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Have you ever had travel problems because your airplane was late? It is a common problem and it is getting worse. Airport delays make people angry and cost the country billions in lost work time.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the government agency that oversees air travel. They studied the problem of airline delays.

They found eleven major problems and suggested eleven ways to fix them. Some of the problems are caused because different regions (地区) of the country do things differently. The regions don’t talk to each other enough. Some of them need new computers.

Also, more planes are flying. A strong economy has more people using airplanes to get around. Airplanes are a form of mass transportation now, like trains and buses were in the past. More planes in the airport cause delays.

The airport in San Francisco is a good example. It is growing fast. Many people go through San Francisco to get to other places around the world. Ron Wilson of the San Francisco International Airport says, “If you’ve got 18 flights that all want to take off at 8:00 am and you’re on the 18th plane in line, you’re going to be 40 minutes late.”

Weather is another main reason for delays. Weather causes about 70% of delays. Fog or freezing rain can cause delays.

The first thing the FAA wants to do is take control away from the regions during heavy traffic times and bad weather. A national center would make decisions on things that affect the whole country. The FAA also wants to put more distance between planes in the sky when the weather is bad. This rule could cause even more delays.

The FAA knows that their solutions will not solve the problems with airport delays. But, they hope to make things better. There are just too many planes, too few traffic controllers, and not enough new technology.

(1) FAA found that some of the delay problems are caused by ______ between two regions.

A. different languages

B. technical misunderstanding

C. misunderstanding of the rules

D. lack of communication

(2) The word “oversees” (in 2nd paragraph) probably means “______”.

  

A. makes use of	B. takes control of
C. catches hold of	D. does a favor of

(3) Which of the statements best gives the main idea of the passage?

A. FAA should make decisions to stop airport delays.

B. Airport delays are on the rise.

C. Travel problems cost billions in lost work time.

D. FAA has taken control of air traffic nationwide.

The tough economy is bringing new shoppers to the secondhand market. Plato’s Closet in Chaelotte, NC is a private company, which mainly buys and sells used clothes. While Charlotte has outstanding secondhand stores offering high-end and graceful brands for women, most of their stock applies to adults. Plato’s closet targets teens and those in their 20s. Plato’s Closet , with stores in Matthews and the university area, sells clothes and accessories(装饰品) that are currently popular at about one third the retail prices(零售价).

The two hottest brands, for buying and selling, are Hollister and Abercrombie &Fitch. Even though the offerings tend to be suitable for young people, there are a variety of shoppers at Plato’s Closet of varying ages. Women in their 30s, 40s, and older could easily find a purse, jacket or piece of jewelry they like.

If you are selling

Unlike higher-end resale stores which usually work on consignment(寄售),Plato’s Closet buys on the spot.

Items can be gently used, but must be in very good condition.

Clothes should be less than two years old and styles should be the same as those still being sold at the shopping center.

There is no negotiation; prices are set company-wide. If what you sell amounts to $30 or less, they’ll give you cash. More than that, you’ll get a Visa cash card.

Secondhand success

Don’t get discouraged if you can’t find something on your first trip. Resale shops are always getting new lists of goods and change their styles with each season.

Be sure to check each piece carefully before buying.

Price comparison

Jackets: New York & Company black blazer, $12; retail: $37

Pants: Express Editor-style pants, $12; retail: $69.90.

Shoes: Nine West black peep-toe pumps, $12; retail: $89.

Jewelry: Necklaces, $3-$5; retail: $18-$30.

(1) What is the difference between Plato’s Closet and other resale shops?

A. They offer service for people of different ages.

B. The offerings in Plato’s Closet are more expensive.

C. Plato’s Closet only offers high-end brands for women.

D. Plato’s Closet also sells books to customers.

(2) Which of the following about Plato’s Closet is NOT true?

A. Hollister and Abercrombie &Fitch are the two hottest brands in Plato’s Closet.

B. Women in their fifties can’t find proper clothes and accessories in Plato’s Closet.

C. Goods in Plato’s Closet are sold at 67 percent off retail prices or so.

D. Plato’s Closet targets teens and those in their 20s.

(3) In Plato’s Closet, which of the following is not accepted?

A. Items you sell must be in very good condition.

B. You can negotiate with buyers about prices of goods.

C. The clothes you sell should be less than two years old.

D. You can sell your goods on the spot instead of on consignment.

(4) If you buy a pair of Express Editor-style pants in Plato’s Closet, you can save _______.

A. 57.9 dollars	B. 15 dollars
C. 77 dollars	D. 25 dollars.

  D

Alibaba started taking the lead in China, simply enough, by connecting big Chinese manufacturers with big buyers across the world. Its business-to-business site, Alibaba.com allowed business to buy almost everything. Alibaba’s advantage wasn’t hard to identify: size. Alibaba is just big, even by Chinese standards. Its marketplaces attract 231 million active buyers, 8 million sellers, 11.3 billion orders a year—and Alibaba is just the middleman. It encourages people to use its markets—not charging small sellers a percentage of the sale.

If you want a quick look into the influence of Alibaba on daily Chinese life, take my experience. I moved to Beijing almost a year ago and quickly got tired of visiting small stores across the crowded, polluted city of 20 million people in search of new electronics, bathroom furnishings, and anything else my wife wanted. “You’re looking for what exactly? Why not try it? ” my Chinese teacher asked me one day. With that, my wonderful new relationship with Alibaba began.

Alibaba’s original business-to-business model now is second to consumer buying. Chinese retail（零售）buying makes up 80% of Alibaba’s profit, and leading that group is Taobao, with 800 million items for sale and the most unbelievable selection of things you’ll ever find. TMall.com is Alibaba’s other big site, where you can find brand name goods from Nike and Unilever near the lowest prices.

What I have a hard time explaining to friends and family back in the U.S.is how China has gone beyond traditional shopping—big-box retailers especially —in favor of online purchases on Taobao and a few other sites. In smaller towns than Beijing, where big retailers have not yet traveled, shopping online is shopping, and shopping is Taobao.

I have a list of some of my recent purchases on Taobao for a sense of how extensive the marketplace is. Almost everything arrived a day or two after ordering with free shipping. I’m not even a big buyer, because I need friends to help me search the Chinese-language site. When I was searching my purchase history on my Chinese teacher’s iPad, which helps me buy goods, I looked through with great difficulty about 10 of her purchases for every one of mine. ​

(1) Alibaba’s advantage mainly lies in ___________.

A. its big size

B. its business-to-business service

C. its not charging small sellers

D. its low price

(2) What can we learn from the underlined sentence in the passage?

A. Alibaba is of middle size among all the online sites

B. Alibaba will continue to develop.

C. Alibaba stands out as the best online site.

D. Alibaba acts as a bridge between the buyers and sellers.

(3) What can be inferred from the passage?

A. The author’s Chinese teacher is also an online purchase lover.

B. Taobao has no obvious advantage over other similar online sites.

C. Alibaba’s business-to-business service earns more money than retail now. ​

D. TMall.com provides more profit than Taobao.

(4) What is the passage mainly about?

A. Shopping online is TaoBao.

B. The influence of shopping online goes beyond traditional shopping.

C. Alibaba greatly influences people’s daily purchase in China.

D. How the author purchases online in China.

Why read, and sometimes even write poetry? That question is not difficult to answer if we change the word poetry to songs.
    I sing when I feel good. When I sing my favorite songs, I feel even better. Sometimes when I am listening to music and to the song words, I feel that it was written for me. A good song always makes me feel something. There are songs that I sing in my head between classes and songs that I want to sing when the school bell rings by the end of the day. They help me get through the day.
They are like bright and warm colors in the middle of grays and shades. I like songs about love and friendship. The extraordinary thing is that my feelings are more special when I sing my favorite songs in English.
    I also like reading. I used to avoid poetry until an e-friend told me I should recite poems and not look up the meaning of the words. Poetry uses many difficult words and idioms, but the best thing is to just forget about them. In the beginning I felt quite strange. Now I always lock the door. Reading aloud gives you a strange feeling, but when you have some practice and fall into the rhythm, and the sounds of the words, it is really a special experience.
    I started with small poems, but now I think I most like long poems. I have different feelings with different poems. When I have had a bad day at school, I read Keats and forget everything. When I am sad I read Wordsworth by the light of a candle. When the poem is finished, I close the book and my sadness is gone.

(1) According to the writer, _______.

A. people like poems the same way they enjoy songs

B. poetry is the same form of art as songs

C. people always feel the same while reading poems

D. the meaning of words is the key to appreciating poetry

(2) Which of the following statements is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?

A. Songs are like different colors in different times.

B. Songs can help people better understand colors.

C. Songs can describe a mixture of different colors.

D. Songs can bring people warmth and comfort.

(3) What we can infer from the passage is that______.

A. the writer likes singing songs aloud at any time

B. songs and poems can help get over bad emotions

C. the writer’s native language is English

D. the writer like songs better than poems

(4) What can we know about the poems of Keats and Wordsworth through the passage?

A. Keats’ poems are full of bad feelings.

B. Wordsworth’s poems contain much sad description.

C. Both of their poetry can create positive feelings.

D. The themes of their poems are not different at all.

Every bride wants her wedding to be the most wonderful day of her life. However, perfect weddings require careful planning, whether the bride and groom are planning a traditional wedding or just a registry office ceremony. Paying for the wedding, which is always a problem, will partly decide the choice.

    The bride's clothes, which are usually expensive, require careful selection. Many brides choose to wear a white wedding dress for a Western ceremony, and a red Chinese wedding gown for a traditional evening banquet. Both are costly to buy, but there are shops from which they can be hired.  These can also supply the groom's outfits(服装): a dinner jacket for the Western ceremony and traditional Chinese clothes for the banquet.

    Flowers are important to most weddings. The bride and the bridesmaids usually carry bouquets. Centuries ago, Western brides carried bunches of flowers, some of which were bad-smelling, to keep evil spirits away. Nowadays, couples prefer more fragrant flowers, so they should contact a good florist(花商).

    The wedding stationery(婚礼用品) may include invitations, photo albums, menus, etc. The best idea is that the couple consult a specialist printer, who can give helpful advice.

    Many people travel to a wedding by car. It would be terrible if the car broke down on the way to the ceremony, so the couple should remember to book a good limousine(豪华轿车).

    After the wedding, the bride and groom may have a traditional banquet or a Western-style reception. We suggest that they reserve the restaurant and select the menu months before the wedding. People who want to be different could hold the event in a park or on a boat.

    Years afterwards, the married couple will want to look back at their wedding photos. It is essential that they resist the temptation to ask a favourite uncle to take the photographs. Otherwise, later, they may wish that they had booked a photographer who specializes in weddings.

    The couple should also think about the place where the photographer will take the photos. It does not always have to be on the steps of the registry office. For example, one couple decided to have theirs taken in a swimming pool!

(1) According to the passage, the groom should wear ________ for the banquet.

A. a white wedding dress

B. a dinner jacket

C. a red Chinese wedding gown

D. traditional Chinese clothes

(2) What's the purpose of western brides' carrying some bad-smelling flowers hundreds of years ago?

A. To express their dislike of flowers.

B. To show they couldn't afford fragrant flowers.

C. To tell people they couldn't find a good florist.

D. To keep evil spirits away.

(3) The bride and groom are advised to ________.

A. ask a favourite uncle to take the photographs

B. hold the event in a swimming pool

C. book a good limousine

D. reserve the restaurant and select the menu months after the wedding

(4) The best title of the passage might be ________.

A. Paying for the wedding

B. Planning for the perfect wedding

C. Ways to celebrate a wedding

D. What to wear and eat in a wedding

So you have met Maria?

&;—Yes, it was last week _____ we attended Jack’s party.

  

Richard was called in by the police to answer questions ______ the disappearance of Thomas, whose relatives were so _______ his present situation.

In the global economy, a new drug for cancer, ______ it is discovered, will create many economic possibilities around the world.

American restaurants have been talking about getting rid of tipping (给小费) for years. Now a major New York City restaurant group has announced a no-tip policy. The debate is starting to boil.

    When Danny Meyer, the boss of the restaurant group, talks, people listen. He’s been right before. When he banned (禁止) smoking at Union Square Café, he was told he’d go out of business. However, his business improved. Ten years later, smoking in restaurants was against law. Starting in November 2015, tipping began to be abolished (废除) at his 13 restaurants, the first major restaurant group to do this. It’s been all over the news and everyone has an opinion. “Why not earlier?” some say. “Americans will not,” others insist.

    It’s clear that tipping is just the tip of the iceberg (冰山). Beneath the surface are questions of pay fairness, labor law and rising costs. Tipping was borrowed from Europe more than a century ago and has been abolished there. But here, it’s deep-rooted American cultural practice.

    Usually, servers know there’s a higher chance that they’ll get a bigger tip on a bigger check, so they may rush customers out quickly to make room for new diners (and more tips!). Basically, they may adjust accordingly to serve only the people they think will be the best tippers. Therefore, it is bad for customers.

    Besides, many servers put tips together, so your reward is shared. Tips provide a large part of their income. But that money can’t be shared legally with the un-tipped, low-paid kitchen workers. No wonder there’s a growing labor shortage in restaurant kitchens. Meyer tried to abolish tipping 20 years ago, but the waiters disagreed. Is the time right now? The dining world will listen and watch.

(1) We can learn from Danny Meyer’s story that _______.

A. people suggested he run more restaurants

B. his ban on smoking succeeded beyond expectations

C. his business failed because of his ban on smoking

D. he was threaten to shut his business

(2) According to Paragraph 3, tipping _______.

 

A. is quite popular in Europe

B. is against labor law in America

C. spreads from Europe to America

D. is disliked by most people in America

(3) Why are kitchen workers in short supply?

 

A. Their income isn't fixed.

B. They can't get tips.

C. They can't see customers.

D. Their work is very boring.

The government has passed a law to ______ students ______ to the Internet cafe.