6．Let's face it--there are lots of reasons to hate McDonald's：calories，cholesterol and，for me at least，that sickening feeling after munching （大口咀嚼） on McNuggets．Then there's always that childish salesman at the drive-through（免下車通道） who forgets the ketchup．
Well，add one more reason to spite McDonald's：as the global economy spirals downward，McDonald's is minting money．"In the worst of times for the restaurant industry，it's the best of times for McDonald's，"says Butt Flickinger III，managing director of the Strategic Resources Group，a retail-consulting company．In fact，the company's sales have increased for 55 straight months．Profits grew 11% to $1.2 billion．
The pricing of McDonald's，highlighted by dollar-menu items like apple pies，side salads and yogurt，plus cheap combo meals is a key strength during the recession．In particular，consumers are fleeing casual，family chain restaurants for the convenience and savings of fast food．
The economy is not the only reason people are drawn to McDonald's．The company's management also deserves credit for its success．Back seven years ago，America's obesity was a hot topic，and McDonald's suffered from the strong negative reaction．Changeless food and shabby stores also kept people away．"McDonald's was actively persuading customers from coming back，"says John Glass，a Morgan Stanley analyst．
Since that time，McDonald's have remodeled 11，000 stores．At a neat and clean restaurant in the Bronx one weekday evening，Brian Waters，a mailman，sat with his 9-year-old son in a booth．The bright dining area featured abstract paintings of New York City's bridges and the Statue of Liberty．"It used to be dark and dull in here，"Waters says．"Now it's nice and clean．I don't mind sitting here anymore．"Stores have also extended hours：34% of the company's 14，000 U．S．restaurants are now open 24/7．
The menu got an upgrade too．Obscene"super-size"choices were phased out，and healthier options like apples and salads were added．The company changed its coffee blend； coffee sales have soared 70% over the past two years．Chicken McNuggets now consist solely of white meat，which has less fat and fewer calories than the darker-meat mix of old．
Like any other business in this environment，McDonald's faces some potential roadblocks．As the recession wears on，fast-food-service growth may flatten out；plus，McDonald's can expect more price competition．For example，Steak‘n Shake，the diner-style burger chain in 21 states throughout the Midwest and South，is promoting four different meal combos for less than $4．"In Los Angeles，every other billboard is a 99-cent food price，"says Glass．The battle for bargain-hunting eaters is on．But given its recent winning ways，McDonald's might just add a few more billion consumers．

24．One of the reasons why the author hates McDonald's is thatD
A．there are always kids messing around in the restaurant．
B．The salesclerk always forget to clean up the drive-through
C．Children always leave the ketchup at the drive-through
D．Some salesclerk always forgets to give him the ketchup
25．What is the key for McDonald's success even during the global economic downturnA
A．Its pricing policy．
B．Its managing policy
C．Its dollar-menu items
D．Its cheap combo meals
26．What happened to McDonald's seven years ago，according to John Glass？C
A．It suggested that fast food not be abused．
B．It persuaded customers to eat elsewhere
C．The size of its customers was shrinking
D．Customers had more expectation on it
27．When the battle for bargain-hunting eaters is on，the author expects that McDonald's will most probablyD
A．Increase its management expenses
B．Open more chain restaurants
C．Have to cut its prices sharply
D．Gain more customers．

5．The other day I heard a few local musicians talking："I hate all the terrible pianos in this town．I hate that rubbish they play on the radio．They can't even understand a bit of music．"
"I'm never playing in that club again．Too many drunks and nobody listens to us．"
But，one younger musician said，"There are a few clubs that book my band a few nights a month，and I'm trying to find other places to play．I'm also looking to book a few summer festivals this year．"I've heard that you are the average of the five people whom you spend the most time with，or to put it another way，you are who your friends are．
Attitudes are important．Whether they're positive or negative，they're rubbing off on you．If you're around people who complain about lack of work and about other musicians，or blame others，and you play the role of victim，chances are you will start to as well．So it's time to take a look at the people you call"friends"．
This is an easy exercise：Make a list of the people who you hang out with，and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list．Set a new standard for yourself and don't become friends with people who fall below that standard．
Keep successful people around you and your own chances for success will be much better．Ask them how they do it．Ask if they will help you get the work you're looking for，or maybe give you some advice to help you on your career path．

21．Which of the following would be the best title for this passage？C
A．A friend in need is a friend indeed 
B．How to make friendship last for ever
C．You are who your friends are 
D．Friends are the most important in one's success
22．The musicians'words at the beginning are written mainly to showC．
A．the musicians'living conditions are quite poor
B．people have poor taste in music
C．people have different attitudes towards the same thing
D．young people have greater chances of succeeding
23．The passage is mainly written forD．
A．musicians 
B．managers 
C．negative people 
D．people wanting to succeed．

4．Harvest and Thanksgiving festivalscan be very happy events．

3．Wang Peng was enjoyinga second plate of dumplings so he sighed．

2．He could not have Yong Huigetting （get） away with telling people lies．

1．For high school students，practicing their music in someone's house is the first step tofame （famous）．

20．At that Daisy cried，"I'm sorry I didn't know that．I wonder what is being done to help you．"

19．Daisy turned around and found that shewas being watched （watch） by an elephant．

18．But I was always so lonely standing there by myself，until in the early 1960s they gave me a familyconnected （connect） by a network．

17．I developed very slowly and it took nearly two hundred yearsbefore I was built as an analytical machine．