Local businessmen are increasingly facing competition from online retailers. Larry Pollock, owner of Camera Co/Op on South Congress, said he has been dealing with this kind of problem for years, even before the Internet. The struggle began with mail-order catalogues(目录), which are similar to online retailers in that they have few employees to pay, no sales tax fees and no business venue to lease and manage.
“Their overhead is lower, but they don’t offer a service like we do,” Pollock said.
Pollock, however, said providing a valuable service to customers does not always guarantee continued sales.
“We spend 30 minutes to an hour with somebody and they go home and buy it on line,” he said.
According to the state comptroller’s office, online shopping is developing at a more rapid rate than traditional businesses.
In spite of how fair or unfair online shopping may be to the local businessmen, consumers will continue to turn to the Internet for its variety and accessibility, said Mitch Wilson, an online shopper. “You have a larger selection and it"s easier to compare prices.”
Wilson said he built his personal computer and paid a third of the price by shopping on line.
“Before the Internet, I would have had to go and buy an assembled computer from somebody like Dell,” he said. “Before I started shopping on line I could never find all the pieces I wanted. No single store had everything needed, so shopping on line saved me from having to buy from Dell.”
Janny Brazeal, a psychology freshman, said online shopping is too impersonal.
“’d rather see it in person, touch it, know that I’m getting it,” she said.
Brazeal also said she would not give out her credit card number or other personal information on line no matter how safe the site claims it is.
小题1:Larry Pollock has been facing the problem _____.| A．before long | | B．after the Internet | | C．since there were mail-order catalogues | | D．since he worked as a businessman |
小题2:According to the passage, which of the following is WRONG?| A．Traditional business can provide valuable ser- vices to customers. | | B．People can get cheaper goods from traditional business. | | C．More and more people will turn to the Internet for their needs. | | D．There are still many people who don’t like on- line shopping. |
小题3: Mitch Wilson prefers to build his personal compu- ter by shopping on line because _____.| A．he can easily get what he needs at a lower price | | B．he can not get the price at traditional businessman | | C．he is not satisfied with the service of local busi- nessman | | D．the quality of Dell is not satisfying |
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小题1:C
小题2:B
小题3:D |
小题1: C 细节理解题。由文章第一段第二、三句可知，Larry Pollock在mail-order catalogues出现后就开始面临着激烈的竞争了。
小题2:B 细节理解题。由文中Their overhead is lower可知，网店的运营费用(overhead)比传统商店要低，即成本较低。再根据…paid a third of the price by shopping online.可知，网上购物要便宜些，即传统商店购物要贵些。
小题3: D 细节理解题。结合上下文可知网上购物的三个优势：商品样式多，便宜而又便利。 |
核心考点
试题【Local businessmen are increasingly facing competition from online retailers. Lar】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
The elderly Chinese man in the small booth (售票口) behind the thick glass shook his head. I didn"t need to know a word of Chinese to understand there were beds available for the Thursday night train from Beijing to Shanghai. I had a Friday morning
with my college friend. I must be on that train. Desperate times desperate measures. So I squatted(蹲下). I assumed that this was the international for “Are there any hard seats available?”
, there were. It was seat 109. Very quickly, I found it. The Chinese man sitting in it, however, seemed to beg to differ.
I panicked. I am a man who usually avoids conflicts(冲突) and so I my seat, as if still looking, to buy myself more time. I had two options: The first is to be a and ask for what was rightfully mine. The second was to 23 and spend the next 13 hours staying in a corner.
Well, nine out of ten times I choose the second option. But at that moment, every square inch of had already been claimed. There wasn’t a corner in which to cower(退缩). So, I mustered up(聚集) some and presented the man with my proof of ownership. He looked at my ticket and .
About midnight my became heavy and I was ready for the lights to dim and my date
Ms ZZZZ to start. But the room bright and hot. I tried to persevere and was even able to work into a sleeping position.
It is here I must admit: I have a bladder (膀胱). The man next to me drank a Coca-Cola, a bag of milk and a bottle of water and the course of 13 hours he did not move once. I drank but finally, I made my way to the bathroom at 3:02 am.
After waiting in a thick cloud of cigarette smoke, I finally used the bathroom. The philosophy(原则) of my sleeping was right: if you get a seat on a train, don’t move.
| 小题2: | | A．discussion | B．appointment | | C．debate | D．conversation |
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| 小题3: | | A．take up | B．call for | | C．keep away | D．bring in |
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| 小题4: | | A．habit | B．custom | | C．symbol | D．style |
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| 小题5: | | A．Naturally | B．Luckily | | C．Indeed | D．Suddenly |
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| 小题6: | | A．rushed towards | B．jumped upon | | C．pushed into | D．walked past |
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| 小题7: | | A．man | B．human | | C．fellow | D．hero |
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| 小题8: | | A．give up | B．lie down | | C．wait for | D．sit still |
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| 小题9: | | A．seats | B．beds | | C．space | D．corners |
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| 小题11: | | A．information | B．support | | C．confidence | D．force |
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| 小题12: | | A．moved | B．refused | | C．accepted | D．admitted |
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| 小题13: | | A．body | B．eyelids | | C．arms | D．legs |
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| 小题15: | | A．remained | B．turned | | C．stuck | D．continued |
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| 小题17: | | A．sick | B．wrong | | C．healthy | D．small |
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| 小题19: | | A．everything | B．something | | C．nothing | D．anything |
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| 小题20: | | A．neighbour | B．friend | | C．colleague | D．partner |
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Travel Unaccompanied
Now many young people are traveling around the world on their own, not because they have no one to travel with, but because they prefer to go alone.
Kristina Wegscheider from California first traveled alone when she was at college and believes that it is something everyone should do at least once in their life. “It opens up your mind to new things and pushes you out of your comfort zone.” Wegscheider has visited 46 countries covering all seven continents.
In foreign countries, with no one to help you read a map, look after you if you get ill, or lend you money if your wallet is stolen. It is challenging. This is what drives young people to travel alone.It is seen as character building and a chance to prove that they can make it on their own.
Chris Richardson decided to leave his sales job in Australia to go traveling last year.He set up a website, The Aussie Nomad, to document his adventures. He said he wished he had traveled alone earlier. “The people you meet, the places you visit, or the things you do, everything is up to you and it forces you to grow as a person，” said the 30yearold.
Richardson describes traveling alone like “a shot in the arm”， which “makes you a more confident person that was ready to deal with anything”. He said: “The feeling of having conquered something on my own is a major part of what drives me each day when I"m dealing with a difficult task. I walk around with my head up because I know deep down inside that nothing is impossible if you try.”
The great 19th century explorer John Muir once said: “Only by going alone in silence can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness.”
小题1:Which of the following will Kristina Wegscheider agree with?| A．Traveling alone is a necessary experience for everyone. | | B．It is more meaningful to travel in foreign countries. | | C．It is comfortable to travel around without a friend. | | D．Traveling abroad helps people to find new things. |
小题2:Traveling alone is challenging because ________.| A．it will finally build your character | | B．you have to make things on your own | | C．you depend on yourself whatever happens | | D．it is hard for you to prove yourself to others |
小题3:What can we infer about Chris Richardson?| A．He started traveling at an early age. | | B．He was once shot in the arm. | | C．His website inspires others a lot. | | D．He used to work as a salesman. |
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Dogs and cats are not for students who live in the dormitory. Just think about the noise, the smell and all that wild behaviorchewing on whatever they can get their teeth on, or knocking over the trash can. But don"t feel sad. There are smaller and less destructive pets to make your dormitory life colorful.
Betta fish
They make great pets with their big personality and astonishing colors, ranging from bright red, dark blue to lemon yellow. Unlike many fish, most bettas react to their owner"s presence and become more active when they are nearby, which is unusual in the fish world.
Chinchillas
Without bad smell, about the size of a rabbit and with fur so dense that they can"t get pests such as fleas(跳蚤), the friendly creature originally from the Andes Mountains in South America makes an ideal indoor pet. Chinchillas are very social animals, so if you only have one, you will become its family. In cold winter days, in a glace at this fury pet in a dorm will bring you a lot of warmth.
Land hermit crabs
In a society where owners are often asked “Are they tasty？”， land hermit crabs are among the most unlucky animals commonly kept as pets. But they are easy to care for, inexpensive and fascinating to watch. And the fact that they don"t cause any allergic reactions makes them perfect for college dormitories.
Redeared sliders
If you"re interested in a lifelong friend, a redeared slider makes a wonderful pet. If well cared for, they can live for around 40 years. But there are a couple of things you should know. Redeared can grow to an adult size of up to 30cm! So you may need a larger tank quickly. In addition, you will need to provide UV lighting, water heater, and a swimming area and a basking (晒太阳) area. Housing a red eared slider is not easy.
小题1:All the dormitory pets mentioned in the text are ________.| A．active and allergic | B．quiet and peaceful | | C．colorful and tasty | D．small and smelly |
小题2:Which of the following is NOT true about these creatures?| A．Bettas are active and rich in colors. | | B．Chinchillas are originally mountain animals. | | C．Land hermit crabs are allergic but tasty. | | D．Redeared sliders need more care from the owner. |
小题3:If you want to keep the pet as long as possible, you"d better choose ________.| A．Betta fish | B．Chinchillas | | C．Land hermit crabs | D．Redeared sliders |
小题4:The text is mainly to ________.| A．introduce the best way to keep pets | | B．offer useful tips for choosing pets | | C．inform students of lifestyle of pets | | D．recommend some dormitory pets |
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The day that I met my best friend for the first time, I was full of anxiety. I was trying to do some __41__ for an important oral exam in the local library, but people kept ____ me. I was getting annoyed and of course, I wasn"t able to ___. Suddenly I heard someone singing behind me. I ____ and glared at the person who was singing. It was a tall girl about the same age as me.
The fact that she looked like a sensitive, friendly girl didn"t matter. If anything, it made me even angrier.“ How could she be so selfish？” I thought ____.
I picked up my books, glared at her and whispered coldly, “Thanks to your ____， I"ve been unable to study. You"re so ____！”
I left the library in such a hurry that I left the most important textbook ____. when I got home two hours later, I found that textbook gone. I was so ____ that I almost cried. Just then, the phone rang. A gentle voice ____ the speaker as Jenny and asked if I was Jane. After ____ that I was, she said that she had noticed I"d left my book in the library and as my ___ was in it, she"d asked a librarian to get my phone number. She said that she didn"t live far away and could bring it around for me if I needed it.
I sighed with ____ and agreed to meet her at the convenience store down the road. Of course you"ve ____ who Jenny was. She was the girl I had shouted at for singing in the library. When I recognized her in the convenience store, I was filled with ____ and apologized for my ruled behavior. I felt so ____， but Jenny just laughed, saying she was glad to see that I"d also left my ____ in the library! I couldn"t help laughing at this and I invited her back to my apartment for a quick cup of tea.
Ever since then we"ve been best friends and we got along really well. To be honest, I trust her more than any one else. I often think how ____ I am. If Jenny hadn"t been a kind person who was willing to ____ my shortcomings, I would ____ have experienced such true friendship.
| 小题1: | | A．research | B．revision | | C．work | D．experiment |
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小题2:．| A．watching | B．asking | | C．warning | D．disturbing |
| 小题3: | | A．speak | B．improve | | C．concentrate | D．follow |
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| 小题4: | | A．turned around | B．turned down | | C．turned off | D．turned over |
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| 小题5: | | A．sadly | B．hopelessly | | C．angrily | D．crazily |
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| 小题6: | | A．practice | B．noise | | C．attitude | D．existence |
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| 小题7: | | A．selfish | B．active | | C．sensitive | D．stupid |
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| 小题8: | | A．out | B．around | | C．aside | D．behind |
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| 小题9: | | A．nervous | B．careless | | C．upset | D．forgetful |
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| 小题10: | | A．introduced | B．considered | | C．took | D．remembered |
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| 小题11: | | A．deciding | B．confirming | | C．realizing | D．thinking |
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| 小题12: | | A．address | B．class | | C．writing | D．name |
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| 小题13: | | A．comfort | B．relief | | C．confidence | D．satisfaction |
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| 小题14: | | A．recognized | B．found | | C．guessed | D．heard |
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| 小题15: | | A．courage | B．energy | | C．doubt | D．shame |
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| 小题16: | | A．worried | B．sorry | | C．terrible | D．excited |
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| 小题17: | | A．glare | B．expression | | C．virtue | D．friendship |
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小题18:．| A．considerate | B．pleased | | C．lucky | D．grateful |
| 小题19: | | A．overcome | B．share | | C．hide | D．forgive |
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| 小题20: | | A．ever | B．never | | C．seldom | D．still |
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On May 23rd the United States Department of Agriculture will meet to discuss the pressing topic of wild pigs. These beasts, which number 6 million or so, are an increasing bother. At their worst, they can damage crops, spread diseases, attack humans and kill farm animals. And things are getting worse: a study show that they are likely to double in number over the next 3 years. Why is it so hard to control wild pigs?
Introduced to America in the 16th century, and related to the wild pigs found in Europe, wild pigs can be found in 75% of all states. No single law exists to control them and regulations differ between states: while in Missouri they can only be shot if met by chance, in Texas hunting is actively encouraged. A “pork chopper” law allows Texan hunters to shoot wild pigs from helicopters, and some people in Louisiana have even built their own pighunting drone(无人机). As well as being popular with hunters, wild pigs are cheaper for game raisers to breed(饲养)than deer. In Michigan and Pennsylvania suggested bans on the private breeding of pigs for hunting have caused quarrels between game raisers and wildlife officials.
Wild pigs" double nature——considered pests by farmers, but valued by hunters——makes it hard to pass laws to control them. Two other factors also contribute. Nearly 70% of land in America is privately owned. And it is difficult for lawmakers to impose(强加)breeding and hunting laws on private landowners. Secondly, it is hard to define a wild pig.
In some states, laws are being introduced to redefine the term “wild animal” to keep out wild pigs. This is good news for those raising pigs for hunting, but less are to those who consider them pests whose number should be limited. Meanwhile, discussions continue over how to deal with this problem.
小题1:People are not permitted to hunt wild pigs freely in ________. | A．Texas | B．Michigan | | C．Missouri | D．Louisiana |
小题2:Why do the game raisers prefer raising wild pigs to deer? | A．It"s difficult to raise deer. | | B．Wild pigs are in large numbers. | | C．Deer are not popular with hunters. | | D．They can benefit more from wild pigs. |
小题3:Which is NOT the reason for the difficulty in controlling wild pigs? | A．The difficulty of passing effective laws. | | B．The high percentage of land owned privately. | | C．The farmers" unwillingness to shoot wild pigs. | | D．The popularity of raising wild pigs in many states. |
小题4:What is the best title of the text?| A．Why are wild pigs so hard to control? | | B．Are wild pigs pests or wild animals? | | C．Wild pigs——an increasing danger in the US. | | D．How to deal with the problem of wild pigs? |
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