Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them. Take my family's last vacation. It was my six-year-old son's winter break form school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day. I had meeting in New York,So I had to get back . But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home. The next day my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouragedokay, ordered-them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh? Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up. I've made living looking for the best deals and exposing the worst tricks . I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in. I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money's worth. I'm also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts. What does the author want to tell us? A) How to expose bad tricks. B) How to reserve airline seats. C) How to spend money wisely, D) How to make a business deal.
C
NEW YORK--Australian mining enterpriser Clive Palmer on Tuesday unveiled blueprints for Titanic II, a modern copy of the doomed ocean liner, although he didn't call the ship unsinkable any more. The ship will largely recreate the design and decoration of the fabled original, with some modifications to keep it in line with current safety rules and shipbuilding practices, and the addition of some modern comforts such as air conditioning, Palmer said at a press conference in New York. The three passenger classes, however, will be prevented from mingling , as in 1912, Palmer said. "I'm not too superstitious . "Palmer said when asked whether recreating a ship best-known for sinking was tempting fate. White Star Line, the operator of the original ship, had said the Titanic was designed to be unsinkable. About 1, 500 people died on Titanic's _ voyage in 1912 from Southampton to New York after the ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Palmer, who created the company Blue Star Line last year, refused to make a similar boast. "Anything will sink if you put a hole in it,"Palmer said. "I think it would be very cavalier to say it." Unlike the original, TitanicII will have more than enough space in its lifeboats for every person on board and will have additional escape staircases. Markku Kanerva, sales director at Deltamarin, the Finnish company designing the ship, said it would be "the safest cruise ship in the world". Palmer refused to answer questions about the project's cost. Although the Titanic was the world's largest ship in her time, she would be smaller than many of today's modern cruise ships. "It's not about the money, "Palmer said. "I've got enough money for it. I think that's all that matters." Forbes estimated Palmer's net worth to be $795 million in 2012. He describes himself as a billionaire. TitanicII will be built by Chinese state-owned CSC Jinling Shipyard, which has already built four ore carriers for Palmer's mining business, he said. The contract to build TitanicII has not yet been... What can be inferred about TitanicII from the passage? A) TitanicII will have more space in its lifeboats than the Titanic. B) TitanicII will be the largest cruise ship in the world. C) TitanicII will allow different classes of passengers to mingle. D) TitanicII will be a real unsinkable cruise ship.
A
(Question)
Book reports and book reviews are similar. Book reports tend to be a little more descriptive (What is this book about?) and book reviews are usually more persuasive (Why a reader should or shouldn't read this book?). They are both a way to think more deeply about a book you've read and to present your understanding. Most teachers have their own requirements they expect you to meet, so be sure to check, but the following general elements of a book report should be helpful. Introduction Here you want to provide basic information about the book, and a sense of what your report will be about. You should include: Title /Author Publication Information: publisher, year, number of pages Writing style A brief introduction to the book and the report. Body There are two main sections for this part. The first is an explanation of what the book is about. The second is your opinions about the book and how successful it is. There are some differences between reports on fiction or other imaginative writing and reports on non-fiction books. But for both, a good place to start is to explain the author's purpose and/or the main themes of the book. Then you can summarize. For fiction or other creative writing: Provide brief descriptions of the setting, the point of view, the leading character, and other major characters. If there is an obvious mood or tone, discuss that as well. Give a brief plot summary. Along with the order of major events, you may want to discuss the book's climax . For non-fiction: Provide a general overview of the author's topic, main points, and argument. What is the argument? What are the important conclusions? Don't try to summarize each chapter. Choose the ones that are most important and interesting to you. Analysis and comment In this second section you analyze the book. You can write about your own opinions; just be sure that you explain and support them with examples. Some questions you might want to consider: Did the author achieve his or her purpose? Is the writing effective, powerful or... For the body part, you're expected to include _ . A) the writing style of the book B) the publication information of the book C) your views towards the book D) an explanation of the title of the book
(Answer)
C