With smart phones taking the world by storm, a phone that can only send and receive voictcal1s and text messages may seem like a relic from a bygone age. Yet in East Africa, simple phones like these are changing the face of the economy, thanks to the mobile money services that are spreading across the region. Using the text--messaging function built into the GSM system(全球通) used by most cell phone networks, these services al1ow people without a bank account or credit card to use their/phone as an electronic wallet that can he used to store, send or receive cash.
It works like this: you pay cash to your loca1 agent who then tops up your mobile money account using a secure form of text messaging. That money can be transferred to another person by sending a message to their cell Phone account.
Fur some the system is a lifeline. ''If I didn’t have my mobile Phone, I would be very poor," says Neyasse Neemur, a mother of four chi1dren who lives in northern Kenya. .”Now I can sell fish.” Neemur took up fishing in Ju1y last year, but making money from it was a little tricky, especially as Turkana peop1e do not usually eat fish. A truck from Ethiopia to Tanzania passes through her vi1lage once a week, and she arranged to have the driver transport the fish several hundred ki1ometers south to market in   Kisumu, where relatives sell the fish.
"I get the money transfer immediately.” says Neemur . "Then I can pay for my children to go to school and for vegetables and beans," she adds, "so I don't need to eat fish."
According to the Central Bank of Kenya, payments worth around l billion Kenyan shillings($13 million) per day were transferred through Kenya’s mobile money systems in 2009, equaling the country’s credit card transactions(业务). The bank expects mobile money transfers to overtake credit cards in 2010.
63. In Paragraph l the author uses "simple phones" to _______________________.
A. make a comparison   B. introduce a topic   C. describe a scene   D. offer an argument.
64. What can we learn about the simple phones in East Africa?
A. They might help the local peop1e apply for a bank account.
B. They will replace the banks completely in the near future.
C. They Provide a safe means for the locals to do business.
D. They can do nothing except send and receive calls or messages.
65. The word “It” in the third paragraph refers to _____________________.
A. the GSM system                B. the mobile money service
C. the credit card service             D. the cell phone networks
66. The story of Neyasse Neemur suggests that ___________________.
A. the mobile money service plays a key role in the locals life
B. Neemur uses her mobile phone to contact her customers
C. her relative' tricks Turkana people to eat the fish they sell
D. the Bant of Kenya helps her improve her living condition

One of the most fascinating things about television is the size of the audience. A novel can be on the “best seller” lists with a sale of up to 100,000 copies, but a popular TV show might have 70
million TV viewers. TV can make anything or anyone well-known overnight.
This is the principle behind “quiz” or “game” shows, which put ordinary people on TV to play a game for prizes and money. A quiz show can make anyone a star, and it can give away thousands of dollars. Charles Van Doren, an English instructor, became rich and famous after winning money on several shows. He even had a career as a television personality. But one of the losers proved that Charles Van Doren was cheating. It turned out that the show’s producers, who were pulling the strings, gave the answers to the most popular contestants beforehand. Why? Because if the audience didn’t like the person who won the game, they turned the show off. The result of this cheating was a huge scandal(丑闻). Based on the show off, a movie titled “Quiz Show” is on 40 years later.
Charles Van Doren is no longer involved with TV. But game shows are still here, though they aren’t taken seriously. In fact, some of them try to be as ridiculous as possible. There are shows that send strangers on vacation trips together, or that try to cause newly-married couples to fight on TV, or that punish losers by humiliating(羞辱) them. The entertainment now is to see what people will do just to be on TV. People still win money, but the real prize is to be in front of an audience of millions.
【小题1】What is the most important thing as to television?

A.How many viewers they can attractB.Becoming the best seller on the list
C.How much money can be given awayD.The number of people attending shows
【小题2】What does the underlined part “pulling the strings” probably mean?
A.Planning the shows with effortB.Drawing the curtain on the stage
C.Controlling the result secretlyD.Playing “quiz” or “game” openly
【小题3】Charles Van Doren stopped his career as a television personality because ________.
A.he had earned enough wealth and fame.
B.one of the participants had told the truth
C.the film “Quiz Show” was being shown
D.his frequent appearance had bored the audience
【小题4】 It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A.TV Game Shows are more popular than before.
B.the scandal was not made known until 40 years later
C.getting money is the only purpose of people taking part in shows
D.people can make themselves famous by taking part in shows

We thought we had it all---a beautiful house, three healthy children and one more on the way, two cars, a couple of four-wheelers for entertainment---and we loved it. Then, the market turned and my husband’s job at a construction company was gone. The company was closing down for good.We both started looking for jobs right away, but there weren’t any to be found. With each passing day we were getting increasingly worried and we continued to work together in order to pull our family through. The more we pulled together, the closer we got. I felt feelings of admiration for my husband that I hadn’t felt in years.
That’s why it was so hard for me to watch him blame himself for our present situation. I continually asked him to stop, but he seemed to want to punish himself for not having a job.
Finally, one afternoon I pulled him aside and said, “We have four healthy children and each other. That’s what’s important. That makes you a rich man.”
“ But what if we lose the house? They’ll hate me—you’ll hate me,” he replied.
I smiled at him and put my hands on both sides of his face to make him look me in the eye. “No matter where we live I will be happy –as long as I have you.” I smiled again. In all the struggling together I had found that deep love for him that I had on the day we said “I do”.
I could see his shoulders and neck relaxed. He held me close and we were able to talk and plan and dream together in a way that we hadn’t for quite some time. It was a turning point for us as a couple and a family.
We are still struggling for out better life, but I consider us well-off because we have something that money can’t buy and no one can take away from us.
【小题1】The underlined sentence in the second paragraph means that________.

A.they became closer as they struggled together
B.they hoped to find jobs in the same company
C.neither of them had the courage to ace difficulty
D.they were trying to make their relationship closer
【小题2】We can learn from the passage that________.
A.they both found good jobs at last.
B.both of them were worried about joblessness.
C.her husband was to blame for the unemployment
D.they didn’t love each other when they got married
【小题3】Which of the following can best describe their present life?
A.Bitter but easy. B.Comfortable and happy.
C.Hard but warm.D.Well-off and relaxing.
【小题4】The best title of the passage might be________         .
A.We Have It AllB.We Find It Again
C.A Perfect CoupleD.A Hard Time

For years I wanted a flower garden.But then we had Matthew.And Marvin.And the twins, Alisa and Alan.And then Helen.Five children.I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
Money was tight, as well as time.Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I' d have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you now.”
Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own.
One spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen.Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by.I looked out the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard.I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches.Then I put my glasses on-and I couldn't believe what I saw.
There was a money tree in my yard!
I went outside to look.It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree.Think of' all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached: ‘‘IOU eight hours of digging time.Love, Marvin."
Marvin kept his promise, too.He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me And my other children bought me tools, ornaments , a trellis(格架), a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.
That was three years ago.My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted.When I go out and tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did.I feel like they're right there with me.
I'm still not sure that money grows on trees.But I know love does!
【小题1】Why did the mother say "Money doesn't grow on trees"?       .

A.She wanted them not to spend extra money
B.She was too sad to say anything else
C.She told them a truth on money
D.she just played a joke with them
【小题2】What do we know about the mother according to the text?       
A.She is a bad-tempered woman
B.She believes money can grow on a tree now
C.She is a writer
D.She is hard-working in housekeeping
【小题3】What can be inferred from the text?      
A.The author raised five children
B.The money tree was a Mother Day's gift
C.It cost Marvin eight hours to dug up the bed
D.Children planted a weeping willow in the yard
【小题4】Which of the following would be the best title for the text?  ___    
A.My Money TreeB.The Garden of My Children
C.Mother's LoveD.Marvin's Promise

Parents have widely different views on the problem of pocket money . Four new fathers were asked this question and this is how they answered .

Ashish Khanna :Although many argue that pocket money helps develop children’s sense of value , I don’t agree . I wouldn’t give my child any pocket money . First of all , I never got pocket money and I seem to have a good value for money . If my child ever needed something and I felt it was a reasonable(合理)request , I would buy it for him .

Sharad Sanghi : No , I wouldn’t give my child pocket money because I don’t want to create the perception(观念) of “ her ” money and “ my ” money . Besides , if I refuse to buy her something that I think is bad for her , she may buy it with her pocket money on the sly . In this way , I would lose control over my child’s requests . I feel it also encourages children to care more about money than anything else . I don’t want my child to start judging other children by the amount of money or pocket money they have .

Rakesh Shah : Yes , I would give my child pocket money . I feel that children should learn to spend money intelligently and not go overboard spending . They will learn what their limitations(限制)are and feel the difficulty when they have to pay for something that is over in their own pockets .

Rajiv Patel : Yes , I would give my child pocket money because it is important that she learns to manage money . I will give her a fixed amount every month and if she spends the money before the month is over , then she will learn a lesson and not spend money so freely .

Vikram Desai : Yes , I would certainly give my child pocket money . But I would not give it to him on a weekly or monthly basis . He would have to earn it . If he helped me finish some of my jobs or helped his mother with housework , I would reward him . This helps him realize that “ money does not grow on trees ” and it requires hard work to earn money .

1.Ashish Khanna may agree that        .

A.he was given too much pocket money when young

B.he can take much control of his child by money

C.he will buy anything he thinks his child really needs

D.pocket money helps children develop a good value for money

2.The underlined phrase “ on the sly ” in Paragraph 3 is the closest in meaning to “       ”.

A.for free

B.at a lower price

C.happily

D.secretly

3.What do Rakesh Shah and Rajiv Patel have in common ?

A.They want their children to learn to manage money .

B.They ask their children to get pocket money by working .

C.They teach their children the difficulty of making money .

D.They allow their children to spend money freely .

4. According to Vikram Desai , children’s earning money by themselves makes them know that       .

A.money is not easy to get

B.money can be gotten from the trees

C.one can get lots of money if he / she works hard

D.money is not so important for people nowadays

5.Who would give his child pocket money every month ?

A.Ashish Khanna .

B.Sharad Sanghi .

C.Rakesh Shah .

D.Rajiv Patel .

 

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