What is the greatest reward of being alive? Is it chocolate, ice cream, tropical vacations, hugs from children, a perfect night’s sleep, or the satisfaction of a job well done? 【小题1】 . But one supreme pleasure that includes all people is laughter.
Little can compare to the feeling of a deep, complete, heartfelt time of laughing. 【小题2】 , no matter your age, wealth, race, or living situation.
【小题3】 . Research finds that humor can help you cope better with pain, improve your immune(免疫) system, reduce stress, even help you live longer. Laughter, doctors and psychologists agree, is an basic part of a healthy, happy life.
As Mark Twain once said, “Studying humor is like dissecting (解剖) a frog. You may know a lot but you end up with a dead frog.” Nonetheless, we’re giving it a try. Here are some tips for getting — or growing — your sense of humor, based partly on the idea that you can’t be funny if you don’t understand what funny is.
First, regain your smile. 【小题4】 , but they do live in the same neighborhood.
Treat yourself to a comedy festival. Rent humorous movies. Reward yourself frequently with the gift of laughter, Hollywood style. 【小题5】 . Then find the humor in them. Now practice telling stories describing them in a humorous way.
Read the comics(连环画) every day and cut out the ones that remind you of your life.
Every night at dinner, make family members share one funny or even embarrassing moment of their day.
a) Life is also healthier
b) Recall several of the most embarrassing moments in your life
c) A thousand people, a thousand different answers
d) Life is good when laughter is frequent
e) Humor is everywhere
f) A smile and a laugh aren’t the same thing
g) Humor is a way to make yourself relaxed from stress
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Nothing says love like a dozen long – stemmed roses on Valentine’s Day. More than a million roses will be sold during this festival for lovers, the biggest day of the year for the nation’s rose industry. It’s going to remain the most popular flower because love never goes out of style.
Yes, a rose is a rose is a rose. But selling them is no longer a beautiful experience for traditional flower shops. Supermarkets now offer convenience to the busy and discount rose shops help those hopelessly in love save money. Roses only is a good example of a discount rose retailer that was transformed from a traditional shop to answer the challenge in the’ 90s.
Inside this store on Sixth Avenue near 40 th Street, contemporary white furniture and wall – to – wall mirrors give it an expensive look. Customers move about freely among the counters, looking eagerly at the roses in more than 50 colors from shelf to shelf. Some customers say it’s the high quality of the roses that attracts them there. “I spent $ 20 but the flowers looked like I paid 60 or 70 dollars,” says one customer.
Studies show more people are buying roses in ones, two and threes these days. In fact, more than half of all roses are sold in bunches of fewer than a dozen. But Roses Only's low prices encourage people to spend. Even on Valentine's Day, when the price of a dozen roses and delivery can soar as high as $150, 12 of Roses Only's most expensive flowers sell for just $35. The company's key to success is to hold prices down by controlling every link in the rose chain. It grows its own roses in the sunshine of the Andes Mountains. In addition, the company also sells other items such as ballons and stuffed animals.
While discount rose retailers are witnessing their business bloom, U.S. rose growers aren’t able to compete with the fierce foreign competition. More than 57% of roses sold in the USA are grown in other countries. The biggest foreign producers are Colombia and Ecuador, which accounted for almost 90% of the total imported last year. The trend has hurt domestic rose growers such as Johnson Flowers of California, considered to be this country's leading producer.
Now, instead of fighting overseas rivals, the Johnsons are trying to work with them. "We have a few big fighting overseas rivals, the Johnsons are trying to work with them. “We may also widen our business to include the service area and be a representative for overseas flower producers.”
As a result of severe competition, those in the rose business long for the good old days, whereas ordinary people benefit from the low price.
60.What is the central theme of this text?
A.The US rose business is going from bad to worse in spite of the efforts made.
B.The rose will remain the most popular flower as love never goes out of date.
C.The rose business is trying to meet the challenges in the market to succeed.
D.The rose industry plays an important role in American economy.
61.How does Roses Only obtain success in the discount rose retailing field?
A.By setting up more chain stores across the country.
B.By selling roses in supermarkets.
C.By selling high quality roses at a low price.
D.By selling roses by the dozen.
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