Global financial big dogs are no match for China's "Da Ma", or housewives, who have crowded into gold stores across China, buying up 300 tons of gold over the past two weeks. No wonder gold prices have steadied after taking a dive.
During the May Day holiday, gold stores were crowded with mostly female customers. Most of them are middle-aged "Chinese housewives". This group of buyers has risen to fame recently. They are big spenders and are desperate to get their hands on a bargain. "I bought some gold jewellery and kept them as a gift for my son when he gets married," said a buyer from Shanghai.
The gold business is skyrocketing. "Our sales are growing by the day. Yesterday we sold more than ten million yuan of gold products," a gold store salesperson said. The gold rush in China started about two weeks ago thanks to a decline in global gold prices. Media reports suggest that Chinese housewives have spent about 100 billion yuan, or about 16 billion US dollars, purchasing 300 tons of gold since mid-April. That has helped support gold prices.
"Gold prices depressed since the middle of last month but have risen gradually. That is mainly due to the strong demand from Asian markets," said foreign trader Zhang Chen from Industrial & Commercial Bank of China. "Some people even joked that Chinese housewives have beaten Wall Street analysts." For Chinese people, with limited investment options, the only thing better than buying gold is buying gold at discount prices.
1.What does the author mean by the underlined sentence of the first paragraph?
A．The global big dogs can’t match with Chinese housewives.
B．China's "Da Ma" help a lot to support the global economic crisis.
C．Chinese housewives spend a great deal of money on gold.
D．Chinese housewives have a better consumption idea than global financial big dogs.
2.The whole passage mainly developed_______ ?
A．by comparison B．by contrast C．by quotation D．by time order
3.We can infer about the gold rush in China from the passage?
A．The Chinese housewives are most willing to spend money in buying gold.
B．China's "Da Ma" crowded into stores to get gold as the best gifts for sons when they get married.
C．China's "Da Ma" are bigger spenders and cleverer than global financial big dogs.
D．China’s "Da Ma" become the largest gold buyers due to a decline in global gold prices.
4.The author’s description about the passage is ______.
A．negative B. subjective C．doubtful D. objective
In China, people usually set off firecrackers to celebrate Spring Festival. But this year seemed very quiet. It was really different. A man called Zhang Wei was asked by a reporter in an interview. He said that his friends and he hadn’t set off a single firecracker.
“We all suffered from last month’s smog(雾霾). If we don’t call an end to the firecracker, the environment will get worse and worse during the holiday.” Said Zhang Wei. He put up a notice in his community in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. In the notice, he called on more people to set off fewer firecrackers during this year’s Spring Festival holiday.
Lots of parents agreed with Zhang Wei’s idea. They said that they hated the noise of firecrackers. The noise used to wake up their babies too early. The babies really needed quiet mornings,
More Chinese looked forward to celebrating the holiday in a greener way. They decided not to set off firecrackers. They also decided not to waste food. They said that the new celebrations sounded fashionable.
“My family didn’t buy any fireworks this year. Instead, we donated the money to charity. It’s good for the environment and charity as well.” Internet user “Fighter” wrote on Sina Weibo.
1.How do people usually celebrate Spring Festival in China?
A. By setting off firecrackers.
B. By donating the money to charity.
C. By not wasting food.
D. By putting up a notice.
2.Lots of parents hated the noise of firecrackers because____.
A. they couldn’t afford to buy them.
B. firecrackers were too expensive.
C. the noise might wake up their babies.
D. firecrackers might cause fire
3.More people decided _____.
A. not to get together
B. not to set off firecrackers
C. not to throw away more food
D. to call an end to all the celebrations
4.What’s the best title for the passage?
A. Don’t Waste Food B. Spring Festival Celebrations
C. Spring Festival Goes Green D. Firecrackers and Noise
Winter is a very special time in Northern Norway. Winter also means skiing, and Narvik can offer some of the best skiing in Norway. The view and light change frequently and no two days are the same. For many people, the northern lights are an unforgettable sight, and in Narvik the sky is especially clear and great for watching at night.
The tourist season lasts from February to April, although May can be fascinating too, often with fantastic dry snow and an unbelievable light lasting well into the evening.
Ski hire
It is possible for adults and children to hire skiing equipment such as snowboards. All equipment is prepared for us. If you would like to book your equipment, please email Narvikfjellet.
Cross-country skiing
There are 12 kilometers of cross country ski run in Narvik. You need to bring your own skis as there is no cross-country hire. However, equipment can be bought at local sports shops in and around Narvik.
Off-piste skiing（非场地滑雪）
In order to explore Narvik’s off-piste opportunities you need to know the dangers when choosing routes. It is suggested that you bring necessary equipment such as a shovel（雪铲）and a GPS locator. Ask Narvikfjellet for an experienced guide. With a guide you can explore Narvik’s special off-piste areas in a safe manner.
Sometimes it is nice to do something different and not everybody enjoys skiing. Then you can go horse-riding, or visit the local museums.
Price examples for the 2012--2013 season
Time Children(8-15years) Adults
1 day NOK 230 NOK 325
3 days NOK 590 NOK 835
5 days NOK 815 NOK 1,170
7 days NOK 970 NOK 1,375
Children 0-7 years can enjoy the service for free
1.In Northern Norway, the tourist season may last ______.
A. one month B. two months C. three months D. four months
2.What can we know from the passage?
A. You can book skiing equipment through the Internet.
B. You are provided with skiing equipment for free.
C. Narvik is located in the south of Norway.
D. Narvik is open to adults and children over eight.
3.If Mr. and Mrs. Smith stay in Narvik with their six-year-old daughter for three days in 2012,they should pay ______.
A. NOK 1,160 B. NOK 1,425
C. NOK 1,670 D. NOK 2,260
My Garden
-----by Nelson Mandela
In early 1977, the authorities (当局) announced the physical labour and arranged some kind of work for us to do in the courtyard. The free time also allowed me to hunt what became two of my favorite hobbies in Robben Island---gardening and tennis.
To survive in prison, one must develop ways to take satisfaction in one's daily life. One can feel fulfilled (充实) by washing one's clothes so that they are particularly clean. Just as one takes pride in important tasks outside of prison, one can find the same pride in doing small things inside prison. Almost from the beginning of my sentence on Robben Island, I asked the authorities for permission to start a garden in the courtyard. For years, they refused without offering a reason. But finally they gave in, and we were able to cut out a small garden in the prison.
The soil in the courtyard was dry and rocky. In order to start my garden, I had to remove a great many rocks to allow the plant room to grow.
The authorities supplied me with seeds. At first, I planned tomatoes and onions, because these plants did not require rich earth or constant care. The early harvests were poor, but they soon improved.
I began to order books on gardening. I studied different gardening techniques and types of fertilizers (肥料). For a time, I tried to grow peanuts, and used different soils and fertilizers, but finally I gave up. It was one of my few failures.
A garden was one of the few things in prison that one could control. The processes of planting a seed, watching it grow, taking care of it and then harvesting it offered a simple but long-lasting satisfaction. The sense of being the owner of the small patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom.
1.Mandela's hobbies on Robben Island were ____.
A. hunting and physical labour
B. gardening and tennis
C. washing his clothes
D. gardening techniques and types of fertilizers
2.When did Mandela ask the prison authorities for the permission to start a small garden?
A. Soon after 1997.
B. Some time in early 1977.
C. Almost as soon as he went to prison there.
D. Long after he went to prison there.
3.Why did Mandela wash his clothes especially clean although he was in prison?
A. To show he could do it as well as others.
B. To get some sense of pride and satisfaction from it.
C. To show others that he preferred to be clean.
D. To gain the authorities' permission to start a garden.
4.Hard as he tried, he failed ____ at last.
A. to get a sense of satisfaction and freedom
B. to grow tomatoes and onions
C. to grow peanuts
D. to get the same pride inside prison.
One young person, who was well educated, went for a job as a manager in a big company. The president did the final . He discovered the youth was and felt satisfied. Then the president asked who paid for his school fees. The youth answered, “My mother did it. She worked as a clothes .” The president requested the youth to his hands. So the youth did. They were smooth. Then he asked, “Have you ever your mother wash the clothes before?” The youth answered, “Never, my mother always wanted me to .”“Go and clean your mother’s when you go back today, and then me tomorrow morning,” the president said .The youth felt his chance of getting the job was high, so when he went back, he requested his mother to let him clean her hands. However, his tears fell he cleaned his mother’s hands slowly. It was the first time he had that his mother’s hands were so wrinkled (布满皱纹的). After that, the youth didn’t say a word and washed all the remaining clothes for his mother . That night, Mother and Son for a very long time, longer than any talk before.
The next , the youth went to the president’s office. The president noticed the tears in the youth’s eyes and asked: “Please tell me how you about helping your mother.” The youth said, “Number One, I know now what is. Without my mother, I wouldn’t be successful today. Number Two, by helping my mother, I realize how it is to get something done. Number Three, I’ve come to realize the of family relationship.” The president said, “You are . This is what I’m looking for to be my manager.”
1.A. electionB. testC. interviewD. competition
2.A. strong B. excellent C. humorous D. cute
3.A. maker B. cleaner C. mender D. seller
4.A. wash B. hide C. show D. dry
5.A. found B. let C. helped D. watched
6.A. study B. ignore C. work D. rest
7.A. clothes B. hands C. feet D. shoes
8.A. see B. move C. recognizeD. answer
9.A. on purposeB. in patience C. by chance D. at last
10.A. carefullyB. nervously C. happilyD. shyly
11.A. after B. until C. because D. as
12.A. believedB. sensed C. noticedD. expected
13.A. quietlyB. sadly C. excitedlyD. angrily
14.A. thought B. slept C. sat D. talked
15.A. morning B. noon C. afternoonD. evening
16.A. worried B. felt C. brought D. spoke
17.A. courageB. appreciationC. successD. family
18.A. important B. difficult C. differentD. impossible
19.A. value B. secret C. type D. change
20.A. educated B. respected C. trusted D. hired
Her answer is not acceptable, and ______.
A. neither am I B. either is mine C. neither is mine D. mine is neither
