America is a mobile society. Friendships between Americans can be close and real, yet disappear soon if situations change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while — then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship. This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand, because friendships between us flower more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings, extending (延伸) sometimes deeply into both families.
Americans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes, share their holidays, and their home life. They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality (好客) easily.
Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives, they don’t show their politeness (礼貌) to us if it requires a great deal of time. This is usually the opposite (相反) of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time. Sometimes, we, as hosts, will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend. We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends. The Americans, however, express their welcome usually at homes, but truly can not manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their daily activities. They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus. And they expect that we will phone them from there. Once we arrive at their homes, the welcome will be full, warm and real. We will find ourselves treated hospitably.
For the Americans, it is often considered more friendly to invite a friend to their homes than to go to restaurants, except for purely business matters. So accept their hospitality at home!Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Friendships between Americans usually extend deeply into their families. |
B.Americans will continue their friendships again even after a long break. |
C.Americans always show their warmth even if they are very busy. |
D.Friendships between Americans usually last for all their lives. |
From the last two paragraphs we can learn that when we arrive in America to visit an American friend, we will probably be ______.
A.treated hospitably at his home |
B.offered a ride to his home |
C.warmly welcomed at the airport |
D.treated to dinner in a restaurant |
The underlined words “generous with our time” in Paragraph 3 probably mean ______.
A.strict with time | B.serious with time |
C.willing to spend time | D.careful with time |
A suitable title for this passage would probably be “______”.
A.Friendships between Chinese |
B.Friendships between Americans |
C.Americans’ hospitality |
D.Americans’ and Chinese’s opinions of friendships |
Museums
Skyscraper Museum
Wednesday - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Adults: $5
305-756-2385
Interested in tall buildings? Design? Then this museum is for you!!! Check the historical buildings and their special design right in lower Manhattan.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax(蜡像) Museum
Sunday - Thursday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Adults: $29 Students: $13
305-532-9623
The students in Manhattan had an exciting experience at Madame Tussaud’s! They met hundreds of famous people at a discounted (打折)price! This museum is your chance to meet your idols and have a picture taken with them.
World Art Museum
Daily: 11:00 AM – Midnight (including holidays)
Cost: $15
305-532-9336 http://www.weam.com
Located in the heart of the South Beach Art Deco district, this museum shouldn’t be missed! It is currently one of South Florida’s hottest new attractions.
Bass Museum of Art
Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Adults: $8 The old / Students: $6
305-673-7530 http://www. bassmuseum.org
Enjoy European paintings, and sculptures. It also includes exhibitions of modern artists from different parts of the world. You will also enjoy visiting its beautiful museum shop and media center.
World Art Museum
Daily: 11:00 AM – Midnight (including holidays)
Cost: $15
305-532-9336 http://www. weam.com
Located in the heart of the South Beach Art Deco district, this museum shouldn’t be missed! It is currently one of South Florida’s hottest new attractions.If you are interested in building a house, you may go to_______.
A.Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum |
B.Skyscraper Museum |
C.World Art Museum |
D.Bass Museum of Art |
If you want to go to a museum, but you are only free after 10 pm, you can phone_______.
A.305-756-2385 | B.305-532-9623 |
C.305-673-7530 | D.305-532-9336 |
If you go to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, you ______.
A.will have a gift from them |
B.are free to go at any time |
C.will have the chance to take a picture |
D.can shake hands with your idols |
If your classmate is going to Bass Museum of Art with his grandparents, how much will they pay?
A.$20 | B.$18 | C.$22 | D.$24 |
A nobleman and a merchant once met in an inn. For their lunch they both ordered soup. When it was brought, the nobleman took a spoonful, but the soup was so hot that he burned his mouth and tears came to his eyes. The merchant asked him why he was weeping. The nobleman was ashamed to admit that he had burned his mouth and answered, “Sir, I once had a brother who committed a great crime, for which he was hanged. I was thinking of his death, and that made me weep.” The merchant believed this story and began to eat his soup. He too burned his mouth, so that he had tears in his eyes. The nobleman noticed it and asked the merchant, “Sir, why do you weep?” The merchant, who now saw that the nobleman had deceived (欺骗) him, answered, “My lord(="master)," I am weeping because you were not hanged together with your brother.”This story teaches us ______.
A.not to believe everything you hear |
B.not to eat soup that is too hot |
C.not to eat in inns |
D.to cry when we burn our mouth |
The nobleman did not tell the truth because he ______.
A.felt ashamed | B.was in an inn |
C.was angry | D.was a nobleman |
It is probable that the nobleman ______.
A.had never eaten soup |
B.knew the soup was too hot |
C.had no brother who was hanged |
D.had a very good brother |
The merchant’s answer showed that he ______.
A.had kind heart |
B.was angry with the nobleman |
C.believed the nobleman |
D.was very happy |
This fourth of July I moved into a new house with my wife, Nicole. Nicole and I met through a series of coincidences that would be unlikely without some unbelievable force causing them to happen.
The day Nicole and I met, we talked about the Yankees. In the restaurant where we sat, the first game between the Yanks and Tampa Bay was being shown on television. Nicole was happy I was a baseball fan, and she told me that was an important reason when she considered dating (约会) me. “My dad wouldn’t like me dating anyone who isn’t,” she said.
Nicole’s dad, Ira, used to be a coach for the Yankees. Many years ago, a colleague (同事) of his was leaving and packing up his office. The only thing left unpacked was a photo on the wall. It was a picture of Sparky Lyle, a famous baseball player. Sparky had signed the photo on the bottom.
“You’re not taking that?” Ira asked. “You want it?” his colleague offered. “Sure!” Ira said. He jumped at the chance to have a signed photo from a great player who had helped the team win two World Series.
Ira told me the story after the movers had gone. He then said to me, “Adam, when I first learned who was dating my daughter, that photo came into my mind,” he said. “But by now, I know for sure you’re meant to have it.” He then presented me with a box. I tore it open. Inside was the signed photo of Sparky Lyle which I had lost years ago.
“To Adam, Best Wishes, Sparky Lyle”. It was picked up by Nicole’s dad years before I’d even met her. The perfect gift — a sign only making me believe what I already knew ... I was meant for Nicole and her family all along.What does the underlined word “coincidences” in Paragraph 1 mean?
A.New things. |
B.Important things. |
C.Things that happened long ago. |
D.Things that happened by chance. |
A big reason why Nicole agreed to be Adam’s girlfriend was that _____.
A.he was able |
B.he was a baseball fan |
C.he got a new house |
D.they had much in common |
Ira got the photo of Sparky Lyle from _____.
A.Sparky Lyle | B.Nicole |
C.his colleague | D.Adam |
We can infer from the text that _____.
A.Adam did not like the gift |
B.Nicole found the lost picture |
C.Adam and Nicole will love each other forever |
D.the picture of Sparky Lyle was first owned by Adam |
Computer technology is still developing rapidly. The computer of the future will continue to increase in value and performance while decreasing in cost. It will become smaller, but faster and more powerful.
It is possible to make some guesses about what the future of the computer will look like, based upon the types of technologies that are being developed now. A lot of progress has already been made in some of these new technologies, but some are still in their earliest stages and may not be ready for use for years. Two of the most interesting areas of computing that are currently being developed are quantum computing (量子计算) and nanotechnology (纳米技术).
Quantum computing is one possibility for the future of the computer that could make computers run far faster than even the quickest computers do today. Quantum computers could be able to do what modern supercomputers are unable to do by using transistors that are able to take on many states at the same time.
Nanotechnology could also change the face of computing, by creating computers that could be very powerful, though they are tiny in size. These computers could be incorporated (并入) into everyday objects, including electrical appliances (电器), clothes and even the human body. We will be able to use computers in new and unimaginable ways. They will become a part of our lives rather than simply being a box that is used only for specific purposes, such as work.
Quantum computing and nanotechnology will be able to play new roles, which will make us live greener lives, as well as enjoy better health and happier lives.Which of the following can NOT describe the computer of the future properly?
A.Much smaller. |
B.Much faster. |
C.More powerful. |
D.Less valuable. |
According to the text, quantum computing _____.
A.has been put in use so far |
B.can make computers run by themselves |
C.can reduce the cost of computers |
D.will work by using transistors |
We can learn from the text that nanotechnology will _____.
A.create much smaller computers |
B.be used in electrical appliances and clothing |
C.change the structure of computers |
D.make computers just serve specific purposes |
The text is mainly about _____.
A.what nanotechnology is |
B.what quantum computing is |
C.what the future of the computer is |
D.what future computers can bring us |
In the United States, many low income (低收入) parents cannot afford to buy enough food for their children. A program called Kids Café is helping some of these children by providing free nutritious (有营养的) snacks and meals during after-school programs.
At a community (社区) center in Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C., children make a snack as part of their afterschool program. “The snack is very healthy for your body, but the main thing is that it tastes really, really good,” Keith Clements tells them. He runs the Kids Café program.
The children are between the ages of 5 and 11 and are from several local schools. About half have parents from Ethiopia. Many of the children eat their traditional food at home. Kids Café, with food offered free by a food bank, gives them an opportunity to try different types of food.
“It’s good,” says one girl. But Rebecca Nance, whose parents are from the US, is not so sure. “The taste is weird.” Her mother, Daffany Nance has two children in the program. She’s glad her kids are getting nutritious food. “Even in my house we don’t have much junk food,” she says, “so it’s very important that it’s healthy and continues to help them grow better.”
The charity (慈善机构), Feeding America, started the national Kids Café program in 1993. The charity says more than 16 million children in the United States do not have enough healthy food to eat.
Kids Café became part of the afterschool program at this community center five years ago. Lori McFail heads the afterschool program. She says some children do not eat good evening meals because their parents work late or cannot afford healthy food. She hopes the children will make full use of what they’ve learned about nutrition in their lives.What is the purpose of starting Kids Café?
A.To provide poor children with nutritious food. |
B.To raise money for some poor children. |
C.To develop the afterschool program. |
D.To help poor children learn new skills. |
The underlined word “weird” is the closest in meaning to _____.
A.delicious | B.unusual |
C.terrible | D.strong |
What can we learn about Daffany Nance?
A.She is from Ethiopia and has two children. |
B.She cared little about her children’s diet before. |
C.She believes the program is good for her children. |
D.She hopes more types of food can be offered for free. |
Who leads the afterschool program?
A.Lori McFail. |
B.Keith Clements. |
C.Feeding America. |
D.A community center in Virginia. |