1. What do we know about the man?
A.He is hard-working. |
B.He likes making things. |
C.He paid $50 for the bookcase. |
A.He told a joke. |
B.He made a future plan. |
C.He asked the woman for help. |
A.Pay for the shoes. | B.Go to the shoe shop. | C.Borrow money from the man. |
A.8. | B.10. | C.12. |
4 . Want to pick up an impressive piece of artwork from the comfort of your sofa? Check out our pick of art dealers and upcoming auctions (拍卖) online.
FOREST GALLERY
For the past four decades, West Sussex based Forest Gallery has shown a selection of modern and traditional artwork from both British and international artists. Hundreds of artworks are available to purchase online, with free UK delivery for purchases over £250. forestgallery.com
SISTER7
The very first women’s gallery in Darwin, Australia, Sister7 is an aboriginal women’s art gallery that features painted works from 17 professional artists. Sister7 provides a respectable platform for the artists to share both their work and their ancient stories. All artworks can be purchased via the website at sister7.gallery.com
UPRISE ART
A self-described, ‘gallery for the next generation of art collectors’, Uprise Art focuses on eye-catching modern pieces from new New York artists. It features a varied media collection from works on paper to large-size sculptures, plus an ‘Art Under $800’ section for those new to art or looking for a range for gifting. upriseart.com
IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN ART
Sotheby’s London online auction features paintings, sculptures and works on paper from 19th-and 20th-century artists. Browse and bid (投标) via Sotheby’s website or app at 1 p.m. on 7 April. There’s also a ‘Buy Now’ section for those who prefer not to bid. sothebys.com
MODERN BRITISH & 20TH CENTURY ART
Expect to be overwhelmed (压倒) by the choice of Modern British and 20th-century artworks in this two-part auction. The first is a live online auction; the second is a timed auction. Bid via the free live online service, or phone bidding at 10 a.m. on 20 April or 6 p.m. on 25 April. sworder.co.uk
1. Which dealer is your best choice if you’re interested in artworks but unfamiliar with it?A.SISTER 7. | B.UPRISE ART. |
C.FOREST GALLARY. | D.IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN ART. |
A.All artworks are available to purchase via forestgallery.com. |
B.You will purchase whatever artworks you want at sister7.gallery.com. |
C.MODERN BRITISH & 20TH CENTURY ART is a good choice to purchase a gift. |
D.IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN ART offers customers who don’t like bid another choice. |
A.To persuade readers to purchase artwork. |
B.To recommend popular artworks to readers. |
C.To introduce art online and auctions offline. |
D.To give readers information to pick up artworks. |
1. What is the speaker doing?
A.Hosting a radio program. | B.Chairing a meeting. | C.Conducting an interview. |
A.China. | B.Japan. | C.Thailand. |
A.1.14 billion yuan. | B.7.4 billion yuan. | C.30 billion yuan. |
A.To get a surprise. | B.To gain comfort. | C.To reduce stress. |
6 . Buying clothes for special events, hiding the price tickets and returning them to the store the next day has for years been the method of money-saving shoppers. Today people are doing it just for social media.
A survey conducted by the credit card company Barclaycard showed that nearly one in ten UK shoppers admits to buying clothing only to post photos on social media for likes. After the “outfit (装束) of the day” (OOTD) makes it online, they return it back to the store. According to Barclaycard, the “try before you buy” policy of online retailers (零售商) — where people pay for clothing they order online after they try it on at home — could be leading to this rising trend.
But the rise of social media means that everyone, not just superstars, expects to build and maintain a personal brand. Since we’re recording our lives and posting them online for public judgement, getting caught in the same outfits more than once should be avoided. And the cost of all those outfits of the day adds up, which makes returning a popular way.
There are brands that make clothes specially for social media shoppers, like Fashion Nova. “These are clothes made for social media: meant to be worn once, photographed and abandoned,” Allison P. Davis wrote in her report about the brand. Another favourite of the social media age is Rent the Runway, which lets customers rent designer clothing for a fee.
Some, however, are moving in the opposite direction. Groups promoting “work uniforms” have increased greatly in recent years, aiming to free women from “the trouble of clothing decisions”. The concept of the “capsule wardrobe (胶囊衣橱)”, which calls for purchasing a small number of high-quality pieces instead of lots of trendy throwaway clothes, is also making a comeback.
1. What does the survey by Barclaycard suggest?A.Britons follow the fashion stars closely. |
B.Some Britons over-order and return clothes. |
C.Britons try on clothes before online purchases. |
D.Some Britons send outfits back after taking pictures. |
A.Renting top designers’ clothes. |
B.Offering customers single-use clothes. |
C.Creating unique shopping experiences. |
D.Helping shoppers improve their clothing style. |
A.Better fewer, but better. | B.Less addition, but more enjoyment. |
C.Less uniform, and more freedom. | D.More choices, and less trouble. |
A.To compare different wearing trends. |
B.To introduce Britain’s new wearing trend. |
C.To support buying high-quality clothes. |
D.To criticize the “try before you buy” policy. |
A.pair of new pants. | B.A new jacket. | C.A new sweater. |
1. What is the man buying?
A.A sweater. | B.A jacket. | C.A shirt. |
A.Within half a month. | B.Within one month. | C.Within one and a half months. |
9 . Chinese buyers used to prize foreign brands, thinking that products made by American or European companies are of higher quality (质量) than Chinese ones. Increasingly, that’s no longer the case.
Chinese people born before 1985 generally think that foreign brands are better than Chinese ones, billionaire William Li told Business Insider during a recent interview on CCTV 9. But for those who were born after 1985, it is a different picture.
“When I first went to the United Kingdom in 1997, I thought that the difference between China and Europe was quite big,” Li said. “But for those born in the 1990s, when they visit Europe or the US, they do not think there is a big difference.”
The change in thinking among Chinese buyers is showing up in many markets in China where western companies used to control. A study by Credit Suisse published in March found that young Chinese buyers are increasingly showing a “home brand bias”.
More than 90% of young Chinese buyers would prefer to buy home appliance brands, according to the study. Meanwhile, home companies producing food, drinks, or personal care products increased their share of the market by 3.3% over the last ten years to nearly 70%.
“Chinese buyers, especially the younger ones, don’t just believe that foreign brands are better. Right now, Chinese buyers think China is good and ‘Made in China’ is not bad at all,” Charlie Chen, head of China buyer research at Credit Suisse, told South China Morning Post in March.
The Chinese smartphone market is controlled by home companies- Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Apple is the only foreign brand in the top five, but it has lost large ground to the home brands in recent years. Its market share is believed to be down to 37% from a 2015 high of 54%.
1. What is this passage mainly about?A.The quality of “Made in China”. |
B.The change in Chinese buyers’ thinking. |
C.Chinese products in the eye of foreigners. |
D.The difference between older and younger Chinese buyers. |
A.More and more foreigners go to buy Chinese products. |
B.Foreign products are more expensive than Chinese ones. |
C.More and more Chinese buyers prefer Chinese products. |
D.Older Chinese people don’t like foreign products any more. |
A.Apple had a market share of 54% in 2015. |
B.More than 90% of young Chinese buyers prefer home brands. |
C.Chinese people born before 1985 think that foreign brands are better. |
D.William Li found a big difference between China and Europe in 1997. |
A.Credit Suisse. |
B.CCTV 9. |
C.South China Morning Post. |
D.Business Insider. |
A.Chinese products get more popular at home |
B.Young Chinese are crazy for foreign brands |
C.Made in China is welcomed all over the world |
D.Apple has lost large ground to Huawei in China |
A.He often reads fashion magazines. |
B.He often watches fashion programs. |
C.He often enjoys fashion pictures on the Net. |