——Are you on holiday?

——No, but ______________.

A. I’d like　　 B. I’d like to go　 C. I’d like to be　 D. I’d like to do

 

A funny story circulated recently about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Doyle clearly told of a time when he climbed into a    1    in Paris. Before he could    2     a word, the driver turned to him and asked, “Where can I     3     you, Mr. Doyle?”

Doyle was    4    . He asked the driver if he had ever seen him before.

“No, sir,” the driver responded. “I have    5    seen you before.” Then he    6    : “This morning’s paper had a story about you being on     7     in Marseilles. This is the taxi stand where people who return from Marseilles always arrive. Your    8    color tells me you have been on vacation. The    9     spot on your right index finger suggests to me that you are a  writer. Your clothing is very English, and not French.    10    up all those pieces of information, I    11    that you are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”

“This is truly amazing!” the writer    12    with excitement. “You are very like my    13    creation, Sherlock Holmes!”

 “There’s one other thing,” the driver said.

 “What’s that?”

 “Your    14     is on the front of your suitcase.”

Perhaps the     15     was no master detective, but he was observant! He paid attention and paying attention is an important part of living    16     .

Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of    17    . A life lived to the full is lived from moment to moment,    18     from milestone to milestone. It is more of a series of days in which we truly pay attention, than a few    19    events along the way.

Pay attention to the things of life, to people, to events, to your senses, even to the ordinary. Your life will never    20    beauty. By making the most of the moments, you make the most of the years.

1. A. train                 B. taxi               C. bus             D. plane

2. A. write                 B. hear              C. say             D. read

3. A. take                  B. meet              C. wait            D. leave

4. A. pleased               B. scared             C. disappointed     D. surprised

5. A. just                  B. never              C. ever            D. always

6. A. admitted            B. started             C. explained        D. remembered

7. A. business               B. duty              C. holiday          D. work

8. A. skin                  B. hair               C. clothes          D. shoes

9. A. blood                 B. dirt               C. mud             D. ink

10. A. Making              B. Taking             C. Putting          D. Adding

11. A. concluded             B. realized            C. imagined        D. expected

12. A. sighed               B. screamed           C. whispered         D. roared

13. A. mental           B. physical            C. fictional         D. psychological

13. A. license               B. address            C. resume           D. name

15. A. driver                 B. writer             C. detective         D. waiter

16. A. well               B. fully               C. happily          D. peacefully

17. A. stages               B. steps               C. periods          D. moments

18. A. more than            B. less than            C. rather than       D. other than

19. A. small                 B. major              C. personal          D. social

20. A. lack                  B. create              C. appreciate         D. enjoy

The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分类账)move into the black and companies become profitable. On that day, retailers slash(砍) prices to get consumers to buy.  It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.

 This day should be a shopper’s dream. “It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.

Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”

Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed.  Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.

And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.

Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.

1.By saying “This day should be a shopper’s dream”, the writer means ________ .

A．shoppers have longed for this day for a long time

B．the shops will be very crowded on that day

C．the shops will keep open until the daybreak of next day

D．shoppers can buy many items at low prices on that day

2.Why are many stores increasing security according to the passage?

A．Because there are too many people saving more and spending less.

B．Because it’s a time when they begin making their profits for the year.

C．Because last year a crowd of bargain-hunters caused an accident.

D．Because many stores open their doors from midnight to four a.m.

3.From the passage we know that_________.

A. Christmas shopping is traditional time and this year it is no exception.

B. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually least discounted.

C. The economy only affects consumers on that bargain day.

D. Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

4.We can find this passage in_________.

A. a science fiction                       B. a travel brochure

C. an economic research report             D. a book on psychology

5.Why American people call it a black day?

A. Because they organize activities in honor of some great person.

B. Because there are too many people going out shopping for Christmas.

C. Too many people are celebrating Thanks giving.

D. The sky is black that day.

 

The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分类账)move into the black and companies become profitable（有利可图的，有益的）. On that day, retailers（零售商）slash prices to get consumers to buy.  It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.

 “It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser（较少的，较小的）price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare（噩梦）for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.

While the lead up to Christmas is known as the season of giving, Black Friday can get ugly.

Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart（沃尔玛公司）worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”

Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. “Credit is still strictly controlled whether through credit cards or through borrowing from banks,” he said. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed.  Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.

And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.

Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.     

1. The underlined word “slash” in the first paragraph probably means _________.

 A. reduce         B. raise         C. increase        D. change

2.The sentence “This day should be a shopper’s dream.” should be placed between ________.

 A. paragraph two and paragraph three        B. paragraph one and paragraph two

 C. paragraph three and paragraph four      D. paragraph five and paragraph six

3.Why are many stores increasing security according to the passage?

 A. Because there are too many people saving more and spending less.

 B. Because it’s a time when they begin making their profits for the year.

 C. Because last year a crowd of bargain-hunters caused an accident.

 D. Because many stores open their doors from midnight to four a.m.

4.What can we learn from the passage?

 A. Christmas shopping is traditional time and this year it is no exception.

 B. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually least discounted.

 C. The economy only affects consumers on that bargain day.

 D. Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

 

The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分类账)move into the black and companies become profitable. On that day, retailers slash prices to get consumers to buy.  It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.

 “It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.

While the lead up to Christmas is known as the season of giving, Black Friday can get ugly.

Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”

Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. “Credit is still strictly controlled whether through credit cards or through borrowing from banks,” he said. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed.  Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.

And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.

Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.     

59. The underlined word “slash” in the first paragraph probably means _________.

A. reduce         B. raise         C. increase        D. change

60. The sentence “This day should be a shopper’s dream.” should be placed between ________.

A. paragraph two and paragraph three        B. paragraph one and paragraph two

C. paragraph three and paragraph four              D. paragraph five and paragraph six

61. Why are many stores increasing security according to the passage?

A. Because there are too many people saving more and spending less.

B. Because it’s a time when they begin making their profits for the year.

C. Because last year a crowd of bargain-hunters caused an accident.

D. Because many stores open their doors from midnight to four a.m.

62.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Christmas shopping is traditional time and this year it is no exception.

B. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually least discounted.

C. The economy only affects consumers on that bargain day.

D. Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.