Chinese tradition says a different animal represents each new year of the 12-year Chinese Zodiac(黄道十
二宫) cycle. According to the Chinese calendar, the year you were born may determine your personality. Every year of this cycle is represented by an animal, and legend has it that people born under that animal have certain personality traits. Here are some of them:
Dragon
The Real Thing: The mythical dragon is a symbol of power and good fortune in Chinese culture. One of the most popular figures in Chinese art, the dragon is believed to be a combination of nine animals, including a frog, a tiger, an eagle, and a fish.
Born a Dragon: You go out of your way to help your friends, who often seek you out for advice. Your outgoing personality helps you get along with many types of people.
Snake
The Real Thing: Snakes have great instincts. Some “play dead” to fool predators（捕食者）, and most sense prey by detecting ground vibration（震动）. They can take more than an hour to swallow a meal, and they become inactive for up to two weeks before they shed their skin.
Born a Snake: You rely on yourself before asking others their opinions. At times you want to take a break from the action. It’s not that you are lazy---sometimes you just like to think.
Pig
The Real Thing: Domesticated（驯养）pigs have been helping human for about 9,000 years. Incredibly intelligent, a pig shows its smarts by rolling in mud and sticking its snout in dirt. Why? The mud keeps it cool, and rooting in the dirt provides important vitamins.
Born a Pig: Smart and caring, you live to
help other people. You have great taste and love to wallow in the nicer things in life.
Rat
The Real Thing: Most rats are highly adaptable. They can live just about anywhere and eat about anything. Before brown rats leave their underground burrows, these clever creatures send one rat ahead to make sure danger doesn’t exist outside.
Born a Rat: You welcome challenges and enjoy learning about new things. Funny and smart, you are generous and will protect your pack of friends.
______
The Real Thing: The largest of the big cats, they hunt alone. They secretly move tow
ards prey, then leap and attack when the time seems right. Dinner still escapes most of the time.
Born a _____: You are a natural leader but often like to do things by yourself. (That’s how you stay in charge!) You believe in fighting for what’s right, even if
you’ll lose in the end. According to the description of the last animal, we can choose _____ to fill in the blanks.
| A．Tiger | B．Lion  |
C．Ox | D．Monkey |
The underlined word “snout” probably means _____.
| A．back | B．nose | C．head | D．tail |
Men are spending more and more time in the kitchen encouraged by celebrity (名人) chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver, according to a report from Oxford University.
The effect of the celebrity role models, who have given cooking a more manly picture, has combined with a more general drive towards sexual equality and men now spend more than twice the amount of time preparing meals than they did in 1961.
According to the research by Prof. Jonatahn Gershuny, who runs the Centre for Time Research at Oxford, men now spend more than half an hour a day cooking, up from just 12 minutes a day in 1961.
Prof. Gershuny said, “The man in the kitchen is part of a much wider social trend. There has been 40 years of sexual equality, but there is another 40 years probably to come.”
Women, who a generation ago spent nearly two hours a day cooking, now spend just one hour and seven minutes—a great fall, but they still spend far more time in the kitchen than men.
Some experts have named these men in aprons as “Gastrosexuals (men using cooking skills to impress friends)”, who have been inspired to pick up a kitchen knife by the success of Ramsay, Oliver as well as other male celebrity chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Marco Pierre White and Keith Floyd.
“I was married in 1974. When my father came to visit me a few weeks later, I was wearing an apron when I opened the door. He laughed,” said Prof. Gershuny. “That would never happen now.”
Two-thirds of adults say that they come together to share at least three times a week, even if it is not necessarily around a kitchen or dining room table. Prof. Gershuny pointed out that the family meal was now rarely eaten by all of its members around a table—with many “family meals” in fact taken on the sofa in the sitting room, and shared by family members. “The family meal has changed a lot, and few of us eat—as I did when I was a child—at least two meals a day together as a family. But it has survived in a different format.”What is one reason behind the trend that men spend more time cooking than before?
| A．The improvement of cooks’ status. |
| B．The influence of popular female chefs. |
| C．The change of female’s view on cooking. |
| D．The development of sexual equality campaign. |
What does the author think about the time men and women spend on cooking?
| A．Men spend more time cooking than women nowadays. |
| B．Women spend much less time on cooking than before. |
| C．It will take 40 years before men spend more time at the stove than women. |
| D．There is a sharp decline in the time men spend on cooking compared with 1961. |
How did Prof. Gershuny see the family meal according to the passage?
| A．It has become a thing of the past. |
| B．It is very different from what it used to be. |
| C．It shouldn’t be advocated in modern times. |
| D．It is beneficial to the stability of the family. |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．The Changes of Family Meals |
| B．Equality between Men and Women |
| C．Cooking into a New Trend for Men |
| D．Cooking—a Thing of the Past for Women |
The extraordinary Eastgate Building in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, is said to be the only one in the world to use the same cooling and heating principles as the termite mound(白蚁堆).
Architect Mick Pearce used precisely the same strategy when designing the Eastgate Building, which has no air-conditioning and almost no heating. The building—the country’s largest commercial and shopping complex—uses less than 10% of the energy of a conventional building of its size. The Eastgate’s owners saved $3.5 million on a $36 million building because an air-conditioning equipment didn’t have to be imported.
The complex is actually two buildings linked by bridges across a shady, glass-roofed atrium(天井) open to the air. Fans suck fresh air in from the atrium, blow it upstairs through hollow spaces under the floors and from there into each office through baseboard vents(通风口). As it rises and warms, it is drawn out via ceiling vents and finally exists through forty-eight brick chimneys.
During summer’s cool nights, big fans blow air through the building seven times an hour to cool the empty floors. By day, smaller fans blow two changes of air an hour through the building, to circulate the air which has been in contact with the cool floors. For winter days, there are small heaters in the vents.
This is all possible only because Harare is 1600 feet above sea level, has cloudless skies, little dampness and rapid temperature changes—days as warm as 31℃ commonly drop to 14℃ at night. “You couldn’t do this in New York, with its hot summers and cold winters,” Pearce said.
The engineering firm of Ove Arup&Partners monitors daily temperatures. It is found that the temperature of the building has generally stayed between 23℃ and 25℃, with the exception of the annual hot period just before the summer rains in October and three days in November, when a doorkeeper accidentally switched off the fans at night. And the air is fresh—far more so than in air-conditioned buildings, where up to 30% of the air is recycled. Why was Eastgate cheaper to be built than a conventional building?
| A．It was designed in a smaller size. |
| B．No air conditioners were fixed in. |
| C．Its heating system was less advanced. |
| D．It used rather different building materials. |
What does “it” refer to in Paragraph 3?
| A．Fresh air from outside. | B．Heat in the building. |
| C．Hollow space. | D．Baseboard vent. |
Why would a building like Eastgate Not work efficiently in New York?
| A．New York has less clear skies as Harare. |
| B．Its dampness affects the circulation of air. |
| C．New York covers a larger area than Harare. |
| D．Its temperature changes seasonally rather than daily. |
The data in the last paragraph suggests Eastgate’s temperature control system_____.
| A．allows a wide range of temperatures |
| B．functions well for most of the year |
| C．can recycle up to 30% of the air |
| D．works better in hot seasons |
B
| Evening Workshops |
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| Optional evening workshops will be held at small restaurants or other meeting places near the conference hotel. Meals and other costs are not included but are also optional. Locations will be announced at the conference site. Workshops are very loosely organized and most represent discussions that have been held at Society for Economic Botany (SEB) meetings over a series of years. |
|
| Workshop 1: Student Network |
|
| Date |
Wednesday evening, Feb. 5th |
| Chairs |
Hugo de Boer and Arika Virapongse |
| Sponsor |
Society for Economic Botany |
| Description |
Student members of the SEB hold a networking mixer each year in order to meet each other and to become familiar with a variety of educational programs and faculty advisors(大学指导老师). Faculty members who are part of training programs are encouraged to join the mixer to meet and talk with students. |
| Workshop 2: Botanical Film Making |
|
| Date |
Wednesday evening, Feb. 5th |
| Chair |
David Strauch |
| Sponsor |
University of Hawaii |
| Description |
Digital film making is a particularly useful tool of linking cultural information to recognizable plants. This workshop is aimed towards increasing the quality of material recorded by giving participants greater control over the medium. We will cover technical aspects (e.g. camera settings, audio), technical aspects (framing, lighting, focus), and some ways of presenting the material. Experienced filmmakers are encouraged to attend, and participants are welcome to bring their own camera equipment. |
| Workshop 3: Collections for Botany — Collections Development and Management |
|
| Date |
Friday evening, Feb. 7th |
| Chair |
Jan Salick |
| Sponsor |
Society for Economic Botany |
| Description |
SEB is a network of researchers who have been developing standards for the development of collections of artifacts, plant samples and related materials. Participants discuss successes, problems, and funding sources for solving management issues. |
One of the purposes of a networking mixer held each year is to ________.
| A．provide students with greater control over the media |
| B．link cultural information to recognizable plants |
| C．help the students to deal with most of the environment issues |
| D．help the students to be familiar with educational programs |
Which of the following is true according to the poster?
| A．Evening workshops will be held at small restaurants with meals included. |
| B．Participants have more than one option on Feb.5th than another night. |
| C．Workshops have nothing to do with the discussions held at SEB meetings. |
| D．Faculty advisers can join the mixer without training experience. |
You are a college student, interested in plants and good at taking TV pictures. Which of the Evening Workshops is most suitable for you?
| A．Botanical Film Making. | B．Collections for Botany. |
| C．Student Network. | D．Society for Economic Botany. |
The Great Barn Adventure
One morning when I was 11, I explored the town’s abandoned round grain barn（谷仓）. I found a chained sliding door that was wide enough for me to pass through.
Inside, there was a heavy smell of dead mice in the dark. After my eyes adjusted, I noticed a shaft (升降机井) that rose all the way to the top of the barn. On one side was a one-man elevator with a long rope and roller.
I stepped onto the platform and gave the rope a drag and the elevator began sliding up the shaft, but stopped halfway. After a brief panic attack, I noticed holes in the wall at regular intervals, forming a ladder. For reasons known only to an 11-year-old, I decided it would be better to go up than down. So, with shaking hands, I began climbing the wall.
After what seemed like forever, I reached the top of the shaft. I stood up, dusted myself off and found absolutely nothing of interest. It was just an empty room with a ladder leading up to the roof. I climbed all the way up here for this? Then I noticed a fire extinguisher（灭火器）,which I’d always wanted to shoot off. So this was the chance of a lifetime. I tried it, and, much to my surprise, the thing worked! It shot out a thick cloud of powder that instantly filled the room. I couldn’t breathe. I was going to choke to death, and they’d probably never even find my body.
Luckily, I remembered the ladder to the roof. I climbed up, popped the straw roof and saw a bright blue sky.
I suddenly realized the dust and powder pouring out of the top could draw attention. So when the dust had settled, I climbed down and slipped out of the chained door. I’m not sure if I was more excited about being alive or about not being caught, but I ran all the way back home. When the author got inside the barn, he _______.
| A．noticed a man on the elevator |
| B．opened the chained sliding door |
| C．saw many dead mice in the dark |
| D．found a shaft leading to the top |
Which of the following is the right order of the author’s adventure?
a. The elevator stopped halfway.
b. He entered the round grain barn.
c. He climbed to the top of the shaft.
d. He found a fire extinguisher and shot it off.
| A．b-a-c-d | B．a-c-b-d | C．c-a-d-b | D．b-c-a-d |
After getting out of the chained door, the author might feel _______.
| A．inspired | B．relieved | C．surprised | D．disappointed |
From the passage, we can learn that the author was probably a boy full of _______.
| A．passions | B．dreams | C．curiosity | D．imagination |
·The Hotel Portixol，a hotel that oozes(渗透) style and has thoughtful extras in Palma Majorca.
·Location
In the bay of Portixol，a 30-minute walk or 10-minute cycle east of the old town，overlooking Portixol port.
·Character
The square white building，with its blue shutters(百叶窗) and dark wooden balconies，stands out as you approach Portixol. Inside as well as out，Hotel Portixol oozes style － wicker(柳条) sofas in a shade deck. Thoughtful extras include free bicycle hire and telescopes in each room.
·Rooms
Thirteen of the 26 rooms have balconies，overlooking the sea. All have large showers and king-size beds. Our corner room had double glass doors on two sides which created a much-needed breeze.
·Food
Breakfast is a feast，with a huge selection of fresh fruit，yogurts，cereals，meats，cheeses and breads. The lunch and dinner menus mix traditional Mediterranean food with eastern and European classics.
·Why Palma?
Parts of Majorca have a certain reputation，but calm，sweet Palma is a far shout from the island's busy and sometimes tacky(俗气的) beach resorts so popular with hen and buck parties.
The Majorcan capital is also one of the easiest short-break destinations in Europe. The old town is a 10-minute taxi ride from Palma airport，while the tangled(乱蓬蓬的)streets inside the old city wall combine the best restaurants，shopping and culture Majorca has to offer.
While very hot in summer，temperatures remain pleasant during the rest of the year.
·Getting there
Easy Jet flies to Palma from most airports in the UK，from ￡29.99 one way. A taxi from Palma airport to the city centre costs about ￡8; or you can catch a bus which costs a few euros.If you'd like to buy what you like，you had better go to________.
| A．the old city of Majorca | B．Palma beach resorts |
| C．the city centre of Majorca | D．the east of the old town |
How much will be spent if a family of three goes to the city centre of Palma for a round-trip?
| A．Over ￡114. | B．Less than ￡228. |
| C．More than ￡180. | D．Only ￡76. |
The passage is mainly written to those________.
| A．want to travel to Majorcan capital |
| B．enjoy traveling out freely |
| C．will stay in a hotel in Palma |
| D．like to go shopping in the city centre of Majorca |
What's the best title of this passage?
| A．Hotel Portixol，Palma，Majorca |
| B．City Portixol，Palma，Majorca |
| C．The transport in Majorca |
| D．The view in Palma |