One way to sell stuff is to make things that people want to buy. Another way is to offer “free trials” and then hit customers with bills. This brings us to PDC Education Ltd, run by Rebecca Jordan and Kirsty Weir of Leeds, whose website teaching-resources-uk.com offers teaching plans for teachers.
Rosemarie Brady, finance manager of Rutlish School in Merton, southwest London, tells us that one teacher called Amanda Seyfried downloaded the “free” resources. “Unfortunately in very small print, they state that unless the free trial is cancelled, then you will be charged,” she says.
A year has gone by and now they’ve been sent a second bill for 500 pounds, just because they forgot to cancel the “free trial”.
Merton Council—and it’s not the only one—has sent a warning to all its schools saying: “ Only in the very (easily missed) small print of the terms and conditions is it explained that, after the 14-day trial, schools will be automatically signed for a two-year contact with the company.”
“This will only be stopped if the teacher who requested the trial writes directly to PDC to cancel before the 14 days have expired(期滿). The fee can be as much as hundreds of pounds, with the threat of debt recovery if they are not paid.”
Among the online complaints is this one from a teacher. “How disappointed I am that they will not even consider seriously re-negotiating the invoice(清單).”
Rebecca Jordan of PDC Education said, “ The whole purpose behind the free trial is that we have confidence in our business. This free trial period gives teachers the chance to see what is on offer without having to commit to a payment.”
Only a “very small number” of teachers have complained when they receive an invoice, she added. “ Their only complaint is that they have not checked what they are signing up to but that is not our fault, the position is totally clear. The prices and the trial terms are clear to see on the online sign up page.”
It’s true the terms and conditions are on their website. But perhaps it’s unhelpful that they run to almost 3000 words.
小題1:We know from the passage that____________.
A．Merton Council suggests that PDC Education Ltd should be closed down
B．the website teaching-resources-uk.com uses tricks to cheat people out of money
C．the users complained that they had not been informed of writing to PDC earlier
D．the education website promises to enlarge their warning print and cut down the term
小題2: Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards PDC?
A．CriticalB．ReservedC．DoubtfulD．Positive
小題3: What might be the best title for the passage?
A．An education websiteB．A lesson in “free” trials
C．A mysterious invoiceD．Traps on the web

小題1:B
小題2:A
小題3:B

試題分析：這篇文章講的是一個(gè)網(wǎng)站利用免費(fèi)試用課程，先是讓人們試用，但是如果不及時(shí)的取消定制，就會(huì)有大筆的費(fèi)用從而騙人們的錢。
小題1:細(xì)節(jié)題：從第三段的句子：A year has gone by and now they’ve been sent a second bill for 500 pounds, just because they forgot to cancel the “free trial”. 可知teaching-resources-uk.com 使用詭計(jì)騙人們的錢，選B
小題2:作者態(tài)度題：從最后一段的句子：It’s true the terms and conditions are on their website. But perhaps it’s unhelpful that they run to almost 3000 words.可知作者對PDC的態(tài)度是批評的，選A
小題3:標(biāo)題確定題：這篇文章講的是一個(gè)網(wǎng)站利用免費(fèi)試用課程騙人們的錢，用A lesson in “free” trials
做為標(biāo)題，有雙關(guān)的意思：一是表面的含義；還可以理解成免費(fèi)試用的教訓(xùn)，選B
練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

For as early as I could remember, my mother had been a bright, cheerful woman deeply interested and involved in the world around her. However, in the last fifteen years of her life, she had to live with senile dementia (老年癡呆). I would go to my home to pay her a visit in California and she would curiously look at me and then ask, “Who are you?” I would answer, “I’m your own son, of course.” “Where do you live?” She would ask. “In Virginia”, I would tell her. “Isn’t that interesting,” she would say, “I have a son in Virginia.”
Mother seemed only forgetful as well as confused at the beginning of that disease, but sometime later she would go through different time of intense anxiety. She would keep walk ing through the house she used to live in most of her life crying uneasily that she would like to go home. Or sometimes she left home and wandered away if she were unattended for a short time.
Hoping to make her happy and put her mind at ease I would take her in my car, visiting sites where she used to live when she was a child. In the yard of the hillside house in Shipman I sat in the car and admired the view of the old oaks and long green lawn(草坪). I pictured my mother there was a little girl playing with the pet lamb she had been so fond of. I looked to her for some response. She shook her head and said, “I want to go home.”
Over the years I have decided that what my mother was calling home was not a place, but a time. I think it was a time when she was much younger, when her children were still underfoot, when her husband was still energetic and attentive.
Watching my mother’s suffering set me wondering where I would have in mind if someday I couldn’t find home and wanted to go there. In this family we tend to be long-lived and we grow fuzzy (糊涂的) minded as the years go by. At eighty I have already noticed some alarming symptoms. My doctor says the forgetfulness is only natural and that it comes with age. Still the fear of senile dementia is haunting there. Someday if and when I become even more cloudy minded than I am now, unable to drive and unable to tell you where "home" is, my dear son, I expect I will ask you to take me home, I know you will do your best to find the place I need to be. I leave these notes for your guidance.
小題1:What’s the main idea of the first and second paragraphs?
A．The mother of the author could not find her home.
B．The mother of the author could not remember who’s his son.
C．The author’s mother suffered with serious senile dementia.
D．The author didn’t know how to cure his mother.
小題2:Which of the following is NOT the symptom of the mother of the author?
A．forgetful B．confusedC．cheerfulD．uneasy
小題3:What’s the meaning of the underlined word “picture”?
A．photographB．describeC．a(chǎn)ppearD．paint
小題4:What can you infer from the third paragraph?
A．The author cared much about his mother.
B．The mother of the author liked pet lambs very much.
C．The author found a very little girl who was playing with a pet lamb.
D．The mother of the author did not like her usual home.
小題5:What’s the best title of the passage?
A．Where Is Home? B．A story about a son and a mother.
C．Everyone will suffer with senile dementia.D．Take Mother Home.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

The world has never faced so much trouble before. People are        within themselves about natural resources, territories and especially religions. In my opinion, laughter is a universal language, which has the ability to       humanity without religions. Laughter can build a common connection between various religions and create a new world      . The idea may sound over-ambitious, and maybe it is. But maybe it is not. It is our deep       that laughter and only the laughter can unite the world, holding up a       sense of brotherhood and friendship.
Studies also show that laughter helps your body to do the following: lower blood pressure; lighten depression; reduce stress; work out the heart,       for those who are unable to perform       exercise. So in life, when you can laugh, you should laugh loudly and with your entire body—because it’s good for you.
小題1:
A．in peaceB．in difficultyC．a(chǎn)t warD．a(chǎn)mong challenge
小題2:
A．uniteB．unfoldC．releaseD．handle
小題3:
A．positionB．rulerC．sizeD．order
小題4:
A．beliefB．a(chǎn)dviceC．intentionD．plan
小題5:
A．safeB．humorousC．commonD．global
小題6:
A．partlyB．intensivelyC．especiallyD．universally
小題7:
A．mentalB．heartC．physicalD．morning

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Traveling can be a fun way to gain life experiences, especially during Spring Break — a week-long school vacation in the United States. But what if you're a student and don't have enough money for a trip? Don't worry. Here are some useful suggestions.
●Save: This probably is the most important preparation for traveling. Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you'll have more choices about where to go and how to get there.
●Plan ahead: Don't wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security and savings.
●Do your homework: No matter where you go, research the places you will visit. Decide what to see. Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants.
●Plan sensibly: Write down how much you expect to spend for food and hotels. Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything.
●Travel in groups: Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By traveling with others you can share costs and experiences.
●Work as you go: Need more money to support your trip? Look for work in the places you visit.
●Go off the beaten path: Tourist sites may be expensive. You may want to rethink your trip and go to a less-known area. Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights.
●Pack necessary things: The most important things to take are not always clothes.
Remember medicine in case you get sick, and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant.
●Use the Internet: The net can help to save money. Some useful websites include www. travelcity. corn, www. bargainslowestfare. corn and www. economictravelcity. com.
By planning sensibly, even students can enjoy the travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.
小題1:This passage is about ____________.
A．how to plan your travel
B．how to get life experiences
C．how to make your travel interesting
D．how to travel with enough money
小題2: Before your trip, the most important thing you should do is ____________.
A．to make a plan of the route
B．to buy tickets in advance
C．to save money before your trip
D．to get information from the Internet
小題3:The writer advises you ____________.
A．to share costs with friends
B．not to go to well-known places
C．not to visit dangerous places
D．to buy anything you want to buy

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes, hoping to improve himself so that he could one day find a better paid job. Except for Sundays, Father hardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he wanted to provide his family with the best that money could buy.
Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.
The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.
Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.
However, the family still did not get to see Father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he took another course in an open university.
Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.
Father’s hard work paid off and he was promoted. Happily, he decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough. It would be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a condominium.    Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients.
Over again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.
As expected, Father's hard work paid off again and he bought a beautiful condominium overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, Father declared to his family that he decided not to take any more courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his family, and it was a promise.
Father did not wake up the next day.
小題1:Father worked and studied very hard because ________.
A．he had to support his family
B．he wanted to bring his family a better life
C．he was enthusiastic in attending classes
D．he had to so as to reduce his family’s complaint
小題2:What CAN’T Father get through his hard work?
A．Better housingB．Higher educationC．Family timeD．Vacation abroad
小題3:How would the family feel when "Father did not wake up the next day"?
A．To their joy, Father can have a good rest in the end.
B．Thank God, Father can stay home with them.
C．They should have stopped Father from working so hard.
D．There is no point working hard for a better life.
小題4:What is the function of the italicized(斜體)paragraphs in this passage?
A．To imply a sad ending to the story.
B．To show how stubborn Father was.
C．To make readers feel how hard Father worked.
D．To make readers show sympathy for Father.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

On October 12, 1987, some Chinese scientists were working at the computers to look for information they needed. Suddenly they saw a lot of very bright spots(點(diǎn) )crossing the computers’ screens. At the same time the computers were working much slower. To find out what was happening they stopped their work to check some parts of the computers. To their horror(恐懼), they found out that most of their stored information was got rid of( 除掉) by computer viruses! Obviously all these computers had been infected（感染 ） by computer viruses.
It is said that the computer viruses were made by a group of young man fond of playing tricks. They all had excellent education. They created the viruses just to show their intelligence.（才智）These kinds of computer viruses are named Jerusalem( 耶路撒冷 )Viruses. These viruses can stay in computers for a long time. When the time comes they will attack the computers by lowering the function(功能), damaging their normal programs or even getting rid of all the information.
We now come to know that Jerusalem Viruses often attack computers on Fridays and that they are spreading(傳播) to a list of computers. Among the countries that suffering computer viruses are Britain, Australia, Switzerland and the U.S. But till now, how to get rid of the terrible remains a problem.
小題1:The group of young men created the viruses to __________. 
A．damage the computers
B．test their ability
C．play a trick on operators of the computers
D．tell the world that they were intelligent
小題2:According to the passage, computer viruses seem to _______.
A．have been in nature for years
B．be difficult to get rid of at present
C．exist（存在） in any computers
D．be able to be got rid of in the near future
小題3:The most serious damage caused by the viruses is that _______.
A．a(chǎn)ll the information stored in the computers is gone
B．the computer’s functions are lowered
C．the normal programs are damaged
D．the computers infected by the viruses can no longer be used
小題4:According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A．Four countries found their computers were infected by viruses.
B．The viruses will come to a new computer after staying in the old one for some time
C．The Jerusalem Viruses are a great harm to human health.
D．Scientists are trying to find a way to get rid of the viruses

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Friendships can be difficult — because often people aren't as honest and open as they should be. Sometimes, people finally get hurt.
Most problems with friendships come up because people are just too selfish to care about the things that their friends need. They care about their own needs much more, which makes it hard for friendships to work. However, being selfish is part of human nature. A person is put together in order to take care of themselves and their own needs, not necessarily those needs of other people. Even though being selfish is something that all humans are born with, it is something that everyone should be against.
The best thing to remember when you are a friend to anyone is that you need to treat your friends the same way that you'd like to be treated(對待). This is wonderful advice for a friendship, because it is really the only way to make sure that you are giving your friends everything you would want to be given in a friendship. Whenever you have a question about how you should treat a friend, it is easy to find an answer simply by asking yourself what you would like your friend to do for you, if he or she was in your shoes.
Even if you're always thinking about how you'd like to be treated, and your friends are too, there are problems that come up from time to time in each friendship, and it is important to understand how to deal with these problems so that you can build stronger and healthier friendships. Problems like friends getting boyfriends or girlfriends and not spending enough time with their friends, or even friends finding new friends and leaving old friends behind are problems that will probably come up with one or more of your friendships. It is important to know how to deal with these friend problems so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.
小題1:This passage mainly talks about ________.
A．the importance of friendship
B．the advantages(益處) of friendship
C．the problems of friendship
D．the disadvantages(劣勢) of friendship
小題2:According to the writer, problems with friendship may appear when ________.
A．one is honest B．one is selfishC．one is openD．one is kind
小題3:According to the passage, the first and most important thing to be other people's friend is ________.
A．to treat your friend as you like to be
B．to give your friends whatever you have
C．not to hurt your friends' feelings
D．not to think of your own need any more
小題4:What's the purpose of understanding how to deal with friendship problems?
A．To have a comfortable life.
B．To build stronger and healthier friendships.
C．To be treated the way you want.
D．To get a boyfriend or girlfriend more quickly.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Being safe in your everyday life needs knowledge(知識)．If you remember the following information，your life will be much safer．
Always notice the environment around you．You shouldn’t walk alone outside．Make sure where the public phones are．If anything dangerous happens，you can find them easily．
Your bag should be carried towards the front of your body instead of putting it on your back．When a bus is full of people, it is easy enough for a thief to take away the things in the bag on your back．
If you are followed by someone whom you don’t know, cross the street and go to the other way，let the person understand that you know he or she is after you．Next，don’t go home at once．You are safer in the street than you are alone in your home or in a lift(電梯)．
If you have to take a bus to a place far away, try to get to the stop a few minutes earlier before the bus leaves．This stops other people from studying you．On the bus，don’t sit alone．Sit behind the driver or with other people．Don’t sleep．
小題1:Which of the following is NOT safe when you are out?
A．Go home alone late at night．
B．Make sure where the public phones are．
C．Don’t get to the bus stop too early．
D．Always notice the environment around you．
小題2:When you are followed by someone on your way home，you should  to make yourself safe．
A．run home
B．find a lift and go in
C．turn back and walk towards him or her at once
D．cross the street and go to the other way
小題3:What can you learn from the text?
A．How to notice the environment around you.
B．How to be safe in your everyday life.
C．How to cross the street.
D．How to use the public phones.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

When I wake up on summer mornings, I know I am going to my favorite place to volunteer and make a difference in someone's life just by being with him or her -- a summer school for autistic (患孤獨(dú)癥的)children.
By helping the kids read or do math, I am not only teaching important skills but also helping them feel like any other kid. There are many wrong ideas about autism. The kids I work with can think and feel. They need help only in certain areas. 
Of course, each kid is special. For example, some kids like to draw, and others like to sing.
At the school, the kids learn through about 20 activities. These activities can help them learn skills they will need later in life.
The very first day I volunteered, a boy came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said “Hello”. From then on, I knew I could make a difference.
Another boy loved to have me read books that can help him learn to read. Sometimes he could be encouraged to read a few words or sentences. Finally, one day during reading practice, he read nearly 220 words himself!
Summer school is also a time for fun, Last summer, bagpipe(風(fēng)箱)players came to perform. Most of us had our hands over our ears because they were so loud. When they asked for a volunteer from the audience, one girl raised her hand as high as she could, got up on stage, and even tried the bagpipes in front of everyone.
Through these experiences, I realize that the challenges these kids face do not stop them from doing many amazing things. I'm teaching them, but they are teaching me more.
小題1:According to Paragraph 2, many people think autistic kids _________ .
A．can't read or do mathB．don't have important skills
C．don’t play with other kidsD．can't think or feel
小題2:The phrase “these experiences” in the last paragraph refers to the following EXCEPT ________ .
A．“I” read the books for kids
B．a(chǎn) boy read nearly 220 words himself
C．a(chǎn) girl tried the bagpipes on stage as a volunteer
D．a(chǎn) boy said hello to“ me” politely
小題3:What does the author mainly talk about in the passage?
A．His teaching experience in a summer holiday.
B．How to make a difference in others' lives.
C．His experience as a volunteer in a special summer school.
D．Autistic children's hard life.

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案