Handshaking, though a European practice is often seen in big cities of China. Nobody knows exactly when the practice started in Europe. It is said that long long ago in Europe when people met, they showed their unarmed(无武器的) hands to each other as a sign of friendship. As time went on and trade in cities grew rapidly, people in cities began to clap each other's hands to make a deal or to reach an agreement. This practice was later changed into shaking hands among friends on meeting or leaving each other. "Let's shake (hands) on it" sometimes means agreement reached.
Do the Europeans shake hands wherever they go and with whomever they meet? No. Sometimes the Chinese abroad reach out their hands too often to be polite. It is really very impolite to give your hand when the other party, especially when it is a woman, shows little interest in shaking hands with you and when the meeting does not mean anything to him or-her. Even if, for politeness, he holds out his unwilling hand in answer to your uninvited hand, just touch it slightly. There is generally a misunderstanding(误解) among the Chinese that westerners are usually open and straightforward, while the Chinese are rather reserved(保守的) in manner. But in fact some people in western countries are more reserved than some Chinese today. So it is a good idea to shake hands with a westerner only when he shows interest in further relations with you.In the old days in Europe, people put out their unarmed hands to each other ______.
| A．to make a deal | B．to greet each other |
| C．to show friendliness | D．to reach an agreement |
The first paragraph mainly tells us ______.
| A．where handshaking was first practised |
| B．how handshaking came about |
| C．about the relationship between handshaking and trade |
| D．about the practice of handshaking both in Europe and in China |
According to the text, which of the following statements is true?
| A．Westerners are more reserved than the Chinese. |
| B．Westerners are unwilling to shake hands. |
| C．We should make a judgement before shaking hands. |
| D．We shouldn't shake hands with European women. |
The main purpose of the text is ______.
| A．to tell us some differences between the East and the West |
| B．to offer us some important facts about handshaking |
| C．to introduce us to some different customs in the West |
| D．to give us some advice before we travel abroad |
High childcare costs are putting British mothers off going out to work. It really is that simple. Eurostat figures show that 66 per cent of mothers in the UK work, less than France (72 per cent), Denmark (86 per cent), the Netherlands (78 per cent) or Germany (69 per cent). This not only damages Britain’s economic prosperity—it limits women’s careers and squeezes family incomes. It would be fine if this is the choice parents want to make, but it isn’t. Half of those surveyed want to go to work and the expense of childcare is one of the key reasons they couldn’t.
Despite claims made by Labour (工党) about childcare, a forthcoming (即将到来的) report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) confirms the true legacy of their time in government. They left behind a childcare system with high costs to parents, variable quality and patchy (不均匀的) coverage, despite soaring government spending. British parents now face the highest childcare bills in the world after Switzerland.
In the Eighties and Nineties under Mrs Thatcher and John Major, the picture was very different. Mothers in England were more likely to go out to work than their Dutch or German counterparts. But the position has reversed, despite a huge rise in public spending.
So why does the British Government spend more on childcare than France or Germany, even though the costs given to parents are sky-high? As always, under the previous government, money was frittered away (浪费) without adequate focus on improving quality. Instead of clear and transparent funding, four separate funding streams were created, skewing (偏离) the market and confusing parents and providers alike. The majority of the money was given away in cash benefits; so much of it did not get through to the front line.
The IPPR report points out that continental systems, in countries such as Germany, France, Denmark and the Netherlands, manage to deliver better value for money. What all of these systems have in common is a focus on quality, with greater flexibility and autonomy given to local providers. They also see a much higher proportion of government money getting to the front line. Which of the following doesn’t belong to the disadvantages caused by the mothers prevented from going to work?
| A．Damaging Britain’s economic development. |
| B．Causing damage to women’s careers. |
| C．Decreasing the family incomes. |
| D．Causing childcare costs to go up. |
According to the second paragraph, we can infer that the former government of the Labour Party _______.
| A．was highly praised by British people |
| B．made British people face the highest childcare bills |
| C．left behind a childcare system full of problems |
| D．managed to decrease the government spending |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．in the Eighties and Nineties, mothers in the UK were likely to work |
| B．there is a prejudice against mothers in the UK employment market |
| C．most of the mothers surveyed in the UK don’t want to work |
| D．the percentage of mothers who work in the UK is the lowest in the world |
| Help Wanted |
PAINTER Must have at least 3 years painting experience. Commercial and new construction work. $ 10/hr. Immediate opening. Call 435-9201 with work history. SECRETARY Part-time position available in friendly, busy office. Good typing and general office skills. Some weekends required. High pay. Various duties. Apply(申请) at East Side Management, 500 Park Drive, DeWitt, NY. 13214. |
| Help Wanted |
VETERINARIAN ASSISTANT(兽医助理) Person needed for busy animal hospital. Some nights and weekends. Apply in person to Johnson-Marks Animal Hospital, 404 Snow Road, Syracuse, NY. 13224. After 4 p.m. only please. NURSES’ ASSISTANTS Full-time and part-time positions available for modern nursing home. High pay. Call Mrs. Downes, R.N. at 534-7618. |
| Help Wanted |
COOK NEEDED Immediately. Busy downtown restaurant. Must be good and dependable. Experience preferred. Weekends required. Call 324-9817. SALESPERSON Experienced. Must have some knowledge of men’s clothing industry. Available to work evenings and some Saturdays. Send resume(个人简历) to: Martin’s Apparel, 237 Rockledge St. Syracuse, NY. 13224. TEACHER Small private school needs English and math teachers. Must have BS degree and at least 4 years teaching experience. Send resume to: Wales Charter School 19 South 8th St. NY. 13214. |
| Help Wanted |
HOTEL needs part-time FRONT DESK CLERK. No experience necessary. Excellent people and phone skills a must. Some computer skills helpful. $ 13/hr. Call: Mr Jones 357-2897. |
If you want to get a job as a math teacher, send your resume to ________.
| A．237 Rockledge St. Syracuse, NY. 13224 | B．404 Snow Road, Syracuse, NY. 13224 |
| C．500 Park Drive, DeWitt, NY. 13214 | D．19 South 8th St. NY. 13214 |
If you dislike working on Sundays, being a ______ should be your best choice.
| A．cook | B．secretary | C．salesperson | D．veterinarian assistant |
If you want to get a job at ________ you must have office skills.
| A．Martin’s Apparel | B．East Side Management |
| C．Wales Charter School | D．Johnson Marks Animal Hospital |
Which job do you think suitable for a beautiful lady, who just graduated from a university and without any work experience?
| A．FRONT DESK CLERK | B．TEACHER | C．SECRETARY | D．PAINTER |
For their nick-of-time acts, Toby, a 2-year-old dog, and Winnie, a cute cat, were named Dog and Cat of the Year by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
As Amy Paul choked(哽住) on a piece of apple at her home, her dog jumped up, landing hard on her chest and forcing the piece in her throat out. When the Keesling family of Indiana was about to be killed by carbon monoxide, their cat clawed at the wife Cathy’s hair until she woke up and called for help.
No one could explain their timely heroics.
Both pets were rescued by their owners in infancy—Toby as a 4-week-old thrown into a garbage bin to die, and Winnie as a week-old orphan hiding under a barn, so helpless that Cathy’s husband, Eric, had to feed her milk with an eyedropper.
As the Keeslings recalled it, a gas-driven pump being used broke down, spreading carbon monoxide through the house. By the time Winnie went to rescue, the couple’s 14-year-old son was already unconscious. “Winnie jumped on the bed and was clawing at me, with a kind of angry sound,” Cathy Keesling said. The state police responding to her 911 call said the family was only minutes from death, judging by the amount of poisonous gas in the house.
Amy Paul’s husband was at his job when she took a midday break from making jewelry and bit into an apple. “Normally I peel them, but I read in Good Housekeeping Magazine that the skin has all the nutrients, so I ate the skin, and that’s what caused me to choke,” she recalled. “I couldn’t breathe and I was in panic when Toby jumped on me. He never does that, but he did, and saved my life.”
Both Toby and Winnie accompanied their owners to the awards luncheon.Why did Amy Paul choke on a piece of apple?
| A．She was too young to care for herself. |
| B．She had a big bite. |
| C．The apple was too hard. |
| D．She didn’t peel the skin as usual. |
Winnie saved the lives of its owner’s whole family in an accident by ________.
| A．jumping onto its owner | B．calling for help |
| C．clawing at Cathy’s hair | D．making some strange noises |
Which of the following has the similar meaning to the underlined word “infancy” in Paragraph 4?
| A．middle age | B．youth | C．babyhood | D．agedness |
What would be the suitable title for the passage?
| A．So Smart Animals Are |
| B．Dog and Cat Honored for Saving Their Masters |
| C．Unforgettable Experiences |
| D．Great Honors for Cat and Dog |
In terms of tourism .Ohio is a place full of natural beauty and many vacation spots worth Visiting .
Coney island-Fun Unlimited !
Coney Island is an amusement park situated in the city of Cincinnati. It has the world's largest recirculating pool . several diving hoards .and an "in pool" slide. For basketball and vol- leyhall lovers . there are special courts available. Apart from this . the park is equipped with 22 classic family and kiddie rides .boating facilities . a golf course . etc Other amusement parks in Ohio include Erieview Park .The Beach Waterpark . Memphis Kiddie Park .etc.
Columbus-The Headquarters!
Anyhow, your journey would start from Columbus . the capital city of the state ! So spend some quality time roaming around in this beautiful city. Nightclubs . high quality restaurants .and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-For Music Lovers !
If you are a die-hard music lover. then certainly this place wouldn't disappoint you ! Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was opened somewhere around in 1995 .with an intention of celebrating the spirit of rock and roll music .and also studying it. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame offers exhibitions .music events . and also training programs on the subject. This is a perfect stop for every-thing on rock and roll music !
Cleveland-High Class Experience !
One of the oldest cities. Cleveland ranks among the top 20 metros of the United States .With Lake Erie serving as the most popular tourist attraction .Cleveland is also famous for land marks such as Cavaliers Gund Arena , Playhouse Square and Indians' Jacobs Field. Moreover. vibrant nightlife , clubs , restaurants ;large hotels and shopping festivals add co the touristic significance of this place.
Lake Erie-The Perfect Holiday !
With nearly 900 miles of shoreline .Lake Erie is one place you have to visit. You can enjooy numerous activities like fishing. swimming. boating . etc. It is also perfect for having a family picnic outing. One can even take a ferry to Kelleys Island where things like cycling and miniature golf can be enjoyed. Besides .it is the perfect place for those who are looking for some quiet and relaxing time.According to the passage a basketball lover is most likely to go to _______.
| A．Coney Island | B．Columbus | C．Cleveland | D．Kelleys Island |
What can we learn about Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
| A．It was open to the public in 1990. | B．It is an attraction for music lovers. |
| C．It offers some shopping festivals. | D．It provides a golf course for visitors |
Which of the following is true about Jake Erie?
| A．It lies in the city of Cincinnati. |
| B．It has over 900 miles of shoreline. |
| C．It is the most popular scenic spot in Cleveland. |
| D．Tourists can play miniature golf on its banks for free. |
Researches at Johns Hopkins University's. Applied Physics laboratory ( APL) in Laurel , Maryland have designed a new human-like robot, Its name is Robo Sally. The machine can be controlled from a distance and can he used to do work that is dangerous for human beings.
Roho Sally has two long arms with human-like hands. She can use her fingers to pick up small objects .examine them in detail and do most things that human hands can do Each finger contains a tiny motor capable of squeezing 20 pounds of pinch foree ,.enough to defuse a bomb under the direction of an operator. She sits on a metal base with wheels that let her move around. turn in tight spaces and climb over small objects, .
Mike McLoughlin is the main investigator for the Applied Physics Laboratory's Prosthetics Program. "The purpose of that program is to develop prosthetic arms that have all the capability of your natural arms .and you do all the complex motions that we can do with the natural arm- with the robot. "
It was a difficult job. Mr. McLoughlin says the device had to have many small motors to。 have the ability to do what a human hand does; It also needs to have human-like strength. The thumb was especially difficult because it permits the hand .to hold objects. And everything had. to fit into a space about the size of a human hand.
The next problem .he says .was to figure out how to control the artificial hand. " So we had to figure out how to make the connection between the brain and this arm.
For search-and-rescue duties.Roho Sally will be operated by a human being using a wire- less machine that is far from the robot. The operator will also wear special gloves and glasses. The glasses permit the operator to see the robot's hands .even though they are far away.
Mr. McLoughlin says this kind of robots could be used in what he calls "dull , dirty or dan- gerous" situations where fine human finger movements are required. He says the technology is not ready for everyday application .but he predicts that within five years we will see some won- derful improvements.The underlined word " defuse" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to "_________".
| A．remove | B．discover | C．equip | D．produce |
According to Paragraph 2.which picture is Robo Sally?
What can we learn ahout the prosthetic arms according to the passage?
| A．They are expected to function as well as natural ones. |
| B．They have many large motors controlled by robots. |
| C．They have human-like strength to control the robot. |
| D．They are connected with human brains. |
Which of the following is true about Robo Sally according to Mr. McLoughlin?
A . Its operator doesn't need any equipment.
B. It has been Widely used in everyday life in the USA.
C. It can work in situations which are dangerous for humans.
D. It has made much money for the designer.