Dear Economist,
My newly-wedded wife and I are deeply in love．There is, however, one issue that threatens the happiness of our marriage．I absolutely insist on shopping at Walmart．My wife, meanwhile, would rather avoid Walmart at all costs．
　　I have recently tried to convince her that not only does Walmart offer the lowest prices known to man, but that the chain is also a force for good―lower prices mean better standards of living for all consumers, increased global trade means a tighter-knit(緊密團結的) international community, and efficient operations translate into higher productivity growth for the economy．My wife complains about poor labour policies, the “fact” that Walmart squeezes suppliers, and that it puts local shops out of business．
　　Who is right? Will our marriage survive?
Brian Gee
Dear Brian,
I have to agree with you about Walmart．Jason Furman, then an economist at New York University, now an adviser to President Obama, famously argued in 2005 that Walmart was unwittingly (不知不覺地) a progressive success story．The chain’s prices don’t much affect me (I prefer Whole Foods) but Furman estimated that they benefited low-and-middle-income Americans to the sum of around $250 billion a year．
　　Walmart does not pay much, so it may depress wages．Then again, it may increase wages by offering jobs to the otherwise-unemployed．Either way, the benefits of low prices to Walmart shoppers far outweigh any seemingly reasonable costs to Walmart employees．And while it is true that Walmart employees tend to be poor, the same is true of Walmart shoppers．
　　Armed with this information you can face your wife with confidence．You are sure to win the conversation．The divorce is likely to be more argued．
Economist
小題1:What concerns Brian Gee so much that he wrote the letter?
A．His wife refuses to shop at Walmart．
B．They are faced with a divorce．
C．They can’t afford the costs of shopping at Walmart．
D．They are in conflict about shopping at Walmart．
小題2:Brian Gee’s wife tends to hold the opinion that _________．
A．it is wrong for Walmart to depress its employees’ wages
B．consumers’ lives have improved thanks to Walmart
C．Walmart’s business operation increases productivity in economy
D．Walmart’s business increases global trade
小題3:What can be inferred from the reply letter?
A．Some employees accept the low pay to keep the job．
B．Walmart appeals to only poor consumers and poor employees．
C．Employees suffer from Walmart’s low prices more than consumers．
D．Jason Furman, a New York University economist, spoke highly of Walmart．

小題1:D
小題1:A
小題1:A
略
練習冊系列答案
相關習題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

It was my birthday last Thursday and I decided to   26   by inviting a few friends out to supper. I 27   a restaurant in a quiet part of town. It is one of my favorite restaurants because the food is good and the waiters are friendly. It is hardly ever crowded, because  28   people know about it, so it is not usually necessary to book a table. In any case, Thursday is not a busy evening 29 .
When we entered the restaurant, I was surprised to find it completely  30  . I looked around but not a  31    table was free. One of the waiters recognized me. He came across and explained the situation. “A party of tourists came in about   32   ago.” he said. “It was like an invasion! 33    the place was full! We can hardly manage.”
The waiter then  34   a table in the corner. “The people there  35  . ” he said, “Just hold on and you will  36    a place there.” He was right. Fifteen minutes later, the people 37   the corner table paid their bill, got up and left. I led my friends across and we all sat down.
Unfortunately our table was almost out of sight. We tried to attract the attention of the waiter who sent us there, but he, like 38    waiters, 39    the party of tourists. They ordered lots of food. But at last, an hour later, the tourists were finishing their meal and looking very  40    with their service. The waiter now very tired, appeared at our table. I advised (建議) my friends about the best dishes and finally the waiter went off with our 41 .
A few moments later he 42   to our table. We could tell from his face that he had 43   for us. 44   a little embarrassed (尷尬的) he informed us that there was  45    left. “All we can offer you” he said, “is an omelet!(煎蛋卷)”
小題1:  
A．rememberB．celebrateC．memorizeD．congratulate
小題2:  
A．chose 　B．selectedC．picked upD．elected
小題3:
A．a(chǎn) fewB．a(chǎn) littleC．few　　D．little
小題4:  
A．a(chǎn)s a rule 　　B．a(chǎn)s a matter of fact 　　　
C．a(chǎn)s usual 　　　　D．a(chǎn)s is known to all
小題5:  
A．empty 　　B．fullC．free 　　　D．quiet
小題6: 
A．one 　　　B．a(chǎn)nyC．singleD．other
小題7:  
A．a(chǎn) half hour 　B．half a hour 　　
C．half an hourD．a(chǎn)n hour half
小題8:  
A．suddenly　B．soonC．quicklyD．certainly
小題9:  
A．pointed out 　B．pointed over
C．pointed onD．pointed to
小題10:  
A．will leaveB．a(chǎn)re about to leave
　		C．a(chǎn)re to leaveD．will be leaving
小題11: 
A．findB．find outC．looked for 　D．searched
小題12: 
A．by 　　　　B．besideC．a(chǎn)t 　　　D．near
小題13:  
A．a(chǎn)ll the other 　　B．a(chǎn)ll an other 　　
C．a(chǎn)ll the others 　　D．a(chǎn)ll other
小題14:  
A．were kept busy　B．was busy with
C．kept busy with 　D．were busy with
小題15:  
A．excitedB．tiredC．pleasedD．disappointed
小題16:  
A．dishes 　　B．food 　　　C．menu 　　　D．order
小題17: 
A．wentB．came 　　C．wasD．returned
小題18:  
A．a(chǎn) good news 　　B．good news 　　
C．bad news 　　D．a(chǎn) bad news
小題19:  
A．Looking 　　B．Look　　C．Looked　　D．Looks
小題20:  
A．meat or fish 　B．no meat and fish　
C．meat and fish　D．no meat or fish

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Learning experiences happen to us throughout our lives. Not long ago, I had one that I would like to  16 .
I was going to Marblehead with my sailboat team. The team was racing down the highway at 85 mph 17 we realized we were   18  . Luckily, we saw a rest area ahead. I had a brand new $20 bill. I was so   19  because I had never had that kind of cash before. But spending it on   20  seemed like throwing it away. We all rushed into the pizza line.   21  I got a pizza and a drink, and walked to my table. About half way through the meal, I   22   I had not actually handed any money to the cashier. I had just   23   out, and nobody had noticed, I felt terrible.
My conscience( 良心) opened its mouth and swallowed me in one big bite. I couldn’t  24 over it. I just couldn’t go back to the cashier and   25   for my stolen pizza. I was so upset that I  26  to give myself the pleasure of an ice-cream for   27   that someone would say, “ Hey, Jeff, why don’t you use the change   28   the pizza instead of that nice, new $20 bill?” I was not so   29  of my cash now.
For the next two years, whenever I was   30  of the “pizza incident”, I would say to myself, “ Don’t think about it...”
I have learned two things from this   31 . Maybe I was a fool for   32 in to my conscience, and being too stupid to appreciate a   33  pizza. But the real lesson is that even if you get away from what you have done, your conscience   34  up with you.
This reflect the saying, “ A coward(懦夫) dies a thousand deaths; a hero dies one.” I was a coward and have felt terrible about that incident at least a thousand times. If I had been a “ 35 ” and gone back to pay for the pizza, I would have felt a little uncomfortable about it only once, or maybe twice.
小題1:
A．say
B．talk
C．share
D．explain
小題2:
A．a(chǎn)s
B．while
C．then
D．when
小題3:
A．lost
B．tried
C．hungry
D．a(chǎn)nxious
小題4:
A．excited
B．eager
C．satisfied
D．encouraged
小題5:
A．rest
B．food
C．travel
D．drink
小題6:
A．Luckily
B．Finally
C．Immediately
D．Actually
小題7:
A．thought
B．recognized
C．noticed
D．realized
小題8:
A．walked
B．left
C．worked
D．found
小題9:
A．look
B．get
C．turn
D．think
小題10:
A．a(chǎn)sk
B．pay
C．a(chǎn)pologize
D．send
小題11:
A．refused
B．wanted
C．hoped
D．meant
小題12:
A．hope
B．surprise
C．a(chǎn)nger
D．fear
小題13:
A．into
B．with
C．for
D．from
小題14:
A．sure
B．upset
C．proud
D．pleased
小題15:
A．warned
B．reminded
C．thought
D．told
小題16:
A．experience
B．experiment
C．story
D．mistake
小題17:
A．turning
B．taking
C．handing
D．giving
小題18:
A．free
B．cheap
C．plain
D．delicious
小題19:
A．make
B．wake
C．catch
D．put
小題20:
A．coward
B．fool
C．loser
D．hero

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

I stepped into my hotel room which was surrounded by a(n)  26  king-size bed, flanked（兩側有）by overstuffed armchairs. “Wow,” I thought to myself. “Nice place.”
I  27  hotels. I love to enter a clean room, look out the window, or walk out in the morning  28  that each afternoon when I return, someone else will have made the bed.
The  29  is that unless Alison travels with me, I never sleep well in hotels. I miss my family. Even though Linus and Camille, aged 4 and almost 2, find a way to interrupt even the  30  night’s sleep at home, still, I’d rather be with them.
I’m deeply  31  by the parents who wake up too late with the realization: “My children grew up too  32  . In the busy and noisy career and life, I  33  their childhood.”
A hundred years from now, nobody will remember the car you drove or the large house you lived. The world might  34  greatly however, based on your  35  on the life of a small child. Your life will most certainly improve, if you pay attention to your important  36  , and make the choice to put her or him first. What could you do today to let your loved ones know how much they  37  to you? What will you do tomorrow? And the next day?
Think of one specific  38  that you can take, and take it. Challenge yourself to find new ways to  39  your appreciation and love on a daily basis.
Room service will never kiss you goodnight! Nothing  40  family.
小題1:
A．emptyB．comfortableC．ordinaryD．innocent
小題2:
A．bookB．visitC．loveD．hate
小題3:
A．knowingB．noticingC．expectingD．forgetting
小題4:
A．surpriseB．situationC．problemD．condition
小題5:
A．worstB．longestC．shortestD．best
小題6:
A．troubledB．movedC．a(chǎn)musedD．impressed
小題7:
A．slowB．earlyC．fastD．late
小題8:
A．recordedB．understoodC．valuedD．missed
小題9:
A．endB．differC．boomD．stable
小題10:
A．a(chǎn)ttractionB．benefitC．influenceD．education
小題11:
A．a(chǎn)bilityB．familyC．careerD．future
小題12:
A．meanB．doC．payD．work
小題13:
A．wordB．suggestionC．thoughtD．a(chǎn)ction
小題14:
A．expressB．suggestC．explainD．introduce
小題15:
A．representsB．fightsC．satisfiesD．beats

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

In the past ten years, many scientists have studied the differences between men and women. And they all got the same answer: The sexes are different, because their brains are different. And this, the scientists say, makes men and women see the world in different ways.
Boys, for example, generally are better than girls at mathematical ideas. Boys also generally are better than girls at the kind of hand and eye movements necessary for ball sports. Girls, on the other hand generally start speaking earlier than boys. And they generally（通常）see better in the dark than boys and are better at learning foreign languages.
What makes men and women better at one thing or another? The answer is the brain. The brain has two sides connected by nerve（神）tracks. The left side generally is used for mathematics, speech and writing. The right side is used for artistic creation and the expression for emotions（情感). In men and women, different areas in each side of the brain develop differently. In boys, for example, it’s the area used for mathematics. In girls, it is the area used for language skills. Another interesting difference is that the two sides of a man’s brain are connected by a smaller nerves than the two sides of a woman’s brain are.
小題1:Which of the following is best to outline（概括）the article?
A．Research on the BrainB．Differences between Men and Women
C．People’s Different BrainsD．Who Are Better, Boys or Girls
小題2:______ men and women think differently.
A．Sex makesB．The different brains make
C．The different experiences makeD．The influences of society make
小題3:According to the article, girls are generally better than boys at ______ in your school.
A．MathematicsB．PhysicsC．EnglishD．Chemistry
小題4:Which of the following is true?
A．The left side of brain in boys generally develops better than that in girls.
B．The left side of brain in girls generally develops better than that in boys.
C．Men are better than women in all things.
D．The area in girls used for language skills develops better.
小題5:In men and women the number of nerves connecting the halves of brain _______.
A．is the sameB．is differentC．is zeroD．can’t be found out

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The story I am going to tell you happened about three years ago when I started to learn how to drive. At first, I was very frightened, and I thought I could never learn how to drive a car. Driving a car frightened me because in my home country women never drive, but in the United States every woman has to know how to drive. My husband paid an instructor to teach me how to drive. After that, my husband practiced with me for a long time. My husband always told me that I had to learn. It was important to me and my family.
However, I couldn’t get my license right away. I failed my driving test two times. After practicing for a long time, I decided to go for my third driving test. I had failed my first test because I was very nervous. Everybody encouraged me to continue practicing. Three weeks later, I decided to try it again, but I failed again. After that, I was very embarrassed（困窘的）, and I said I couldn’t get it, so I stopped practicing for a while.
Not knowing how to drive was bad because I couldn’t do anything. I had two kids, my husband works, and I have to take care of everything. Driving was so necessary that I decided to try it again. And finally, that time, I passed the test. Now I have my license. I know how to drive, and it has changed my life in some important ways. Now I’m driving to the college, learning English and hoping I will get a good job in the future.
小題1:Why did the author think that she could never learn how to drive a car?
A．Because she was not an American woman.
B．Because she was afraid of a car or a bus.
C．Because in her own country women never drive.
D．Because her husband didn’t know how to teach her.
小題2: The underlined word “instructor” in the first paragraph probably means __________.
A．someone who teaches a special skill
B．someone who teaches a sport skill
C．someone who teaches in an American college
D．the information telling you how to drive a car
小題3: How many persons in the author’s family are mentioned except the author herself?
A．2B．3C．4D．5
小題4:The passage mainly shows us that the author failed for quite a few times but she never gave up and __________.
A．she succeeded in driving her car to send her two children
B．she succeeded in driving to the college to get a good job
C．she succeeded in driving to the college and learned English
D．she succeeded in passing driving test and got her license in the end
小題5:The best title of this passage should be “__________”.
A．My Driving LicenseB．My Husband and I
C．Passing the TestD．Never Give Up

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Uncle Tom gave little Vicki Black a birthday gift one week before her birthday. He told her not to open it until her birthday. She knew her mother wouldn’t tolerate any disrespect to the kind man who helped them out after Vicki’s father passed away. Besides, Vicki didn’t want Uncle Tom to get angry. But little Vicky didn’t want to just hold it and guess what was in it. After all, she looked forward to his coming to show her interesting things, like how to turn an old sock into a doll.
All the day, Vicki couldn’t stop thinking about the gift. While her teacher was giving a lecture¸ Vicki sat still in her seat, drawing paper dolls inside the box. When school was done, she raced home. Walking into the room, again, she shook the present, but she heard nothing. Holding her breath, she opened the box and looked inside. Seconds later, she cried. When Mrs. Black saw the box, she said angrily, “Didn’t I tell you to leave it alone?” Vicki sobbed and said, “Mommy, you don’t understand.”
“Don’t cry to me. You have missed everything now, just because you couldn’t wait,” Mrs. Black accused. “What will Uncle Tom think now?”
“Uncle Tom gave me nothing,” Vicki cried and handed the empty box to her mother. “He played a trick on me.”
Mrs. Black said doubtfully, “Uncle Tom is not like that. You must have dropped it.”
Vicki kept crying. Only a rapid knock on the door made the house quiet. It was Uncle Tom. He looked at the empty box. “You have already done it? I told you to wait for your birthday.”
“You didn’t give me a gift.” Fresh tears filled her eyes.
“I try to give you something. I know your birthday is a special day. I tell myself to give you something valuable to last your whole life. I think hard and get the idea to give you an important lesson. If you open it on birthday, I see you learn. Then I will make a big party to celebrate. Maybe next year you listen and then you will understand the gift better.
Vicki’s cheeks flushed.
小題1:We can learn from the text that Vicki_______.
A．often received gifts from her father
B．expected Uncle Tom to give her a doll
C．was sad because of her father’s death
D．liked and respected Uncle Tom
小題2:What do the underlined words “done it” refer to?
A．Guessed the result
B．Opened the box
C．Realized Uncle Tom’s purpose
D．Known what her birthday gift was
小題3:What kind of person is Uncle Tom?
A．ThoughtfulB．HumorousC．MysteriousD．Funny
小題4:What did Uncle Tom want to teach Vicki?
A．How to respect othersB．The meaning of gifts
C．How to deal with giftsD．The value of a promise

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

If you’re networking（建立人際關系）and nothing is happening，you might need to evaluate how you’re doing it．Maybe you show up at each event and still feel challenged by the process．You aggressively talk to people，give out your cards，call endlessly to schedule an appointment but have no real success from your efforts．To help you gain a different future，here are eight habits you should avoid.（避免）
Ineffective networkers：
1．Lack patience．They expect immediate results and want business now, not tomorrow．
2．Constantly“selling”something．They see dollar signs every time they shake hands with someone．
3．Too many choices．If they offer a variety of products，they might try too hard to tell about all of them．Offering too much infomation sends a confusing message making it difficult for people to send references．Opportunities are all around us but when you’ re networking j only focus on one．
4．Change positions too often．If they move from company to company or do something totally different，it might be difficult for people to keep up with them．
5. Lack manners and respect．They interrupt others，talk with food in their mouth，aren’t very polite and appear unprofessional．They call people during dinner or on the weekends without thinking whether the occasion is suitable．
6. Focus on themselves. Too much self-promotion can leave the other person to feel unappreciated. Every sentence begins with“I”and is all about their business．
7．“Taking”instead of“giving”．They don’t realize what other people sense when they are being very selfish．Others may think that they are being taken advantage of．
8．Poor communication and interpersonal skills．They have trouble speaking effectively，building relationships and following up．
Networking is a process that is an investment of time and money．If you find you’re doing any of these habits，consider learning how to improve on these and maximize your results while networking．You’ll start to get better at connecting with people and obtain more opportunities．
小題1:According to the text，some people didn’t succeed in networking because      .
A．they didn’t make effortsB．they didn’t behave effectively
C．they didn’t pay enough moneyD．they didn’t spend enough time
小題2:According to the second habit，we shouldn’t      when we are networking．
A．make friendsB．talk about dollars
C．shake hands with everyoneD．pay attention to money only
小題3:When talking with others，you should       .
A．give out your cards every now and then
B．talk about the quality of your product as much as possible
C．1et other people express themselves completely
D．interrupt others when they make a mistake
小題4:Which of the following is not suitable for a salesman’s behavior?
A．He offers too much self-promotion during the conversation．
B．He considers when he can get what he expects carefully．
C．He only focuses on one opportunity when networking．
D．He keeps his promises and doesn’t expect too much from others．

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

For many years it was common in the United States to associate Chinese Americans with restaurants and places that wash clothes. People did not realize that the Chinese had been driven into these occupations by the prejudice and discrimination that faced them in this country.
The first Chinese to reach the United States came during the California Gold Rush of 1849. Like most of the other people there，they had come to search for gold. In that largely unoccupied land， the men staked a claim (立界標表明所有權) for themselves by placing makers’ in the ground. However，either because the Chinese were so different from the others or because they worked so patiently that they sometimes succeeded in getting a mining claim to make a profit ( where others saw no way to do so) ,they became the target".Of their competi­tors. They were troubled and attacked in many ways. Often they were prevented from working their claims; some places even passed regulations forbidding them to own claims. The Chinese therefore started to seek out other ways of earning a living. Some of them began to wash clothes for the white miners; others set up small restaurants. (There were almost no women in California in those days and the Chinese filled a real need by doing this" women's work". ) Some went to work as farmhands or as fishermen.
In the early 1860's many more Chinese arrived in California. This time railroad companies brought the men in to build the first railroad line from California to the East. They were sorely needed because the work was so hard and dangerous，and it was carried on in such an isolated part of the country that the railroad company could not find other laborers for the job. As in the case of the first Chinese in America， these Chinese were almost all males; and like them，too，they encountered a great deal of prejudice. The hostility grew es­pecially strong after the railroad project was completed，and the Chinese laborers returned to California—thousands of them，all out of work
Many of today's Chinese Americans are the descendants of some of the early miners and railroad workers.
小題1: What is the main idea of the passage?
A．The first Chinese to reach the United States came during the California Gold Rush of 1849.
B．Many more Chinese arrived in California to construct the first railroad from California to the East.
C．Early Chinese immigrants to America experienced a lot of prejudice and discrimination.
D．Prejudice and discrimination that Chinese Americans met.
小題2: Why did the Chinese become the target of their competitors?
A．Because the Chinese were different and they worked patiently to achieve a lot of success while others couldn't.
B．The Chinese were so different from the others.
C．They worked so patiently with little payment
D．There were almost no women in California in those days.
小題3:What was the fate of the Chinese after the construction of the railroad?
A．They went back to their own country
B．They stayed to work in the railroad companies.
C．They went to California to search for gold.
D．The hostility grew especially strong.
小題4:What is the meaning of the word" encountered"?
A．face.B．Count. C．Enter. D．Handle.
小題5:The following statements are true EXCEPT       .
A．during the California Gold Rush of 1849，people staked a claim for themselves by placing markers in the ground
B．the first Chinese went to America because they wanted to work as farmhands or as fishermen
C．many of today's Chinese Americans are the descendants of the early miners and railroad workers
D．the Chinese were sorely needed because the work was so dangerous

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案