Top dealers compete for your business by offering lower prices. TrueCar spends a lot of money and resources on making sure the entire car renting experience is simple and straightforward. If you’re in the market for a new car, give this site a try first.
TrueCar’s network checks many of the prices in your area and gets you the best price for the car you’re looking for.
2. Carvoy.com
It offers more control by allowing you to “build your car” and select your rental plan. The “build your car” option is one of the better options for those looking to add on features to their car. If you’re looking for cars with options like a sunroof or navigation (导航), it’s Carvoy that makes it very easy to get started with the process.
3. CarsDirect.com
They have a large collection of new and used cars, and also provide resources for car comparisons. In the business for many years, they are one of the first online car outlets. They have a staff that can usually help you if you give them a call. Their phone support is very good and they are mostly located in the United States.
4. CarRent.com
It delivers your rental car to the door, which is actually a huge selling point. Many people don’t like to go to a dealership or even drive somewhere to pick up a car. Imagine renting a car and having it delivered right to your doorstep, no driving necessary!
5. CostcoAuto.com
It offers member-only savings, many car selections and an easy sign-up process. The deals through Costco are great and unique. Many times they have deals with General Motors cars like Chevrolet. There are a lot of deals to be done, but the one thing that Costco does not do is negotiate the price.
1. What’s the selling point of TrueCar.com?| A．Its most reasonable prices for cars. |
| B．The diversity of its used cars. |
| C．Its delivery service to your door. |
| D．The special offers to its members. |
| A．You can have other functions added to your car. |
| B．You can rent a car more easily than elsewhere. |
| C．You can design the whole car by yourself. |
| D．You can have better operation over your car. |
| A．CarsDirect.com | B．Carvoy.com |
| C．CarRent.com | D．CostcoAuto.com |
2 . Michael Faraday was the son of a blacksmith. There were four children in his family and, with his father often ill and unable to work, Michael Faraday had to earn his living from an early age. This meant little or no schooling. However, the family belonged to a religious group, and Faraday learnt to read and write at Sunday School.
When he was only fourteen, Faraday found a job as a bookbinder (装订工). He used to read the books he was given to bind and he became very interested in the scientific books, particularly the ones about electricity. His interest soon took a practical path and he began conducting his own experiments. These were very basic because Faraday had to make all of his equipment himself. However, he was very careful and kept a clear written record of all his findings.
One day he was given an entrance ticket to the Royal Institute chemistry lecture, given by Humphry Davy. Determined to work for this great scientist, he sent Davy a job application and included his laboratory reports on the experiments he had carried out. In 1813 Davy offered Faraday a job as one of his laboratory assistants. Faraday learnt quickly and soon was recognized as a very able analytical chemist. Later he went to work at the Royal Institute.
Michael Faraday was, perhaps, the greatest practical scientist of the 19th century. As a chemist, he discovered the benzene (苯), which is now the focal point of chemical study. He also proved the relationship between electricity and chemical bonding (化学键). As a physicist, he invented the dynamo, which led to the later invention of the electric motor. He also discovered the effect of magnetism (磁) on light rays.
1. Why did Faraday attend Sunday School?| A．He had to work for a bookbinder at weekdays. |
| B．He hoped to read many of the scientific books there. |
| C．He would like to learn religious knowledge. |
| D．His family couldn’t afford his normal school education. |
| A．published his great findings on electricity | B．made his own equipment for his experiments |
| C．read many books by Humphry Davy | D．gained his fame as a practical scientist |
| A．bought tickets to attend Davy’s lecture | B．sent his experiment reports to Davy |
| C．went to the Royal Institute to visit Davy | D．offered to do laboratory work for free |
a．A laboratory assistant. b．A student of Sunday School.
c．A bookbinder. d．An analytical chemist.
| A．abcd | B．bcda | C．bcad | D．cbad |
3 . A Language Programme for Teenagers
Welcome to Teenagers Abroad! We invite you to join us on an amazing journey of language learning.
Our Courses
Regardless of your choice of course, you’ll develop your language ability both quickly and effectively.
Our Standard Course guarantees a significant increase in your confidence in a foreign language, with focused teaching in all 4 skill areas—speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Our Intensive Course builds on our Standard Course, with 10 additional lessons per week, guaranteeing the fastest possible language learning (see table below).
Course Type | Days | Number of Lessons | Course Timetable |
Standard Course | Mon－Fri | 20 lessons | 9:00—12:30 |
Intensive Course | Mon－Fri | 20 lessons | 9:00—12:30 |
10 lessons | 13:00—14:30 |
Evaluation
Students are placed into classes according to their current language skills. The majority of them take an online language test before starting their programme. However, if this is not available, students sit the exam on the first Monday of their course.
Learning materials are provided to students throughout their course, and there will never be more than 15 participants in each class.
Arrivals and Transfer
Our programme offers the full package—students are taken good care of from the start through to the very end. They are collected from the airport upon arrival and brought to their accommodation in comfort. We require the student’s full flight details at least 4 weeks in advance.
Meals/Allergies(过敏)/Special Dietary Requirements
Students are provided with breakfast, dinner and either a cooked or packed lunch (which consists of a sandwich, a drink and a dessert). Snacks outside of mealtimes may be purchased by the student individually.
We ask that you let us know of any allergies or dietary requirements as well as information about any medicines you take. Depending on the type of allergies and/or dietary requirements, an extra charge may be made for providing special food.
1. How does Intensive Course differ from Standard Course?| A．It is less effective. | B．It focuses on speaking. |
| C．It includes extra lessons. | D．It gives you confidence. |
| A．13:00—14:30 Monday. | B．9:00—12:30 Tuesday. |
| C．13:00—14:30 Friday. | D．9:00—12:30 Saturday. |
| A．take a language test | B．have an online interview |
| C．prepare learning materials | D．report their language levels |
| A．inform students of their full flight details | B．look after students throughout the programme |
| C．offer students free sightseeing trips | D．collect students’ luggage in advance |
4 . I was selfish as a teenager．I usually spent my time thinking about myself and taking care of my own needs．I let my older brother do most of the work around the house until he left for college．I let my mom and dad worry about our bills and problems while I read books, played, and lost myself in my own imagination．This didn't change even when I went to college either．I studied hard but only to make my own life better． Even when I started to explore my faith, it was only to increase my own happiness．
I married after graduation and decided to start a family．Of course, I had no idea what hard knocks reality had in store for my selfish soul．Soon I found myself unemployed, deeply in debt, and with a new baby on the way．l found out that life has little sympathy for spoiled people．In fact, all of the struggles I was going through were beating the selfishness slowly out of me．
Still,I didn't give up on happiness．I knew that there must be a way to find it．I finally realized, however, that it had to include more than just my own needs, wants, and desires．The answer began to make itself clear one night shortly after my baby boy was born．I got a bottle and held him in my arms．As I was feeding him I looked down and saw his big, innocent, trusting eyes．I smiled and talked to him．Then he smiled and I could feel my heart growing, expanding with love．I felt such peace and joy．At that moment I had a hint of the truth: it is by growing our hearts with love that we find our happiness．
Carolyn Arends wrote："The more people you let into your heart, the bigger your heart gets．The more love you get, the more love you have to give．It just keeps growing." So, keep loving, keep living and keep caring. Keep growing your heart today, tomorrow, and always．
1. What do we know about the author from the first paragraph?| A．He often helped his brother with housework． |
| B．He studied hard for his family． |
| C．He was concerned about his family． |
| D．He put his own needs above others'． |
| A．Spoiled people can't survive the hardship of life. |
| B．Spoiled people are never happy in life． |
| C．Life is cruel to spoiled people． |
| D．Selfishness is helpful． |
| A．The author loved kids． |
| B．The author often fed his baby． |
| C．The author realized the importance of happiness． |
| D．When caring for his baby, the author got inspired． |
| A．Loving Others, a Way to Happiness |
| B．The Elder One Grows, the More He Gets |
| C．Help Others, Help Oneself |
| D．Keep Growing to Live a Happy Life |
5 . Gifts.com provides more than just ideas. Sure, our unique (独特的) and unforgettable gift suggestions are a big part of why people love us, but we also offer endless ideas and tools to make every day a reason to celebrate. Here are our Great Christmas Gift Ideas:
Christmas Gifts for Parents
You love your parents like no one else, and you want to give them something special for Christmas. But what would make their holiday bright? Finding them the perfect Christmas gift will be easy this year, with all our top picks in one place.
Christmas Gifts for Parents Under $45
Holiday Gift Baskets
The gift basket is a great way to give a gift to a group. Our gift basket ideas come from all the top stores online, so you can easily find everything from fruit gift baskets to wine gift baskets in one place.
Gift Baskets Under $50
Ideas for Teens
Trying to find the right gift for a teen? Teens can be a challenge (挑战). What do they want? What could they use? They're all unique, but we think we've got something for them, even though they're a special group that are hard to deal with.
Top Picks for Teens Under $20
The Secret Santa Exchange (交换)
The Secret Santa is a great way to exchange gifts in the office, when it's often impossible to give everyone a present. We've got an office guide right here to help you find proper gifts for the workplace. And then there's always the gift basket, with things that are sure to please everyone in the office.
Business Gifts Under $25
1. What makes Gifts.com popular?| A．Its special gift ideas. |
| B．Its endless new gifts. |
| C．It is organized according to personal taste. |
| D．It gives people a good reason to celebrate. |
| A．They are much cheaper. |
| B．They make a holiday brighter. |
| C．They list popular gifts in one place. |
| D．They include top choices from parents. |
| A．provide gift baskets |
| B．sell gifts from top stores online |
| C．have a guide to help people choose gifts |
| D．are designed for people working in offices |
| A．a parent | B．a teenager |
| C．a group | D．a businessman |
6 . The trouble started at 9:30 p.m. last New Year’s Eve, in Newmark. When the fire engines arrived at the fire, a very old woman was sitting in a third floor window. The firefighters placed a ladder (梯子) against the wooden house, and 26-year-old Marcus Reddick climbed 35 feet to the third floor.
The woman, 60 years old and very fat, was sitting with both feet out of the window. When Marcus reached the top of the ladder, the woman, afraid and nervous, put her two legs around him. Suddenly Marcus fell backwards off the ladder, with the large woman sitting on him. Marcus landed first — hitting a wall beside the front stairs — and broke the woman’s fall. She fell no more, but he fell another ten feet down the stairs. When the fire officer reached him, Marcus was unconscious.
Within an hour, a doctor told the men that Marcus was nearly brain dead, and would only get worse. Doctors talked of turning off the life-saving machine and asked if the family would like to give away his heart. The answer was “yes”.
On January 6, firefighters lifted Marcus’ coffin — covered with an American flag — onto a yellow fire engine. Hundreds of firefighters from all over the state joined the procession (行列) through Newmark streets. Children watched silently from school windows. The day Marcus died, his heart was given away to a young girl. His family said that it was the second life Marcus had saved.
1. What happened last New Year’s Eve in Newmark?| A．An old woman was killed. | B．A fire engine was missing. |
| C．A firefighter was murdered. | D．A wooden house caught fire. |
| A．was very afraid and nervous | B．couldn’t see anything clearly |
| C．found it difficult to get down | D．was knocked off and got hurt |
| A．homeless | B．senseless | C．breathless | D．helpless |
| A．sad but proud | B．shy but excited |
| C．angry and doubtful | D．worried and surprised |
7 . If you are looking for the place that has everything, there is only one place to visit, and that’s New York. It’s a whole world in a city.
The World of Theater: All of New York is a stage. And it begins with Broadway. Where else can you find so many hit shows in one place? Only in New York!
The World of Music: Spend an evening with Beethoven at Lincoln Center. Swing to the great jazz of Greenwich Village. Or rock yourself silly at the hottest dance spots found anywhere.
The World of Art: From Rembrandt to Picasso. From Egyptian tombs to Indian teepees. Whatever kind of art you like, you will find it in New York.
The World of Fine Dining: Whether it’s roast Beijing duck in Chinatown, lasagna in little Italy, or the finest French coq au vin found everywhere, there is world of great taste waiting for you in New York.
The World of Sights: What other city has a Statue (雕塑) of Liberty? A Rockefeller Center? Or a Bronx Zoo? Where else can you take a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park? Only in New York!
1. From the text we know that “Rembrandt” is most likely to be the name of a famous .| A．actor | B．painter |
| C．cook | D．musician |
| A．To enjoy a Beethoven concert. | B．To taste the finest French coq au vin. |
| C．To see the Statue of Liberty. | D．To eat Roast Beijing Duck. |
| A．a handbook for English learners | B．a pocketbook for businessmen |
| C．a guidebook for foreign travellers | D．a storybook for local readers |
8 . I remember the day when I first learned to ride a bike. It was a frightening, yet fun experience. My granddad was the one who taught me and he helped me when I got hurt. The first time I got on a bike, I had no idea what I was doing, and just about everything went wrong. My granddad told me to just put my feet on the pedals and start pedaling (骑自行车). He also told me he would hold onto the back of the bike the whole time, yet he didn’t.
As soon as I started trying to balance myself, he let go. I happened to look back just then. I was scared, to death that I was going to fall and hurt myself. When I was scared, my mind went blank from pedaling, and I just wanted off. I forgot how to use the brakes (车闸) and fell right off the bike. My granddad kept encouraging me to get up and try again, and after about 15 minutes, 1 finally stopped crying, got up and tried again.
As soon as I started pedaling again, my pants got caught in the chain, and I fell flat on my face and hit my nose. Since that happened t my granddad decided to call it a day and try again the next morning. The next morning I woke up bright and early, and was very eager to try to ride my bike. My nose felt better, so I wasn’t that afraid of falling anymore.
Though I knew there were a lot of difficulties on the way to mastering the skills in riding a bike, I believed I could do well with my granddad’s help. After all, riding a bike was what I wanted to do eagerly.
1. How was the author when he was on the bike first?| A．He didn’t know where he would be going. |
| B．He thought balancing himself was easy. |
| C．He was nervous and didn’t know what to do next. |
| D．He put his feet on the pedals and started pedaling. |
| A．Remember what happened this day. |
| B．Make the author feel happy. |
| C．Stop practicing bicycling. |
| D．Go on to ride a bike. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Grateful. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Negative. |
| A．The Experience of My First Riding a Bike |
| B．The Difficulty I Met with My Granddad |
| C．The First Time I Got My Own Bike |
| D．The Great Moment When I Stayed with My Granddad |
9 . Letter One
Dear Editor,
After I finish my homework, I often go online and chat with my friends. Sometimes I play computer games. But my parents hate to see me playing games on the computer. Maybe they have heard too much news about how QQ and computer games harm children. Once I went to a net bar(网吧) to play games after school. But after that I told my parents that I was playing basketball at school. I said so because I didn't want to make them unhappy. I feel bad about it. However, I need to rest for a while by playing computer games after studying for a long time. I really want my parents to understand that. Do foreign parents do the same to their children? Please help me.
Li Ping, Beijing
Letter Two
Dear Li Ping,
I don't think it's strange for parents to keep their children away from anything bad. Foreign parents will do the same as your parents! They may not let their children watch TV for too long a time,or like your parents,they don't want their children to play computer games.
Talk to your parents and be honest to them, I think. Tell them what you are doing and why you are doing so to make them understand you. It's never good to do things behind your parents. They aren't fools as you think sometimes! Our parents seem to know what is the best for us.
Remember: to be honest is the best way.
Good luck,
Rebecca
1. From the passage we can learn that Li Ping often ________.| A．talks with his friends on the Internet |
| B．plays basketball after school |
| C．plays computer games at home |
| D．chats online before homework |
| A．to get news on QQ | B．just to have a rest |
| C．to show he hates study | D．to make new friends |
| A．You must do everything in front of your parents |
| B．You must always listen to your parents carefully |
| C．You should not do anything that makes your parents worry about you |
| D．You should tell your parents what you do before or after doing it |
| A．children should play computer games in the net bar secretly. |
| B．playing computer game can be very helpful to children’s studies |
| C．children should be honest and try to make their parents understand them |
| D．foreign parents don’t care for their children as much as Chinese parents |
10 . Welcome to Holker Hall & Gardens
Visitor InformationHow to Get to Holker
By Car: Follow brown signs an A590 from JB6, M6. Approximate travel times: Windermere-20 minutes, Kendal-25 minutes, Lancaster-45 minutes, Manchester-1 hour 30 minutes.
By Rail: The nearest station is Cark-in-Cartmel with trains to Carnforth, Lancaster Preston for connections to major cities & airports.
Opening TimesSunday-Friday (closed on Saturday)11:00 am-4:00pm,30 March-2nd November.
Admission Charges| Hall & Gardens | Gardens | |
| Adults: | £12.00 | £8.00 |
| Groups | £9 | £5.5 |
Producers: Market 13th April
Join us to taste a variety of fresh local food and drinks. Meet the producers and get some excellent recipe ideas.
Holker Garden Festival 30th May
The event celebrate its 22nd anniversary with a great show of the very best of gardening, making it one of the most popular events in gardening.
National Garden Day 28th August
Holker once again opens is gardens in aid of the disadvantaged. For just a small donation you can take a tour with our garden guide.
Winter Market 8th November
This is an event for all the family. Wander among a variety of shops selling gifs while enjoying a live music show and nice street entertainment.
1. How long does it probably take a tourist to drive to Holker from Manchester?| A．20 minutes. | B．25 minutes. |
| C．45 minutes. | D．90 minutes. |
| A．£12.00. | B．£9.00. |
| C．£8.0 | D．£5.50 |
| A．Producers’ Market. | B．Holker Garden Festival. |
| C．National Garden Day. | D．Winter Market. |
