John and Bobby joined a wholesale company together just after graduation from college the same year. Both worked very hard. After several years, however, the boss promoted Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary employee. John could not take it any more, tendered his resignation to the boss and complained the boss did not know how to delegate and did not value hard-working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him.

The boss knew that John worked very hard for the years. He thought a moment and said, “Thank you for your criticism, but I have a request. I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps you will change your decision and take back your resignation.”

John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelon in the market. John went and returned soon. He said he had found out a man selling watermelon. The boss asked how much per kg. John shook his head and went back to the market to ask and returned to inform the boss $1.2 per kg.

Boss told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to come to his office. He asked Bobby to go and find anyone selling watermelon in the market. Bobby went, returned and said, “Boss, only one person selling watermelon. $1.2 per kg, $10 for 10kg, he has inventory (清单) of 340 melons. On the table 58 melons, bought from the South two days ago, they are fresh and red, good quality.”

John was very impressed and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. He decided not to resign but to learn from Bobby.

Chances exist in the daily details. For the same matter, a more successful person sees more and farther so that he can find out an opportunity and catch it to realize his aim. If a person sees one year ahead, while another sees only tomorrow. Then the difference between a year and a day is 365 times!

Why did John decide to hand in his resignation to the boss?

Because he couldn’t stand being an ordinary employee.

Because Bobby would take John’s former position.

Because the boss was not flattered by his hard work.

Because Bobby instead of him was promoted.

What did the boss ask John to do?

A. To go to market and find out whether there is someone selling watermelons.

B. To make a complete marketing research on the various prices of watermelons.

C. To search for much information about the effective ways to sell watermelons.

D. To make a comparison on the prices of different types of watermelons.

What sort of following information about watermelons was NOT brought by Bobby?

A. The price.                       B. The quality.

C. The quantity.                    D. The weight.

From the difference of John and Bobby, we may infer that a more successful person is more _____.

alert, sensitive and passionate

observant, thoughtful and exploratory

considerate, modest and satisfied

confident, noble and tolerant

Attempt a guess at the following question: In the English-speaking world, which country has the least affordable homes? You are wrong if you guessed the US, even with the housing bubble (气泡) and main sadness. Nor is it the UK, where prices have risen because demand is far from supply. According to a recent survey of 227 cities around the globe, you must go south of the equator (赤道) to Australia to find the priciest homes.
The report measured a city’s housing market along the following guidelines. An “affordable” home required three times or less of the average family’s income to purchase. At four times earnings, a home fell into the “unaffordable” category. And a “seriously unaffordable” home needed five times a family’s income. In Australia, homes in the least affordable city cost just about 9.5 times the average income. Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne were only a little under this figure.
Australian officials offered little comment, apart from a general statement on the dismal findings. These prices make the possibility that many Australians will one day own a home largely unbelievable. Land rationing (配给制) and excessive development charges have raised prices, and the problem will only be solved through urgent action by the Rudd government.
Some American cities were also included on the least affordable list, four of which were in California. America is still involved in a mortgage（抵押）crisis, though, affecting the affordability of homes. Yet a number of US cities garnered “affordable” status, namely Dallas and Kansas. Australia had no cities listed in the top fifty places with affordable homes.
The survey suggests that you can find affordable homes in most places, just not if you’re Australian and choose to live down under.
【小题1】To buy an affordable house, you should pay _____.

The government has taken measures to______the high prices of daily goods to keep the market stable．

A.put down?? ????????????? B. tear down?? ????????????? C.hand down?? D.bring down

There are 70,000 pubs in England and Wales have several thousand more in Scotland.
Every country has its drinking shop, but none has an institution quite like the British pub. The most important feature of a good pub (which modern buildings hardly ever achieve) is a feeling of something private. It must have nooks and crannies, corners and snugs, where conversations and assignations can take place without the whole world listening in.
Most pubs have at least two separate bars. The “public bar” which is for ordinary and women is the basic drinking shop. The “lounge bar” (or saloon bar) which is for traveling salesmen and “ladies” probably has a carpet on the floor and rather more comfortable decoration. There may be a difference of a few pence in the drink prices, although all pubs are required by law to put their price lists easily seen on display.
Pubs have been changing over the past few decades. More and more of them sell good, inexpensive food and are competing strongly with restaurants. Tea and coffee are often on offer and children are being made more welcome. The law says that no one under 14 may enter a pub, and between 14 and 18 they must be accompanied by an adult and may not buy or consume alcoholic drink. In reality some pubs, especially in country districts, welcome whole families. Some set aside special rooms for children and where there are gardens they are almost always welcome.
The most basic change, however, came about in the 1938 licensing laws which allowed pubs in England and Wales to open not just at lunch time and in the evening, but all day, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Scottish laws already permitted all day opening.)
【小题1】 Which of the following can be the best title?