In Western countries people have been using the installment (分期付款) plan since th
题型：不详难度：来源：
In Western countries people have been using the installment (分期付款) plan since the first half of the twentieth century. Today, a large number of families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installments. In the U.S.A.,the figure is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.
The price of an article bought on installments is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash. There is a charge for interest. The buyer pays one quarter or one third of the price as a down payment (预付定金) when the goods are delivered to him. He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly, until the full price is paid up. The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made.
Installment buying has advantages and disadvantages. It can help couples with small incomes to furnish their homes and start housekeeping. It increases the demand for goods, and in this way helps business and employment,There is,
however, the danger that when business is bad, installment buying may end suddenly, making business much worse. This may result in a great increase in unemployment.
If the people on the installment plan lose their jobs, they will probably not be able to make their payments. If great numbers of people are not able to pay their installment debts, there is a possibility that businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money. If businessmen lose money or fail to make a satisfactory profit,it becomes more likely to have a depression (萧条). This is why, in some countries,the government controls the installment plan by fixing the amount of the down payment and installments to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.
小题1: Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the installment plan?| A．A lot of British families use the installment plan. " | | B．More than 10 percent of American families buy things on installments. | | C．Americans depend more on installment than British people do. | | D．Americans spend one tenth of their income on installment buying. |
小题2: Goods bought on installments are more expensive than goods bought by cash because_______.| A．the buyer has to pay extra money as interest | | B．the delivery of the goods charges extra money | | C．the buyer has to pay adown payment | | D．the service offered by installment plan charged extra money |
小题3: What will happen to a buyer if he fails to make the full payment for an item bought on installments?| A．He might lose his job. | | B．He will stop owning the item he has bought. | | C．He will have to setl what he has bought. | | D．He will go into debt. |
小题4: The advantage of installment buying might include all the following EXCEPT that________.| A．purchasing power is strengthened | | B．employment might be increased | | C．people develop a good habit of saving money | | D．young couples are able to furnish their homes |
小题5:In some countries, the governments control the installment plan to_______.| A．increase employment | | B．avoid depressions | | C．ensure that businesses make good profits | | D．ensure that people can pay for what they buy |
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答案
小题1:B
小题1:A
小题1:B
小题1:C
小题1:D |
解析
小题1:细节题：从第一段的句子：In the U.S.A.,the figure is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.可知美国人花费10%的收入用在分期付款上，不是10%的美国人使用分期付款。选B
小题1:细节题：从第二段的句子：The price of an article bought on installments is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash. There is a charge for interest.可知分期付款要比现金支付价格高，因为有利息。选A
小题1:细节题：从第二段的句子：The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made.可知如果顾客不能还分期付款的全额，他就不再拥有他买的东西了。选B
小题1:排除题：文章的第三段讲的分期付款的好处：提高购买力，增加就业率，年轻夫妇可以装饰他们的家。选C
小题1:从文章的最后一段的句子：installments to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.可知政府出台政策控制分期付款政策为了确保人们能付得起物品的价格。选D。 |
举一反三
“Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton (骨骼) in the closet (衣橱)?” Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother paused thoughtfully. “Well, it"s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad"s family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be "a skeleton in his family"s closet". He really wouldn"t want any neighbor to know about it.”
“Why pick on my family?” Jessica"s father said with anger. “Your family history isn"t so good, you know. Wasn"t your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?”“Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.”“Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica"s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica"s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt , a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica"s mother sank in a faint (晕倒), waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
“What happened? Where am I?” she asked. “You just destroyed the school"s skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad.” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. “They"re both crazy,” she thought.
小题1:According to Jessica"s mother, “a skeleton in the close” means ________.| A．a family honor | B．a family secret | C．a family story | D．a family treasure |
小题2:What can we learn about some Australians" ancestors from Paragraph 2?| A．They were brought to Australia as prisoners. | | B．They were the earliest people living in Australia. | | C．They were involved in some crimes in Australia. | | D．They were not regarded as criminals in their days. |
小题3:Why did Jessica bring a skeleton home?| A．She was curious about it. | B．She planned to keep it for fun. | | C．She needed it for her school task. | D．She intended to scare her parents. |
小题4: Jessica"s parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because ________.| A．they were crazy. | | B．they were over excited. | | C．they realized their misunderstanding. | | D．they both thought they had won the quarrel. |
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Earthquakes strike suddenly at any time of the day or night, but there’s no way to tell them. If an earthquake happens, it may 11.____ many deaths and injuries and great damage. Decide how and where your family will get together if 12.____ . Choose an out-of-state friend or relative that the family members can 13.____ after the quake to report where they are and how they are. Know the 14.____ places in each room: under the 15.____ tables, desks, or against inside walls. Keep enough food, water and other things, 16.____ a flashlight, a radio medicines and clothing.
During the earthquake, you should 17.____ a clear head and never be too nervous to know what to do. Protect your 18._ ___ and neck with your arms. If possible, take a book, a pillow or any other things to 19.____ yourself from falling glass and ruins. If you are 20.____, you must immediately lie under any strong furniture. If outdoors, move to an open area away form tress, buildings, walls and power poles. If you are in a narrow valley, move to the center of it and look up for falling 21.____. If you are in a car, move to the side of the road and stop the car. Do not stop near buildings, power lines or on or under bridges. Stay in your car until the shaking stops.
Do not move a badly 22.____ person unless he is in great danger after the earthquake. Do not use the telephone 23.____ unless there is a serious injury or fire. Turn on your radio for instructions and news reports. Be prepared for aftershocks. If you want to 24.____ your home, post a message inside your home 25.____ family members where you can be found.
| 小题1: | | A．affect | B．develop | C．cause | D．bury |
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| 小题2: | | A．recover | B．separated | C．lost | D．divided |
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| 小题3: | | A．call | B．recognize | C．go | D．help |
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| 小题4: | | A．loose | B．safe | C．dangerous | D．wide |
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| 小题6: | | A．ignoring | B．holding | C．including | D．carrying |
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| 小题7: | | A．make | B．protect | C．use | D．keep |
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| 小题9: | | A．let | B．prevent | C．stop | D．protect |
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| 小题10: | | A．indoors | B．outdoors | C．away | D．out |
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| 小题11: | | A．bricks | B．flowers | C．stones | D．walls |
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| 小题12: | | A．wounded | B．injured | C．harmed | D．hurt |
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| 小题13: | | A．slowly | B．extremely | C．actually | D．immediately |
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| 小题14: | | A．reach | B．leave | C．take | D．pack |
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| 小题15: | | A．telling | B．speaking | C．saying | D．talking |
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If you’re planning on traveling, there a re a few simple rules about how to make life easier both before and after your jou rney.
First of all, always check and double-check departure (起程) time. It is amazing how few people really do this carefully. Once I arrived at the airport a few minutes after ten. My secretary had got the ticket for me and I thought she had said that the plane left at 10:50. When I arrived at the airport, the clerk at the departure desk told me that my flight was closed. Therefore, I had to wait three hours for the next one and missed an important meeting.
The second rule is to remember that even in this age of credit cards, it is still important to have at least a little of the local currency(货币) with you when you arrive  in a country. This can be necessary if you are flying to a place few tourists normally visit. A few years ago I was sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma. I flew there from London via(经由)Dallas, with very little time to change planes in between. I arrived there at midnight and the bank at the airport was closed. The only way to get to my hotel was by taxi and because I had no dollars, I offered to pay in pounds instead.
“Listen! I only take real money!” the driver said angrily. Luckily I was able to borrow a few dollars from a clerk at the hotel, but it was embarrassing (令人难 堪的).
The third and last rule is to find out as much as you can about the weather at your destination before you leave. I feel sorry for some of my workmates who travel in heavy suit and raincoats in May, when it is still fairly cool in London or Manchester, to places like Athens, Rome or Madrid, where it is already beginning to get quite warm during the day.
小题1: According to the passage, it’s obvious that______| A．The author learns some rules of traveling from his own experience. | | B．The author doesn’t plan his trips or journeys carefully. | | C．Englishmen like to wear heavy suits wherever they travel | | D．The America taxi driver never travels to England. |
小题2:What should you make sure first before setting off?| A．When you will leave. | B．Where you will go. | | C．How you will travel | D．Whom you will go with. |
小题3:According to the passage, the driver was angry because_______| A．the author gave him false money | | B．the author did not give him the local currency | | C．the author did not give him money | D．the auth or had no enough change |
小题4:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?| A．The author tells people to choose warm places as their travel destinations. | | B．You don’t have to take credit cards when traveling. | | C．You should know more about the weather of the place you’ll visit. | D．You should take enough change when yo u travel to other countries. |
小题5:What is t he main idea of the passage?A．A few simple rules about how to make life easier both befo re and after your journey. | | B．Always check and double-check departure time. | | C．It is important to have the local currency with you when you arrive in a country. | D．To find out as much as you can about the weather at your destination before you lea ve. |
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Surfing the Internet for fun will make you a better employee, according to an Australian study.
The University of Melbourne study shows that people who use the Internet for their own reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive  than those who do not. Study author Brent Coker said, “Surfing the Internet at times helps increase an employee’s attention.”
“People need to relax for a bit to get back their attention,” Coker said on the university’s websit e. “Having a short break, such as a quick surfing of the Internet, helps the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total Internet attention for a day’s work, and as a result, increases productivity(生产效率),”he said.
According to the study of 300 workers, 70 percent of people who use the Internet at work surf the Internet for their own reasons during office hours. Among the most popular surfing activities are searching for information about products, reading online news, playing online games and watching videos. “Firms spend a lot of money on software to block their employees from watching video, using social networking sites or shopping online,” said Coker. “That’s not always a good idea .”
However, Coker said the study looked at people who surfed the Internet in moderation (适度), or were on the Internet for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office. “Those who spend too much time surfing the Internet will have a lower productivity than those without,” he said.
小题1:What does the University of Melbourne study mainly show?| A．People who surf the Internet are good employees. | | B．Not everyone surfs the Internet for fun during office hours. | | C．Surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity. | D．The Internet is becoming more and more impo rtant in people’s life. |
小题2: According to Paragraph 3, Brent Coker would most probably agree that______.| A．the longer a person’s mind rests ,the better attention he will have | B．surfing the Internet is the best way to increase productivit y | | C．workers should have a long break during office hours | | D．Workers should let their minds rest now and then |
小题3:Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as one of the most popular surfing activities? | A．Watching videos. | B．Reading online news. | | C．Reading online novels | D．Playing online games. |
小题4:The underlined word “block” in Paragr ap4 means “_____”.| A．prevent | B．cycle | C．burst | D．breathe |
小题5:What can we infer form the last paragraph?| A．Spending too much time surfing the Internet reduces productivity. | | B．Those who never surf the Internet have the lowest productivity. | | C．Most people don’t surf the Internet in moderation during office hours. | | D．People should spend as little time as possible surfing the Internet. |
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Earthquakes strike suddenly at any time of the day or night, but there’s no way to tell them. If an earthquake happens, it may 小题1:____ many deaths and injuries and great damage. Decide how and where your family will get together if 小题2:____ . Choose an out-of-state friend or relative that the family members can 小题3:____ after the quake to report where they are and how they are. Know the 小题4:____ places in each room: under the 小题5:___ tables, desks, or against inside walls. Keep enough food, water and other things, 小题6:____ a flashlight, a radio medicines and clothing.
During the earthquake, you should 小题7:___ a clear head and never be too nervous to know what to do. Protect your 小题8:____ and neck with your arms. If possible, take a book, a pillow or any other things to 小题9:____ yourself from falling glass and ruins. If you are 小题10:____, you must immediately lie under any strong furniture. If outdoors, move to an open area away form tress, buildings, walls and power poles. If you are in a narrow valley, move to the center of it and look up for falling 小题11:____. If you are in a car, move to the side of the road and stop the car. Do not stop near buildings, power lines or on or under bridges. Stay in your car until the shaking stops.
Do not move a badly 小题12:___ person unless he is in great danger after the earthquake. Do not use the telephone 小题13:___ unless there is a serious injury or fire. Turn on your radio for instructions and news reports. Be prepared for aftershocks. If you want to小题14:___ your home, post a message inside your home 小题15:__ family members where you can be found.
| 小题16: | | A．affect | B．develop | C．cause | D．bury |
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| 小题17: | | A．recover | B．separated | C．lost | D．divided |
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| 小题18: | | A．call | B．recognize | C．go | D．help |
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| 小题19: | | A．loose | B．safe | C．dangerous | D．wide |
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| 小题21: | | A．ignoring | B．holding | C．including | D．carrying |
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| 小题22: | | A．make | B．protect | C．use | D．keep |
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| 小题24: | | A．let | B．prevent | C．stop | D．protect |
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| 小题25: | | A．indoors | B．outdoors | C．away | D．out |
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| 小题26: | | A．bricks | B．flowers | C．stones | D．walls |
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| 小题27: | | A．wounded | B．injured | C．harmed | D．hurt |
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| 小题28: | | A．slowly | B．extremely | C．actually | D．immediately |
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| 小题29: | | A．reach | B．leave | C．take | D．pack |
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| 小题30: | | A．telling | B．speaking | C．saying | D．talking |
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