What is eBay? The simple answer is that it is a global trading platform where nearly anyone can trade practically anything. People can sell and buy all kinds of products and goods, including cars, movies and DVDs, sporting goods, travel tickets, musical instruments, clothes and shoes — the list goes on and on 
The idea came from Peter Omidyar, who was born in Paris and moved to Washington when he was still a child. At high school, he became very interested in computer programming and after graduating from Tuft University in 1988, he worked for the next few years as a computer engineer. In his free time he started Bay as a kind of hobby, at first offering the service free by word of mouth. By 1996 there was so much traffic on the website that he had to upgrade (升级) and he began charging a fee to members. Joined by a friend, Peter Skill, and in 1998 by his capable CEO, Meg Whitman, he has never looked back. Even in the great crashes of the late 1990s, ebay has gone from strength to strength. It is now one of the ten most visited online shopping websites on the Internet 
Ebay sells connections, not goods, putting buyer and seller into contact with each other. All you have to do is lake an e-photo, write a description, fill out a sales form and you are in business.  The world is your market place. Of course for each item, eBay gets a percentage and that is a great deal of money. Every day there are more than sixteen million items listed on eBay and eighty percent of the items are sold.
42. We learn from the text that eBay provides people with _________.
A. a way of buying and selling goods 
B. a place to show their own photos
C. a website for them to upgrade
D. a chance to buy things at low prices 
43. Why did Peter create eBay after graduating from university? 
A. For fun                                     B. To make money 
C. For gathering the engineers                            D. To fulfill a task of his company 
44. From “he has never looked back” in Paragraph 2 we learn that Peter _________.
A. did not feel lonely                             B. was always hopeful 
C. did not think about the past                             D. became more and more successful 
45. How does eBay make money from its website? 
A. By bringing sellers together.                             B. By charging for each sale 
C. By listing items online                             D. By making e-photos.  

Some of the best-known names in the entertainment industry have taken part in an unprecedented telethon to help victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States.

The benefit(义演), called “America: a Tribute to Heroes,” was sponsored by all four major U.S television networks, ABC, CBS, FOIX and NBC. It was broadcast by three-dozen television, cable and radio networks across the country and aired live to more than a hundred countries around the world.

Hollywood stars joined music entertainers in asking listeners and viewers to pledge cash donations to charities helping the victims of the September 11^th attacks.

Actors, including Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise and Clint Eastwood, told stories of heroic acts by people who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali made a rare public appearance in show of support.

The appeals alternated with performances by such popular entertainers as Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Steve Wonder, Paul Simon and the rock band U—2.

They appeared on stages in New York, Los Angeles and London, decorated with hundreds of burning candles.

Singer Billy Joel sang “ New York State of Mind” with a New York City firefighter’s hat on his piano. Sting dedicated his song “ Gragile” to a friend who died in the World Trade Center. Stevie Wonder condemned(指责) hatred in the name of religion before singing his song “ Love’s in Need of Love today”. Pledge phones were manned by dozens of other celebrities, including Jack Nicholson, Meg Ryan, Whoopic Goldberg, Cindy Crawford, Al Pacino and Sylvester Stallone.

Organizers say the two-hour telethon raised millions of dollars. All participants, from stars to stagehands, worked without pay.

Those who appeared on stages were ______.

A. some best-known names in the USA

B. some famous singer, film stars and other music entertainers

C. People who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon.

D. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and Hollywood stars

The underlined word “ telethon” most probably means ______.

A. a performance to raise money

B. a concert held by some television networks

C. a television program which lasts a long time

D. a television program for entertainment

Which of the following statements is True?

A. Four major U.S. television networks broadcast the benefit

B. The former heavy weight champion Muhammad Ali sang a song to show his support

C. Billy Joel, wearing a firefighter’s hat, played the piano for the listeners and viewers

D. The organizers, stars and people who worked for the benefit didn’t get any money for themselves.

The best title for the news report is ______.

A. U.S Telethon Raises Money for Attack Victims

B. Best-known names Pledge Donations

C. Seeking More Support 

D. A Tribute to Heroes  

The Marches were a happy family. Poverty, hard work, and even the fact that Father March was away with the Union armies could not down the spirits of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Marmee, as the March girls called their mother.

The March sisters tried to be good but had their share of faults. Pretty Meg was often displeased with the schoolchildren she taught; boyish Jo was easy to become angry; golden-haired schoolgirl Amy liked to show up; but Beth, who kept the house, was loving and gentle always.

   The happy days passed and darkness came when a telegram arrived for Mrs. March. “Your husband is very ill,” it said, “come at once.” The girl tried to be brave when their mother left for the front. They waited and prayed. Little Beth got scarlet fever (猩红热) when she was taking care of the sick neighbor. She became very ill but began to recover by the time Marmee was back. When Father came home from the front and at that joyful Christmas dinner they were once more all together.

  Three years later the March girls had grown into young womanhood. Meg became Mrs. Brooke, and after a few family troubles got used to her new state happily. Jo had found pleasure in her literary efforts. Amy had grown into a young lady with a talent for design and an even greater one for society. But Beth had never fully regained her health, and her family watched her with love and anxiety.

  Amy was asked to go and stay in Europe with a relative of the Marches. Jo went to New York and became successful in her writing and had the satisfaction of seeing her work published there. But at home the bitterest blow was yet to fall. Beth had known for some time that she couldn’t live much longer to be with the family and in the spring time she died.

   News came from Europe that Amy and Laurie, the grandson of a wealthy neighbor, had planned to be married soon. Now Jo became ever more successful in her writing and got married to Professor Bhaer and soon afterwards founded a school for boys.

   And so the little women had grown up and lived happily with their children, enjoying the harvest of love and goodness that they had devoted all their lives to.

The members of the March family were Father March, Mrs. March and their _______.

   A. four daughters                 B. five daughters   

C. son and four daughters     D. son and five daughters

Who was the most successful in career (事业) among the March girls?

  A. Jo                B. Beth                 C. Amy                 D. Meg 

Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

  A. The march Family              B. The March Parents  

C. The March Girls            D. The March Relatives

It can be inferred from the passage that the March family had ______.

  A. both happiness and sadness     B. wealthy neighbors 

  C. more girls than boys           D. a lot of rich relatives 

What is eBay? The simple answer is that it is a global trading platform where nearly anyone can
trade practically anything. People can sell and buy all kinds of products and goods, including cars, movies and DVDs, sporting goods, travel tickets, musical instruments, clothes and shoes- the list goes on and on.
The idea came from Peter Omidyar, who was born in Paris and moved to Washington when he was still a child. At high school, he became very interested in computer programming and after graduating from Tuft University in 1988, he worked for the next few years as a computer engineer. In his free time he started eBay as a kind of hobby, at first offering the service free by word of mouth. By 1996 there was so much traffic on the website that he had to upgrade(升级) and he began charging a fee to members. Joined by a friend, Peter Skill and in 1998 by his capable CEO, Meg Whitman, he has never looked back. Even in the great.com crashes of the late 1990s, eBay has gone from strength to strength. It is now one of the ten most visited online shopping websites on the Internet.
eBay sells connections, not goods, putting buyer and seller into contact with each other. All you have to do is take an e-photo, write a description, fill out a sales form and you are in business: the world is your market place .Of course for each item (商品)sold eBay gets a percentage and that is great deal of money. Every day there are more than sixteen million items listed on eBay and eighty percent of the items are sold.
【小题1】We learn from the text that eBay provides people with_______.

What is eBay? The simple answer is that it's a global trading platform (平台) where nearly anyone can trade practically anything. People can sell and buy all kinds of products and goods, including cars, movies and DVDs, sporting goods, travel tickets, musical instruments, clothes and shoes---the list goes on and on.

The idea came from Peter Omidyar, who was born in Paris and moved to Washington when he was still a child. At high school, he became very interested in computer programming and after graduating from Tuft University in 1988, he worked for the next few years as a computer engineer. In his free time he started eBay as a kind of hobby, at first offering the service free by word of mouth. By 1996 there was so much traffic on the website that he had to upgrade (升级) and he began charging a fee to members. Joined by a friend, Peter Skoll, and in 1998 by his capable CEO, Meg Whitman, he has never looked back. Even in the great.com crashes of the late 1990s, eBay has gone from strength to strength. It is now one of the ten most visited online shopping websites on the Internet.

eBay sells connections, not goods, putting buyer and seller into contact with each other. All you have to do is take an e-photo, write a description, fill out a sales form and you are in business: the world is your market place .Of course for each item (商品) sold eBay gets a percentage and that is great deal of money. Every day there are more than sixteen million items listed on eBay and eighty percent of the items are sold.

We learn from the text that eBay provides people with_______.

A. a website for them to upgrade           B. a way of buying and selling goods

C. a place to exhibit their own photos       D.a chance to buy things at low prices

Why did Peter create eBay after graduating from university?

A. For fun.                            B. To make money.

C. For gathering the engineers.            D.To fulfill a task of his company.

From “he has never looked back “in Paragraph 2, we learn that Peter______.

A. did not feel lonely                    B. was always hopeful

C. became more and more successful       D.did not think about the past

How does eBay make money from its website?

A. By bringing acallers together.           B. By charging for each sale

C. By listing items on line                D.By making e-photos.