Many people often say there is more stress in today's society than in years past. In fact, these people are comparing our lives with that of the cave man, who didn't have to worry about the stock market or the atomic bomb. They forget that the cave man worried about being eaten by a hear while he was asleep, or about dying of hunger--things that few people worry much about today.
Actually stress is a normal state of affairs, and it's important that people understand what they are talking about when they speak about stress. Whenever anyone experiences something unpleasant, for lack of a better word they say they are under stress. Yet there is such a thing as pleasant stress--as in the case of the Olympic winner at the moment of his glory, or a conductor as his orchestra performs particularly well. They are just sending out excitement, and they are giving off all the stress hormones exactly the same as if they were in low spirits or had just heard of a death in the family. We call the pleasant or healthy kind "eustress” and the unpleasant or unhealthy kind "distress".
Then how can people deal with stress? The secret is not to avoid it but to "do your own thing". It implies doing what you like to do and what you are made to do at your own speed. For most people, it is really a matter of learning how to live and how to behave in various situations, to decide: “Do I really want to take my father's business or be a musician?” If you really want to be a musician, then be one.
64. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?
A. Modern people experiences more stress than the cave man.
B. The cave man experienced more stress than modern people.
C. People don't suffer more stress today; it's just that they think they do.
D. Modern people have the same worries as the cave man did.
65. In which of the following situations will you feel "eustress"?
A. Your favorite football team has lost an important game.
B. You have failed an important examination.
C. You are informed of an accident of your best friend.
D. You have won the first prize in an English competition.
66 The purpose of writing the passage is to let us know _________________________.
A. stress does not necessarily refer to unpleasant experience
B. distress is what people call the pleasant kind of stress
C. an Olympic winner feels the same stress as one who loses a family member
D. people will feel eustress and distress at the same time
67. According to the passage, how can people deal with stress?
A. Do things that you really want to do. B. Do whatever you're expected to do.
C. Try to do things successfully. D. Refuse to do whatever you're told to.
阅读下面短文,按照要求回答问题(共5小题;每小题3分,满分15分)
The Monster of Lake Tianchi
The "Monster of Lake Tianchi" in the Changbai Mountains in Jilin province, northeast China, is back in the news after several recent sightings. The director of a local tourist office, Meng Fanying, said the monster, which seemed to be black in colour, was ten metres from the edge of the lake during the most recent sighting. "It jumped out of the water like a seal—about 200 people on Changbai's western peak saw it," he said. Although no one really got a clear look at the mysteriouscreature, Xue Junlin, a local photographer, claimed that its head looked like a horse.
In another recent sighting, a group of soldiers claim they saw an animal moving on the surface of the water. The soldiers, who were walking along the side of the lake, watched the creature swimming for about two minutes. "It was greenish-black and had a round head with 10-centimetre horns", one of the soldiers said.
A third report came from Li Xiaohe, who was visiting the lake with his family. He claims to have seen a round black creature moving quickly through the water. After three or four hundred metres it dived into the water. Ten minutes later the monster appeared again and repeated the action. Mr Li Xiaohe said that he and his family were able to see the monster clearly because the weather was fine and the lake was calm.
There have been reports of monsters in Lake Tianchi since the beginning of the last century, although no one has seen one close up. Some photos have been taken but they are not clear because it was too far away. Many people think the monster may be a distant cousin of the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. They also think that there might be similar creatures in other lakes around the world. Scientists, however, are sceptical. They say that the low-temperature lake is unlikely to be able to support such large living creatures.
Lake Tianchi is the highest volcanic lake in the world. It is 2,189 metres high and covers an area of about ten square kilometres. In places it is more than 370 metres deep.
76. How many sightings of the monster does the article report?
_________________________________________________________________________________
77. Who saw the monster clearly, and why?
_________________________________________________________________________________
78. Which description of the monster is most detailed?
_________________________________________________________________________________
79. When was the monster first sighted?
_________________________________________________________________________________
80. What is special about Lake Tianchi?
_________________________________________________________________________________
A dog sheltered a newborn baby abandoned by its 14-year-old mother in a field in rural Argentina until the boy was rescued, a doctor said on August 22 (Friday).
A resident of a rural area outside La Plata called police late Wednesday night to say that he had heard the baby crying in a field behind his house.
The man went outside and found the infant lying beside the dog and its six newborn puppies, Daniel Salcedo, chief of police of the Province of Buenos Aires, told CNN.
The temperature was a chilly(寒冷的) 37 degrees, Salcedo said.
The dog had apparently carried the baby some 50 meters from where his mother had abandoned him to where the puppies were huddled, police said.
“She took it like a puppy and rescued it,” Salcedo said. “The doctors told us if she hadn’t done this, he would have died.”
“The dog is a hero to us.”
Dr. Egidio Melia, director of the Melchor Romero Hospital in La Plata, told CNN that police showed up at the hospital at 11:30 pm Wednesday with the baby who doctors say was only a few hours old.
Though the infant had superficial scratches (抓痕) and bruises (伤痕) and was bleeding from his mouth, he was in good shape, Melia said.
The next morning, the child’s mother was driven by a neighbor to the hospital and told authorities the 8-pound, 13-ounce infant is hers, Melia said.
The teenager was immediately give psychological treatment and was hospitalized, he said. She has said little about the incident.
The child has been transferred to a children’s hospital in La Plata, 37 miles from Buenos Aires.
What does the underlined word “sheltered” in the first paragraph mean?
A.protected | B.fed | C.watched | D.gave |
According to the passage , which statement is true?
A.It’s hard for the infant to recover soon. |
B.The puppies were running here and there all the time |
C.The temperature was very high at that time. |
D.But for the mother dog , the infant would have died. |
How was the baby when he was found?
A.He was seriously ill. | B.He was dying. |
C.He was in good shape. | D.He lost a lot of blood. |
What’s the text mainly about?
A.A baby was rescued by a dog. |
B.A baby was abandoned by its parents. |
C.How an abandoned baby was saved by doctors. |
D.Dogs are heroes to human beings. |
It was not a good day today. Everything went wrong. First, I slept late and Mom shouted at me to wake up. When I went to the kitchen for breakfast, there was no cereal. I decided to have some toast instead, but I burned it. I had to eat it anyway because there was no more bread. There was no juice, either. I just had a glass of water.
When I was almost at the bus stop, I realized that I had forgotten my wallet, so I had to go back home and get it. Of course, I missed the bus and had to wait for the next bus.
I was late for school and the teacher told me to stay in the classroom at lunchtime to catch up on(弥补)the schoolwork I had missed.
After lunch, it was the time to give the teacher our homework. I reached into my bag to get it but it wasn’t there. I had left it at home. I was in trouble again.
When I got home, I went straight to my room to catch up on my homework. Mom cooked fish for dinner. She knows I don’t like fish, but she thinks it is good for her son. It was a horrible day. I hope tomorrow will be better.
What happened to the writer on this bad day?
A.The writer argued with his parents. | B.The writer heard some terrible news. |
C.Many small things went wrong. | D.Part of the writer’s house was on fire. |
When did the writer’s bad day begin?
A.At night | B.In the morning. |
C.At lunchtime. | D.In the afternoon. |
What did the writer do after he went home?
A.He did some homework. | B.He made a telephone call. |
C.He made fun with his friend. | D.He was tired, so he went to bed. |
When you “burn” something, you ___________________.
A.give it away | B.eat it too fast |
C.cook it too long | D.make it very well |
According to the passage, we can know _______________.
A.the writer fell off from his bike | B.the writer went to school |
C.the writer got up early in the morning | D.the writer doesn’t like eating fish |
When you want to go shopping, decide how much money you can spend for new clothes. Think about the kind of clothes you really need. Then look for those clothes on sale.
There are labels (标签)inside all new clothes. The labels tell you how to take care of you clothes. The label for a shirt may tell you to wash it in warm water. A sweater label may tell you to wash by washing in cold water. The label in a coat may say “dry clean only.” Washing may ruin(损坏)this coat. If you do as the directions (说明) say on the label. You can keep your clothes looking their best. Many clothes today must be dry cleaned. Dry cleaning is expensive. When buying new clothes, check to see if they will need to be dry cleaned. You will save money if you buy clothes that can be washed.
You can save money if you buy clothes that are well made. Well-made clothes last longer. They look good even after they have been washed many times. Clothes that cost more money are not always better made. They do not always fit(合身) better. Sometimes less expensive clothes look and fit better than more expensive clothes.
If you want to save money, you can buy clothes that .
A.don’t fit you | B.don’t last long | C.need to be dry cleaned | D.can be washed |
The label inside the clothes tell you .
A.how to keep them looking their best. | B.how to save money. |
C.whether they fit you or not. | D.where to get them dry cleaned. |
The first thing for you to do before you buy clothes is .
A.to look for well-made clothes | B.to see how much money you can pay |
C.to know how to wash them | D.to read the labels inside them |
The best title(标题) for the reading should be .
A.Buying Less Expensive Clothes | B.Taking Enough Money When Shopping |
C.Being a Clever Clothes Shopper | D.Choosing the Labels Inside New Clothes |
第三部分阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
Burns can be caused by fire, the sun, chemicals, heated objects or fluids, and electricity. They can be minor problems or life-threatening emergencies. Distinguishing a minor burn from a more serious burn involves determining the degree of damage to the tissues of the body. If you are not sure how serious the burn is, seek emergency medical help.
First-degree burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red and some swelling (肿大) and pain may occur. Unless the burn involves large portions of the body, it can be treated at home.
Second-degree burns are those in which the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin is also burned. In these burns, the skin reddens intensely and blisters (水泡) develop. Severe pain and swelling also occur. Second-degree burns require medical treatment.
Third-degree burns are the most serious and involve all layers of skin. Fat, nerves, muscles, and even bones may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear a dry white. If nerve damage is substantial, there may be no pain at all. These burns require emergency medical attention.
Follow these steps when treating minor burns at home:
1) If the skin is not broken, run cool water over the burn for several minutes.
2) Cover the burn with a sterile (消过毒的) bandage or clean cloth.
3) Take aspirin to relieve any swelling or pain.
Seek emergency treatment immediately for major burns. Before an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:
1) Remove the person from the source of the burn (fire, electrical current, etc.).
2) If the person is not breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (人工呼吸) immediately.
3) Remove all clothing to stop further burning. If the clothing is stuck to the burn, do not attempt to remove it.
4) Cover the burned area with a cool, moist, sterile bandage or clean cloth. Do not place any creams, ointments (药膏) or ice on the burned area or break blisters.
5) Monitor the patient for signs of shock, and treat accordingly.
56. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means “______”.
A. They can be dangerous if you don’t treat them seriously
B. They range from slight burns to deadly ones
C. They seldom cause deaths even if not treated properly
D. They usually cause deaths if not treated properly
57. Burns are divided into different degrees according to _______.
A. what kind of treatment they need
B. what kind of tissue of the body is damaged
C. whether there is pain and what degree of pain there is
D. which layer of skin is burned
58. From the passage we learn that _______.
A. if there is severe pain, then you need medical treatment
B. first-degree burns don’t require medical treatment
C. burns without pains can be treated at home
D. the larger the swelling is, the more serious it is
59. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. you shouldn’t cover the burn with a bandage or cloth if it is severe
B. you shouldn’t move the person unless you know how to do first aid
C. you shouldn’t run cool water over the burn if the skin is broken
D. you shouldn’t place any wet towels on the burned area
60.where do you probably find the passage?
A.a fashion magazine B.a guide book
C.a book on first aid D.a section about culture in the newspaper
A new law helps people with disabilities. The law says that people with disabilities must be able to get into and out of all public buildings. It also says that business must offer special services to people who have special needs. Companies can not refuse to hire disabled workers. Many businesses may have to change their buildings and services.
—Ramps (坡道) must be built so people can get into buildings.
—Movie theatres must have space for people in wheelchairs and seats for their friends to sit near them.
—Elevators (电梯) must have floor number in Braille.
This law will help millions of people. One woman who has been in a wheelchair for many years said,“It is like a dream.”
According to the passage we can see that .
A.it will be difficult for the normal persons to get into the public buildings |
B.the buildings of all the businesses will have to be changed |
C.Most businesses used to offer special services to people who have special needs |
D.it was difficult for the disabled workers to find jobs in the past |
Ramps can help people .
A.with hearing problems |
B.who have difficulty in using their hands |
C.who have difficulty in using their legs or feet |
D.who don’t like stairs |
The fact that the new law has been passed shows that______.
A.the government has paid no attention to the disabilities |
B.the government wants to help these disabilities |
C.normal people show mercy to the disabilities |
D.companies will hire millions of disabled people |
When you want to go shopping, you’d better decide how much money you can spend on new clothes.
Think about the kind of clothes you really need. Then look for those clothes you really need. Then look for those clothes on sale.
There are labels(标签) inside all new clothes. The labels tell you how to take care of your clothes. The label for a shirt may tell you to wash it in warm water. A sweater label may tell you to wash in cold water. The label on a coat may say “dry clean only”, for washing may ruin this coat. If you do as the directions(说明) on the label, you can keep your clothes looking their best for a long time.
Many clothes today must be dry cleaned. Dry cleaning is expensive. When buying new clothes, check to see if they will need to be dry cleaned. You will save money if you buy clothes that can be washed.
You can save money if you buy clothes that are well done. Well-made clothes last longer. They look good even after they have been washed many times. Clothes that cost more money are not necessarily(不一定) better made. They do not always fit better. Sometimes less expensive clothes look and fit better than more expensive clothes.
The label inside the clothes tell you .
A.how to keep them looking their best. |
B.how to save money. |
C.whether they fit you or not. |
D.where to get them dry cleaned. |
If you want to save money, you had better buy clothes that__________.
A.don’t fit you | B.don’t last long |
C.need to be dry cleaned | D.can be wash |
We learn from the passage that cheaper clothes .
A.are always worse made |
B.must be dry cleaned |
C.can not be washed |
D.can sometimes fit you better |
Give the best title(标题)for this passage.
A.Buy Less Expensive Clothes |
B.Taking Enough Money When Shopping |
C.Being a Clever Clothes Shopper |
D.Choosing the Label inside New Clothes |
If you want your land to keep fertile, you must try to stop soil from being carried away by water or wind. When soil is taken away by flowing water or blowing winds we call it soil erosion. Ways have been found to stop soil erosion, and this is known as soil conservation. One way of stopping soil erosion is to grow small plants such as grass. These plants are referred to a cover crops, whose roots hold the soil tightly together. The rain water can not wash away the soil. When trees and tall bushes are planted at the edges of an open field, soil erosion by strong winds can not take place. The trees and bushes, which act as a very big and firm wall, protect the open land from the winds. The way to stoop soil erosion on slopes is to build terraces on the slope of hillside and mountainside. When the slope of a hillside is cut into “step”, water carrying soil can not run straight down the terraces, which are used to slow down the speed of the flowing water containing much soil in it. In this way most of the soil in the water is left behind on the terraces, much soil in it.
What takes place in soil erosion?
A.Flood happens to the fertile land |
B.A large quantity of the soil loses away gradually. |
C.Terraces are built on the slope of hillside or mountainside. |
D.Plants are grown to protect the open land |
“Cover crops” in this passage means _________.?
A. grass B. trees and bushes C. plants life and an area
E. covering plants that produce grain or vegetables
Besides growing small plants, another method to fight against soil erosion is to ___________.
A.build terraces | B.build walls | C.plant trees | D.plant tall bushes |
According to the passage, trees and tall bushes are planted around an open field ________________.
A.because their roots hold soil tightly |
B.to stop soil from being blown away by winds. |
C.Because soil erosion causes terrible damages to crops |
D.To keep the balance of nature |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A.What Causes Soil Erosion |
B.The Importance of Erosion |
C.Rain Erosion and Wind Erosion |
D.Erosion and the Way of Tight against Erosion |
Send us your old jeans and other denim (牛仔布)!
What Are We Going to Do with All This Denim?
All the denim will be donated to COTTON FROM BLUE TO GREEN.®. This denim drive is a call-to-action to donate denim and give it "new life" by changing it into UltraTouchtm Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation (纤维隔热材料), which is used to help build houses in places that have been damaged by hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. Your jeans will help set a record, keep clothes out of landfills (垃圾场), and build houses for families to live in! UltraTouehtm is made of 85% recycled fibers and is an environmentally safe, natural cotton fiber insulation.
It's a Fact
It takes about 500 pairs of jeans to recycle enough denim to insulate one average-size U.S. house. So send us lots!
Here's How You Can Get Involved!
1. Get a parent's permission and select as many denim clothes as you like. (Any denim clothing is OK.)
2. The denim must be used.
3. The denim can be any brand.
4. The denim can be of any color or size but must have been worn by a human (no doll clothes!).
5. Please print out this form and include it with each package!
6. Send as many jeans or denim items as you wish to:
NG Kids P.O. Box 98001 Washington, D.C. 20090-8001
Jeans must be received by June 30, 2009!
61. The activity organizer asks you to send denim clothes to ________.
A. collect old clothes for being reused B. prevent them from being thrown away
C. provide clothes for the homeless D. turn them into new clothes for sale
62. The denim clothes that you intend to send_______.
A. can be either new or second-hand B. can be of any shape or color
C. must be a certain brand D. Can be worn by dolls
63. We can infer that UltraTouchtm may be the name of_________.
A. a brand of jeans B. an organization C. a building material D. a kind of cloth
64. This activity is probably ________.
A. a charity(慈善) act B. a school's homework
C. a building company' s task D. an environmental act
第二部分:阅读理解(共20小题,每小题2分,满分40分)
第一节:阅读下列短文,然后从所给的四个选项 (A、B、C和D) 中选出最佳选项,并写在答题纸上.
Every spring scores of people flock to the Buzzard Festival(秃鹫节) at Hinckley, Ohio. They come to watch for buzzards. Most would be glad just to take a look at a buzzard. If they do see one of these “flying garbage cans”, it will probably be circling high in the sky. From there it can watch the ground for signs of the waste and the dead animals on which it feeds.
The buzzard is the ugliest bird in the United States. In fact, it may well be the ugliest bird in the world. It has a small, bare, pink head. Its thick body is covered with dark, rough feathers.
In spite of its looks, the buzzard is important to the people of Hinckley. It is their first sign of spring. After a winter in the south, buzzards return to their homes in the north. In the Hinckley area, they always return on March 15. No one knows why. But they have come back to Hinckley Ridge on that day, sure as clocks work, for at least forty years.
The excitement starts in February. By the middle of March it has reached a high peak. Bets are placed. Prizes go to the person who sees the first buzzard. Radio stations and newspapers tell of the coming festival. And on the weekend after March 15 the people of Hinckley hold their Buzzard Festival.
The people come and look around. They chat. They eat their pancakes and sausages. Then they drive past Buzzard’s Roost on Hinckley Ridge.
A lot of them stop near the road at the stand set up to give information to visitors. There they can hear, from a recording, the main facts about the buzzard. They can see a stuffed buzzard. They can look at some pictures taken of buzzards in other years. With good luck and a strong pair of field glasses, they may sight one or two live buzzards high in the sky.
Buzzards may be ugly. They may be “flying garbage cans”. But in Hinckley they are just as welcome as the swallows are in Capistrano in California. It would be a sad spring indeed if the buzzards ever failed to come back to Hinckley Ridge.
61.A good title for this story would be _________.
A. The Hinckley Buzzard Festival
B. Buzzard, the Ugliest Bird
C. Why the Buzzard Has a Pink Head
D. The Return of “The Garbage Can”
62.The buzzard is called the“flying garbage can”because it _________.
A. is ugly
B. eats waste and dead animals
C. looks like a garbage can
D. collect rubbish on the ground
63.The surprising thing about Hinckley’s buzzards is that _________.
A. they spend the winter in the south
B. they come very close to the town
C. they return on the same day each year
D. both buzzards and swallows return to Capistrano on March 15
64.At the information stand, visitors to Hinckley’s Buzzard Festival can _________.
A. feed their pancakes and sausages to buzzards
B. easily see a live buzzard
C. take some pictures with the background of live buzzards
D. learn some facts about the buzzard
What does the word “home” mean to you? How do you say the word in English? In Spanish? In your language? Although people usually know what the word means it often has no exact translation. It’s not surprising really, because the idea of home varies from country to country, and from person to person. A home is more than a roof and four walls. It’s the cooking, eating, talking, playing and family living that go on inside, which are important as well. And at home you usually feel safe and relaxed.
But it’s not just that homes look different in different countries, they also contain different things and reveal(显示)different attitudes(态度) and needs. For example, in cold northern Europe, there’s a fire in the living room or kitchen and all the chairs face it. In the south, where the sun shines a lot and it’s more important to keep the heat out, there are small windows, cool stone floors and often no carpets. We asked some people about their homes.
How often do people move house in your country?
“In my country many people don’t stay in one place for a very long time. They often move every ten years or so.”
— Cheryl, Boston, USA
What are typical features of homes in your country?
“In Britain, even in town there’s always a garden and sometimes a basement. We have separate bedrooms and living rooms. But we don’t often have balconies.
The weather isn’t warm enough!”
— Pat, Exeter, England
( )49. The word “home” has no exact translation because ______.
A. people can’t find this word in the dictionary
B. no one really knows what a home looks like
C. it has different meanings in different countries
D. people can’t understand each other very well
( )50. You can ______ at home according to the passage.
A. cook, talk, and play games B. eat, play, and teach students
C. swim, eat, and make friends D. do nothing but cool yourself
( )51. Why is it important to keep the heat out of the houses in southern Europe?
A. Because they want to breathe fresh air outside.
B. Because there’s a fire in the living room.
C. Because they wear heavy clothing all day long.
D. Because the sun there shines a lot in the daytime.
( )52. Which one is true according to the passage?
A. People in Britain seldom have balconies because it’s so hot outside.
B. “Home” is a place where people feel safe, relaxed and comfortable.
C. Though homes look different in places, they have the same needs.
D. Houses in Europe always have big windows and cool stone floors.
第三节:阅读理解 (共10小题,每小题2分,满分20分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
Letters to the next president
Dear Mr. President:
I would like to personally thank you for your time and concern for our great country. I would like to take a few minutes to address a few concerns that I have with the United States.
First of all, I would like to address the war. In my opinion, we should have never been involved with Iraq to the extent that we are now. I believe we should pull our troops out. However, I think there should be a time table that we follow but the time table should not be released because the enemy does not need to know when we are going to pull out. Also, the war takes out a ton of our money, which leads me to my next issue.
The economy right now, in the opinion of many Americans is the biggest issue with which we are facing right now. No one can predict what will happen one day or the next. The obvious thing to do is to put 700 billion dollars in the economy, but that bill failed and was rejected by the House of Representatives(众议院). Instead of putting 700 billion dollars in, I think the money should be equally distributed among Americans to pay off their debts. I'm not sure if this would work, but I think it is a positive alternative we could take.
My final issue I would like to call to your attention is teacher's salaries. The high school students of today are America's future. In a way, America's future depends greatly on the high school teachers of America. Saying this, it is sad that teacher's salaries are where they are. While teachers are working harder and harder every day to teach high school students, CEO's of big companies that are driving our countries economy into the ground are getting bonuses. I'm not saying that teacher's salaries should be the same of CEO's of companies, but I do strongly believe that action should be taken to increase the salaries of teachers because they have one of the most important jobs in America - - preparing our country for the future.
Once again, thank you for your time and your effort you put in to making this great country a better place.
Sincerely, Walker
41. What's the author's attitude the Iraq War?
A. Supportive B. Objective C. Negative D. Positive
42. What's true about the time of pulling the troops out?
A. We should pull the troops out without delay.
B. There is no need to have a time table to follow.
C. The public has the fight to know the time table.
D. We should keep the time secret from the enemy.
43. According to the author, the 700 billion dollars__________
A. is the biggest issue with which we are facing right now.
B. has been accepted by the House of Representatives.
C. should be equally shared among Americans
D. should be put in the economy
44. When talking about high school teachers, the author thinks that____________
A. the teachers' salaries are not high enough.
B. teacher's salaries should be as high as CEO's.
C. the teachers work harder than CEO's of companies.
D. teaching is more important than any other job in America
45. Which of the topics is NOT included in the letter?
A. Election B. International affair C. Finance D. Education,
When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions, that is, their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver bowls. But now in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance (优雅)has given way to a stoneware (粗陶) and informality, with dresses in an informal and ordinary look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it means economic hard times.
Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is removing 1,000 jobs -- one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4, 000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) field. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier.
Although a strong pound and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs(失业) in Stoke have their roots in great social changes. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company "has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend(潮流)" toward informal dining. Families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or because they want to eat in front of television. Even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone informal. In a time of long work hours and busy family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it's better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a "real" dinner party. Too often, the perfect moment never comes. Iron a fine-patterned tablecloth? Forget it. Clean the silver bowls ? Who has time?
Yet the loss of formality has its down side. The fine points of etiquette (礼节) that children might once have learned before at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents (" Chew with your mouth closed." "Keep your elbows off the table. ") must be picked up else-where. Some companies now offer etiquette courses for employees who may be able professionally but inexperienced socially.
71. In many homes nowadays, people tend to ______________________
A. stick to formal traditions when they dine
B. set their tables with the good dishes and silver bowls
C. have dinner informally
D. buy many sets of fine china
72. Why do people tend to follow the trend towards informal dining?
A. Family members need more time to relax.
B. Busy schedules leave people no time for formality.
C. People prefer to live a comfortable life.
D. Young people won't follow the etiquette of the older generation.
73. It can be learned from the passage that ‘Royal Doulton’ is .
A. a store of steel tableware B. a store of stoneware
C. a store of pottery chain D. a producer of fine china
74. The main cause of the layoffs in the pottery industry is .
A. the increased value of the pound B. the worsening economy in Asia
C. the change in people's way of life D. the fierce competition at home and abroad
75. In the last paragraph, we can find that formal table manners, though less popular than before in present social life, .
A. are still a must on certain occasions B. are certain to return sooner or later
C. are still being taught by parents at home D. can help improve personal relationships
As a school librarian,I’m often asked what books are most appropriate for teaching particularconcepts.As the mother of a toddler,I’m now teaching my son to recognize letters and learn thealphabet.Boaks are a great help in teaching a child letters.Here is this librarian and mom’s picks for the best books to help teach your child letters.
Eric Carle’s ABC
Eric Carle is one of my favorite children’s authors and this colorful book is perfect for helping teach the alphabet.The block-style letters are easier to read
and recognize for toddlers than mitten ones.Each letter is tied to an animal name,so your child will have fun looking at the animals,and 1earn the animal
names while also learning letters.
Baby Einsstein:My First Book of Letters
The Baby Einstein books always promote thinking skills and creativity in
young children.Baby Einstein;My First Book of Letters is no exception.This
book includes letters in both upper and lower case,and asks questions about nature that go with each letter for your child to answer.This colorful book is great for helping teach your child letters.
Dr.Seuss’ABC
Dr.Seuss lends his wonderful writing and illustrating(插图)talent to this
great teaching book.His classic writing and funny pictures can be found throughout this alphabet book.The letters are block style,solid-colored,and easy
to read.Your child will love learning letters from this fun book.
Kipper’s A to Z:an Alphabet Adventure
In this book,children follow the little dog Kipper as he works his way through the entire alphabet.The clean,solid font used for the letter makes them
easy to read for young eyes.Author Mike Inkpen does a great job in this book,
which tells more of a story than the other books
Teaching your child letters can be a hard task.It’s import to try to make the alphabet fun and interesting for your child.
In Paragraph I,“toddler”probably means
A.baby | B.teenager | C.student | D.young child |
If you want to make your son or daughter interested in nature you should choose
A.Eric Carle’s ABC | B.Baby Einstein;My First Book of Letters |
C.Dr.Seuss’ ABC | D.Kipper’s A to Z;an Alphabet Adventure |
Why did the author write the passage?
A.To recommend the books. | B.To sell the books |
C.To adverfise the books | D.To criticize the books |
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