The sharing economy, represented by companies like Airbnb or Uber, is the latest fashion craze. But many supporters have overlooked the reality that this new business model is largely based on escaping regulations and breaking the law.
Airbnb is an Internet-based service that allows people to rent out spare rooms to strangers for short stays. Uber is an Internet taxi service that allows thousands of people to answer ride requests with their own cars. There are hundreds of other such services.
The good thing about the sharing economy is that it promotes the use of underused resources. Millions of people have houses or apartments with empty rooms, and Airbnb allows them to profit from these rooms while allowing guests a place to stay at prices that are often far less than those charged by hotels. Uber offers prices that are competitive with standard taxi prices and their drivers are often much quicker and more trustworthy.
But the downside of the sharing economy has gotten much less attention. Most cities and states both tax and regulate hotels, and the tourists who stay in hotels are usually an important source of tax income. But many of Airbnb’s customers are not paying the taxes required under the law.
Airbnb can also raise issues of safety for its customers and trouble for hosts’ neighbors. Hotels are regularly inspected to ensure that they are not fire traps and that they don’t form other risks for visitors. Airbnb hosts face no such inspections.
Since Airbnb is allowing people to escape taxes and regulations, the company is simply promoting thefts. Others in the economy will lose by bearing an additional tax burden or being forced to live next to an apartment unit with a never-ending series of noisy visitors.
The same story may apply with Uber. Uber is currently in disputes over whether its cars meet the safety and insurance requirements imposed on standard taxis. Also, if Uber and related services flood the market, they could harm all taxi drivers’ ability to earn a minimum wage.
This downside of the sharing needs to be taken seriously, but that doesn’t mean the current tax and regulatory structure is perfect.
1.What is the positive thing about the sharing economy?
A. It is a global trend.
B. It is beyond regulations.
C. It draws on spare resources.
D. It brings in modest profits.
2.What is the problem with Airbnb customers according to the passage?
A. They are not regularly inspected.
B. They are likely to commit thefts.
C. They are allowed not to pay taxes.
D. They can be noisy to hosts’ neighbours.
3.What is the argument over Uber according to the passage?
A. Whether it guarantees customers’ safety.
B. Whether it provides reliable services.
C. Whether it lowers customers’ expenses.
D. Whether it can compete with standard taxis.
4.What will be talked about in the following paragraphs?
A. Existing regulations and laws.
B. Necessary improvements of current laws.
C. Further development of Airbnb and Uber.
D. More downsides of Airbnb and Uber.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
The sharing economy, represented by companies like Airbnb or Uber, is the latest fashion craze. But many supporters have overlooked the reality that this new business model is largely based on escaping regulations and breaking the law.
Airbnb is an Internet-based service that allows people to rent out spare rooms to strangers for short stays. Uber is an Internet taxi service that allows thousands of people to answer ride requests with their own cars. There are hundreds of other such services.
The good thing about the sharing economy is that it promotes the use of underused resources. Millions of people have houses or apartments with empty rooms, and Airbnb allows them to profit from these rooms while allowing guests a place to stay at prices that are often far less than those charged by hotels. Uber offers prices that are competitive with standard taxi prices and their drivers are often much quicker and more trustworthy.
But the downside of the sharing economy has gotten much less attention. Most cities and states both tax and regulate hotels, and the tourists who stay in hotels are usually an important source of tax income. But many of Airbnb’s customers are not paying the taxes required under the law.
Airbnb can also raise issues of safety for its customers and trouble for hosts’ neighbors. Hotels are regularly inspected to ensure that they are not fire traps and that they don’t form other risks for visitors. Airbnb hosts face no such inspections.
Since Airbnb is allowing people to escape taxes and regulations, the company is simply promoting thefts. Others in the economy will lose by bearing an additional tax burden or being forced to live next to an apartment unit with a never-ending series of noisy visitors.
The same story may apply with Uber. Uber is currently in disputes over whether its cars meet the safety and insurance requirements imposed on standard taxis. Also, if Uber and related services flood the market, they could harm all taxi drivers’ ability to earn a minimum wage.
This downside of the sharing needs to be taken seriously, but that doesn’t mean the current tax and regulatory structure is perfect.
1.What is the positive thing about the sharing economy?
A. It is a global trend.
B. It is beyond regulations.
C. It draws on spare resources.
D. It brings in modest profits.
2.What is the problem with Airbnb customers according to the passage?
A. They are not regularly inspected.
B. They are likely to commit thefts.
C. They are allowed not to pay taxes.
D. They can be noisy to hosts’ neighbours.
3.What is the argument over Uber according to the passage?
A. Whether it guarantees customers’ safety.
B. Whether it provides reliable services.
C. Whether it lowers customers’ expenses.
D. Whether it can compete with standard taxis.
4.What will be talked about in the following paragraphs?
A. Existing regulations and laws.
B. Necessary improvements of current laws.
C. Further development of Airbnb and Uber.
D. More downsides of Airbnb and Uber.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Mail or gifts posted by companies to customers ________ advertising.
A.are another | B.is the other | C.are other | D.is another |
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
My partner wants to keep the company small _____ I’d like to expand it.
A. and B. or C. however D. while
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The sharing economy has grown in recent years to include everything from apartment' sharing to car sharing to community tool sharing. Since 2009, a new form of sharing economy has been emerging in neighborhoods throughout the US and around the world-Little Free Library. The libraries are boxes placed in neighborhoods from which residents can withdraw and deposit books. Little Free Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. Some libraries also have themes, focusing on books for children, adults, or tour guides.
In 2009. Tod Bol built the first Little Free Library as a gift to his mother, who was a devoted reader. When he saw the people of his community gathering around it, exchanging conversation as well as books, he knew he wanted to take his simple idea further. "I think Little Free Libraries open the door to conversations we want to have with each other," Bol said. .
Since then, his idea has become a movement, spreading from state to state and country to country. According to Little FreeLibrary.org, there are now 18,000 0f the little structures around the world, located in each of the 50 US states and 70 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia.
The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. But an Atlantic article says the little, structures serve as a cure for a world of e-reader downloads . The little wooden boxes are refreshingly physical and human. For many people, the sense of discovery is Little Free Libraries' main appeal. "A girl walking home from school might pick up a graphic novel that gets her excited about reading; a man on his way to the bus stop might find a volume of poetry that changes his outlook on life," says the Atlantic article. "Every book is a potential source of inspiration "
1.How do Little Free Libraries get their books?
A. Citizens shared them. B. Tod Bol donated them.
C. US government provided them. D. The communities bought them.
2.Why did Tod Bol want to build more Little Free Libraries?
A. He wanted to promote his idea worldwide.
B. He was inspired by the sharing economy.
C. They can offer neighbors more chances to talk.
D. They are a gift to please his mother.
3.What does the author of the Atlantic article believe?
A. The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries.
B. Little Free Libraries are physical and human.
C. E-reader downloads are undoubtedly beneficial.
D. Little Free Libraries are more popular than e-reader downloads.
4. Little Free Libraries attract readers most in that ______.
A. they connect strangers together
B. they are located all over the world
C. they are in various shapes and sizes
D. they may give readers a sense of discovery
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The sharing economy has grown in recent years to include everything from apartment' sharing to car sharing to community tool sharing. Since 2009, a new form of sharing economy has been emerging in neighborhoods throughout the US and around the world-Little Free Library. The libraries are boxes placed in neighborhoods from which residents can withdraw(取出) and deposit(存入) books. Little Free Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. Some libraries also have themes, focusing on books for children, adults, or tour guides.
In 2009. Tod Bol built the first Little Free Library as a gift to his mother, who was a devoted reader. When he saw the people of his community gathering around it, exchanging conversation as well as books, he knew he wanted to take his simple idea further. "I think Little Free Libraries open the door to conversations we want to have with each other," Bol said. .
Since then, his idea has become a movement, spreading from state to state and country to country. According to Little FreeLibrary.org, there are now 18,000 0f the little structures around the world, located in each of the 50 US states and 70 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia.
The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. But an Atlantic article says the little, structures serve as a cure for a world of e-reader downloads . The little wooden boxes are refreshingly physical and human. For many people, the sense of discovery is Little Free Libraries' main appeal. "A girl walking home from school might pick up a graphic novel that gets her excited about reading; a man on his way to the bus stop might find a volume of poetry that changes his outlook on life," says the Atlantic article. "Every book is a potential source of inspiration "
1.How do Little Free Libraries get their books?
A. Citizens shared them.
B. Tod Bol donated them.
C. US government provided them.
D. The communities bought them.
2.Why did Tod Bol want to build more Little Free Libraries?
A. He wanted to promote his idea worldwide.
B. He was inspired by the sharing economy.
C. They can offer neighbors more chances to talk.
D. They are a gift to please his mother.
3. What does the author of the Atlantic article believe?
A. The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries.
B. Little Free Libraries are physical and human.
C. E-reader downloads are undoubtedly beneficial.
D. Little Free Libraries are more popular than e-reader downloads.
4.Little Free Libraries attract readers most in that ______.
A. they connect strangers together
B. they are located all over the world
C. they are in various shapes and sizes
D. they may give readers a sense of discovery
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It’s a sadness shared by many business start-ups: why did my company fail, while so many others seem to be profiting from the “golden age of entrepreneurship (创业精神)”?
Some people argue that opportunities and good fortune are the secrets to success. But Innovation Works CEO Kaifu Lee believes that entrepreneurs need to have certain qualities to help them face the difficulties of starting a business. At a recent LinkedIn conference, Lee mentioned some of these qualities.
“Even though we’re now in a golden period for innovation and start-ups, not everyone is meant to be an entrepre- neur. Entrepreneurs share the same qualities — they are confident, communicative and focused. They don’t fear losing, and they are good at learning,”he said.
Lee explained that he often meets young people who are irresolute about setting up a business. “ If that’s the case for you then don’t do so,” he said at the conference. The bottom line, he said, is that entrepreneurs should be determined and passionate.
passion is vital to entrepreneurs since it typically relates to self-motivation, according to Li Jun, 26, founder of Wuhan Lushenglin Plant Wall Co Ltd. “Entrepreneurs often need to work around the clock. It’s easier for people to put up with the difficult schedule if they’re passionate about what they’re doing,” he said.
Entrepreneurs are also generally thought of as risk-takers. But Yu Xiuhong, general secretary of the Bright China foundation, warns that young entrepreneurs should not take too many risks. “Successful entrepreneurs rarely take risks blindly or jump at opportunities others avoid. Before launching a business, it's advisable to do market research, evaluate yourself and your opponents,” she said.
Also she advises that young people thoroughly calculate their expenses in advance. Take Li Dongjin as an example, 35-year-old long-term entrepreneur disappeared a week ago after his O2O car washing company failed disastrously. He had gotten an initial investment of 5 million yuan but wasted it all on allowance and publicity.
1.Which of the following is not the quality of an entrepreneur according to Kaifu Lee?
A. Confidence. B. Determination.
C. Leadership skill. D. Learning ability.
2.What did Li Jun say about entrepreneurs?
A. They can’t be motivated without enthusiasm.
B. They shouldn't complain about their tight .schedule.
C. They should have an urge to improve themselves.
D. They may suffer health problems due to heavy work loads.
3.What has the closest meaning with the underlined word “irresolute” in Paragraph 4?
A. Delighted. B. Hesitant.
C. Anxious. D. Sure.
4.What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?
A. Yu Xiuhong regrets jumping at opportunities before.
B. Li Dongjin is a failure for lack of adventurous spirit.
C. Li Dongjin shouldn’t have started a car washing company.
D. Yu Xiuhong believes it a must to think twice before taking risks.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The time is not far away _______ the news will be made known ________ will represent our company to attend the coming medical conference to be held in Beijing.
A.until; who | B.when; who | C.before; which | D.when; whenever |
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
—_______ do you like to fly, economy or first class?
—Economy, I think.
A. What B. Where C. Which D. How
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is not hard to find evidence of the success of the “sharing economy”, in which people rent beds, cars and other underused assets directly from each other, or via the internet. One pointer is the large amount of demand and supply. Airbnb claims that 11m people have used its website to find a place to stay. Lyft, a company that matches people needing rides and drivers wanting a few dollars, has spread from San Francisco to 30-odd American cities. Another sign is the frothy values (泡沫价值) placed on sharing-economy companies: Airbnb is estimated to be worth $10 billion, more than hotel chains such as Hyatt and Wyndham, and Lyft recently raised $250m from venture capitalists. But perhaps the most flattering—and least welcome—indicator of the sharing economy’s rise is the energy being devoted by governments, courts and competitors to preventing it.
The main battlegrounds are the taxi and room-rental businesses. A court in Brussels has told Uber, another San Francisco ride-sharing and taxi-services startup, to stop operating in the city. Other cities have banned their services outright, or tried other ways of putting spokes in their wheels. Meanwhile the Hotel Association of New York has been lobbying for (游说) stricter enforcement of a rule that bans absent owners from letting their apartments for less than 30 days, which makes most of Airbnb’s listings there illegal.
The newcomers’ opponents, whether competitors, officials or worried citizens, complain that the likes of Airbnb and Lyft dodge (躲避) the rules and taxes that apply to conventional businesses. Regulations exist to keep hotel rooms clean and fire alarms in working order, to stop residential areas being filled with unlicensed hotels, and to see that drivers are insured, checked for criminality and tested on their knowledge of the streets. Cowboys such as Airbnb, Lyft and Uber, their critics claim, are a danger to an unsuspecting public.
The objectors have half a point. Taxes must be paid: a property-owner who rents a room should declare the income, just as a hotel should. Safety is also a concern: people want some assurance that once they bed down for the night or get into a stranger’s car they will not be attacked or robbed. Zoning (划分区域) and planning are also an issue: peace-loving citizens may well object if the house next door becomes a hotel.
Sharing-economy firms are trying to mitigate (缓和) these problems. They have tightened insurance cover for their drivers and have offered to collect hotel taxes. They have an interest in their participants’ good behavior: as hosts, guests, drivers and passengers all rate each other online, their need to protect their reputation helps to maintain standards and keep people honest. But if consumers want to go for the cheaper, less-regulated service, they should be allowed to do so.
The truth is that most of the rules that the sharing economy is breaking have little to do with protecting the public. The opposition to Lyft and Uber is coming not from customers but from taxi companies, which understand that GPS makes detailed knowledge of the streets redundant (多余的) and fear cheaper competition.
This all argues for adaptation, not prohibition. An unlikely pioneer is San Francisco. Lyft and Uber got going in the city partly because taxis were hard to find, but the authorities have tolerated them. San Francisco bans rentals of less than 30 days, but is considering allowing people to let their residence, provided they live there most of the time, register with the city and pay its 14% hotel tax.
1.According to Paragraph 1, the success of the “sharing economy” is indicated by the fact that __________.
A. many people are trading their underused assets freely via the internet
B. growth in online rental demand has exceeded supply in many regions
C. its total capital value has surpassed that of conventional business
D. sharing economy companies are suffering from a number of attacks
2.Opponents complain that the taxi and room-rental businesses _________.
A. frequently make anti-competitive market behavior
B. are often involved in illegal business practices
C. are lacking in necessary rules and regulations
D. have caused a lot of accidents and crimes
3.By “have a half point” in Paragraph 4, the author probably means the objectors “__________.”
A. fail to indentify the safety problems existing among sharing economy firms
B. have overstated the dangers brought about by sharing-economy firms to the public
C. fail to realize the need of zoning and planning in sharing economy
D. have overestimated the impact of sharing economy firms on the traditional counterparts
4.The author believes that the current opposition to sharing economy mainly reflects_________.
A. the mission of protecting the public B. the complaints from service consumers
C. the fear among conventional businesses D. the dissatisfaction among service providers
5.What is the author’s attitude toward the practice of San Francisco authorities?
A. Indifferent. B. Skeptical. C. Disapproving. D. Positive.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
—Where would you like to sit? In the corner or near the platform?
—______.I would like to sit by the piano so that I can watch the musician play.
A. Either B. Neither
C. None D. Both
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析