When former American President Bill Clinton travelled to South Korea to visit President Kim Young Sam,he repeatedly referred to the Korean president’s wife as Mrs.Kim.By mistake, President Clinton’s advisers thought that Koreans have the same naming customs as the Japanese. Clinton had not been told that,in Korea,wives keep their family names.President Kim Young Sam’s wife was named Sohn Myong Suk.Therefore,she should be addressed(称谓) as Mrs.Sohn.
President Clinton arrived in Korea directly after leaving Japan and had not changed his culture gears.His failure to follow Korean customs gave the impression that Korea was not as important to him as Japan.
In addition to Koreans,some Asian husbands and wives do not share the same family names.This practice often puzzles(使困惑) English-speaking teachers when talking with a pupil’s parents.They become puzzled about the student’s correct last name.Placing the family name first is common among a number of Asian cultures.
Mexican naming customs are different as well.When a woman marries,she keeps her family name and adds her husband’s name after the word de(of).This affects(影响) how they fill in forms in the United States.When requested to fill in a middle name,they generally write the father’s family name.But Mexicans are addressed by the family name of the mother.This often causes puzzlement.
Here are a few ways to deal with such difficult situations:don’t always think that a married woman uses her husband’s last name.Remember that in many Asian cultures,the order of first and last names is reversed(颠倒).Ask which name a person would prefer to use.If the name is difficult to pronounce,admit it,and ask the person to help you say it correctly.The story of Bill Clinton is used to______.
A.improve US-Korean relations |
B.introduce the topic of the text |
C.describe his visit to Korea |
D.tell us how to address a person |
The word “gears” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to______.
A.action plans | B.naming customs |
C.travel maps | D.thinking patterns |
When a woman marries in Korea,she______.
A.continues to use her family name |
B.uses her husband’s given name |
C.shares her husband’s family name |
D.adds her husband’s given name to hers |
To address a married woman properly,you’d better______.
A.use her middle name |
B.use her husband’s first name |
C.ask her which name she likes |
D.change the order of her names |
As I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart. We always had totally different opinions. He thought that college was a waste of time, but for me it was important to finish college. He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field, but I wanted a different life. There was a time when we did not talk with each other.
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health. When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado back to Tennessee to help him, I knew he was seriously ill. I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father's requirement.
Two weeks after moving back,we bought a boat and started fishing again. Fishing was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed. It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before. Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart.
It is not important how many fish we catch. It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years. I' m 62 and he is 84. When we are on the lake fishing, it is like enjoying life. It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind. I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years. Now my heart is filled with love. A smile always graces my lips.The author and his father became further apart because.
A.they lived very far from each other |
B.they seldom went see each other |
C.they only communicated by phone |
D.they had different views on things |
Why did the author come back to Tennessee?
A.Because his father invited him to work there. |
B.Because he decided to live in a different city. |
C.Because his father was ill and needed caring. |
D.Because he regretted being rude to his father. |
For the author, fishing with his old father.
A.helps cure his father’s disease |
B.makes him realize the importance of relaxation |
C.is a good way to get close to nature |
D.provides a chance for them to communicate |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.Fishing Brings Us Together | B.Forgiving Is Difficult |
C.Memories of Old Days | D.My Beloved Father |
Millions of sports lovers are still thinking about one thing----the Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia. Close to 2900 men and women competed in the 2014 Winter Games about a month ago.
The Olympics brought a lot of attention to Sochi, a city on the Black Sea, which is a popular area for vacation travelers. The area is known for its mild winters.
At least $50 billion was spent on the 2014 Winter Games, making it the costliest Olympics in history. Seven billion dollars was spent on the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. Olympic officials chose Sochi to host the 2014 games almost seven years ago. At that time, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the games would cost about $13 billion. Yet the actual expenses exceeded his estimate. So where did all the money go?
Some observers say the high cost is partly the result of security measures. Brian Jenkins, a terrorism expert from the RAND Corporation, gave the following explanation. There were anywhere between 70,000 and 100, 000 policemen and military troops deployed around the city.
The main threat came from separatist and Islamist groups from the North Caucasus, especially from Chechnya and Dagestan. One group claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in Volgograd last December. The attacks killed more than 30 people. The city is only about 600 kilometers away from Sochi.
Bruce Hoffman is a terrorism expert from Georgetown University in Washington DC. He says the increased security made Sochi a difficult target for terrorists.
It is thought that the terrorists' intention was to make life difficult for the Russians and to create some sort of incident that would take away the enjoyment.
The last Olympians from around the world on Russian soil were in 1980. That was a year after Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan. More than sixty countries didn’t take part in the Moscow Summer Games to show their anger.According to the passage, why did the Sochi Winter Olympics cost so much?
A.Because it was held at an area popular for vacation travelers. |
B.Because the Russian government wanted to make it the best ever held. |
C.Because security measures at Sochi were stricter than before. |
D.Because the original plan was made 7 years before. |
It can be known from the passage that Bruce Hoffman was .
A.a terrorism expert from the USA |
B.the writer who wrote this article |
C.an athlete who competed in Sochi |
D.a terrorism expert from RAND Corporation |
Which of the following is false?
A.Sochi Olympics cost about 4 times as estimated. |
B.Next winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver. |
C.Many countries refused to attend the 1980 Olympics. |
D.Security is often a problem in international sport games. |
The terrorists might have attacked Sochi Olympics because .
A.they wanted to make trouble for the Russians |
B.they thought Russia shouldn't spend so much on sport |
C.they thought Putin was not a nice president |
D.they were not interested in winter sports |
Humans aren’t the only ones getting a buzz from coffee.Caffeine can improve memory among honeybees and lead to better pollination(授粉).According to a recent study published in the journal Science.
The study was conducted by a team of researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.They found that the nectar(花蜜)of some flowers,such as those from grapefruit and lemon plants,as well as certain coffee flowers,contains low doses of caffeine.To get bees to feed on these flowers,the team trained the insects to associate food with the smell of the flowers.They also trained another group of bees to feed on nectar from flowers that were sweetened with a sugar, but did not contain caffeine.After 24 hours,the bees trained on caffeinated flowers returned to these plants three times as often as those trained on the sweetened flowers returned to the uncaffeinated plants.
Professor Geraldine Wright led the researchers.“Remembering floral traits(花部特征)is difficult for bees to perform at a fast pace as they fly from flower to flower and we found that caffeine helps the bee remember where the flowers are,”Wright said in a statement.
Improved memory led to the better pollination.That’s because once bees sip the caffeine nectar, they continue to look for more coffee plants to pollinate.This also suggests that caffeine plays a role in improving the bees’ability to search for food.
Researchers found that caffeine’s effect on the bee brain is similar to its effect on mammals.“The change is similar to that produced by caffeine in neurons(神经元)associated with learning and memory in the rat brain,”Wright said.
Bee populations have declining since 2007.The dramatic drop in the insects’numbers has serious effects for ecosystems and the farming industry.Bees are needed in the reproduction of crops and spreading wild flower species.Understanding what keeps bees buzzing could help to make sure that the insects are able to remember and pollinate their favorite flowers.Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?
A.Caffeine has no effect on the rat brain. |
B. Bee population has been increasing. |
C.The nectar of lemon plants contains caffeine. |
D.Bees dislike nectar from sweetened flowers. |
After reading the passage,John,who works in the farming industry, will probably feel ____________.
A.annoyed | B.angry | C.nervous | D.excited |
Which of the following relationship is correct according to the passage?
A.improved memory—caffeine nectar—better pollination |
B.caffeine nectar—improved memory—better pollination |
C.improved memory—better pollination—caffeine nectar |
D.caffeine nectar—better pollination—improved memory |
What section of a newspaper may this passage be taken from?
A.Science | B.Education |
C.Culture | D.Sports |
In the Caucasus (高加索) region of Russia, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100th birthday, and many don’t stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Russian old people aren’t alone. The Pakistanis, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Ecuadorans (厄瓜多尔人) of the Andes Mountains seem to share the secret of long life, too.
These people remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasians aged 100 to 140, work in the fields beside their great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked “at what age does youth end?” most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, “Well, perhaps at age 80.”
What accounts for (解释) this ability to survive to such old age, and to survive so well? First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-living people. They begin their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr. Rustam Mamedov is 142 years of age. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Mamedov has no intention of retiring from his life as a farmer. “Why? What else would I do?” he asks. All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations (海拔) of 1,660 to 1,000 meters above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced-oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel (血管) system stronger.
Another factor that may contribute to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent (程度), they are separated from the pressures and worries of industrial society. Inherited (遗传) factors also play some role. Most of the longest-living people had parents and grandparents who also reached very old ages. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer.
The example of Mr. and Mrs. Mamedov implies that some Caucasians aged 100 to 140 _________.
A.become weak and hopeless |
B.benefit from physical work |
C.are too old to work in the fields |
D.are still working in the fields |
What is the main way of life for all of these long-lived people?
A.Retiring from their lives as farmers. |
B.Having been married for 90 years. |
C.Hard physical work. |
D.Having no intentions. |
Which of the following factors is NOT helpful to people’s health and long life?
A.Clean mountain air. | B.Daily hard work. |
C.Good genes | D.Stress and pressure. |
What does the underlined word “isolation” mean?
A.the state of being separated | B.pressure |
C.lack of physical labour | D.worry |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Russian people live longer than Americans |
B.People in the city live longer than those in the country |
C.The reason why mountainous people live longer |
D.Pressures and worries contribute to long life |
Chemical Safety
Procedures for handling chemical spills(泄露) and leaks.
Chemical spills and leaks can be broken down into two basic types: simple spills, which you can clean up yourself and complicated spills, which require outside assistance.
If your spill meets any of the following conditions, it is a complicated spill.
★A person is injured; or
★The identity of the chemical is unknown; or
★Multiple chemicals are involved; or
★The chemical is highly poisonous, flammable (可燃的) or reactive ; or
★The spill/leak occurs in a “public space” such as a corridor; or
★The spill/leak has the potential to spread to other parts of the building such as through the ventilation (通风) system; or
★The clean up procedures are not known or appropriate materials are not readily available; or
★The clean up requires a respirator (呼吸器) (including cartridge respirators) to be worn and no personnel have been trained and fit-tested in accordance(一致) with the campus Respiratory Protection Program; or
★The spill/leak may endanger the environment by reaching waterways or outside ground, or by going down a drain
If none of the above conditions are met, the spill is defined as a simple spill. You may clean up simple spills in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Chemical Safety Guide. For consultative assistance, call Division of Research Safety (DSR) at 333-2755.
How to report a complicated spill Evacuate(撤退) to a safe location, and alert others to evacuate. Dial 9-911 from a campus phone. Tell the operator you are calling to report a chemical spill at the University of Illinois. Have the following information ready. Name of chemical Quantity spilled Location of spill (Full building name and room number) Number of people injured or slashed If applicable, the occurrence of a fire or explosion Your name and phone number 5. Have someone knowledgeable about the chemical spilled meet the fire department at the main entrance to your building. Take a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the chemical, if it is readily available. |
Which of the following situation can be classified as a simple spill?
A.Some spilled liquid causes a fire in the building. |
B.Yellow and green gases are leaking from the storage room. |
C.An unknown red chemical is found on the corridor floor. |
D.A researcher spills his milk all over the lab floor. |
According to the safety instructions, upon discovering a complicated spill on campus, people should _________.
A.put on a respirator as soon as possible |
B.refer to Chapter 6 of the Chemical Safety Guide |
C.get away from the spill and report it to authorities |
D.call Division of the Research Safety at 333-2755 |
“MSDS” in the passage possibly refers to _____.
A.a mask | B.an explanation about the chemical |
C.a device | D.another kind of chemical |
Who are most possibly the targeted audiences of this article?
A.Students in the Chemistry Department of a university. |
B.Researchers working at Chemical Institution of Illinois. |
C.Members of Division of Research Safety. |
D.Staff members at a chemical manufacturing company. |
The purpose of the material above is to ____________ .
A.inform people of the dangers of various chemical spills |
B.introduce complicated spills and necessary measures in response to them |
C.encourage students to join the campus Respiratory Protection Program |
D.compare simple spills and complicated spills |