1 . Given the crowds of visitors and many attractions at the Disney parks, it's easy to get lost. Thankfully, you will always find a worker to point you in the right direction. When you do, you just might start to notice something unique about their body language—and it's just one of the many secrets Disney employees won't tell you.
Cast members, as park employees are called, are taught in their training to always point with two fingers instead of one. The first reason for this is that pointing with just the one index finger(食指), as most Americans do, is considered impolite in some cultures and countries. The Disney parks have always attracted many international visitors, so the friendlier two-finger gesture became the norm among employees, in an effort to be sensitive and welcoming to every person. Employees have even affectionately named it "the Disney point”. Michaela Paris, a former Disney employee, said the Disney point is a sign of respect.
"Disney receives plenty of foreign travelers to their parks. The typical single finger point is a symbol of disrespect and has a negative(负面的) meaning in many cultures. Therefore, Disney created 'the Disney point' to accommodate all of their guests, " Paris said.
Other sources say this way of pointing is related to Disney himself. According to the Huffington Post, it's actually how Walt Disney himself used to point things out to visitors, because he usually had a cigarette balanced between the two fingers. You won't find cast members today smoking a cigarette—there's no smoking allowed for anyone, employees or guests, once you are inside the entrances at Disney parks—but the tradition of pointing with two fingers still stands.
Keep an eye out for the statue of Walt and Mickey doing "the Disney point" next time you're at Disney World. Meanwhile don't miss other such rules that all Disney employees must follow.
1. When will a visitor probably notice "the Disney point"?A.When asking the way. | B.When entering the park. |
C.When greeting foreigners. | D.When smoking a cigarette. |
A.A gesture. | B.An employee. | C.A park. | D.A statue. |
A.offer space to. | B.put up. | C.provide food for. | D.adapt to. |
A.Rules to follow in the park. |
B.The life story of Walt Disney. |
C.Some attractions at Disney World. |
D.A possible origin of “the Disney point”. |
2 . A night at the movies is always a good idea. But when you leave the theater and realize you just dropped $45 on a ticket and some snacks, you’ll wish you had been patient enough to wait until the movie came out on Netflix. The average movie ticket price in the United States in 2000 was $5.39; now, a ticket is over $9.
The main reason that movie tickets have gotten so expensive is because of inflation (通货膨胀). It was actually more expensive to go to the movies in the 70s than it is now. A ticket in 1978 cost $2.34. If you plug that into an inflation calculator, the same ticket would cost you $9.46 today. According to the National Association of Theater Owners, the average cost for a ticket today is $9.11.
Another reason you need to spend some of your life savings to see a movie on the big screen is that theaters are competing with streaming services that produce their own films, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. And let’s be honest, sitting at home on your sofa or in your bed is more comfortable than sitting in a cold theater.
Because of streaming technology, theaters have to do something to bring in customers. Attractions—including alcohol, reclining seats (躺椅), surround sound, and 3-D movies are all examples of that. And those upgrades come at a price, leading to more expensive tickets.
“There’s all that extra cost, and it’s really important for theater owners and companies to make that experience as enjoyable as possible,” Patrick Corcoran, vice president of the National Association of Theatre Owners told Marketplace. “Because you’re offering a superb experience—audience expectations are for the latest and greatest technology. Audiences are willing to pay more for a particular experience.”
1. According to the passage, what makes movie tickets so expensive?A.The viewers are wealthier than before. |
B.The movie theatres offer popcorns, alcohol for free. |
C.Inflation has made the ticket price appear higher than before. |
D.The popular movies with famous stars deserve the high price. |
A.Netflix is always a better choice for movie viewers than theatres |
B.with comfortable seats, theatres are more attractive than streaming services |
C.the viewers actually pay more for the updates of the movie theatres |
D.the theater owners and companies update the theaters to make the theatres famous |
A.It’s unwise for viewers to pay so much to watch a movie in the theater. |
B.The high price of a movie ticket is supposed to agree with a wonderful experience. |
C.It’s a waste of money to provide the latest technology in the theatre. |
D.The viewers would prefer to sit at home on the sofas or in the beds. |
A.Behind the Increasing Price of Movie Tickets |
B.Technological Improvement on Movie Theatres |
C.The Competition between Movie Theatre and Streaming Services |
D.How to Save the Viewers’ Wallets |
3 . A Toronto man is offering a free round-the-world air to the right woman. But
Jordan Axani, 28, said he and his then girlfriend, Elizabeth Gallagher, booked heavily discounted round-the-world air tickets in May, but their
“I just want to see the ticket go to good use and for someone to
Axani wrote in his post that he is not
The
A.deposits | B.benefit | C.restriction | D.examinations |
A.origin | B.passport | C.accent | D.friend |
A.holiday | B.marriage | C.dream | D.relationship |
A.go to waste | B.come to mind | C.go on sale | D.come into effect |
A.policy | B.order | C.payment | D.schedule |
A.applying | B.checking | C.booking | D.bargaining |
A.choose | B.borrow | C.use | D.buy |
A.sacrifice | B.express | C.experience | D.provide |
A.answer | B.offer | C.advice | D.comment |
A.right | B.same | C.now | D.real |
A.convincing | B.annoying | C.satisfying | D.interesting |
A.changing | B.giving | C.lending | D.writing |
A.touch | B.question | C.control | D.date |
A.admiring | B.sharing | C.advertising | D.doubting |
A.leaving | B.dealing with | C.losing | D.looking for |
A.single | B.strange | C.regular | D.extra |
A.return | B.take | C.reserve | D.hide |
A.interview | B.program | C.trip | D.meeting |
A.ending | B.calling | C.repeating | D.staying |
A.honored | B.lovely | C.intelligent | D.lucky |
Have you seen people who take pictures of food for more than 10 minutes before eating? How about those who beautify their selfie (自拍) so much that they can’t be
Take my friend Chen for example. Every time we went to a restaurant, she would not take a
Many people care too much about others’ opinions and try too hard to
If they really want an elegant life, they should put more
A.envied | B.admired | C.defeated | D.recognized |
A.survive | B.exist | C.flood | D.spot |
A.how | B.what | C.where | D.whom |
A.bow | B.bite | C.breath | D.break |
A.offered | B.served | C.ordered | D.prepared |
A.cooking | B.washing | C.setting | D.collecting |
A.arranged | B.messy | C.casual | D.correct |
A.dishes | B.restaurants | C.pictures | D.tables |
A.choice | B.chance | C.excuse | D.reason |
A.months | B.years | C.weeks | D.days |
A.comfort | B.inspire | C.please | D.discourage |
A.independent | B.generous | C.responsible | D.confident |
A.secret | B.healthy | C.peaceful | D.real |
A.rarely | B.hardly | C.exactly | D.nearly |
A.change | B.difficulty | C.guidance | D.harm |
A.question | B.dislike | C.follow | D.doubt |
A.effort | B.ambitions | C.feelings | D.money |
A.other than | B.more than | C.rather than | D.less than |
A.identifying | B.amusing | C.persuading | D.accepting |
A.simplifying | B.ruining | C.beautifying | D.worsening |
5 . Mailman wrote a letter to his biggest fan
Wes Winter was delivering(递送) mail when he met a little boy named Logan. At four years old, little Logan began to
Logan’s
“Hello Little Mailman,
I only met you once. I was
Today is my
I wanted to give you a
From your No. 1 fan
Wes Winter”
The letter meant a lot to the little boy and he is also
A.think about | B.get used to | C.dream of | D.be addicted to |
A.arrive | B.send | C.leave | D.begin |
A.solution | B.impression | C.expression | D.action |
A.forced | B.prepared | C.recommended | D.told |
A.spoke | B.read | C.named | D.showed |
A.late | B.happy | C.anxious | D.annoyed |
A.calling | B.wishing | C.waiting | D.looking |
A.sunny | B.dark | C.cold | D.bright |
A.see | B.laugh | C.shout | D.have |
A.first | B.best | C.worst | D.last |
A.missed | B.hated | C.preferred | D.enjoyed |
A.place | B.way | C.job | D.house |
A.card | B.gift | C.word | D.hug |
A.policeman | B.mailman | C.bus driver | D.repairman |
A.what | B.which | C.how | D.that |
A.quitting | B.standing | C.working | D.riding |
A.lose | B.offer | C.give | D.pick |
A.changed | B.loved | C.improved | D.encouraged |
A.set off | B.take off | C.put off | D.cut off |
A.never | B.just | C.already | D.even |
6 . If you’re looking to buy a gift for your children, why not keep up with the trend and get the best hoverboard?
What is a Hoverboard?
A hoverboard is a two-wheeled personal transportation device. It’s electrical, portable and became highly popular in 2015. Typically, this self-balancing device operates like a powered skateboard.
How Does a Hoverboard Work?
The device may have many designs, but the mechanism itself isn’t complicated. Basically, a standard hoverboard contains:
•Battery: stores the electrical power. Almost all hoverboards use a high-watt lithium-ion battery.
•Gyroscope (one for each wheel): allows riders to tilt (倾斜) the hoverboard while maintaining balance and adjusting their direction.
•Motor (one in each wheel): provides the power to the wheels to keep the rider balanced and upright.
•Logic board: functions as the hoverboard brain. It processes data—your speed, tilt, etc.—and sends information to the motors. This unit controls the power of the board so riders can adjust their speed.
All the above components work together to control the power and tilt of the hoverboards so the rider is balanced, upright and moving at a controlled speed.
Why Buy a Hoverboard?
Undoubtedly, hoverboards are cool. You’ve probably seen kids riding one around the house. They’re a phenomenon and everybody wants in. So, why deny your kids and prevent them from being part of this trend?
Where is a hoverboard legal?
Despite their wild popularity, hoverboards have yet to become “street-legal”. Currently, some places prohibit anyone under 16 from using these devices, and hoverboards are banned in academic institutions and public places, like campus buildings, parks, shopping malls and subway stations. Some places have also put speed limits on the devices and restricted their use to bike paths. However, open areas—including your yard—are free of these restrictions.
1. The logic board of a hoverboard can ______.A.store electricity | B.power the wheels |
C.send information to the riders | D.receive data and give command |
A.on campus | B.in parks |
C.on bike paths | D.in shopping malls |
A.To evaluate a gift’s quality. |
B.To suggest a gift option. |
C.To compare new hoverboard models. |
D.To explain functions of the latest hoverboards. |
7 . It happens all the time-you are standing on a bus, listening to music, when you feel someone's breath on the back of your neck. You think to yourself: Is this person getting too close to me? The answer is yes. Everyone has a sense of personal space.
According to a new study, the size of the space is different for different people,
The results among volunteers were a little different, but the average personal space was 20 to 40 centimeters. Researchers also found that the more anxious a person was, the larger their personal space was because they were more sensitive.
Besides psychological factors,
A.But how big is this space? |
B.it shows that they are worried about their hands. |
C.the more of a threat they felt the shock was to their face. |
D.but generally it is between 20 to 40 centimeters in front of the face. |
E.culture is also thought to be able to change your personal space. |
F.People's senses of personal space also depend on the environments they are in. |
G.It is clear that people's senses of personal space is considered to be very important. |
8 . Recently we took a trip to the South of France. As my parents are both
We
The first day’s
My family and I took a day tour to the Camargue, a nearby nature
So overall, Arles and the South of France is excellent.
A.teachers | B.artists | C.officers | D.doctors |
A.stayed | B.stood | C.located | D.collapsed |
A.invented | B.cited | C.discovered | D.painted |
A.arrived | B.emerged | C.parted | D.escaped |
A.in turn | B.in vain | C.on schedule | D.on business |
A.striking | B.running | C.passing | D.waiting |
A.busy | B.corporate | C.modern | D.remote |
A.awesome | B.delightful | C.peaceful | D.ordinary |
A.spent | B.wasted | C.comfortable | D.worth |
A.bought | B.cleaned | C.built | D.booked |
A.bonus | B.plan | C.trip | D.distance |
A.volunteered | B.lived | C.served | D.died |
A.domains | B.jewels | C.treasures | D.works |
A.unattractive | B.unchanged | C.unsure | D.unpopular |
A.decorate | B.dominate | C.visit | D.avoid |
A.preserve | B.habitat | C.base | D.farmland |
A.awards | B.tickets | C.contracts | D.envelopes |
A.helpful | B.humble | C.beneficial | D.domestic |
A.quickly | B.simply | C.nervously | D.highly |
A.Mean | B.Like | C.Try | D.Hate |
9 . More and more shoppers are buying things online these days, allowing them to avoid aggressive salespeople and long lines at checkout counters. In spite of online convenience, however, there are some items—like clothes—that customers prefer to examine before buying. In light of this, two companies are Ending ways to modernize stores and bridge the gap between online and in-store retail.
Hointer, a software company that also sells designer jeans, has created a fast and painless shopping experience for its customers. Shoppers walk into a Hointer store and select one of the many pairs of jeans hanging down from bars. Then they point their smartphones at the tag and activate the Hointer app, after which they select the size and press “try on” The app then directs them to a specific dressing room. German-made robots search for the desired jeans and deliver them through a chute to the dressing room in about 30 seconds. Immediately after unwanted pairs of jeans are dropped through another chute, the “outbox”, they disappear from the list in the app.
Purchases at Hointer are made with a swipe of a credit card. And a salesperson is optional. This allows Hointer to hire fewer people and focus on their goal: developing technology that supports a retail revolution.
Men's clothing retailer Bonobos has come up with a more personalized shopping experience. Although it is in fact an online retailer, Bonobos has decided to open a handful of stores called Guide shops. Shoppers make an appointment online before arriving at a Guideship, where they receive one-on-one attention from a fitting guide. Because these shops have limited stocks, shoppers aren't able to take home the clothes they select. But guides help shoppers make online purchases before they leave, after which the items will be delivered to customers in one or two days. Following the purchase, the Bonobos customer service database keeps a record of each shopper's size, making future online purchases easier.
While Hointer focuses on convenience, Bonobos Guide shops focus on customer service. But both efforts have one thing in common: giving clothing retailers a new look for the 21st century.
1. The two companies are finding ways to modernize their stores because ______.A.online shopping is losing its popularity |
B.in-store retail makes higher profits |
C.people's demand for in-store shopping still exists |
D.store sales keep declining without high technology |
A.It's a software company as well as a jean producer. |
B.Shoppers can turn to a salesperson when necessary in Hointer. |
C.The Hointer app makes clothes shopping more time-consuming. |
D.Shoppers are welcomed by German-made robots in Hointer. |
A.he needs to make an appointment online in advance |
B.he has to make online purchases in the store |
C.he should help create the customer service database |
D.he can receive one-on-one attention from a guide |
A.High Technology in Stores | B.Advantages of In-store Shopping |
C.Competition between Two Companies | D.New Experience of Shopping for Clothes |
10 . The baobab tree is sometimes called “the Tree of Life." Baobabs grow in Africa and Australia. They are the most famous trees in Africa. Baobabs have very thick, wide trunks (树干).Often the trunks have large empty spaces inside.
In South Africa, one famous tree had a hole so large that someone built a bar inside it. People could sit inside and order drinks. That tree was known as the Sunland Baobab. It was more than 1,000 years old. It was the biggest baobab in Africa. But in 2017 it fell down. In 2016, another famous baobab fell down and died. It was called the Chapman tree in Botswana.
A recent study shows that the problem is widespread. Adrian Patrut and his team started studying the baobabs in 2005.The team found bad news. In the past 12 years, “nine of the thirteen oldest and five of the six largest have died,” the report found. Sometimes parts of the tree didn't die. But the “oldest parts” did.
Experts aren't sure what is causing the baobabs to die. They think it may be related to climate change. But more research is needed to prove it.
The largest trees need more water and food than smaller baobabs. Patrut thinks that is what puts them at greater danger. More heat and less rainfall could have a big influence on the trees.
In Zimbabwe a fungus(真菌)turns baobabs black before they die. But Patrut's study didn't find signs of a widespread disease. No matter the cause, the loss is huge.
Baobabs are amazing. They are a major food source for people. The trees grow white flowers that open at night. Bats spread the pollen(花粉)and help the trees grow fruit. Their white fruit is called monkey bread. People use it as food and to make cool drinks. People make paper, cloth, and even drugs from baobab bark(树皮).
1. What do we know about the Sunland Baobab?A.It was the biggest baobab in Australia. |
B.It was the oldest tree in the world. |
C.It fell down in 2016 in Botswana. |
D.It once had a bar inside it |
A.More baobabs are dying, |
B.Old baobabs are going to disappear. |
C.Trees worldwide have common problems. |
D.Trees' living environment is getting worse. |
A.are certain human activities put them in danger |
B.are sure it is because of climate change |
C.have proved disease is the main cause |
D.need to carry out more studies |
A.The great uses of baobab trees |
B.The danger of losing baobab trees. |
C.How baobab trees help other plants |
D.The importance of protecting the environment. |