One way to sell stuff is to make things that people want to buy. Another way is to offer “free trials” and then hit customers with bills. This brings us to PDC Education Ltd, run by Rebecca Jordan and Kirsty Weir of Leeds, whose website teaching-resources-uk.com offers teaching plans for teachers.
Rosemarie Brady, finance manager of Rutlish School in Merton, southwest London, tells us that one teacher called Amanda Seyfried downloaded the “free” resources. “Unfortunately in very small print, they state that unless the free trial is cancelled, then you will be charged,” she says.
A year has gone by and now they’ve been sent a second bill for 500 pounds, just because they forgot to cancel the “free trial”.
Merton Council—and it’s not the only one—has sent a warning to all its schools saying: “ Only in the very (easily missed) small print of the terms and conditions is it explained that, after the 14-day trial, schools will be automatically signed for a two-year contact with the company.”
“This will only be stopped if the teacher who requested the trial writes directly to PDC to cancel before the 14 days have expired(期滿). The fee can be as much as hundreds of pounds, with the threat of debt recovery if they are not paid.”
Among the online complaints is this one from a teacher. “How disappointed I am that they will not even consider seriously re-negotiating the invoice(清單).”
Rebecca Jordan of PDC Education said, “ The whole purpose behind the free trial is that we have confidence in our business. This free trial period gives teachers the chance to see what is on offer without having to commit to a payment.”
Only a “very small number” of teachers have complained when they receive an invoice, she added. “ Their only complaint is that they have not checked what they are signing up to but that is not our fault, the position is totally clear. The prices and the trial terms are clear to see on the online sign up page.”
It’s true the terms and conditions are on their website. But perhaps it’s unhelpful that they run to almost 3000 words.
【小題1】We know from the passage that____________.

A．Merton Council suggests that PDC Education Ltd should be closed down
B．the website teaching-resources-uk.com uses tricks to cheat people out of money
C．the users complained that they had not been informed of writing to PDC earlier
D．the education website promises to enlarge their warning print and cut down the term
【小題2】 Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards PDC?
A．Critical B．Reserved C．Doubtful D．Positive
【小題3】 What might be the best title for the passage?
A．An education website B．A lesson in “free” trials
C．A mysterious invoice D．Traps on the web


【小題1】B
【小題2】A
【小題3】B

解析試題分析：這篇文章講的是一個(gè)網(wǎng)站利用免費(fèi)試用課程，先是讓人們?cè)囉茫侨绻患皶r(shí)的取消定制，就會(huì)有大筆的費(fèi)用從而騙人們的錢。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)題：從第三段的句子：A year has gone by and now they’ve been sent a second bill for 500 pounds, just because they forgot to cancel the “free trial”. 可知teaching-resources-uk.com 使用詭計(jì)騙人們的錢，選B
【小題2】作者態(tài)度題：從最后一段的句子：It’s true the terms and conditions are on their website. But perhaps it’s unhelpful that they run to almost 3000 words.可知作者對(duì)PDC的態(tài)度是批評(píng)的，選A
【小題3】標(biāo)題確定題：這篇文章講的是一個(gè)網(wǎng)站利用免費(fèi)試用課程騙人們的錢，用A lesson in “free” trials
做為標(biāo)題，有雙關(guān)的意思：一是表面的含義；還可以理解成免費(fèi)試用的教訓(xùn)，選B
考點(diǎn)：考查社會(huì)生活類短文

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them. Our purpose is to fit them for life.
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【小題1】The writer of this passage thinks that ________.

A．free education can solve all of the world’s problems
B．free education for all probably leads to a perfect world
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【小題2】The writer wants to tell us that ___________.
A．our society needs all kinds of jobs
B．our society needs free education for all
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【小題3】According to the passage, ____________.
A．work with hands is dirty and shameful
B．work with hands is low work
C．work with hands is the most important
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【小題4】The purpose of education is ___________.
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

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D．Better prices for homeless people.
【小題3】It can be learned from the text that       .
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C．a(chǎn) great number of people in New York City don’t have houses to live in
D．some other cities have developed more affordable housing than New York City
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B．To prove that some standards are needed for affordable housing.
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

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【小題3】The proper title for this article may be “       ”.
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

I was appreciating my family photos on my computer, admiring my two beautiful babies, when I found a disturbing trend: my laptop was in almost all the pictures. There was my daughter, 8 months old, playing at my feet while I was typing away on the couch. There was me and my son, with the laptop at my side as I held him in my arms.
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【小題1】From Paragraph 1, we can conclude that _______.

A．the author was busy taking care of her babies
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D．the author looked after her babies while using the computer.
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A．using the web at midnightB．keeping up with friends online
C．spending too much time onlineD．being addicted to computer games
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A．a(chǎn) personal life habitB．a(chǎn) way to escape problems
C．a(chǎn)n official mental disorderD．the unnecessary use of the Internet
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

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But now, there is a new pair of eyeglasses that can help to find all those little things you know must be around somewhere :  Let's call it Vision 2.0.
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The Smart Goggles' superb tracking abilities mean that whenever you're looking for your keys, your overdue library book, or yes, even your baby, all you have to do is to say the word and the Goggles' camera will show you the last time your desired object appeared on screen, telling exactly where you'll be able to find it.
Though the glasses are still too big for general use, the research team in Japan believes that they'll be able to make the modem glasses smaller to the size of normal glasses in the near future, making them the perfect new accessory for yourself or any other absent - minded Professor you know.
With these intelligent designs, you'll never lose anything again. Except maybe your glasses.
【小題1】The best title for the passage should be _______.

A．A Habit of Forgetting Small Things 
B．Usage of New High - Tech Glasses 
C．How to Find Little Things Easily  
D．Glasses Will Help Find Your Things 
【小題2】Which of the following is a slip - up according to the passage?
A．You can't find your watch before going to work. 
B．You can't work out a math problem in given time. 
C．You don't know how to deal with a naughty boy. 
D．You don't know how to get to a hospital. 
【小題3】Which of the following statement is true about Smart Goggles?
A．They're a search engine used on the Internet. 
B．They're a camera with recognition software. 
C．They're software used in computers. 
D．They're sunglasses protecting our eyes. 
【小題4】Where are the new glasses being developed?
A．In China. B．In America. C．In Japan. D．In France. 

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