Wal-Mart is not just the world's largest retailer （零售商）. It's the world's largest company, which sells in three months what number-two retailer Home Depot sells in a year.
Wal-Mart exercises its power for just one purpose: to bring the lowest possible prices to its customers. At Wal-Mart, that goal is never reached. The retailer has a clear policy for suppliers: On basic products that don't change, the price Wal-Mart will pay, and will charge shoppers, must drop year after year. But what almost no one outside the world of Wal-Mart and none of its 21,000 suppliers know is the high cost of those low prices. To survive in the face of its pricing demands, makers of everything from bikes to jeans have had to close US plants in favor of obtaining products from abroad.
Indeed, the real story of Wal-Mart, the story that never gets told, is the story of the pressure the biggest retailer constantly applies to its suppliers in the name of bringing us "every day low prices".
The giant retailer' s low prices often come with a high cost. Wal-Mart' s pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. Are we shopping our way straight to the unemployment line? Of course, US companies have been moving jobs offshore for decades, long before Wal-Mart was a retailing power. But there is no question that the chain is helping accelerate the loss of American jobs to low-wage countries such as Thailand.
People ask, "How can it be bad for things to come into the US cheaply?" Sure, it's great to have bargains. But you can' t buy anything if you' re not employed.
There is no question that Wal-Mart's drive to squeeze out cost has benefited consumers. By now, it is accepted wisdom that Wal-Mart makes the companies it does business with more efficient and focused. Wal-Mart itself is known for continuous improvement in its ability to handle, move, and track goods. It is legendary （传奇） for forcing its suppliers to redesign everything from their packaging to their computer systems. It is also legendary for quite straightforwardly telling them what it will pay for their goods.
【小题1】How do suppliers meet the requirements of Wal-Mart?
| A．To sell even more goods in three months. |
| B．To cut down the employment rate sharply. |
| C．To charge shoppers at a much higher price. |
| D．To run the business in a well-organized way. |
| A．more high-paying jobs |
| B．better designed packages |
| C．bigger profit of its partners |
| D．more jobless American workers |
| A．Still more quality goods will be provided. |
| B．The food you get at Wal-Mart costs least. |
| C．The value of Mal-Mart is over assessed. |
| D．Wal-Mart is a very demanding company. |
| A．The Fortune Wal-Mart Makes |
| B．The Wal-Mart you don't Know |
| C．The Biggest Retailer—Wal-Mart |
| D．The Money Saving Tip in Wal-Mart |
【小题1】D
【小题2】D
【小题3】D
【小题4】B
解析试题分析：这篇文章告诉读者在沃尔玛提供消费者低价商品的背后，却是要付出代价的，为了使价格降低，很多供应商把工厂开到海外，导致很多美国的工人会因此失业。
【小题1】细节题：从最后一段的句子：By now, it is accepted wisdom that Wal-Mart makes the companies it does business with more efficient and focused.可知为了满足沃尔玛的要求，供应商需要以组织有序的方式运作。选D
【小题2】推理题：从第四段的句子：The giant retailer' s low prices often come with a high cost. Wal-Mart' s pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. Are we shopping our way straight to the unemployment line? 可知沃尔玛的低价格会导致美国的工人失业，选D
【小题3】推理题：从最后一段的句子Wal-Mart itself is known for continuous improvement in its ability to handle, move, and track goods. It is legendary （传奇） for forcing its suppliers to redesign everything from their packaging to their computer systems.可知沃尔玛公司是非常苛刻的，选D
【小题4】标题确定题：从全篇文章和第三段的句子：Indeed, the real story of Wal-Mart, the story that never gets told, is the story of the pressure the biggest retailer constantly applies to its suppliers in the name of bringing us "every day low prices".可知这篇文章告诉读者在沃尔玛提供消费者低价商品的背后，却是要付出代价的，就是美国的工人会因此失业。这是很多人不知道的事情，标题The Wal-Mart you don't Know 和主题很贴切。选B
考点：考查社会生活类短文
阅读快车系列答案科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Travel can be a lifesaver. But in today’s economy (经济) with airlines adding new fees almost daily and ticket prices sharply on the rise, many have written off travel as too expensive. However, with a few saving tricks and a little research, there are still lots of great deals to be had on airline tickets and more.
Early Bird Gets the Deal.
Travel experts say that there are certain times of day when more deals are available. Airfares can change three times a day as airlines adjust their prices to fill up flights. Early morning is when the fares tend to be lowest.www.zxxk.com
What Wouldn’t a Business Traveler do?
Flying when business travelers don’t can save you big money. Most business travelers fly on Mondays and Fridays, so Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days. Airlines will usually lower their prices on these days to aggressively try and fill empty seats.
Fly to popular places at unpopular times. The slowest time of the year for travel is in the Fall between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Again, to try and fill more empty seats, the airlines will lower prices and offer better deals to get people to fly during this time of the year.
Package Deals
Many times the best deals on airfare can be found as part of a package rate. Most travel sites have package rates available. Often, the entire package (hotel, airfare, rental car) is cheaper than just the plane ticket on another site. Even if you don’t need the rental car, with the money you’ve saved on the flight, you can afford to take a taxi. These deals are especially good on last minute bookings.
With a little inside knowledge and some good timing, you can get yourself a steal on a ticket to the vacation you thought was out of reach.
【小题1】Which would be the best title for the text?
| A．Tips on Vocation Travelling |
| B．Advice for Business Travelers |
| C．The Effect of Economy on Airlines |
| D．Tricks of Finding the Cheapest Flights |
| A．have no saving tricks | B．consider economic reasons |
| C．seldom do research | D．can’t have great deals |
| A．Fly to popular places. |
| B．Don’t Miss the Holydays. |
| C．Better Avoid the Crowds. |
| D．Lose No Chance for Travelling. |
| A．Saving tricks can make the seemingly impossible vacation possible. |
| B．Inside knowledge and good timing help you to steal tickets from airlines. |
| C．Vacation will be out of reach without inside knowledge and good timing. |
| D．Who thinks the vacation is out of reach never grasps the tricks of saving. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
It’s hard not to feel cheated and over-charged when you receive unexpected roaming (漫游) charges while traveling abroad—whether they come from making phone calls or checking e-mails.
Jeff Gardner received an $ 11,000 bill from Verizon after spending four days in Jamaica. Before the trip, Mr. Gardner, who runs a fly-fishing business in Grayling, Michigan, said he called Verizon to find out what it would cost to use his cellphone for calls and his wireless card to check e-mails while in Jamaica. He said he was told that calls would be about $ 2 a minute and that there would be no extra charges for data as he was on an unlimited plan. The latter part turned out to be wrong.
“I don’t mind paying a fair amount for fair service, but $11,000 for four days is ridiculous,” said Mr. Gardner, who used his phone carefully and economically on the trip. He also tried to check and send e-mails using his wireless card, but quickly gave up after the e-mails didn’t go through. Still, his Verizon bill said more than 500,000 kilobytes (千字节) of data was delivered while he was in Jamaica, an amount Mr. Gardner said is 100 times what he normally uses in a month.
As travelers increasingly use smart phones abroad in the same way they do at home—to check e-mails, update Facebook and Twitter and pull up online maps—many are facing costly roaming fees, which providers charge when customers use their phones outside their service area. In fact, roaming charges have gotten so out of hand that the Federal Communications Commission has proposed a plan that would require wireless companies to send their customers a voice or text message when they are approaching their plan’s limit, when they have reached that limit and when they are starting to result in roaming fees.
【小题1】Why did Jeff Gardner call Verizon before his trip to Jamaica?
| A．To hand over his business. |
| B．To check his cellphone bill |
| C．To find out information about Jamaica. |
| D．To find out information about roaming charges. |
| A．Extra charges were made for Jeff Gardner’s data delivery. |
| B．Jeff Gardner’s calls were charged over $2 per minute. |
| C．Jeff Gardner’s plan turned out to be limited. |
| D．Jeff Gardner had difficulty delivering data abroad. |
| A．was careless with phone use |
| B．delivered no more data than at home |
| C．received quite poor e-mail services |
| D．frequently used his wireless card to send e-mails |
| A．Make customers know when they’re outside their service area. |
| B．Get customers informed when they’re near the limit of their plan. |
| C．Stop serving customers when they’ve reached their plan’s limit. |
| D．Limit some services to reduce the amount of roaming charges abroad. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
March, April and May are months full of festivals and events all over the world. Here are some wonderful festivals around the world that happen in spring.
SongKran--Thailand
Dates: 13th-15th, April
In Thailand, it’s time to celebrate the coming monsoon season, which will bring the rain many people have been looking forward to. They celebrate it with a festival called Songkran，when people head out to the streets with water guns to spray(喷，洒）everyone who walks past. If you walk on the streets where the festival is celebrated, prepare to get soaked!
Naghol--Vanuatu
Dates: Every Saturday from April to May
Every year, villagers come together to celebrate the harvest of yams, an important part in the people’s diet in Vanuatu. The festival is most famous for its “land di ving ceremony”. During the ceremony men and boys dive to the ground from high wooden towers with only two thin vines(藤条) attached(附于)to their ankles(脚踝）. The divers’ heads have to lightly touch the ground when they jump---something very dangerous if the vines are not measured（测量）properly.
Cherry Blossom Viewing ---Japan
Dates: The cherry blossom season is different from year to year depending on the weather forecast.
The cherry blossom season has huge importance to the people of Japan, who celebrate the days when the flowers finally blossom. Only a few days later, the petals(花瓣） fall to the ground, like pink snowflakes. This is one of the most beautiful things to see. In Japan, almost everyone has picnics in the parks to view the flowers.
Sinhalese New Year--Sri Lanka
Dates: 13th or 14th, April
Just like in many other countries in South an South East Asia, this is the time when the Sinhalese celebrate the traditional New Year, an ancient celebration which marks the end of the harvest season and is one of two times of the year when the sun is straight above Sri Lanka. There are a lot of delicious foods during the celebration.
【小题1】What does the underlined word “soaked” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．tired | B．wet | C．crazy | D．interested |
| A．the divers may fall onto the ground if the thin vines break |
| B．the divers may bump into （撞在…上）the wooden tower on the way down |
| C．the divers’ ankles may get injured if the vines are tied too tightly |
| D．the divers may injure their heads if the vines aren’t measured properly |
| A．the Cherry Blossom Celebration usually lasts a long time in Japan |
| B．the Cherry Blossom Celebration is the most important festival in Japan |
| C．the time for the Cherry Blossom Celebration in Japan can be different yearly |
| D．people usually stay at home for celebration during the cherry blossom season |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Even if you are naturally shy, these three tricks will help you to quickly build a new social circle in any new city.
1. Take pictures.
One of the great things about taking pictures at an event or party is that it gives you an excuse to get in touch with the person later. Everybody loves seeing pictures of themselves, and it’s very easy after taking a picture to say “If you’d like I can email it to you”. This can be the seed that leads to new connections. The next time you hear about a fun event, email your new contacts to let them know about it.
2. Eat alone in public.
You might feel self-conscious eating by yourself but it has an important benefit: you are much easier to approach when you are alone. People may be afraid of interrupting you or being rude if you are in a conversation with someone else. Bring a book or newspaper to read (this will make you feel less self-conscious). Plus, having an interesting book with you will give others an excuse to start a conversation if they’ve read it.
3. Join a class, sports team, or club.
Yoga, salsa dancing, volleyball, Toastmasters (a public speaking club), a class for work, etc. Take up a new hobby or continue an old one!
These are all great places to meet new people, primarily because you will be forced to see the same people over and over again in the class. You will automatically make friends with them if you have a common interest and are forced to see each other again.
Tips:
* In the beginning, never turn down an invitation from someone, even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally do.
* Email your new friends with fun things to do instead of always asking what their plans are. If they have a better plan you can drop yours and join them. This will help establish you as someone who is contributing value instead of just taking it (people want this in a friend).
* Don’t let little things in life upset you or be a negative person. People don’t want to be around someone like that!
【小题1】According to the text, which of the following is NOT mentioned as an advantage of joining a class?
| A．It helps you find out people who share a common interest with you. |
| B．It helps you find out your interest and take up a new hobby. |
| C．It offers an opportunity to meet the same people repeatedly. |
| D．It is a good way to meet new people and make friends in a new city. |
| A．Try to be outgoing and talkative instead of being shy. |
| B．Never turn down an invitation from your friends. |
| C．Offer suggestions on how to spend time together. |
| D．Always give a positive response to any request. |
| A．why you should change when you move to a new city |
| B．how you can make new friends in a new city |
| C．why you should make new friends in a new city |
| D．how you can keep in touch with strangers |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Our particular parenting style reflects our own way of “looking”. Here’s a great piece of writing reflecting parent’s particular ways on the parenting style that have become known humorously as helicopter parenting and submarine parenting.
Helicopter parents hover over their children, managing every aspect of their child’s life. On the contrary, submarine parents remain “hidden” coming to the surface when guidance is needed.
While helicopter parents may have the best intentions, in reality, they are raising children with few problem solving skills. Children with hovering parents never get the chance to face disappointment and build up their ability to recover from misfortune.
Think about your typical submarine. Submarines usually remain underwater. In case of a need for emergency surfacing, submarines can rise so quickly. They are driven partially out of the water. Submarine parents also remain out of sight, yet able to appear in the case of an emergency.
I admit I’m a submarine mom. My job as a parent is to have fun with my daughters while letting them explore and learn natural consequences. 
My older daughter found herself acting in commercials and making more than minimum wage as a teen. To give her a sense of the real world, I insisted she spend three weeks every summer, picking strawberries and earning $3.50 on a good day.
When my youngest daughter Sondra was six, she wanted a very expensive American Girl Doll. I cut the full color 18" picture out of the American Girl catalogue and had it laminated (压膜). “Here’s your American Girl Doll.” I said “When you turn nine, I’ll buy you the 3D doll on your birthday.” Sondra played with her flat doll for months, making clothes and furniture for her. She learned creativity. I saved $88.00.
【小题1】What is the text mainly about?
| A．Various means of transportation. |
| B．Funny experiences of a mom. |
| C．Humorous stories about parents. |
| D．Different styles of parenting. |
| A．leave behind | B．fly around | C．watch over | D．set aside |
| A．They give their children proper guidance. |
| B．They try to do everything for their children. |
| C．They teach their children how to face failures. |
| D．They help their children explore by themselves. |
| A．stating facts and offering advice |
| B．using figures and giving evidence |
| C．analyzing data and drawing conclusions |
| D．making comparisons and giving examples |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
This week is National Volunteer Week, a time for the Canadian Red Cross to recognize our dedicated (有奉献精神的) volunteers who devote their time and talents from coast to coast. Over the course of the week we will use this blog to share stories about our volunteers and the amazing work they do --- a small part of the outstanding individuals across the country.
Take Saskatchewan for example. Last year that province was hit by wide-spread flooding, a hurricane and forest fires. Canadian Red Cross staff and volunteers went to work right away and helped more than 2,100 adults and 775 children recover the basic necessities of life.
It’s important to share stories from volunteers to truly appreciate what they do. Christine Hoffman is a Disaster Response Volunteer in Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan. She’s a veteran Red Crosser for about 16 years. Still nothing could have prepared her for the call she took in the Recovery Center last year in response to flooding in Maple Greek. This story is best told in her own words. This is what she said:
“I will never forget the first phone call I took in the Recovery Centre. A young man called asking what services Red Cross was offering in town. As we were talking, he told me he had a rope in his backyard but he thought he would be using it for other reasons. My heart stopped. I told him to come to see us so we could work together on a plan to improve his situation. He came in a little while later. Nearly two hours later he left standing straight up with tear- filled eyes. He thanked me for convincing him to come in. His home had been destroyed, but together we put together a plan and he was eventually able to move back into his own home.”
During National Volunteer Week 2011, let’s thank Christine, and the many other volunteers like her. Thanks for making us proud!
【小题1】According to the second paragraph, Canadian Red Cross’ action is ______
| A．slow | B．quick | C．helpless | D．disappointing |
| A．Careless | B．Experienced | C．Unskillful | D．Optimistic |
| A．excitement | B．anger | C．happiness | D．nervousness |
| A．The young man felt sad for Christine Hoffman because of her poor experience |
| B．The young man was persuaded by Christine Hoffman and decided to live on |
| C．Christine Hoffman made the young man sad and he cried |
| D．Christine Hoffman offered to give the young man a little money to help him |
| A．How to become a volunteer |
| B．An excellent volunteer and her family |
| C．Volunteers and their amazing work |
| D．What the Canadian Red Cross does |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
McDonald's is the world single biggest food provider with annual sales of around $12.4bn. And the company's symbol Ronald McDonald is now （or so the company claims） the word's most recognized person after Santa Claus.
The first McDonald's restaurant was opened in San Bernardino, California, in 1948 by brothers Mac and Richard “Dick” McDonald. Mac ran the restaurant side; Dick was the marketing genius. He had already invented the drive-in laundry and had been the first person to use neon lights in advertising. Now he spotted the gap in the post-war, baby-boom market for cheap, family-orientated restaurants with simple menus, standardized food and efficient service.
After a slow start, business began to boom. By 1954, the brothers were joined by another entrepreneur, a kitchen equipment salesman called Ray A Kroc who owned the franchise to the Multimixer, milk shake maker used throughout the McDonald's chain. A year later, Kroc had bought the McDonald brothers' chain of 25 franchises for the equivalent of around $70m（￡44m）. Dick remained with the company until the Seventies, when he and Kroc fell out over Kroc's claim that the chain was his creation.
Today, an almost Stalinist cult of personality surrounds Kroc （who died in 1984） at McDonald's, while the brothers who gave the company its name have all but been written out of its history. But though Kroc did not found McDonald's, he was certainly responsible for the empire-building philosophy which led to its world domination. He ushered in such essential contributions to international cuisine as the Big Mac （1968） and the Egg McMuffin （1973）; and helped launch Ronald McDonald —— “in any language he means fun” —— on to television in 1963.
Every three hours, a new McDonald's franchise opens somewhere in the world; it can be found in more than 100 countries including India （vegetarian-only to avoid offending the non-beef-eating populace） and Israel （non kosher, despite fierce local objection）. McDonald's chain embodied the thrusting, can-do spirit of Fifties America with staff mottoes such as “If you've got time to lean, you've go time to clean.”
【小题1】 McDonald's was founded _____.
| A．by a kitchen equipment salesman |
| B．in California. |
| C．by a marketing genius called Dick McDonald. |
| D．after the first World War. |
| A．They were not McDonald's founders although they named the restaurant. |
| B．Their business was still in depression after several years. |
| C．They had clear job separation on business. |
| D．They sold their restaurant to a salesman in 1954. |
| A．He launched the restaurant image Ronald McDonald on to television. |
| B．Under his lead, international cuisine as the Big Mac and the Egg McMuffin earned worldwide fame |
| C．He spotted the gap in postwar market for cheap, family-orientated restaurants. |
| D．He built McDonald's empire with a philosophy which led to its world domination. |
| A．The single biggest food provider was however, not named after its founder |
| B．The international cuisine as the Big Mac, a beef hamburger, is provided every chain restaurant in the world. |
| C．Employees in McDonald's have no time to lean. |
| D．The symbol Ronald McDonald, means fun in any language, is said to the word most recognized person after Santa Claus. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
People in the UK often talk about their homes: their mortgages (按揭), the interest rates, and rising prices. Here’s a guide to some of the words and phrases you might come across.
It’s a good idea in the UK to arrange a mortgage with a bank before you start looking. This is when the bank tells you how much money they will lend you so you have a good idea of how much you can afford.
The next step is to go to an estate agent and see what sort of properties they have available in your budget range and in your area. If you see something you like, the estate agent will arrange for you to view the property, so that you can see the house or flat for yourself.
If you see something that takes your eye, you put in an offer. The vendor (卖家) can accept or decline this offer, and if the vendor accepts it, you can move forward with the sale. However, as you don’t pay any money at this point, the offer isn’t legally binding (具有约束力), and in theory, you can pull out of the offer at any time that you like.
Your next step will probably be to get a structural survey done. A qualified surveyor will inspect the house and write a report that illustrates any structural problems, like damp or drainage problems.
If you still want to go ahead with the sale, you need to appoint a lawyer to do the legal paperwork.. If you already own a house, you might also be busy trying to sell it. Many house owners prefer to sell to first-time buyers (those people who don’t already own a home), as they are not in a chain (waiting for other people to buy the house before they can buy their next house).
Finally, once the contracts are signed and exchanged, you complete on your house. You get the keys and you can move in whenever you want. Then you might want to throw a house-warming party. Congratulations!
【小题1】Which of the following shows the right order of what happens before the people in the UK move into a new house?
a. ask for a company which represents others of properties
b. decide how much to borrow from the bank
c. examine the structure of the house
d. hire a lawyer and make a contract
e. offer the seller the right money
f. visit the house and discuss a price with the seller
| A．b, a, f, d, c, e | B．b, a, f, c, d, e |
| C．b, a, f, e, d, c | D．b, f, d, e, c, a |
| A．People can borrow the whole money for a new house from a bank. |
| B．People care for mortgages, interest rates and the prices &house. |
| C．The sellers are more interested in the first-time buyers. |
| D．After getting the keys, the owners sometimes have a party. |
| A．Owners. | B．Surveyors. |
| C．Lawyers. | D．Collectors. |
| A．give some advice on the house | B．introduces a book on travelers |
| C．give some tips to buyers | D．introduces a guide to visitors |
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