Two thirds of the singles looking for love in Britain turned to the Internet last year, according to figures made in public yesterday. Special sites offer introductions to smokers, Roman Catholics, tall people, beautiful people, frequent flyers and vegetarians. Technology has brought about a great change in the dating games.
A survey by Parsnip, a Britain branch of Eurpe’s largest dating service with more than 1.5 million members , says that 65 percent of the 5.4 million Britons looking for a relationship used online dating services last year.
A spokeswoman for Relate, the relationship advisor ,confirmed that a figure of two thirds feel it all right. “Doing it online allows people quite a lot of privacy , because they can do a bit of quiet research and look around from the comfort of their own home .You don’t have to meet a middleman or go to an actual dating agency office, which takes a lot of courage.” she said.
There are more than 100 independent online dating agencies in Britain .Parsnip says that 50 percent of single people believe they will meet a suitable partner through the Internet ,from 35 percent six months ago.
Mary Balfour, the founder ,says that the Internet has changed the dating industry completely. “It’s like a return to old-fashioned love letters,” she said .”You don’t base your initial judgment on how someone looks or what his or her figure is like . You e-mail or talk before you actually see each other .Everybody you know who is single these days has at least had a good look at a dating site ,introduction agency or personal ad. They have to , because all the old matchmaking institutions have gone. People work harder , settle down later and live more isolated lives. They are much more likely to end the day with DVD and a can of beer than by going to a village dance.What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．British singles go online for love . | B．British singles like going online |
| C．Going online for love is dangerous . | D．New ways of dating in Britain. |
The following statements are false EXCEPT that singles_____.
| A．don’t have to do any research at all | B．needn’t go to a go-between |
| C．need to actually meet each other | D．have to go to a village dance |
According to the text ,about _____Britain’s dated Online last year.
| A．3.5million | B．1.5million | C．2.7million | D．1.9million |
From the passage , we can learn that______.
| A．old-fashioned love letters become popular again |
| B．online dating services are out of date |
| C．half singles believe they can meet a suitable partner online |
| D．online dating needs a lot of courage |
Restaurants in the USA
Steve’s Pizza
So many pizza chains compete for the attention of tourists in South Beach, but ask a Miami Beach local where to get the best pizza and they’ll tell you about Steve’s. This is New York–style pizza, handmade with care and good ingredients(成份). New branches of Steve’s are opening elsewhere in Miami, all in non-tourist areas.
Opening hours: 11am-3am
Cattleman’s Steakhouse
This place is 20 miles east of the city, but local folks would probably drive 200 miles to eat here. The food is good, and the scenery is even better. Come early and wander around the grounds of Indian Cliffs Ranch, where you’ll see everything from rabbits to buffalo (水牛), then catch the sunset either before or after your meal.
Opening hours: 5pm-10pm
Absolute Baking & Cafe
The screen door is always swinging open at this town hot spot with giant breakfasts. Try the green chili on eggs – it’s made from scratch, as are the organic(有机的) breads. Lunch includes salads, big sandwiches and local grass-fed beef burgers. Don’t miss a square of soft, fresh carrot cake.
Opening hours: 7am-2pm
Walt’s Wharf
Everybody’s favorite for fresh fish (some drive in from LA), Walt’s packs them in on weekends. You can’t make reservations for dinner (though they’re accepted for lunch), but it’s worth the wait for the tree fire–grilled seafood and steaks in the many-windowed ground floor or upstairs in captain’s chairs.
Opening hours: 11am-3:30pmThe new branches of Steve’s Pizza are mainly intended for .
| A．New Yorkers | B．the locals |
| C．tourists | D．foreigners |
Cattleman’s Steakhouse offers the wonderful as well as good food.
| A．view | B．wine |
| C．discount | D．service |
Which restaurant serves both breakfast and lunch?
| A．Steve’s Pizza. |
| B．Walt’s Wharf. |
| C．Cattleman’s Steakhouse. |
| D．Absolute Baking & Café. |
Next time you hear a funny joke you’d better not laugh too hard. According to a paper published by the British Medical Journal, laughter isn’t always the best medicine. Sometimes it can even be harmful. Professor Robin Ferner from the University of Birmingham, one of the authors of the study, found that bad things could happen to people who laughed too much. He says: “We found people with heartbeat problems which had stopped their heart, we found people who had fainted(昏倒), and we found people who’d dislocated their jaws or burst their lungs.”
It seems that laughing can be no laughing matter. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Professor Ferner says there are benefits to laughing when you want to lose weight, for example. Yes, that’s right: laugh and be slimmer! Professor Ferner explains that: “You use energy when you laugh, you move your diaphragm(横膈膜), you expand your lungs, and both those things can be helpful.”
According to the research, laughing for a quarter of an hour can burn up to 40 calories, and if you laughed all day you’d use up about 2,000 calories, which is what most people consume in a day. But don’t do that or you might end up with a painful jaw. Ouch! Or you might find people looking at you in a funny way.
But I don’t want to finish this article leaving you feeling desperate. Laughter comes naturally for most of us. Babies begin to laugh at around 3-6 months. So give in to your sense of humor and keep smiling. Life is short anyway.Laughing too much may cause the following harmful results EXCEPT_________.
| A．diaphragm movement |
| B．heart stop |
| C．lung burst |
| D．jaw dislocation |
The underlined phrase “doom and gloom” in Paragraph 2 probably means_______.
| A．nervous | B．funny |
| C．painful | D．hopeless |
How many calories can you use if you laugh for half a day?
| A．About 40. | B．About 2,000. |
| C．About 1,000. | D．About 2,040. |
What is the author’s attitude towards laughing in the last paragraph?
| A．Uninterested. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Worried. | D．Disapproving. |
The Cuban iguana(大蜥蜴) is a species of lizard（蜥蜴） of the iguana family． It is the largest of the West Indian rock iguanas, one of the most endangered groups of lizards． This species with red eyes and a thick tail is one of the largest lizards in the Caribbean．
The Cuban iguana is primarily herbivorous; 95% of its diet consists of the leaves, flowers and fruits from as many as 30 plant species, including the seaside rock bush and various grasses．However, Cuban iguanas occasionally consume animal matter, and individuals have been observed eating the dead flesh of birds, fish and crabs, The researchers wrote that quite a few people on Isla Magueyes could have caused this incident．
The Cuban iguana is distributed throughout the rocky southern coastal areas of mainland Cuba and its surrounding islands with a wild population booming on Isla Magueyes, Puerto Rico. It is also found on the Cayman Islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, where a separate subspecies occurs. Females guard their nest sites and often nest in sites half destroyed by Cuban crocodiles. To avoid the attack from them, the Cuban iguana often makes its home within or near prickly-pear cacti （仙人掌）.
In general the species is in decline, more quickly on the mainland than on the outlying islands． One of the reasons for their decline is habitat destruction caused by the over consuming of farm animals, housing development, and the building of tourist resorts on the beaches where the animals prefer to build their nests． Although the wild population is in decline, the numbers of iguanas have been sharply increased as a result of captive-breeding（圈养） and other conservation programs．The underlined word "herbivorous" （Paragraph 2） probably means ．
| A．dangerous | B．gentle |
| C．flesh-eating | D．plant-eating |
Why does the Cuban iguana build its nest near prickly-pear cacti?
| A．To keep itself cool． |
| B．To avoid crocodiles' attack． |
| C．To stay away from people． |
| D．To get the food easily． |
How many reasons are mentioned for the habitat destruction?
| A．Two． | B．Five． | C．Four． | D．Three． |
What's the author's purpose of writing the text?
| A．To give us a brief introduction to the Cuban iguana． |
| B．To show he is concerned about the Cuban iguana． |
| C．To explain reasons for the Cuban iguana's decline． |
| D．To draw people's attention to the endangered Cuban iguana． |
When she moved the covering cloth to look upon his tiny face, she was shocked. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.
Time proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect. When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mother’s arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be full of heart- breaks for his imperfect appearance.
He grew up, handsome for his misfortune and popular with his fellow students. He might have been class monitor，but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music.
Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, “You’re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’s a secret.” The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person turned up. His talents blossomed into genius, and his school and college became a series of success. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service.
One day ,he urged his father, “Who gave so much for me？I must know! I could never do enough for him.”
“I do not believe you could, ” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet.”
The years kept their secret, but the day did come--- one of the darkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his mother’s casket (棺材). Slowly, tenderly, the father reached out a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to show that the mother had no outer ears.
“Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut, ” he whispered gently, “and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they？”
Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance，but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what can be seen，but in what cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what is done and not known.The mother was shocked at the first sight of her baby because.
| A．her baby was born without hair |
| B．her baby had a tiny face |
| C．her baby was born imperfect |
| D．the doctor turned to look out of the window |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．The son attempted to repay the donator’s kindness. |
| B．The son didn't know the truth until his mother died. |
| C．With donated ears, the son’s life developed smoothly. |
| D．The boy couldn't hear clearly without ears at first. |
Why did the boy's mother never have her hair cut?
| A．Because her hair helped to keep a secret. |
| B．Because her hair added to her beauty. |
| C．Because her long hair was her pride. |
| D．Because she liked her thick and brown hair. |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Misfortunate Boy |
| B．Mother’s Hair |
| C．Mother’s Secret Love |
| D．A Successful Ear Operation |
The moral view of violence, labeling it as bad and wrong, has done little to end it. The alternative view is to release our judgments and see violence for what it is: a form of suffering. This is a difficult change for many people. Not only are they in the habit of making knee-jerk(下意识的) judgments, but violent people cause harm, and therefore their suffering seems to deserve less sympathy.
You hurt me, so why should I have sympathy for you? It should be the other way around. Does it take a saint(圣人) to make the change from strong anger to sympathy?
Turning points arrive when we can make a choice not to suffer in silence. We then strike a soul bargain that is fearful but necessary. The bargain is that redemption(解救) is possible through love.The absence of love is absolutely the problem, and love is absolutely the solution. We don’t have to reach into another area to locate the magic power of love that is available to us here and now.
The problem is that love comes through a fallible human being. The rule is constant work on the spiritual path to clear away the obstacles that prevent love from coming through us. The work is much more like working on blocked pipe system than it is like copying a saint.
Hope is the emotion that keeps this dogged work even when results seem to be slow or impossible. Can I love the terrorist who harms my country? Can I love the criminal who wants to harm me? At the level of the soul I already do, and the spiritual path is a means to arrive at that level.
No one is required to leap into sudden sympathy for terrorists, or even to announce publicly that our enemies deserve love. But in our souls each of us harbors the knowledge that only love is going to bring violence to an end. No matter how you and I live our outward lives, our spiritual lives must remain devoted to that vision.Which one is NOT true for moral view of violence?
| A．It thinks violence is bad and wrong. |
| B．It plays an important role in ending violence. |
| C．It is a knee-jerk judgment of people. |
| D．It thinks violent people deserve less sympathy. |
Why should violent people deserve sympathy?
| A．Because we should perform like a saint. |
| B．Because love is absolutely the solution. |
| C．Because our spiritual lives must remain devoted to that vision. |
| D．Because they are first in suffering then choose violence, so they need love. |
What's the meaning "The problem is that love comes through a fallible human being"?
| A．Human being is full of love. |
| B．It is difficult and long way. |
| C．Human being is easy to make friends. |
| D．It's a problem to get love from an imperfect human being. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Violence Is Harmful to Us |
| B．Love Can End Violence |
| C．Change Our View of Violence |
| D．Our Soul Needs Purifying |