Most American students have to say goodbye to fancy fruits these days. In school restaurants across the country, cheaper fruits like apples and oranges have taken their place. "People are afraid to spend now." said Linda Morrow, who owns a shoe and handbag store. "They don't know what the future will bring". During the financial crisis , several of the country's biggest banks have been forced to sell or close. This has made lots of Americans afraid to buy expensive things. The crisis began last year. Experts think it was because US banks lend money too easily. Last year a lot of people and companies, who borrowed money, found themselves unable to pay it back. This left the banks, as well as the people who put their money in the banks, without money. Since the banks borrowed money between themselves and even across borders , the whole world was in trouble. This month the US government agreed on a $700 billion plan to try to save the financial market. But no one is sure whether it will help or not. Last week presidents from 20 countries promised to work together to find a way out of the money trouble. This passage is probably taken from _ . A) a story book B) a novel C) a newspaper D) an advertisement
C
Dear Editor , I used to be a doctor in a children's hospital. Sometimes I treated children who had been poisoned by medicines for older family members. The children didn't know the medicine was dangerous; they just knew it tasted sweet. Children easily opened the bottle that we now use in China. Some days ago I talked about medicine with an American. He showed me a kind of plastic bottle. The design was very quite simple and I'm sure our Chinese factories could produce these bottles. The top of the bottle locks but can be opened by pressing down on it while turning. This is difficult for most young children to do, though grown-ups can open these bottles very easily. I'm certain that the price of making such tops would be very low. As a doctor, I'd love to see this done. And most parents would be grateful. Yours, Li Hua The writer's job in the hospital was mainly to _ . A) treat sick children B) treat poisoned children C) give medicine to people D) give medicine to children
A
Q: In this fast-shifting world, there can be no guarantees attached to any particular job. But there is much that you can do to protect yourself from the change of society, by equipping yourself with the skills to manage your career more effectively. You need to be a career activist. If you lost your main source of income tomorrow, could you find a different source to replace it? The most important thing in protecting yourself now and in the future is ensuring that you have choices. Don't let yourself be held back by a lack of skill development, or fear of change. Some people have been good performers in their own organization but discovered that they are stuck. Because they are so closely related to a particular company or industry, their skills are not readily transferred to other jobs. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. If you limit yourself to one particular area or sector, you limit your opportunity, too. In a global market place, many jobs come and go quickly as changes in the stock market. Today's hottest job may not exist tomorrow. If you love computers, then this work represents a great choice. But don't enter a field just because you think that's where the hot jobs are; even if the job is available, it may not match well with your own skills and abilities. Start with entry of your own strengths and interests, then see where you may match up best in the job market. How can we ensure that we have choices if we lose the main source of income? A) Be a good performer in our own organization. B) Try to develop our skills and be a career activist. C) Enter a field where the hot jobs are. D) Transfer to other jobs that use computers.
A: B
Question: Most painters discover a style of painting that suits them and stick to that, especially if people admire their pictures. But Picasso, the great Spanish painter, was like a man who had not yet found his own particular style of painting. He kept on struggling to find the perfect expression till his death in 1973. Some of Picasso's paintings are rich, soft color1ed and beautiful. Others are ugly and cruel and strange. But such paintings allow us to imagine things for ourselves. They force us to say to ourselves, "What does he see that makes him paint like that?" And we begin to look beneath the surface of the things we see. Picasso painted thousands of pictures in different styles. Sometimes he painted the natural look of things. Sometimes he seemed to break them apart and throw the pieces in our faces. He showed us what the mind knows as well as what the eye sees. At the age of 90 he remained as curious about the world as he had been when he was young. That's why people have called him "the youngest painter in the world.. The ugly* cruel and strange paintings by Picasso let us . A) question anything we see in life B) notice what's hidden in the paintings C) think why Picasso is different D) wonder why Picasso is so successful
Answer: B
Must-Read about Notting Hill Carnival Route The carnival procession itself begins at 9am on both Sunday and Monday. It starts on Great Western Road, winding its way along Chepstow Road, then on to Westbourne Grove, and then down Ladbroke Grove. See our Notting Hill Carnival map for the full route. Bus While extra services will be in operation, no buses will enter the Carnival area from first thing Sunday morning until the first service on Tuesday morning. On both days bus services begin from Notting Hill Gate in the south and from Harrow Rd (close to Elgin Avenue) in the north. Bike Last year the nearest bike-parking stations - Chepstow Villas and Pembridge Road - were removed for Carnival, so don't rely on being able to park your bike nearby this year. Safety Avoid carrying expensive items, such as jewellery and digital cameras. Take a bag with a secure zip to keep your more valuable possessions in and avoid putting your valuables in your back pocket. Do tell police if you see an incident. Officers will be stationed throughout the Carnival area. Don't try to walk against the flow of the crowd, as you won't get far. Drink plenty of water on the day too, especially if the sun makes an appearance. Children Children's Day on Sunday is recommended for families as the smaller crowds and kid-friendly floats create a fun atmosphere. Arrange meeting points in case you become separated. The smaller the buggy , the better. Ear defenders may be necessary for very young children. People who go to the carnival with children are advised _ . A) to be there on Sunday B) to let their children go wherever they like C) to arrange a meeting time D) to bring ear defenders for each child.
A