In the UK, a group of campaigners(活动家)have declared the last Saturday in Novembe
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In the UK, a group of campaigners(活动家)have declared the last Saturday in November as National Buy Nothing Day. “Our message is clear: shop less, live more!” says organizer Michael Smith. “The challenge is to try simple living for a day. Spend time with family and friends, rather than spending money on them. Anyone can take part, provided they spend a day without spending.”
On Buy Nothing Day, they take to the streets to tackle consumers(消费者). They dress as pigs to symbolize greed(贪婪). They offer to cut up credit cards and hand out shopping bags with the words “another useless thing I don’t need” written on the side. Some hold street parties to show shoppers that it is possible to have fun without spending money. Others go into shops and put notes saying “don’t buy me” inside clothes and shoes.
Some protestors(抗议者) are working against powerful forces. Many retailers(零售商) and manufacturers depend on Christmas sales for most of their profits. Around two thirds of GDP in the West is made up of consumer spending. If this drops, many people will lose their jobs. At least that will make it easier for them to buy nothing.
And there is also the risk that the campaigners will be seen as killjoys, who want to stop people enjoying themselves. “There’s a fun side to this,” says Michael Smith. “To some it’s a protest, but it’s also a street party. We’re not saying that people are bad because they go shopping, but we need get the message across for people to consume wisely. And after we’re finished, we’ll probably go for a drink.”
小题1:Why do a group of people in the UK choose Saturday as National Buy Nothing Day?| A．Because they have enough food at their homes. | | B．Because it is the season for shopping. | | C．Because they have run out of money at that time. | | D．Because it’s popular to live a simple life. |
小题2:In order to persuade people to stop shopping, the campaigners _____.| A．stop people going out | | B．have different ways to make it | | C．offer goods to people freely | | D．play tricks on consumers |
小题3:The underlined word “killjoys” in the last paragraph refers to people who _____.| A．ruin the happiness and fun of others | | B．get money from shopkeepers | | C．bring happiness to others | | D．take no interest in shopping |
小题4:The campaigners started National Buy Nothing Day for the purpose of _____.| A．persuading people to kill time in a different way | | B．persuading people to save money | | C．persuading people to have more parties | | D．persuading people to spend money wisely |
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答案
小题1:B
小题2:B
小题3:A
小题4:D |
解析
试题分析：本文介绍了英国的National Buy Nothing Day，以及这些人所采取的多种行为以及各种具体的信息。
小题1:B 推理题。根据文章第一行In the UK, a group of campaigners(活动家)have declared the last Saturday in November as National Buy Nothing Day.可知11月是每年的圣诞购物的季节，在这个时间里很多人都花很多钱购买所需要的物品。故B正确。
小题2:B 细节题。根据文章第一段On Buy Nothing Day, they take to the streets to tackle consumers(消费者). They dress as pigs to symbolize greed(贪婪). They offer to cut up credit cards and hand out shopping bags with the words “another useless thing I don’t need” written on the side. Some hold street parties to show shoppers that it is possible to have fun without spending money. Others go into shops and put notes saying “don’t buy me” inside clothes and shoes.可知这些人采取了多种方法来宣传他们的思想，故B正确。
小题3:A 推理题。根据最后一段第一句And there is also the risk that the campaigners will be seen as killjoys, who want to stop people enjoying themselves.可知他们阻止了别人enjoying themselves故A正确。
小题4:D 推理题。根据第一段和最后一段We’re not saying that people are bad because they go shopping, but we need get the message across for people to consume wisely. 和“The challenge is to try simple living for a day. Spend time with family and friends, rather than spending money on them. Anyone can take part, provided they spend a day without spending.”说明这个活动是呼吁人们明智地花钱消费。故D正确。
点评：本文介绍了英国的National Buy Nothing Day。要求考生在阅读理解整体语篇的基础上，把握文章的真正内涵。要吃透文章的字面意思，从字里行间捕捉有用的提示和线索，这是推理的前提和基础;要对文字的表面信息进行挖掘加工，由表入里，由浅入深，从具体到抽象，从非凡到一般，通过分析、综合、判定等，进行深层处理，符合逻辑地推理。不能就是论事，断章取义，以偏概全。要忠实于原文，以文章提供的事实和线索为依据。 |
举一反三
Dickson Despommier, a public health professor at Columbia University in New York City developed an idea with his students nine years ago. They imagined people in cities growing crops inside a tall building. Tomatoes could grow on one floor of the skyscraper(摩天大楼), potatoes on the next, small animals and fish on the floor above.
This vertical(垂直的) farm, or "farmscraper", could have space for restaurants and other places that serve food, like schools or hospitals. They could serve foods that are truly locally grown.
But why would anyone want to build a farm indoors in a city? Dickson Despommier believes it will become necessary. The world needs to find places to produce enough food to feed the growing population. Space, he says, is an all-important issue.
The professor also points to the problems of traditional farms. They use a lot of freshwater. Their fertilizer and animal waste can pollute water resources. And their growing seasons can be limited.
But inside the vertical farm, crops could grow all year. And there would be no wind to blow away soil. Farmers would not have to worry about too much or too little rain, or about hot summers, freezing winters or insects. And without insects there would be no need for chemicals to kill them.
Farm machines that .use fossil fuels, like tractors, would not be needed either. And water could be recycled for drinking. "The vertical farm reuses everything, so there is no waste," says Professor Despommier.
Even buildings could be saved. Old buildings could become new farms and provide jobs.
The professor has been actively proposing the idea to cities as far away as Dubai and Canada. But so far it exists only in plans and drawings, and a model at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
Critics say building a farmscraper would cost too much, especially considering the price of land in many cities. Dickson Despommier estimates the cost at about twenty to thirty million dollars.
But he says the building would not have to be very tall. And his graduate students have found many empty lots and unused buildings in New York City that could provide space.
小题1:According to the passage the purpose of proposing the idea of a farm scraper is to .| A．find places to produce enough food | | B．serve food that are truly locally grown | | C．prevent polluting the limited land | | D．save fresh water |
小题2:Which is one of the advantages of a farm scraper?| A．It costs less | | B．It saves labor power. | | C．It consumes too much energy | | D．It is more environmentally friendly. |
小题3:Those against the idea of farm scrapers argue that| A．it uses too much land in cities | | B．it costs too much to build one | | C．it causes people to lose their jobs | | D．it exists only in unrealistic plans |
小题4:Which of the following is true according to the passage?| A．A vertical farm has been built in Chicago. | | B．Old buildings could be changed into new farms. | | C．Traditional farms use less water but pollute more water | | D．There are some vertical farms being put into use in Canada. |
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In a generous display of maturity and sympathy, one Jewish boy made his first deed as a man in his faith a great act of charity.
Joshua Neidorf, a 13-year-old boy from Los Angeles, donated most of his birthday money to Operation Mend, a program that reconstructs the faces of severely burned U. S. veterans（退伍老兵）.
The young man decided to donate his money after getting to know Army Sgt. Louis Dahlman, who was undergoing a series of reconstruction surgeries（手术）at UCLA （University of California at Los Angeles） thanks to Operation Mend. The Neidorfs had signed up to be Dahlman’s “buddy family”, spending time with him whenever he visited Los Angeles for a surgery.
“I just love knowing that it’s going somewhere...to help the people who save our lives and keep us safe every day,” said Neidorf. His mother added, “It makes me feel like our world is going in a good direction with this next generation.”
In all, Neidorf gave $13,000 to Operation Mend. He also encouraged his friends to donate to the cause. He is the organization’s youngest donor so far.
Operation Mend is a privately funded program that works in partnership with the UCLA Medical Center. Ron Katz, a board member at the hospital, started the program in 2006 after seeing a TV programme about Aaron Mankin, a veteran who had gone through dozens of surgeries after a fight in Iraq which completely burned off his face.
Mankin ended up being Operation Mend’s first patient, starting the first of 20 reconstructive facial surgeries at UCLA in Sept. 2007. In a 2011 interview, Katz shared how his experience of helping Mankin made him realize the need to establish a more permanent program.
“My wife and I soon realized that there were dozens of Aarons out there,” Katz said. “They deserve the best that we offer them.”
小题1:Neidorf decided to help veterans because ________.| A．he benefited from Operation Mend | B．he was afraid of burned faces | | C．he thought they deserved help | D．he didn’t know how to spend money |
小题2:Operation Mend was founded after ________.| A．Neidorf donated part of his birthday money | | B．the Neidorfs signed up to be Dahlman’s “buddy family” | | C．Ron Katz saw a TV programme about a veteran | | D．Mankin was successfully operated on at UCLA |
小题3:What can we learn from the passage?
A. Neidorf’s mother was opposed to his decision to donate money.
B. Mankin’s face was burned in a fire in America.
C. Mankin went through more than 30 facial surgeries at UCLA.
D. Many facial surgeries are needed to reconstruct a seriously burned face.
小题4:The last two paragraphs mainly tell us ________.| A．the process of Mankin’s surgery | B．how Operation Mend was set up | | C．how Katz became famous | D．veterans are respected by people |
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A couple of years ago, before a trip to China, Nicole Davis and her US women’s volleyball teammates were warned about the prominence (显著、突出) of coach “Jenny” Lang Ping in her native country.
“I was pushed over by Chinese journalists while I was just trying to put my luggage on the bus,” said Davis.
Known as the “Iron Hammer” for her punishing spikes(扣球), Lang made it possible for China to dominate in the sport in the early 1980s. She was a key player on China’s 1984 Olympic gold medal winning team.
When the US team arrived for the Olympics, Lang, 48, who is from Beijing, had to take a different route to avoid a crowd of reporters and fans.
Then came the greatest moment to Lang：while the US team was playing in a packed gym, at least 8,000 Chinese fans unfurled an American flag.
“That really says it all,” Davis said. “They look at her as an icon(偶像)．I’m sure it’s hard for them to see her coaching another country, but they love her so deeply that her success is their success.”
The loyalty of the Chinese fans was tested on Friday, when China lost a match to the US.
“It’s a pity that China lost the match, but I’m still glad that Lang Ping’s team won, since she is the pride of China’s volleyball,” said Liu Chengli, a spectator. “We also cheered for Lang’s victory.”
Lang said she just tried to stay professional when the two teams meet. “It doesn’t matter if we play China or any other team. It’s the same.” Lang said.
Davis said she and her teammates could not have imagined the passion for volleyball among Chinese because the sport was lack of popularity in the US. The reception from Chinese fans has touched the US players, said a US volleyball player Lindsey Berg.
“It’s such an honor to be here and play for our coach here in China,” she said. “The amount of support that the Chinese give to her and us has been tremendous. The whole event has been unbelievable.”
小题1:What’s the passage mainly about?| A．Staying professional. | B．Cheering for the Iron Hammer. | | C．A match between China and the US. | D．Lang Ping’s career as a coach. |
小题2:Lang Ping avoided meeting the reporters and fans probably because she ________.| A．was afraid to be questioned about her strategy | | B．didn’t want to be paid much attention to | | C．disliked to be with her fans | | D．didn’t want to disturb public order |
小题3:What does the underlined word “unfurled” exactly mean?| A．destroyed completely | B．tore into pieces | | C．spread out to the wind | D．rolled up |
小题4:What does Lang Ping mean by saying “It doesn’t matter if we play China or any other team.”？| A．American Volleyball Team will beat any team. | | B．Chinese Volleyball Team is the same as other teams. | | C．She just tried to stay professional. | | D．The results of each match will be the same. |
小题5:What impressed the US team players most?| A．The tolerance of Chinese people. | B．The popularity of volleyball in China. | | C．Lang Ping’s coaching skills. | D．The loyalty for volleyball of the Chinese. |
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Dave Bruno works as an online marketing manager. Several years ago, one weekend Bruno and his family did a major house cleanup and then donated several bags of unneeded items to the local Goodwill store. “After all were done, I looked around and realized that I still had too much stuff”, says Bruno, “It occurred to me that maybe I wanted to lead a simple life but in reality I behaved differently.” That realization prompted the 39-year-old father of three to try an experiment, “The 100Thing Challenge”.
With the goal of breaking free of what he calls a “bad habit of consumerism（消费主义）, Bruno was determined to live for one year with just 100 personal items. He cut down his possessions to 94 items, including a Bible, laptop, guitar, wedding ring, car and clothes. He created some guidelines for the experiment since his wife and daughters did not participate, familyshared and household items did not count as personal items. He also grouped together some basic things such as underwear and socks. Bruno began blogging about his new lifestyle and eventually wrote a book, The 100 Thing Challenge: How I Got Rid of Almost Everything, Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul.
Since completing the experiment, Bruno has continued to live by the motto: reduce, refuse, and rearrange and maintains just 110 personal things. “ Nearly three years of living with a minimal amount of personal possessions, I’m no longer in the habit of consuming for the sake of consumption (消费),” he wrote in his blog last week, “That has freed me up for all sorts of better endeavors (活动) than shopping—like spending time with family and writing a book and planning for business opportunities.”
Bruno’s project has also inspired others to live minimally, many of whom post their own 100 Thing Challenge updates on YouTube. “The reality is that the 100 Thing Challenge is surprisinglyeasy”, says Bruno, “I’m not saying there were no challenges or disappointments. I miss some things, but not that much. Frankly, it’s far easier to live with less stuff than with excessive trash.”
小题1:What does the underlined sentence mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Bruno regretted to have an easy life. | | B．Bruno had a special behavior in reality, | | C．Bruno and his family led a happy life. | | D．Bruno would have liked a life with fewer items. |
小题2:The things were included in Bruno’s 94 items EXCEPT____________.| A．socks | B．a Bible | C．cookers | D．a wedding ring |
小题3:What is the best title for the passage?| A．Live with 100 Things | | B．Defeat 100 Challenges in Life | | C．Survive by Your Motto | | D．Consume for Consumption’s Sake |
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Every few years, two groups carry out a study of how many Americans wash their hands after using the toilet. These groups are the American Society for Microbiology and the American Cleaning Institute, formerly the Soap and Detergent Association.
There was good news in the latest study. Researchers found that eighty-five percent of adults washed their hands in public restrooms last month. That was the most since the studies began in 1996.
Researchers visited restrooms at a baseball park in Atlanta and a science museum and aquarium(水族馆) in Chicago. They also visited two train stations in New York City and a large farmers’ market in San Francisco. In all, they observed about six thousand adults, with females and males equal in number.
The researchers found that seventy-seven percent of men and ninety-three percent of women washed their hands. That was up from sixty-six percent of men and eighty-eight percent of women in the last study three years ago.
The lowest rate of hand washing among men was at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Only sixty-five percent of men washed their hands, compared to all but two percent of women.
Chicago and San Francisco had the most hand washers—eighty-nine percent of adults. Atlanta followed at eighty-two percent. New York had the lowest rate, at seventy-nine percent of the adults observed at Grand Central Station and Penn Station.
The findings of the observational study conflicted(不一致) with the findings of a separate telephone survey of about one thousand people. Ninety-six percent of them said they always washed their hands after using public restrooms.
Almost nine out of ten also said they always washed after using the bathroom at home.
Hand washing can help prevent the spread of many different infections.
To clean your hands well, wet them first and rub in soap for at least twenty seconds, including between the fingers and under the nails. Then wash under running water. In a public restroom, if you dry your hands with a paper towel, you should also use the towel to shut off the water and open the door.
Hand washing is also important when preparing food and after changing a baby’s diaper(尿布). You should also wash if you cough or sneeze into your hands.
小题1:According to the latest study, about ____ women washed their hands after using public bathroom.| A．1,980 | B．2,310 | C．2,640 | D．2,790 |
小题2:Which of the following shows the right order of washing hands correctly?
a. Wash your hands under running water.
b. Rub your hands in soap for not less than twenty seconds.
c. Wet your hands.
d. Dry your hands with a paper towel.
e. Open the door, using a paper towel.
f. Shut off the water with a paper towel.| A．cbdaef | B．cdabfe | C．cbadfe | D．cdabef |
小题3:Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?| A．Hand washing is up in public restrooms in the US | | B．Americans like washing their hands so much | | C．Adults have their hands washed in public restrooms | | D．Why hand washing never enjoys popularity in the US |
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