1. What aspect of a phone is the most important to the woman?
A.The look. | B.The battery. | C.The function. |
A.Buying cool phones. | B.Taking photographs. | C.Visiting different stores. |
A.A camera store. | B.A grocery store. | C.A mobile phone store. |
1. How much should the man pay in total?
A.£120. | B.£125. | C.£130. |
A.Wrap his gift up. | B.Give him a discount. | C.Arrange a tailoring service. |
A.Who will shorten them. | B.When he can collect them. | C.Whether he can return them. |
3 . 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 |
4 . “Few articles change owners more frequently than clothes. They travel downwards from grade to grade in the social scale with remarkable regularity,” wrote the journalist Adolphe Smith in 1877 as he traced a coat’s journey in the last century: cleaned, repaired and resold repeatedly; cut down into a smaller item; eventually recycled into new fabric. But with the improvement in people’s living standards, that model is mind-boggling in the era of fast fashion. The average British customer buys four items a month. And it is reported that 350,000 tonnes of used but still wearable clothes go to landfills in the UK each year.
Yet the gradual revival of the second-hand trade has gathered pace in the past few years. At fashion website Asos, sales of vintage clothes (古董衫) have risen by 92%. Clothing was once worn out of necessity, and now it is simply a way of life. Busy families sell used items on eBay, teenagers trade on Depop and some fashion people offer designer labels on Vestiaire Collective. Strikingly, it has become big enough business that mainstream retailers (零售商) want a slice of the action.
For some buyers and sellers, the switch to the second-hand is born of financial difficulties. Only a few have become worried about the impact of their shopping habit on the planet. But the shift is only a partial solution. Some people worry that some mainstream brands may “greenwash” — using second-hand goods to improve their image, rather than engaging more seriously with sustainability.
However, the biggest concern may be that people keep buying because they know they can resell goods, still chasing the pleasure of the next purchase but with an eased conscience (愧疚). Boohoo, a powerful fast fashion company, has seen sales and profits rise, despite concerns about environmental problems in its supply chain that led to an investigation last year.
A new Netflix series, Worn Stories, documents the emotional meanings that clothes can have: Each old item is full of memories. Actually, a handbag from a grandmother and a scarf passed on by a father are both valuable for us. A love of style is not a bad or an unimportant thing. But a committed relationship is better than a quick flash. Can we learn to appreciate our own old clothes as well as others’?
1. What does the word “mind-boggling” underlined in paragraph 1 probably mean?A.Unbelievable. | B.Popular. | C.Reasonable. | D.Influential. |
A.old clothes are more popular than new pieces |
B.the online second-hand markets are booming |
C.the fashion world begins to favor vintage clothes |
D.many clothing brands are innovative in their new products |
A.It makes people feel free to pursue fast fashion. |
B.It makes people more cautious about their budgets. |
C.It encourages people to choose eco-friendly clothes. |
D.It pushes people to be more engaged with sustainability. |
A.Old items have lost favor with the public. |
B.Old items are worthy of being long cherished. |
C.Older generations attach great importance to old items. |
D.Older generations care about the quality of their clothes. |
1. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A.A gift. | B.A university. | C.An experience. |
A.$20. | B.$6. | C.$54. |
6 . If you’re feeling in the mood for grilled food but don’t have a barbecue, then deciding what product to purchase can be a bit difficult. So to help you get a better understanding of just some of the choices available, here’s our guide to buying a new BBQ.
Charcoal vs GasThe first decision is how your BBQ is going to be powered. There are essentially two main choices: the traditional way with charcoal, or the quick and convenient way with gas. For those who get frustrated with the process of lighting coals and waiting for them to reach the desired temperature, then gas is the easy option. It’s clean and gets up to temperature in an instant. But for many, the main fun of a barbecue lies in the back-to-basics cooking that hot coal brings natural barbecue fire. You’ll also find a far greater range of charcoal barbecues.
SizeFor anyone who likes to throw a garden party with a busy barbecue at the centre of the action, there are some vast grills (烤架) available. But unless you’re regularly feeding the masses, then these BBQ beasts can be impractical. Smaller meals are better suited to smaller equipment, so be realistic about the size that best suits you.
Open grill or lidWhile facing the barbecue selection of your nearest retailer, you’ll notice that some of them have lids. These will usually be round and will make you pay more than the lidless options. But if you want the benefit of being able to cook larger items over a longer period of time, such as a whole chicken, then a lid will be essential.
1. Which BBQ is suitable for Jack, who likes back-to-basics cooking and often invites friends to the garden party?A.Gas barbecue in small size. | B.Gas barbecue in big size. |
C.Charcoal barbecue with big grills. | D.Charcoal barbecue with small grills. |
A.The open grill costs more. | B.The open grill looks superior. |
C.The open grill is more reliable. | D.The open grill is less suitable for larger items. |
A.Lifestyle. | B.Business. | C.Culture. | D.Sports. |
1. What drink does the woman want?
A.Water. | B.Coffee. | C.Juice. |
A.To buy a travel guide. | B.To buy a classic book. | C.To talk with the librarian. |
A.Drive her to the airport. | B.Call her a taxi. | C.Make her some tea. |
A.In a convenience store. | B.In a hotel. | C.In a café. |
A.$25. | B.$35. | C.$50. |
A.In a gym. | B.In a store. | C.In a park. |
1. When did the man buy his electronic dictionary?
A.Last Sunday. | B.Last Saturday. | C.Last Wednesday. |
A.She didn’t like the type. |
B.She didn’t take enough money. |
C.She thought it rather expensive. |
A.Things are expensive there. |
B.Fewer products are for sale. |
C.The electronic dictionaries there are out of date. |
A.At a department store. | B.At an electronic mall. | C.At an online shop. |