阅读理解 While small may be beautiful, tall is just plain uncomfortable it seem
题型：同步题难度：来源：
| 阅读理解 |
While small may be beautiful, tall is just plain uncomfortable it seems, particularly when it comes to
staying in hotels and eating in restaurants.
The Tall Persons Club Great Britain(TPCGB), which was formed six months ago to campaign
(发起运动)for the needs of the tall, has turned its attention to hotels and restaurants.Beds that are too
small, shower heads that are too low, and restaurant tables with hardly any legroom all make life
difficult for those of above average height, it says.
But it is not just the extratall whose needs are not being met.The average height of the population has
been increasing yet the standard size of beds, doorways, and chairs has remained unchanged.
"The bedding industry says a bed should be six inches larger than the person using it, so even a
kingsize bed at 6"66" (6 feet and 6 inches) is falling short for 25% of men, while the standard 6"3" bed
caters for(满足需要)less than half of the male(男性)population, " said TPCGB president Phil
Heinricy, "Sevenfoot beds would work fine."
Similarly, restaurant tables can cause no end of problems. Small tables, which mean the longlegged have to sit a foot or so away from them, are enough to make tall customers go elsewhere.
Some have already taken note, however. At Queens Moat Houses" Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh, 6"6" beds are now put in as standard after requests for longer beds from taller visitors, particularly
Americans. |
| 1. What is the purpose of the TPCGB campaign? |
A. To provide better services.
B. To rebuild hotels and restaurants.
C. To draw public attention to the needs of the tall.
D. To attract more people to become its members. |
| 2. Which of the following might be a bed of proper length according to Phil Heinricy? |
A. 7"2".
B. 7".
C. 6"6".
D. 6"3". |
| 3. What may happen to restaurants with small tables? |
A. They may lose some customers.
B. They may start businesses elsewhere.
C. They have to find easy chairs to match the tables.
D. They have to provide enough space for the longlegged. |
| 4. What change has already been made in a hotel in Edinburgh? |
A. Tall people pay more for larger beds.
B. 6"6" beds have taken the place of 6"3" beds.
C. Special rooms are kept for Americans.
D. Guest rooms are standardized. |
答案
| 1-4: CBAB |
举一反三
| 阅读理解。 |
Cassandra Feeley finds it hard to manage on her husband"s income.So this year she did
something more than a hobby(业余爱好):She planted vegetables in her yard.For her first
garden,Ms.Feeley has put in 15 tomato plants,and five rows of a variety of vegetables.The
family"s old farm house has become a chicken house,its residents arriving next month.Last
year, Ms.Rita Gartin kept a small garden.This year she has made it much larger because,she
said,"The cost of everything is going up and I was looking to lose a few pounds,too；so it"s
a winwin situation all around."
They are among the growing number of Americans who,driven by higher living costs and a
falling economy(经济),have taken up vegetable gardening for the first time.Others have
increased the size of their existing gardens.Seed companies and garden shops say that not
since the 1970s has there been such an increase in interest in growing food at home.Now
many gardens across the country have been sold out for several months.In Austin,Tex.,some
of the gardens have a threeyear waiting list.
George C．Ball Jr.,owner of a company,said sales of vegetable seeds and plants are up by
40%over last year,double the average growth of the last five years.Mr.Ball argues that some
of the reasons have been building for the last few years.The big one is the striking rise in the cost
of food like bread and milk, together with the increases in the price of fruits and vegetables.Food
prices have increased because of higher oil prices.People are now driving less,taking fewer
vacations,so there is more time to garden. |
| 1．What does the word "residents" in Paragraph 1 probably refer to? |
A．chickens
B．tomatoes
C．gardens
D．people |
| 2.By saying "a winwin situation all around",Ms.Gartin means that________. |
A．she is happier and her garden bigger
B．she may spend less and lose weight
C．she is selling more and buying less
D．she has grown more varieties of vegetables |
| 3.Why is vegetable gardening becoming increasingly popular? |
A．More Americans are doing it for fun.
B．The price of oil is lower than before.
C．There"s a growing need for fruits.
D．The cost of living is on the rise. |
| 4．Which of the following might be the best title for the text? |
A．Family Food Planning
B．Banking on Gardening
C．A Belttightening Move
D．Gardening as a Hobby |
| 阅读理解。 |
A baby born in India has been declared the world"s seven billionth person by child rights group
Plan International. Baby Nargis was born at 07:25 local time(01:55GMT)in Mall village in India"s
Uttar Pradesh state. Plan International says Nargis has been chosen symbolically as it is not possible
to know where exactly the seven billionth baby is born. In addition to baby Nargis in India,Bangladesh,
the Philippines and Cambodia have all identified seven billionth babies. The United Nations estimated
that on Monday 31 October. the world"s population would reach seven billion.
Populations are growing faster than economies in many poor countries in Africa and some in Asia.
At the same time,low birth rates in Japan and many European nations have raised concerns about labor
shortages.
Population experts at the United Nations estimated that the world reached six billion in October
1999. They predict nine billion by 2050 and ten billion by the end of the century. China"s population
of one and a third billion is currently the world"s largest. India is second at 1. 2 billion. But India is
expected to pass China and reach one and a half billion people around 2025.
India will also have one of the world"s youngest populations. Economists say this is a chance for a
so-called. demographic dividend. India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy
at a time when other countries have aging populations. But economists say current rates of growth,
although high,may not create enough jobs. Also,the public education system is failing to meet demand
and schooling is often of poor quality. Another concern is health care. Nearly half of India"s children
under the age of five are malnourished(营养不良).
Michal Rutkowski,the director of human development in South Asia at the World Bank, says reaching
seven billion people in the world is a good time for a call to action. He says,"I think the bottom line of
the story is that the public policy needs to become really,really serious about sex equality and about
access to services-to fight against malnutrition,and to provide for access to health services,water and
schooling. " |
| 1. What is true about the world"s seven billionth person? |
A. Baby Nargis is not the only child chosen as the seven billionth baby.
B. Baby Nargis has been chosen carefully so it is exactly the seven billionth baby.
C. Three countries have all declared Baby Nargis as the seven billi011th baby.
D. The United Nations declared Baby Nargis as the world"s seven billionth person. |
| 2. Which of the following problems do many European countries worry about? |
A. Labor shortage.
B. Poor health care.
C. Not enough jobs.
D. Schooling of poor quality. |
3. According to population experts,how long will it take for population to grow from six billion to nine
billion? |
A. About 12 years.
B. About 40 years.
C. About 50 years.
D. About 110 years. |
| 4. What does the underlined phrase"demographic dividend"in the fourth paragraph refer to? |
A. Possibility of lower birth rate.
B. Benefit gained by working young people.
C. Chances for more employment.
D. Disadvantages caused by aging population. |
| 5. Which of the following public policies does Michal Rutkowski call on? |
A. To encourage late marriage.
B. To reduce world"s population.
C. To gain economic equality.
D. To improve health and education. |
| 阅读理解。 |
Across the planet there are millions of people who engage in some type of meditation, the practice
of concentrating and clearing the mind to bring the body into a state of peace, at least a semi-regular
basis. For some, particularly among practitioners of Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism,
this is part and parcel of their religious practice.
For others, particularly in Western cultures, meditation tends to be a response to stress. With the
world economy approaching meltdown and people worried about their job or their ability to keep their
home, it’s a way for people to attain a state of peace of mind and well-being.
For those interested in taking up the practice, instruction in meditation for beginners can be found in
literally thousands of sources.
One of the most popular styles of mediation in the West, with classes offered in most major cities, is
called Transcendental Meditation. TM, as it is known among its practitioners, first came to worldwide
attention when the Beatles began practicing it in 1967. For direct, guided, personal instruction in
meditation for the beginner, TM may be the hallmark.
Part of the confusion about how to practice meditation effectively is due to the fact that there are
literally hundreds of techniques championed by various groups and individuals. As a general principle,
it might be said that all meditation techniques seek to have the practitioner attain a state of consciousness
that is different to our ordinary state of awareness. They attempt to train people to clear their minds and
achieve a sense of inner peace. It sounds simple enough, but of the huge number of people experiment
with meditation, very few are able to maintain its practice over the long haul. In most cases, this is due
to frustration over the inability to experience any dramatic, instantly recognizable effects.
This is quite a sad state of affairs, that so few these days are willing or equipped to persist in
something that doesn’t provide immediate life-changing results. It reflects a culture in which demands
for discipline and sustained effort are considered unnecessary or even unfair. It is no surprise therefore
that many people abandon their efforts at meditation before they have a chance to bear fruit.
But for anyone who does decide to take up this worthwhile practice, please remember. You must
clear your mind, relax and “take it as it comes”. Maintain the practice with a sense of discipline and
devotion, and eventually benefits of inner peace and calm will be yours. |
| 1. The underlined part “part and parcel of” in paragraph 1 is nearest in meaning to ________. |
A. closely associated with
B. very different to
C. usually sent from
D. an important element of |
| 2. The goal of meditation is ________. |
A. to clear the mind
B. to practice a religion
C. to develop a technique
D. to carry out an experiment |
| 3. What can we infer about meditation from the passage? |
A. It has two main types.
B. It is practiced by many famous artists.
C. Its benefits are not immediately obvious.
D. Most people find it a very good way to relax. |
4. According to the writer, what has attracted many Western people to meditation practices in recent
years? |
A. Their improved understanding of foreign culture.
B. The need to fill in their growing free time.
C. Increasing employment instability.
D. Migration from countries in which meditation is traditional. |
| 5. Who is the probable audience for this article? |
A. Experienced meditation practitioners.
B. People interested in starting to learn meditation.
C. Buddhists and Hindus.
D. People who are very religious. |
语法填空。
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
Surveys show that although a man and a woman have the same level or handle the same position
in an organization, the man would get a higher or bigger compensation package （薪酬）compared
1 women. Because of this, many women just hold subordinate positions 2 (content) in finance
, human resources, sales, manufacturing and other supportive roles.
There are still 3 barriers that prevent women from 4 (reach) their full potentials in the world
of employment. Our culture does not encourage women to excel in government 5 in business-related
jobs. Women who are able to make it on top and handle leadership roles are sometimes regarded merely
6 tokens(象征). Their abilities and skills 7 (question) by their own peers, and sadly even
by other women.
8 you are a woman who have the interest, ability and drive to pursue management careers,
career counseling is of great help to give you direction and increase motivation to pursue your career
goals. 9 will help you have the self-confidence to get you in the same career opportunities open to
men in this society 10 men are preferred for top level positions. |
| 阅读理解。 |
In the more and more competitive service industry, it is no longer enough to promise customer
satisfaction. Today, customer “delight” is what companies are trying to achieve in order to keep and
increase market share.
It is accepted in the marketing industry, and confirmed by a number of researchers, that customers
receiving good service will promote business by telling up to 12 other people; those treated badly tell
tales of worse to up to 20 people. Interestingly, 80 percent of people who feel their complaints are
handled fairly will stay loyal.
New challenges for customer care have come when people can obtain goods and services through
telephone call centers and the Internet. For example, many companies now have to invest a lot of money
in information technology and staff training in order to cope with the “phone rage”- caused by delays in
answering calls, being cut off in mid-conversation or left waiting for long periods.
“Many people do not like talking to machines,” says Dr, Storey, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at City
University Business School. “Banks, for example, encourage staff at call centers to use customer data
to establish instant and good relationship with them. The aim is to make the customer feel they know
you and that you can trust them - the sort of comfortable feelings people have during face-to-face chats
with their local branch manager.”
Recommended ways of creating customer delight include: under-promising and over-delivering
(saying that a repair will be carried out within five hours, but getting it done within two); replacing a faulty
product immediately; throwing in a gift coupon as an unexpected “thank you” to regular customers; and
always returning calls, even when they are complaints.
Airlines face some of the toughest challenges over customer care. Fierce competition has convinced
them that delighting passengers is an important marketing tool, while there is great potential for customer
anger over delays caused by weather, unclaimed luggage and technical problems.
For British Airways staff, a winning telephone style is considered vital in handling the large volume
of calls about bookings and flight times. The Airways also says its customer care policies are applied
within the company and staff are taught to regard each other as customers requiring the highest standards
of service.
Customer care is obviously here to stay and it would be a foolish company that used slogans such
as "we do as we please". On the other hand, the more customers are promised, the greater the risk of
disappointment. |
| 1. We can learn from Paragraph 2 that _______. |
A. complaining customers are hard to satisfy
B. unsatisfied customers receive better service
C. satisfied customers catch more attention
D. well-treated customers promote business |
| 2. The writer mentions “phone rage” (Paragraph 3) to show that ________. |
A. customers often use phones to express their anger
B. people still prefer to buy goods online
C. customer care becomes more demanding
D. customers rely on their phones to obtain services |
| 3. What does the writer recommend to create customer delight? |
A. Calling customers regularly.
B. Giving a “thank you” note.
C. Delivering a quicker service.
D. Promising more gifts. |
| 4. Customer delight is important for airlines because ________. |
A. their telephone style remains unchanged
B. they are more likely to meet with complaints
C. the services cost them a lot of money
D. the policies can be applied to their staff |
| 5. Which of the following is conveyed in this article? |
A. Face-to -face service creates comfortable feelings among customers.
B. Companies that promise more will naturally attract more customers.
C. A company should promise less but do more in a competitive market.
D. Customer delight is more important for air lines than for banks. |
最新试题
热门考点