-American office workers spend an average of 52 hours a week at their desks, according to a statistic survey. Some might argue that not all that time is spent working，but still all those hours in windowless offices with artificial light can have an influence.

A few green additions could have a large effect on worker happiness，according to the survey led by Tina Cade from Texas State University.

“We pretty much found out that if you had windows and plants or even if you just had plants in your office, you were more satisfied with your job,” Cade told LiveScience. “We thought it was important for offices because a lot of times people are looking for ways to keep employees happy and do all these expensive things like building a gym. Maybe for less investment they could put in a few plants in important places.”

The team surveyed 450 office workers in Texas and the Midwest，asking questions about job satisfaction and the work environments. When asked about their overall life quality,82 said they felt “content” or “very happy”. Only 69 percent of those who work with plants but without windows，and 60 percent of those who have windows but no plants, said they felt this way.

The group of people who work without plants or windows were  the most dissatisfied，with only 58 percent of them saying that overall they were “content” or “very happy”. While no one who works with plants，windows，or both reported they felt “miserable”, 0.8 percent of those who work in offices without either said they were “miserable”. “I was really surprised that having a plant in your office appeared to be more beneficial than having a window in your office,” Cade said. “Everybody says, ‘I need a window!’ but actually it seemed like a plant could be a suitable alternative.”

1.What does the passage mainly tell us?

2.Among the 450 people surveyed, ________.

3. According to the survey，the group of people who work without plants or windows ______.

4. Which of the following statement is true?

-American office workers spend an average of 52 hours a week at their desks, according to a statistic survey. Some might argue that not all that time is spent working，but still all those hours in windowless offices with artificial light can have an influence.
A few green additions could have a large effect on worker happiness，according to the survey led by Tina Cade from Texas State University.
“We pretty much found out that if you had windows and plants or even if you just had plants in your office, you were more satisfied with your job,” Cade told LiveScience. “We thought it was important for offices because a lot of times people are looking for ways to keep employees happy and do all these expensive things like building a gym. Maybe for less investment they could put in a few plants in important places.”
The team surveyed 450 office workers in Texas and the Midwest，asking questions about job satisfaction and the work environments. When asked about their overall life quality,82 said they felt “content” or “very happy”. Only 69 percent of those who work with plants but without windows，and 60 percent of those who have windows but no plants, said they felt this way.
The group of people who work without plants or windows were  the most dissatisfied，with only 58 percent of them saying that overall they were “content” or “very happy”. While no one who works with plants，windows，or both reported they felt “miserable”, 0.8 percent of those who work in offices without either said they were “miserable”. “I was really surprised that having a plant in your office appeared to be more beneficial than having a window in your office,” Cade said. “Everybody says, ‘I need a window!’ but actually it seemed like a plant could be a suitable alternative.”
【小題1】What does the passage mainly tell us?

D

When companies do business overseas, they come in contact with people from different cultures.  These individuals often speak a different language and have their own particular custom and manners.  These differences can create problems.

For example, in France, business meetings begin immediately at the scheduled time and everyone is expected to be there.   Foreign business people who are slow in acting are often left outside to cool their heels as a means of letting them know the importance of promptness（準(zhǔn)時(shí)）. Unless one is aware of such expected behaviors he may end up insulting the people with whom he hopes to establish trade relations.

A second traditional problem is that of monetary conversions(貨幣兌換).  For example, if a trade is conducted with Russia, payment may be made in rubles.  Of course, this particular type of money used in Russia is of little value to the American firm.  It is, therefore, necessary to exchange the foreign money to American dollars.  How much are these Russian rubles worth in terms of dollars?  This exchange rate is determined by every market, where the money of countries are bought and sold.   Thus there is an established rate, although it is often different from day to day.  For example, the ruble may be worth 0.75 on Monday and 0.72 on Tuesday because of an announced wheat shortage in Russia.  In addition, there is the problem associated with exchange at 0.72.  Some financial institutions may be unwilling to pay this price, feeling that the ruble will sink much lower over the next week.   As a result, exchange may finally come at 0.69.   These "losses" must be accepted by the company as one of the costs of doing business overseas.

A third unique problem is trade barriers.  For one reason or another, all countries impose trade barriers on certain goods crossing their borders.  Some trade barriers are directly related to exports.  For example, the United States permits strategic military material to be shipped abroad only after government permission has been obtained.  Most trade barriers, however, are designed to restrict import.  Two of the most common import barriers are quotas and tariffs.

76. The best title for the passage would be ___.

A. How to Succeed in International Trade

B. Monetary Conversion

C. Trade Barriers

D. Unique Problems in International Trade

77. In France, slow business people ___.

A. are often insulted

B. often suffer from coldness

C. are often left outdoors waiting

D. are often asked to polish their shoes

78. According to the passage, exchange rates ___.

A. seldom change

B. are determined by financial institutions

C. are agreed upon by two trading countries

D. vary from day to day

79. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

A. Misunderstanding may occur because of the culture differences.

B. Exchange rate can bring losses when doing international trade.

C. Most trade barriers are designed to restrict import.

D. All the exports must get the permission of the government.   .

    Reading is the key to school success and, like any skill, it takes practice. A child learns to walk by practicing until he no longer has to think about how to put one foot in front of the other. The great athlete practices until he can play quickly, accurately, without thinking. Educators call it “automaticity”.

    A child learns to read by sounding out the letters and decoding the words. With practice, he stumbles less and less, reading by the phrase. With automaticity, he doesn’t have to think about decoding the words, so he can pay more attention to the meaning of the text.

    It can begin as early as in the first grade. In a recent study of children in Illinois schools, Alan Rossman of Northwestern University found automatic readers in the first grade who were reading almost three times as fast as the other children and scoring twice as high on comprehension tests. At fifth grade, the automatic readers were reading twice as fast as the others, and still outscoring them on accuracy, comprehension and vocabulary.

    “It’s not IQ but the amount of time a child spends reading that is the key to automaticity. ”According to Rossman, any child who spends at least 3. 5 to 4 hours a week reading books, magazines or newspapers will in all likelihood reach the average child who spends 25 hours a week watching television. It can happen by just turning off the set just one night reading books.

    You can test your child by giving him a paragraph or two to read aloud—something unfamiliar but appropriate to his age. If he reads aloud with expression, with a sense of the meaning of the sentences, he probably is an automatic reader. If he reads haltingly(不順暢，結(jié)巴), one word at a time, without expression  or meaning, he need more practice.

67. The underlined word “automaticity” probably means _______ .

A. being done without thinking

B. being done quickly

C. being done accurately

D. being done perfectly

68. How can the children learn to read?

A. They just read word by word.

B. They just read the words out.

C. They read by sounding out the letters and decoding the words.

D. They read by practicing more.

69. How many hours should a child spend in reading books every day?

A. 0. 5～0. 6.                                                  B. 3. 5～4.

C. 2. 5.                                                    D. 3. 6.

70. Which of the following is an automatic reader?

A. A child reads a book with stops.

B. A child reads one word at a time.

C. A child reads without expression or meaning.

D. A child reads with expression and meaning of the sentences.

D
When companies do business overseas, they come in contact with people from different cultures.  These individuals often speak a different language and have their own particular custom and manners.  These differences can create problems.
For example, in France, business meetings begin immediately at the scheduled time and everyone is expected to be there.   Foreign business people who are slow in acting are often left outside to cool their heels as a means of letting them know the importance of promptness（準(zhǔn)時(shí)）. Unless one is aware of such expected behaviors he may end up insulting the people with whom he hopes to establish trade relations.
A second traditional problem is that of monetary conversions(貨幣兌換).  For example, if a trade is conducted with Russia, payment may be made in rubles.  Of course, this particular type of money used in Russia is of little value to the American firm.  It is, therefore, necessary to exchange the foreign money to American dollars.  How much are these Russian rubles worth in terms of dollars?  This exchange rate is determined by every market, where the money of countries are bought and sold.   Thus there is an established rate, although it is often different from day to day.  For example, the ruble may be worth 0.75 on Monday and 0.72 on Tuesday because of an announced wheat shortage in Russia.  In addition, there is the problem associated with exchange at 0.72.  Some financial institutions may be unwilling to pay this price, feeling that the ruble will sink much lower over the next week.   As a result, exchange may finally come at 0.69.   These "losses" must be accepted by the company as one of the costs of doing business overseas.
A third unique problem is trade barriers.  For one reason or another, all countries impose trade barriers on certain goods crossing their borders.  Some trade barriers are directly related to exports.  For example, the United States permits strategic military material to be shipped abroad only after government permission has been obtained.  Most trade barriers, however, are designed to restrict import.  Two of the most common import barriers are quotas and tariffs.
76. The best title for the passage would be ___.
A. How to Succeed in International Trade
B. Monetary Conversion
C. Trade Barriers
D. Unique Problems in International Trade
77. In France, slow business people ___.
A. are often insulted
B. often suffer from coldness
C. are often left outdoors waiting
D. are often asked to polish their shoes
78. According to the passage, exchange rates ___.
A. seldom change
B. are determined by financial institutions
C. are agreed upon by two trading countries
D. vary from day to day
79. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?
A. Misunderstanding may occur because of the culture differences.
B. Exchange rate can bring losses when doing international trade.
C. Most trade barriers are designed to restrict import.
D. All the exports must get the permission of the government.   .