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阅读理解专题卷36
I have had just about enough of being treated like a second-class citizen, simply because I happen to be that unfairly treated member of society --- a customer. The more I go into shops and hotels, banks and post offices, railway stations, airports and the like, the more I am convinced the things are being run solely to suit the firm, the system, or the union. There seems to be a deceptive (哄骗的) new motto for so-called “service” organizations --- Staff Before Service.
How often, for example, have you queued for what seems like hours at the Post Office or the supermarket because there were not enough staff on duty to man all the service grilles or checkout counters? Surely in these days of high unemployment it must be possible to hire cashiers and counter staff. Yet supermarkets, hinting darkly at higher prices, claim that uncovering all their cash registers at any one time would increase operating costs. And the Post Office says we cannot expect all their service grilles to be occupied “at times when demand is low”.
It is the same with hotels. Because waiters and kitchen staff must finish when it suits them, dining rooms close earlier or menu choice is cut short. As for us guests, we just have to put up with it. There is also the nonsense of so many friendly hotel night porters having been thrown out of their jobs in the interests of “efficiency” and replaced by coin-eating machines which offer everything from lager to laxatives (从贮藏啤酒到通便剂). Not to mention the tea-making kit in your room: a kettle with a mixed collection of tea bags, plastic milk boxes and lump sugar. Who wants to wake up to a raw teabag? I do not, especially when I am paying for “service”.
Can it be stopped, this worsening of service, this growing attitude that the customer is always a bore? I angrily hope so because it is happening, sadly, in all walks of life.
Our only hope is to hammer home our anger whenever and wherever we can and, if all else fails, bring back into practice that other, older slogan --- Take Our Deal Elsewhere.
1．The writer feels that nowadays customers __________.
A. deserve the lowest status in society
B. are unworthy of proper consideration
C. have received high quality service
D. have become victims of modern organizations
2．The writer argues that the quality of service is changing because __________.
A. customers’ demands have greatly changed
B. the staff receive more consideration than customers
C. customers’ needs have become more complex
D. staff members are less considerate than their employers
3．According to the writer, long queues at counters are caused by __________.
A. not having enough male staff on duty
B. difficulties in hiring more efficient staff
C. lack of cooperation between staff members
D. not providing enough staff on purpose to reduce budget
4．The writer suggests that a customer __________.
A. be patient when queuing before checkout counters
B. put up with the rude manners of the staff
C. try to control his temper when ill-treated
D. go to other places where good service is available
A nobleman and a merchant once met in an inn. For their lunch they both ordered soup. When it was brought, the nobleman took a spoonful, but the soup was so hot that he burned his mouth and tears came to his eyes, The merchant asked him why he was weeping. The nobleman was ashamed to admit that he had burned his mouth and answered, “Sir, I once had a brother who committed a great crime , for which he was hanged. I was thinking of his death, and that made me weep.” The merchant believed this story and began to eat his soup. He too burned his mouth, so that he had tears in his eyes. The nobleman noticed it and asked the merchant, “Sir, why do you weep?” The merchant, who now saw that the nobleman had deceived (哄骗) him, answered, “My lord(=master), I am weeping because you were not hanged together with your brother.”
5．This story teaches us ______.
A. not to eat in inns B. not to eat soup that is too hot
C. to cry when we burn our mouth D. not to believe everything you hear
6．The nobleman did not tell the truth because he ______.
A. was a nobleman B. felt ashamed C. was in an inn D. was angry
7．It is probable that the nobleman ______.
A. had no brother who was hanged B. had a very good brother
C. knew the soup was too hot D. had never eaten soup
8． The merchant’s answer showed that he ______.
A. was very happy B. believed the nobleman
C. was angry with the nobleman D. had kind heart
Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Braincomputer interface (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.
Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated (呈现) a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts.
In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.
“Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals through the spinal cord (脊髓) to the muscles to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the muscles.” Tavella says. “Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices.”
The researchers designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp (头皮) and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer react to commands from the brain.
Prof. Millan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them into simple commands. “The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this wheelchair.”
He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from. And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time.
9．BCI is a technology that can ________.
A. help to update computer systems
B. link the human brain with computers
C. help the disabled to recover
D. control a person's thoughts
10．How did Tavella operate the wheelchair in the laboratory?
A. By controlling his muscles.
B. By talking to the machine.
C. By moving his hand.
D. By using his mind.
11．Which of the following shows the path of the signals described in Paragraph 5?
A. scalp→computer→cap→wheelchair
B. computer→cap→scalp→wheelchair
C. scalp→cap→computer→wheelchair
D. cap→computer→scalp→wheelchair
12．The team will test with real patients to ________.
A. make profits from them
B. prove the technology useful to them
C. make them live longer
D. learn about their physical condition
13．Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A. Switzerland, the BCI Research Center
B. New Findings About How the Human Brain Works
C. BCI Could Mean More Freedom for the Disabled
D. Robotic Vehicles Could Help to Cure Brain Injuries
In my living room，there is a plaque (匾) that advises me to“Bloom (开花) where you are planted.” It reminds me of Dorothy.I got to know Dorothy in the early 1980s，when I was teaching Early Childhood Development through a program with Union College in Barbourville，Kentucky.The job responsibilities required occasional visits to the classroom of each teacher in the program.Dorothy stands out in my memory as one who“bloomed”in her remote area.
Dorothy taught in a school in Harlan County，Kentucky，Appalachian Mountain area.To get to her school from the town of Harlan，I followed a road winding around the mountain.In the eightmile journey，I crossed the same railroad track five times，giving the possibility of getting caught by the same train five times.Rather than feeling excited by this drive through the mountains，I found it depressing.The poverty level was shocking and the small shabby houses gave me the greatest feeling of hopelessness.
From the moment of my arrival at the little school，all gloom (愁闷) disappeared.Upon arriving at Dorothy’s classroom.I was greeted with smiling faces and treated like a queen.The children had been prepared to show me their latest projects.Dorothy told me with a big smile that they were serving poke greens salad and cornbread for“dinner”(lunch)．In case you don’t know，poke greens are a weedtype plant that grows wild，especially on poor ground.
Dorothy never ran out of reports of exciting activities of her students.Her enthusiasm never cooled down.When it came time to sit for the testing and interviewing required to receive her Child Development Associate Certification，Dorothy was ready.She came to the assessment and passed in all areas.Afterward，she invited me to the oneandonly steak house in the area to celebrate her victory，as if she had received her Ph.D.degree.After the meal，she placed a little box containing an old pen in my hand.She said it was a family heirloom (传家宝)，but to me it is a treasured symbol of appreciation and pride that cannot be matched with things.
14．“Early Childhood Development”in Paragraph 1 refers to________.
A．a program directed by Dorothy
B．a course given by the author
C．an activity held by the students
D．an organization sponsored by Union college
15．In the journey，the author was most disappointed at seeing________.
A．the long track
B．the poor houses
C．the same train
D．the winding road
16．Upon arriving at the classroom，the author was cheered up by________.
A．a warm welcome
B．the sight of poke greens
C．Dorothy’s latest projects
D．a big dinner made for her
17．What can we know about Dorothy from the last paragraph?
A．She was invited to a celebration at a restaurant.
B．She got a pen as a gift from the author.
C．She passed the required assessment.
D．She received her Ph.D.degree.
18．What does the author mainly intend to tell us?
A．Whatever you do，you must do it carefully.
B．Whoever you are，you deserve equal treatment.
C．However poor you are，you have the right to education.
D．Wherever you are，you can accomplish your achievement.
Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day． "I was a clothes addict, "he jokes．" I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled．" Today David wears casual clothes – khaki pants and sports shirt – to the office． He hardly ever wears a necktie． "I'm working harder than ever," David says, "and I need to feel comfortable．"
More and more companies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work． In the United States, the change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual． In the early 1990s, many companies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday, but only on Friday． This became known as "dress-down Friday" or "casual Friday．" "What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really become an everyday thing．" said business consultant Maisly Jones．
Why have so many companies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it's easier for a company to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code． "A lot of young people don't want to dress up for work," says the owner of a software company, "so it's hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code．" Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes． In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and Company, 85 percent of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale （士气）． Only 4 percent of employers said that casual dress has a negative effect on productivity． Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money． "Suits are expensive, if you have to wear one every day," one person said． "For the same amount of money, you can buy a lot more casual clothes．"
19．David Smith refers to himself as having been "a clothes addict," because ．
A． he often wore khaki pants and a sports shirt
B． he couldn't stand a clean appearance
C． he wanted his clothes to look neat all the time
D． he didn't want to spend much money on clothes
20．David Smith wears casual clothes now, because ．
A． they make him feel at ease when working
B． he cannot afford to buy expensive clothes
C． he looks handsome in casual clothes
D． he no longer works for any company
21．According to this passage, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A． Many employees don't like a conservative dress code．
B． Comfortable clothes make employees more productive．
C． A casual clothes code is welcomed by young employees．
D． All the employers in the U．S． are for casual office wear．
22．According to this passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A． Company workers started to dress down about twenty years ago．
B． Dress-down has become an everyday phenomenon since the early 1990s．
C． "Dress-down Friday" was first given as a favor from employers．
D． Many workers want to wear casual clothes to impress people．
23．In this passage, the following advantages of casual office wear are mentioned except ．
A． saving employees' money B． making employees more attractive
C． improving employees' motivation D． making employees happier
Write a winning story!
You could win ￡1,000 in this year’s Fiction Prize and have your story printed in Keep Writing magazine. Ten other lucky people will win a cheque for ￡100.
Once again, we need people who can write good stories. The judges, who include Mary Littlejohn, the novelist, Michael Brown, the television reporter, and Susan Hitchins, the editor of Keep Writing, are looking for interesting and original stories. Detective fiction was extremely popular last year, although the competition winner produced a love story. You can write down about whatever you want but here’s some advice to start your thinking:
Write about what you know
This is the advice which every writer should pay attention to and, last year, nearly everyone who wrote for us did exactly that. Love, family, problems with friends ---- these were the main subjects of the stories. However, you need to turn ordinary situations into something interesting that people will want to read about. Make the reader want to continue reading by writing about ordinary things in a new and surprising way.
Get your facts right
It’s no good giving a description of a town or explaining how a jet e
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