On March 28th, the New York Times will begin charging all but the most infrequent users to read articles online.
In a letter to readers, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., the publisher of the paper, laid out the details of the paywall, which he said will go into effect immediately in Canada and on March 28th for the rest of the world. He called the move “an important step that we hope you will see as an investment in the Times, one that will strengthen our ability to provide high-quality journalism to readers around the world and on any platform.”
Sulzberger said that readers will be able to read 20 articles per month at no charge. Once they click on the 21st piece, however, they’ll be presented with three payment options: $ 15 for four weeks of online and mobile application access, $ 20 for access to the site and the iPad application, or $ 35 for access to everything. People who already receive the printed paper through home delivery will enjoy free and unlimited access to the Times on all platforms.
These details largely agree with earlier reports on how the paywall would work. The Times had made it clear that it did not want to imitate the total paywalls put into effect by papers such as The Times of London and Newsday, which block access to all contents unless the reader pays.
The paper also signaled that it wants to stay relevant in the social media world. According to Sulzberger's announcement, people who come to the Times site from Facebook, Twitter or from blogs will be able to read those articles even if they have gone over their monthly limit.
However, Sulzberger said that a limit will be placed on “some search engines”, meaning that after readers have accessed a certain number of articles from search engines, any further articles they access from there will be added to their monthly count. It was reported that the only search engine that will be affected this way is Google, where there will be a five-article limit. This marks a clear attempt by the Times to close what could be a giant loophole （漏洞）, since so much online traffic is directed through Google. But it also presents a risk for the Times for the same reason.
Sulzberger seems well aware of the risk. “The challenge now is to put a price on our work without walling ourselves off from the global network,” he said, adding that the Times must “continue to engage with the widest possible audience.”
1.The author’s main purpose in the text is to _______.
A. describe research findings B. report a piece of news
C. make advertisements D. suggest a solution
2.Why will the Times charge their online readers?
A. It wants to stay relevant in the social media world.
B. It has too many readers coming from the other sites.
C. It is seeking new financial sources for its development.
D. It is trying a way to offer better service to its readers.
3. Who will be limited to the New York Times articles?
A. Those subscribing to the printed newspapers
B. Readers clicking through from Facebook.
C. Those using Google research engine
D. Readers paying $ 35 a month.
4.What challenge may the paywall bring to the New York Times?
A. It may bring the Times more competition with the other media
B. It may stop the Times connecting to the global network
C. It may block the readers from the other websites
D. It may result in huge drops in papers' online readership
Pretending to be happy can actually make you more miserable — especially if you’re a woman, according to a new study.
The research found that women suffered more than men when pretending to be happy. Psychologist Dr. Brent Scott, who led the study, said employers should take note because forcing workers to smile when dealing with the public can backfire. He said, “Smiling for the sake of smiling can lead to emotional exhaustion, and that’s bad for the organization.”
Dr. Scott said the research showed customer-service workers who “fake smile” throughout the day worsen their mood and then withdraw from work, so their productivity drops. He added, “Bosses may think that getting their staff to smile is good for the organization, but that’s not necessarily the case.” Dr. Scott, assistant professor of management at Michigan State University, analyzed a group of bus drivers during a two- week period.
The study is one of the first of its kind to examine emotional displays over a period of time and compare the different effect that has on men and women. His team examined the effects of surface acting — or fake smiling — compared to what was termed “deep acting”, or cultivating(培养) positive emotions by recalling pleasant memories.
Dr. Scott said, “Women are harmed more by surface acting, meaning their mood worsens even more than the men and they withdraw more from work. However, they are helped more by deep acting, which means their mood improves more.”
Although “deep acting” seems to improve mood in the short-term, Dr. Scott said it’s not a long-term solution to feeling unhappy.
He said, “You’re trying to cultivate positive emotions, but at the end of the day you may not feel like yourself anymore.”
1.What does the underlined word “backfire” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. Have the opposite effect. B. Lead to conflict.
C. Drive people mad. D. Help a lot.
2.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Surface acting is good for organizations.
B. Men benefit more from deep acting than women.
C. Fake smiling causes more harm to women than men.
D. Recalling good memories is a long-term solution to feeling down.
3.The findings of the research might serve as a warning to _______.
A. employees B. employers C. researchers D. customers.
4. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Solution to feeling unhappy
B. How to cultivate positive emotions
C. How to improve workers’ productivity
D. Fake smiling makes you miserable
Every time you go shopping, the vegetables and fruit look so tempting that you wish you could buy all of them. Some people are lucky and can grow the fruit and vegetables in the gardens that they have. While getting fresh vegetables, they can also achieve great cost cutting.
Mushrooms are expensive and can also go bad very quickly. Mushrooms can also be grown easily in a dark environment. In fact it’s better than growing other vegetables since you really don’t need an outdoor space. A special type of soil that is good for growing mushrooms is easily available.
Actually mushrooms aren’t even vegetables; they are fungi and for this reason, you don’t even require sunlight to grow them. Well how does one go about growing mushrooms? You could always Google “growing mushrooms” and you will find a number of mushroom growing kits（成套工具）available online that are effective and not very expensive either.
Mushrooms can be added to any dish that you cook. Simply use them in pizzas, salads and anything that you pretty much fancy. Grow mushrooms in your own house and use them whenever you want. Fresh mushrooms are taster than the ones that are stored in your refrigerator.
If you have had a really good crop of mushrooms, then you can even store them. Ideally you should use the white variety of the mushrooms. Simply pick them, slice them and put them on a cookie sheet in a freezer. When they are frozen, just put them in a zip lock and you can use them when you want to. They give a really great taste to the dish that you are making. Thaw them before you use them.
You should try growing mushrooms, since it’s cost-effective. Furthermore, you can eat the fresh mushrooms any time that you want.
1.What is an advantage of growing vegetables according to the passage?
A. You can save a lot of money
B. You can eat all kinds of vegetables.
C. You are lucky to eat what you like
D. You can satisfy your desire.
2.Mushrooms are different from other vegetables in that _______.
A. they can grow well in an outdoor space
B. it is easy for them to go bad in a few days
C. they can grow without soil
D. they can be grown where there is no light
3.Which of the following is the right order of storing mushrooms?
a. put them on a cookie sheet in the refrigerator
b. place frozen mushrooms in a zip lock
c. cut them into slices
d. choose the white mushrooms
A. a-b-c-d B. d-c-a-b C. a-d-c-b D. d-a-c-b
4.What would be the best title for this passage?
A. We should eat more fruit and vegetables
B. Mushrooms online are very expensive
C. It is easy and cost-effective to grow mushrooms
D. Mushrooms — tasty and healthy vegetables
John, a famous musician, took his priceless antique violin and played it in the crowded subway station. The music from the violin was delicately streaming throughout the whole station. However, during the one-hour play, only six or seven people were truly appreciating the charming music. A three-year-old kid was so fascinated by the music that he forgot everything around. John only got 52 dollars for his work that day.
However, in normal days, when John is about to hold a concert, one ticket can be sold at more than 100 dollars and it is extremely hard to buy a ticket even at such a high price. Therefore, later, many passers-by in the station that day felt deeply regretful for not recognizing the famous musician and missing such a valuable but cheap music feast.
I have a very busy friend who had totally changed after knowing that his wife came down with incurable illness. He cooked by himself for the family and took a walk with his wife every day. Nonetheless, his wife still did not manage to conquer the illness and passed away after three months. After that, he often sighed miserably that due to his past busy life, he had missed a lot of beautiful time with his wife. But now, it is impossible to make up for it.
It is no use crying over spilt milk. We have missed a lot of precious things in our life without knowing to cherish them.
Actually, I also missed something precious before. The reason why we would have missed those precious things is less than simple: we had thought that we could still own them tomorrow.
Nevertheless, tomorrow is actually by no means reliable. There was a famous Buddhist monk saying that in many people’s lives, they have only done two things: waiting and regretting. The result is that they were always too late to cherish what they had before they lost it. We would often claim to do something when we grow up, or when we have money or when we become old, etc. However, when we reach the condition we have expected, we could no longer realize our wish, because we have lost it by then.
1.The reason why people often regret may be that _______.
A. they are too busy to notice the beautiful things
B. they are too careless to cherish precious things
C. they are lazy to observe the surroundings
D. they think that it’s none of their business
2.The idea the author would like to get across to us seems that _______.
A. actions speak louder than words
B. a bad beginning makes a bad ending
C. the lost will never come back
D. each day brings its own bread
3.What method does the author employ to support his opinion？
A. By listing data. B. By comparing the details .
C. By explaining the procedures . D. By taking examples.
4.How do we understand the underlined parts “waiting and regretting”?
A. Many people will not cherish what they have until they lost them.
B. Many people cannot do well until they get older.
C. Many people know what they are doing.
D. Many people regret for what they don’t possess.
“I don’t think I can do this any more.” “Yes, you can. You only have five more radiation treatments to go. ” I held my wife Becky close.
Ever since the breast cancer diagnosis (诊断), she had tried hard to be strong for the kids and for me. When her diagnosis came, my first thought was there was no way I could lose my wife. The doctors assured us the cancer was discovered early so we were feeling positive.
Becky had received an operation and was recovering from it. After six weeks of radiation therapy(治疗), she was facing her final five treatments. She was weak and tired, in low spirits. Seeing her suffering, I felt so helpless and powerless.
As soon as I was outside, long-held frustration and anger erupted in me like a volcano. I took a hammer and suddenly was swinging as hard as I could, beating heavily on the front porch(门廊). While doing so, I imagined I was beating my wife’s cancer. With all my strength, I destroyed the porch.
During the treatment, my wife had been very brave. She said she had it easy, but I don’t think it was easy for her.
Seeing the porch gone, Becky shook her head at the window. I came into the room, not knowing how she would react to what I had done.
“Becky, are you mad at me?” She looked at me in surprise. “For what?” I pointed at the gate. “For tearing down the porch.” She laughed. “Look how sunny this room is now. I love that it’s bright in here.”
“You comforted me in my darker hour, Vince. You’ve found a way to deal with your own frustration. By destroying the porch, you let the sunshine in.”
As I looked around the brightened room, I realized the light that filled the space was the light of hope that shone so bright after the darkness. We never did re-build the porch.
1.When the diagnosis came out, _______.
A. the author had little hope that his wife would survive
B. the author was determined to save his wife’s life
C. the author’s wife refused to receive radiation treatments
D. the author felt lucky that his wife’s disease was not serious
2.The author went outside to destroy the porch because _______.
A. he wanted to release his frustration
B. he was disappointed with his wife
C. he intended to let sunshine in
D. his wife didn’t like it at all
3.How did the author’s wife feel about him seeing the porch gone?
A. Sympathetic B. Angry
C. Understanding D. Happy
4.What lesson can we learn from the passage?
A. Tragedy cannot separate loving couple
B. A day without sunshine is like night
C. True love is based on understanding
D. Nothing is impossible for a willing heart
Comedian Groucho Mark said, “Those are my principles. If you don’t like them, I have others.”
You and I have principles and we also have 31 . I have opinions about what I think is right or wrong or good or bad. But they’re only opinions — I could be 32 ! I won’t try to build my life around my opinions, 33 I’ll try to keep to my principles.
A 15-year-old boy learned a valuable 34 about life principles. One day, he found a wallet that 35 $127 as well as a woman’s 36 . He jumped onto his 37 and went to her house. He told her he found her wallet and she gave him a big 38 . She also gave him twenty dollars.
That evening the boy told his parents about the 39 and his father said, “I don’t think you should have 40 $20 for doing what you should have done. A person shouldn’t be rewarded for being 41 .”
He considered his father’s statement and 42 that he would return the money. He 43 biked to the lady’s home and gave her back the money. She didn’t want to 44 it, but he told her she had to — that his father 45 something to him that he had 46 realized before.
When ideals such as honesty and a personal standard of always doing the right thing guide our every action and decision, we 47 develop a good character. These great principles 48 our lives and make us into a person of 49 . They teach confidence. That boy is 50 to be raised by a wise father who had the wisdom to say, “Those are my principles.”
1.A. lives B. opinions C. conditions D. purposes
2.A. happy B. different C. wrong D. clever
3.A. so B. and C. or D. but
4.A. lesson B. skill C. secret D. course
5.A. cost B. contained C. got D. covered
6.A. name B. script C. identification D. house
7.A. bicycle B. car C. horse D. taxi
8.A. hand B. surprise C. chance D. hug
9.A. performance B. event C. principle D. trade
10.A. accepted B. paid C. earned D. saved
11.A. generous B. honest C. selfless D. confident
12.A. imagined B. expected C. predicted D. decided
13.A. once B. even C. again D. still
14.A. fetch B. take C. return D. spare
15.A. pointed out B. gave out C. picked up D. added up
16.A. always B. often C. never D. ever
17.A. suddenly B. actually C. immediately D. personally
18.A. shape B. protect C. encourage D. understand
19.A. attitude B. sense C. direction D. character
20.A. sure B. free C. fortunate D. tough
