作者：文玉榮
A
BEIJING (Associated Press) ! China has a growing middle class, a tradition of expecting education and 21 million new babies every year. Selling educational toys should be easy.
While China may be the world's biggest toy-maker, much of the best is exported. Department stores here do not have enough high-quality toys. It is said that the demand for educational toys is low.
A US company, BabyCare, is trying to change that with a new way to sell toys in China.
BabyCare works basically together with doctors in Beijing hospitals. People who join the company's "mother's club" get lectures and newsletters on baby and child development at no extra cost-if they agree to spend 18 dollars a month on the company's educational toys and child-care books.
"We want to build a seven-year relationship with those people," said Matthew J. Estes, BabyCare's presi-dent. "It starts during pregnancy, when the anxiety and needs are highest." BabyCare works on a one-to-one basis. Doctors, nurses, and teachers paid by BabyCare, advise parents, explaining toys that are designed for children at each stage of development to age six.
BabyCare opened its first store in China last June in a shopping center in central Beijing and another near Beijing Zoo. It plans to have 80 stores in China within six years.
It is a new model for China and develops a market in young children's education and health that no other companies are in.
1. What do the first two paragraphs mainly tell us?
A. Educational toys and foreign toy markets.
B. Problems with China's toy market and education.
C. Reasons for pushing sales of educational toys in China.
D. Baby population and various kinds of toys made in China.
2. BabyCare is developing its business in China by _________.
A. opening stores in Beijing hospitals
B. offering 18-month courses on child-care
C. setting up children's education centers
D. forming close relationships with parents
3. Which of the following would be the most suitable title for the passage?
A. Mother's Club in China B. BabyCare and DoctorsC. American Company ModelD. On Educational Toys
B
San Francisco is going to do what many other cities have already done-provide free bicycles to the public. The mayor of San Francisco supports the bicycle program. He wants to improve the terrible traffic problems in the city.
At first, 40 to 60 bikes will be available only to city workers. People will give their old bikes to the city to use in the program. If this program is successful, one day more than 1000 bicycles will be available. Everyone, not just city workers, will be able to use these bicycles.
People in Fresno, California already have a free bicycle program. In fact, this idea began in Amsterdam over 40 years ago. These programs encourage citizens to get out of their cars and use free bikes.
Fresno's Yellow Bike Program puts about forty bicycles around the city. The bikes are painted bright yellow so people know they can take them. When people take a yellow bike, they can ride to work or to shopping areas, and then leave the bike for the next rider.
Some people worry that the free bikes will be stolen. However, theft hasn't been a problem in free-bike cities by now.
While most people think the bike program is a good idea, only a few say they will use it. "I will still drive my car, "says Joanna Green. "San Francisco has a lot of hills. My office is at the top of Potrero Hill. I don't think I'm in good shape. And, wouldn't I have to carry a helmet with me all the time? "
Phil Chung agrees, "There is too much traffic. Riding a bicycle can be dangerous. There are not very many bike lanes. " He continues, "Plus, it's too cold in the winter. And what if you ride a bike to work, and then there isn't one to ride home? "
Program leaders know there will be problems. But they think it's worth trying. "It's not the solution for everyone, " states Sylvia Pass. "But if just one hundred people use it every day, that's one hundred cars that aren't on the streets, one hundred parking spaces that aren't used. I think it's a great beginning. "
4. Why does San Francisco provide bicycles to the public?
A. Because there are many bikes available.
B. Because the citizens don't have cars of their own.
C. Because other cities have not done so.
D. Because the traffic problems are terrible.
5. The underlined words"in good shape"mean "______".
A. beautiful. B. healthy and strong. C. tall enough. D. fat and small.
【答案與解析】
1. C。前兩段主要講述了中國玩具市場的巨大,以及目前中國市場上玩具質量不高。因此,在中國開發玩具市場是可行的。2. D。第四、五段即本文答案出處。 3. D。整篇短文講述的是BabyCare公司在中國北京開發教育類玩具市場的事。4. D。第一段即本文答案出處。 4. D 5. B。劃線處前面的句子已有提示,Joanna Green的辦公室在Potrero山頂上,言外之意是他騎自行車上山很困難,也就說明他身體不強壯。"in good shape"意為"身體狀況良好"。