Internet-connected device that allows people to deal with lots of aspects of their lives,” says Griffiths. “You would have to surgically remove a phone from a teenager because their whole life is ingrained in this device.”
Griffiths thinks attachment theory, where we develop emotional dependency on the phone because it holds details of our lives, is a small part of nomophobia. For “screenagers”, it is Fomo that creates the most separation anxiety. If they can’t see what’s happening on WeChat or Weibo, they become panic-stricken about not knowing what’s going on socially. “But they adapt very quickly if you take them on holiday and there’s no Internet,” says Griffiths.
1. Which of the following may Dr Kim Ki Joon agree with?| A．We waste too much time on phones. |
| B．Phones have become part of some users. |
| C．Addiction to phones makes memories suffer. |
| D．Phones and blood pressure are closely linked. |
| A．We worry we may miss out what our friends are doing |
| B．We fear without phones we will run into a lot of trouble |
| C．We are accustomed to having a phone on us |
| D．We need our phones to help us store information |
| A．Approved of. | B．Relied on. | C．Opposed to. | D．Determined by. |
| A．In a research report. |
| B．In a science textbook. |
| C．In a popular science magazine. |
| D．In a fashion brochure. |
