It’s really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty. They have tried a range of tricks in recent years.
But there should be a moral bottom line. Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo – Micro blog. And Hyundai Motor followed suit.
On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun. The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby’s father called the local police and radio station for help. The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief. The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences.
The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. “A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it’s entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology,” said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is “marketing at the cost of lives” and “extremely despicable.”
Worse was the post on Hyundai’s official Weibo account that advertised the anti – theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers.
Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists.
The two brands probably didn’t expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line. They certainly ruined their own brand images.
The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language – a little leak will sink a great ship. It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely.
For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks.
Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart. Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man.
【小題1】Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage?

A．The baby’s father

B．Buick and Hyundai dealership

C．Weibo

D．Not clear

【小題2】Which of the following statements is correct?

A．The missing infant was found alive in the stolen car.

B．Micro blog marketing of tragic infant death fuels firestorm of criticism.

C．People can’t see the two posts any more because they were deleted.

D．The two car brands mentioned in the passage spoiled their own reputation by selling the stolen car.

【小題3】What does the underlined word – “despicable” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Immoral

B．Important

C．Distinguished

D．Considerable

【小題4】The reason why Hyundai’s post was worse than Buick’s is that _________.

A．Hyundai dealership didn’t make an apology on Weibo

B．Buick dealership expressed its deeply sympathy and condolences

C．Hyundai’s post was made after people knew the infant had died

D．Buick’s car was more advanced on its GPS system

【小題5】In the last paragraph, the author encourages people _____________.

A．not to sink below the moral bottom line

B．not to sympathize our fellow man

C．to think twice before making decision

D．to magnify the mistakes people make

Tattoos and body piercings(穿孔) have moved up on the trend list in recent years.Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and “flesh ink”(紋身)．As with all other subjects, the Chinese will surely have to deal with this situation with respect to their children.To get a better view of what has happened in the West, let's sit down and hear what they say.
Tiara from Indiana：
I personally think body piercing is sickening.If there were supposed to be holes in your body, you would have been born with them.I do, however, think that ear piercing is not wrong.There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing.Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous.I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button.
Lee from Illinois：
Hi! I live in Illinois.I am 23.I have 12 tattoos and three piercings.I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector.You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs up on my art work.People on the street stop me to look at the tattoo on my leg.Most of them don't know what it is.They just think the work itself is great.
Subotai from California：
I'm not forbidden of self­expression, but when I see high school students getting these piercings, I really wonder.In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion.A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin.It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow's.
Jackson from Ohio：
I don't think it is wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything—I think that's ridiculous.People who get the big “dragons that cover the whole body—I don't think that's necessary.” When I see naked chicks on guys, I think, “You have no respect for women.”
【小題1】Who doesn't think tattoos and piercings except ear piercing are beautiful?

A．Jackson.

B．Lee.

C．Tiara.

D．Subotai.

【小題2】We can conclude that ________.

A．tattoos and piercings are a new kind of elegant art

B．a(chǎn)ll the teachers in the West are in favour of tattoos and piercings

C．everything is changeable as time goes on

D．it is necessary to live with different views of beauty

【小題3】The best title for this passage is probably ________.

A．Body Art or Causing Damage

B．Doing Damage to the Young People's Bodies

C．Young People's Different Curiosities

D．The Latest Fashion

“When your mother scolds you, you can look elsewhere and think about other things. Just ignore her words. But remember: such a tough attitude cannot be used often.”
These words are from a series of cartoons which outline skills for children to fight against their mothers. The images have created heated debate among Chinese netizens.
Regarded as “a book for children aged 6 to 12 who are always scolded by their parents”， the cartoons, drawn by two 10­year­old Beijing girls, list over 20 skills which children can use to deal with their mothers' anger such as crying, pretending to be ashamed, fleeing into the toilet and pleasing her afterwards.
Each skill is described with vivid pictures and humorous notes. The creativity of the young girls has amazed netizens, the Yangtse Evening Post reported on Thursday.
According to one of the girls' mothers, her daughter once received a poor mark in an exam, and the mother blamed her and compared her performance with another classmate. The daughter's feelings led to her creating the cartoons.
The girl's father, who first posted the pictures on his Sohu Microblog on Monday, said he hopes parents pay close attention to the pictures, allow children to feel free to develop their own characteristics and try not to criticize them so often.
The father said the cartoons aren't finished yet; his daughter will continue with them when she has time.
“The cartoons, although an individual case, reflect a modern phenomenon and some of the problems within Chinese family education，” said Yu Qinfang, an expert on family education.
According to a survey of 104 children and their parents, Yu discovered that as many as 51.9 percent of primary school students hate being urged to do things by their mothers.
“Not giving children enough time and hurrying them to do things seems to be a very tiny detail within family life, but it is potentially a huge problem which can easily be ignored by parents. A mother's blame may lead to negative feelings within her child's heart，” Yu said. “Parents should learn to blame less and be more patient.”
【小題1】What amazed Chinese netizens according to the text?

A．The girls' poor marks.

B．The girls' skills against their mothers.

C．The girls' creativity.

D．The girls' tough attitude to their mothers.

【小題2】What do we know about the book?

A．It tells us how to control mothers' feelings.

B．It includes a number of vivid pictures and humorous notes.

C．It is intended for primary school teachers.

D．It is finished by children aged 6 to 12.

【小題3】By posting the cartoons on his microblog, the father wanted to ________.

A．show off his daughter's cleverness

B．blame his daughter for drawing these cartoons

C．encourage his daughter to make greater progress

D．get other parents to draw a lesson from the cartoons

【小題4】According to a survey, Yu Qinfang found that primary school pupils ________.

A．dislike being forced to do things

B．like drawing cartoons in class

C．seldom do well in exams

D．enjoy being compared with others

【小題5】We can conclude from the text that ________.

A．parents often ignore their children's hobbies

B．parents often speak highly of their children

C．how to develop children's gifts puzzles parents

D．how to blame children needs parents' wisdom

In the last couple of years, there has been a craze about time­traveling TV series in China.This year, it seems like the South Korean drama writers have fallen in a deep, neverending love with the time­travel trend.
Rooftop Prince
A prince from the Joseon era (18th century), Lee Gak is catapulted 300 years forward into the future in Seoul 2012 with his entourage(隨從) when he tries to investigate the suspicious circumstances which surround the death of the woman he loves.In the present, he finds a young woman who looks exactly like his beloved crown princess.
Queen In­hyun's Man
The drama, set during the Joseon era, features the hero Kim Boong­do as he tries to restore the exiled Queen In­hyun.It is in this time period he is given the time­traveling power that transports him to the future world where he makes friends with an actress playing the role of Queen In­hyun for a drama in her time.
Dr Jin
Jin Hyuk is a genius neurosurgeon.Through a mysterious power, Jin finds himself transported back in time 150 years.He begins treating people there, but the lack of equipment and medical knowledge of the period forces him to seek new ways to aid the sick.Through this challenging process, Jin eventually becomes a genuine doctor.
Operation Proposal
Kang Baek­ho realizes that he falls in love with his best friend, Ham Yi­seul, on the day of her wedding to another man.He travels back in time to various events of their lives hoping to change the outcome of their relationship.Will Kang be able to change the course of their future?
【小題1】Which of the following words can replace “catapulted” in Paragraph 2?

A．Captured.	B．Transported.
C．Traveled.	D．Deserted.

【小題2】What do the three TV series have in common?

A．They are all about love.

B．They all describe what happened in ancient times.

C．They are all based on true stories.

D．They all feature time­travel.

【小題3】If you are interested in prince and princess story, which will you turn into?

A．Rooftop Prince.	B．Queen In­hyun's Man.
C．Dr Jin.	D．Operation Proposal.

China is a land of bicycles.At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country.Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle.Millions of them, all black.Cars were rare.Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year.I've found the opposite is true.There are millions of cars.However, people still use their bicycles to get around.For many, it's the easiest and cheapest way to travel today.Bicycles also come in different colors—silver, green, red, blue, yellow, whatever you want.
It's fun watching people biking.They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic, and ride even on sidewalks(人行道)．Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can't provide.
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle.Great weather accompanied my great buy.I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.
My first ride home was orderly(守秩序的)．To be safe, I stayed with a “pack” of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times.I didn't want to get hit.So I took the ride carefully.
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem.It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States.The streets here were wide, so crossing took time, skill and a little bit of luck.
I finally made it home.The feeling on the bicycle was amazing.The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful.I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people.Biking made me feel alive.
【小題1】According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?

A．Because they are traditional and safe.

B．Because they are convenient and inexpensive.

C．Because they are colorful and available.

D．Because they are fast and environment­friendly.

【小題2】The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended ________.

A．to ride it for fun

B．to use it for transport

C．to experience local culture

D．to improve his riding skills

【小題3】How did the author feel about his street crossing?

A．It was boring.	B．It was difficult.
C．It was lively.	D．It was wonderful.

【小題4】Which of the following best describes the author's biking experience?

A．The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills.

B．The author was annoyed by the air while riding.

C．The author was praised by the other bikers.

D．The author took great pleasure in biking.

More than half a century ago, there were 4, 000 drive­in movie theaters in the United States, and watching a movie from your car was a popular way to spend an evening. But with the number of drive­ins reduced to just a few hundred, outdoor movie has been popping up across the nation. Going to an open­air theater has become a modern summer pastime for an increasing number of movie fans.
In recent years, outdoor movie screenings have come up in parks, vacant lots and shopping malls around the nation. On average, about 1,000 people attend each movie night. It attracts a lot of young professionals, young workers and residents nearby. For some, the outdoor movies bring back the memories of the drive­in theaters of their youths. But for the majorities, they think it is comparable to the atmosphere of drive­ins, as they can bring friends, food, good wine, and watch the movie together.
The returning of Americans' love affair with outdoor movies makes Stephen Bastas ever busier. His seven­member crew sets up screens in various locations mostly in the Washington area every day throughout the summer. They are doing pretty well and they hope to continue the trend. And it looks like they are going to. That's because many fans say there is nothing like watching a movie on a breezy summer evening under the stars.
【小題1】In the first paragraph, the author tries to tell us ________.

A．outdoor movies attracts more movie­lovers

B．summer brings back more drive­in movie fans

C．drive­in movie theaters have already disappeared

D．watching a movie from your car is becoming more popular

【小題2】Most people choose to go to an outdoor movie mainly because they can ________.

A．have snacks before the movie

B．cheer up with young friends

C．bring back good old days

D．enjoy the casual atmosphere

【小題3】From the text, we can learn that Stephen Bastas is most probably ________.

A．a(chǎn) movie maker

B．a(chǎn)n outdoor movie fan

C．a(chǎn) movie director

D．a(chǎn)n open­air theater operator

【小題4】How does stephen Bastas feel about the future of outdoor  movies？________.

A．Optimistic	B．Amazed
C．Worried	D．Disappointed

Living in a modern society has its advantages and disadvantages. One disadvantage is that you often have to live closer to other people than you would like to. Sometimes, your neighbors make noise that you are not comfortable with.
The best way to solve this problem is to talk with your neighbor first. You should be very polite and ask your neighbor if he knows how thin the walls of your homes are. This way doesn’t criticize(批評(píng))his behavior; it simply points out that he may not realize how far his sound travels. Tell him that you know that sometimes you make noise as well, but that you do your best to keep it down. Often this will solve the problem right away, but sometimes the neighbor may become angry.
If your neighbor becomes angry with you, there are some more steps you can take. You might write a letter to the neighborhood committee. Make sure you write down the source of the noise and the time in the letter. They will review the situation and decide whether your neighbor is out of line. Some noise is considered to be reasonable, even if it bothers you. So you may prepare a good pair of earplugs(耳塞).
Even if your neighbor makes too much noise, you don’t have to live your life in discomfort. It’s always a good idea to be friendly with your neighbors. You may clean the rubbish in front of his door. He’s sure to appreciate behavior like this and be more open to your suggestions about noise level.
【小題1】 What is the first step to deal with the noisy neighbor?

A．To buy a good pair of earplugs.

B．To offer suggestions to the neighbor.

C．To ask the neighborhood committee for help.

D．To tell the neighbor how bad his behavior is.

【小題2】The underlined word “reasonable” in the third paragraph probably means“　　　”.

A．terrible

B．loud

C．proper

D．unpleasant

【小題3】 What should be written in the letter to the neighborhood committee?

A．How to punish your noisy neighbor.

B．Where and when the noise appears.

C．How to make the noise less in the neighborhood.

D．What problems the noise causes to your life.

【小題4】What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．You should control your noise as well.

B．You can live comfortably even if there is noise.

C．Your neighbor may be friendlier than you think.

D．You should build good relationship with your neighbor.

【小題5】 The author wrote this passage to tell us　　　.

A．why we should get on well with neighbors

B．how to relax ourselves in a modern society

C．what we should do with our noisy neighbor

D．how to become known among neighbors

Many people think that the most popular way of communicating with other people is through the mouth. But what they don’t know is that actual communication using the mouth accounts for(占……比例)only around 10%(or even less)of all the means to communicate a message.

Moreover, you can never determine the truthfulness or honesty of people by what they say alone. In fact, words expressed through the mouth often do not reflect what people really think or feel. The more reliable way you can determine their true inner feelings and thoughts is by reading their body language. Everybody communicates using these gestures and if you understand the gestures and their meanings you will be able to read people and know what they are really communicating to you. One researcher even went as far as to say that we speak to hide what’s on our minds. But gestures cannot lie.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you can “see through” the emotions of other people? Let’s say you ask a person whether he can do an important task. He says “OK”. But deep inside, you are questioning yourself, “Is he really willing to do this job? ” or “Does he have the confidence in finishing this task? ”You can’t question him directly because that would be like belittling him. And even if you ask him those questions, his replies will not tell you what he really feels or thinks. So the most useful way is to observe his body language. Expressions like smiling, frowning(皺眉), pouting(撅嘴), facial reddening, sweating, toe curling and sideways glances are visible hints that can help you make a right judgment.
【小題1】 According to the passage, we know　　　.

A．words through the mouth are the most common way in communication

B．body language is the quickest way to help people understand each other

C．expressions are the most powerful tool to judge whether a man is confident or not

D．you may know what a person really thinks with the help of reading his body language

【小題2】What does the underlined sentence mean in the second paragraph?

A．We can express ourselves well by body language.

B．We use words to prevent others knowing our true thoughts.

C．Spoken words can fully reflect our true self.

D．We use body language to help express ourselves.

【小題3】The underlined word in the third paragraph can be replaced with　　　.

A．looking down upon	B．speaking highly of
C．laughing at	D．believing in

In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience (經(jīng)歷) several seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like in spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rains hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.
In England, people can also have summer in winter, or have winter in summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.
umbrella (傘)or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.If you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret (后悔) later in the day.
【小題1】Why do people in England often talk about the weather?

A．Because they may have several seasons in one day

B．Because they often have very good weather

C．Because the weather is warm just like in spring

D．Because the sky is sunny all day

【小題2】From the story we know that when _________come, there is a heavy rain.

A．sunshine and snow	B．black clouds
C．summer and winter	D．spring and autumn

【小題3】In the sunny morning some English people usually take a raincoat or an umbrella with them because ________.

A．their friends ask them to do so	B．it often rains in England
C．they are going to sell them	D．they are their favourite things

【小題4】The best title (標(biāo)題)for this passage is ________.

A．Bad Seasons	B．Summer or Winter
C．The Weather in England	D．Strange English People

How far would you be willing to go to satisfy your need to know? Far enough to find out your possibility of dying from a terrible disease? These days that’s more than an academic question，as Tracy Smith reports in our Cover Story.
There are now more than a thousand genetic(基因的)tests，for everything from baldness to breast cancer，and the list is growing．Question is do you really want to know what might eventually kill you? For instance，Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson，one of the first people to map their entire genetic makeup, is said to have asked not to be told if he were at a higher risk for  Alzheimer’(老年癡呆癥)．
“If I tell you that you have an increased risk of getting a terrible disease，that could weigh on your mind and make you anxious，through which you see the rest of your 1ife as you wait for that disease to hit you．It could really mess you up．”Said Dr．Robert Green，a Harvard geneticist.
“Every ache and pain，”Smith suggested，could be understood as“the beginning of the e nd．”“That’s right．If you ever worried you were at risk for Alzheimer's disease，then every time you can’t find your car in the parking lot，you think the disease has started．”
Dr．Green has been thinking about this issue for years．He led a study of people who wanted to know if they were at a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s．It was thought that people who got bad news would，for lack of a better medical term，freak out．But Green and his team found that there was “no significant difference”between how people handled good news and possibly the worst news of their lives．In fact，most people think they can handle it．People who ask for the information usually can handle the information，good or bad，said Green．
【小題1】The first paragraph is meant to ．

A．a(chǎn)sk some questions	B．introduce the topic
C．satisfy readers，curiosity	D．describe an academic fact

【小題2】Which of the following is true of James Watson?

A．He is strongly in favor of the present genetic tests.

B．He is more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease．

C．He believes genetic mapping can help cure any disease.

D．He doesn’t want to know his chance of getting a disease．

【小題3】According to Paragraphs 3 and 4，if a person is at a higher genetic risk，it is .

A．a(chǎn)dvisable not to let him know

B．impossible to hide his disease

C．better to inform him immediately

D．necessary to remove his anxiety

【小題4】The underlined part“freak out”in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to .

A．break down

B．drop out

C．leave off

D．turn away

【小題5】The study led by Dr．Green indicates that people .

A．prefer to hear good news	B．tend to find out the truth
C．can accept some bad news	D．have the right to be informed