题目内容
It s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree．It has been there for the past 10 years or so．It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas—the commercial aspects of Christmas-overspending．Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to avoid the usual presents．The idea came in an unusual way．
Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a match against a team sponsored by a church．These youngsters, dressed in ragged clothes, presenting a sharp contrast to our boys in their beautiful dresses and shoes．As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears．It was a luxury that the poor team obviously could not afford．Well, we ended up defeating them．Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "
I wish just one of them could have won," he said．"They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them．" That's when the idea for his present came．That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought wrestling headgear and shoes for the youngsters and sent them anonymously （匿名地） to the church．On Christmas Eve? I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me．His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in the following years．
For each Christmas, I followed the tradition．The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas．It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed expectation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to show its contents．As the children grew, they joined．
May we all remember the reason for Christmas, and the true Christmas spirit this year and always．God bless梡ass this along to your friends and loved ones．
【小题1】The author avoids usual Christmas presents because her husband _____．
| A．likes cheap Christmas presents |
| B．likes expensive Christmas presents |
| C．dislikes spending much on large Christmas presents |
| D．dislikes spending much on unmeaningful Christmas gifts |
| A．something of poor quality | B．something abundant |
| C．something strange | D．something expensive |
| A．modest and mature | B．kind and practical |
| C．strong-willed and vain | D．optimistic and outgoing |
| A．Preparing gifts． | B．Exchanging gifts． |
| C．Opening the envelope． | D．Writing Christmas cards． |
【小题1】D
【小题2】D
【小题3】B
【小题4】C
解析
I can’t say which sofa looks better. It’s just a (an) _____ of personal preference.
|
A．affair |
B．problem |
C．matter |
D．variety |
The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分类账)move into the black and companies become profitable. On that day, retailers slash(砍) prices to get consumers to buy. It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.
This day should be a shopper’s dream. “It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.
Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”
Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.
With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed. Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.
And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.
Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.
1.By saying “This day should be a shopper’s dream”, the writer means ________ .
|
A．shoppers have longed for this day for a long time |
|
B．the shops will be very crowded on that day |
|
C．the shops will keep open until the daybreak of next day |
|
D．shoppers can buy many items at low prices on that day |
2.Why are many stores increasing security according to the passage?
|
A．Because there are too many people saving more and spending less. |
|
B．Because it’s a time when they begin making their profits for the year. |
|
C．Because last year a crowd of bargain-hunters caused an accident. |
|
D．Because many stores open their doors from midnight to four a.m. |
3.From the passage we know that_________.
|
A．Christmas shopping is traditional time and this year it is no exception. |
|
B．Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually least discounted. |
|
C．The economy only affects consumers on that bargain day. |
|
D．Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future. |
4.We can find this passage in_________.
|
A．a science fiction |
|
B．a travel brochure |
|
C．an economic research report |
|
D．a book on psychology |
5.Why American people call it a black day?
|
A．Because they organize activities in honor of some great person. |
|
B．Because there are too many people going out shopping for Christmas. |
|
C．Too many people are celebrating Thanks giving. |
|
D．The sky is black that day. |