Retail(零售的) stores are having an identity crisis. With foot traffic falling and customers going to online stores like Amazon, many stores are looking for new ways to keep the physical shopping experience valuable. “Physical stores find themselves at a crossroads,” says Doug Stephens, retail industry futurist and author of The Retail Revival.
If storefronts want to compete with their more convenient (and usually cheaper) online alternatives, they will have to offer unique experiences worth getting off the couch for. “My expectation will be to go to the store to learn about things, to be a participant in things, to co-create, to customize the things I’m buying, and to satisfy my own needs,” Stephens says. Here are two predictions of how the retailers of tomorrow will keep us shopping.
Stephens predicts that we’ll be transported by virtual reality. The stores of the future will “be much more visual,” he says. “Technologies like virtual reality, which a lot of companies right now are sort of experimenting with, can be used to create immersive(沉浸虚拟现实式的) shopping experiences.” Outdoor clothing and equipment maker The North Face recently worked with VR company Jaunt to let shoppers at its flagship stores put on VR headsets and take a virtual tour of Yosemite National Park, or virtually rock climb alongside star athletes. After they’ve climbed down the mountains, perhaps customers will be more willing to buy some climbing equipment.
Stores will also track and identify us, says Stephens. Remember that scene from Minority Report when Tom Cruise walks into a shopping mall and all the advertisements speak directly to him and know his shopping history by scanning(扫描) his eyeballs? That’s not so far off. A company called Hoxton Analytics offers a system that can determine a shopper’s data. Instead of scanning your eyeballs, this technology works by scanning and identifying your shoes. The goal is to help companies better understand customers and traffic patterns. The company makes sure that the system “does not collect personal information, and it does not store individual photographs, nor can it recognize individuals.”
1．What does Stephens want to show by saying the underlined words?| A．Many customers still prefer visiting physical stores. |
| B．Physical stores work with online stores like Amazon. |
| C．Physical stores are facing challenges from online stores. |
| D．More and more physical stores are being built at a crossroads. |
| A．Sell much cheaper products. | B．Provide personalized services. |
| C．Offer better after-sales service. | D．Create nice shopping environments. |
| A．How physical stores support VR. | B．How VR will help physical stores. |
| C．Why people are showing more interest in VR. | D．Why immersive shopping experiences are exciting |
| A．It makes fitted shoes. | B．It respects personal privacy. |
| C．It produces better advertisements. | D．It offers customers new information. |
There was a rich couple who was throwing a big New Year party at their house. So they went shopping at the market where everything was of high cost and fixed price. They wanted to maintain their level of standard so they didn’t mind paying for it. After purchasing all they needed, they called a porter to carry everything and drop it at their home. The porter who came was of an old age, and looked very unhealthy, and his clothes were torn, and he looked as if he wasn’t even able to meet his daily needs.
They asked the porter about the charges for delivering their goods to their home. The old porter quoted just $20, well below the market price. Yet, the couple argued and bargained with the porter and finally settled for $15. The porter was struggling to make even one time’s meal so he needed anything he could earn.
The couple was very happy thinking how well they bargained with the poor porter and paid him $15 in advance and left after giving the porter their address for delivery. They reached their home and one hour passed, and two hours passed, but the porter still didn’t deliver their stuff.
The wife started to get angry at her husband, “I always tell you not to trust such person, but you never listen to me. I am sure instead of delivering the goods to our home, he must have disappeared with everything. We must immediately go back to the market to inquire and then to the police station to file the complaint against him.”
They both left towards the market. On their way near the market, they saw another porter. They stopped him to inquire about the old porter and noticed that he was carrying their goods in his cart! The angry wife asked him, “Where is that old thief? This is our goods and he was supposed to deliver them. It seems you poor thieves are stealing our goods and going to sell them.”
When the porter heard the angry wife asking.
Upon hearing this, the husband had tears in his eyes,
Before I started high school my parents gave me the greatest gift any teenage boy could ask for: a cell phone. I
The views during the trip were amazing, but none of those mattered to me. My mind was on my phone. I remembered the first time I looked up was for something shocking—my phone had no service. My dad said that it would be
I realized being
Whenever I feel my inner self is slipping away, I follow my dad’s guidance. I pack up the tent and drive until my phone shows those two magic words: “no service”.
1．| A．wished for | B．applied for | C．lived on | D．learned from |
| A．impression | B．displeasure | C．impoliteness | D．embarrassment |
| A．revised | B．rented | C．mistaken | D．planned |
| A．However | B．Besides | C．Therefore | D．Otherwise |
| A．mobile | B．private | C．missing | D．useless |
| A．trapped | B．punished | C．trained | D．attended |
| A．appeared | B．ended | C．changed | D．formed |
| A．Because of | B．Apart from | C．Along with | D．Instead of |
| A．cleaned up | B．focused on | C．contributed to | D．showed off |
| A．close | B．blind | C．similar | D．new |
| A．contacts | B．parents | C．thoughts | D．sighs |
| A．dream | B．lesson | C．stressor | D．trial |
| A．understood | B．wondered | C．recorded | D．preferred |
| A．painful | B．impossible | C．unreasonable | D．obvious |
| A．appreciated | B．convinced | C．recognized | D．connected |
Sharpen your axe
Once upon a time, there were two woodcutters named Charles and John. Both of them were from the same town. They were often arguing with each other over who cut down more wood. So one beautiful morning, they decided to hold a woodcutting competition to determine the winner between them. The rules of competition were pretty simple—whoever produces the most wood in half a day wins.
They moved towards woodland nearby. Both of them took up their positions in the jungle and started cutting away trees in their fastest possible speed. Chop, chop, chop...The sound of axes hitting wood echoed(回响) throughout the forest. This lasted for an hour and all of a sudden Charles stopped. When John noticed that there was no chopping sound from Charles’s side, he thought: “Ah Ha! Charles must be tired already!” And he continued to chop down his trees with double motivation and pace.
A quarter of an hour passed, and John heard his opponent chopping again. After this both Charles and John carried on. John was starting to feel exhausted and the chopping from Charles stopped once again. Feeling motivated and sensing victory close by, John continued on, with a huge smile on his face. But after 15 minutes, John could hear the chopping sound again from Charles end. John brought his all energy together and kept cutting the trees to go ahead with the competition.
This went on the whole morning. Every hour, Charles would stop chopping the wood for fifteen minutes while John kept going persistently. So at 12 o’clock when the competition ended, John was totally confident that he would win the competition. He walked to Charles’s side and wanted to show off his great work.
But to John’s surprise, Charles had actually chopped down more wood.
Charles smiled and replied, “It is very simple. I just stopped to sharpen the axe.”
Individual innovation is considered one sign of intelligence within species, and elephants are among the animals that researchers have long taken an interest in because of their approach to problem solving. A newly published study in the journal Animal Behaviour details findings from a six-month-long study documenting the abilities of individual wild Asian elephants to access food by solving puzzles that unlocked storage boxes.
“This is the first research study to show that individual wild elephants have different willingness and abilities to solve problems in order to get food,” said the study’s lead author Sarah Jacobson. “This is important knowledge, because how animals think and innovate may influence their ability to survive in environments that are rapidly changing due to human presence.”
Conducted at the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, the study used motion-activated cameras to observe 77 wild Asian elephants who approached and decided whether to attempt opening puzzle boxes with three different compartments (隔间) that contained their favorite fruit—jackfruit. Depending on the compartments with which the elephant interacted, the jackfruit could be accessed by pulling on a chain so the door opened toward the elephant, pushing the door so that it swung open into the box, or sliding the door open to the right. The elephants had to independently interact with the puzzle boxes to discover how the compartments could be opened.
Over time, 44 of the elephants who approached the puzzle boxes interacted with them, but there were individual differences in how innovative the elephants were. The researchers found that elephants who interacted with the puzzle boxes more frequently and with greater persistence were more successful in getting food from all three different compartments.
“Conflict involving humans and elephants is increasing due to loss of natural habitat and agricultural encroachment into what is left of it, ” said the study’s principal investigator Dr. Joshua Plotnik, a psychology professor with the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College, and Sarah Jacobson’s dissertation advisor. “Investigating innovation and problem solving in elephants can inform our understanding of wild elephants’ cognitive flexibility and its potential impact on conservation management and human-elephant conflict mitigation.”
1．What can be learned from what Sarah Jacobson said?| A．They are the first to study wild elephants’ diet habits. |
| B．Many factors are threatening wild elephants’ survival. |
| C．Wild elephants’ capability of solving problems differs. |
| D．Wild elephants can think and act just as human beings. |
| A．The various methods to get the fruit. | B．The elephants’ effort to get the fruit. |
| C．The importance of doors in the study. | D．The equipment used in the experiment. |
| A．Position. | B．Occupancy. | C．Mode. | D．Leak. |
| A．Wild Elephants Have Many Ways to Obtain Food |
| B．Individual Wild Elephant Has the Same Innovation |
| C．Wild Elephants Are Showing an Interest in Puzzles |
| D．Wild Elephants Display Unique Puzzle Solving Skills |
“It’s been potatoes all week, mom! Can’t we go to the diner for a burger and an ice cream? That’s all I want for my birthday!” Eve’s 8-year-old son Dylan threw his arms around her shoulders, looking at her hopefully. In her hear, she wanted to throw Dylan the biggest birthday party ever, with balloons and a delicious cake with 8 beautiful candles on it. But in reality, Eve could afford none of that. After being let go from the third temporary job and paying the overdue bills, she didn’t have enough money left.
“Sorry, baby. I can’t afford meals...” Eve said sadly. Seeing tears in his mother’s eyes, Dylan quickly changed his tone (语气). He’d seen her struggling to make ends meet and couldn’t stand hurting her. “Actually, mom, that potato salad looks delicious! Can I have some more?” He asked her cheerfully.
After the humble meal, Eve did housework. Dylan took out an envelope hidden on his bookshelf. He’d secretly saved a few dollars from the lunch money his mom had given him over the past few years. He counted the money. “$28!” His eyes lit up. “I can get a good meal for c mom!”
Dylan slid out with the envelope and walked to the next block, where he saw exactly what he’d expected—the mobile food truck! He’d seen it a few times and wondered why the place was always crowded. He waited until the crowd waiting to buy food at the counter cleared away
“Sir! Please give me everything I can get for $28!” Dylan requested eagerly. But Martin, the owner of the food truck, replied, “Sorry, kid. We’re out of everything today!”
Disappointed, Dylan was seated on the sidewalk, mumbling(咕哝): “It’s my birthday, but I can’t even treat her to a nice meal. She does so much for me. I thought, for once, I would do something nice for her.” He kept talking out loud to himself, giving into his urge to cry.
“Woah, happy birthday, boy!” Martin said, sitting down next to Dylan.
The next morning, Eve woke up to a food truck outside her house.
Bees play a vital role in the world. Unfortunately, bees are dying by the second.
The main purpose of bees is to make honey. Honey, shockingly, does not exist for human consumption, it is essential to the insects. Honeybees store honey in their hives (蜂巢) in order for the bees to have energy for their flight muscles and for heating the hive during the winter period. They collect pollen (花粉) which supplies protein for young bees to grow.
According to Honey, com, the increased production and quality of agricultural crops as a result of honey bee pollination is valued more than $14.6 billion per year. These insects are responsible for over 70 of the fruits and vegetables we eat today, including apples, grapes, coffee, beans, and broccoli.
So if they are so valuable to agriculture, why do they keep dying off? A key suspect seems to be pesticides (农药). Honeybees who are exposed to pesticides result in the damage to their neurological (神经的) functions, specifically memory or behavior. And that’s why the majority of worker bees disappear and leave behind a queen, plenty of food and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen. There are several other causes to the decline of bees, including the destruction of natural habitat, like woodlands, forests, and other habitats for bees. Climate change is also a factor in the decline of the wild bee population.
Actually, there are a variety of methods to help the bee population grow. One way is to start your own organic garden by planting bee-friendly plants. Pesticides are used in both industrial practices and even in your home, so it is best to find organic seeds and weed killers.
1．Why do honeybees store honey in their hives?| A．To provide enough honey for human to consume. |
| B．To draw protein out of honey for young bees. |
| C．To help attract other insects and make hives stronger. |
| D．To strengthen bee muscles and heat hives in winter. |
| A．bees supply human beings with basic food |
| B．bees mainly live on these agricultural crops |
| C．bees are of great importance to fruits and vegetables |
| D．bees can bring in more money for famers every year |
| A．The lack of food. |
| B．The abuse of pesticides. |
| C．The fighting among bees. |
| D．The destruction of the habitats. |
| A．Another way to save bees. |
| B．Other tips for choosing seeds. |
| C．More methods to plant green organic fruits. |
| D．Causes of the decline in the wild bee population. |
The New Girl at School
One morning Eric’s teacher began the day with an announcement. “Today we have a new student joining our class, ” she said. “Please welcome Akiko to second grade and to America.”
Everyone said hello. Akiko seemed nervous and looked down at the floor. “Akiko is from Japan. She doesn’t speak English yet and I am sure you will do your best to help her.” Ms. Sloane said.
Ms. Sloane showed Akiko to the desk next to Eric. “Akiko, this is Eric.” Ms. Sloane said. She spoke slowly and pointed to Eric. “Eric, ” she said again.
Akiko nodded and sat down next to Eric, Eric was excited to meet the new student in his class, but she didn’t speak English yet. How could they find a way to talk to each other?Erie noticed that Akiko looked nervous. so he wanted to make her feel better.
“Hello. Akiko!” he said.
“Konnichiwa, ” said Akiko.
“That must mean hello.” Eric thought but he wondered how they could be friends if they couldn’t talk to each other. After thinking the matter over for a while, he came up with a good idea：Sign language. Ms. Sloane had ever taught them some sign language to communicate with those who couldn’t speak English.
With the help of sign language Eric conveyed his intention to make friends with her. Akiko understood the meaning of his gestures. She didn’t feel nervous any more and smiled.
Ms. Sloane began the day with math lessons. Eric had trouble remembering all of his math facts, so it took him longer than most kids to finish his worksheet. He glanced at Akiko. who had already finished. “I guess numbers are the same everywhere, ” Eric thought.
Eric looked at Akiko’s paper and pointed to a question. Akiko turned to him and said “Go.”
“Go where?” asked Eric.
“Go. Ichi, ni, san, shi, go.” Akiko said again.
With the words, Akiko tapped her hand five times on the desk.
Akiko felt better when she and Eric found a way to talk to each other.
Eat or heat?
No more ironing, limited oven use and showering at work—Europeans are trying to keep energy use down but the bills still keep climbing. Costs of energy for British consumers will rise by 80% from October,
Keetley
A household is defined as living in fuel poverty if it is low income and needs to spend 10% or even
Squaw Peak, with its breathtaking scenery, has attracted numerous hikers. But
Henry Grant was well
After 15 minutes of pushing past bushes and slipping down, Grant spotted Paula crumpling (瘫倒) on a small flat rock. He called 911 to
About 45 minutes later, first responders arrived. They carried Paula on a stretcher (担架) to a waiting ATV and sent her to a hospital.
Paula, who has fully
| A．injury | B．danger | C．pain | D．fortune |
| A．proud | B．innocent | C．ignorant | D．aware |
| A．stayed | B．jumped | C．walked | D．lived |
| A．impress | B．disturb | C．enjoy | D．prefer |
| A．fantastic | B．desperate | C．disappointed | D．enthusiastic |
| A．extended | B．wheeled | C．facilitated | D．guaranteed |
| A．anywhere | B．somewhere | C．nowhere | D．elsewhere |
| A．sight | B．position | C．route | D．location |
| A．predicting | B．imagining | C．deciding | D．hoping |
| A．report | B．find | C．determine | D．check |
| A．found | B．grasped | C．saved | D．reached |
| A．examinations | B．operations | C．measures | D．means |
| A．nervously | B．tightly | C．gently | D．silently |
| A．free | B．comfort | C．distract | D．spare |
| A．improved | B．recovered | C．returned | D．survived |
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