There is no doubt that Apple is well aware of the increased competition in the market and could be in a hurry to put another device out there, said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst at IDC Mobile Devices Technology and Trends. Given its history with product launches and business policy, though, Apple probably isn’t going to rush an iPhone release simply to put it on shelves, he said.
“If you’re Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), you’re thinking if you want to pay more attention to how to keep growing that bottom line and keep investors happy, or continue with the same approach from Apple, which is do what we can do and manage products and releases in the best way they can work for us. Apple usually does things in their own time ，and I’m having a hard time buying this May or June timeline.” Llamas told Mac News World.
While it，s probable that Apple is definitely in a testing stage for its next smartphone , consumers likely have a standard wait for the finished product, said Colin Gibbs, analyst at GigaOm Pro.
“It typically takes a year or longer to create a state-of-the-art smartphone, so no one should be surprised Apple is in the testing stages with the next iPhone. And while it’s possible that Apple could launch the next iPhone this spring or summer, I’m not expecting to see it until a little later in the year,” he told Mac News World.
When it does launch, though, it could be in a variety of colors, said Gibbs. “Apple has already tested the waters with releasing colored devices when it revamped(更新，翻新）its iPod line last fall, so it’s not too much of a stretch to believe it would want the new twist with its smartphone, as well”.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the new iPhone becomes available in some new colors，’’ he said. “That could be done pretty cheaply ，and it would give Apple a new marketing angle.”
【小題1】According to Ramon Llamas, Apple always______.

A．tries to pleases its investors

B．does things as planned

C．ignores the fierce market competition

D．rushes to put new products to market

【小題2】As for the next iPhone, Colin Gibbs didn’t mention______ 

A．the stage of its being tested

B．the rough time of its being released

C．the wide variety of its color

D．the function to be improved

【小題3】What’s Colin Gibbs ，attitude towards the next iPhone?

A．Disapproving.	B．Casual
C．Objective.	D．Doubtful.

【小題4】This passage is presented in the form of______.

A．stories

B．comments

C．a(chǎn)dvertisements

D．debates

Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge(大雜燴) of environmental claims made by household products, according to a “green labeling” study published by Consumers International Friday.
Among the report’s more unacceptalbe findings – a German fertilizer described itself as “earthworm friendly”; a brand of flour said it was “non-polluting” and a British toilet paper claimed to be “environmentally friendlier”.
The study was written and researched by Britain’s National Consumer Council (NCC) for lobby group Consumers International. It was funded by the German and Dutch governments and the European Commission.
“While many good and useful claims are being made, it is clear that there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impacts they buy,” said Consumers International director, Anna Fielder.
The 10-country study surveyed product packaging in Britain, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United States. It found that products sold in Germany and the United Kingdom made the most environmental claims on average.
The report focused on claims made by specific products, such as detergent (洗滌劑), insect sprays and some garden products. It did not test claims, but compared them to labeling guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in September, 1999. Researchers documented claims of environmental friendliness made by about 2,000 products and found many too vague or too misleading to meet ISO standards.
“Many products had specially designed labels to make them seem environmentally friendly, but in fact many of these symbols mean nothing,” said report researcher Philip Page.
“Laundry detergents made the most number of claims with 158. Household cleaners were second with 145 separate claims, while paints were third on our list with 73. The high numbers show how confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading,” he said.
The ISO labeling standards ban vague or misleading claims on product packaging, because terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “non-polluting” cannot be verified. “What we are now pushing for is to have multinational corporations meet the standards set by the ISO,” said Page.
【小題1】According to the passage, the NCC found it unacceptable that _______.

A．a(chǎn)ll the products surveyed claim to meet ISO standards

B．the claims made by products are often unclear and deceiving

C．consumers would believe many of the manufacturers’ claims

D．few products actually prove to be environment friendly

【小題2】As indicated in this passage, with so many good claims, the consumers _______.

A．a(chǎn)re becoming more cautious about the products they are going to buy

B．a(chǎn)re still not willing to pay more for products with green labeling

C．a(chǎn)re becoming more aware of the effects different products have on the environment

D．still do not know the exact impact of different products on the environment

【小題3】It can be inferred from the passage that the lobby group Consumer International wants to _______.

A．make product labeling satisfy ISO requirements

B．see all household products meet environmental standards

C．warn consumers of the danger of so-called green products

D．verify the effects of non-polluting products

Xu Hui is very excited. The Senior 1 student in a middle school in Beijing will go to South Korea with his parents during the Spring Festival.
“Overseas touring has always been a dream for me,” he said happily.
Nowadays, Chinese people enjoy longer holidays, such as the three “Golden Week Holidays”(the Spring Festival, May Day and National Day). They have more time to travel. Rising incomes also make travelling abroad realistic for ordinary Chinese people.
Nearly 7 million Chinese travelled overseas in 2001, according to the National Tourism Administration(國家旅游局). The most common problem travellers face is how to choose the best routes.
By the end of 2002, Chinese citizens were allowed to travel to 19 foreign countries and regions at their own expense.
The top 10 places included Hong Kong, Macao and Thailand. European countries are also becoming increasingly popular.
“More and more Chinese people have shown interest in travelling to Europe, particularly France and Finland,” said Tan Wen, a general manager of China Youth Travel Service. “Sooner or later, there will be a peak(高峰) in European tours.”
Another consideration is choosing the right travel agencies and finding the best price. The China Consumers’ Association(CCA, 中國消費者協(xié)會) offered tips to consumers on choosing the right travel agencies to help prevent a relaxing vacation from turning into a costly disaster.
“Price should not be the single most important factor in choosing a travel agency,” said Zhang Yuanchao, CCA vice-secretary general. Consumers are advised to choose large State travel agencies with good reputations(名聲) and official approval to organize overseas tour groups.
Zhang’s association dealt with more than 5, 000 complaints about travel agencies last year. And the majority of the complaints were about random changes in travel routes, bad tour guides, and forced shopping.
Travellers were warned to look carefully at their contracts(合同) with agencies and to buy travel insurance(保險).
【小題1】How many reasons are given in the article as to why ordinary Chinese people are traveling abroad more today?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

【小題2】According to the passage, what is the biggest problem Chinese travelers face when going overseas?

A．Choosing the best travel agent.

B．Deciding the best way to get to the places they want to go to.

C．Traveling to Europe.

D．Cost.

【小題3】According to the passage, what seems to be the most common result of choosing a bad travel agency?

A．People buy more souvenirs than they had planned to.

B．People spend more money than they had planned to.

C．People go to different places than they had planned to.

D．People complained more than they had planned to.

【小題4】The underlined part “random changes” probably means that _______.

A．the travelers agreed with the changes.

B．the travel agency didn’t make any changes.

C．the travel agency refused to changes the routes.

D．the travel agency changed the routes or time without following the original plan.

WASHINGTON—Laura Straub is a very worried woman. Her job is to find families for French teenagers who expect to live with American families in the summer.
It’s not easy, even desperate.
“We have many children left to place: 40 out of 75,” said Straub, who works for a Paris-based foreign exchange programme called LEC. When exchange programmes started 50 years ago, family life was more accommodating. For one thing, more mothers stayed home.
But now, increasing numbers of women work outside the home. Exchange-student programmes have struggled in recent years to sign up host families for the 30,000 teenagers who annually come from abroad to spend their academic year in the United States, as well as the thousands more who participate in summer programmes.
School systems in many parts of the US, unhappy about accepting non-taxpaying students, have also strictly limited the number of exchange students they accept. At the same time, the idea of hosting foreign students is becoming less exotic.
In searching for host families, who usually receive no pay, exchange programmes are increasingly broadening their appeals to include everyone who has the ability to do it.
“We are open to many different types of families,” said Vickie Weiner, eastern regional director for ASSE, a 25- year-old programme that sends about 30,000 teenagers on academic year exchange programmes worldwide.
“For elderly people, exchange students keep us young; they really do!” said Jean Foster, who is hosting 16-year-old Nina Porst from Denmark.
【小題1】Vickie Weiner is the person who ________.

A．works for a programme called LEC	B．works for a programme called ASSE
C．is 25 years old	D．hosts foreign students

【小題2】 From the passage we can learn that at the beginning of the exchange programmes_______.

A．a(chǎn)ll the families could host foreign students

B．only young couples could host foreign students

C．only those who were retired could host foreign students

D．those who were not too old could host foreign students

【小題3】Which of the following is the best title of this passage?

A．US Struggles to Find Host Families

B．Idea of Hosting Students Is Different

C．Foreign-exchange Program Is Going On

D．Exchange Students Keep Old People Young

George Zinunerman's first court appearance before a Florida judge came on Tuesday inconnection with the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The case has caused a national debate in the United States about race, self-defense laws and gun control. It was the first time the public had gotten to see and hear from George Zimmerman. The judge said he had found probable cause to move ahead with the case and told Zimmerman he would be formally charged　on May 29th.
Zimmerman turned himself into authorities on Wednesday night，just before special prosecutor（公訴人）Angela Corey announced the charge against him. Corey told reporters she would fight for　Trayvon Martin”
"It's the victims and justice that we work tirelessly for,”Corey said
Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense after spotting the teenager in a gated com-munity where Martin's father lives. He told police Martin attacked him during a conflict. The
shooting caused a national cry led by Martin's parents who insisted their son was murdered
They also accused Zimmerman of targeting their son because he was black.
"We just wanted an arrest and we got it.”Trayvon Martin's mother Fulton said.
Many in SanforD.Florida-the city where the shooting took place-welcomed the charge.
"All of us were wanting this to move on and get to this process where it is now into the justice system.”one man said
"It～long overdue（遲到的）and I am glad they decided to do something,”another said.Police did not initially charge Zimmerman with a crime because of a Florida law that says a person has a right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force. Prosecutor Coreysays，"I'm prepared to argue the issue if Zimmerman uses the self-defense law in count.”
Mark O'MarA. Zimmerman's lawyer, would not make his plan publiC. but he said hisclient（委托人）was worried about the trial. "If found guilty of the second-degree murdercharge, Zimmerman could face up to life in prison,”O(jiān)'Mara said
【小題1】Why did the case draw so much attention around the US?

A．Because George Zimmerman was very cruel when he killed Trayvon Martin.

B．Because Trayvon Martin's father was a famous lawyer.

C．Because the case was related with race, self-defense laws and gun control.

D．Because George Zimmerman would be sentenced to life in prison.

【小題2】What's Angela Corey's attitude towards this case?

A．She showed sympathy for the black people.

B．She wanted to defend justice for the victims.

C．She hated George Zimmerman very much

D．She was against self-defense.

【小題3】Which of the relationships is NOT true?

A．Zimmerman shot Martin during a conflict.

B．Mark O'Mara was Zimmerman's lawyer.

C．Sybrina Fulton was Martin's mother.

D．Angela Corey was the judge of the case.

【小題4】According to the passage, Zimmerman＿

A．turned himself into authorities before he。，charged

B．was put into prison

C．shot Martin in self-defense when spotting him

D．targeted Trayvon Martin because he was black

Just before midnight, six University of Cincinnati students were watching TV in an on-campus apartment when three men burst through the door. While one of the intruders pointed a gun at the group, the other two scooped up $4,400 worth of laptops, cell phones, video games and cash. Once they had what they wanted, the trio fled into the night.
Furious, the students chased down and tackled one of the burglars -- the one with the gun. In the struggle, it went off, and a bullet grazed a student's leg. His friends piled on the gunman and held him until police showed up.
By the next day, the injured young man was back in his apartment, and the suspect was in jail, charged with burglary, felonious assault and receiving stolen property. But how did the men manage to storm into an on-campus residence that November night in the first place? Simple: Students told police the building's main doors hadn't latched properly for days.
As parents confront ballooning college costs and shrinking acceptance rates, they are finding themselves with an even bigger, more basic problem: Which campuses are safe? Colleges seem like idyllic and secure places, and for the most part, they are. But ivy-covered walls can't keep out every bad element. This country's 6,000 colleges and universities report some 40,000 burglaries, 3,700 forcible sex offenses, 7,000 aggravated assaults and 48 murders a year. Other hazards -- fires, binge-drinking, mental-health problems -- are also on the rise.
Of course, that's not what parents and students see on America's serene campuses. There's a false sense of security, says Harry Nolan, a safety consultant in New York City. "Students see guards patrolling at night or a video camera monitoring the dorm entrance and think, nothing bad can happen to me," he explains. "People don't know that safety controls are often very lax."
【小題1】What did the students do after the burglars fled into the night?

A．They stood there in surprise.

B．They ran after the burglars at once.

C．They waited for the police.

D．They phoned their teacher.

【小題2】What does the underlined word “l(fā)atched” in the third paragraph probably mean?

A．watched

B．fixed

C．locked

D．kept

【小題3】What worries parents most except ballooning college costs and shrinking acceptance rates?

A．Their children’s grades in the universities or colleges.

B．Their children’s safety in the universities or colleges.

C．Their children’s behavior in the universities or colleges.

D．Their children’s relationship with classmates in the universities or colleges.

【小題4】Which is right according to the passage?

A．Their children’s grades in are high.

B．Their children’s safety in the universities or colleges will be mornitored well.

C．The universities or colleges don’t pay much attention to the children.

D．The universities or colleges are not key educational departments in the local area.

BEIJING, March, 17th --The Japanese automaker Toyota will recall some 4,400 units of FJ Cruiser cars in China over seat belt flaws, China's consumer quality watchdog said Saturday.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said on its website that Toyota China will recall these imported cars produced between December 2007 and March 2013.
Toyota is busy working on the solution to the flaw and will release improvement methods before April 15, according to the administration.
This marks Toyota's second recalling this year after the auto giant announced in January that it would recall 22,869 units of Lexus IS cars in China due to wiper arm problem.
China's private auto ownership reached 93.09 million units by the end of 2012, up 18.3 percent compared with the year before. Along with the fast expanding auto market, Chinese drivers grow more concerned about the quality of their cars.
Also on Saturday, the AQSIQ said in a statement on its website that its research has basically confirmed the German automaker Volkswagen's direct shift gearbox (DSG) transmission has defects which may cause engine power failures and urged Volkswagen to recall defective cars after China Central Television (CCTV) exposed Volkswagen's gearbox defect on Friday.
To better protect the interests of Chinese consumers, the AQSIQ announced late last year that it would formulate a guideline to regulate a recall system for faulty cars.
【小題1】What does underlined the word “recall” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．To bring something into one’s mind.

B．To ask people to return a product.

C．To ask someone to go back

D．To remember something from the past.

【小題2】According to the passage, Lexus IS cars were found to have       .

A．wiper arm problem	B．seat belt flaws
C．engine power failure	D．gearbox defect

【小題3】What is the purpose of regulating a recall system for faulty cars?

A．For a better development of national automobile industry of China.

B．To limit the sales of imported cars in China.

C．For a better protection of rights and interests of Chinese consumers.

D．In order to show the authority and power of AQSIQ.

【小題4】What was China’s private auto ownership by the end of 2011?

A．About 110 million units.	B．About 93 million units.
C．About 90 million units.	D．About 79 million units.

【小題5】Which of the following statements is probably NOT true according to the news?

A．Chinese put more and more focus on the quality of their cars.

B．Toyota will release its improvements on faulty cars in less than a month.

C．It was AQSIQ that first exposed Volkswagen’s DSG defects.

D．You may get the information about faulty cars on the website of AQSIQ.

LONDON (Reuters) — Children are dying for lack of drugs tailored to their needs, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which launched a global campaign on Thursday to promote more research into child medicine.
More than half of the drugs currently used to treat children in the industrialized world have not been specifically tested on youngsters.
The problem is even worse in developing countries where price remains a major barrier and 6 million children die each year from treatable conditions.
In the case of HIV/AIDS, the few existing pediatric therapies（兒科的療法）developed for children generally cost three times more than adult ones.
As a result, clinicians lack clear guidelines on the best drug to use and often have to guess at the correct dose.
Fortunately, the WHO has drawn up the first international List of Essential Medicines for Children, containing 206 products considered safe for children.
“But a lot remains to be done. There are priority medicines that have not been adapted for children’s use or are not available when needed,” said Dr Hans, the U.N. agency’s director of medicines policy and standards.
Medicines that need to be adapted to children’s needs include many antibiotics, pain drugs as well as combination pills for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The agency is building an Internet entrance linking to clinical trials carried out in children and will launch a Web site with the information early next year.
Testing medicines on children has always been a controversial issue, since good ethical（倫理的）practice requires informed agreement from people participating in clinical trials, which is difficult to obtain in the case of children.
As a result, research-based drug companies have been wary of developing child-friendly medicines and general companies have been slow to produce them at lower cost.
In an attempt to deal with the issue, both Europe and the United States now have special rules offering extended patent protection for drugs that have been tested on children.
【小題1】Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A．A Global Campaign to Promote Research into AIDS Medicine

B．WHO Says Children are Dying for Lack of Child-sized Drugs

C．Many People are Concerned about Children’s Drugs

D．Measures Taken to Develop Child-friendly Medicine Quickly

【小題2】Which of the following medicine is not needed to be adapted to children’s need according to the passage?

A．Pain killers.

B．Tuberculosis.

C．AID pills.

D．Flu pills.

【小題3】Why has testing medicines on children always been a controversial issue?

A．It is against good ethical practice

B．Children shouldn’t take part in clinical trials.

C．It is hard to get informed agreement from children tested.

D．Parents don’t allow their children to be tested on medicine.

【小題4】The underlined word “wary” in the last but one paragraph means _________.

A．fast

B．fond

C．cautious

D．uninterested

【小題5】What can be inferred from the passage? 

A．There is still a long way to go on children’s medicine.

B．An Internet entrance is being built to link to clinical trials carried out in children.

C．Both Europe and the United States now have special rules offering extended patent protection for adults’ drugs.

D．Less than half of the drugs currently used to treat children in the industrialized world have not been specifically tested on youngsters

“Just take a deep breath.” “Don’t think about it.” “You’re more likely to die in a car wreck on the way to the airport than you are in a plane crash.” These are just some words given to people with a fear of flying. But as Tom Cruise, playing Lt. Daniel Kaffee in the movie A Few Good Men, said, “I get sick when I fly because I’m afraid of crashing into a large mountain. I don’t think Daniel will help.”
But there’s a new application that just may. Today, the VALK Foundation, a Dutch group that’s a partnership between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the University of Leiden, launches the app (application) in the US. The VALK Foundation was one of the first centers for research and fear-of-flying treatment in the world and is the organizer of three world conferences on fear of flying.
The foundation said the app, called Flight App VALK, is the first scientifically-developed, web-based treatment for people who suffer from mild to moderate fear of flying.
“The fear-of-flying application we have created aims to transfer all of the knowledge we have developed through our program into a mobile application that will help ease travelers’ fears,” said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, director of the VALK Foundation. Dr. van Gerwen is also a psychologist and professional pilot with more than 30 years experience.
The foundation said up to 30% of adults are fearful fliers. The Flight App is designed to help relax passengers before and during flights by educating users about flight safety and turbulence. It explains the sounds and sensations(感覺)they can expect during departure, flight and landing. And, if a passenger’s flight stress reaches a panic level, they press a special panic button which provides audio and written information to help decrease stress levels. Most importantly, the Flight App can be used during the flight in the airplane mode. Once downloaded, the program does not require Internet connection in the air.
【小題1】By saying the words at the beginning of the passage, people are expected to ______.

A．decrease their fear of flying

B．get rid of their doubt about plane

C．have a good time on their flight journey

D．use some medicine to cure their fear of flying

【小題2】According to the passage, the VALK Foundation ______.

A．is a group focusing on psychology on the flight

B．was the first center to do research into fear of flying

C．organizes the world conferences on fear of flying annually

D．focuses on researching and offering treatment on fear of flying

【小題3】Flight App VALK is aimed to ______.

A．help passengers experience the fear of flying

B．help relax passengers before and during flights

C．treat people who suffer from mild fear of flying

D．teach people the basic knowledge of taking flight

【小題4】What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Many adults are suffering from fear of flying

B．It’s convenient for people to use the Flight App

C．Many planes will be installed with the Flight App.

D．The Flight App can decrease stress levels effectively

【小題5】In which column of a newspaper can we read this passage?

A．Culture

B．Entertainment

C．Technology

D．Education

The quality of drinking water in Shanghai will meet European Union standard by 2010 and, a decade later, citizens in Shanghai will drink the best water in the world.
These were the goals set out by the Shanghai Water Authority. With the city’s population expected to increase only slightly and the economy to boom by 2020, Chen Yin, and official with the water authority, said Shanghai’s water consumption will not increase from its present amount.
Zhang Yue, director of the Urban Construction Division under the Ministry of Construction, said, “Shanghai is the first city in the country to publicize these ambitions. They will not be easy to achieve.”
He said water saving will help keep the sustainable development of China’s economy.
Saving one cubic meter of water means saving the city’s infrastructure（基礎設施）costs by 10,000 Yuan. Last year, Shanghai saved 300 million cubic meters of water either from readjustment of industrial structure or the employment of new technology.
“The aim is to arouse public awareness of the seriousness of water shortages,” Chen said. “The abundant surface water and amount of rain of the city are so misleading that they result in improper use of water.”
Shanghai lacks drinkable water. The Huangpu River, which supplies 80 percent of the city’s drinkable water, is nearing exhaustion.
The city, therefore, has been exploring new sources from the Yangtze River and growing forests along it to conserve quality water.
Besides penning regulations, the authority is popularizing technology among the public to efficiently cut the amount of water used.
At present, the city has 600，000 family toilets, each using 13 liters of water per flush. These are to be renovated（整修）to use only 9 liters of water per flush.
The authority is renovating the first 200 toilets for households – at a cost of 40 Yuan each.
In three years, all the toilets will be renovated, which saves the city nearly 15 million Yuan every year in water conservation.
Another task the city is engaged in is the treatment of sewage（污水）to improve the water environment.
At present the city can only treat 44 percent of its daily 5.04 million tons of waste water. To meet the total demand, 27 more sewage treatment factories are to be established with an estimated investment of 18 billion Yuan.
【小題1】People in Shanghai get their daily water mainly from         now.

A．the underground	B．the rain
C．the Yangtze River	D．the Huangpu River

【小題2】According to the passage, some people have the wrong opinion of using water because      .

A．the renovating of family toilets will save plenty of water

B．a(chǎn)bout half of waste water has been treated already

C．a(chǎn)dvanced technology makes people use water as much as possible

D．there is plenty surface water and large amount of rain at present

【小題3】The authority is renovating the first 200 toilets for households to          .

A．make people’s living more convenient

B．improve people’s living standards

C．ease employment pressure

D．meet the total demand of water

【小題4】Which group of measures are all mentioned in the passage to save water?
a．improve drinking water quality   b．change some industrial structure
c．introduce or use some new technology
d．speed the economic development of Shanghai
e．renovate some family toilets f．build more sewage treatment factories

A．a(chǎn), b, c, d

B．b, c, e, f

C．b, c, d, e

D．a(chǎn), b, e, f

【小題5】We can infer from the passage that          .

A．the boom of economy will need a larger amount of water in the future

B．citizens today in Shanghai drink the best quality of water in the world

C．not everyone today in Shanghai is aware of water shortage

D．a(chǎn)ll the family toilets will be renovated to save water within 3 years