Are you a saver or a spender?
"A penny saved is a penny earned." This old saying calls attention to the wisdom of saving money. "_________________________" is another way to talk about saving for the future.
People who hate to spend money are known as "tightwads," while those who like to get the most value for their money are called "thrifty." A thrifty person is different from a "spendthrift." A spendthrift is someone who spends wastefully. People like that are often said to spend money "like a drunken sailor" or "like there"s no tomorrow."
In the United States, people who want to start a savings account have different choices of where to put their money. These include banks and credit unions. Credit unions are cooperatives for people who have some kind of connection. For example, the members might work for a university or a government agency. Most credit unions are nonprofit organizations.
Credit unions, banks and other financial institutions pay interest on savings accounts. But the interest rates are low. Certificates of deposit（存款证） pay higher returns. With a certificate of deposit, or CD, a person agrees not to withdraw the money for a certain period of time. This term could be anywhere from a few months to several years. Longer terms, and larger amounts, pay higher interest. People can withdraw their money early but they have to pay a fine.
In a number of countries, people have been saving less over the years. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is a group of thirty-four countries. The OECD says in 1990, Americans had a household savings rate of seven percent. This year, that rate is expected to be a little more than four percent and many European countries have higher rates like the UK and France , but Americans save more than families in countries like Japan and South Korea.
小题1:Which of the following proverbs can be filled in the blank in Paragraph 2?| A．Health is wealth. | | B．Money is a good servant but a bad master | | C．Put money away for a rainy day. | | D．Money doesn’t grow on trees. |
小题2:If you have $10,000, which of the following may help you get higher interest ?| A．Choose certificates of deposit for one year. | | B．Put the money in banks for one year. | | C．Put the money in credit unions for one year. | | D．Choose certificates of deposit for one year but withdraw the money ahead of time. |
小题3:What does the passage mainly talk about ?| A．Different choices of putting money away in the US. | | B．The importance of saving money. | | C．How to put money into banks. | | D．The household savings rate in the US. |
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小题1:C
小题2:A
小题3:A |
试题分析：这篇文章主要讲了在美国，人们想开储蓄账户就多种选择，包括银行和信用机构。
小题1:填句题：根据"A penny saved is a penny earned." This old saying calls attention to the wisdom of saving money. "可知这里应该填。“未雨绸缪”是为将来打算的另一种说法。故选C。
小题2:细节题：根据Certificates of deposit pay higher returns. 信用机构、银行等其他金融机构都对储户支付利息，但利率很低。存款证的回报要高些，故选A。
小题3:主旨题： 通过阅读文章内容，可知这篇文章主要讲了把钱存在美国的不同选择，故选A。 |
核心考点
试题【Are you a saver or a spender?"A penny saved is a penny earned." This old saying 】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
Just like a boxer, we , too come face to face with many opponents on the stage of life—problems and difficulties. The bad news is that we don’t really know when our with these opponents occur. Here are several reasons why you should yourself for success like a champion boxer!
You don’t practice on the stage, that’s where your skills and your abilities are . This also means that you don’t solving problems and developing yourself when occur, you prepare yourself to face them long you actually face them.
If you are talented, you probably need less and training time in facing life’s challenges. Actually, for people who are born with , training and learning becomes even more important. the lazy person’s motto: “If it isn’t broken, why fix it?” Why wait for your roof to leak in the season when you can fix it right away. Act
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Training enables you to gain intuition(直觉 )and reaction. With practice and training, you build up your body, your mind and your heart and gain the intuition and reaction of a (n) .The same thing is true in life. Without training, you will . Without training, you will not be able to how your enemy will hit you.
Keep in mind that training is born out of discipline and . Even if you meet with some setbacks in your training process, you keep at it and are confident, you will soon see in your life and when problems come, you will be like the champion who stands tall and fights until the final round is over and you’re as the champion!
| 小题1: | | A．friendships | B．championships | C．programs | D．matches |
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| 小题2: | | A．train | B．offer | C．show | D．bring |
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| 小题3: | | A．appreciated | B．shared | C．evaluated | D．promoted |
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| 小题4: | | A．finish | B．start | C．enjoy | D．practice |
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| 小题5: | | A．chances | B．problems | C．occasions | D．dangers |
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| 小题6: | | A．before | B．after | C．as | D．since |
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| 小题7: | | A．consideration | B．attention | C．preparation | D．instruction |
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| 小题8: | | A．disease | B．ambition | C．talent | D．belief |
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| 小题9: | | A．Understand | B．Abandon | C．Condemn | D．Remember |
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| 小题10: | | A．cloudy | B．windy | C．sunny | D．rainy |
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| 小题11: | | A．on time | B．at times | C．right away | D．at last |
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| 小题12: | | A．constant | B．real | C．stable | D．quick |
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| 小题13: | | A．enemy | B．champion | C．opponent | D．coach |
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| 小题14: | | A．mix up | B．mess up | C．stand out | D．break out |
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| 小题15: | | A．check | B．prove | C．handle | D．predict |
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| 小题16: | | A．confidence | B．experience | C．performance | D．improvement |
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| 小题17: | | A．before | B．unless | C．until | D．if |
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| 小题18: | | A．exchanges | B．results | C．setbacks | D．disadvantages |
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| 小题19: | | A．judge | B．swimmer | C．boxer | D．runner |
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| 小题20: | | A．claimed | B．called | C．announced | D．elected |
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When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm and, in the winter especially, we were quite cut off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that city life has its problems too.
One big disadvantage is money---it costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and at times the air is so bad that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of travelling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment. Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising---and, what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens(十几岁) or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.
小题1:What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?| A．Staying on the farm | B．Moving to the countryside | | C．Leaving home for the city | D．Running away from the school |
小题2:Which of the following is true about the writer?| A．He is very old now. | B．He is in good health. | | C．He prefers driving a car. | D．He lives in the city now. |
小题3:In the passage, the writer tries to _______.| A．express his opinions about way of life | | B．describe his life in the countryside | | C．show an interest in the outside world | | D．persuade the reader to live in the city |
小题4:How is the passage mainly developed?| A．By inferring | B．By comparing | | C．By listing examples | D．By giving explanations |
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Speaking from my past experience, it is very difficult to find good friends that you can trust but once you have found them, they are worth keeping forever! Therefore, I think friendship is the most important relationship that anybody could have.
The qualities I look for in a friend are a good sense of humor but sensitivity when it matters. Also that friend would have to be strong-minded and highly spirited. I think that these qualities are the key qualities to look for in a good friend.
Even the strongest friends can still have arguments, although usually about more serious topics, rather than the usual teenage childish arguments. Some matters can seriously affect a friendship. If one of your friends started experimenting with harmful and dangerous drugs, what would you do ? A good friend would try to help as much as possible, whereas a bad example of a friend would simply shrug(耸肩) and turn a blind eye.
Not only the bad things affect friendship ---- good activities do too. Such as bonding with one another, not just by going out on a night with them but by spending quality time with them and talking to each other, which indicates a good ability to communicate. This is a key aspect of a good friendship.
Good friends do not always have to be in the same age group as you. I have a good friend and she is 47 years old and I am 16.
Unfortunately, some people lose contact with their friends as they grow older, which is a sad way to lose a good friend.
I think friendship is one of the most important things in life because if you have no friends you will have no happiness.
小题1:According to the author, true friendship _______.| A．is easy to get | B．deepens with time | | C．needs management | D．affects one’s happiness |
小题2:Paragraph 3 is mainly about______.| A．why drugs are bad for teenagers | | B．problems that will test friendship | | C．ways that help avoid arguments | | D．whether a friend is trustworthy |
小题3:According to the author, which matters least in friendship?| A．Age. | B．Sensitivity. | | C．Sense of humor. | D．Communication ability. |
小题4:Which of the following saying can match the author’s view on friendship?| A．Old friends and old wines are best. | | B．A friend without faults will never be found. | | C．A life without a friend is a life without the sun. | | D．a friend to everybody is a friend to nobody. |
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The Couch Surfing network is an online community stretching across the globe with over one and a half million members. The basic concept is to provide a platform for travelers to contact people who are willing to put them up free of charge. Travelers connect with potential hosts online and, if they like each other, exchange details to make farther arrangements.
Basil is one traveler from Switzerland who is currently couch surfing with a Chinese host in Beijing. "I thought staying in hostel is nice but you mostly meet foreigners and speak English. If you use Couch Surfing you have chance to meet people living here and really get a chance to know the life of the place you visit. " Basil was speaking during a regular meeting of Beijing network of Couch Surfing with a membership of almost 2,000.
Although some people may have concerns about meeting complete strangers and giving them full access to your house, Beijing group member Fred Sharp from California says that the Couch Surfing community is one that generally attracts trustworthy people.
"I have never had a problem with guests. I"d say that this Couch Surfing community worldwide is a fairly trustworthy community like I say, always be cautious, make sure that you read everyone"s profile that you"re considering hosting, and if it doesn"t feel right just say" no", it"s OK. "
Originally launched in the US as a non-profit organization in 2004, Couch Surfing is growing fast across the world. China is no exception with around 30,000 members and hundreds more signing up each week. One of them is Beijing resident Hai Yan who joined in November 2009. She says the first time she hosted a guest was a very positive experience. "My first guest was from Italy. He was very kind and helpful. He bought me a present from Italy, a handbag. It"s a famous brand!"
As the organization grows from strength to strength, hotel owners across the world will be watching very closely and possibly thinking twice about raising their prices too high.
小题1:The Couch Surfing network is intended to __________ .| A．offer travelers convenience to find suitable hosts for free accommodations | | B．provide people with a platform to contact each other | | C．find potential hosts who want to supply travelers with couches | | D．give reliable information about hotels |
小题2:According to Fred Sharp, ______________.| A．couch surfers can fully rely on Couch Surfing community | | B．Couch Surfing community enables you to meet different people | | C．Couch Surfing community is trusted by all couch surfers | | D．Hosts may form a judgment on couch surfers and make a final decision |
小题3:We can infer from the passage that ________________.| A．Couch Surfing has a long history | | B．Hai Yan is satisfied with her host | | C．Couch Surfing is getting popular in China | | D．Basil works at the Beijing Network |
小题4:The last paragraph suggests that hotels will ___________ .| A．be replaced by the organization | | B．probably not charge too much | | C．not consider raising their prices | | D．show no concern about the organization |
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Is it ever a good idea admitting a teenager to carry a credit card?
My kids watch closely as I swipe the card through the register. They’ve seen me do it hundreds, thousands of times. Cool. They are itching to swipe it through the machine themselves. When we walk out of the store with our groceries or pet food, or whatever, it’s almost as though money has not changed hands, painless, easy.
So it shouldn’t be shocking to discover that teenagers are becoming card carrying consumers in their own right. The question is, should they?
While some argue it’s best to teach kids how to use a credit card while still living under the family roof, not everyone agrees. Dave Ramsey, financial expert says getting credit card for your teenager is actually “an excellent way to teach him or her to be financially irresponsible.”
Now parents are required to co-sign on credit cards for children under 21. “If their name is on the credit card, then the parent may say, Hey, my name is on this. Don’t get me into trouble,” says Mary Beth Pinto, a marketing professor. “When parents were the co-obligors (共同借贷人), the children caused less debt. If the parents are the co-obligors, the tendency is that the parents were explaining how to use the cards.” Still, Pinto believes parents should start the process much earlier. “Yes, there has to be teaching going on and it has to start when they’re younger. You’re not going to get rid of credit cards. They are here to stay. You have to have them. You can’t fight progress,” Pinto said.
Ramsey, however, disagrees. “Throwing teens into a pool of (credit) sharks is a sure way to guarantee a life-time of heartache.” he said, “You can make online purchases and rent a car with a credit card. Of course, you must have money in your bank account before you can make a purchase with a credit card. But paying for things with money is what you are supposed to do.”
小题1:The author mentioned her experience in Para 2 mainly to _____.| A．prove the convenience of using credit cards | | B．tell what impression credit cards leave on kids | | C．give advice on using credit cards wisely | | D．explain the pleasure credit cards bring to customers |
小题2:The underlined word “itching” in Para 2 can be replaced by _____.| A．eager | B．afraid | C．embarrassed | D．thankful |
小题3:What’s Ramsey’s attitude towards teens’ using credit cards?| A．He feels it is worth a try. | | B．He is very supportive. | | C．He is strongly against it. | | D．He considers it as a pleasant experience. |
小题4:Pinto will most likely agree that _____.| A．parents should let teens own their credit cards earlier | | B．you shouldn’t be in control of credit cards | | C．it is never good for anyone to get a credit card | | D．learning to use credit cards is practical |
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