What is eBay? The simple answer is that it is a global trading platform where nearly anyone can trade
practically anything. People can sell and buy all kinds of products and goods, including cars, movies and
DVDs, sporting goods, travel tickets, musical instruments, clothes and shoes- the list goes on and on.
     The idea came from Peter Omidyar, who was born in Paris and moved to Washington when he was
still a child. At high school, he became very interested in computer programming and after graduating
from Tuft University in 1988, he worked for the next few years as a computer engineer. In his free time
he started eBay as a kind of hobby, at first offering the service free by word of mouth. By 1996 there
was so much traffic on the website that he had to upgrade and he began charging a fee to members.
Joined by a friend, Peter Skill,and in 1998 by his capable CEO, Meg Whitman, he has never looked
back. Even in the great.com crashes of the late 1990s, eBay has gone from strength to strength. It is
now one of the ten most visited online shopping websites on the Internet.
     EBay sells connections, not goods, putting buyer and seller into contact with each other. All you have
to do is make an e-photo, write a description, fill out a sales form and you are in business: the world is
your market place. Of course for each item sold eBay gets a percentage and that is great deal of money.
Every day there are more than sixteen million items listed on eBay and eighty percent of the items are
sold.

1. We learn from the text that eBay provides people with_______.

A. a way of buying and selling goods
B. a website for them to upgrade
C. a place to exhibit their own photos
D. a chance to buy things at low prices

2. Why did Peter create eBay after graduating from university?

A. For fun.                  
B. To make money.
C. For gathering the engineers.    
D. To fulfill a task of his company.

3. From "he has never looked back "in Paragraph 2, we learn that Peter______.

A. did not feel lonely
B. was always hopeful
C. did not think about the past
D. became more and more successful

4. How does eBay make money from its website?

A. By bringing CEOs together.  
B. By charging for each sale.
C. By listing items online.      
D. By making e-photos.

(     )1. Dear Molly,
     I have a problem. My parents are always talking to me about studying. They want me to study harder
so I can go to a good school. I know studying is very important, but my parents put too much pressure
on me. How can I explain to my parents that I need some free time?
                                                                                                                         ------ Overworked
(     )2. Dear Molly,
     My best friend Tony is a nice young man, but he has a bad habit. He is always late. No matter where
he is going to what he is doing, he is never on time. Once he turned up thirty minutes late for a meeting!
What can I do to break him of this bad habit? 
                                                                                                                         ------ Worried
(     )3. Dear Molly,
     I have a new roommate named Louis. He is a good friend of mine, but he is driving me crazy because
he is very untidy. He leaves his dirty clothes everywhere, and he never makes his bed. I am extremely neat.
What can I do?
                                                                                                                        ----Unhappy
(     )4. Dear Molly,
     My cousin plays computer games a lot and he keeps on talking to me about various games. I don't have
any interest at all, but I find it difficult to stop him without hurting his feelings. Would you kindly give me
some advice?
                                                                                                                        --- Shy
(     )5. Dear Molly,
     I'm feeling upset these days because the result of my last English exam was not as good as I had expected. My teacher comforted me, saying "Don't worry. You can do better next time." But I'm still feeling bad. I need
your help. 
                                                                                                                        ----Disappointed

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

1. What is the greatest difference between moonlighting and taking part-time jobs?  

A. Doctors can earn more money by moonlighting than by taking part-time jobs.  
B. Doctors pay fewer taxes for the money made by moonlighting than by taking part-time jobs.  
C. Taking part-time jobs is permitted by hospitals while moonlighting is against the present regulations.  
D. Doctor's part-time jobs, instead of moonlighting, are encouraged by health organizations.

2. From this passage we know that doctors are allowed to _________nowadays.  

A. work for only one hospital  
B. work for more than one hospital  
C. work any time when they are free  
D. be out of control of hospitals

3. The passage is taken most probably from _________.  

A. a notice sent out by the Ministry of Health  
B. regulations made by health organizations  
C. China's Practicing Doctor Law  
D. a magazine or a newspaper

4. According to the passage,we have got to know that____.  

A. all doctors around China prefer moonlighting to part-time jobs  
B. moonlighting has been permitted by China's Practicing Doctor Law  
C. taxes should be paid for the money doctors get from their part-time jobs  
D. strict management policies have been adopted to direct the moonlighting

     Moving at any time of a year is difficult, but if you have a flexible schedule and are not on a specific
timeline, there are several factors to consider when deciding when to move. Keep in mind that these
factors could also be part of a negotiation deal with your employer if you are being relocated or if
starting a new position.
     If you have children at home, it is best to work around the school calendar.  Summer is an ideal time,
as children have completed another grade and have said their goodbyes to school friends. Planning to
move directly following the end of school, however, does not give your children time to adapt to the
idea of moving, to say goodbye to neighborhood friends and their home. When setting the date, allow
a few weeks at the new destination for children to unpack and meet new neighborhood friends. They
will be better prepared for the school year if they have time to make their new house their home.  Too
much change can be detrimental to performance and emotional wellbeing.
     What works best for your children also works best for you. As part of the settling in process, take
a few days for you and your children to check out the new school, meet some teachers and find
appropriate transportation. Both you and your children will be better prepared, leading to a smoother
transition.
    When possible, avoid moving before major holidays, such as Christmas, since part of such holidays
is being with family and friends. Birthdays, and other family events can also be difficult. Give yourself
enough time in your new place before the holiday season begins to meet new people and feel a sense
of community. Better yet, save your move for immediately following a holiday. Holidays provide a
perfect opportunity for goodbyes and final gettogethers.
     Most people would agree that summer is the best time to move. Children are out of school, the
weather is almost guaranteed to be perfect and friends are available to help. If this is your ideal time to
move, make sure you check moving company schedules and rates before confirming your move date.
  Most companies have peak times and will charge higher rates accordingly. Also, if you are planning
to move at peak times, you will need to be better organized to ensure that a moving company or a
moving truck is available for the date and times you require. Keep in mind that the level of the service
often changes between the summer months, when students replace fulltime experienced movers, and
offseason.
     As much as summer could cost you more, winter, as common sense indicates, is also not an ideal
time to move. Travel is difficult, both for you and your family, along with the moving company.  Items
kept overnight in a truck under freezing conditions may result in damaged goods.  If you are moving
from one climate to another, water damage may occur when the mode of transport that is moving your
household items travels from a cold environment to a warmer climate. Freezing and thawing cause the
most damage if items are not properly sealed.

1. According to the passage, before moving children usually ________.
   A. meet new neighborhood friends
   B. pack their package
   C. say goodbye to neighborhood friends
   D. complete their grades

2. What is the disadvantage of moving in summer?
   A. The weather.
   B. Moving company schedules.
   C. The changeable level of the service.
   D. Without friends' help.

3. According to the passage, when is the best time to move?
   A. Winter.                  
   B. Vacations.
   C. Major holidays.            
   D. Summer.

     Shoppers who carefully plan their visit to the grocery store  can save money on their grocery bills.
__1__
     Shoppers should visit the grocery store on a full stomach  by scheduling their trip immediately after a
large meal. If that's not possible, they should find something healthy to eat while preparing a grocery list.
  __2__
     Although having a list and sticking to it is the most important factor in saving money, shoppers must
prepare lists wisely in order to save.   _3_ Many special buys are announced  through the local
newspapers, so buying the "grocery issue" is  worth the investment(投資). However, it's important to
remember that many newer, more expensive products first offered  through coupons(優(yōu)惠券) may not
yield enough savings for shoppers to  give up the product they usually buy.
     _4__ Once at the store, the shopper who wants to save  money should follow a few more rules. The
shopper should not stay longer than necessary, because bills go up each minute the shopper is in the store. So, setting a time limit and a cost limit can hold down the bill.   __5_  If the grocery list is a short one,
some shoppers choose to use the small handheld basket instead of the roomy grocery cart.
A. A carefully planned list should include in season produce and any items on sale or discounted through
coupons.
B. Of course, the shopper should stick strictly to the shopping list and resist the temptation to buy
additional items.
C. People who are full are less tired and more likely to buy what they want.
D. Now that the shopper has completed the grocery list, it's time to leave for the store.
E. You should keep your shopping list carefully in case you can exchange it for coupons.
F. Most shoppers are less persuaded to buy extra goods when they are not hungry.
G. Shopping when not hungry, sticking to a grocery list, and following a few simple rules will
     cut down the grocery bill.

     Sometimes you'll hear people say that you can't love others until you love yourself. Sometimes you'll
hear people say that you can't expect someone else to love you until you love yourself. Either way, you've got to love yourself first and this can be tricky. Sure we all know that we're the apple of our parents' eyes, and that our Grandmas think we're great talents and our Uncle Roberts think that we will go to the
Olympics. But sometimes it's a lot harder to think such nice thoughts about ourselves. If you find that
believing in yourself is a challenge. It is time you build a positive self-image and learn to love yourself.
     Self-image is your own mind's picture of yourself. This image includes the way you look, the way you
act, the way you talk and the way you think. Interestingly, our self-images are often quite different from
the images others hold about us. Unfortunately, most of these images are more negative than they should
be. Thus changing the way you think about yourself is the key to changing your self-image and your whole world.
     The best way to defeat a passive self-image is to step back and decide to stress your successes. That
is, make a list if you need to, but write down all of the great things you do every day. Don't allow doubts
to occur in it.
     It very well might be that you are experiencing a negative self-image because you can't move past one
flaw or weakness that you see about yourself. Well, roll up your sleeves and make a change of it as your
primary task. If you think you're silly because you aren't good at math, find a tutor. If you think you're
weak because you can't run a mile, get to the track and practice. If you think you're dull because you
don't wear the latest trends, buy a few new clothes. But remember, just because you think it doesn't mean
it's true.
     The best way to get rid of a negative self-image is to realize that your image is far from objective, and
to actively convince yourself of your positive qualities. Changing the way you think and working on those
you need to improve will go a long way towards promoting a positive self-image. When you can pat(拍)
yourself on the back, you'll know you're well on your way. Good luck!

1. You need to build a positive self-image when you _________.
A. dare to challenge yourself
B. feel it hard to change yourself
C. are unconfident about yourself
D. have a high opinion of yourself

2. How should you change your self-image according to the passage?
A. To keep a different image of others.
B. To make your life successful.
C. To understand your own world.
D. To change the way you think.

3. What is the passage mainly about?
A. How to prepare for your success.
B. How to face challenges in your life.
C. How to build a positive self-image.
D. How to develop your good qualities.

4. Who are the intended readers of the passage?
A. Parents.
B. Adolescents.
C. Educators.  
D. People in general.

     Labor force is defined as being the total number of people who are available to work and earn
income. This definition includes everyone who is employed or seeking paid employment, so it includes
employers and the self-employed. Labor is one of the country's resources which can be combined with
other resources to produce the goods and services wanted by the community.
     Although the size of the workforce depends a great deal on the size of the total population, there are
several other influences which also affect it. The age distribution (分布) of the total population has a very
marked effect on the available workforce. If the population has a high proportion of very young people
or of those too old to work, then the available workforce would be lower than if there were a balanced
spread age distribution. If the population naturally grows rapidly, the number of births greatly exceeds
(超出) the number of deaths then as a total population increases proportion of the workforce declines.
     Sometimes a population is described as aging which means that the birth rate is either falling or
growing very slowly, and as people retire from the workforce there are insufficient numbers of young
people entering it to replace those who are leaving it. In that situation the population is top-heavy with
older people. So the percentage of the population in the workforce declines when there is either a rapid
increase in births or a falling birth rate.
     The age distribution of the population has several important effects on the economy. If the population
is aging and there is an increase in the number of people retiring without a corresponding increase in the
number entering the workforce, this raises the problem of the ability of the economy to provide a
reasonable level of social services to the retired group. If the aged are to be cared for in special homes,
finance must be available for that purpose. If the size of the workforce is small relative to the total
population, then the government tax revenue (稅收) is relatively low and either the government has less
money available to it or the workforce members have to be taxed more heavily.

1. In the passage "labor force" is defined as ___________.
A. people who are available to work and earn income
B. self-employed people only
C. people who are looking for an employment
D. employers who create job opportunities

2. The conclusion which can be drawn from the second paragraph is that___________.
A. a natural growth of population leads to a balanced workforce
B. a large population does not necessarily mean a higher proportion of workforce
C. the larger the population, the higher the proportion of the workforce
D. the workforce will be lower, if the population has a balanced age distribution,

3. When a population is said to be aging,___________.
A. there are more people retiring than those entering the workforce
B. the birth rate must be growing
C. there should be an oversupply of workforce
D. There are more people entering the workforce than those retiring

4. The population which is top-heavy with older people ___________ of a country.
A. leads to the high rate of unemployment  
B. results in low tax on the workforce members  
C. affects employees' incomes
D. places pressure on the economy

1. According to the passage, Adam Smith was the first person to ________.

A. take advantage of the physical labor
B. introduce the division of labor into England
C. understand the effects of the division of labor
D. explain the causes of the division of labor

2. Adam Smith saw that the division of labor ________.

A. enabled each worker to design pins more quickly
B. increased the possible output of per worker
C. increased the number of people employed in factories
D. improved the quality of pins produced

3. Adam Smith mentioned the number 4,800 in order to ________.

A. show the advantages of the old labor system
B. stress how powerful the individual worker was
C. show the advantages of the division of labor
D. stress the importance of increasing production

4. According to the writer, Adam Smith's mistake was in believing that the division of labor ________.

A. was an efficient way of organizing work
B. was an important development in methods of production
C. finally led to economic development
D. increased the production of existing goods