The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen is offering a free meal to any guest who is able to produce electricity for the hotel on an exercise bike linked to a generator (发电机),The idea is to get people fit and reduce their carbon footprint. Guests will have to produce at least 10 watt hours of electricity — roughly 15 minutes of cycling for someone of average fitness. Guests staying at Plaza Hotel will be given meat tickets worth $36 once they have produced 10 watt hours of electricity. The bicycles will have smart phones attached to the handlebars measuring how much power is being generated for the hotel.

The plan, a world-first, will start on 19 April and run for a year. Only guests staying at the hotel will be able to take part. Frederikke Toemmergaard, hotel spokeswoman, said, “Many of our visitors are business people who enjoy going to the gym. There might be people who will cycle just to get a free meal, but generally I don’t think people will take advantage of our programme,”

Copenhagen has a long-standing cycling tradition and 36% of locals cycle to work each day, one of the highest percentages in the world, according to the website visitcopenhagen.dk. US environmental website treehugger.com recently voted Copenhagen the world’s best city for cyclists. “Because Copenhagen is strongly connected with cycling, we felt the bicycle would work well as a symbol of the hotel’s green profile (形象)."

If successful, the electric bicycle meal programme will be spread to all Crowne Plaza hotels in the UK, the hotel said in a statement.

1.What is the main purpose of the free meal programme?

A. To promote the hotel's green concept.

B. To make the city known to the world.

C. To attract people to the hotel restaurant.

D. To get guests to stay longer at the hotel.

2.How can a participant get a free meal?

A. By becoming a professional cyclist.

B. By cycling to produce some electricity.

C. By linking a smart phone to a bicycle.

D. By monitoring his or her carbon footprint.

3.Who are most likely to enter for the programme?

A. The poor local people.

B. The environment activists.

C. Health-conscious hotel guests.

D.Visitors fond of Copenhagen food.

4.According to paragraph 3, Copenhagen has one of the world's ________.

A. best chain hotels

B. greenest natural environments

C. longest bike paths

D. highest rales of people cycling to work

Digital technology — email and smart phones especially — have vastly improved workers' ability to be productive outside of a traditional office. Even so, most white-collar work still happens in an office. One reason is that, according to findings of a new survey (调查) of office workers conducted by Wakefield Research for the IT company Citrix, most bosses are doubtful about remote working. Half of the workers say their boss doesn't accept it and only 35 percent say it’s tolerated.

Skeptical bosses will likely have their doubts reinforced (加深) by the same survey, which shows that 43 percent of workers say they’ve watched TV or a movie while “working” remotely, while 35 percent have done housework,and 28 percent have cooked dinner.

It is true, however,that working at home makes people much more efficient (高效的), because it allows workers to take care of annoying housework while still getting their jobs done. It’s much faster, for example, to shop for groceries at a quarter to three than to stand in line during the after-work rush.

The fact that such practices remain officially unaccepted reflects how far we haven't come as a society from the days when we expected every full-time worker to be supported by a full-time homemaker.

More broadly the Wakefield survey suggests that employers may be missing a low-cost way to give workers something of value. Sixty-four percent of those survey participants who have worked remotely would rather give up some bonus in order to get even one day a week working from home. Under such circumstances, smart firms need to find ways to let their employees have enough flexibility to manage their time efficiently.

1.Why do some employers hesitate to allow remote working?

A. They fear losing control of their workers.

B. They want to stick to their routine practice.

C. They have little trust in modem technology.

D. They are used to face-to-face communication.

2.What seems to be most workers’ attitude toward remote working?

A. Doubtful.B. Favorable.C. Reserved.D. Disapproving.

3.What does the author suggest smart firms do?

A. Shorten their office hours.

B. Give employees a pay raise.

C. Adopt flexible work patterns.

D. Reduce their staff’s workload.

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

How to Have a Successful Teenage Life

Everyone wants to succeed in their life, don’t they? Even as a teenager, you can achieve success in your life; it really isn’t that hard. 1.

Do well in school. No matter how boring it is now, education will help you be a productive member in society. Try your best for excellence in school; listen to the teachers, do your homework, study, and get good grades. Doing so will help you get into a better university, which will enable you to have a bright future. 2.

Do good in your community (社区). Volunteering can not only improve your community's status, it could make you happier. Studies show that people who volunteer are less likely to develop depression (抑郁) than people who don’t, 3. For example, if you love animals, volunteer at an animal shelter. If you love helping the environment, plant trees or pick up litter. When you help others, it will make you feel better about yourself.

4. Remember, Respect them and value their opinions, even if they annoy you sometimes. 5. You don't get to choose your teachers or your family, but you still have to put up with them. Learn how to deal with people now, because when you’re an adult, you don’t get to choose your boss or your co-workers, so learn how to respect them now.

A. Live life to the fullest.

B. School sets you up on the right track!

C. Be nice to your parents and teachers.

D. Find chances to do volunteer work that interests you.

E. It will help you pass time and develop your personality.

F. Here are some important points that you may find helpful.

G. Keep in mind that they do the things they do because they care about you.

阅读下面短文,从短文后各题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题纸上将该项涂黑。

When my son Gene was about 12 years old, I started helping him learn to ________, I bought twenty chickens and asked him to ________ them. I told him that they would be his own chickens and we would ________ the eggs from him. However,he would have to buy chicken ________ with the money he made from the eggs. Whatever money was ________ would be his to keep. Gene was ________, thinking he would make his first ________.

After several weeks’ successful work, I began to ________ that egg production was going down, I ________ nothing about it. Then one night, Gene told me he didn’t have ________ money to buy the feed. He said the chickens had never ________ a meal and he could not figure out why some of them had stopped ________ eggs.

Then I asked him if he had ________ the amount of feed he had given the chickens. He was ________. It was like he did not think anyone would ever ________ what he had done. After a long ________—he said yes. He thought he would make more money if he gave them ________ food. I asked him, “Did you fool the chickens?”

I was just astonished at the question in my own ________. I was dumbfounded (惊呆)at the ________ of it. Yes. you can fool everyone else,but you cannot “fool the chickens," because ________, you will find out, as the saying goes, "What goes around comes around."

1.A. cookB. shareC. countD. work

2.A. take care ofB. observe

C. trainD. play with

3.A. saveB. borrowC. buyD. keep

4.A. nestB. soupC. meatD. feed

5.A. given backB. picked upC. left overD. brought in

6.A. thrilledB. worriedC. satisfiedD. discouraged

7.A. dealB. contributionC. fortuneD. choice

8.A. hearB. noticeC. predictD. imagine

9.A. saidB. foundC. thoughtD. recalled

10.A. privateB. honestC. pocketD. enough

11.A. missedB. wastedC. enjoyedD. finished

12.A. hatchingB. layingC. gatheringD. hiding

13.A. balancedB. checked outC. cut downD. measured

14.A. delightedB. shocked

C. tiredD. disappointed

15.A. forgiveB. allowC. discussD. know

16.A. silenceB. absenceC. negotiationD. preparation

17.A. heavyB. fresherC. lessD. solid

18.A. lifeB. jobC. easeD. mind

19.A. explanationB. significance

C. trickD. example

20.A. in this respectB. in the end

C. in contrastD. in addition

Undersea restaurant Ithaa

Ithaa is the very first undersea restaurant in the world located 5 meters below sea level in the Republic of Maldives. The 5-by-9-metre restaurant can hold 14 people at a time and has a transparent(透明的) roof offering a 270 panoramic (全景的) underwater view. The restaurant was designed and constructed by M. J. Murphy Ltd., a design consultancy based in New Zealand. It was opened on April 15, 2005. Food served in the restaurant can be described as contemporary (当代的) European with Asian influence.

Tip: Work on technical designs and drawings for Ithaa started in March 2004. Once constructed, Ithaa would be put into the water. Because of technical challenges, limited resources, and quality control problems in building something underwater, the restaurant can only exist for about 20 years.

Skyline Queenstown Restaurant

The famous New Zealand restaurant offers delightful fresh seafood, salads, roast meats and delicious desserts, while the panoramic view from the windows will attract you day or night. It' s the ideal place for that special night out and the best place in Queenstown to watch the sun go down! With live music creating a relaxing atmosphere and never ending scenery to admire, you will be entertained as you eat in the restaurant.

Tip: Unlike other restaurants, the Skyline Queenstown Restaurant has tiered (分层的) seating to guarantee(确保) beautiful lake and mountain views from every table.

Revolving(旋转的) Restaurant Allalin

Located in the Allalinhom mountain, Saas-Fee, Switzerland, Revolving Allalin is the highest revolving restaurant in the world at about 3,500 m. The restaurant offers a rich selection. Valaisian platter, pasta and pizza ... all this and much more is on the menu of the world-famous restaurant. Enjoy the eating delights offered in the world's highest revolving restaurant, while some mountain tops slowly pass by.

Tip: Known as the ‘Pearl of the Alps', Saas-Fee offers many sports and activities: The popular holiday village features the Metro Alpine, the highest underground railway in the world up to the skiing area and the highest revolving restaurant at 3,500 m.

1.What do we know about Ithaa?

A. It was constructed in New Zealand.

B. It will exist for another 20 years.

C. It was finished in March 2004.

D. It can seat 14 diners at most.

2.The Skyline Queenstown Restaurant is special in its ________.

A. locationB. foodC. atmosphereD. seating

3.What do the three restaurants have in common?

A. They all met technical challenges while being built.

B. You can enjoy beautiful scenery at all of them.

C. They all offer a lot of sports and activities.

D. Yon can have fresh seafood in all of them.

There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.

People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things. The pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine, the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend (hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.

Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they want to get some advantages in social position or fortune(财), nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections(反对), no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrong doings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact(接触) with them. Otherwise, it can be unpleasing and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.

1.The phrase “sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means ________.

A. make others unhappy

B. have a good taste with social life

C. often blame others openly

D. enjoy the pleasure of life

2.We can conclude from the passage that ________.

A. we should pity all such unhappy people

B. people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness

C. such unhappy people are dangerous to social life

D. unhappy people cannot understand happy persons

3.If such unhappy persons insist on keeping the habit, the author suggests that people should ________.

A. show no respect and politeness to them

B. prevent any communication with them

C. persuade them to recognize the bad effects

D. quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes

4.In this passage, the writer mainly ________.

A. describes two types of people

B. laughs at the unhappy people

C. suggests the unhappy people get rid of the habits of unhappiness

D. tells people how to be happy in life

Put your car keys away and forget about your travel pass — it's time to do a bit of walking.

National Walking Month is organized every May by Living Streets, an organization that campaigns for the rights and the needs of pedestrians — indeed, the organization was previously known as the Pedestrians' Association. The association's aim is to make streets safe, attractive and enjoyable spaces for people to live, work, shop and play. By putting people (rather than vehicles) first, Living Streets wants to create streets and spaces where people feel happier, healthier and more sociable.

The annual campaign gives participants a great opportunity to experience the many virtues(优点)of walking. These include the physical health benefits of becoming fitter; the environmental advantages of not using vehicles(车辆); the joy of local discoveries seeing more of your local area on foot; the enjoyment of walking with other people, whether family, friends or work colleagues and finally the stress relief that comes from walking—walking can clear your head.

Walk to School Week, 19 to 24 May, is part of the month's activities and its aim is to encourage parents to send children to school on foot, rather than take them in the car or let them use public transport. The movement was started in 1995 with only five participating schools and now two decades later, more than one million children take part.

Similarly, there is Walk to Work Week, 12 to 16 May, where grown-ups are encouraged to walk. In the morning, getting off the bus a stop early or parking a few streets away is a good way to add more steps to the daily total. And during the working day, rather than having lunch at the desks or in the canteen, take a walk and get some fresh air. Walk home with your workmates and chat away about everything under the sun but work!

1.Living Streets is working to ________.

A. help people living in the street

B. build safer walkways for pedestrians

C. help people walk in the street and enjoy life

D. make people aware of environmental pollution

2.Paragraph 3 is intended to show that walking is ________.

A. so interestingB. very relaxing

C. perfectly safeD. highly beneficial

3.Walk to School Week ________.

A. is organized by the government

B. is held before Walk to Work Week

C. has developed rapidly over the last 20 years

D. encourages students to walk to school alone

4.What's the text mainly about?

A. The Pedestrians' Association.

B. A nationwide health movement.

C. The influence of walking on life.

D. National Walking Month’s history.

In the early 1980s, one of our neighbors asked my mom if she would make a few gift baskets for her to give as gifts for the holidays. My mom agreed and news of the unique gift baskets my mum was making spread like wildfire throughout the neighborhood. My mum was busy throughout the holiday season, so she asked a friend to help her. When the orders continued after the holiday season for baby gifts, birthday gifts and more, it occurred to them that maybe this job could be turned into a business and they did it.

My mum went into her business because she had a creative idea. She got orders and filled orders. But there was no purpose and no real strategy(策略). In 1991, my mum' s partner got into financial trouble and there was not enough money to support either my mum or her partner.

So if you are led by your creativity or enthusiasm, make sure you ask yourself what you want out of your business. If you don't set goals, how will you know what direction to go in? Do you want to create jobs and growth in the economy? Are you looking for a hobby? You can't keep scores if you don' t know what game you are playing.

After my mom's partner gave up, she had to abandon(抛弃) her business to support herself. She swore(发誓)she would run a business again and do it differently the next time. However, there wasn't a "next time" for her. She passed away just after her 51st birthday. She never had someone tell her how important having a goal was. She never had an opportunity to be everything that she could be.

There are no right or wrong goals, only the ones that matter to you. Set them so that you can make progress and achieve success, whatever that may mean to you.

1.The author's mum started her own business after she ________.

A. got continuous orders with her friend

B. cooperated with one of her neighbors

C. advertised her products in the neighborhood

D. designed unique gift baskets for the holidays

2.Which of the following can best describe the author' s mum?

A. Ambitious.B. Imaginative.C. Poor.D. Innocent(天真的).

3.After the author' s mum failed in her business, she _________.

A. hoped to restart it after her 51st birthday

B. wanted to find a different partner

C. reflected on her failure

D. didn' t work any more

4.The author writes the text to stress the importance of _________.

A. creativityB. opportunitiesC. goalsD. partners

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