test 7

David Jones and His Salary

Computer programmer David Jones earns ￡35,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank prepared to let him have a cheque card. Instead, he has been told to wait another two years, until he is 18.

The 16-year-old works for a small firm In Liverpool, where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David's firm releases two new games for the home computer market each month.

But David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Despite his salary, earned buy inventing new programs, with bonus payments and profit-sharing, he cannot drive a car, buy a house, or obtain credit cards.

He lives with his parents in Liverpool. His company has to pay ￡150 a month in taxi fares to get him the five miles to work and back every day because David cannot drive.

David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago, a year after leaving school and working for a time in a computer shop. \"I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs,\" he said.

\"I suppose ￡35,000 sounds a lot but I hope it will come to more than that his year.\" He spends some of his money on records and clothes, and gives his mother ￡20 a week. But most of his spare time is spent working.

\"unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school,\" he said. \"But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway.\" David added: \"I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear.\" Exercise

1. Why is David different from other young people of his age? A) Because he earns an extremely high salary. B) Because he is not unemployed. C) Because he does not go out much.

D) Because he lives at home with his parents. 2. David's greatest problem is

A) finding a bank that will treat him as an adult. B) inventing computer games. C) spending his salary. D) learning to drive.

3. He was employed by the company because A) he had worked in a computer shop.

B) he had written some computer programs. C) he had worked very hard.

D) he had learned to use computers at school. 4. He left school because A) he did not enjoy school

B) he wanted to work with computers and staying at school did not help him. C) he was afraid of getting too old to start computing.

D) he wanted to earn a lot of money.

5. Why does David think he might retire early?

A) Because you have to be young to write computer programs. B) Because he wants to stop working when he is a millionaire.

C) Because he thinks computer games might not always sell so well. D) Because he thinks his firm might go bankrupt.

PASSAGE2

\"Lemons\" in Used Car Market

Suppose that you, a college student of somewhat limited means, are in the market for a used pickup truck. The following ad in a local used car publication catches your eyes. 1993 Ford Ranger, bilk, 4WD, a/c AM/FM/cass., showroom condition. Call 555-1234 after 5 p.m

This is exactly the kind of vehicle you want, so you call to inquire about the price. The price you are quoted over the phone is $2,000 lower than the price for this model with this equipment listed in a used car guidebook. Instead of being ecstatic, however, you are suspicious.

For many products, when you must pay less than the going rate, you believe you are getting a great deal. This is not necessarily the case for used cars or other durable goods(washing machines and television sets, for example) because with expensive products-or, what is essentially the same thing, products with high replacement costs-you must be particularly careful about getting a \"lemon.\" Or a product of substandard quality.

In addition to asking the price, the age of a car-or any other consumer durable-is a factor when you are trying to determine whether a seller is attempting to unload a lemon. While people have all sorts of reasons for wanting to sell their cars-even relatively new cars-most people hold off until they have put many thousands of miles on a car or until the used car is several years old. You would probably be as suspicious of a car that is \"too new\" as you would a car that is \"too good \" a deal. In fact, you are probably willing to pay a high price for a high-quality used car. While this price would certainly be acceptable to the seller, the competitive market might not facilitate such trades.

1. The beginning of this passage assumes that college students A) are very clever but not very rich.

B) Are very capable but not very diligent. C) Have limited material resources D) Are not rich.

2. The passage indicated that, sometimes when you find a product of an unexpectedly low price.

A) You are very happy/

B) You are rather suspicious.

C) You are filled with happiness as well as surprise. D) You feel uneasy.

3.\"Lemon\" in this passage refers to A) a kind of fruit.

B) A kind of new car.

C) A kind of expensive and high-quality car. D) A product of inferior quality.

4.If you want to know if the seller is trying to unload a lemon, you A) take the age of the car into consideration. B) Take the price of the lemon into consideration C) Consider how many miles the car has run.

D) Consider both the price as well as the age of the car.

5.It can be concluded from the passage that in the used car market, A) used cars are generally cheap. B) Used cars are generally expensive C) Used cars are actually brand new

D) Car buyers are willing to pay a high price for a used car.

PASSAGE 3

The Greatest Show on Earth

The Olympic Game's are the greatest festival of sport in the world. Every four years, a hundred or more countries send their best sportsmen to compete for the highest honors in sport. As many as 6,000 people take part in over 20 sports. For the winners, there are gold medals and glory. But there is honor, too, for all who compete, win or lose. That is in spirit of the Olympics-to take part is what matters.

The Olympic Games always start in a bright color and action. The teams of all the nations parade in the opening ceremony and march round the track. The custom is for the Greek team to march in first. For it was in Greece that the Olympics began. The team of the country where the Games are being held- the host country-marches in last.

The runner with the Olympic torch then enters the stadium and lights the flame. A sportsman from the host country takes the Olympic oath on behalf of all the competitors. The judges and officials also take an oath. After the sportsman march out of the stadium, the host country puts on a wonderful display?

The competitions begin the next day. There are usually more than twenty sorts in the Games. The rule is that there must be at least fifteen. The main events are in track and field, but it is a few days before these sports start. Each day the competitors take part in a different sport-riding, shooting, swimming, and cross-country running. Points are gained for each event. Medals are awarded for the individual winners and for national teams.

More and more women are taking part in the games. They first competed in 1900, in tennis and golf, which are no longer held in the Olympics, Women's swimming events were introduced in 1912. But it was not until 1928 that there were any track and field events for women. Now, they compete in all but half a-dozen of the sports. In horse riding, shooting, and boat racing, they may compete in the same events as the men.

1. why is there honor for the losers as well as for the winners? A)Because failure is the mother of the success. B)Because losers need encouragement, too.

C)Because losers and winners should be equally treated.

D)Because what really matters is to take part in the Olympic Games.

2. Which of the following is a long-established practice in the opening ceremony? A)Runners enter the stadium with torches.

B)Each team has to put on a wonderful display. C)The Greek team marches in first.

D)Men and women were magnificent clothes. 3. Who takes the Olympic oath? A)A judge from the host country. B)An official from the host country. C)A Greek sportsman.

D)A sportsman from the host country.

4. What the most important events in the Olympic Games? A)The track and field events. B)The horse-riding events. C)The swimming events. D)The boat-racing events.

5. When did women start taking part in Olympic Games? A)In 1912. B)In 1900. C)In 1928. D)In 1924.

Passage 1: ACBBC Passage 2 DBDDA Passage 3 DCDAB