题目内容
I never thought I would have a life?changing experience at Wal?Mart.
Although my thoughts were only on speed，the checkout line I was standing in wasn’t moving as quickly as I wanted，and I glanced toward the cashier.
There stood a man in his seventies，wearing glasses and a nice smile.I thought，well，he’s an old guy!
For the next few minutes I watched him.He greeted every customer before scanning the items.Sure，his words were the usual，“How’s it going？” But he did something different—he actually listened to people.Then he would respond to what they had said and engage them in brief conversation.
I thought it was odd.I had grown accustomed to people asking me how I was doing simply out of robotic conversational habit.After a while，you don’t give any thought to the question and just mumble something back.I could say，“I just found out I have six months to live，” and someone would reply，“Have a great day！”
But that wasn’t the end.
He gave them the change，walked around the counter，and extended his right hand in an act of friendship.He looked the customers in the eyes.“I sure want to thank you for shopping here today，” he told them.“You have a great day.Bye?bye.”
The looks on the faces of the customers were priceless.There were smiles and some sheepish grins.All had been touched by his simple gesture—and in a place they never expected.They would gather their things and walk out，smiling.
Of course，he did the same to me and I got to know his name，Marty.
Who was that guy？It was as if Sam Walton had come back from the dead and invaded this old guy’s body.
I had never walked away from that shop feeling like that.
1.The checkout line the writer was standing in moved slower than expected because ________.
A．the cashier couldn’t work as fast as others
B．there were some big purchases
C．the cashier did more than scanning the items
D．the writer was not patient enough
2.According to the writer，when common people ask you “How’s it going？” ________.
A．they don’t really care what you may answer
B．they are just practicing their conversation ability
C．they are inquiring about your private information
D．they don’t expect to hear any negative answers
3.What was most customers’ reaction to Marty’s behaviors?
A．They thought it priceless.
B．They were in some way moved.
C．They thought it awful and odd.
D．They felt somewhat offended.
4.What does the writer intend to express through the text?
A．Our everyday life is always full of surprises.
B．Most customers enjoy being treated this way.
C．Being different is a good way of doing business.
D．A little positive action can make a big difference.
1.C
2.A
3.B
4.D
【解析】
1.
解析 根据第四段最后两句“But he did something different—he actually listened to people.Then he would respond to what they had said and engage them in brief conversation.”可以看出他做了一些不同的事情，而不仅仅是扫描商品并结账。
2.2】 A
解析 根据第五段第二、三句“I had grown accustomed to people asking me how I was doing simply out of robotic conversational habit.After a while，you don’t give any thought to the question and just mumble something back.”及第四句谈话的内容知，人们问这句话只是处于机械的谈话习惯，并不在乎你怎么回答。
3.3】 B
解析 根据倒数第四段第三句“All had been touched by his simple gesture—and in a place they never expected.”知所有人都被他简单的动作感动了，故B项符合。
4.4】 D
解析 根据文章的开头及作者对Marty对待顾客的方式的描述，顾客及作者的感受可知，D项符合题意。
Nothing says love like a dozen long – stemmed roses on Valentine’s Day. More than a million roses will be sold during this festival for lovers, the biggest day of the year for the nation’s rose industry. It’s going to remain the most popular flower because love never goes out of style.
Yes, a rose is a rose is a rose. But selling them is no longer a beautiful experience for traditional flower shops. Supermarkets now offer convenience to the busy and discount rose shops help those hopelessly in love save money. Roses only is a good example of a discount rose retailer that was transformed from a traditional shop to answer the challenge in the’ 90s.
Inside this store on Sixth Avenue near 40 th Street, contemporary white furniture and wall – to – wall mirrors give it an expensive look. Customers move about freely among the counters, looking eagerly at the roses in more than 50 colors from shelf to shelf. Some customers say it’s the high quality of the roses that attracts them there. “I spent $ 20 but the flowers looked like I paid 60 or 70 dollars,” says one customer.
Studies show more people are buying roses in ones, two and threes these days. In fact, more than half of all roses are sold in bunches of fewer than a dozen. But Roses Only's low prices encourage people to spend. Even on Valentine's Day, when the price of a dozen roses and delivery can soar as high as $150, 12 of Roses Only's most expensive flowers sell for just $35. The company's key to success is to hold prices down by controlling every link in the rose chain. It grows its own roses in the sunshine of the Andes Mountains. In addition, the company also sells other items such as ballons and stuffed animals.
While discount rose retailers are witnessing their business bloom, U.S. rose growers aren’t able to compete with the fierce foreign competition. More than 57% of roses sold in the USA are grown in other countries. The biggest foreign producers are Colombia and Ecuador, which accounted for almost 90% of the total imported last year. The trend has hurt domestic rose growers such as Johnson Flowers of California, considered to be this country's leading producer.
Now, instead of fighting overseas rivals, the Johnsons are trying to work with them. "We have a few big fighting overseas rivals, the Johnsons are trying to work with them. “We may also widen our business to include the service area and be a representative for overseas flower producers.”
As a result of severe competition, those in the rose business long for the good old days, whereas ordinary people benefit from the low price.
60．What is the central theme of this text?
A．The US rose business is going from bad to worse in spite of the efforts made.
B．The rose will remain the most popular flower as love never goes out of date.
C．The rose business is trying to meet the challenges in the market to succeed.
D．The rose industry plays an important role in American economy.
61．How does Roses Only obtain success in the discount rose retailing field?
A．By setting up more chain stores across the country.
B．By selling roses in supermarkets.
C．By selling high quality roses at a low price.
D．By selling roses by the dozen.
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63．After reading the passage, we learn all of the following EXCEPT________.
A．Selling roses is no longer as easy for traditional flower shops as it was.
B．Almost 90% of roses sold in US are imported from Colombia and Ecuador.
C．US rose growers are faced with intense foreign competition.
D．the Johnsons are trying to co-operate with foreign competitors instead of fighting them.