Bedford Castle: The Home Of Bedfordshire Royalty
Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits from the early stages of the 10th Century onwards and the importance that the county placed on this is evident in the monuments, country houses, churches and a number of other structures that are still present there to this day. Bedford Castle is one of those structures and, although it is nowhere near its former glory today, it is an essential attraction to visit if you really want to grasp what its heritage means to the county!
Bedford Castle was built initially to help protect Bedfordshire on the south of the River Ouse. It was built in 919 on the orders of King Edward the Elder, but was destroyed by a Danish invasion years later.
There is a long history behind the Bedford Castle that involves several kings. It repeatedly offered the kings of England shelter against various attacks from abroad and various domestic threats against them, and this is where much of its fame lies, even though the castle itself is no longer there. There are various tours of the ruins that you can take when you visit though and all of the guides are extremely knowledgeable. They will happily tell you tales of the mound(土堆) and the castle that preceded it.
The mound is open to the public all year round and is a proud part of the area’s heritage. It is recommended by the majority of people that visit Bedfordshire because it tells you much about why the county is currently how it is. You can view the river from the mound and the surrounding settlements as well as the remains of the castle, and every moment spent there is worth it. So enjoy the history and the very nature of the county itself!What can we infer from the first paragraph?
| A．Many foreigners prefer to visit Bedford Castle. |
| B．Bedfordshire had it fair share of royal visits. |
| C．Most of the ancient buildings are still in use today. |
| D．Bedford Castle is no longer as glorious as before. |
The underlined word “initially” in Paragraph 2 probably means _______ .
| A．first of all |
| B．at the beginning |
| C．for one particular purpose |
| D．for a short time |
The kings of England came to Bedford Castle ______ .
| A．to seek temporary protection |
| B．to visit the Duke of Bedford |
| C．to enjoy the beauty of nature |
| D．to escape from the bad weather |
Why are visitors recommended to visit Bedfordshire？
| A．It is the major heritage in that region |
| B．It reflects the history of Bedfordshire |
| C．The ancient castle is well worth visiting |
| D．The castle is still in good condition |
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Affordable Boutique Hotels in New York City By STEPHEN HEYMAN June 20, 2010 A new breed of hotels is trying to stand out from the masses with designer details, memorable allowances and prices around $250 a night. Welcome to Boutique Hotel. |
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To Get Those Summer Tickets in New York, Strategize By FELICIA R. LEE May 28, 2010 “The Merchant of Venice” is on show. Tickets can now be requested online, Most New Yorkers know the drill: on the day of the show, line up outside the Theater in Central Park several hours before 1 p.m., when free tickets start being handed out. |
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Climbing the Walls in Brooklyn By LOUISE STORY May 28, 2010 Since opening last fall, Brooklyn Boulders, an 18,000-square-foot gym, has become a destination for New York rock climbers of all levels. |
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Hotel Review: Ace Hotel, New York By FRED A. BERNSTEIN September 27, 2009 The owners are hoping that guests will enjoy the spacious accommodations, but that depends on whether they find the hotel’s oddities off-putting or endearing. |
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Tent City: A Child’s Urban Adventure By ERIC KONIGSBERG July 24, 2009 One of the better-kept secrets of the city is the series of one-night family campouts that the Parks & Recreation Department has every summer weekend. |
If you want to stay in a hotel in New York City for a week and enjoy designer details, memorable allowances, you need to get prepared for at least____________.
| A．$ 1550 | B．$ 1650 | C．$ 1750 | D．$ 1850 |
___________ is a good destination for New York rock climbers of all levels.
| A．the Parks & Recreation Department | B．Brooklyn Boulders |
| C．Lower Manhattan | D．Tent City |
Suppose you are interested in Shakespeare’s plays, you may pay attention to more details written by _________.
A. ERIC KONIGSBERG B. LOUISE STORY
C. FRED A. BERNSTEIN D. FELICIA R. LEE
We now think of chocolate as sweet, but once it was bitter. We think of it as a candy, but once it was a medicine. Today, chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or just a snack. Sometimes it is an ingredient in the main course of a meal. Mexicans make a hot chocolate sauce called mole and pour it over chicken. The Mexicans also eat chocolate with spices like chili peppers.
Chocolate is a product of the tropical cacao tree. The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys say “Ugh!” and run away. Workers must first dry and then roast the beans. This removes the bitter taste.
The word “chocolate” comes from a Mayan word. The Mayas were an ancient people who once lived in Mexico. They valued the cacao tree. Some used the beans for money, while others crushed them to make a drink.
When the Spaniards came to Mexico in the sixteenth century, they started drinking cacao too. Because the drink was strong and bitter, they thought it was a medicine. No one had the idea of adding sugar. The Spaniards took some beans back to Europe and opened cafes. Wealthy people drank cacao and said it was good for the digestion.
In the 1800s, the owner of a chocolate factory in England discovered that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao. It quickly became a cheap and popular drink. Soon afterwards, a factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate. Later on, another factory mixed milk and chocolate together. People liked the taste of milk chocolate even better.
Besides the chocolate candy bar, one of the most popular American snacks is the chocolate chip cookie. Favorite desserts are chocolate cream pie and of course an ice cream sundae with hot fudge sauce. It was ______that discovered sugar could remove the bitter taste of cacao.
| A．the workers in the chocolate factory | B．the Spaniards |
| C．the people in England | D．the owner of a chocolate factory. |
According to the passage which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Nobody had the idea of adding sugar until the sixteenth century. |
| B．The word “chocolate” comes from a Mexican word. |
| C．The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys like them. |
| D．Workers must dry and roast the beans to remove the bitter taste. |
It can be inferred from the passage that___________.
| A．chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or a candy bar | |
| B．Mexicans like chocolate very much | C．chocolate is a product of the cacao tree |
| D．people liked the taste of chocolate mixed with milk |
Which is the right time order of the events regarding chocolate?
a. Chocolate became a cheap and popular drink in England.
b. A factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate.
c. The Spaniards started drinking cacao.
d. It was found that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao.
e. A factory mixed milk and chocolate together.
| A．a-b-c-d-e | B．c-d-e-b-a | C．c-d-a-b-e | D．c-d-b-e-a |
Chinese politeness have always been formal to follow strict rules, although sometimes Chinese people seem to be impolite according to Western standards in public places. To well understand Chinese, some concepts should not be ignored.
Mianzi
The idea of shame, usually expressed as 'face' could be loosely defined as the 'status' or 'self-respect' in Chinese and by no means alien to foreigners. It is the worst thing for a Chinese to lose face. Never insult, embarrass, shame, yell at or otherwise demean a person. Since all these actions would risk putting a Chinese in a situation that he might lose face, neither try to prove someone wrong nor shout at him in public. In order to get a successful effect without letting a Chinese lose face, any criticism should be delivered privately, carefully, or else, just opposite to what you wish.
Guanxi
Throughout much of Chinese history, the fundamental glue that has held society together is the concept of guanxi, relationships between people. It is very important for the Chinese to have good relationships. They often regard good social relations as a symbol of personal ability and influence. Someone who has no connections would be disrespected and is only half-Chinese.
Keqi
Keqi not only means considerate, polite, and well mannered, but also represents respect and modesty. It is impolite to talk too proudly about oneself or one's inner circle. The expression is most often used in the negative, as in buyao keqi, meaning "you shouldn't be so kind and polite to me," or "you're welcome."
Besides, Chinese seldom express what they think directly and they prefer a roundabout way. Neither show their emotions and feelings in public. They rarely greet people with a handshake, though it is very popular among foreigners, and say nothing of embracing or kissing when greeting or saying good-bye. Consequently, it is better not to behave too carefree in public, even though you are well-intentioned. Also, it is advisable to be fairly cautious in political discussions. Do not particularly push yourself forward, or else you are unwelcome.
To sum up, do in Rome as Rome does, but you need not worry about these cultural barriers since most Chinese are hospitable and friendly and will not mind your no accomplishment. In most Chinese’s eyes, the fundamental glue holding society together is the idea of ____.
| A．relationships between people | B．influences upon others |
| C．dependence on others | D．kindness to others |
The underlined word “demean” in the first paragraph means make people _____.
| A．respectful | B．happy | C．shameful | D．weak |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．It is impolite to insult, embarrass, shame or shout at a person. |
| B．It is polite that you should bring gifts to others when invited to dinner. |
| C．It is necessary to show your character of being considerate, polite, and well mannered. |
| D．It is important for the Chinese to have good relationships between people. |
Which of the following proverbs has the same meaning as the underlined sentence “Do in Rome as Rome does.”?
| A．Caution is the parent of safety. | B．Many hands make light work. |
| C．There’s no smoke without fire. | D．If you are elsewhere, live as they do there. |
From early times, man has been interested in art. People have often worked together to collect and save the world’s art treasures.
Fine art treasures from many countries are kept in an art museum called the Louvre (卢浮宫) in Paris, France. The works of art have been collected by the people of France over many centuries.
The Louvre has not always been a museum. The first building was a fort (要塞)with high walls and a round tower. It had a moat (护城河) to keep out the enemies. Over the years, the number of buildings around the fort grew. By 1350,the fort was no longer needed and became a palace home for French kings and queens.
During times of peace, new treasures were brought in. During times of war, many treasures were stolen, and the buildings were damaged(毁损).
When Francis I became King of France in the year of 1515,he brought in artists from many countries, and one of them was Leonardo da Vinci from Italy, whose Mona Lisa is the best-known painting in the museum today.
In 1793, the Louvre became a public museum, just as it is now. It is a place where art treasures have been saved for everyone to enjoy.The above passage is about
| A．the world-famous painting Mona Lisa |
| B．a king of France by the name of Francis I |
| C．a grand art museum in the capital of France |
| D．an artist named Leonardo da Vinci |
It seems to be necessary for great art works to be kept in public museum because.
| A．only in this way will they not be stolen |
| B．it gives everyone a chance to enjoy them |
| C．it helps people to remember the life of French kings and queens |
| D．it tells people what meaningful work the French kings did in the past |
The Louver became an art museum
| A．in the year of 1350 |
| B．in 1515 when Francis I became King of France |
| C．in the seventeenth century |
| D．in the nineties of the eighteenth century |
Though the story does not say so, it makes you think
| A．lots of people pay visits to the Louvre |
| B．Leonardo da Vinci was once the keeper of the museum |
| C．the Louvre was only open to the artists from other countries |
| D．the Louvre became a public museum at the beginning of the last century |
Most Americans enjoy moving from one place to another. They are always in constant motion. For example, they often drive their cars 120 to 160 kilometres away just to have dinner with a friend or even fly to Europe just for watching a football match. In some states only one house in five has people living in it for more than five years. One may be born in one city, and go to school in another. He may finish his middle school education in two or three cities, and then attend a college far across the country. When he has entered business, he may possibly move from job to job. Moving from job to job, which is called “job-hopping”,is a very common practice in the United States.
Job-hopping does good to workers, be
cause every chance to change a job gives them a chance to move up to a higher position and to get better pay. And job-hopping also gives employers, bosses, managers the chance to benefit from the new ideas and skills that different people bring to their factories.The meaning of the underlined words is close to “_____”.
| A．looking for jobs everywhere | B．always feeling excited in movement |
| C．enjoying themselves while moving | D．keeping moving from place to place |
In some places in America,______ in one place for more than five years.
| A．most people stay | B．about one fifth of the people live |
| C．the owner of one house stays | D．the owners of five houses stay |
It seems that the writer thinks job-hopping________.
| A．is a practice worth trying | B．only does good to workers |
| C．may cause troubles | D．make many people lose their jobs |