It’s Tuesday afternoon, and I’m in Rheinburg, Germany, visiting the Extra Future Store. The “store of the future” is attracting a lot of attention these days– but not for it’s prices. Instead, people are coming from all over to experience a new way to shop.

   The experience is less like shopping in a supermarket and more like playing some kind of high–tech game. It starts as I enter the store and choose a shopping cart(购物车). First, I swipe my store ID card through a computer on the cart. The computer’s screen comes on, a map of the store shows, and the journey begins.

   As I shop, antennas(天线) around the store send information about different specials to the computer on my cart. Attracted by one of the ads, I choose a box of cheese. I hold up the box to the computer. It displays the price and also suggests that a certain type of bread would be good with it. The map on my chart shows me where to find the bread. It’s like the store is helping me to shop.

   How does the store make this kind of shopping experience possible? The answer is radio frequency identification chip (or RFID射频识别). Each chip has a special number. Using an RFID reader on the computer, we can get information from a chip about the product(产品). RFID will help shoppers find the things in a store more quickly– products that are just right for them. In addition, people won’t have to wait in long lines to pay. The things in your cart will be read by the computer and the money will be paid by your store ID card automatically(自动地). So you can simply walk out of the store with your shopping bags.

  Sounds good, right? Maybe you will experience the new shopping soon in your city.

1.Why are so many people coming to the Extra Future Store?

A. They hope to buy a new kind of computers.

B. They want to play some new high– tech games.

C. They expect to experience a new way of shopping.

D. They plan to learn how to use the FRID readers.

2.What is the right order to shop in this store?

①Look for the things you want to buy and find them.

②Swipe your store ID card through the computer.

③Walk out of the store without waiting in lines.

④The computer shows you a map and some ads.

⑤Hold up the things to the computer to be charged.

A.②①④③⑤   B.①②⑤③④   C.②①⑤③④   D.②④①⑤③ 

3.What are Not so necessary for this kind of new stores?

A. Carts with computers.  B. RFID readers.  

C. Many shop assistants.  D. Good products.

4. Which of the following is the advantage of this new store?

A. The things in the shop are much cheaper.

B. It costs more time to find the things you need.

C. You will buy more things than you really need.

D. It’s more convenient to find the products and to pay.

One of the most popular items(项目) in the school newspaper is the advice column. No one knows who writes it. The students think their teacher does, but it might be a student using a false name.
The students enjoy thinking up problems for the advice column. Here are some of them and their answers.
Ask the Wise Owl
Q: I’m always late for school. I try not to be, but I can’t help it. Please advise me what to do. Tommy.
A: You are probably late for school because you don’t really like school. My advice to you is to try and enjoy school more, then you won’t be late so often.
Q: I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara.
A: I can’t advise you until I know more about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be too bold(冒失). Write and tell me more about yourself.
Q: I’m always at the bottom(底部，末尾) of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly.
A: I advise you to concentrate on(全神贯注) improving your grades in one subject to start with. If you can do this, you should move a little way up from the bottom. Next, try to improve your grades in another subject, and so on. If you concentrate on one subject at a time, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your classes.
【小题1】What is Tommy’s problem?

In 2013, China chose “中国梦,”which means “Chinese dream,” as the Character of the Year to symbolize the overall feeling of the past 366 days. It’s easy to see why the word “dream” would be chosen as so many Chinese dreams have been recently realized: space exploration, a China-made aircraft carrier and a Nobel Prize-winning author.

Finishing national dreams makes us proud, but realizing personal dreams makes us worthy in our own eyes. Though the media would try to convince you, there is no set of “approved” dreams that we should all go after. Some may strive for money, fame and power, but others have more humble dreams that are just as important: learn English, study abroad, achieve inner peace, and be of service to humanity. It’s normal for people to create lofty New Year’s resolutions and just as normal to start strong and give up a few weeks later on our goals. How do we make sure that we achieve our dreams? Make your resolutions SMART and they’ll come true.

S — specific, detailed goals are easier to accomplish.

M— measurable goals enable you to complete a fixed amount of something.

A— achievable goals are possible, not ones that would take magic or miracles to accomplish.

R— relevant goals are meaningful to you.

T— time bound goals have an ending date. They’re not infinite. You know when you’re done.

Trip Bethel, a local college professor suggests that all goals should be positive and future-focused. “You can’t make a goal about being perfect. You’ ll always disappoint yourself. But you can make a goal about perfecting your process. Then, you’re always on the way to a better life.”

Trip says many people write endless lists, but he just writes his resolutions once. He states them simply on a piece of paper and then puts the paper away for a year. “Often, when I look at the paper a year later, I’ve accomplished everything, or gotten close. There is something about writing things down that makes goals real and the opportunities to achieve them will come into your life.”

1.In 2013, China chose “__________” as the Character of the Year?

A. dream?????????????????????????????? B. smart

C. future?????????????????????????????? D. Chinese dream

2.What if you finish our national dreams? We will feel___________.

A. worried?????????? B. proud?????????? C. worthy?????????? D. excited

3.What does “SMART” means? It means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and ____.

A. Together??????? ? B. Today????????? C. Time??????????? D. Tomorrow

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A. Dreaming in 2013? ?????????????????? B. Dreaming Big in 2013

C. Dreaming Big in 2012??? ????????????? D. Dreaming in 2012

Spend your summer holidays wisely!

1. Where will you have classes if you like playing basketball?

    A. At Cliff College.            B. At Golden Finger Club.

    C. At Whitehawk School      D. At Haved School.

2. The underlined word “Fee” in the ad is about “________”.

    A. the money        B. the teacher      C. the address      D. the school

3.How much will they pay if Darning and his deskmate take part in “Speak Good English”?

    A. $15          B. $30          C. $45          D. $60

4. All classes will end after _________.

    A. 1 p.m.           B. 2 p.m.           C. 3 p.m.           D. 4 p.m.

5. What is the aim of “Easy Trip with mathematics”?

    A. To help students finish their homework.

    B. To make students’ thinking skills better.

    C. To show you some rules of the math class.

    D. To teach students to speak in class bravely.

One of the most popular items in the school newspaper is the advice column (专栏). Here are some of the questions asked and their answers.

Q: I’m always late for school. I try not to be late, but I can’t help it. Please advise me about what to do. Tommy.

A: You are probably late for school because you don’t really like school. My advice to you is to enjoy school more, and then you won’t be late so often.

Q: I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara.

A: I can’t advise you until I know more about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be bold(大胆的). Write and tell me more about yourself.

Q: I’m always at the bottom (末尾)of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly.

A: I advise you to try to improve your grades in one subject at first. Next, try to improve your grades in another subject. If you do this, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your subjects.

1.What is the main idea (主要意思) of this passage?

2.What is Tommy’s problem?

3.What does the adviser (建议者) want Sara to do?

4.What does Molly want to do?

5.By the end of the year, where should Molly be in all her subjects if she does as the adviser says?