Every weekend, many Americans drive around looking for things to buy. They are taking part in an unusual kind of outdoor treasure hunt: the yard sale (旧货出售). In some parts of the country, such a sale might be called a garage sale or a moving sale. Whatever the name, the activity is the same. People sell things they no longer want.
The sellers put a paid announcement in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. It lists some of the things to be sold. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day waiting for someone to take them home. Usually, the seller puts a price on each object at a yard sale. However, that price can almost always be negotiated (谈判).
Serious buyers also spend time getting ready for yard sales. They collect the newspaper announcements. Then they make lists of the sales they want to attend.
Most people who go to yard sales are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy bargaining over prices, even if they may hold their own yard sale to sell all the things they have bought.
To other people, yard sales are simply a way to have fun. In some communities, they are important social gatherings. Other people say yard sales help the environment. Old things are re-used instead of being thrown away.
In any case, yard sales are very popular in America. Hunting for unusual items is a sport for some people. For others, it is a way of life.
59 What can’t you get to know about the yard sales announced in a local newspaper?
A.When to attend the yard sale.
B. Where to attend the yard sale.
C. What is to be sold at the yard sale.
D. The prices of the things to be sold at the yard sale.
60 Before a yard sale, the sellers need to do all the following things EXCEPT ______.
A. putting a paid announcement in a local newspaper
B. bargaining over the prices with the buyers
C. putting the price of each object
D. carrying all the things to be sold out of the house early in the morning
61 Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. A yard sale can also be called a garage sale or a moving sale.
B. The sellers need to pay for putting an announcement in a local newspaper.
C. The sellers collect the newspaper announcements before the yard sales.
D. The prices for the items to be sold at a yard sale can be negotiated.
62.Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned as the reason why yard sales are very popular in America?
A. People can buy something special at yard sales.
B. People can buy something they really want.
C. People can enjoy bargaining over prices.
D. People regard yard sales as social gatherings.

As Apple tries to maintain its growth and success in China, the world's largest smart-phone market is becoming even more critical. Apple's shares(股份) fell sharply as the company's earnings for the holiday quarter through December disappointed investors.
The sales of the iPhone, which include both the iPhone 5 and older models, came in at the low end of analysts' expectations, while the company's income plan for the second quarter was below analysts' forecasts, though Apple is known to give conservative (保守的) forecasts.
Some analysts have said that for Apple to regain its growth, the company needs a more aggressive strategy(进攻型策略) for markets, or more specifically for China, where the market for smart phones has been expanding more rapidly than anywhere else. In China, demand is particularly great for inexpensive phones that run on Android(安卓) operating system, sold by many Chinese phone makers as well as South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co.
But Apple says it's already enjoying strong growth in China. "We saw big growth in iPhones," Chief Executive Tim Cook said. He said that the company has been quickly expanding its sales channels in China, including the number of Apple stores. "This isn't nearly what we need, we're not even close to that, but we're making great progress.” he said.
In China, a big missing piece for Apple is China Mobile Ltd. , the biggest local telecom carrier that doesn't yet sell the iPhone. Earlier this month, Mr. Cook met China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua in Beijing and discussed cooperation, stirring hopes that the world's largest mobile carrier may soon start offering the iPhone.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a lower-end iPhone that could launch as early as this year. But one possible challenge for Apple in China is that low-priced Android-based phones are getting better in terms of quality. A report from CLSA in late November showed that many smart-phones sold at about1,000 yuan ($160) came with higher- resolution screens, better cameras and more powerful processors than phones at that price did a year earlier.
【小题1】Apple's shares dropped sharply because in December______________.

Ⅲ、完形填空（共20小题，每小题1分，满分20分）

A long time ago, in Egypt,there lived a famous person named Zun-Nun.A young man came to _36_him and asked, “I don't _37_why people like you always dress simply.” Zun-Nun smiled and _38_his ring from one of his fingers and said, “I will answer your _39_but first take this ring and go to the _40_across this street. Can you sell this for one chip of gold?”  Looking at the dirty ring,the young man became_41_, “One chip of gold? I’m not sure if it could be _42_at that price.”

The young man went to the market quickly. He _43_the ring to the vegetable ,meat and fish traders,and the others. But nobody was willing to _44_a chip of gold. He went back and reported, “Nobody was _45_enough to offer more than one chip of silver.” With a smile Zun-Nun said, “Now go to the gold shop in this street and show this to the _46_ trader. Don’t give your _47_,just see how much he will pay for it.”

The young man went to the shop _48_and returned with a(n)_49_expression on his face. He reported, “The trader offered one thousand  chips of gold for this ring,and the  50  of it was one thousand times higher than what the traders in the market offered.” Zun-Nun just smiled and _51_softly, “That was the answer to your question, my friend. A person cannot be valued only by his _52_. The gold and diamond inside someone could_53_be seen and valued if you could look at the _54_soul. It requires heart to see,and it involves（涉及） a _55_. We cannot see it from the words or attitude. Many a time what we think is brass(黄铜)is gold.”

36. A.beg            B.visit           C.help              D.question

37. A.agree          B.suppose         C.understand        D.think

38. A.held           B.put            C.took              D.placed

39. A.question       B.telephone       C.alarm             D.description

40. A.playground     B.company         C.stage             D.market

41. A.careful        B.doubtful        C.hopeful           D.helpful

42. A.sorted         B.checked         C.exported          D.sold

43. A.offered        B.added           C.provided          D.led  

44. A.cost           B.search          C.pay               D.buy  

45. A.outspoken      B.brave           C.just              D.confident

46. A.coal           B.steel           C.cotton            D.gold 

47. A.price          B.attitude        C.advice            D.explanation

48. A.repaired       B.mentioned       C.damaged           D.painted

49. A.angry          B.pitiful         C.cold              D.different  

50. A.color          B.weight          C.value             D.size

51. A.spoke          B.felt            C.touched           D.played

52. A.language       B.accent          C.kindness          D.dress

53. A.also           B.only            C.still             D.always

54. A.outer          B.rest            C.inner             D.lost

55. A.process        B.location        C.luck              D.support

1) If you s________ something bad, you are in a situation where something painful happens to you.

2) She looks young, but she's __________ (实际上) 50 years old.

3) Luckily, nobody was killed in the accident and the i________ has been taken to a hospital.

4) The car was a _________ (便宜货) at that price.

5) He gave the children some chocolate to r________ them for behaving well.

6) The headmaster gave the _________（信号） to begin.

7) One cannot s_________ unless he tries hard.

8) She closed her eyes and ____________ (装作) to be asleep.

9）His order is really c__________ and I don’t know exactly what to do next.

10) She accepted his _____________(邀请) to join him for lunch.

There’s no shortage of web sites offering deals-everything from daily deals to members-only private sales. But when it comes to real jaw-dropping deals, there’s one company that seems to have figured out a way to really deliver.

The company is called Quibids and they auction（拍卖）the hottest, in-demand electronics like Apple ipads and ipods, as well as other items like gift cards from the top retailers（零售商）. Unlike other sites, the prices people pay are nowhere near retail. How low are the prices?

$ 33.84 for a new Apple ipad 32 GB（retail $ 600）

$ 22.10 for a new Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera（retail $ 1070）

Our first reaction on seeing these prices was disbelief. After all, how could Quibids possibly afford to sell these items for so little ---- surely they must be losing a lot of money.

That’s where its unique business model comes into play. You see, for every bid a buyer places for an item on Quibids, the company collects a small fee from the bidder. The fee to bid is only about 60 cents, but based on the volume of sales and bids, the company is able to collect enough to make up for the ridiculous prices the items sell for.

But best of all, participating in the Quibids auction is incredibly fun. Because each bid costs a little to place, shoppers can strategize when to place their bids. Each auction has a strict time limit. When you place your bid, the system adds a little time to the auction to see if any other bids come in. If you have the winning bid when the clock runs out ---- you win the item for that price.

But the best part of Quibids may be the “Buy-It-Now” feature. This allows bidders who did not win an auction to still buy the product they want and apply the cost of the bids they placed as a discount on the regular product price. So you still get the item and the bids you placed previously in the auction don’t cost you anything!

1.According to the passage, the success of Quibids mainly lies in          .

A. how its buying and selling is conducted         B. the change in people’s shopping model

C. the quality of the goods and service     D. their willingness to risk losing money

2.It can be inferred from the passage that          .

A. other retailers will be out of business B. winning a bid is not just a matter of luck

C. Quibids only sell popular electronics     D. the prices on Quibids are the lowest

3. A buyer who bid twice for a $ 20 MP4 can get one from “Buy-It-Now” for          .

A. $ 21.2   B. $ 20      C. $ 19.4   D. $ 18.8  

4.Which might be the most suitable title for the passage?

A. Buy Products for Next to Nothing          B. How to Buy New Must–have Electronics

C. The Most Successful Shopping Website          D. Tips on Shopping Online