The tough economy is bringing new shoppers to the secondhand market. Plato's Closet in Charlotte, NC is a private company which mainly buys and sells used clothes. While Charlotte has outstanding secondhand stores offering high-end and sophisticated brands for women, most of their stock applies to adults. Plato's Closet targets teens and those in their 20s.Plato's Closet, with stores in Matthews and the university area, sells clothes and accessories that are currently popular at up to 70 percent off retail prices . The two hottest brands, for buying and selling, are Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch. Even though the offerings tend to be suitable for young people, there are a variety of shoppers at Plato's Closet of varying ages. Women in their 30s; 40s and older could easily find a purse, jacket or piece of jewelry they like. Customer Beth Gibbs, 52, who has three teenage daughters, said she used to shop at name-brand stores, but "this year I'm shopping more in secondhand stores", because of the economy. If you're selling Unlike higher-end resale stores which usually work on consignment , Plato's Closet buys on the spot. Items can be gently used, but must be in very good condition. Clothes should be less than two years old and styles should be the same as those still being sold at the shopping center. There is no negotiation; prices are set company-wide. If what you sell amounts to $30 or less, they'll give you cash. More than that, you'll get a Visa cash card. Secondhand success Don't get discouraged if you can't find something on your first trip. Resale shops are always getting new lists of goods and change their styles with each season. Be sure to check each piece carefully before buying. Price comparison Jackets: New York & Company black blazer, $12; retail: $37. Pants: Express Editor-style pants, $12; retail: $69.90. Shoes: Nine West black peep-toe pumps, $12; retail: $89. Jewelry: Necklaces, $3-$5; retail: $18-$30. (365) What is the difference between Plato's Closet and other resale shops? A) They offer service for people of different ages. B) The offerings in Plato's Closet are more expensive. C) Plato's Closet only offers high-end brands for women. D) Plato's Closet also sells books to the customers.
A
Instagram is containing so many photos of food--now a pop-up diner in London is taking advantage of this new trend by letting people settle the bill for their meals simply by uploading photos of their dishes to social networks. I always thought people's taking pictures of their food was kind of silly, but at this new pop-up restaurant in the UK, I'd probably do it too. 'The Picture House' is the world's first pay-by-photo restaurant--you order, click a photo of the food, share on Instagram and eat for free! The restaurant belongs to frozen food giant Birds Eye, who came up with the idea to cash in on people's addiction with photographing food and sharing the pictures online. They conducted a survey and found out that more than half of the British population regularly took pictures of their meals. So they realized it was a better way to advertise their new dining range. The pop-up diner was open in Soho, London for three days in May, and is now moving to other major UK cities. They serve two-course meals that customers don't have to pay for, if they photo and Instagram it. The restaurant is a part of Birds Eye's 'Food for Life' campaign, a new marketing project that aims at changing the way people look at frozen food. "Taking photos of food enables people to show off and to share their mealtime moments--from the everyday to the special," said marketing director Margaret Jobling. The reaction to The Picture House has been great so far. And the pay-by-picture concept has proven to be an effective way. Alternative payment methods are actually gaining popularity among a lot of businesses. Last year, in a cafe in Germany customers pay by how much time they spend there, not by what they eat. Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage? A) No Need to Pay. B) The Pop-up Diner. C) Pay by Picture. D) Food for Life.
C
Q: BEIJING, Feb. 26 (China Daily) -- As the smog orange warning continues, tourist attractions in Beijing are experiencing a significant decline in visitor number. A new report launched by Beijing authorities on the morning of February 24 indicates that the concentration of PM 2.5 has risen, with no sign of decreasing, the orange warning will still be in effect, according to Xinhua News Agency. According to data released by the Beijing Tourism Website, by 2:00 pm, February 24, popular tourist attractions including The Great Wall and Palace Museum had been affected by the smog in terms of tourist numbers. As for the Palace Museum, the number of visitors was only 11,200 that day, far from the figure of 40,000, which is the daily average number of visitors it normally receives. There were a few visitors in Beihai Park on the morning of February 24, and two visitors from Hebei province planned to end their morning tour earlier than scheduled because of the smog. One of them said, "The visibility is so poor that we can't take good photos, or even see clearly. We'd better leave early." In response to worsening air conditions, travel agencies have also taken some measures to avoid a further decline in tourist numbers. An employee with China Youth Travel Service, Wang Tao, said the agency will inform tourists of the weather conditions at their destinations. A tour guide with China Travel Service also told the media that it was a tour guide's duty to inform foreign visitors of the smog conditions in Beijing, and the agency will provide free face masks to those in need. But _ , because the root cause is air pollution. China will introduce various emergency responses and long-term measures against air pollution. Officials and experts called for combined efforts by governments, industries and the public to cooperate more efficiently and to jointly solve the problem. In the following statements, which one is NOT TRUE? A) The tourism in Beijing was influenced by the hazy weather. B) Both the Great Wall and Palace Museum had been affected by the smog. C) The concentration of PM 2.5 has risen, but it will decrease soon. D) According to the data released by the Beijing Tourism Website, we can know the information.
A: C
The other day I was really annoyed by a friend's behavior, and when I told my best friend Terry about it, he laughed and said, " But Jenny, you do that all the time!" Well, that surprised me and set me laughing as well. Terry was absolutely correct. The very thing I had been annoyed at my friend for was a reflection of my own behavior. Almost all of us have experienced something like this at some time. When we find ourselves upset or annoyed by situations or by the behaviors of others, it is usually because they are mirroring something in ourselves that we subconsciously know, and we are ready to look at _ and make a change. Understanding this is an important part of self-growth. When we become aware of the characteristics or behaviors we dislike in others, it may be because we are displaying those features in others in order for us to see and deal with them in ourselves. For example, if we need to learn to control our own habit of using sarcasm , then we will attract very sarcastic people to us. And we will continue to do so until our lesson in regard to sarcasm is learned. Recognizing these mirrors helps us do two very important things. It helps us to accept ourselves fully, not just the parts we are happy with. And secondly, it helps us to become more caring and able to love others just as they are. After all, they are only showing us what we do ourselves. Who knows? We could very well be mirrors for them, too. Recognizing these mirrors helps us _ . A) accept our bad parts B) use sarcasm bravely C) make true friends D) change others' behaviors
A