India is traditionally a tea-drinking country. But, it is now gaining a new taste for coffee. This has led international coffee companies to consider opening businesses in the huge market. Local business people are also hoping to profit from the country’s tea-drinking habits. They want to open new stores that offer tea.
It is ten thirty in the morning in India. Two cafes are within meters of each other, near a college in New Delhi. And they are selling a lot of tea. Their main customers are undergraduate students.
“We have a lot of break between classes, so whenever we get time, we just go and we enjoy ourselves. It’s a lot of fun , especially when you are with people you enjoy spending time with.”
In the past ten years , cafes have become increasingly popular in India. The country’s huge young population have quickly taken to the coffee culture.
Coffee stores have spread from major cities like New Delhi and Mumbai to smaller towns. Coffee use has doubled in the last ten years . It is the success of this market that has gained the attention of companies like the American-based coffee chain Starbucks. The company will open its first store in India later this year. Other companies like Lavazza and Costa Coffee are already there.
Yet, the growth of coffee will not reduce the popularity of tea. Indians drink eight times more tea than coffee. They have been drinking tea for more than one hundred and fifty years. India is one of the world’s biggest producers of tea, which is known locally as “chai”. Outside homes and offices, it is mostly sold by small businesses on the street.Why do international coffee companies consider opening businesses in India?
A.India consumes very little coffee. | B.India has a large population. |
C.People in India now prefer coffee to tea. | D.Indians come to like the taste of coffee. |
Which one is correct about undergraduate students?
A.They only have tea in the cafes. |
B.They are the main customers in the cafes. |
C.They like enjoying coffee with friends in cafes. |
D.They like to go to the cafes to escape lessons. |
What can we learn about coffee in India?
A.Coffee is consumed more than tea in India now. |
B.Coffee is much more welcomed by young Indians than tea. |
C.Coffee consumed today doubles that of ten years ago. |
D.The growth of coffee will reduce the consumption. |
Which statement is wrong according to the passage?
A.Coffee stores have spread to small towns in India. |
B.Some foreign coffee companies are trying to open Indian coffee market. |
C.Local people worry about losing profit on tea. |
D.Indians drink eight times more tea than coffee. |
What is the text mainly about?
A.Undergraduate students are main coffee consumers in India. |
B.Indians mainly consume both tea and coffee. |
C.India is traditionally a tea-drinking country. |
D.India is becoming a big new coffee consuming country. |
New York State has passed the USA’s first state law banning motorists talking on hand-held cell phones. The ban will begin November 1st, although drivers caught using hand-held cell phones will be given only warnings during the first month.
First-time violators(违法者)will face a $100 fine. A second time call for a $200 fine and every violation after that will cost$500.
At least a dozen localities(地方)have established bans, starting in 1999; and 40 states have had bans proposed but not passed. At least 23 countries, including the Great Britain, Italy, Israel and Japan, ban drivers from using hand-held cell phones.
There are about 115 million cell phones in use in the United States and more than 6 million in New York State.
“To think that I’m not going to use cell phone when at the same time I can still use my laptop(膝上电脑), I still can read a paper, I can still change my trousers while driving 65 mph. I think there’s just something wrong,” an official said.
Other critics noted that other things like eating, drinking coffee and applying make up while driving caused at least as much of a concern. They suggested that the ban include a broader range of things. How much fine will a hand-held cell phone user receive if he has been caught using it four times while driving after November?
A.$500. | B.$1000. | C.$1200. | D.$1300. |
. We can see from this passage that ____.
A.the ban has been put into effect in most states in the U. S. |
B.many of the developed countries forbid drivers using hand-held cell phones |
C.over fifty localities or states ban drivers from using hand-held cell phones |
D.more people in the U. S. are against the ban than for it |
The official mentioned in this passage ____.
A.does not agree with this ban |
B.doesn’t believe using hand-held cell phones while driving will cause any danger |
C.doesn’t understand why hand-held cell phones alone should be banned among many others |
D.believes changing pants while driving will cause greater danger |
The writer intends to tell us in the last paragraph that ______.
A.it is not fair to have this ban passed |
B.the ban will never be passed in the whole country |
C.more activities of the same kind should also be banned |
D.the ban will meet with more criticism |
According to a recent survey, Canadian parents realize their role as protectors and providers to raise their children both emotionally and physically. That’s not very different from the way our parents saw themselves. But with more two-career families and busy schedules, one thing parents today recognize more than ever is the need to set aside special time for their children. These ‘nurturing moments’ are changed into memories that they will treasure all their lives. Nurturing moments might be the time between our work and life,bringing your child to work with you to see what you do during the day,visiting your child’s make-believe world,discussing his other school day and exploring the natural world outside your door.
These times are not merely a luxury (奢侈), they’re a necessity. It’s during these moments that parents pass values and attitudes to their children. Over time, children pick up good habits and positive self-image.
Here are a few tips for making the most of your family time together:
Regularly sit down as a family to share a meal. Allow each person to describe something interesting about his or her day.
Make one night a week family night. Family members take turns choosing a special activity for the evening everyone partakes in the fun.
Show your children you care about their interests by having them teach you about their activity or hobby.
Nurturing healthy children involves body, mind and spirit. The little things you do to your care are the building blocks for confidence, self-esteem and a healthy outlook. By giving your children these tools, you prepare them for life.Present-day parents are different from those in the past mainly because________.
A.they need more time to spend on their children |
B.they pay more attention to their children’s health |
C.they are much busier with their work |
D.the role they play in bringing up children is different |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to ‘nurturing moment’?
A.The time between work and everyday activities. |
B.The time when you are busy with your work. |
C.The time when you play with children. |
D.The time when you show your care for your child. |
.We can infer that “visiting your child’s make-believe world” ________.
A.is a luxury for parents |
B.is a necessity for parents |
C.is good to the imagination of the children |
D.benefits the healthy growth of the children |
The purpose of the author in writing this article is________.
A.to persuade and advise | B.to argue and instruct |
C.to amuse and interest | D.to explain and comment |
It tastes just like chicken
Away from home, eating is more than just a way to keep your stomach full.It is a language all its own, and no words can say, "Glad to meet you ...glad to be doing business with you ..." quite like sharing a meal offered by your host.
Clearly, mealtime is not the time for you to say, "Thanks, but no thanks." Acceptance of the food on your plate means acceptance of host, country, and company.So, no matter how difficult it may be to swallow, swallow it.Or, as one experienced traveler says, "Travel with a cast-iron stomach and eat everything everywhere."
Often, the food offered represents proudly your host country’s eating culture.What would Ataiericans think of a French person who refused to take a bite of homemade apple pie ? Our discomfort comes not so much from the thing itself; it comes from our umamiliarity with it.After all, an oyster has remarkably the same look as a sheep’s eye; and a first look at a lobster would remind almost anybody of a creature from a science fiction movie, not something you dip in butter and eat.By the way, in Saudi Arabia sheep’s eyes are a famous dish and in parts of China it’s bear’s paw soup.
Can you refuse such food without being rude? Most experienced business travelers say no, at least not before taking at least a few bites.It helps, though, to cut any item very thin.This way, you minimize the taste and the reminder of where it came from.Or, " Swallow it quickly, " as one traveler recommends."I still can’t tell you what sheep’s eyeballs taste like." As for dealing with taste, the old line that "it tastes just like chicken" is often thankfully true.Even when the "it" is really rat or snake.
Another useful piece of advice is not knowing what you are eating.What’s for dinner? Don’t ask. Avoid glancing into the kitchen or looking at English-language menus.Your host will be pleased that you are eating the food he offers, and who knows? Maybe it really is chicken in that soup.The purpose of the article is to ____.
A.introduce unfamiliar food |
B.share the writer’s personal experiences |
C.suggest ways to overcome a cultural barrier |
D.advise on how to politely refuse to eat foreign food |
According to the writer, people hesitate at strange food mainly due to ____.
A.the way it looks |
B.safety worries |
C.lack of information about it |
D.the unfamiliar atmosphere |
From the article we can infer that ____.
A.an American may feel comfortable with sirloin |
B.one should refuse strange food after a few bites |
C.English-language menus are not always dependable |
D.one needs a cast-iron stomach to travel in other cultures |
One may say "It tastes just like chicken." when ____.
A.showing respect for chicken-loving nations |
B.greeting people with different dieting habits |
C.evaluating chefs at an international food festival |
D.getting someone to try a visually unpleasant meal |
Once Dr.Mellinkoff invited me to join him at the hospital to discuss interesting cases with his students.The case at hand was a Guatemalan man, aged 34, who had a fever and many other medical problems.His condition was not improving, and there was not much hope he would live.
Dr.Mellinkoff asked to see the patient.He introduced himself in Spanish and, in a very gentle voice, asked how he felt.The patient smiled and said everything was all right.Then the doctor asked if he was able to eat.The patient said that he had no desire to eat.
"Are you getting food you like?"
The patient said nothing.
"Do you get the kind of food you have at home?"
The answer was no.
The doctor put his hand on the man’s shoulder and his voice was very soft.
"If; you had food that you liked, would you eat it?"
"Yes, yes," the patient said.
The change in the patient’s appearance couldn’t have been more obvious.Nothing was said, but it was easy to tell that a message had been sent and! had also been received.
Later, the doctor asked why the Guatemalan man wasn’t getting food he could eat.One of the students said, "We all know how difficult it is to get the kitchen to make special meals."
"Suppose," the doctor replied, "you felt a certain medicine was absolutely necessary but that our hospital didn’t carry it, would you accept defeat or would you insist the hospital meet your request?"
"I would probably insist," the student said.
"Very well," the doctor said."You might want to try the same method in the kitchen.It won’t be easy, but I can help you.Meanwhile, let’s get some food inside this man as fast as possible, and stay with it.Or he’ll be killed by hunger.By the way, there must be someone among you who can speak Spanish.If we want to make real progress, we need to be able to talk with him."
Three weeks later, Doctor Mellinkoff told me that the Guatemalan man had left the hospital under his own power.It takes more than medicine to help sick people; you also have to talk to them and make them comfortable.The patient had no desire to eat because.
A.he was not hungry | B.he was seriously ill |
C.he was given special meals | D.he was not satisfied with the food |
According to the passage, we can conclude that.
A.the patient’s native language was Spanish |
B.the patient’s illness was caused by hunger |
C.Dr. Mellinkoff performed an operation on the patient |
D.the hospital failed to provide the right medicine for the patient |
Which of the following words can be used to describe Dr. Mellinkoff?
A.Cold. | B.Considerate. | C.Curious. | D.Careless. |
What do you think Dr. Mellinkoff wanted to tell his students in this case?
A.Doctors should be good at foreign languages. |
B.Doctors should know their patients’ real problems. |
C.Doctors should try to improve their medical skills. |
D.Doctors should have a good relationship with their patients. |
I’m a teacher. But there are days, like today, when I wonder why. The results of an English quiz taken by my fifth-graders were depressing. Despite my best efforts, the world of pronouns remains a mystery to them. How I wish there were a way to make the study of our language as exciting as a computer game, so the glazed (目光呆滞) looks would not appear in their eyes at the mention of the word “grammar.” I remember my husband’s words: “Why don’t you quit? You’d probably make more money by doing something else, and you wouldn’t have papers to grade every night.”
Tonight I have a stack of papers to grade, which I promised my students I would return tomorrow. But a friend, whom I haven’t seen in a year, is visiting from Belgium, and I told her I would keep this evening free.
Sitting in traffic behind a distant stoplight, it’s hard not to replay the day. A voice reports the body of a local youngster, missing for weeks, has been identified.
This missing child has had a deep effect on my students. They wondered, “If it happened to her, could it happen to me?”
My children had found the answer themselves. They got out their pencils, markers and made cards. Cards were written with words of compassion and love for a mother and father they didn’t know. Cards were filled with red hearts, golden crosses, flowers and angels. Their cards, intended to comfort others, comforted the children themselves by leading them past the anxiety, back into the world of security (安全) that should be theirs.
And then I remember why I’m still teaching. It’s the children. They’re more important than a lifetime filled with quiet evenings and more valuable than a pocket filled with money. My classroom, a child-filled world of discovery, of kindness and of caring is the real world.
It’s time to call my friend. I have promises to keep. She’ll understand. After all, she’s a teacher.The writer wonders why she is a teacher because _____.
A.her students often play games in class |
B.teaching is not a well-paid job |
C.her students feel bored with grammar |
D.she feels frustrated at teaching |
The students’ attitude to the missing child’s parents might be that of _____.
A.doubt | B.unconcern | C.sympathy | D.tolerance |
What is the most important according to the writer?
A.A pocket filled with money. |
B.The kind and caring children. |
C.A lifetime filled with quiet evenings. |
D.The freedom to control her own time. |
What promise will the writer keep?
A.To grade papers that night. | B.To help a student with homework. |
C.To accept her husband’s advice. | D.To meet her old friend. |