Every year students flock to the college bookstore to purchase the different textbooks that they need for their classes. Little do these students realize that, in doing so, they are throwing good money away. It may sound unbelievable but textbooks, in some cases, actually cost as much as, if not more, than college fees.

Many people think that college bookstore are the most convenient source for textbooks. Titles are usually in-stock and students may purchase new textbooks or  choose to buy second-hand books and save money . But the money saved by purchasing second-hand textbooks from college bookstores is small compared to the amount they could save by shopping online.

More and more online booksellers have begun selling textbooks at heavily discounted prices. Online second-hand bookstores are another source for college books as they stock a large number of textbooks, which means sizable savings for students. Students should avoid purchasing their textbooks at the first store that they browse online since there are so many ‘virtual’ booksellers on the Net. Price isn't the only factor to consider when making an online purchase. Students should also consider shipping costs and delivery time when making their decision.

Online auctions(拍卖) are another option for students seeking a bargain. This option, however, has its pros and cons. A plus is that students can get incredibly cheap books. One problem is that while online bookstores have a system in place that ensure  you receive your order within a reasonable amount of time, with an auction purchase, however, you  must depend on the auction seller's timetable.

One way that students can really save is by getting books for free. Project Gutenberg is one resource that English majors will find invaluable. Here students can legally download a huge collection of classic novels. In the past students needing help with their studies would often have to spend a lot of money buying expensive study guides. Today that is no longer the case. Cash-strapped students can now visit the website SparkNotes for free downloadable study guides as well as classics.

 

56. Which of the following is the best title of this passage?

A. Learning to save money on Textbooks           B. Why Buy Textbooks

C. Tips for Buying Secondhand Textbooks          D. Online Shopping

57. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a source to obtain textbooks ?

A. Online used bookstores.              B. College bookstores. 

C. Online auctions.                    D. Secondhand bookstore centres.

58. The underlined expression ‘pros and cons’(paragraph 4) is closest in meaning to __________.

A. professionals and conservatives         B. processes and conditions

C. joy and sadness                      D. good and bad points

59. According to the passage, Project Gutenberg is probably __________.

A. a project to help poor students get free learning materials

B. a government project aimed at helping English majors

C. a website for English majors to get the guides from language experts

D. a website for students to get free sources for English learning

60. From the passage, we can learn that__________.

A. online auctions are perfect for students seeking text books.

B. students should visit many websites before buying their books.

C. the cost of textbooks in college is low compared to the amount spent on tuition

D. students should consider shopping costs and delivery time above all else when making their buying decision.

 

BRITAIN is a popular tourist place. But tours of the country have pros and cons.

                             Good news

Free museums: No charge for outstanding collections of art and antiquities(古董).

Pop music: Britain is the only country to rival(与……比敌)the US on this score.

Black cabs: London taxi drivers know where they are going even if there are never enough of them at weekends or night.

Choice of food: Visitors can find everything from Ethiopian to Swedish restaurants.

Fashion: Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen; street styles are justly loved, too.

                              Bad news

Poor service: “It’s part of the image of the place. People can dine out on the rudeness they have experienced,” says Professor Tony Seaton of Luton University’s International Tourism Research Center.

Poor public transport: Trains and buses are promised to defeat the keenest tourists, although the over-crowded London tube is inexplicably(不可解的) popular.

Lack of language: Speaking slowly and clearly may not get many foreign visitors very far, even in the tourist traps.

Rain: Still in the number one complaint.

No air-conditioning: So that even splendidly hot summer become as unbearable as the downpours.

Overpriced hotels: The only European country with a higher rate of tax on hotel rooms is Denmark.

Licensing hours: Alcohol is in short supply after 11 p.m. even in 24-hour cities.

What do we learn about pop music in Britain and the US through this passage?

A. Pop music in Britain is better than that in the US.

B. Pop music in Britain is as good as that in the US.

C. Pop music in Britain is worse than that in the US.

D. Pop music in Britain is quite different from that in the US.

When is alcohol not able to get?

A. At 9:00p.m.      B. At 10:00p.m     C. At 11:00p.m.     D. At 12:00p.m.

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. You have to pay to visit the museums. B. It’s very cheap to travel by taxi there.

C. You cannot find Chinese food there.  D. The public transport is poor there.

BRITAIN is a popular tourist place. But tours of the country have pros and cons.

Good news

Free museums. No charge for outstanding collections of art and antiquities.

Pop music. Britain is the only country to rival (与……匹敌) the US on this score.

Black cabs. London taxi drivers know where they are going even if there are never enough of them at weekends or night.

Choice of food. Visitors can find everything from Ethiopian to Swedish restaurants.

Fashion. Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander Mc Queen; street styles are justly loved, too.

Bad news

Poor service. “It’s part of the image of the place. People can dine out on the rudeness they have experienced,” says Professor Tony Seaton, of Luton University’s International Tourism Research Center.

Poor public transport. Trains and buses are promised to defeat the keenest tourists, although the over crowded London tube is inexplicably (不可理解的) popular.

Lack of languages. Speaking slowly and clearly may not get many foreign visitors very far, even in the tourist traps.

Rain. Still in the number one complaint

No air-conditioning. So that even splendidly hot summers become as unbearable as the downpours.

Overpriced hotels. The only European country with a higher rate of tax on hotel rooms is     Denmark.

Licensing hours. Alcohol (酒) is in short supply after 11 p.m. even in “24-hour cities.”

1. What do tourists complain most?

A. Poor service.   B. Poor public transport.       C. Overpriced hotels.      D. Rain.

2. What do we learn about pop music in Britain and the US through this passage?

A. Pop music in Britain is better than that in the US.

B. Pop music in Britain is worse than that in the US.

C. Pop music in Britain is as good as that in the US.

D. Pop music in Britain is quite different from that in the US.

3. When is alcohol not able to get?

A. At 12:00 p.m..      B. At 10:00 p.m..     C. At 11:00 p.m..     D. At 9:00 p.m..

 

 

Museum of the Moving Image(MMI)(Monday Closed) As the best museum in New York City and with a balance of hands-on(实际操作的)activities and information, it’s the rare bird that can entertain and educate people of different ages. It’s a perfect destination for a family trip of a couple hours. Pros—Excellent movie screenings. Easy subway access. Cons—Difficult to reach by Car.

New York Hall of Science(NYHS)(Monday Closed) Being New York City’s only hand son science and technology center, it is an interactive science museum focusing on its audience of children. It has the most hands-on exhibits in an NYC museum, and it’s a fun destination for ages 5 and up. Older folks might take great interest in the NASA rockets outside the museum, but don’t bother unless you’ve kids to keep you company. Pros—Cool interactive science exhibits, the rockets. Cons—Hard to reach by public transportation.

Queens County Farm Museum(QCFM)(Year-round 7 days a week) It is an actual farm in New York City and home to animals your kids can feed and a yard full of a climbing plant whose fruit can be made into wine. Good chance to meet sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and cows! The animals are mostly readily accessible to visitors. And the museum sells feed for young hands willing to get licked by sheep and goats. Pros—Outdoor fun. Cons—Expensive festivals, long bus ride, no subway.

Queens Museum of Art(QMA)(Monday and Tuesday Closed) Opened in 1972 to serve as a cultural center in New York City, it exhibits art by local and international artists. Its best exhibits are on the two World’s Fairs. and of course,the Panorama of New York City, a giant , highly detailed diorama(透景画)of all five New York City boroughs. 行政区) Pros—The Panorama, Great gift shop. Easy subway access. Cons—Not much for kids.

1.The least likely choice for 5-year-old Jack to make among the museums is______.

    A．T MMI          B．T NYHS         C．QMA            D．QCFM

2.According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?

    A．All the museums mentioned above lie in New York City.

    B．No other museum in New York City is better than MMI.

    C．Lucky visitors can see grapes in one of the museums.

    D．NYHS has the most hands-on activities in America.

3.We can know from the text that______.

    A．visitors can pay a visit to all the museums by subway

    B．people can visit only one of the any day

    C．there is often a rare bird flying in the sky above MMI

    D．the Panorama is, as a matter of fact, a great gift shop

4.In which museum can you enjoy outdoor fun?

    A．MMI. B．NYHS.    C．QCFM.    D．QMA.

 

BRITAIN is a popular tourist place. But tours of the country have pros and cons.
Good news
Free museums: No charge for outstanding collections of art and antiquities(古董).
Pop music: Britain is the only country to rival (与……比敌)the US on this score.
Black cabs: London taxi drivers know where they are going even if there are never enough of them at weekends or night.
Choice of food: Visitors can find everything from Ethiopian to Swedish restaurants.
Fashion: Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen; street styles are justly loved, too.
Bad news
Poor service: “It’s part of the image of the place. People can dine out on the rudeness they have experienced,” says Professor Tony Seaton of Luton University’s International Tourism Research Center.
Poor public transport: Trains and buses are promised to defeat the keenest tourists, although the over-crowded London tube is inexplicably(不可解的) popular.
Lack of language: Speaking slowly and clearly may not get many foreign visitors very far, even in the tourist traps.
Rain: Still in the number one complaint.
No air-conditioning: So that even splendidly hot summer become as unbearable as the downpours.
Overpriced hotels: The only European country with a higher rate of tax on hotel rooms is Denmark.
Licensing hours: Alcohol is in short supply after 11 p.m. even in 24-hour cities.
【小题1】What do tourists complain most?

A．Poor service.

B．Poor public transport.

C．Rain.

D．Overpriced hotels.

【小题2】What do we learn about pop music in Britain and the US through this passage?

A．Pop music in Britain is better than that in the US.

B．Pop music in Britain is as good as that in the US.

C．Pop music in Britain is worse than that in the US.

D．Pop music in Britain is quite different from that in the US.

【小题3】 When is alcohol not able to get?

A．At 9:00p.m.

B．At 10:00p.m.

C．At 11:00p.m.

D．At 12:00p.m.

【小题4】 Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．You have to pay to visit the museums.	B．It’s very cheap to travel by taxi there.
C．You cannot find Chinese food there.	D．The public transport is poor there.