The past week was possibly the most eventful in the history of customer technology markets, or to be precise, the 7-inch (17.8-cm) tablet (平板电脑)market. Never before have three of the biggest players in the industry scheduled what could be truly historic product launches (上市）so close together.

Despite its name, the 7.9-inch iPad Mini is one of the largest among the mini-tablets. It's got all the aesthetics of its earlier 9.7-inch iPad and is unbelievably thin-just 7.2 mm, 23 percent thinner than the iPad.

Apple's iPad Mini

Release date: Nov 2,2012 (Wi-Fi version)

 Operating system: iOS 6

Size: 19.9 x 13.5 x 0.7 cm

Prices: $329 (16GB Wi-Fi), $429 (32GB Wi-Fi), $519 (64GB Wi-Fi), or $459 (16GB Data)

$559 (32GB Data), $659 (64GB Data)

Google may have been forced to cancel its Android event in New York City on Oct 29 due to the threat of hurricane Sandy, but that isn't stopping it from making same big announcements. For starters, Google has confirmed (证实）that the Nexus 10 will be running Android 4.2 out of the box, so get excited. It will also come equipped with a 10-inch display running at an impressive 2560x1600 resolution. On the inside, it'll have a A15 dual-core (双核）processor running alongside 2GB of RAM (内存)，so expect the Nexus 10 to be a speedy little tablet. Google's Nexus 10 Release date: Nov 13，2012 Operating system: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Size: 26.4 x 17.8x0.9 cm Prices: $399 (16GB), $449 (32GB)

Microsoft's Surface is a bold product with some great touches. It doesn't feature a camera and focuses on Office software, which suggests Microsoft is focusing this product on an executive toy. There's no 3G connection (only Wi-Fi) so owners won't have to worry about an extra contract.

The real delight, however, is Metro, the impressive navigation interface (导航界面).It is beautifully designed with brightly colored squares for navigation. Pre-orders for Surface in the US sold out over the weekend, so it would seem customers are excited.

Microsoft's Surface

Release date: Oct 26,2012

Operating system: Windows 8 RT

Size: 27.5 x 17.2 x 0.9 cm

Prices: $499 (32GB M-Fi)

1.What can be inferred from the first paragraph?

A.The three biggest companies made a new product together.

B.A technology has been introduced to tablet industry.

C.The three companies launched their new products nearly at the same time.

D.The tablet market, in October was out of control.

2.What is the 7.9-inch iPad Mini's major contribution to the customers?

A. Wi-Fi version         B. Operating system

C. Prices        D. Size

3.How many technologies will be introduced to the Nexus 10 according to Google?

A. 6   B. 5     C. 4   D. 3

4.Which tablet with 32GB Wi-Fi is the most expensive?

A. Microsoft's Surface.      B. Apple's iPad Mini.

C. Google's Nexus 10.        D. A15 dual-core processor.

At 20 year of age F.W. Woolworth found work in exchange for room and board at a local dry goods store , and after his employers held a successful clearance sale he saw the possibilities of a discount store. His key improvements were having the goods on open display instead of behind the counter , and having prices plainly marked instead of bargaining.

With borrowed funds he opened his first F.W. Woolworth store in the suburb of Utica, New York in 1879, but the store closed the following year . Deciding that his problem had been a poor location. He opened a new store in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylyania in 1881. Within months he was opening multiple stores in business partnerships with local retailers,and within a few years Woolworth was a millionaire. In 1909 he opened his first store in England, and in 1913 the company opened its new headquarters in New York’s Woolworth Building—then the tallest building in the world.

Woolworth had a deep fear of dentists , allowing his teeth to rot ,and died of a dental(牙齿)lunch counters in many stores , Woolworth was America’s largest restaurant chain through the 1940s. The company peaked as the world’s largest department store chain in the late 1970s, with more than 4 . 000 stores. By the late 1990s business was sputtering (喷溅), and the company closed all of its American department stores,renamed itself Venator, and sold the Woolworth Building . In 2003 Venator renamed itself after the company’s most successful division, Foot Locker, Inc . Under separate ownership , Woolworth stores are still operated in Austria , Germany , Mexico, South Africa , and the United Kingdom.

1.The first F. W. Woolworth store failed mainly because      .

A.it was located too far away from the city center

B.it was a new brand for customers

C.its goods are much too expensive

D.it was inconvenient for customers to choose goods

2.A clearance sale offers customers a good chance     .

A.to make a purchase on cash

B.to buy something in a very low price

C.to bargain with the sellers

D.to pick up what you like for free

3.Which is the right order of events that happened in this passage?

a.Woolworth became a millionaire

b.first F. W. Woolworth store opened

c.F.W. Woolworth found work at a local dry goods store

d.The company peaked as the world’s largest department store chain

e.Woolworth died of a dental infection

A.d-b-c-e-a     B.a-c-b-d-e     C.c-b-a-e-d     D.a-d-e-c-b

4.We know from this passage that       .

A.Woolworth built the tallest building in the world in 1913.

B.the number of Woolworth reached its peak before the death of F.W. Woolworth

C.offering free lunch is one of the characters of Woolworth store store chain

D.Woolworth had no chain stores in America for about 20 years

5..F.W.Woolworth’s success mainly owes to      .

A.his hard working and diligent efforts

B.his gifted talent in selling

C.his new market concept and sales model

D.his rich experience in the dry goods store

Any housewife who went to the new supermarket wished to be the lucky customer who did not have to pay for her shopping. This was what the 　21　just inside the entrance 　22　.It said: “Remember,　23　,one of our customers gets 　24　goods. THIS MAY BE YOUR LUCKY DAY!” For quite a long time Mrs. Edwards　25, like many of her  26, to be the lucky customer. Unlike her friends, she never　27　hoping. The 　28　in the kitchen was full of things which she did not need. Her husband tried to advise her 　29　buying so many things but failed. She 　30　dreamed of the DAY when the manager of the supermarket would come up to her and say, “Madam, THIS IS YOUR LUCKY DAY. Everything in your 　31　doesn’t need to be paid!” One Friday afternoon Mrs. Edwards shopped  32　.But she was not the lucky customer. No sooner had she just put the things inside her 　33　than she found that she had forgotten to 　34　tea. She dashed back to the 　35　, got some tea and went towards the　36　.As she did so, she saw the 　37　came.　38　his hand he said, “I want to 　39　you. You are our LUCKY CUSTOMER this week! Everything you have in your basket　40　 !”

A .notice          B. report         C. board          D. newspaper

A. did           B. promised        C. made          D. agreed

A. every day       B. every month      C. twice a week      D. once a week

A. excellent        B. free                  C. extra                 D. unexpected

A. waited           B. came             C. hoped               D. went

A. friends           B. neighbors         C. relatives           D. customers

A. got rid of       B. got along with   C. gave up            D. gave out

A. counter        B. cushion            C. food              D . cupboard

A. against           B. for                   C. with                 D. about

A. often             B. always              C. usually             D. seldom

A. bill             B. hand                 C. car                   D. basket

A. anxiously       B. seriously           C. crazily              D. wonderfully

A. pockets         B. car                   C. basket              D. house

A. buy                   B. find                 C. take                 D. have

A. shop              B. counter             C. department       D. supermarket

A. door              B. entrance           C. cash-desk          D. shelves

A. secretary        B. policeman     C. manager        D. salesman

A. Putting out     B. Holding out      C. Shaking         D. Waving

A. congratulate  B .tell                   C. inform                D. thank

A. is yours          B. means nothing   C. belongs to you  D. costs nothing 

How You Can Learn a Language in Only 10 Days

    Most people recognize the many benefits of learning a foreign language: You can travel to foreign countries and feel comfortable, be a more productive and attractive employee in today’s competitive job market, and immerse （沉浸）yourself in the vast cultures around the world. In addition, scientific studies have shown that learning a new language helps to keep memories sharp and naturally improves brain function.

    But do you know that you can learn a new language in as little as 10 days? The Pimsleur Approach to learning new languages help users pick up new languages quickly .Even the FBI and National Security Agency have purchased the Pimsleur Approach.

 The Pimsleur Languag Programs

     The entire Pimsleur Approach is what language learning should be : quick, fun and easy. You will learn a new language effortlessly without any reading, writing or computer use. The Pimsleur Approach has a 100 percent guarantee : speak in 10 days or you don’t pay.

Who is Dr. Pimsleur?

     Pimsleur Approach is a language educator. He noticed that children have an amazing ability to learn new languages quickly. He spent his life developing this course to let you , as an adult , learn a new language as easily as a child would .You might not realize it , but you have already learned one language using the Pimsleur Approach.

Limited availability of special offers

     The company is currently offering new customers a special offer of 50 % discount on tuition fees.The programs which normally cost $100 are now available for just %50. Better yet ,they are also offering a money-back guarantee. So ,if you find you are not learning as fast as they said , simply return it for a full payment .

For more information , please click here.

1.According to the first paragraph,          .

A. most people have learned a foreign language .

B. you can find a job easily if you know a foreign language.

C. learning a foreign language can improve brain function.

D. it is hard to stay in a foreign country if you do not know its language.

2.If you can not speak a foreign language in ten days with the approach, you can         

A. ask your money back .     B. learn it again for free.

C. change your teacher .      D.ask Dr.Pimsleur for help.

3.We can know from the passage that Dr.Pimsleur         

A. is the owner of the Pimsleur language programs .

B. is a language educator who studies children’s languages.

C. once worked for the FBI and National Security Agency.

D. developed a course helping adults learn a new language easily.

4.Where can we most probably find the passage ?

A. From an educational magazine

B. On the Internet

C. On a poster

D. From the latest newspaper.

5.The author writes the passage to          .

A. introduce an effective language -learning environment.

B. present a language educator’s experiences.

C. appeal to potential customers to use the approach.

D. call on more adults to learn foreign languages.

Endless playing of songs like All I want for Christmas in shops during the festive season doesn’t just drive us mad —the songs also make us more careless with our money, research has warned.

While repeated performance of Jingle Bells may seem like an innocent attempt to raise customers’ spirits during the nightmare of Christmas shopping, the songs also have a more delicate impact.

“Background music, or “Muzak”,can be used by marketers to impose cultures ---such as the commercialization of Christmas--- onto consumers and influence their behaviour,” experts said.

Dr. Alan Bradshaw of Royal Holloway, University of London, said, “Festive jingles are force-fed to Christmas shoppers in a bid to change their mood, influence their sense of time and what sort of products they buy. In other words, this is an attempt to control your shopping habits in a way that you might hardly be aware of.”

“Often we are told that we have the freedom to choose where we want to shop, but during Christmas the use of music in this way is so common that our freedom to choose disappears.”

Dr. Bradshaw and Prof Morris Holbrook of Columbia University examined the phenomenon and found that retailers often “dumb down” the music played in shops to relax customers, meaning it is easier to control their behaviour.

It is thought that slowing down the rhythm of music in shops can trick customers into thinking less time has passed, and therefore spend more time examining the shelves, for example.

Some providers of background music have been known to promote their services by claiming they can boost profits by controlling the behaviour of customers.

“A common trick is to take a popular current song and record an instrumental version which can be slowed down or sped up at different time of the day to influence behaviour in different ways,” Dr. Bradshaw said.

Background music is often classed as “Muzak” in honor of the Seattle-based company which began producing its soft-sounding melodies in the 1930s.

1.According to Dr. Bradshaw, in what ways does Christmas music influence customers?

①their mood               ②their income

③their sense of time         ④ the sort of products they buy

A.①②③    B.①③④    C.②③④   D.①②④

2. Shopkeepers slow down the rhythm of music in shops to ___________.

A. let customers spend more time shopping

B. make customers and sales assistants relaxed

C. let customers enjoy the beautiful music

D. help customers find what they really want

3.What kind of music is now often adapted to influence customers in shops?

A. Classical music     B. Popular modern songs.

C. Folk songs.        D. Jazz music.

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A. Music makes happy Christmas

B. Christmas “Muzak”

C. How to make Christmas music?

D. Christmas music makes us spend more