The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分类账)move into the black and companies become profitable（有利可图的，有益的）. On that day, retailers（零售商）slash prices to get consumers to buy.  It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.

 “It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser（较少的，较小的）price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare（噩梦）for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.

While the lead up to Christmas is known as the season of giving, Black Friday can get ugly.

Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart（沃尔玛公司）worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”

Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. “Credit is still strictly controlled whether through credit cards or through borrowing from banks,” he said. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed.  Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.

And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.

Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.     

1. The underlined word “slash” in the first paragraph probably means _________.

 A. reduce         B. raise         C. increase        D. change

2.The sentence “This day should be a shopper’s dream.” should be placed between ________.

 A. paragraph two and paragraph three        B. paragraph one and paragraph two

 C. paragraph three and paragraph four      D. paragraph five and paragraph six

3.Why are many stores increasing security according to the passage?

 A. Because there are too many people saving more and spending less.

 B. Because it’s a time when they begin making their profits for the year.

 C. Because last year a crowd of bargain-hunters caused an accident.

 D. Because many stores open their doors from midnight to four a.m.

4.What can we learn from the passage?

 A. Christmas shopping is traditional time and this year it is no exception.

 B. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually least discounted.

 C. The economy only affects consumers on that bargain day.

 D. Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

Students and Technology in the Classroom
I love my blackberry — it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me. I also love my laptop computer，as it holds all of my writing and thoughts. Despite this love of technology, I know that there are times when I need to move away from these devices（设备）and truly communicate with others.
On occasion, I teach a course called History Matters for a group of higher education managers. My goals for the class include a full discussion of historical themes and ideas. Because I want students to thoroughly study the material and exchange their ideas with each other in the classroom, I have a rule — no laptop, iPads, phones ,etc .When students were told my rule in advance of the class, some of them were not happy.
Most students assume that my reasons for this rule include unpleasant experiences in the past with students misusing technology. There’s a bit of truth to that. Some students assume that I am anti-technology. There’s no truth in that at all. I love technology and try to keep up with it so I can relate to my students.
The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversions and truly engage complex ideas. Interruptions by technology often break concentration and allow for too much dependence on outside information for ideas. I want students to dig deep within themselves for inspiration and ideas. I want them to push each other to think differently and make connections between the course the material and the class discussion.
I’ve been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the evaluations reflect student satisfaction with the environment that I create. Students realize that with deep conversation and challenge, they learn at a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom.
I’m not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change, I’m sticking to my plan. A few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too sweet to give up.
【小题1】Some of the students in the history class were unhappy with _______.

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Life is like potato salad; when it’s shared it becomes a picnic.

When my three children were young, my husband, Roy, and I were very 1..

 “Can we go on a picnic, Mom?” my six-year-old daughter, Becky  2. . “Please.”

I had said no so many times in the 3.  months, and I decided the usual Saturday morning chores (日常工作) could wait. To her 4., I agreed.

I prepared a few sandwiches and 5. a cooler with ice and drinks and called Roy

6.. My eleven-year-old twin sons put the cooler and the picnic basket in the trunk and off we went to spend some 7. time together as a family.

About the time I got the lunch 8. out on the table, Roy arrived on the 9..

That was one of the happiest meals we ever shared together. The meal was filled with

10.. We felt a closeness that had been hidden by work and school 11. for so many months. Roy and the boys 12. rocks into the lake. Becky fed the ducks and I sat quietly on the picnic table, 13. God for blessing me with such a wonderful family.

That night as our 14. went to bed, I kissed their cheeks and realized what a wonderful life I had.

As I walked out of the room it dawned on me that even the busiest 15. could become a picnic when it’s shared with the ones you 16..

Even though the kids have now grown up and 17. from home, I can still remember how I felt that day while sitting at the picnic table.

Maybe today would be a good time to 18. potato salad, call all of my grown kids, feed some hungry    19. and skipped a few rocks into the lake. Since life is like potato salad, let’s make it a 20..

21.A. old                        B. poor                           C. busy                           D. miserable

22.A. begged           B. asked                               C. doubted                          D. wondered

23.A. coming                      B. recent                             C. following                         D. later

24.A. doubt                         B. disappointment            C. sadness                          D. surprise

25.A. supplied           B. provided                    C. combined                       D. filled

26.A. off work           B. at home                          C. at work                           D. on business

27.A. unhappy          B. quality                             C. quantity                          D. sad

28.A. spread                       B. taken                               C. made                         D. cooked

29.A. scene                         B. view                                 C. event                    D. landscape

30.A. sadness                    B. expectation                   C. hope                           D. laughter

31.A. orders                  B. charges                           C. activity                            D. responsibilities

32.A. missed                      B. took                      C. skipped                           D. left

33.A. praying                   B. praising                           C. thanking                         D. trusting

34.A. family            B. children                           C. friends                      D. parents

35.A. lifestyle                    B. time                           C. world               D. family

36.A. enjoy                          B. own                             C. have                                 D. love

37.A. left alone                  B. passed away                 C. ran away                        D. moved away

38.A. supply                        B. cook                              C. watch                              D. plant

39.A. ducks                         B. children                           C. family                        D. people

40.A. salad               B. life                               C. picnic                    D. hope

D
“I didn’t think drugs were a big deal.”
“My mom started abusing drugs(毒品) when I was in fourth grade, so when a friend offered me weed in seventh grade, it didn’t seem wrong to try it. Pot made me feel distant from my misery at home, and I started smoking and drinking on a daily basis. Then my mother left. It broke my heart---I felt like she chose drugs over me. But that didn’t make me stop using them. I relied on weed to handle my pain and anger.”
---Megan, 18
“I did drugs so I would fit in”
“I started hanging with a crowd that was into drugs. I wasn’t into that stuff, but I didn’t have anyone else to hang out with, so I started smoking pot to fit in. My parents found out, and my mom started crying. I realized I wasn’t just hurting myself, I was hurting the people who loved me.”
---Lisa, 15
“________________”
“I started smoking weed when I was in 6th grade. It seemed like a harmless drug. I was wrong---I’ve been smoking weed for three years now, and I’ve ditched all my old friends and probably blown a thousand dollars on pot. The short buzz of it just isn’t worth it.
---Justine, 14
“I wanted to rebel”
I tried marijuana because it gave me a sense of rebellions. I didn’t like always being told what to do, so smoking weed made me feel rebellious. However, I realized later it was silly to think that doing drugs will somehow make you different or unique.”
---Alice, 15
68. Which of the following is NOT a type of drug?
A. pot            B. buzz          C. weed          D. marijuana
69. Which of the following is most suitable for the blank?
A. I’ve lost all my friends by smoking weed
B. Using drug is harmful to all of us
C. I didn’t realize it would cost me so much
D. I don’t think it’s worth it
70. Those young people took drugs because of all the following EXCEPT ______.
A.lack of information               B.influence of the family
C.curiosity about the drug            D.a sense of rebellions
71. We could infer from the passage ______.
A.Megan’s mother didn’t love her much
B.Lisa started using drugs to please her friends
C.Justine started smoking when he was 12
D.Alice tired marijuana because it is different and unique

Students and Technology in the Classroom

I love my blackberry—it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me . I also love my laptop computer ，as it holds all of my writing and thought .Despite this love of technology ,I know that there are times when I need to move away from these device and truly communication with others.On occasion ,I teach a course called History Matters for a group of higher education managers. My goals for the class include a full discussion of historical themes and ideas .Because I want students to thoroughly study the material and exchange their ideas with each other in the classroom ,I have a rule —no laptop ,ipads ,phones ,etc .When students were told my rule in advance of the class, some of them were not happy .

Most students assume that year reasons for this rule include unpleasant experiences in the past with students misusing technology . There’s a bit of truth to that.Some students assume that I am anti-technology . There’s no truth in that at all . I love technology and try to keep up with it so I relate to my students.

The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversions and truly engage complex ideas. Interruptions by technology often break concentration and allow for too much dependence on outside information for ideas . I want students to think differently and make connections between the course the material and the class discussion .

I’ve been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the educations reflect student satisfaction with the environment that I create .Students realize that with deep conversation and challenge , they learn at a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom .

I’m not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change ,I’m sticking to my plan. a few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too give up.

1.

some of the students in the history class were unhappy with____

A. the course material             B. others’ misuse of technology

C. discussion topics               D. the author’s class regulator

2.

the underlined word “engage ”in para.4 probably means ____

A. explore          B. accept          C. change           D. reject

3.

according to the author ,the use of technology in the classroom may ____

A. keep students from doing independent thinking

B. encourage students to have in-depth conversations

C. help students to better understand complex themes

D. affect students’ concentration on course evaluation

4.

it can be inferred from the last paragraph that the author ____

A. is quite stubborn

B. will give up teaching history

C. will change his teaching plan soon

D. values technology-free dialogues in his class