Valentine’s Day, for many couples, means cards, flowers, and candlelight dinners. For most couples it also means withdrawing money at the ATM to express their love. Fortunately, there are ways to save money by saving energy — even during the date — so you can spend the money you save on the things that really matter to your sweetheart. Here are five easy tips for those couples out there who want to save energy and save money:
A fireplace is always a perfect background to set up holiday decorations because of the space it provides, in addition to the grand role it plays in the house as being an important part of each room. If you plan on spending your Valentine’s Day near the fireplace, be sure to prevent the heat loss and make sure of the chimney efficiency. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
If you plan on having a nice, romantic dinner at home and want to set the mood with proper lighting, use energy efficient light bulbs that save you money, and look for bulbs that are lower in lumens. Lumens tell you the brightness of the bulb. The lower the lumens, the weaker the light.
For those who plan to cook that romantic dinner, there are some simple energy efficient ways you can prepare that meal. For example, did you know that if you’re baking in a china or glass dish, you can typically set your oven for 25 degrees less than the recipe calls for? Learn more about saving energy while cooking.
For those couples who would like to have a movie night, plug your TV and DVD into an electronic power strip to save money on your gas of the car. By plugging in electronic devices into a power strip and turning it off when not in use, you can save up to $100 per year.
If you plan on going on a romantic “escape” from your house by car, be sure to check out these tips to reduce fuel consumption and costs.
1.How do most people spend their Valentine’s Day according to the passage?
A. They make green trips by riding bikes or walking dogs.
B. They go to visit their parents or grandparents together.
C. They stay at home making delicious food for lovers.
D. They spend money creating romantic environment.
2.What does the author advise you to do when you use a fireplace that night?
A. Try to burn less wood by covering the chimney.
B. Try to use more wood to produce more heat.
C. Try to hold more heat by using it effectively.
D. Try to make the room wetter than usual.
3.What does the author advise you to do if you choose to have dinner at home?
A. Choose the bulbs without lumens.
B. Choose the bulbs with lower lumens.
C. Choose the small bulbs with higher lumens.
D. Choose the colorful bulbs as many as possible.
4.How should you cook meals according to the author?
A. Adjust electricity amount according to different dishes.
B. Set the oven for 25 degrees higher than required.
C. Try to cook all kinds of food with a china dish.
D. Try to bake some cakes in a glass dish.
5.What is the greenest way for you to see a film on Valentine’s Day?
A. Just watch a DVD at home. B. Just see the film in the running car.
C. Go to the nearest theatre by bike. D. “Escape” from your house by car.
1.D
2.C
3.B
4.A
5.A
【解析】
試題分析：大部分人花錢創造浪漫的氛圍來過情人節，但是本文交給讀者在這樣的節日也可以節約能源，節約錢的方法。
1.細節題：從文章第一段的句子：For most couples it also means withdrawing money at the ATM to express their love.可知大部分人花錢創造浪漫的氛圍來過情人節，選D
2.細節題：從文章第二段的句子：If you plan on spending your Valentine’s Day near the fireplace, be sure to prevent the heat loss and make sure of the chimney efficiency.可知作者建議讀者使用壁爐的時候，通過有效的使用來保持它的溫度。選C
3.細節題:從文章第三段的句子：If you plan on having a nice, romantic dinner at home and want to set the mood with proper lighting, use energy efficient light bulbs that save you money, and look for bulbs that are lower in lumens.可知如果你選擇在家吃飯，可以選擇低流明的燈泡，選B
4.細節題：從文章第四段的句子：did you know that if you’re baking in a china or glass dish, you can typically set your oven for 25 degrees less than the recipe calls for? Learn more about saving energy while cooking.
可知如果你要做飯，應該根據不同的飯菜調整電量，選A
5.細節題：從文章倒數第二段的句子：For those couples who would like to have a movie night, plug your TV and DVD into an electronic power strip to save money on your gas of the car.可知情人節看電影deep最綠色的方式是在家看DVD，選A
考點：考查日常生活類短文
閱讀快車系列答案科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
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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