For most people, shopping is still a matter of wandering down the street or loading a cart in a shopping mall. Soon, that will change. Electronic commerce is growing fast and will soon bring people more choices. There will, however, be a cost: protecting the consumer from fraud will be harder. Many governments therefore want to extend high street regulations to the electronic world. But politicians would be wiser to see cyberspace as a basis for a new era of corporate self-regulation.

　　Consumers in rich countries have grown used to the idea that the government takes responsibility for everything from the stability of the banks to the safety of the drugs, or their rights to refund when goods are faulty. But governments cannot enforce national laws on businesses whose only presence in their country is on the screen. Other countries have regulators, but the rules of consumer protection differ, as does enforcement. Even where a clear right to compensation exists, the online catalogue customer in Tokyo, say, can hardly go to New York to extract a refund for a dud purchase.

　　One answer is for governments to cooperate more: to recognize each other’s rules. But that requires years of work and volumes of detailed rules. And plenty of countries have rules too fanciful for sober states to accept. There is, however, an alternative. Let the electronic businesses do the “regulation” themselves. They do, after all, have a self-interest in doing so.

　　In electronic commerce, a reputation for honest dealing will be a valuable competitive asset. Governments, too, may compete to be trusted. For instance, customers ordering medicines online may prefer to buy from the United States because they trust the rigorous screening of the Food and Drug Administration; or they may decide that the FDA’s rules are too strict, and buy from Switzerland instead.

Consumers will need to use their judgment. But precisely because the technology is new, electronic shoppers are likely for a while to be a lot more cautious than consumers of the normal sort---and the new technology will also make it easier for them to complain noisily when a company lets them down. In this way, at least, the advent of cyberspace may argue for fewer consumer protection laws, not more.

1.According to the author, what will be the best policy for electronic commerce?

         A．Self – regulation by the business.      B．Strict consumer protection laws.

         C．Close international cooperation.       D．Government protection.

2.In case an electronic shopper bought faulty goods from a foreign country, what could he do?

         A．Refuse to pay for the purchase.        B．Go to the seller and ask for a refund.

         C．Appeal to consumer protection law.          D．Complain about it on the Internet.

3.In the author’s view, businesses would place a high emphasis on honest dealing because in the electronic world         .

         A．international cooperation would be much more frequent

         B．consumers could easily seek government protection

         C．a good reputation is a great advantage in competition

         D．it would be easy for consumers to complain

4.We can infer from the passage that in licensing new drugs the FDA in the United States is    .

         A．very quick  B．very cautious     C．very slow   D．rather careless

5.If a customer buys something that does not meet his expectation, what is the advantage of dealing through electronic commerce over the present normal one?

         A．It will be easier for him to return the goods he is not satisfied with.

         B．It will be easier for him to attain the refund from the seller.

C．It will be easier for him to get his complaints heard by other consumers.

D．It will be easier for him to complain about this to the government.

Australia has passed regulations that will enable more international students to further their education in the country.

The new measures were released by the Australian Department of Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations in September and will take effect in mid-2012.

As a result, the student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified, and the deposit (押金) required to study in Australia has been reduced. Language requirements for overseas students have also been eased.

Also, overseas students receiving a higher education in Australia will be granted a working visa lasting from two to four years after graduation, as long as they meet the basic IELTS requirement.

"This change will definitely make Australia a more attractive destination for Chinese students planning to study overseas," says Wang Lan, a consultant from Education International Cooperation Group (EIC), a Beijing-based company that provides services to students wishing to study overseas.

However, in the past few years, many of Wang's student clients (客户) could not start studies in Australia because they did not meet the language requirements, visa processing took a long time and deposit regulations were tough. The change in policy is good news for the parents of students wishing to study in Australia, Wang says.

A 22-year-old female student surnamed Li, in Beijing, who is planning to do her postgraduate studies in Australia, learned about the policy change several weeks ago.

"According to the previous deposit requirement for my student visa, my family was required to put down 550,000 yuan ($86,850). Now we only need to prepare 410,000 yuan. This is a relief for my parents," Li says.

She also says that the two to four years working visa makes her feel much clearer about her study plans.

"I believe several years of working experience abroad will strengthen my competitiveness when I return to China," she says.

Gaining a competitive advantage is the major reason for Chinese students to study abroad, according to the report by EIC.

1.What's the main idea of the passage? 

2. Which of the following is NOT the content of the new regulations? 

3.After the new regulations are passed, _______ . 

4.How much can Li's parents save according to the new regulations? 

5. Why do many students want to work in Australia after their graduation? 

C

On May 8, last Thursday morning, the Olympic flame was lit on the top of Mount Qomolangma! It was a historic moment for China exactly three months ahead of the Beijing Games.

Tibetan female climber Cering Wangmo reached the summit with a special extreme-altitude Olympic torch. This event is what China has promised to the world as the high point of the torch relay, the longest and most challenging of all time.

Five torchbearers(火炬手) finished the highest relay ever—three of the climbers are Tibetan athletes.

Team members said “Beijing welcomes you!” in Chinese, English and Tibetan, as they stood at the summit celebrating, with the event broadcast on national television.

“I finally fulfilled the last dream of my husband,” said Gyigyi with tears in her eyes. She was the first torchbearer. Her husband lost his life in an attempt to climb all 14 mountains in China more than 8,000 meters three years ago.

“We are on top of the world! One world, one dream,” shouted Nima Cering, at the top of his voice. He said that although he had climbed the peak（峰顶）several times, this was the most significant ascent(登高). “As a Tibetan and a Chinese I pray for the success of Beijing 2008,” he added.

The special torch is different from the one currently touring the Chinese mainland, after an around-the-world relay. Officials organizing the trek up the peak had earlier set an April 26 target to begin the ascent, but high winds and heavy snow had delayed the mission.

The Xinhua News Agency said that the Qomolangma leg of the torch relay represents the Olympic motto, “higher, faster and stronger,” in practice and will promote unity among all 56 ethnic groups in China.

It was a historic moment because ______.

   A. some Tibetan torchbearers took part in it

   B. it was lit three months before the Olympic Games were held 

C. it was the first time that the Olympic torch had been lit on the top of Mount Qomolangma

D. it was the longest attempt in history

Which is RIGHT according to the whole passage?

A. All the five torchbearers are men.

B. Only the five torchbearers reached the summit. 

C. Team members said “Beijing welcomes you!” in their native language.

D. At least two of the five torchbearers are females.

What does the word “leg” underlined in the last paragraph refer to?

A. One part of a journey or race.

B. One of the long parts that connect the feet to the rest of the body.

C. The leg of an animal, especially the top part, cooked and eaten.

D. The part of a pair of trousers that covers the leg.

What would be the best title for the text?

A. One world, one dream

B. Torch relay reaches its highest point

C. Qomolangma, the highest summit in the world

D. A special torch 

Where can you read about this passage?

A. In the English textbook.        

B. In the newspaper.

C. In the science report.             

D. On the street wall.

Why texting harms your IQ
The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana (大麻). That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user’s IQ. This rate of decline in intelligence compares unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as “infomania”. The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand. The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. At a microcellular level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship. 1100 adults were interviewed during the research. More than 62 per cent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they scrutinized work-related ones even when at home or on holiday. Half said that they always responded immediately to an email and will even interrupt a meeting to do so. It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one’s characteristics. Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London. “This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” he said. “We have found that infomania will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social life. Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.”
【小题1】We can learn from the passage that “infomania” ______.

A．

B．

C．

D．

Cafe Hub

Next to the Castle lies The Hub, home of the Edinburgh International Festival and one of the most talked about spots in town. Our cafe is open every day for mouth-watering lunches, snacks and fine dining. Come in and enjoy the atmosphere of The Hub or watch the world go by from our beautiful terrace.

The Hub, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh.

Open every day from 9:30 a.m.till late.

Tel:0131173 2067 www.thehub-edinburgh.com

Farm World

Enjoy being“A Farmer for a Day”.Join in delivering and feeding our spring babies—bottle feeding sessions twice daily. Fun for all family. Horse Rides, BMX Bikes Cross Country Course. Tractor Ride through 600 acres, New Adventure Playground, Nature Trails. Full details on website.

Open:May—Oct Wednesdays to Saturdays and daily during school holidays 11 a.m.—5 p.m.

Tel:01797 260256/260321 www.farmworldrye.co.uk

Enter the Europe-wide student competition!

Are you curious, creative and energetic? Are you interested in the new media? Are you between 12 and 9 years of age? Then Join Multimedia 2010 is for you!

Your challenge will be to build a team and develop a multimedia presentation in English--based on one of three different topics. You can register between May 1 and June 15,2010 and will have to turn in your entry before September 15,2010.

The rewards are wonderful:￡150,000 in prize for schools and teams and the chance to attend a European student camp—plus new experiences, an opportunity to make friends throughout Europe!

For further information and registration forms go to:www.siemens.com/ join. multimedia.

1.

You’ll have to register first if you want_________.

  A.to enjoy delicious food

  B.to try Tractor Ride through 600 acres

  C.to enter the Europe-wide student competition

  D.to watch the world go by from the beautiful terrace

2.

You can visit Farm Wrold_________.

  A.on Monday in May                    B.any day in October

C.at 2 p.m.at Christmas                  D.at 10:30 a.m. during school holidays

3.

.From the advertisements above,we can learn that_________.

  A.Cafe Hub is a popular place in the local area

  B.families can enjoy Horse Rides on New Adventure Playground

  C.Farm World provides lunches,snacks and fine dining

  D.the Europe-wide student competition will be held on June 15,2010