题目内容
-You used to live in the city, _________ you?
-Yes, but so far I’ve already get used to _________ in the countryside.
A.didn’t; live
B.didn’t; living
C.did; live
D.did; living
Christmas is long gone. and Valentine’s Day is a distant memory. That means it's a slow time for jewelers, and a good time for you to make a purchase. Whether you’re out shopping for gold, or silver, here fife a few things you need to know:
What determines price?
The purity of the metal is one of the elements that determines the price. Gold purity is indicated with a stamp of 10K, 14K, 18K, or 24K. And different countries have their own standards. For example, for a piece to be considered gold in the US, it must be at least 10K. In Britain and Canada: 9K. In Italy and France: l 8K. Anything over l 8K is really too soft for everyday wear. That’s why jewelry stores in the US sell mostly 14K.
How much can you expect to pay?
That depends on the weight of the metal and the gemstone(宝石). So keep that in mind, especially when buying online. To keep yourself from getting ripped off, ask yourself the following:
●How long has the company been around?
●What is its return policy?
● Is the jewelry featured on the website visible from all directions?
● Is the company transparent with the gram weights and the size of the gemstones?
Yellow gold? White? Rose?
Yes, it's confusing, and while this is largely a personal decision, there fife a few things to keep in mind. For starters. white or rose gold costs about l 0% more than yellow gold. If you want the “look for less”, consider gold. plated jewelry. “Gold plated” and “gold overlay” mean the same thing and guarantee a thicker layer of finish than “vermeil” which is a flash finish that is thinner and less consistent, but more affordable. Buy vermeil finished pieces you want for a season or two just to follow the fashion. For pieces you want to wear for a lifetime, solid gold is best.
What about sterling silver(标准纯银)?
Sterling silver has been。an alternative for white gold during the difficult economy, and while it used to be more popular with just the younger these days it has much more mass appeal. So much so that retailers are now offering fine gemstones with silver--something you used to see only with gold.
Keep in mind that in the US. the sterling silver standard is 92.5% real silver. Don’t buy it if there isn’t a “925” stamp on it. And keep in mind that the lower price you’re paying for silver means more maintenance. To keep silver jewelry from becoming less shiny, consider keeping a piece of chalk in your jewelry box.
【小题1】According to the passage, the underlined phrase “getting ripped off” in Paragraph 3 probably means “_______”.
| A.being charged | B.being cheated | C.being affected | D.being attracted |
| A.A 14K necklace. | B.A gold-plated ring. |
| C.A vermeil ear ring. | D.A gemstone necklace. |
| A.in a dry place | B.in a cold place | C.in a wet place | D.in a hot place |
| A.encourage young people to buy fashionable jewelry |
| B.tell people the best time to purchase gold and silver |
| C.introduce the real value and popularity of gold and silver |
| D.inform people of the factors to consider in buying jewelry |
When I was learning calligraphy (书法), my teacher told me a story.
A calligrapher taught handwriting. One of his students who often practiced handwriting with old sheets of newspaper complained that he made very little progress though he had learned it with the calligrapher for a long time. His teacher said to him, “Try to use the best paper. Maybe you'll write better.”
The student did as he was told. It really worked. He made headway not long afterwards and felt curious. He asked his teacher about the reason. The calligrapher answered,“When you used old newspaper to practice handwriting, you would think you were writing a draft. It didn't matter if you wrote badly as old newspaper was plenty in supply. In that case you wouldn't pay much attention to it. Now you use the best paper and you'll treasure it. Each time you write you feel strongly about the rarity of chances and you'll devote to it with all your heart and soul; you'll do the handwriting much more attentively than practicing. Of course you've made rapid progress.”
Indeed, we spend our ordinary days just as they are worthless “old newspaper”.We don't care if we scrawl and waste it, thinking that it will come endlessly—the “old newspaper” is inexhaustible. In such a mood we may each day pass by opportunities but fail to catch any of them.
Life is not a military exercise but an actual war in which real weapons are used. In everyday life there's no chance for us to draft. That's because what we call “draft” actually is the answer sheet we write that cannot be changed.
Every day of our life is something new. Let us take every day as a sheet of the best paper.
【小题1】The calligrapher in the story told the student to write on the best paper because he thought ________.
| A.the student would practice more carefully on the best paper |
| B.it was comfortable to write on the best paper |
| C.the student had enough money to buy the best paper |
| D.the student could write more on the best paper |
| A.he didn't follow his teacher's advice |
| B.he was too poor to buy better paper to write on |
| C.he regarded his writing on old newspaper just as a draft |
| D.he was not used to the calligrapher's teaching manner |
| A.the student finally gave up |
| B.the student made rapid progress by practicing more carefully |
| C.the calligrapher was strict with his students |
| D.old newspaper is not useful |
| A.What teachers say is always true. |
| B.Success calls for attentiveness. |
| C.Handwriting is easy to practice. |
| D.New things are always better than old ones. |
| A.there are some good ways to practice handwriting |
| B.life is like old newspaper |
| C.we should learn from the student in the story |
| D.life will not give us a chance to draw a draft |