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 |
Are you a high school student who loves to be outdoors and is eager to experience new challenges, learn new skills and meet new people? Learn all about the world of building and maintaining hiking trails, and experience it in a safe, teamwork-oriented environment in various locations across the state. WTA offers first-time participants country trips and returning students have the option to go on trips in the back country(边远地区).
Front Country Trips
Our front country trips provide opportunities for people to experience projects near the ocean, in the scenic Cascade Mountains and in northeast Washington. All our trips provide you with experienced crew leaders, a great project, some camping tents, sleeping bags and all your meals for the week.
Advanced Back Country Trips
On these trips you will be backpacking to the work site and will have a chance to advance your trail and leadership skills under the supervision of a WTA crew leader. Approval from a previous crew leader is necessary.
Trip Details
In 2014, trip fees for WTA members will be $195 for the first trip and $145 for each additional trip. Non-members will pay an additional $40 for their first trip and can be qualified to be members in the second trip. There will be a $30 cancellation fee for cancellations more than 30 days prior to the trip, and no refund for cancellations less than 30 days prior to the trip. Due to the popularity of our trips, please submit your payment and application within two weeks of signing up for a trip. If a trip is full and you would like to be added to the waiting list, please call us at 206/625-1367 or email trail_teams@wta.org.
Scholarships
We believe no student should have to stay at home this summer because he or she can’t afford to go outside. Thanks to donations from members and supporters, WTA is proud to announce that we are able to offer a limited number of scholarships. Application deadline: March 1, 2014.
2014 Youth Volunteer Vacation
You must be 14 to 18 years old to go on one of our Youth Volunteer Vacations. We always recommend that volunteers go on a one-day trip before attending a Youth Vacation to understand what the work will be like for a week.If you are going on one of the trips for the first time, you can’t go on trips ________.
A.near the ocean |
B.in the back country |
C.in the Cascade Mountains |
D.in northeast Washington |
How much will you have to pay for your second trip if you’re not a WTA member?
A.$145 | B.$185 | C.$195 | D.$235 |
After choosing a trip, you ________.
A.will naturally become a WTA member |
B.can cancel your trip and get all your money back |
C.will be added to the waiting list |
D.must submit your payment and application within two weeks |
You must be lucky enough to obtain a scholarship if you ________.
A.apply before March 1, 2014 |
B.donate a little money to WTA |
C.support WTA by advertising |
D.volunteer in your high school |
From the text we can learn that 2014 Youth Volunteer Vacations ______.
A.will be the last activity of the year |
B.are more popular than people say |
C.are open only to 14-to18-year-olds |
D.offer a one-day trip for training |
Once a girl named Lily got married, but soon she found that she couldn’t get along with her mother-in-law at all. Finally, Lily could not stand her mother-in-law’s bad temper and decided to do something about it.
Lily turned to Mr. Huang, who sold herbs (草药), for help. She asked if he could give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Mr. Huang thought for a while and said: “Lily, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and do what I tell you.” Lily agreed.
He told Lily, “You can’t use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day, prepare some delicious food and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, to make sure that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be very friendly towards her.” Lily thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot to murder her mother-in-law.
Thus every other day, Lily served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother. After six months had passed, the whole household changed. Lily and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter.
One day, Lily came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again. She said: “Mr. Huang, please help me to stop the poison from killing my mother-in-law! I do not want her to die.”
Mr. Huang smiled, saying, “Lily, there is nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude towards her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her. ”What can we learn about Lily?
A.She was treated badly by her husband’s family. |
B.She didn’t treat her mother-in-law sincerely at first. |
C.Her mother-in-law didn’t agree to her marriage. |
D.She didn’t respect the tradition of her husband’s family. |
Lily first went to see Mr. Huang to _________.
A.ask for some herbs to kill her mother-in-law |
B.ask him to cure her mother-in-law’s illness |
C.buy some herbs to improve her mother-in-law’s health |
D.ask him for some advice on dealing with her mother-in-law |
After visiting Mr. Huang, Lily__________.
A.became more and more suspicious |
B.changed all of her living habits to please her mother-in-law |
C.prepared specially cooked food for her mother-in-law every day |
D.changed her attitude towards her mother-in-law gradually |
What does the underlined word, “poison”, in the last paragraph, refer to?
A.Buying poisonous herbs. |
B.A negative attitude towards life. |
C.Thinking ill of others. |
D.Losing one’s temper randomly |
What does the author try to tell us?
A.Be aware of other people’s good qualities in relationships. |
B.Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts will become your words. |
C.True happiness is to enjoy the present, without depending anxiously on the future. |
D.Don’t waste your time explaining, because people will only hear what they want to hear. |
If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on this special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy(哲学).Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.The opening paragraph is mainly intended to ______.
A.provide some key facts about Confucius |
B.attract the readers' interest in the subject |
C.show great respect for the ancient thinker |
D.prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students______.
A.have a great interest in studying Chinese |
B.take an active part in Chinese competitions |
C.try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
D.fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.Forgotten Wisdom in America |
B.Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
C.Chinese Culture for Westerners |
D.Old Thinker with a Big Future |
Watson entered Mr. Smith's office. The boss was a hard man. He fired people who didn't do well without giving them a second chance.
"Watson," said Mr. Smith, "this past year your department hasn't earned money. We're going to drop that department. It's finished. I’m sorry, —but you'll have to go." "But, sir — if I just had a little more time. For the moment I need the job to keep my son at Riverside School."
"What's that!" said the boss. "Riverside! I didn't know you had a boy there. That's an expensive school for a man with your salary."
"I know, sir. But he likes it there so much! He's a star athlete and the best boxer in the school. The boys call him Champ (冠军)there."
The boss sat perfectly still for a long time — a faraway (恍惚的) look in his eyes. Then, suddenly, he said, "We've got to close your department, Watson. But you'll take over a new job in another department. It means longer hours—maybe more pay. Now get out. You're here for life."
Watson got out, with surprise on his face. Then the boss took a letter from the top drawer of his desk. It was Herbie's last letter from Riverside School —written a few days before he died. He had read it over and over again with sick pain. The letter read:
I can’t say the boys here are any nicer to me than the others were. I guess it's the same everywhere when you're a cripple (跛脚的人). But don't worry about me, Dad. They've got a good chemistry department here. And there’s one boy here who is really great. He's a track star and boxing champ and just tops in chemistry. The boys call him Champ. He made them stop throwing my books around. And he knocked a boy down who hit me. He is the best friend I ever had. Dad, when I grow up, I want to do something for Champ. Something big — that he won’t even know about.
Your son,
HerbieMr. Smith wanted to fire Watson because _____.
A.Watson would take over a new job in another department |
B.Watson had his son study in Riverside School |
C.Watson's son knocked a boy down who hit Herbie |
D.Watson's department didn't earn money that year |
We can learn from the text that _____.
A.Mr. Smith didn't know that Champ was Watson's son at first |
B.Mr. Smith was told not to fire Watson by Herbie |
C.Mr. Smith decided to give Watson another chance in no time |
D.Mr. Smith wanted to realize Champ's dream |
According to the text, which words can best describe Mr. Smith?
A.Sympathetic and grateful. | B.Selfish and greedy. |
C.Hardworking and strict. | D.Easy-going and optimistic. |
The author wrote the text in order to _____.
A.make our children enjoy life |
B.share a moving story with us |
C.provide us with tips on work |
D.help us to deal with our boss |
Shellharbour City Library provides a range of Library Special Needs Services for people who are unable to access our library service in the usual way. As long as you live in Shellharbour City, we’ll provide a full range of library services and resources including:
● Large printed and ordinary printed books
● Talking books on tape and CD
● DVDs and music CDs
● Magazines
● Reference and information requests
You will be asked to complete a ‘Statement of Need’ application form which must be signed by a medical professional.
Home delivery service
Let us know what you like to read and we will choose the resources for you. Our staff will deliver the resources to your home for free. We also provide a service where we can choose the resources for you or someone instead of you choose the things from the library .You can also choose the resources you need personally.
Talking books and captioned videos
The library can provide talking books for people who are unable to use printed books because of eye diseases. You don’t have to miss out on reading any more when you can borrow talking books from the library. If you have limited hearing which prevents you from enjoying movies, we can provide captioned videos for you at no charge.
Languages besides English
We can provide books in a range of languages besides English. If possible, we will request these items from the State Library of NSW, Australia.
How to join?
Contact the Library Special Needs Coordinator to register or discuss if you are eligible(合适的) for any of the services we provide ---Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am ---5pm on 4297 2522 for more information.Library Special Needs Services are meant for_____.
A.those who are fond of reading |
B.only those who have walking disabilities |
C.people living in Shellharbour City with an illness or disability |
D.those who can’t get medical help in Shellharbour City |
If people with eye diseases want to learn about history, they can choose______.
A.talking books | B.captioned videos |
C.magazines | D.large printed books |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.Few entertaining resources are offered here. |
B.Books with different languages are available. |
C.People with limited hearing have to pay for captioned videos. |
D.People have to choose what they need by themselves. |
To get home delivery service, you must_______.
A.only choose printed books |
B.register ahead of time |
C.pay the library ahead of time |
D.have others choose the resources for you |