When travelers think of an Adriatic cruise, scenes of Venice, Italy—its canals, bridges, piazzas, and stunning architecture—come to mind. It's one of the most popular cruise destinations in Europe. And for many, the sail-away from Venice, through its Giudecca Canal, is an awe-inspiring experience.
Venice may be known as La Serenissima, or "the most peaceful," which, however, isn't entirely accurate these days. Venetians have been increasingly concerned about the impact of tourism and the potential for an environmental disaster off its shoreline due to the number of cruise ships that enter and exit its lagoon(泻湖).
That's why earlier last month, Venice announced a new policy to forbid the transit(穿越) of cruise ships to the city via the Giudecca Canal. It's not that the city wants to shun the cruise industry altogether: It simply wants to force traffic further away from the landmarks along the shoreline. City officials say that most ships will now transit the Contorta Sant'Angelo Canal.
Additionally, the city is clamping down on the size of ships that can visit Venice, as well as the total number of ships that call on it on a daily basis. As of January 2014, Venice plans to reduce the visitations of larger ships (those that are 40,000 tons or heavier) by 20 percent. This effectively caps the number of ships that can enter per day to five. In November, ships heavier than 96,000 tons will not be allowed to enter Guidecca Canal at all.
How the city plans to carry out the new five-ships-per-day rule remains to be seen and have yet to be announced. Which ships will be allowed passage? Will it be first-come, first-served? However they proceed, cruise line executives want their passengers to know that Venice will remain a regular port of call—even if the transit to and from the city must evolve.Before last month, toursits left Venice by ship through ______.
A.the Giudecca Canal | B.La Serenissima |
C.the Contorta Sant'Angelo Canal | D.the Adriatic Sea |
The new policy was issued in order to_____________.
A.stress the accuracy of Venice's fame for peace |
B.reduce the damage to Venice's enviironment |
C.depend less on the crusie industry |
D.limit the number of toursits |
It can be learned from the passage that _____________.
A.People in Venice are complaining about the toursits' behaviors. |
B.Venetians are often bothered by noise and pollution. |
C.The city government has announced the concrete ways to carry out the new five-ships-per-day rule. |
D.The new policy will not discourage the tourism from developing. |
What does the underlined phrase "clapming down on" mean?
A.limiting | B.abandoning |
C.banning | D.punishing |
For better or worse, multiple marriages aren't just for actress Elizabeth Taylor (famous for her eight marriages) anymore.
More Americans than ever are tying the knot for the third time or more.
Lynn Y. Naugle, a 53-yeap-old family therapist in New Orleans, says that people's personal needs and desires simply change as their life evolves.
"What functions well in the first part of our lives may not function well in the second or third part of our lives," she explains.The first marriage lasted 21 years, her second marriage five years.Two years ago, she wed for a third time, and she describes this union as an "extremely easy marriage".
Today, at an estimated one of seven weddings, the bride, the groom or both are making that trip down the aisle for at least the third time.That's twice as many as a generation ago, according to the US National Centre for Health Statistics.
In part, the sudden change in multiple marriages is a side effect of the 1970s divorce increase that has supplied an ever expanding pool of divorced singles.Even the simple fact that people are living longer has opened the door to marrying more often.No fault divorce laws (meaning no one is blamed for the failure of the marriage), and cultural changes have also meant there's less pressure than in past generations to stay in a joyless or abusive marriage.
While a single divorce didn't block either Ronald Reagan or Bob Dole from seeking the most highly demanding job in America—the US presidency—modern society still raises an; eyebrow at more than one
marriage mistake.
Indeed, there are signs that attitudes are changing."It's coming out of the closet or becoming more accepted," says Glenda Riley, who wrote a book on the history of divorce in the US."There's still embarrassment on the personal level, while there is growing acceptance on the public level for three or more marriages in a lifetime."
There is no guarantee, of course, that the third time is the best.To the contrary, second and third marriages run an equal or greater risk of divorce than first marriages, which today are given 4 out of 10 odds of failing, and they tend to end more quickly.Divorce statistics show that failed second marriages typically end two years sooner than first marriages, lasting six years on average rather than eight.That leaves some doubly divorced people open for a third try at a relatively young age.What does the underlined phrase "tying the knot" (Para.2) mean?
A.Getting married. | B.Getting engaged. |
C.Having babies. | D.Attending funerals, |
What is NOT the reason for the increase in multiple marriages according to the passage?
A.People are healthier and enjoy a longer life than ever before. |
B.Many people have become single after a divorce boom in the past years. |
C.There is no divorce law restricting people to getting divorced. |
D.People have less pressure to leave a joyless marriage. |
What can we learn from the seventh paragraph?
A.Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole failed in seeking the job (the US presidency) because they were divorced. |
B.Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole succeeded in seeking the job (the US presidency) because they were not divorced. |
C.Modern society accepts multiple marriages completely. |
D.There is still prejudice against multiple marriages in modern society. |
Which of the statement is WRONG?
A.Acceptance to multiple marriages is different on personal level and public level. |
B.Because second marriages end sooner than first ones, people get married for the third time at a relatively young age. |
C.People learn from experience so that a second or third marriage is more stable |
D.The first marriage lasts eight year on average. |
Alaska Inside Passage Craises
Most cruises(游船) are seven nights long and typically begin an4 end in either Vancouver or Seattle.This "roundtrip" travel plan makes this a very popular cruise vacation because of the convenient flight schedules and affordable roundtrip airline tickets into and out of Vancouver and.Seattle.Longer 10-night and 11-night Inside Passage Cruises are available from California.Depending on your ship and your plan, a typical Alaska Inside Passage Cruise spends the first day cruising the famed Inside .Passage, a narrow waterway nestled between towering mountains, waterfront communities, and the Pacific Ocean.
Alaska Glacier Cruses.
Alaska Glacier Cruises are also known as Gulf of Alaska Cruises.Every cruise line has a different name for it, but they all mean the same thing —they are cruises that sail one-way through the Gulf of Alaska where you'll find the greatest number of glaciers(冰川), mountains, wildlife and scenery.
Unlike an Alaska Inside Passage Cruise, an Alaska Glacier Cruise does not do a U—turn back to the; departure port.Alaska Glacier cruises are one way journey that sail from.North to South (Southbound Glacier Cruises) or South to North (Northbound Glacier Cruises).These routes allow you to spend more days in Alaska ports or National Glacier Parks as there are fewer days at sea compared to other cruises.If you only have a week and want wonderful glacier viewing and time on land, this is your best choice for an Alaska Cruise Vacation.
Regent Home Alaska Cruises
For a close and personal contact with the Great White North, step aboard the All-inclusive, 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner.You can watch seabirds perform beautiful dances or a group of playful whales swim by as you're eating breakfast in your private room.What is "Inside Passage" according to the text?
A.It's the name of a typical cruise ship. | B.It's a popular hiking route in Alaska. |
C.It's the name of a famous tourist company. | D.It's a body of water with beautiful scenery. |
If you are interested in sightseeing on foot, which cruise might be a better choice than others?
A.Alaska Inside Passage Cruises. | B.Gulf of Alaska Cruises. |
C.Regent Home Alaska Cruises. | D.None of the above. |
Which of the following cruises repeat its routes?
A.Alaska Inside Passage Cruises. | B.Southbound Glacier Cruises. |
C.Northbound Glacier Cruises. | D.Seven Seas Mariner. |
What's the purpose of this passage?
A.To explore the natural beauty of Alaska. |
B.To introduce the ways of traveling in Alaska. |
C.To attract tourists to cruise vacations in Alaska. |
D.To offer advice to people traveling in Alaska. |
He met her at a party. She was so outstanding, while he was so normal. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, and she thought to herself, “Please let me go home… ”
Suddenly he asked the waiter, “Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee. ” Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously, “Why do you have this hobby?” He replied, “When I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee. I always think of my childhood and hometown.” While saying that, tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. A man who can tell out his homesickness, must be a man who has responsibility of home. Then she started to speak about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family.
That was a really nice beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her damands. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thank to his salty coffee! They got married. Every time she made coffee, she put some salt in the coffee, as she know that’s the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said, “My dearest, please forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you—the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change so I went ahead. I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything. I'm afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth; I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. If I call live for a second time. I still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again.”
Her tears made the letter totally wet. Someday, someone asked her, “What's the taste of salty coffee?” she replied. “sweet,”The reason why the woman wanted to leave is that _______.
A.the man was normal while the woman was outstanding |
B.the woman was too nervous to stay |
C.the woman felt uncomfortable to be with the man |
D.the man asked for salty coffee |
Why did she think the salty coffee tasted sweet?
A.Because the salty coffee represented her husband's endless love for her. |
B.Because she mistook the sugar for salt. |
C.Because her husband switched salt with sugar in her coffee. |
D.Because the salty coffee was a white lie with a good intention. |
What can we learn from the man's letter?
A.The man wasn't brave enough to tell the truth because he was scared of the woman, |
B.The man had never thought of telling the truth before he was dying. |
C.The man fell in love with the salty coffee gradually after many years of taking it out of his love for his wife. |
D.The man would still, choose to drink salty coffee if he had to know and have her through it. |
In what way does the writer develop this story?
A.Cause and effect. | B.Problem reasoning. |
C.The time order. | D.Statistics analyzing, |
If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, you must know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your humor must be relevant to the audience and should help to show them that you are one of them or that you understand their situation and are in sympathy with their point of view. Depending on whom you are addressing, the problems will be different.
If you are talking to a group of managers, you may refer to the disorganized methods of their secretaries; alternatively if you are addressing secretaries, you may want to comment on their disorganized bosses.
Here is an example, which I heard at a nurses' convention, of a story which works well because the audience all shared the same view of doctors. A man arrives in heaven and is being shown around by St. Peter. He sees wonderful accommodations, beautiful gardens, sunny weather, and so on. Everyone is very peaceful, polite and friendly until, waiting in a line for lunch, the new arrival is suddenly pushed aside by a man in a white coat, who rushes to the head of the line, grabs his food and stomps over to a table by himself. “Who is that?” the new arrival asked St. Peter. “Oh, that's God.” came the reply, “but sometimes he thinks he's a doctor.”
If you are part of the group which you are addressing, you will be in a position to know the experiences and problems which are common to all of you and it'll be appropriate for you to make a passing remark about the inedible canteen food or the chairman's notorious bad taste in ties. With other audiences you mustn't attempt to cut in with humor as they will resent an outsider making disparaging remarks about their canteen or their chairman. You will be on safer ground if you stick to scapegoats like the Post Office or the telephone system.
If you feel awkward being humorous, you must practice so that it becomes more natural. Include a few casual and apparently off-the-cuff(即兴的)remarks which you can deliver in a relaxed and unforced manner. Often it's the delivery which causes the audience to smile, so speak slowly and remember that a raised eyebrow or an unbelieving look may help to show that you are making a light-hearted remark.
Look for the humor. It often comes from the unexpected. A twist on a familiar quote “If at first you don't succeed, give up” or a play on words or on a situation. Search for exaggeration and understatements. Look at your talk and pick out a few words or sentences which you can turn about and inject with humor. To make your humor work, you should ________.
A.take advantage of different kinds of audience |
B.make fun of the disorganized people. |
C.address different problems to different people. |
D.show sympathy for your listeners. |
The joke about doctors implies that, in the eyes of nurses, they are ________.
A.impolite to new arrivals. |
B.very conscious of their godlike role. |
C.entitled to some privileges. |
D.very busy even during lunch hours. |
It can be inferred from the text that public services ________.
A.have benefited many people. |
B.are the focus of public attention. |
C.are an inappropriate subject for humor. |
D.have often been the laughing stock. |
To achieve the desired result, humorous stories should be delivered ________.
A.in well-worded language. | B.as awkwardly as possible. |
C.in exaggerated statement. | D.as casually as possible. |
The best title for the text may be ________.
A.Use Humor Effectively. | B.Various Kinds of Humor. |
C.Add Humor to Speech. | D.Different Humor Strategies. |
When Charles Strattion was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P.T.Barnum, and thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles’ parents along with him, and they traveled around the world together.
He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a new name, general Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act, and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.
During the show, Tom fought battles pretendedly with tall people. He also danced upon a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall.
Tom’s act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty-five.
Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barnum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a school teacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.
The ceremony and reception were the talk of the town. They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about two thousand guests. Crowds filled the streets of New York to have a look at their tiny wedding carriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon, just before going to live in Tom’s house in Connecticut.
Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade, communities throughout the country sponsored “Tom Thumb” weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremony for fun.“the talk of the town” means _________ .
A.they were in the newspaper |
B.people spread mean rumors about them |
C.they were the most popular things happening |
D.they were discussed in a city meeting |
What does the author think about Tom Thumb’s wedding?
A.People gave it too much of their attention. |
B.It helped people cheer up in a dark time. |
C.It was funny and ridiculous. |
D.Tom and Lavinia were stupid. |
Which of the following is the best clue to the fact that Tom was smart?
A.He became a billionaire at twenty-five. |
B.He learned how to sing, dance, and act at a very young age. |
C.He met with President Lincoln during his honeymoon. |
D.He married a school teacher. |
It was very funny when Tom danced on a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall because ________ .
A.the wooden plate would make it sound as if Tom were tap dancing |
B.it made Tom feel taller |
C.the eight-foot-tall man was the only tall person Tom trusted |
D.the difference between them would make Tom look even smaller |
What does the author imply in the last paragraph?
A.Weddings always make people feel full of sunshine. |
B.People are always disappointed during wartime. |
C.Entertainment can serve an important purpose. |
D.People should be married even if they are small. |