Former Irish President Mary Robinson was just making a polite conversation with an Ethiopian (埃塞俄比亞的) teenager about her wedding day. The 16­year­old had already been married for a year. “She looked at me with the saddest eyes and said, ‘I had to drop out of school’，” Robinson said in a telephone interview. “That conveyed to me the reality，” said Robinson, the first woman to serve as Ireland's president and former U．N. high commissioner for human fights. “Her life, as far as she is concerned, had more or less ended.”
Robinson said keeping girls in school was one of the most important things policymakers could do to address the coming challenges of an ever-increasing population, predicted by the United Nations to reach 7 billion soon. “European countries are concerned about aging populations as is Japan, but this is much less of an issue than the huge number of people which we are going to see over the next 40 years when the population goes from 7 billion to 9 billion，” she said. “Almost all of that increase will be in poor developing countries, so that we have a very big challenge.”
Family planning experts worry in particular about the future population explosion in sub­Saharan Africa. In May, the United Nations projected the world population would reach 9.3billion in 2050 and 10.1 billion by 2100. Much of that growth will come from Africa, where the population is growing at 2.3 percent a year—more than double Asia's 1 percent growth rate. If that rate stays consistent, which is not certain, Africa's population will reach 3.6 billion by 2100 from the present 1 billion.
Joel Cohen, a professor of population studies at Rockefeller University and Columbia University in New York, said universal secondary education offered a way to reduce population in high birth­rate regions. In addition to providing information about birth control, a secondary education teaches women to reduce their own fertility (生育力), improve the health of their children and allows them to move from a mind­set of having many children, in the hopes that some will survive to improving the quality of each child's life, Cohen wrote in the journal Nature.
【小題1】In the first paragraph, the author introduces his topic by ________.

A．explaining the author's opinions

B．giving an example

C．describing the poor education system

D．coming straight to the topic

【小題2】What can we learn from the passage?

A．Robinson is happy after talking to the Ethiopian girl.

B．Robinson is a successful expert in population studies.

C．Robinson is worried about population growth.

D．Robinson encourages female education.

【小題3】What is Joel Cohen's view about secondary education?

A．It provides basic knowledge of health.

B．It improves the health of children.

C．It makes people pay more attention to education.

D．It can change people's parenting ideas.

【小題4】According to Robinson, what is one of the most important things policymakers can do to prevent the population from increasing rapidly?

A．Keeping girls in school.

B．Letting girls go away from Africa.

C．Letting young girls remain single.

D．Keeping girls in families.

A brand is a name, word, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of these, intended to identify the goods or services of a company or a group of companies. Another purpose of a brand is to contrast one company from another. The most important skill of professional marketers is the ability to create, maintain, protect, and enhance the brands of their products and services. Branding has become so important that today hardly any company or product is without one. Therefore, brand management is an increasingly important element in marketing.
Brand power refers to the relative strength of a company’s brand in the minds of consumers, and can influence consumers’ choice of products. Brands are powerful to the extent that they give high brand loyalty and strong brand associations, name recognition, perceived quality and other assets to a company. A strong brand can be one of a company’s most important assets.
High brand power provides a company with many competitive advantages. A powerful brand enjoys a high level of consumer brand awareness and loyalty. Because consumers expect stores to carry the brand, the company has more bargaining power when negotiating with retailers (零售商). And because the brand name brings high credibility, a company with a strong brand can more easily launch new products with the same brand name.
Many companies use the advantage of a strong brand power strategically to expand their business. When a company introduces an additional item with a new flavour, form, colour or package size in a given product category and under the same brand name, it is called a line extension. Another strategy is called brand extension. This involves the use of a successful brand name to launch new or modified products in a new category, thereby employing brand recognition in order to increase sales of new products.
Brand recognition is certainly important. Because consumers often hold long-standing perceptions about brands, high brand power ensure a company continued sales of its products.
【小題1】What does the word “assets” in the 2nd paragraph mean?

A．points

B．a(chǎn)dvantages

C．a(chǎn)spects

D．elements

【小題2】All of the following statements are the advantages of a high brand power EXCEPT that______.

A．a(chǎn) high brand wins the loyalty of consumers

B．a(chǎn) high brand usually sets a much higher price

C．it’s easy for a high brand company to launch new products

D．a(chǎn) high brand company is more competitive when doing business with retailers

【小題3】A brand extension ______.

A．happens when the company is developing a new product

B．means the expansion of a company’s business in its established field

C．takes place when the company introduces a similar item but with a new colour

D．refers to the use of an established brand name to promote a new product in a new category

【小題4】What might be the best title of this passage?

A．Brand Power	B．Famous Brands
C．Company Brands	D．Brand Products

A new study has found that it may be possible to train people to be more intelligent, increasing the brainpower they had at birth．
Until now，it has been widely assumed that the kind of mental ability that allows us to solve new problems without having any relevant previous experience—what psychologists call fluid intelligence—is innate and cannot be taught（though people can raise their grades on tests of it by practicing）．
But in the new study，researchers describe a method for improving this skill，along with experiments to prove it works．
The key, researchers found, was carefully structured training in working memory—the kind that allows memorization of a telephone number just long enough to dial it．This type of memory is closely related to fluid intelligence，so the researchers reasoned that improving it might lead to improvements in fluid intelligence．
First they measured fluid intelligence of volunteers using standard tests．Then they trained each in a complicated memory task—the child’s card game，in which they had to recall a card they saw and heard．During the course, they needed to ignore irrelevant items, monitor ongoing performance，manage two tasks at the same time and connect related items to one another in space and time．
The four groups experienced a half-hour of training daily for 8, 12, 17 and 19 days, respectively．To make sure they were not just improving their test-taking skills，the researchers compared them with control groups that took the tests without the training．
The results, published Monday in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences，were striking．Improvement in the trained groups was a lot greater．Moreover，the longer they trained, the higher their scores were．All performers，from the weakest to the strongest，showed significant improvement．
“Our results show you can increase your intelligence with proper training．” said Dr Jaeggi, a co-author of the paper．“No one knows how long the gains will last after training stops,” he added, “and the experiment’s design did not allow the researchers to determine whether more training would continue to produce further gains．
【小題1】By writing the article，the writer intends to ______________．

A．inform the readers of a new study

B．call on people to be trained to increase intelligence

C．prove one’s born brainpower can be improved

D．tell people the improved intelligence will last forever

【小題2】The researchers thought the key to improving the intelligence was ______________．

A．memorizing telephone numbers

B．improving working memory

C．training in concentration

D．recalling a card

【小題3】The following aspects of the training help increase intelligence EXCEPT___________．

A．ignoring irrelevant items

B．monitoring ongoing performance

C．managing two tasks at the same time

D．using previous experience

【小題4】When the experiment was conducted, the researchers______________．

A．trained the four groups for the same period of time

B．only made comparisons between the four groups

C．compared the four groups with control groups

D．trained the four groups together

There are many reasons that goals go unfulfilled. For many, goal setting is a never ending circle that starts, stops, and begins again. To help us succeed in reaching our goals, let’s examine the reasons why many people fail at reaching them. Here are 7 Reasons That You Won’t Reach Your Goals:
1. You Don’t Have Any Goals
Too many people are afraid to “set” their goals. Afraid of failing. Afraid of disappointment. Well, you definitely won’t complete them if you don’t try. Make a choice and set your goals. Otherwise you will end up wherever life takes you.
2. You Don’t Start
OK, so you have a goal. What have you done about it? Have you started it yet? What are you waiting for? Procrastination is responsible for the failure of many goals.
3. You Aren’t Willing to “Buy” Your Goals
Yes, you have to buy your goals. Why? Because every goal has a price. It has a cost. Time. Money. Sweat. Sacrifice. You will have to “pay” for your goals in some manner.
4. Your Goals Are Unrealistic.
Make sure that your goals are possible and that you set an adequate time frame for success.
5. You Won’t Stick With It
Over half of goals will be given up within 30 days. You set your goals .You started them. And then...you gave up. Are you using life’s daily happenings as excuses? Goals are not   reached through one effort. Rather, they are made in small steps over time.
6. You Will Fail...And You Won’t Get Back Up!
No one succeeds immediately. Those who appear to have effortlessly succeeded have usually put in years of preparation and practice. You have to fall down many times before you will succeed. Skill is learned by doing.
7. You Quit Before The Finish Line
Too many people stop...right before the finish line. It’s almost like they are afraid of succeeding. Often a life event is used as the reason for not finishing. Something always comes up before you finish.
Are you reaching your goals? Which of these is keeping you from succeeding? Set your goals. Stay the course. Always get back up when you fail. And make sure you cross the finish line.
【小題1】What’s the author’s purpose of writing this passage?

A．To remind people of the importance of setting life goals.

B．To convince people of keeping to their life goals.

C．To clarify the reasons leading to the failure of achieving goals.

D．To persuade people to have big life goals.

【小題2】What’s the probable meaning of the underlined word “procrastination” in the second tip?

A．hesitation

B．delay

C．importance

D．contradiction

【小題3】According to the passage, you will not reach you goals, if you _______.

A．a(chǎn)re not willing to spend money seeking helping hands.

B．do not take time to make plans for them.

C．do not let life take you where it goes.

D．a(chǎn)re not afraid of succeeding.

【小題4】What can be learned from the sixth tip?

A．He who has hope has everything.

B．Two heads are better than one.

C．Practice makes perfect.

D．Keeping up contributes to success.

Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them. Take my family’s last vacation for example. It was my six-year-old son’s winter break from school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day. I had a meeting in New York, So I had to get back. But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. So I took off for home.
The next day my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouraged一okay, ordered一them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up.
I've made living looking for the best deals and exposing the worst tricks. I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a lot of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in. I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money’s worth. I’m also tightfisted(小氣的) when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts.
【小題1】Why did Delta give the author's family credits?

A．They took a later flight.

B．They had early bookings.

C．Their flight had been delayed.

D．Their flight had been cancelled.

【小題2】What can we learn about the author?

A．She seldom makes a compromise.

B．She is very strict with her children.

C．She rarely misses a good deal.

D．She is interested in cheap products.

【小題3】What does the author do?

A．She's a teacher.

B．She's a housewife.

C．She's a businesswoman.

D．She's a media person.

【小題4】What does the author want to tell us?

A．How to spend money wisely.

B．How to expose bad tricks.

C．How to reserve airline seats.

D．How to make a business deal.

More and more people think it necessary to study in an English-speaking country and it didn’t take long at all for me to decide to come and study in UK.
Having been in the school for 2 months, I’m getting used to school life, and I am starting to make the most of my time in here. School starts at 9 o’clock every morning, and every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we have long days, in which we have 9 lessons and school finishes at 4 o’clock. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday we have short days, in which we have only 6 lessons and finish at 1 o’clock. After lessons, we have 2 hours of activity time, when you can choose from a wide range of activities, including all the major sports, such as rugby and football, and also the minor sports such as basketball and tennis.
As a boarder（寄宿者）, the quality of food is something I consider very important, and Merchiston has not let me down. The school kitchens are run by a professional(專業(yè)的） catering（飲食） company, and the quality of food is excellent, and also they take issue(問(wèn)題) of a healthy diet really seriously: I remember once I was asked to take more salad for my meal by a member of the kitchen staff(工作人員) for I didn’t have enough vegetables. This brings another point of being a boarder: you need to learn how to look after yourself and be responsible(負(fù)責(zé)) for yourself. One of the huge advantages of being a boarder is that we can have breakfast in the school, which means we don’t have to pull ourselves out of bed as early as the day pupils!
【小題1】The passage mainly tells us about________.

A．the author’s school life in the UK as a boarder

B．the author’s opinion of the school life in the UK

C．the differences in school life between China and the UK

D．the boarder life in a British middle school

【小題2】According to the second paragraph, we can learn that the author ______.

A．has not enough time to study

B．likes to play tennis and basketball

C．went to the school two months ago

D．finishes school at 4 o’clock

【小題3】How many lessons do the students have every week in this school?

A．15

B．45

C．27

D．18

【小題4】The underlined words “ let me down” in the last paragraph means _______.

A．made me disappointed	B．made me pleased
C．encouraged me	D．a(chǎn)mazed me

【小題5】As a boarder in the school, the author ______.

A．is not used to the food there

B．has learned to have healthy diets

C．is specially taken good care of

D．sleeps as much as day pupils

Minimalism (簡(jiǎn)約主義) is a term that describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is reduced to its most basic features.
As for me, minimalism functions well not in art or design, but in my daily life.
When I was packing for university, I found it extremely difficult to let go of some of the things I owned. I knew I couldn’t take everything with me, but I kept asking myself “how could I possibly throw this away?”, “what if I need it one day?”, and “what about all of the memories?” Now that I’ve moved, and left that stuff behind, I don’t even miss it. Whether or not I got rid of it, it barely makes a bit of difference to me now.
I’ve learned that over time people forget, or their need for a particular object eventually disappears. Either they store it away or they get rid of it.
You might think nostalgically（懷舊的） about the toys you cared about when you were a child, but what is making you smile now is not the thing itself but the memory of it. 1’ve heard it a hundred times, “you don’t need things to make you happy.” It takes something life-changing like moving across the country to realize how true this is.
Speaking of which, for a lot of people, minimalism is about able to move. It’s about being able to go almost anywhere at any time because you don’t have many possessions to carry. When you keep things you don’t need they become a burden that ties you to a place. Moving to university was a good time to let go of a lot of stuff. And when I visit for the holidays, I’ll probably get rid of even more, to lighten the burden.
Of course there are exceptions. There are some things that are irreplaceable, very rare or expensive or we simply love and cherish for some reason or another, since we are humans. But after we keep those, how much is left that we don’t really need?
Hence, minimalism. And why does minimalism bring happiness? That was a bit of a roundabout way of saying that, it’s because what really makes me happy is freedom. And the key to freedom is minimalism because minimalism reduces our attachment to things.
Attachment to too many objects creates a great mess and can severely hold back our freedom to do whatever we want, while minimalism helps us start new projects, move, travel, learn new things, work, expand, be debt-free, be healthy – really living life to our full potential.
I left the nest to fly onwards and upwards, I can’t do it with old things weighing me down. And that is why I have adopted minimalism with open arms.
【小題1】In paragraph l, the writer gives the definition of minimalism to     .

A．introduce a topic	B．present his own idea
C．describe a scene	D．offer an argument

【小題2】Many people don’t want to let go of some of their belongings because       .

A．they haven’t had any life-changing experiences

B．they fear their memories will be gone with the thrown-away stuff

C．they hope to live life to their full potential by storing things away

D．they may have to change their lifestyle because of the loss of them

【小題3】Which of the following is NOT the reason why the writer favors “minimalism” in life?                          

A．It takes the burden off her while she is moving.

B．It reduces her attachment to her personal things.

C．It enables her to gain the freedom that she desires.

D．It helps her to realize how true life is.

【小題4】By saying “there are exceptions”, the writer means      

A．little is left if we keep what we cherish most in our life

B．minimalism should be practised accordingly in different situations

C．minimalism is a method difficult to employ in reality

D．life is full of exceptions so it’s difficult to preserve what we value

【小題5】What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Minimalism brings happiness.

B．Minimalism is applied in many fields.

C．Minimalism makes people think nostalgically.

D．Minimalism is about able to move.

We all know what it is like to be unable to turn your head because of a cold in the muscles of your neck, or because an unexpected twist has made your neck ache. The slightest move makes you jump with pain. Nothing could be worse than a pain in the neck.
That is why we use the phrase to describe some people who give you the same feeling. We have all met such people.
One is the man who always seems to be clapping his hands—often at the wrong time—during a performance in the theater. He keeps you from hearing the actors.
Even worse are those who can never arrive before the curtain goes up and the play begins. They come hurrying down to your row of seats. You are comfortably settled down, with your hat and heavy coat in your lap. You must stand up to let them pass. You are proud of yourself-control after they have settled into their seats…Well, what now…God, one of them is up again. He forgot to go to the men’s room, and once more you have to stand up, hanging on to your hat and coat to let him pass. Now, that is “a pain in the neck”.
Another, well—known to us all, is the person sitting behind you in the movies. His mouth is full of popcorn ; he is chewing loudly, or talking between bites to friends next to him. None of them remain still. Up and down, back and forth, they go—for another bag of popcorn, or something to drink.
Then, there is the man sitting next to you at lunch, smoking. He wants you to enjoy it too, and blows smoke across your food into your mouth.
We must not forget the man who comes into a bus or subway and sits down next to you, just as close as you will let him. You are reading the newspaper and he gets closer so that he can read the paper with you. He may even turn the paper to the next page before you are ready for it.
We also call such a person a “rubber neck”, always getting close to where it does not belong, like neighbors who watch all your visitors. They enjoy learning about your personal business. People have a strong dislike for “rubber necks”. They hate being watched secretly.
【小題1】Where can you find this passage?

A．In a medicine dictionary.	B． in a kids’ story book.
C．In a social science book.	D．In a science textbook.

【小題2】According to the passage, how do you feel when late comers walk back and forth in front of you in a cinema?

A．disturbed.

B．bored.

C．ignored.

D．relaxed.

【小題3】A “rubber neck” often __________________ .

A．says bad words behind people.

B．quarrels face to face with neighbors.

C．bargains with salespeople over the price

D．a(chǎn)sks about other people’s business

【小題4】Which of the following persons CANNOT be described as a “pain in the neck”?

A．Someone who often claps at the wrong time during a performance.

B．Someone who feels ache in his neck due to a cold in the muscles.

C．Someone who sits next to you smoking, which you never enjoy.

D．Someone who keeps eating or talking all through the movies.

【小題5】What is the main purpose of the author?

A．To tell people what might be bad manners in public.

B．To criticize (批評(píng)) the people who might be a “pain in the neck”

C．To show anger to those who are described as a “pain in the neck”.

D．To tell people how to stop the pain in the neck.

Debate: Can stricter gun control laws decrease the rate of crimes involving guns?
Yes, because with fewer weapons, you get fewer crimes.
Take a look at the crime rates of countries like the United Kingdom. Their crime rate is very low, compared to ours here in the United States. Just by simply putting stricter laws in place on who can own them, it will greatly reduce the crimes involving guns.
Posted by: 5h4yGlory
Past Practice
There was an assault weapon(攻擊性武器) ban back in 1994 under Bill Clinton. Shootings and crime did not go down for the 10 years when this law was in effect. Criminals do not follow rules. The law only affects those who try to obey the law to arm them to protect themselves.
Posted by: jb1988
Wake up, you Americans!
It's hardly surprising that America has one of the highest gun related murder rates of all countries! And of course guns don't kill people, but the more people own guns, the easier it is to get access to one, the higher the chance of people using it to kill somebody is!
In Germany, we have really strict gun laws and only a few people own guns, and obviously we don't need them. There's no reason that a normal citizen would need a gun! Guns are made for one reason only: killing.
Posted by: cstephie13
More gun control laws, fewer shootings
On the same day as the Sandy Hook tragedy, a man in China entered a primary school with a knife and injured 22 students on December, 14. However, nobody was killed. Compare that to the 26 students and teachers killed at Sandy Hook in Connecticut with a powerful gun. We must learn something from this tragedy.
Posted by: Jasonx986
Gun violence goes up with more gun control
Criminals will take advantage of the situation. They will do whatever they want and take whatever they want and kill whoever gets in their way. They will get guns illegally. Crime rates go up as a result of more gun control, because criminals know you don't have one, and they will kill you as they like. There is no point in banning guns!
Posted by: eebnflow
【小題1】According to the first post, in the United Kingdom ___________.

A．the crime rate is higher than America's

B．the crime rate is rising sharply

C．there is no gun control laws

D．buying guns is very hard

【小題2】We can infer that jb1988___________.

A．is against gun control laws

B．was working under Bill Clinton

C．is in favor of gun control laws

D．has a gun

【小題3】Which of the following does cstephie13 probably agree with_________?

A．The more people own guns, the more people will be killed by them.

B．The USA has one of the highest murder rates in the world.

C．People need guns to protect themselves in time of danger.

D．Guns are made to protect rather than kill.

【小題4】What do we know about the Sandy Hook tragedy___________?

A．22 students and teachers were killed by a powerful gun.

B．22 students were injured without any deaths.

C．The tragedy took place on December 14 in Connecticut.

D．26 primary students were killed by a knife.

【小題5】Which of the following thinks that guns should not be controlled___________?

A．Jasonx986

B．eebnflow

C．5h4yGlory

D．cstephie13

When buying from a dealer, the law says that a car must be:
As described:
This includes the history of the car as well as its specification. For example, if the dealer described the car as previously having “one careful lady owner”, it shouldn’t turn out to have had several previous “boy racer” owners.
Of satisfactory quality:
It must meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as acceptable and be free from any quality problem. Also, bear in mind that a second-hand car will have a slightly different definition of what is considered “satisfactory, because there’s certainly an element of wear and tear.
Fit for the purpose:
It must be reasonable fit for any normal purpose and this includes any purpose that you specify to the seller.
●If any of the above is violated, then in theory, you may have the right to reject the vehicle and get your money back if you’re reasonably quick. Alternatively, the dealer might offer to replace or repair the car; reduce the price of offering a partial refund(退款). Once you’ve informed the dealer that you wish to reject the car, you must stop using the vehicle.
●If the rejection is not accepted, then it’s up to you to prove your case. You’ll need to pay for an independent assessment of the car and sue for damages. If you do choose a repair, insist the dealer provide you with a hire car or pay any reasonable traveling expenses thus produced while your new car is in the garage.
●If the car is new, it’s likely that the claim will be too high to be fought. Using the small claims procedure to you may have to pay for legal representation. All this can be pretty daunting and expensive. You need to weigh up the pros and cons before rejecting a car. Would a repair do just as well? Selecting a dealer who offers a clear exchange policy may help.
【小題1】After the above writing, you will be better at           .

A．choosing a car	B．dealing with car sellers
C．making a claim	D．suing for damages

【小題2】According to the text, what is essential after you inform the dealer of your wish to reject the car________?

A．Suing for damages.	B．Demanding traveling expenses.
C．Stopping using it.	D．Proving your case.

【小題3】If the dealer offers to repair the car you have bought, which of the following is acceptable_______?

A．Asking the dealer to provide you with a hire car.

B．Asking the dealer to provide you with repair tool sets.

C．Asking the dealer to pay all of your traveling expenses.

D．Asking the dealer to return all your money.

【小題4】Which of the following words has the closest meaning to the underlined word “daunting” in the last paragraph________?

A．Different.

B．Effective.

C．Discouraging.

D．Convenient.

【小題5】What does the writer want to say in the last paragraph_________?

A．Buyers should select a dealer that offers to repair the car.

B．Rejecting a new car is not necessarily the best choice.

C．It’s necessary that a new car should be repaired.

D．Buyers should never reject a new car.