Task 1
Directions: After reading the following passage, you will find 5 questions or unfinished statements, numbered 36 through 40. For each question or statement there are 4 choices marked A, B, C, and D. You should make the correct choice.
The holiday shopping season got off to a flying start over the Thanksgiving (感恩节)weekend in the U. S. Retailers(零售商)attracted discount-hungry consumers with specials (物价商品) of televisions, DVD players and other gifts. Discounters like Wal-Mart and Target had the greatest success, offering customers early bird specials, while major department stores and clothing chains only met modest sales goals. Online sales were also strong.
"It was as expected, it wasn't a source of great prosperity, but it was a good start," said Nevill, amah in a US retail consulting firm. He said, "One thing we often heard was that only things marked down(降价) were selling. Consumers want a bargain, especially around the holiday." Shoppers did seem to like the many markdowns. A lady in the State of Connecticut said, "I've never seen so many sales. I feel like a kid in a candy store."
Nevill estimated that discounters had a 4% gain over last year's Thanksgiving figure, while sales at depatient stores and mall-based clothing chains were up 2% for the weekend. However, the Thanksgiving weekend is not necessarily a good way to judge how retailers will be successful for the season. Over the past few years, the weekend accounted for less than 10% of sales.
Online merchants also had a good weekend. Sales were up 61% last Friday, compared to the day after Thanksgiving a year ago.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, people bought a lot more than usual because ______.

A. Wal-Mart and Target offered birds as gifts
B. shopping was the major weekend activity
C. people had time to go shopping online
D. they were allowed special discounts