Dining in a completely dark room, unaware what ’s on your plate while sitting next to a complete stranger may not sound like an ideal restaurant experience but it’s certainly an intriguing way to spend a rainy night in London.
Dans le Noir, close to London’s financial district, is a restaurant full of blind waiters and waitresses who become your eyes around the restaurant, whose original Paris branch opened in 2004.
In the bar with the light, you choose whether you want the fish, meat or vegetable, but the dishes themselves remain a secret, as do the ingredients of the “surprise” cocktails. Bags, coats and devices(设备)that light up, including watches and mobile phones, are kept in the bar. Placing your hand on the shoulder of your guide, you are led to a table in a black dining room that sets up to 60 people. And it is dark.
The waiters tell you when the food is being placed down in front of you, then the fun begins, trying to get food into your mouth, then identifying just what it is that’s on your plate, and finally whether you have missed any of it.
It’s also a great chance to break social convention and eat using your fingers. Those same fingers are also the only way you can tell how much wine you’re pouring into your glass.
The happy atmosphere in the dining room also made the night memorable. You can’t really avoid talking to the person next to you at the long tables and guessing what the dishes are certainly provides adequate fuel for the conversations.
All will be revealed at the end of the meal when you are led back out into the lit bar. Not only do you finally get to see what you’ve just been eating but also who you’ ve been talking to for the last 90 minutes.What does the underlined word “intriguing.” in the first paragraph mean?
A terrible B. interesting C. expensive D. newAccording to the text, “ Dans le Noir”__________.
A is far from London’s financial district
B has its first branch opened in Britain
C is very popular among blind customers
D has a dining room which can seat up to 60 peopleWe know from the text that the customers in “Dans le Noir”_________.
| A．are forbidden to eat with their fingers |
| B．can talk to the strangers at table |
| C．will book the menu in a dark bar |
| D．can take their mobile phones into the dining room |
What’s the main purpose of the text?
| A．To help blind people find a job in restaurants. |
| B．To show how to open a restaurant with a new idea. |
| C．To show how to enjoy the time in a dark restaurant. |
| D．To introduce and attract customers to “Dans le Noir ”. |
Going to school means learning new skills and facts in different subjects. Teachers teach and students learn, and many scientists are interested in finding ways to improve both teaching and learning processes.
Sian Beilock and Susan Leving, two psychologists at the University of Chicago, are trying to learn about learning. In a new study about the way kids learn math in elementary school, Beilock and Levine found a surprising relationship between what female teachers think and what female students learn: If a female teacher is uncomfortable with her own math skills, then her female students are more likely to believe that boys are better than girls at math. “If these girls keep getting math-anxious female teachers in later grades, it may create a snowball effect on their math achievement,” Levine told Science News. The study suggests that if these girls grow up believing that boys are better at math than girls are, then these girls may not do as well as they would have if they were more confident.
Just as students find certain subjects to be difficult, teachers can find certain subjects to be difficult to learn—and teach. The subject of math can be particularly difficult for everyone.
The new study involved 65 girls, 52 boys and 17 first-and second-grade teachers in elementary schools in the Midwest. The students took math achievement tests at the beginning and end of the school year, and the researchers compared the scores.
The researchers also gave the students tests to tell whether the students believed a math superstar had to be a boy. Then the researchers turned to the teachers: To find out which teachers were anxious about math, the researchers asked the teachers how they felt at times when they came across math, such as when reading a sales receipt. A teacher who got nervous looking at the numbers on a sales receipt, for example, was probably anxious about math.
Boys, on average, were unaffected by a teacher’s anxiety. On average, girls with math-anxious teachers scored lower on the end-of-the-year math tests than other girls in the study did. Plus, on the test showing whether someone thought a math superstar had to be a boy, 20 girls showed feeling that boys would be better at math—and all of these girls had been taught by female teachers with math anxiety.
According to surveys done before this one, college students who want to become elementary school teachers have the highest levels of anxiety about math. Plus, nine of every 10 elementary teachers are women, Levine said.Sian Beilock and Susan Levine carried out the new research in order to ______.
| A．know the effects of teaching on learning |
| B．study students’ ways of learning math |
| C．prove women teachers are unfit to teach math |
| D．find better teaching methods for teachers |
The underlined part in paragraph 2 most probably means that girls may ___________.
| A．end up learning math anxiety from their teachers |
| B．study the ways their female teachers behave |
| C．have an influence on their math-anxious female teachers |
| D．gain unexpected achievement in such subjects as math |
In the study, what were the teachers required to do?
| A．Prepare two math achievement tests for the students |
| B．Tell their feelings about math problems |
| C．Answer whether a math superstar had to be a boy |
| D．Compare the students’ scores after the math tests |
What is the finding of the new study?
| A．No male students were affected by their teachers’ anxiety |
| B．Almost all the girls got lower scores in the tests than the boys |
| C．About 30% of the girls thought boys are better at math than girls |
| D．Girls with math-anxious teachers all failed in the math tests |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．117 students and teachers took part in the new study |
| B．The researchers felt surprised at the findings of their study |
| C．Beilock and Levine are interested in teaching math |
| D．Men teachers are better at teaching math than women teachers |
Soft Police Jumbo Set
Model No.:1530
Product Specifications:
This soft play set features soft toys that will not hurt your precious babies. It does not include any small parts or accessories（附件）that can be easily swallowed. It boosts your children’s imagination and creativity. The colorful appearance of the items can surely attract kids. Suitable for children aged over 1.
Baby Toys
Model No.:MSM-12LL1
Product Specifications:
This set of soft toys is suitable for children of all ages. It features two sleeping mice, lying on each other, creating a warm and intimate image. One of the pieces is designed in a circular shape, which can serve as a baby’s neck rest. Can be your children’s bedside companion. Safe for children. Comfortable and soft to touch.
Hanging Decoration for Babies
Product Specifications:
The featured item is a hanging decoration for babies. It is usually hung on ceilings or above baby cots. Comes in separate pieces. Easy assembling. Rotating（旋转的）umbrella with music. Decorations consist of several stuffed toys. For babies of 0-12 months.
Baby Pulling Toys
Product Specifications:
This is a series of baby pulling to toys. They are decorated with stuffed mini dolls like bears, sheep and rabbits. When the babies pull strings, the toy is wound. When the pulling toy is released, the toy contracts back and produces different sounds. Made of polyester（涤沦）. Suitable for children of 1,2,3,4, or above.
Hello Kitty Doll with Swing Chair
Model No.:62558
Product Specifications:
38cm doll with swing chair. This foldable swing chair with the cutest Hello Kitty is perfect for all lovely infants under one. It has adorable printing that can surely appeal to babies. It is also strongly constructed and designed to ensure maximum safety. Made of high quality material.
Soft Dinosaur 5pcs Set
Model No.:1801
Product Specifications:
The soft and smooth texture offers a pleasure touch. Absence of small parts makes it safe for kids. Attractive to kids with the colorful appearance. Suitable for children aged over 1. An excellent and playful household decoration.If you want to buy toys to be put by children’s bed, you may choose______.
| A．Model No. 1530 | B．Model No. MSM-12LL1 |
| C．Hanging Decoration for Babies | D．Baby Pulling Toys |
In what way are Model No. 1530 and Model No. MSM-12LL1 similar to each other?
| A．Both of them have colorful appearance | B．They are for children aged over 1 |
| C．They are the same in shape | D．They are both soft and safe |
If you want to pull babies’ attention with images and sound, you may choose___________.
| A．baby pulling toys | B．a hanging decoration |
| C．Model No. MSM-12LL1 | D．Model No. 1530 |
What do we know about Model No. 62558 and Model No. 1801?
| A．Model No. 62558 is much safer than Model No. 1801. |
| B．Model No. 62558 is more suitable for babies of 0-12 months. |
| C．Model No. 1801 is more attractive in appearance. |
| D．Model No. 1801 is made up of many small parts. |
Last Sunday I made a visit to some new neighbors down the block. No specific purpose in mind, just an opportunity to sit at the kitchen table, have some tea and chat. As I did so, it occurred to me how rare the Sunday visit has become.
When I was a kid in the New Jersey of the 1960s, Sunday visits were routine. Most stores were closed and almost nobody worked. My family normally traveled eight city blocks to the home of my grandmother, where adults would sit on the front porch and chat while we children played hide-and-seek.
The Sunday visit was something to desire strongly. It was the repetition to church, our reward for and hour of devotion, and opportunity to take advantage of the fact that Dad was not at work, we were not in school, and there were no chores that couldn’t wait until Monday. Sunday was, indeed, which means that there was one day when everyone seemed to have time for everybody else.
Sunday as a day of rest is, or was, so deeply rooted in the culture that it’s surprising to consider that, in a short span of time, it has almost entirely lost this association.① In my childhood, it was assumed that everyone would either be home or visit someone else’s home on Sunday. But now the question is, “What do you plan to Do this Sunday?” The answer can range from going to the mall to participating in a road to jetting to Montreal for lunch. If one were to respond, “I’m making a Sunday visit to family,” such and answer would feel strange, an echo from another era.
I suppose I should be grateful to live in Maine, a state of small towns, abundant land tight relationships. Even though folks work as hard here as they do anywhere else, the state’s powerfully rural cast（特质）still harbors at least remnants（剩余部分）of the ethic of yesterday’s America, where people had to depend on one another in the face of economic vagaries（反复无常的情况）and a challenging environment.②The writer’s general impression of the Sunday in the past was a day when_________.
| A．everyone would pay a visit to some relative far away |
| B．everyone seemed to be free and could have some leisure |
| C．Dad was not at work while Mom was busy cleaning the house |
| D．nearly every adult would go to church and children were not at school |
What can we learn from the underlined sentence in paragraph 4?
| A．People nowadays prefer staying at home on Sunday |
| B．People in the city dislike being disturbed on Sunday |
| C．Such answers are rarely heard in our modern society |
| D．Visiting someone on Sunday might take a lot of time |
From the last paragraph we may infer that people in Maine____________.
| A．suffer more from economic depression and the changed environment |
| B．have abandoned their tradition and lived an absolute new life |
| C．have tense relationships with each other |
| D．always help each other when they are in need |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the Sunday today?
| A．Unsatisfied | B．confused | C．Respectful | D．Thankful |
Believe it or not,the ability to choose is the power to change.If you can choose to live your life differently,will you be the same person?
Well,choosing to do the following few “simple”things will help to change your life.
Review your life.Take time to go through your life and ask yourself, “If I do the same thing I do every day,will there be a change?If I want to change,where will my first step be?”
Make careful choices.Choose exactly what you wish to get to live your life;describe and think what you really want
Keep up with chances.Find out about the possibilities and ways that can make you move toward your goals,write them down and see which one suits you most.
Get down to business.Start working on your goals.People may bring you down;you may have difficulties;you will fail and want to give up.But the most important thing is never to give up.
If you try these “simple”things,you will find that success is something for everyone,and you will finally become what you want to be.Remember,success is more than what you hold in your hands;It is something from the heart.How many pieces of advice does the writer give on changing one’s life?
| A．Three | B．Four | C．Five | D．Six |
Once you get down to business,the most important thing is to.
| A．see possibilities | B．set goals | C．ask for help | D．keep on trying |
The underlined word “it”in the last paragraph refers to .
| A．choice | B．change | C．success | D．life |
This passage mainly discusses the relationship between .
| A．choice and change | B．power and life |
| C．choice and difficulties | D．power and success |
The winds had finally died down,and the rains stopped.Paige and her parents were inside their house,sitting in the living room,which was dark except for a single candlelight.
“Let’s find out what’s going on outside,”Paige’s mom suggested as she turned on the small radio.
“…has moved out of the area,”an announcer’s voice boomed. “Winds reaching nearly 100 miles an hour passed through our town this morning. But,the worst is over,and it is safe to go outside.In fact,the sun is now peeking out from behind the…”
Suddenly,the radio went dead.The house was quiet again.
“Well,”Paige’s dad said, “at least we heard some good news,even if it was cut short.Let’s look out of the window and survey the damage.”
Paige ran to the window and looked outside.She saw tree branches lie on the lawn.The mailbox was broken,and some of the address letters and numbers on the mailbox were missing.
“The wind must have ripped(擦)them off,” Paige’s father noted.As he read the remaining letters he began to laugh.
The mailbox dispalyed “_ _RAIN.”
“It says “rain”,”Paige said. “That’s appropriate for a day like today!”The weather event that took place that day in the story was.
| A．an earthquake | B．a hurricane | C．a flood | D．a fire |
The living room was dark because .
| A．there were no lamps | B．someone forgot to pay the electric bill |
| C．the electricity had been cut off | D．the wind blew out the candle |
After the storm had passed,Paige’s family felt .
| A．worried | B．disappointed | C．relieved | D．scared |
The family’s last name could have been .
| A．Germain | B．Crain | C．Syrain | D．Rain |