1 . Welcome to Glass of Venice, the number one importer and retailer of authentic Murano Glass in the US and one of the top names among Murano Glass retailers worldwide. We work directly with artisans (工匠) from Murano, Italy to bring you the unique centuries old art rooted in tradition and skill. Every item is handcrafted with passion using ancient techniques that made Murano glassmakers world-famous since the 8th century. Now you needn’t make a trip to Murano to own an authentic piece of art as beautiful as Venice itself.

At the time of mass-produced products that carry no special meaning, Murano Glass gives you an opportunity to express your individuality. Every piece is unique.

Murano Glass is 100% handcrafted in Venice. Be a part of the centuries-old Venetian tradition!

A piece of the artisan’s heart and soul is captured in every Murano Glass creation. Crafting Murano Glass jewelry, vases, sculptures and other functional and decorative pieces is a complicated process from silica, minerals, water, and fire. Venetian artisans create masterpieces. The techniques they use are centuries old, and artisans have been trained for many years in their fathers’ and grandfathers, workshops before they can attain a revered status of the true master of the craft.

Murano Glass masters are not just artisans; they are artists. Ever since Murano glassmakers guild (公会) was established on this Venetian island in 1291, they have been innovating, seeking new methods of creating glass, and pushing forward to express new philosophies and artistic visions through glass. This made Murano Glass get its own art form, and it has been recognized at international expositions and top art museums and galleries worldwide. Today the famous glass masters working on Murano Island are first and foremost artists, and Glass of Venice is proud to offer artistic masterpieces from top Murano glass workshops.

1. What can be inferred about Murano Glass?

A．It is made by using modern machines.

B．Every piece is made in the US.

C．Every piece has a special style.

D．It was designed in the 8th century.

2. The underlined word “revered” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．considerate	B．relieved
C．complex	D．respected

3. What were Murano Glass masters devoted to doing according to the text?

A．Exploring ways to develop the creation of glass.

B．Exporting Murano Glass to many foreign countries.

C．Building art museums to show the beauty of Murano Glass.

D．Creating a special art form to express their philosophies of life.

4. What is the author’s attitude to Murano Glass masters’ works?

A．Critical.	B．Admirable.
C．Cautious.	D．Aggressive.

2 . Shopping is a big part of the holiday season,when families and friends gather together and exchange gifts.While the popularity of shopping online has grown,such practices are not always eco-friendly or timely,as gifts bought online must be packaged and shipped,wasting valuable resources and time.

The benefits of shopping locally go beyond convenience and reduce your carbon footprint.The following are a few ways that shopping locally this holiday season can directly benefit your community and the people who call it home.

When men and women shop locally,they are putting money back into their local communities.Local businesses may be owned by your neighbors,and it can be comforting to know that your holiday shopping dollars are going to support a neighbor instead of a large company.Local businesses also employ your neighbors,so shopping locally can strengthen the local economy by creating jobs.

Local businesses go a long way toward creating a neighborhood identity,and that identity can create a stronger sense of community among you and your neighbors.In addition,a unique community       identity can make your town more attractive to outsiders,and can also attract more people to local businesses in your neighborhood.

The gifts you buy when shopping locally can also benefit your community.Gifts purchased from small local businesses tend to be more unique than items bought from national chains,as smaller retailers tend to sell more home-made items than their national competitors.Recipients of such items may find such gifts more thoughtful than mass produced items bought from national chains.

The accessibility of customer service is another benefit of shopping locally.When you buy something from national chains,especially during the holiday season when such businesses may have to deal with orders,making contact with customer service departments can be a test of patience.A long wait on the phone or online can make the process of contacting customer service departments extremely frustrating.But such frustration is rare when shopping from local businesses,as consumers can simply buy their products in the store.In addition,shopping locally makes it more convenient for friends and family members who also live in your community to return their gifts.

1. The author referred to shopping online in the passage to        .

A．imply it is convenient to shop online

B．show it has been popular with the public

C．imply shopping locally is better than that

D．tell people they should stop wasting resources

2. It can be inferred from the third paragraph that        .

A．local businesses are in poor management

B．shopping locally can help some people get jobs

C．a large company usually gains much profit

D．few people support local businesses

3. If people love the products from a local business,       .

A．the business will raise the price of its products

B．the products will be sold in the distant places

C．it will help develop the community a lot

D．the community will turn into a tourist destination

4. What does the underlined word “Recipients” mean in the passage?

A．The persons who receive something.

B．The persons who donate something.

C．The persons who sell something.

D．The persons who purchase something.

3 . The Women’s Institute is urging supermarkets to do more to help consumers reduce their home food waste, after a survey of its own membership showed widespread confusion about “best before” and “use by” labeling(标签) on packaging.

Its new analysis of products on supermarket shelves found that “once-opened” instructions were often contradictory and often failed to make clear whether they were a guide to food safety or quality. Only 45% of 5,000 WI members surveyed understood that best-before dates were a sign of food quality, while 26% did not understand that the more important use-by dates were a decisive guide to food safety.

In its report on food waste, the WI said supermarkets were “potentially contributing to home food waste by leading customers to buy more food than they need, and giving conflicting and confusing on-pack information that leaves customers unsure about how long a product remains safe to eat in the home setting”. The 42-page report is part of the WI’s ongoing campaign to reduce food waste. To underline the point about conflicting information, it cites(引用) a can of Sainsbury’s own-brand sweetcorn advising consumers to eat it within one day of opening, while a similar tin from Waitrose gave consumers two days to finish it. Green Giant sweetcorn, however, has no specified date for eating once opened.

Marylyn Haines Evans, chair of the Women’s Institute’s public affairs said: “WI members are some of the more informed members of society about food and cookery, but they are still confused about food labelling and ‘once-opened’ information. So we would like supermarkets to extend the amount of time that consumers have to use a product in their homes by making all of their once-opened instructions on product packaging consistent, and completely remove once-opened instructions on products where food safety is not an issue.”

1. What mainly leads to food waste according to WI?

A．Poor quality of food.

B．Attractive packaging of products.

C．Competition among supermarkets.

D．Consumers’ confusion about on-pack information.

2. Which of the following can inform you of food safety?

A．	B．
C．	D．

3. Why are the three supermarkets mentioned in Paragraph 3?

A．To attract more consumers.

B．To compare their products.

C．To comment on their service.

D．To make WI’s report convincing.

4. What does Evans suggest supermarkets do about reducing food waste?

A．Extend life of a product.

B．Turn to well-informed WI members.

C．Give consistent once-opened instructions.

D．Remove instructions on product packaging.

4 . 假设你是李华，你的笔友Jack来信告诉你他想和几个同学开一家网上书店，想征求你的意见。请根据以下要点给Jack写一封回信。
1. 好处：可以学会理财及与人沟通，自己看书更方便等；
2. 劣势：占用比较多的时间，经验不足，市场把握不好等；
3. 提出建议。
注意：1. 词数120左右；

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3. 开头语与结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。

Dear Jack,

I was very happy to receive your letter telling me about your plan of opening an online bookstore with some classmates.

____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Best wishes!

Yours,

Li Hua

5 . Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world, in rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertisers, hoping to sell their products .

'The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people's lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shopper giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.

It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process. Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing; no choice, no anxiety.

1. What does the author try to argue in Paragraphi?

A．The practice of choice is difficult

B．The right of choice is given but at a price.

C．Choice and right exist at the same time.

D．The exercise of rights is a luxury.

2. Why do more choices of goods give rise to anxiety?

A．People are likely to find themselves overcome by business persuasion.

B．Shoppers may find themselves lost in the broad range of items.

C．Companies and advertisers are often misleading about the range of choice.

D．Professionals find it hard to decide on a suitable product.

3. By using computers as an example, the author wants to prove that

A．products of the latest design flood the market

B．competitions are fierce in high-tech industry

C．everyday goods need to be replaced often

D．advanced products meet the needs of people

4. What is this passage mainly about?

A．The opinions on people's right in different countries.

B．The problems about the availability of everyday goods.

C．The helplessness in purchasing decisions.

D．The variety of choices in modern society.

6 . What is TrackR?

     TrackR is the simplest way to find lost or misplaced items. Join the millions of people who are connected to their most important items.

Order a TrackR today and never lose anything again.

1. What do you think is the passage?

A．Descriptions of several products.	B．An advertisement of a product.
C．An introduction to lost items.	D．Directions of a new item.

2. How many functions does a TrackR have?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined “a snap” in the passage?

A．An easy job.	B．A necessary task.
C．An available method	D．A quiet action.

7 . 假如你是李华，3月1日在英国某网站购买了一本英文原版小说Pride and Prejudice。收到货后，你发现书封面破损并存在缺页现象，请你就此向网站客服写封电子邮件投诉。

注意：1.词数100左右，文章的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数；
          2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Sir or Madam，

I'm sorry to trouble you but___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                                                              Yours sincerely,

                                                                                                                      Li Hua

8 . File Created                                                                         Page 1 of 1
DELAYED BAGGAGE REPORT
PRINTED AT ALBANY N.Y. AIRPORT ON JULY 10, 2016 11:15 A.M.
Dear Valued Customer,

We regret that your baggage was not available to claim after your recent flight. Everything possible will be done to locate your belongings and return it to you on time.

For information on your delayed baggage, contact the United Airlines Baggage Resolution Center at its 24 hour, seven days a week.

Number:

1-800-335-BAGS (2247) (US – Toll Free)

281-821-3536 (Local Houston Number)

Or visit site: http://www.united.com/for/bagtracing

As soon as you send your Delayed Baggage Report, United Airlines will begin to look carefully for your baggage system. Our Baggage Resolution staff will make every effort to call you once a day to keep you updated on our progress. Please refer to the File Reference Number on this receipt (凭证) when corresponding or calling so that we can quickly access your records.

Keep this receipt with your claim check (提取证）and E-Ticket receipt until your baggage is returned to you.

In most circumstances, United Airlines will deliver your baggage when it is located. Delivery times vary depending on location.

If your baggage has not been returned to you within the first five-day tracing period, please download a claim form from our website and return it to us with the required information included.

       DELAYED BAGGAGE REPORT

DELAYED BAGGAGE REPORT                             FILE REFERENCE: ALBUA25876

Name: JOHN JACKSON                                             Contact Number: 802-247-9999

Delivery Address: 66 MOONBROOK DR

        BRANDON                                Email: minminvt@yahoo.com

        VERMONT USA 05745                           

Bag Tag: 0037387643; 0037387657

Description: Soft-Side Upright suitcase; Non-Zippered, hard side horizontal suitcase

1. Where does the report most probably come from?

A．Suitcase Tracing Center	B．Information Center of the Airport
C．Delivery Center of United Airline	D．Baggage Resolution Center

2. What can we learn about John Jackson from the report?

A．He must have filed his Delayed Baggage already.

B．He will get back his delayed baggage in less than five days.

C．He should call 802-247-9999 for the information about his delayed baggage.

D．He may not know anything about his delayed baggage during the first five days.

3. The purpose of the passage is __________.

A．to provide information about the location of the delayed baggage

B．to inform the customers of the time when the delayed baggage can be found

C．to instruct the customers how to get back their delayed baggage

D．to tell the customers the news that their delayed baggage was delayed

9 . YOUR KIDS ARE AMAZING —especially compared with everybody else’s (who seem to cry all the time). How do you show your love for your kids this holiday season? With toys that are smooth and colorful, interactive and exciting. And with ones that have educational value — because you are the boss.
FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET
Here is a toy that doesn’t need power, and the kids have to put it together themselves. This 50-piece-puzzle set is made of soft-edged hardwood and makes a complete hospital, with an X-ray room. It also includes eight patients, a car and a driver. $135.
TINY LOVE ACTIVITY BALL
Sure, it’s cool, but this colorful baby toy also develops problem solving and motor skills. It has a head and legs, a magnetic(磁铁) hand and a tail. Suitable for little ones from 6-36 months. $19.95; tiny-love.com.
ROBOSAPIEN
This small, remote-control robot is really powerful. It performs 67 preprogrammed functions, including throwing, kicking, picking up and dancing. You can even program your own function — which, sadly, does not include doing windows. $99 robosapienonline.com.
MINI PEDAL CAR
Want a mini Cooper but can’t fit the family inside? Get one for the kids. They can jump into this mini car, which comes in hot orange with a single adjustable seat, and ride away. But it could spoil them for that used car they’ll be driving when they turn 16. For ages 3 to 5. $189; minicar.com (click on “gear up” then “mini motoring gear”)
1. What website can you visit if you want a baby toy for your kid?

A．flaxart.com

B．tiny-love.com

C．robosapienonline.com

D．minicar.com

2. What do the four toys have in common?

A．None of them needs batteries.

B．They are all intended for kids under 3.

C．All of them cost less than $100.

D．They all have educational value.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET has a special design for safety.

B．TINY LOVE ACTIVITY BALL needs power to order to play.

C．ROBOSAPIEN can be programmed to do the windows.

D．MINI PEDAL CAR develops problem-solving skills.

10 . Shopping for clothes is not the same experience for a man as it is for a woman. A man goes shopping because he needs something. His purpose is settled and decided in advance. He knows what he wants, and his objective is to find it and buy it; the price is a secondary consideration. All men simply walk into a shop and ask the assistant for what they want. If the shop has it in stock, the salesman promptly produces it, and the business of trying it on follows at once. All being well, the deal can be and often is completed in less than five minutes, with hardly any chat and to everyone's satisfaction.
For a man, slight problems may begin when the shop does not have what he wants, or does not have exactly what he wants. In that case the salesman, as the name implies, tries to sell the customer something else, he offers the nearest he can to the article required. No good salesman brings out such a substitute impolitely; he does so with skill: “I know this jacket is not the style you want, sir, but would you like to try it for size? It happens to be the color you mentioned.” Few men have patience with this treatment, and the usual response is: “This is the right color and may be the right size, but I should be wasting my time and yours by trying it on.”
Now how does a woman go about buying clothes? In almost every respect she does so in the opposite way. Her shopping is not often based on need. She has never fully made up her mind what she wants, and she is only “having a look round”. She is always open to persuasion; indeed she sets great store bywhat the saleswoman tells her, even by what companions tell her. She will try on any number of things. Uppermost in her mind is the thought of finding something that everyone thinks suits her. Contrary to a lot of jokes, most women have an excellent sense of value when they buy clothes. They are always on the lockout for the unexpected bargain. Faced with a roomful of dresses, a woman may easily spendan hour going from one rail to another, to and fro, often retracing her steps, before selecting the dresses she wants to try on. It is a laborious process, but apparently an enjoyable one. Most dress shops provide chairs for the waiting husbands.
1. The passage mainly talks about ________.

A．differences between men and women shoppers

B．A man goes shopping because he needs something

C．How women go about buying clothes.

D．Women are better at shopping than men

2. The underlined sentence “the price is a secondary consideration” in the first paragraph means when a man is shopping ________.

A．he buys good quality things, so long as they are not too dear

B．he buys whatever he likes without considering its value

C．he does not mind how much he has to pay for the right things

D．he often buy things without giving the matter proper thought.

3. What does a man do when he can not get exactly what he wants?

A．He buys a similar thing because of the color he wants.

B．He usually does not buy anything.

C．At least two of his requirements must be met before he buys.

D．So long as the style is right, he buys the thing.