We can see how the product life cycle works by looking at the introduction of instant coffee. When it was introduced, most people did not like it as well as “regular” coffee, and it took several years to gain general acceptance (introduction stage). At one point, though, instant coffee grew rapidly in popularity, and many brands were introduced (stage of rapid growth). After a while, people became attached to one brand and sales leveled off (stage of maturity). Sales went into a slight decline when freeze-dried coffees were introduced (stage of decline).

The importance of the product life cycle to marketers is this: Different stages in the product life cycle call for different strategies. The goal is to extend product life so that sales and profits do not decline. One strategy is called market modification. It means that marketing managers look for new users and market sections. Did you know, for example, that the backpacks that so many students carry today were originally designed for the military?

　　Market modification also means searching for increased usage among present customers or going for a different market, such as senior citizens. A marketer may re-position the product to appeal to new market sections.

　　Another product extension strategy is called product modification．It involves changing product quality，features，or style to attract new users or more usage from present users．American auto manufacturers are using quality improvement as one way to recapture world markets．Note，also，how auto manufacturers once changed styles dramatically from year to year to keep demand from falling．

The first paragraph tell us that a new product is_______． 

A． not easily accepted by the public
B． often inferior to old ones at first
C． often more expensive than old ones
D．usually introduced to satisfy different tastes

To extend product life，_____strategies are often employed． 

A．2 
B．3
C．4 
D．5

When people stick to one brand，the product goes into_________． 

A．the stage of introduction` 
B．the stage of rapid growth
C．the stage of maturity` 
D．the stage of decline

Backpacks were originally designed for_________.

A．the military 
B．travelers
C．shoppers
D．students

 Product modification does not invo1ve changing _________． 

A．product quality 
B．features
C．style 
D．price

Reading skills are very important. Experts estimate that it is possible for any normal adult English speaker to read 1,000 words a minute and more, with special training. Yet most students read only about 300 words per minute. The following principles might be helpful for foreign students who wish to increase their reading skills:

　　◇ Always read faster than is comfortable. The faster your normal rate of reading becomes, the better your understanding will be.

　　◇ Keep reading ahead. Do not allow yourself to regress while reading, even when you come across a new word. If some word, term or phrase has clouded your understanding, you should reread it only after you have read the entire paragraph through once.

　　◇ Read selectively. As you read make a conscious effort to screen the nouns, pronouns, and verbs from the other words, since these are the words that give meaning to what you have read. In effect, you should really read the nouns, pronouns and verbs and merely see the rest of the words in the sentence.

　　◇ Read beyondthe lines. As a good reader, you should see ideas implied through the words, and bridge the gap between the obvious and the suggested, thus obtaining much more information.

　　Because the reading assignments in most college courses are very long, students should plan to read every day. If, however, they find that they cannot complete all the assigned readings in the beginning, they should not panic. Instead, they should ask their classmates how much they are reading and attempt to learn from them what to read first and what to postpone until a later date.

　　Because much of the past learning experience of foreign students may have been for the purpose of passing examinations, they might be inclined to put off studying until late in the term. Such behavior can result in failure in the US system, where assignments must be completed on time and done regularly each day.

 With special training, a normal adult English speaker may read _______ words per minute.

A．300
B． Less than 1000
C．1000
D． 1000 and more

According to the author, what is the type of vocabulary the reader should not spend much time on while reading?

A．Nouns. 
B． Pronouns.
C．Prepositions.
D． Verbs.

What principle should foreign students follow when they come across a new word while reading?

A．Always read faster than is comfortable.
B．Keep reading ahead.
C．Read selectively.
D．Read beyond the lines.

According to the passage, who should the student turn to for advice if he cannot complete all the assigned readings in the beginning?

A．His teacher.
B．His supervisor.
C．His tutor.
D． His classmates.

In the United States, the foreign students must do their reading assignments ________.

A．every day
B．until late in the term
C．right after their class
D．in the way their teachers have suggested

Pronouncing a language is a skill. Every normal person is expert in the skill of pronouncing his own language; but few people are even moderately proficient at pronouncing foreign languages. Now there are many reasons for this, some obvious, some perhaps not so obvious. But I suggest that the fundamental reason why people in general do not speak foreign languages very much better than they do their own languages is that they fail to grasp the true nature of the problems of learning to pronounce, and consequently never set about tackling it in the right way. Far too many people fail to realize that pronouncing a foreign language is a skill——one that needs careful training of a special kind, and one that cannot be acquired by just leaving it to take care of itself.

　　I think, even teachers of language, while recognizing the importance of a good accent, tend to neglect the branch of study concerned with speaking in their practical teaching. So, the first point I want to make here is that the teacher should be prepared to devote some of the lesson time to the teaching of English pronunciation. There should be occasions when other aspects of English, such as grammar or spelling, are allowed for the moment to take second place.

　　Apart from this question of the time given to pronunciation, there are two other requirements for the teacher: the first, knowledge; the second, technique.

　　It is important that the teacher should be in possession of the necessary information. This can generally be obtained from books. It is possible to get from books some idea of the mechanics of speech, and of what we call general phonetic theory. But the first and most important part of a language teacher’s technique is his own performance, his ability to demonstrate the spoken language, in every detail of articulation(发音) as well as in fluent speaking, so that the student’s talent capacity for imitation is given the fullest scope and encouragement.

What does the author actually say about pronouncing foreign languages?

A．Quite a few people are proficient.
B．Few people are reasonably proficient.
C．People realize the importance of pronouncing foreign languages.
D．People tend to spend more time on pronouncing than spelling.

According to the author, pronouncing a foreign language is a skill that requires_______.

A．leaving it to take care of itself
B．careful training of a special kind
C．focusing on learners’ own performances
D．obtaining much of the theoretical knowledge

Regarding the teaching of English pronunciation, the author has made all the following suggestions EXCEPT_______.

A．to learn from a native speaker
B．to devote some lesson time
C．to demonstrate the spoken language
D．to possess the necessary information

In the author’s view, priority should sometimes be given to ______ in the practical teaching.

A．grammar
B． spelling
C．writing
D． pronunciation

The language teacher’s own oral performance is particularly important because _________.

A．the students may admire the teacher’s spoken language
B．the students may have a high respect for the teacher’s authority
C．the student’s vision can be widened to the fullest scope
D．the student’s speaking ability can be developed through imitation

Homing pigeons are placed in a training program from about the time they are twenty-eight days of age. They are taught to enter the loft(鸽房) through a trap and to exercise above and around the loft, and gradually they are taken away for short distances in baskets and released. They are then expected to find their way home in the shortest possible time.

　　In their training flights or in actual races, the birds are taken to pre-arranged distant points and released to find their way back to their own lofts. Once the birds are liberated, their owners, who are standing by at the home lofts, anxiously watch the sky for their return. Since time is of the essence, the speed with which the birds can be directed to enter the loft trap may make the difference between gaining a win and a second place.

　　The head of a homing pigeon is comparatively small, but its brain is one quarter larger than that of the ordinary pigeon. The homing pigeon is very intelligent and some have been known to fly a hundred miles off course to avoid a storm.

　　Some homing pigeon experts claim that this bird is gifted with a form of built-in radar that helps it find its own loft after hours of flight, for the birds have two very sensitive ears hidden under the head feathers, while the sharp, prominent eyes can see great distances in daytime.

　　Why do homing pigeons fly home? They are not unique in this inherent skill; it is found in most migratory birds(候鸟), and in bees, ants, toads and even turtles, which have been known to travel hundreds of miles to return to their homes. But in the animal world, the homing pigeon can be trusted with its freedom and trained to carry out the missions that people demand.

What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To persuade the reader to buy a homing pigeon.
B．To inform the reader of homing pigeons and their training.

C．To explain how persistent and clever homing pigeons are.
D．To explain why homing pigeons are loyal to their owners.

 According to the passage, what happens to homing pigeons when they are about a month old?

A．They are kept in a trap.
B．They enter their first race.
C．They begin a training program.
D．They start their first distant flight.

In actual races, homing pigeons must be guided to enter the loft trap very quickly because_______.

A．they are sometimes disobedient to their owners
B．they have no idea of when to start a race
C．time makes a big difference in winning a race
D．their intelligence can not always be trusted

According to the passage, the difference between a homing pigeon and an ordinary one lies in__________.

A．the span of the wings
B．the shape of the eyes
C．the texture of the feathers
D．the size of the brain

Bees, ants, toads and turtles are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to________.

A．to compare their home-finding abilities with those of homing pigeons
B．to compare the distances traveled by different types of animals
C．to provide a description of some other animals with similar features
D．to arouse the reader’s interest in some other animals with similar features

Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero?

　　Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.

　　A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame. Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people.

　　The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?

Heroes are catalysts(催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated(实行种族隔离的) buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.

Heroes may come from different cultures, but they_______.

A．generally share some inspiring characteristics
B．probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people
C．are often influenced by their previous generations
D． are often pursued by a large number of fans

According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that___________.

A．they have a vision from the mountaintop
B．they have warm feelings and emotions
C．they can serve as concrete examples of noble strengths
D．they can make people feel stronger and more enthusiastic

Madonna and Michael Jackson are NOT considered heroes because_________.

A．they do not improve their fans morally
B．they are popular only with certain groups of people
C．their primary concern is their own financial interests
D．they are not clear about what principles they should follow

Gandhi and Martin Luther King are examples of outstanding leaders who________.

A．are good at demonstrating their charming characters
B．are capable of meeting all challenges and hardships
C．can bring about social changes in their nations
D．can change the whole world with their skills and charms

The author concludes that historical changes would________.

A．be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities
B．not occur without heroes making the necessary sacrifices
C．take place if there were heroes to lead the people
D．produce leaders with attractive personalities