听力原文:W: Well, the examination is over now, and we can go to the picnic.
M: Going to the picnic is too firing. Why not come to my home to have a party?
Q: Where will the man offer to go?
(13)
A. To his home.
B. To her home.
C. To go to the picnic.
D. To go shopping.
Section B
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice.
The poor old consumer! We'd have to pay a great deal more if advertising didn't create mass markets for products. It is precisely because of the heavy advertising that consumer goods are so cheap. But we get the wrong idea if we think the only purpose of advertising is to sell goods. Another equally important function is to inform. A great deal of the knowledge we have about household goods derives largely from the advertisements we read. Advertisements introduce us to new products or remind us of the existence of ones we already know about. Supposing you wanted to buy a washing machine, it is more than likely you would obtain details regarding performance, price, etc, from an advertisement.
Lots of people pretend that they never read advertisements, but this claim may be seriously doubted. It is hardly possible not to read advertisements these days. And what fun they often are, too! Just think what a railway station or a newspaper would be like without advertisements. Would you enjoy gazing at a blank wall or reading railway bylaws while waiting for a train? Would you like to read only closely-printed columns of news in your daily paper? A cheerful, witty advertisement makes such a difference to a drab wall or a newspaper full of the daily ration of calamities.
We must not forget, either, that advertising makes a positive contribution to our pockets. Newspapers, commercial ration and television companies could not subsist without this source of revenue. The fact that we pay so little for our daily paper, or can enjoy so many broadcast pro grams is due entirely to the money spent by advertisers. Just think what a newspaper would cost if we had to pay its full price!
Another thing we mustn't forget is the "small ads", which are in virtually every newspaper and magazine. What a tremendously useful service they perform. for the community! Just about anything can be accomplished through these columns. For instance, you can find a job, buy or sell a house, announce a birth, marriage or death in what used to be called the "hatch,' match and dispatch" column but by far the most fascinating section is the personal or "agony" column. No other item in a newspaper provides such entertaining reading or offers such a deep insight into human nature. It's the best advertisement for advertising there is!
We are different from the old consumers in that ______.
A. we have cheap goods because of heavy advertising
B. we know to inform. is one of the functions of advertising
C. we have much knowledge about household goods
D. we believe the only purpose of advertising is to sell goods
A.Get information.B.Watch a film.C.Find a bank.D.Buy some shoes.
A. Get information.
B. Watch a film.
C. Find a bank.
D. Buy some shoes.
Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)
Directions: In this part you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.
Protect Your Nest
It's never too early to protect your family's financial well-being. Yet because most of us are so busy juggling work and family commitments, we tend to neglect the things that don't require immediate attention. Some day, we think, we'll take care of the three essentials-retirement savings, insurance coverage and estate planning. Unfortunately, emergencies can strike and then it's too late. "Failure to plan is a huge mistake," Barbara Raasch, managing director at Wealth and Tax Advisory Services, Inc. , told us.
How can you avoid the "should have, could have, would have" scenario? By putting these three items at the top of your "to do" list-protect your future, protect your family and protect your legacy (遗产).
Protect Your Future
The national savings rate averaged around 0.4% for the first half of this year, according to the U. S. Department of Commerce, meaning Americans spent a shopping 99.6% of their after-tax earnings. Even more frightening, in July the savings rate dropped below zero. We all know we should save more. But with so many goals to save for-a house, the kids' college tuition, your retirement, occasional vacations and a small emergency fund-it's easy to feel there's just not enough money to do it all.
Budget. The first step is to create a budget. Once you know what you're spending your money on, you can figure out What you don't need to spend it on-and stock those savings away. "Every month you have to pay yourself first," says Joe Moglia, CEO of Ameritrade. "Take a little out of your paycheck." It doesn't have to be much-it could be foregoing(放弃) that extra lattice or getting the DVD free at the library.
Retirement. Just about every survey of American investors these days shows that retirement is a main reason for saving. Yet an astounding number of people ignore the opportunities offered by employment-based retirement plans. According to a recent survey by Aon Consulting, more than 20% of those eligible for a 401k plan do not participate at all, while another 53% do not save at a rate high enough to take full advantage of their employers' matching contribution-the closest thing to free money in the retirement savings universe. Consider it money that grows without being taxed.
Emergency reserves. Many financial planners recommend that you have enough money in a savings or money-market account for at, least six to nine months of essential expenses, including your mortgage or rent, insurance premiums, credit card payments, utility and grocery bills and other fixed expenses, such as car payments or student loans. And it's always a good idea to have cash on hand once you are confronted with emergency situations. For example, if the ATMs in your neighborhood are out, you can have enough to cover your immediate needs for a week or so.
Protect Your Family
A major illness, an extended disability (残疾) or the loss of a job could wipe out your financial reserves and any prospect of being able to save enough to achieve your other life goals. Here's what you need to protect your savings:
Health insurance. A recent study of court records and direct interviews indicated that about half of personal bankruptcies in the U. S. are caused in part by medical debts. Only people over 65 are entitled to the medicare. So people under that age face enormous bills and many of them lack insurance.
If your company pro
A. Because we don't know what family financial well-being is.
Because we focus too much on developing family relationships.
C. Because we think work is much more important.
D. Because we think it needn't be dealt with immediately.