You never forget your first whale. The impact it makes upon you is huge and life is never quite the same again. My first whale was a 40ft grey, off the coast of California in 1979, and I've been a whale addict ever since. Now I have to go whale watching regularly just to survive normal daily life. I may be crazy but I am certainly not alone. The world is filled with whale watchers: since its beginnings in the mid-fifties, whale watching has grown dramatically and now more than 13 million people join organized whale watching trips every year. As a faithful whale watcher, all your holidays center on whales. The only books you read are ones about whales; you wear whale T-shirts, and every time you meet your friends you talk about whales. So what is it about these larger-than-life animals that makes them so special? Their enormous size is one possible explanation: imagine sitting in a small boat next to a blue whale almost as long as a Boeing 737.The fact that we know so little about them is another possibility: modern technology has taken us to the moon and beyond, yet we are only just beginning to understand these extraordinary forms of intelligent life on our own planet. Planning and patience are just two essential requirements for successful whale watching. Planning is needed because there are certain whale hot spots--where you have the best chance of seeing them--and because the larger species tend to be on their way from feeding areas to breeding grounds, so rarely do they stay in one place for more than a few months at a time. Patience is necessary because, even under the best conditions, whales can be tricky to find. However, most commercial whale watching trips have a surprisingly high success rate because they tend to concentrate on well-known whale populations at peak seasons. What is the impact of the author's first whale in his life? A) He has been crazy ever since. B) He can't have a normal daily life. C) He has fallen in love with whale watching. D) He has organized watching trips every year.
C
Tom Becker has won the 2007 Waterstone's children's book prize with his first novel, Darkside, receiving a cheque for PS1,000 and the promise of display in branches of the book store across the country. The 25-year-old author described winning as an "unbelievable feeling". "I didn't think my book would be on the shortlist and stood a chance of winning, and it's amazing to receive such an important award at the beginning of my writing career. Needless to say I am absolutely made up." he said. The novel, inspired by film noir , fantasy and a fascination with the dark side of the 19th century, is for children between the ages of nine and 12. It tells the story of a boy, Jonathan Stirling, who discovers a similar world filled with vampires and werewolves . This alternative reality has a clearly Victorian air, and is ruled by a descendant of Jack the Ripper. Soon hunters from the other side begin searching for Jonathan, who finds himself driven into their world. Waterstone's head children's buyer, Wayne Winstone, thought highly of Becker's "huge" achievement. He said: "Tom Becker's writing style attracts you in the same way that Darren Shan's does with his mix of adventure and the supernatural. "I have a feeling that Tom has real potential and could be one of the big names in children's writing in the future." This year's shortlist also included Michael Broad's Jake Cake, Philip Caveney's Sebastian Darke and Siobhan Dowd's A Swift Pure Cry. Last year's prize was won by Julia Golding with The Diamond of Drury Lane. The best title for the passage is probably _ . A) Tom Becker-- a great writer for children B) First-time author wins children's fiction prize C) An imaginary big prize D) Tom Becker's writing style
B
Q: When a consumer finds that an item she or he bought is faulty or in some other way does not live up to the manufacturer's claims, the first step is to present the warranty, or any other records which might help at the store of purchase. In most cases, this action will produce results. However, if it does not, there are various means the consumer may use to gain satisfaction. A simple and common method used by many consumers is to complain directly to the store manager. In general, the "higher up" his or her complaint, the faster he or she can expect it to be settled. In such a case, it is usually settled in the consumer's favor, assuming he or she has a just claim. Consumers should complain in person whenever possible, but if they cannot get to the place of purchase, it is acceptable to phone or write the complaint in a letter. Complaining is usually most effective when it is done politely but firmly, and especially when the consumer can demonstrate what is wrong with the item in question. If this cannot be done, the consumer will succeed best by presenting specific information as to what is wrong, rather than by making general statements. For example, "The left speaker does not work at all and the sound coming out of the right one is unclear" is better than "This stereo does not work". The store manager may advise the consumer to write to the manufacturer. If so, the consumer should do this, stating the complaint as politely and firmly as possible. If a polite complaint does not achieve the desired result, the consumer can go to a step further. She or he can threaten to take the seller to court or report the seller to a private or public organization responsible for protecting consumer's rights. The passage tells us _ . A) how to settle a consumer's complaint about a faulty item B) how to make an effective complaint about a faulty item C) how to avoid buying a faulty item D) how to deal with complaints from customers
A: B
Q: Isabella Stewart was born in New York City in 1 840.Her father made a great deal of money in the trade.During school,her parents took her to Italy to explore the country's many cultural treasures. One of the private art collections Isabella visited in Milan had a deep influence on her.She wrote to her friends about her dream of owning a house one day with an art collection like the one she had seen in Italy. In Paris,Isabella became close friends with one of her classmates,Julia Gardner,whose family was from Boston.Julia would later introduce Isabella to her brother,Jack.In 1 860,Isabella Stewart married Jack Gardner. The couple had too much art to fit inside their home.So they decided to start planning a museum.Mrs. Gardner didn't like the cold and empty.spaces of many museums during her time.She wanted a warm museum filled with light.She once said that she decided years ago that the greatest need in her country was art.America was a young country developing quickly in other areas.But the country needed more chances for people to See beautiful examples of art. After her husband's death in 1 898.Isabella knew she had no time to lose in building her museum.She bought land,hired a building designer,and supervised every detail of her museum's construction. Mrs.Gardner opened her museum on January 1,1 903,which was then called Fenway Court.She invited her friends that night for a special musical performance.The next month,she opened the museum to the public.At first,visits were limited to twenty days out of the year.Visitors paid one dollar to enter. Isabella Stewart Gardner died in 1 924 in Boston.In her will,she left the museum a million dollars and a series of requirements about how it should be managed, one that the permanent collection cannot be changed. In order to achieve her dream of owning an arts museum,Mrs Gardner A) raised money from her friends and s B) sold out all her land and houses C) held special musical performances for money D) watched over the process of building the museum
A: D