1 . 1.
Most children in the United States are returning to school after the summer holiday. Public education for children in the United States is free. But parents still have to buy equipment, new clothes and other supplies for their children before every new school year.
2.
The National Retail Federation studies such sales each year. It is an organization of many kinds of stores, as well as companies that sell goods by mail order and the Internet. The group recently released a report on back-to-school sales this year. The report says American parents will spend almost 15,000 million dollars this year to prepare their children for school. A research business carried out the study for the National Retail Federation. It asked more than 8,000 Americans about their back-to-school needs and shopping and spending plans.
3.
The study found that 93 percent of families with school-age children plan to purchase clothes, shoes and school supplies. Families will spend an average of almost $500 on those things. This is an increase of more than 7 percent from last year.
4.
Almost half of those questioned also said they planned to spend about $100 on electronics and computer-related products. The National Retail Federation says that would be a 15 percent increase from last year. The group says most families have enough money to buy electronic and computer equipment for their children. It says this helps parents continue their children’s education at home.
5.
To help shoppers save money, several cities permit people to by some goods without paying sales tax. Washington D.C., is one such city. It observed a ten-day sales tax holiday in August. During this period, people could buy clothing, shoes or school supplies that cost less than one-hundred dollars without having to pay sales tax.
A. Increase in purchase of electronic products
B. A research done to investigate back-to-school shopping
C. Still something to shop before new school year
D. Free sales tax for back-to-school shopping
E. Increase in ordinary purchases
F. Free public education in US
LT123 Workshops
‘I’m pleased to say that 2015 is our third year sponsoring the IATEFL information desk. This year, we are running three workshops covering some of the key areas of our wide-ranging special skills: testing, editing and vocabulary. We how to see you.’
—— Russell Whitehead Director
Vocabulary testing: why, what and how? By Felicity O’ Dell & Russell Whitehead
Saturday 11th April 3:50-4:35 pm Charter 4
Should vocabulary be one of the language features that we test and, if so, why? What vocabulary - and what aspects of vocabulary - should we focus on in our tests? What methods can we use to test vocabulary?
We will discuss answers to these questions, considering the strengths and weaknesses of different types of vocabulary test for different teaching contexts.
There’s something missing from your project - the editor! By David Baker & Fiona MacKenzie
Sunday 12 April 10:25-11:10 am Charter 8
Big publishing companies no longer offer the single route to publication. Whether you are self-publishing, a teaching institution developing its own materials, or a digital start-up, in a highly competitive environment it isn’t enough to write something and just put it out there.
Quality still matters - you can’t afford to forget one of the key roles in successful publishing.
Vocabulary levels: which words are at which level? By Stephen Bullon
Monday 13th April 1:35-2:20 pm Charter 8
While students develop their competence in the four skills and in their ability to master grammatical structures, they are together building their vocabulary.
We will try to establish the standards involved in selecting appropriate vocabulary at the various levels students pass through: frequency, teaching requirements, and register are all factors that need to be weighed in the balance.
LT123 is the new name for Language Testing 123, and we are proud sponsors of the 49th Annual
International IATEFL Conference and Exhibition.
Manchester, April 2015.
1. To help improve vocabulary teaching and testing, the workshops will focus on ________.
| A．how to employ more scientific methods in vocabulary testing |
| B．how to test vocabulary as the most important language feature |
| C．what advanced standards to set for the students of different levels |
| D．what to be concentrated on rather than four basic language skills |
| A．the audience are editors in the field of language teaching |
| B．the director of LT123 will be talking in one of the workshops |
| C．some publishing companies will sponsor similar workshops soon |
| D．each workshop lasts 45 minutes in the same meeting room |
| A．To sell newly published books on language testing. |
| B．To get the audience informed of the events |
| C．To show the breakthrough in vocabulary teaching. |
| D．To attract the attention of the host of 2015 IATEFL. |
3 . Shopping is not as simple as you may think! There are all sorts of tricks at play each time we reach out for that particular brand of product on the shelf.
Coloring, for example, varies according to what the producers are trying to sell. Health foods are packaged in greens, yellows or browns because we think of these as healthy colors. Ice cream packets are often blue and expensive goods, like chocolates, are gold or silver.
When some kind of pain killer was brought out recently, researchers found that the colors turned the customers off because they made the product look weak and ineffective. Eventually, it came on the market in a dark blue and white package — blue because we think of it as safe, and white as calm.
The size of a product can attract a shopper. But quite often a bottle doesn’t contain as much as it appears to.
It is believed that the better-known companies spend, on average, 70 percent of the total cost of the product itself on packaging!
The most successful producers know that it’s not enough to have a good product. The founder of Pears soap, who for 25 years has used pretty little girls to promote (推销) their goods, came to the conclusion: “Any fool can make soap, but it takes a genius to sell it.”
1. Which of the following may trick a shopper into buying a product according to the text?| A．The cost of its package. |
| B．The price of the product. |
| C．The color of its package. |
| D．The brand name of the product. |
| A．attracted the customers strongly |
| B．caused the customers to lose interest |
| C．tricked the customers into shopping |
| D．had weak effects on the customers |
| A．The way to promote goods. |
| B．The team to produce a good product. |
| C．The discovery of a genius. |
| D．The brand name used by successful producers. |
| A．Choice of Good Products |
| B．Disadvantages of Products |
| C．Effect of Packaging on Shopping |
| D．Brand Names and Shopping Tricks |
Captain Goodfellow
Do your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Goodfellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, free.
Walking Tour of the Town
Forget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about its history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!
Films at the Museum
Two European films will be shown Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898.
International Picnic
Are you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 pm.
Do You Want to Hear “The Zoo”
“The Zoo”, a popular rock group from Australia, will give their first US concert tomorrow night at 8:00 at Rose Hall, City College.
1. You can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food __________..
| A．at the front entrance of City Hall | B．at the game |
| C．at 5:00 pm | D．at Central Park on Saturday |
| A．in the City Hall | B．outside | C．at the gate | D．at the zoo |
| A．a park with lots of animals there | B．a US concert |
| C．a music group | D．an interesting event |
 HOW TO BOOK  By phone:Call Ticketmaster 24 hr Booking Line on 0844 847 2484  Online:www.PalaceandOperaHouse.org.uk or www.ticketmaster.co.uk  In Person:The Palace Theatre Ticket Centre, Oxford Street. Manchester, Ml 6FT (Mon Sat 10am-8pm)  By Post:Stating the performance and choice of seats ,enclosing（附寄）a cheque , postal order ,or your credit card details to The Palace Theatre Ticket Centre , Oxford Street , Manchester , Ml 6FT . Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope. |  Save pounds on tickets NOW!Join Live Nation’s Card for just ￡30 ayear and enjoy a whole range of discounts and benefits .You’ll save money from the first time you use your Live Card—not just on tickets ,but on programmes and reduced booking fees . Live Card members often join the audience on opening nights or enjoy generous discounts throughout the run of a show.  By getting together as a group of 10 or more you can save money on tickets for your favourite shows. Group bookers benefit from a direct free telephone booking line, and don’t pay booking fees .Invitations to parties and book-now-pay-later programmes are all part of our great service to group bookers. Join the hundreds of people already taking advantage of our group booking. Call 0800 587 5007 to talk to one of our group booking assistants about your group visit to the Palace Theatre or Opera House. For further information please call 0161 245 6609. |
1. If you want to join Live Card to save money on tickets, you can call .
| A．0844 847 2484 | B．0800 587 5007 |
| C．0844 499 6699 | D．0161 245 6609 |
| A．By visiting the website of a post office. |
| B．By going to your local bank in person. |
| C．By enclosing your Live Card in an envelope. |
| D．By providing your credit card information. |
| A．Delayed payment for tickets. | B．Invitations to opening nights. |
| C．Reduced booking fees by phone | D．Generous discounts on tickets. |
