单选题 Prices determine how resources are to be used. They are also the means by which products and services that are in limited supply are rationed among buyers. The price system of the United States is a complex network composed of the prices of all the products bought and sold in the economy as well as those of a myriad of services, including labor, professional, transportation, and public-utility services. The interrelationships of all these prices make up the 'system' of prices. The price of any particular product or service is linked to a broad, complicated system of prices in which everything seems to depend more or less upon everything else. If one were to ask a group of randomly selected individuals to define 'price', many would reply that price is an amount of money paid by the buyer to the seller of a product or service or, in other words, that price is the money value of a product or service as agreed upon in a market transaction. This definition is, of course, valid as far as it goes. For a complete understanding of a price in any particular transaction, much more than the amount of money involved must be known. Both the buyer and the seller should be familiar with not only the money amount, but with the amount and quality of the product or service to be exchanged, the time and place at which the exchange will take place and payment will be made, the form of money to be used, the credit terms and discounts that apply to the transaction, guarantees on the product or service, delivery terms, return privileges, and other factors. In other words, both buyer and seller should be fully aware of all the factors that comprise the total 'package' being exchanged for the asked-for amount of money in order that they may evaluate a given price.

单选题 How Do You See Diversity? A. As a manager, Tiffany is responsible for interviewing applicants for some of the positions with her company. During one interview, she noticed that the candidate never made direct eye contact. She was puzzled and somewhat disappointed because she liked the individual otherwise. B. He had a perfect resume and gave good responses to her questions, but the fact that he never looked her in the eye said 'untrustworthy,' so she decided to offer the job to her second choice. C. 'It wasn't until I attended a diversity workshop that I realized the person we passed over was the perfect person,' Tiffany confesses. What she hadn't known at the time of the interview was that the candidate's 'different' behavior was simply a cultural misunderstanding. He was an Asian-American raised in a household where respect for those in authority was shown by averting (避开) your eyes. D. 'I was just thrown off by the lack of eye contact; not realizing it was cultural,' Tiffany says. 'I missed out, but will not miss that opportunity again.' E. Many of us have had similar encounters with behaviors we perceive as different. As the world becomes smaller and our workplaces more diverse, it is becoming essential to expand our understanding of others and to reexamine some of our false assumptions. Hire Advantage F. At a time when hiring qualified people is becoming more difficult, employers who can eliminate invalid biases (偏爱) from the process have a distinct advantage. My company, Mindsets LLC, helps organizations and individuals see their own blind spots. A real estate recruiter we worked with illustrates the positive difference such training can make. G. 'During my Mindsets coaching session, I was taught how to recruit a diversified workforce. I recruited people from different cultures and skill sets. The agents were able to utilize their full potential and experiences to build up the company. When the real estate market began to change, it was because we had a diverse agent pool that we were able to stay in the real estate market much longer than others in the same profession.' Blinded by Gender H. Dale is an account executive who attended one of my workshops on supervising a diverse workforce. 'Through one of the sessions, I discovered my personal bias,' he recalls. 'I learned I had not been looking at a person as a whole person, and being open to differences.' In his case, the blindness was not about culture but rather gender. I. 'I had a management position opened in my department, and the two finalists were a man and a woman. Had I not attended this workshop, I would have automatically assumed the man was the best candidate because the position required quite a bit of extensive travel. My reasoning would have been that even though both candidates were great and could have been successful in the position, I assumed the woman would have wanted to be home with her children and not travel.' Dale's assumptions are another example of the well-intentioned but incorrect thinking that limits an organization's ability to tap into the full potential of a diverse workforce. J. 'I learned from the class that instead of imposing my gender biases into the situation, I needed to present the full range of duties, responsibilities and expectations to all candidates and allow them to make an informed decision.' Dale credits the workshop, 'because it helped me make decisions based on fairness.' Year of the Know-It-All K. Doug is another supervisor who attended one of my workshops. He recalls a major lesson learned from his own employee. L. 'One of my most embarrassing moments was when I had a Chinese-American employee put in a request to take time off to celebrate Chinese New Year. In my ignorance, I assumed he had his dates wrong, as the first of January had just passed. When I advised him of this, I gave him a long talking-to about turning in requests early with the proper dates. M. 'He patiently waited, then when I was done, he said he would like Chinese New Year did not begin January first, and that Chinese New Year ,which is tied to the lunar cycle, is one of the most celebrated holidays on the Chinese calendar. Needless to say, I felt very embarrassed in assuming he had his dates mixed up. But I learned a great deal about assumptions, and that the timing of holidays varies considerably from culture to culture. N. 'Attending the diversity workshop helped me realize how much I could learn by simply asking questions and creating dialogues with my employees, rather than making assumptions and trying to be a know-it-all,' Doug admits. 'The biggest thing I took away from the workshop is learning how to be more 'inclusive' to differences.' A better Bottom Line O. An open mind about diversity not only improves organizations internally, it is profitable as well. These comments from a customer service representative show how an inclusive attitude can improve sales.' Most of my customers speak English as a second language. One of the best things my company has done is to contract with a language service that offers translations over the phone. It wasn't until my boss received Mindsets' training that she was able to understand how important inclusiveness was to customer service. As result, our customer base has increased.' P. Once we start to see people as individuals, and discard the stereotypes, we can move positively toward inclusiveness for everyone. Diversity is about coming together and taking advantage of our differences and similarities. It is about building better communities and organizations that enhance us as individuals and reinforce our shared humanity. Q. When we begin to question our assumptions and challenge what we think we have learned from our past, from the media, peers, family, friends, etc, we begin to realize that some of our conclusions are flawed (有缺陷的) or contrary to our fundamental values. We need to train ourselves to think differently, shift our mindsets and realize that diversity opens doors for all of us, creating opportunities in organizations and communities that benefit everyone.

单选题 The End of AIDS? A. On June 5th 1981 America's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported the outbreak of an unusual form of pneumonia (肺炎) in Los Angeles. When, a few weeks later, its scientists noticed a similar cluster of a rare cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma (肉瘤) in San Francisco, they suspected that something strange and serious was coming. That something was AIDS. B. Since then, 25m people have died from AIDS and another 34m are infected. The 30th anniversary of the disease's discovery has been taken by many as an occasion for hand-wringing. Yet the war on AIDS is going far better than anyone dared hope. A decade ago, half of the people in several southern African countries were expected to die of AIDS. Now, the death rate is dropping. In 2005 the disease killed 2.1m people. In 2009, the most recent year for which data are available, the number was 1.8m. Some 5m lives have already been saved by drug treatment. In 33 of the worst-affected countries the rate of new infectious is down by 25% or more from its peak. C. Even more hopeful is a recent study which suggests that the drugs used to treat AIDS may also stop its transmission. If that proves true, the drugs could achieve much of what a vaccine (疫苗) would. The question for the world will no longer be whether it can wipe out the plague, but whether it is prepared to pay the price. The appliance of science D. If AIDS is defeated, it will be thanks to an alliance of science, activism and unselfishness. The science has come from the world's drug companies, which leapt on the problem. In 1996 a batch of similar drugs, all of them inhibiting the activity of one of the AIDS virus's crucial enzymes (霉素), appeared almost simultaneously. The effect was miraculous, if you (or your government) could afford the $15,000 a year that those drugs cost when they first came on the market. E. Much of the activism came from rich-world gays. Having persuaded drug companies into creating the new medicines, the activists bullied them into dropping the price. That would have happened anyway, but activism made it happen faster. The unselfishness was aroused as it became clear by the mid-1990s that AIDS was not just a rich-world disease. Three-quarters of those affected were—and still are—in Africa. Unlike most infections, which strike children and the elderly, AIDS hits the most productive members of society: businessmen, civil servants, engineers, teachers, doctors, nurses. Thanks to an enormous effort by Western philanthropists (慈善家) and some politicians (this is one area where even the left should give credit to George Bush junior), a series of programmes has brought drugs to those infected. F. The result is unsatisfactory. Not enough people—some 6.6m of the 16m who would most quickly benefit—are getting the drugs. And the pills are not a cure. Stop taking them, and the virus bounces back. But it is a huge step forward from ten years ago. G. What can science offer now? A few people's immune systems control the disease naturally, which suggests a vaccine might be possible, and antibodies have been discovered that neutralise the virus and might thus form the basis of AIDS-clearing drugs. But a cure still seems a long way off. Prevention is, for the moment, the better bet. A question of money H. In the early days scientists were often attacked by activists for being more concerned with trying to prevent the epidemic spreading than treating the affected. Now it seems that treatment and prevention will come in the same pill. If you can stop the virus reproducing in someone's body, you not only save his life, you also reduce the number of viruses for him to pass on. Get enough people on drugs and it would be like vaccinating them: the chain of transmission would be broken. I. That is a huge task. It is not just a matter of bringing in those who should already be on the drugs (the 16m who show symptoms or whose immune systems are critically weak). To prevent transmission, treatment would in theory need to be expanded to all the 34m people infected with the disease. That would mean more effective screening, which is planned already, and also a willingness by those without the symptoms to be treated. That willingness might be there, though, if it would protect people's uninfected lovers. J. Such a programme would take years and also cost a lot of money. About $16 billion a year is spent on AIDS in poor and middle-income countries. Half is generated locally and half is foreign aid. A report in this week's Lancet suggests a carefully crafted mixture of approaches that does not involve treating all those without symptoms would bring great benefit for not much more than this—a peak of $22 billion in 2015, and a fall thereafter. Moreover, most of the extra spending would be offset by savings on the treatment of those who would have been infected, but were not—some 12m people, if the scientists have done their sums right. At $500 per person per year, the benefits would far outweigh the costs in purely economic terms; though donors will need to compare the gain from spending more on knocking out AIDS against other worthy causes, such as eliminating malaria (疟疾). K. For the moment, the struggle is to stop some rich countries giving less. The Netherlands and Spain are cutting their contributions to the Global Fund, one of the two main distributors of the life-saving drugs, and Italy has stopped paying 'altogether. On June 8th the United Nations meets to discuss what to do next. Those who see the UN as a mere talking-shop should remember that its first meeting on AIDS launched the Global Fund. It is still a long haul. But AIDS can be beaten. A plague that 30 years ago was blamed on man's wickedness has ended up showing him in a better, more inventive and generous light.

单选题 就餐时，围桌共食是中国人的一种传统。与西方人把鲜花放餐桌中央不同的是，中国人把菜肴放餐桌中央供大家一起享用。这种风俗体现了食物在中华文明史上的重要地位。更重要的是，这种方式促进了就餐者之间的交流。通常在一餐饭之后，朋友之间的关系更加紧密，生意合作伙伴也加深了相互了解。有时人们还会为客人或长辈夹菜，以示尊重。

单选题 过去的七年，中国的房地产业经历了前所未有的高速增长。对于那些月薪较低却渴望在大城市拥有一套属于自己的、体面的、舒适的栖身之所的人来说，高昂的房价是他们无法承受的负担。鉴于这一状况，政府今年来采取了一系列措施防止房价过快增长，包括提高利率和增加房产税等。目前，这些措施在部分城市已经取得了初步成效。

单选题One in five US workers regularly attends after-work drinks with co-workers, where the most common 27 range from bad-mouthing (说……的坏话) another worker to kissing a colleague and drinking too much, according to a study 28 on Tuesday. Most workers attend so-called happy hours to 29 with colleagues, although 15 percent go to hear the latest office gossip and 13 percent go because they feel obligated, said the survey conducted for CareerBuilder.com, an online job site. As to what happens when the after-work drinks flow, 16 percent reported bad-mouthing a colleague, 10 percent shared a secret about a colleague, 8 percent kissed a colleague and 8 percent said they drank too much and acted 30 . 5 percent said they had shared a secret about the company, and 4 percent 31 to singing karaoke. While 21 percent of those who attend say happy hours are good for 32 , 85 percent said attending had not helped them get 33 to someone higher up or get a better position. An equal number of men and women said they attend happy hours with co-workers, with younger workers aged 25 to 34 most likely and workers over 55 least 34 to attend. Overall, 21 percent of workers attend happy hours with co-workers and, of those, 35 a quarter go at least once a month. The survey was 36 online by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 6,987 full-time employees. A. bond B. acknowledged C. nearly D. specially E. anywhere F. mishaps G. obligated H. likely I. conducted J. idly K. unprofessionally L. networking M. released N. confessed O. researched

单选题 Shoppers in the UK are spending less money on toilet paper to save money, research has shown. Penny-pinching UK consumers choose cheaper products from discounters such as Aldi and Lidl rather than luxury alternatives. This has wiped 6% off the value of the soft tissue paper market in the UK. It has shrunk from ￡1.19 billion in 2011 to ￡1.12 billion in 2015, according to a new report from market research company Mintel. Furthermore, the future of the market looks far from rosy, with sales expected to fall further to ￡1.11 billion in 2016. In the last year alone, despite an increase in the UK population and a subsequent rise in the number of households, sales of toilet paper fell by 2%, with the average household reducing their toilet roll spending from ￡43 in 2014 to ￡41 in 2015. Overall, almost three in five people say they try to limit their usage of paper—including facial tissue and kitchen roll—to save money. 'Strength, softness and thickness remain the leading indicators of toilet paper quality, with just a small proportion of consumers preferring more luxurious alternatives, such as those with flower patterns of perfume,' said Mintel analyst Jack DuckeR. 'These extra features are deemed unnecessary by the majority of shoppers, which probably reflects how these types of products are typically more expensive than regular toilet paper, even when on special offer.' While consumers are spending less on toilet paper, they remain fussy—in theory at least—when it comes to paper quality. Top of Britons' toilet paper wish list is softness (57%) followed by strength (45%) and thickness (36%). One in 10 buyers rand toilet rolls made from recycled paper among their top considerations, highlighting how overall the environment is much less of a consideration for shoppers than product quality. In a challenge for manufacturers, 81% of paper product users said they would consider buying recycled toilet tissue if it were comparable in quality to standard paper.

单选题U. S. vehicle sales reached a six-year high in 2013, with 15.6 million units sold, up from 14.5 million in 2012. Demand for some of the top-selling cars was so high that dealers had trouble keeping them in stock. While sales is an obvious 27 of a car's demand, another industry measure called days supply can also shed 28 on a model's popularity. Days supply 29 the amount of time it takes to sell a vehicle from the moment it leaves the manufacturing plant until a 30 buys it at a dealership. Car data site TrueCar. corn provided 24/7 Wall St. with a list of the models that sold at least 100,000 units through the first 11 months of 2013 and had the lowest days supply in the United States in November. At the top of the list was the Subaru Forester, which had an average days supply of just 26.7 days. One 31 that can drive the popularity of a car is a recent redesign. The majority of the cars with the shortest days supply have been redesigned recently. Among these was the Subaru Forester, which launched its 32 redesign in 2013 to immense acclaim. The Forester had the lowest average days supply of any car in the U. S. last year. Toyota's RAV4 was also 33 , and the average days supply fell 30.3%. Eric Lyman, vice president of Editorial and Consulting at TrueCar agreed that a brand new look for a model is 'definitely is a factor' in reducing the days supply. Not 34 , sales of many of these hot-selling vehicles have increased 35 in the last few years as demand has risen. Sales of the Toyota RAV4 36 from 171,875 in 2012 to 218,249 in 2013. The Toyota Tacoma, Ford Explorer, and Nissan Sentra all clocked in double-digit sales growth as well, while the Forester's sales soared by more than 60%. A. custom E. factor I. surprisingly M. fell B. measure F. jumped J. customer N. updated C. minority G. approximates K. latest O. judgment D. significantly H. final L. light

单选题 British Cuisine: The Best of Old and New British cuisine (烹饪) has come of age in recent years as chefs (厨师) combine the best of old and new. A. Why does British food have a reputation for being so bad? Because it is bad! Those are not the most encouraging words to hear just before eating lunch at one of Hong Kong's smartest British restaurants, Alfie's by KEE, but head chef Nell Tomes has more to say. B. 'The past 15 years or so have been a noticeable period of improvement for food in England,' the English chef says, citing the trend in British cuisine for better ingredients, preparation and Cooking methods, and more appealing presentation. Chefs such as Delia Smith, Nigel Slater, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay made the public realise that cooking—and eating—didn't have to be a boring thing. And now, most of the British public is familiar even with the extremes of Heston Blumenthaps molecular gastronomy, a form of cooking that employs scientific methods to create the perfect dish. C. 'It's no longer the case that the common man in England is embarrassed to show he knows about food,' Tomes says. D. There was plenty of room for improvement. The problems with the nation's cuisine can be traced back to the Second World War. Before the War, much of Britain's food was imported and when German U-boats began attacking ships bringing food to the country, Britain went on rations (配给). E. 'As rationing came to an end in the 1950s, technology picked up and was used to mass-produce food,' Tomes says. 'And by then people were just happy to have a decent quantity of food in their kitchens.' F. They weren't looking for cured meats, organic produce or beautiful presentation; they were looking for whatever they could get their hands on, and this prioritisation of quantity over quality prevailed for decades, meaning a generation was brought up with food that couldn't compete with neighbouring France, Italy, Belgium or Spain. G. Before star chefs such as Oliver began making cooking fashionable, it was hard to find a restaurant in London that was open after 9 pm. But in recent years the capital's culinary(烹饪的) scene has developed to the point that it is now confident of its ability to please the tastes of any international visitor. H. With the opening of Alfie's in April, and others such as The Pawn, two years ago, modern British food has made its way to Hong Kong. 'With British food, I think that Hong Kong restaurants are keeping up,' says David Tamlyn, the Welsh executive chef at The Pawn in Wan Chai. 'Hong Kong diners are extremely responsive to new ideas or presentations, which is good news for new dishes.' I. Chefs agree that diners in Hong Kong are embracing the modern British trend. Some restaurants are modifying the recipes (菜谱) of British dishes to breathe new life into the classics, while others are using better quality ingredients but remaining true to British traditions and tastes. J. Tamlyn is in the second camp. 'We select our food very particularly. We use US beef, New Zealand lamb and for our custards (牛奶蛋糊) we use Bird's Custard Powder,' Tamlyn says. 'Some restaurants go for custard made flesh with eggs, sugar and cream, but British custard is different, and we stay true to that.' K. Matthew Hill, senior manager at the two-year-old SoHo restaurant Yorkshire Pudding, also uses better ingredients as a means of improving dishes. 'There are a lot of existing perceptions about British food and so we can't alter these too much. We're a traditional British restaurant so there are some staples (主菜) that will remain essentially unchanged.' L. These traditional dishes include fish and chips, steak and kidney pie and large pieces of roasted meats. At Alfie's, the newest of the British restaurants in town and perhaps the most gentlemen's club-like in design, Neil Tomes explains his passion for provenance (原产地). 'Britain has started to become really proud of the food it's producing. It 'has excellent organic farms, beautifully crafted cheeses, high-quality meats.' M. However, the British don't have a history of exporting their foodstuffs, which makes it difficult for restaurants in Hong Kong to source authentic ingredients. N. 'We can get a lot of our ingredients once a week from the UK,' Tamlyn explains. 'But there is also pressure to buy local and save on food miles, which means we take our vegetables from the local markets, and there are a lot that work well with British staples.' O. The Phoenix, in Mid-Levels, offers the widest interpretation of 'British cuisine', while still trying to maintain its soul. The gastro-pub has existed in various locations in Hong Kong since 2002. Singaporean head chef Tommy Teh Kum Chai offers daily specials on a blackboard, rather than sticking to a menu. This enables him to reinterpret British cuisine depending on what is avail □ able in the local markets. P. 'We use a lot of ingredients that people wouldn't perhaps associate as British, but are presented in a British way. Bell peppers stuffed with couscous, alongside ratatouille, is a very popular dish.' Q. Although the ingredients may not strike diners as being traditional, they can be found in dishes across Britain. R. Even the traditional chefs are aware of the need to adapt to local tastes and customs, while maintaining the Britishness of their cuisine. At Yorkshire Pudding, Hill says that his staff asks diners whether they would like to share their meals. Small dishes, shared meals and 'mixing it up' is not something commonly done in Britain, but Yorkshire Pudding will bring full dishes to the table and offer individual plates for each diner. 'That way, people still get the presentation of the dishes as they were designed, but can carve them up however they like,' Hill says. S. This practice is also popular at The Pawn, although largely for rotisseries (烤肉馆), Tamlyn says. 'Some tables will arrive on a Sunday, order a whole chicken and a shoulder of lamb or a baby pig, and just stay for hours enjoying everything we bring out for them.' Some British traditions are too sacred (神圣的) to mess with, however, Tomes says. 'I'd never change a full English breakfast.'

单选题 Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge (大杂烩) of environmental claims made by household products, according to a 'green labeling' study published by Consumers International Friday. Among the report's more outrageous (耸人听闻的) findings, a German fertilizer described itself as 'earthworm friendly', a brand of flour said it was 'non-polluting' and a British toilet paper claimed to be 'environmentally friendlier'. The study was written and researched by Britain's National Consumer Council (NCC) for lobby group Consumer International. It was funded by the German and Dutch governments and the European Commission. 'While many good and useful claims are being made, it is clear there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impact of products they buy,' said Consumers International director Anna Fielder. The 10-country study surveyed product packaging in Britain, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United States. It found that products sold in Germany and the United Kingdom made the most environmental claims on average. The report focused on claims made by specific products, such as detergent (洗涤剂) insect sprays and by some garden products. It did not test the claims, but compared them to labeling guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in September, 1999. Researchers documented claims of environmental friendliness made by about 2,000 products and found many too vague or too misleading to meet ISO standards. 'Many products had specially-designed labels to make them seem environmentally friendly, but in fact many of these symbols mean nothing,' said report researcher Philip Page. 'Laundry detergents made the most number of claims with 158. Household cleaners were second with 145 separate claims, while paints were third on our list with 73. The high numbers show how very confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading.' he said. The ISO labeling standards ban vague or misleading claims on product packaging, because terms such as 'environmentally friendly' and 'non-polluting' cannot be verified. 'What we are now pushing for is to have multinational corporations meet the standards set by the ISO.' said Page.

单选题 For thousands of years, people thought of glass as something beautiful to look at. Only recently have they come to think of it as something to look through. Stores display their goods in large glass windows. Glass bottles and jars that hold food and drink allow us to see the contents. Glass is used to make eyeglasses, microscopes, telescopes, and many other extremely useful and necessary objects. Until the Second World War, most of the glass used for optical instruments was imported from Europe. However, during the war Americans could not get European glass, and they were forced to make their own. As a result, new kinds of glasses were developed that had been previously unknown. These new effects were achieved by mixing other chemical elements with the sand. Some of these new glasses are very strong and can resist many kinds of shocks. Legend has it that a very hard glass was invented by a Roman who showed his discovery to the Emperor. When the Emperor saw the glass he feared that it would become more valuable than gold and silver, malting his treasure worthless. Therefore, he had the glassmaker killed, and the secret was not discovered again for hundreds of years. In the present century, safety glass was invented for use in modern cars and planes. Safety glass is made by placing a layer of plastic between two layers of plate glass. When the outside layer of glass is broken, the pieces do not scatter and injure people. Some glass of this type is strong enough to resist bullets. Although in recent years plastics have replaced glass under conditions where glass might be easily broken, there are new uses being developed, for the greatest advantage of glass is that its component parts are inexpensive and can be found all over the world.

单选题One out of five Americans suffers from allergies. People with allergies have extra-sensitive immune systems that react to normally harmless substances. Allergens that may produce this reaction include plant 25 , dust mites, or animal dander; plants such as poison ivy; certain drugs, such as penicillin; and certain foods such as eggs, milk, nuts, or seafood. The tendency to develop allergies is usually inherited, and allergies usually begin to appear in childhood, but they can show 26 at any age. Common allergies for infants include food allergies and eczema (patches of dry skin). Older children and adults may often develop allergic rhinitis (hay fever), a reaction to an 27 allergen; common symptoms include nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. It is best to avoid contact with the allergen, if 28 . In some cases, medications such as antihistamines are used to decrease the reaction, and there are treatments aimed at gradually desensitizing the patient to the allergen. Other effective allergy treatments include decongestants, eye drops, and ointments. Some people with allergies also have asthma, and allergens are a common asthma trigger. Asthma is a disease of 29 inflammation affecting the passages that carry air into and out of the lungs. It can develop at any age. People with asthma have 30 , supersensitive airways that tighten and become filled with mucus during an asthma 31 . Wheezing, difficulty in breathing, tightening of the chest, and coughing are common symptoms. Asthma can progress through stages to become life-threatening if not controlled. Emergency symptoms include: no improvement minutes after 32 treatment; struggling to breathe; hard time breathing, with patient hunched over and/or chest and neck pulled in with breathing; trouble walking or talking; stopping activity and not starting activity again; gray or blue lips or fingernails. Besides common allergens, tobacco smoke, cold air, and pollution can 33 an asthma attack, as can viral infections or physical exercise that taxes the breathing. Of course, an accurate diagnosis by a physician is important. Although there is no cure for asthma or allergies, they can be controlled with 34 and lifestyle changes. A. logo B. trigger C. medications D. pollens E. seduce F. core G. inhaled H. up I. chronic J. inflamed K. feasible L. lull M. mantle N. initial O. episode

单选题 Humans use water for three basic purposes: agriculture, industry, and domestic and municipal use (water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and so forth). And the amount of water 27 to each person decreases as the population grows, 28 the possibility of water shortages. Water shortages will not come all at once in every part of the world, just as the world's population is 29 distributed by region, so is the annual 30 of renewable water. Rainfall and snowfall are 31 by uneven weather patterns and landscape, and as a result, some areas of the world get more precipitation than others. This leads the uneven 32 of water all over the world. Natural water scarcity has prompted many nations to try to increase their water supplies by building dams to catch water that otherwise would escape to the sea, or by sinking more and deeper wells. But these efforts can have 33 side effects that can contribute to water scarcity. Instead of building dams, some countries choose to increase their 34 to groundwater. But this practice increases the risk of over pumping aquifers (蓄水层). Pollution also affects the water supply, reducing the available water by making it toxic or otherwise 35 for human use. Water shortages could also lead to international conflicts as countries 36 for limited water resources. Political tensions over water often appear when different nations lay claim to the same river, lake, or aquifer. According to the UN, more than 300 river basins and aquifers worldwide cross national boundaries are creating the potential for conflicts. A. access B. positively C. deliberately D. compete E. negative F. distribution G. available H. determined I. unevenly J. unfit K. starved L. raising M. approach N. arising O. supply