Banquets (宴会) are usually held in restaurants in private rooms that have been reserved for the purpose. You will be met at the door and led to the banquet room. Traditionally, the head of your delegation should enter the room first. Do not be surprised if your hosts greet you with a loud round of applause. The proper response is to applaud back.
Seating arrangements are stricter than in the West. Guests should never assume that they may sit where they please and should wait for hosts to guide them to their places. Traditionally, the Chinese regard the right side as the superior and the left side as the inferior. Therefore on formal occasions, the host invariably arranges for the main guests to sit on his right side.
It is the host's responsibility to serve the guests, and at very formal banquets people do not begin to eat until the host has served a portion to the principal guest. Or, the host may simply raise his chopsticks and announce that eating has begun. After this point, one may serve oneself any food in any amount. Remember to go slow on eating. Don't fill yourself up when five courses are left to go. To stop eating in the middle of a banquet is rude, and your host may incorrectly think that something has been done to offend you.
Drinking takes an important place in Chinese banquets. It is likely that the host will stand and hold his glass out with both hands while saying a few words. When he says the words "gan bei",which means bottoms up, all present should drain their glasses. After this initial toast, drinking and toasting are open to all. No words are needed to make a toast, and it is not necessary to drain your glass, although to do so is more respectful. When filling another glass, it is polite to fill it as full as you can. This symbolizes full respect and friendship.
When the last dish is finished, the banquet has officially ended. There is little ceremony involved with its conclusion. The host may ask if you have eaten your fill. Then the principal host will rise, signaling that the banquet has ended. Generally, the principal host will bid good evening to everyone at the door and stay behind to settle the bill with the restaurateur. Other hosts usually accompany guests to their vehicles and remain outside waving until the cars have left the premises.
To attend a formal banquet, you_______.
| A．may enter the banquet room directly when you arrive . |
| B．may stop eating in the middle of the banquet. |
| C．may help yourself to any food immediately the dishes are served. |
| D．should applaud back when greeted with a loud round of applause . |
What is the host ‘s responsibility in the author’s eyes?
| A．Announcing that eating ends. |
| B．Driving guests to their home. |
| C．Filling the guests’ glasses. |
| D．Arranging for guests to go to their place.. |
We can conclude form the passage that____
| A．to stop eating halfway means that the dishes taste bad. |
| B．guests should drain their g1asses the instant they are filled |
| C．important guests are arranged to sit on the host’s right side |
| D．the more you drink , the more you respect the host. |
The passage mainly tells us ____
| A．Chinese food is delicious. |
| B．customs and traditions at banquets in China |
| C．what food guests should eat at banquets |
| D．different customs between China and western countries. |
“If it rings one more time, I’ll hang up,” Amy thought hopefully, as she waited for someone to answer. Apologizing wasn’t an easy thing to do.
“Hello,” a woman’s voice said. There was no backing out now.
“May I speak to Missy, please?”
“Just a minute.”
In much less than a minute, Missy was on the phone. “Hi, who’s calling?” asked the cheerful voice.
“It’s Amy. I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry about what I said to you. I didn’t really mean it.” Amy paused, trying to think of what to say next.
“Thank you, Amy. No hard feelings.”
“Missy, you’re a very nice person. You’re a lot nicer than I am!”
Missy laughed. “You’re not so bad, Amy. By the way, I’ve got some great news. Mr.Grumbell said that you were the only candidate for class president. He talked me into being a candidate, too. Isn’t that cool?”
Amy didn’t think the news was cool. Missy was very popular; she’d get a lot of votes. Fortunately, Amy was in a gracious(亲切的) mood. “You’ll be a tough opponent（对手）, Missy,” she said. “May the best woman win.”
“Thanks, Amy,” Missy replied. “But you might even win.”
Amy had to laugh. “Hey, I’m the one who’s supposed to make comments like that!” Amy called Missy on the phone to .
| A．tell her that she was happy |
| B．tell her she needed a help |
| C．apologize to her |
| D．ask her to run for president |
Amy was hoping that no one would answer the phone because .
| A．she was too tired to talk |
| B．she felt uncomfortable when making apologies |
| C．she was afraid she had dialed the wrong number |
| D．she was wearing pajamas |
Missy let Amy know that she wanted something that Amy wanted. What was it?
| A．She wanted to have the most friends. |
| B．She wanted her own telephone. |
| C．She wanted mushrooms on her pizza. |
| D．She wanted to be class president. |
Ogilvie the detective arrived. Both the Duke and Duchess were extremely nervous.
The Duchess went to the door herself. The detective’s piggy eyes surveyed her. His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-decorated room, and the Duke.
“Pretty neat set-up you’ve got.”Ogilvie said slowly.
The Duchess said sharply, “Imagine you didn’t come here to discuss the decoration.”
“No, Madame. I like nice things, though. Like that expensive car of yours. The one you keep here in the hotel.”
“In what way does our car concern you?”The Duchess had sat in a straight-backed chair.
“Now,” he said.“You two were in the hit-and-run.”
She met his eyes directly. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play games, lady. You saw the newspapers. There’s been plenty on radio, too.” Ogilvie’s words spat forth with sudden strength. “You listen to me. This city’s mad — everybody. When they find who killed that kid and her mother, and run away, what will they do? Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there’ll be police here. But I come to you first, so you could tell your side of it to me.” The piggy eyes blinked, then hardened. “If you want it the other way, just say so.”
The Duchess—three centuries and a half of in-born pride behind her—did not give in easily. Springing to her feet with great anger, gray-green eyes burning, she faced the detective straightly. Her tone would have frightened anyone who knew her well. “You unspeakable blackguard! How dare you!”
Ogilvie said nothing. But the Duke cut in, “It's no go, old girl, I’m afraid. It was a good try.” Facing Ogilvie, he said, “What you accuse us of is true. I was driving the car and killed the little girl.”
“That’s more like it,” Ogilvie said, “now we’re getting somewhere.”
The Duchess sank back into her chair. She asked, “What is it you know?”
“I’ll tell you, I got a curious nature. You and your wife drove home, you were driving, after a drink. Last night I saw you come in—through the basement, looking shaken, the pair of you. I got wondering why. Like I said, I got a curious nature.”
The Duchess breathed, “Go on.”
“Late last night the word was out about the hit-and-run. I went over the garage and took a quiet look at your car. On your car you got a damaged headlight. There’s plenty of blood.”
“Oh, my God!”A hand to her face, the Duchess turned away.
Her husband asked, “What do you suggest?”
The fat man rubbed his hands together, “Like I said, I come to hear your side of it.”
The Duke said desperately, “What can I possibly say? You know what happened. You’d better call the police.”
“There’s no way bringing back the kid nor her mother. Besides, what they’d do to you, Duke, you wouldn’t like it at all. I was hoping,” Ogilvie said, “that you could suggest something.”
The Duke said uncertainly, “I don’t understand.”
“I understand,” the Duchess said. “You want money. You came here to blackmail(讹诈) us.”
The house detective shrugged(耸肩). “Whatever names you call things, they don’t matter to me. All I come for is to help you people out of trouble. But I’ve got to live too.”
“You’d accept money to keep silent about what you know?”
“I think so.”
“How much do you want?”
The piggy eyes blinked.“Ten thousand dollars.”
“What would we receive in return?”
The fat man seemed puzzled. “Like I said, I keep quiet about what I know.”
“No.” The statement was clear. “We will not pay you.”
Ogilvie’s round face reddened, “Now listen, lady....”
She cut him off. “I won’t listen. Instead, you will listen to me. We won’t pay you $10,000. But we will pay you $25,000. In return, you will drive our car north.”
“$25,000,” she repeated. “$10,000 now. $15,000 more when you meet us in Chicago.”
The fat man’s piggy eyes were focused upon hers. The silence hung. Then, he gave the slightest of nods.The Duke and Duchess were extremely nervous because they ________.
| A．knew the detective would harm them |
| B．were afraid to meet a stranger at night |
| C．thought the detective would search them |
| D．had just got involved in a traffic accident |
By saying “This city’s mad—everybody” Ogilvie wanted to ________.
| A．frighten the Duke and his wife |
| B．ask for money for the victims |
| C．show concern for the couple |
| D．punish the law-breakers himself |
In the eyes of the Duke and Duchess, Ogilvie was _____________.
| A．professional, brave but dirty |
| B．smart, sensitive and helpful |
| C．greedy, tough but flexible |
| D．honest, clever and reliable |
Which of the sentences from Ogilvie defeated the Duchess completely?
| A．“Now, you two were in the hit-and-run.” |
| B．“On your car you got a damaged headlight. There’s plenty of blood.” |
| C．“Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there’ll be police here.” |
| D．“Last night I saw you come in—through the basement, looking shaken, the pair of you.” |
The Duchess finally succeeded in ________.
| A．protecting their inborn pride |
| B．turning the disadvantage into a chance |
| C．make friends with the detective |
| D．rejecting the detective’s blackmail |
The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smartphones, writing by hand has become something of nostalgic (怀旧的) skill. However, while today’s educators are using more and more technology in their teaching, many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful—both in school and in life.
Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it’s important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.
Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks—both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2009, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete sentences and had a faster word production rate.
In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student’s writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to how well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active, which helps us access our vocabulary, word meaning and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas.” Berninger said.
Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe (转换) “those words in the mind written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind’s eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct them over time.
“In our computer age, some people believe that we don’t have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child has a functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won’t have the knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”What makes writing by hand a thing of the past?
| A．The popular use of smartphones. |
| B．The absence of blackboard in classrooms. |
| C．The lack of practice in handwriting. |
| D．The use of new technologies in teaching. |
Berninger’s study published in 2009 _________.
| A．discussed the importance of writing speed |
| B．found that good essays are made up of long sentences |
| C．indicated that students prefer to write with a pen and paper |
| D．focused on the difference between writing by hand and on a computer |
What does “mind’s eye” in Paragraph 5 mean?
| A．Imagination. | B．Soul. | C．Picture. | D．Window. |
What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?
| A．Handwriting still has a place in today’s classrooms. |
| B．Spell checks can take the place of spelling teaching. |
| C．Computers can help people with their choice of words. |
| D．Functional spelling ability develops fast in the fifth grade. |
China is a land of bicycles. At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country. Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle. Millions of them, all black. Cars were rare. Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I’ve found the opposite is true. There are millions of cars. However, people still use their bicycles to get around. For many, it’s the easiest and cheapest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colors—silver, green, red, blue, yellow, whatever you want.
It’s fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic, and ride even on sidewalks. Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide.
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.
My first ride home was orderly. To be safe, I stayed with a “pack” of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn’t want to get hit. So I took the ride carefully.
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide, so crossing took time, skill and a little bit of luck.
I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people. Biking made me feel alive.According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?
| A．Because they are traditional and safe. |
| B．Because they are colorful and available. |
| C．Because they are convenient and inexpensive. |
| D．Because they are fast and environmentally friendly. |
The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended __________.
| A．to ride it for fun |
| B．to experience local skills |
| C．to use it for transport |
| D．to improve his riding skills |
How did the author feel about his street crossing?
| A．It was difficlult. | B．It was boring. |
| C．It was lively. | D．It was wonderful. |
Which of the following best describes the author’s biking experience?
| A．The author took great pleasure in biking. |
| B．The author was praised by the other bikers. |
| C．The author was annoyed by the air while riding. |
| D．The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills. |
A
 |
Cineworld makes viewers part of the action for the greatest big screen viewing experience. Get your tickets now to see why this winter’s films are truly unmissable. |
| What you get Cineworld is the UK’s Number 1 cinema chain. With cinemas across the UK showing a wide range of films, there’s always something to thrill or delight film fans of all ages at Cineworld. Cineworld is devoted to saving you money too. Simply exchange £ 4.50 in Clubcard vouchers(代金券）for 1 token code(验证码). Exchange it for 1 adult ticket and you’ll get yourself a seat for some big screen excitement. With as many as 10 films released each week, you’ll know there’s always a new and exciting reason to return to Cineworld time and again. You can now book your Cineworld tickets online to secure your seat so you never miss out on the action. Click here to find your nearest cinema. Have a good time. |
|
| How to place your order 1. Select the quantity of token codes you’d like, using the basket on the right. Any change left over from your Clubcard vouchers will be added back into your Clubcard Account.  2. We’ll aim to send you two emails within 30 minutes 一 please note this may take longer due to additional security checks. One will be your order confirmation. The other will contain your token codes and instructions on how to use them. 3. Print the email containing your token codes and take it with you to the cinema. Or Book your Cineworld tickets online at www. Cineworld.com. Additional information: Please Click Here |
Which of the following is true?
| A．This advertisement is probably taken from a magazine. |
| B．For every adult ticktet you will have to pay £ 4.50 in cash. |
| C．You will receive two emails after you place your order using the basket. |
| D．Cineworld encourages viewers to be involved in its management for experience. |
This advertisement is mainly about _________.
| A．a way of booking film tickets |
| B．a certain Clubcard |
| C．some unmissable films this winter |
| D．the company of Cineworld |