Recently, I came across an interesting article on the differences between British English and American English. I had a lot of fun reading it and thinking of as many differences as I could as an American.
Their cars have “bonnets(发动机罩)”，while ours have “hoods”. They park their cars in a “car park” while we leave our in a “parking lot”. Our “cookies” are their “biscuits”, while their “rubbers” are our “erasers”.
Then there are the food words. Would you want to eat something called “Toad in the Hole” or “Bangers and Mash” or “Spotted Dick”? I’m here to report they are all very tasty. There are American equivalents(相等物)， of course. We’ve got “Shoofly Mud Pie”. What they call “crisps” is what we call “potato chips” and when we ask for “chips” in England we will get what we know at home in America as “French fries”.
They find it hysterical that we call the “toilet” the “bathroom” and they really double over (弯腰) with laughter when we ask for the “restroom”. American ladies in England who ask for the “little girl’s room” or the “power room” will be met with blank stares. A “fag” is a “cigarette” in the UK, which can lead to endless confusion for British visitors looking for a cigarette in America. Americans on the other hand are endlessly confused by English signs put up over doorways saying “Way Out”. We Americans walk on the sidewalk not the pavement. “Pavement” in America is the actual cement(水泥)the sidewalk is made of.What do British people call French fries?
| A．Chips. | B．Crisps. |
| C．Shoofly Pie. | D．Mississippi Mud Pie. |
The examples given at the end of the passage mainly show that ____.
| A．Americans don’t like dealing with the British |
| B．American English is very different from British English |
| C．English signs are very hard for people to understand |
| D．Americans and the British may find it hard to understand each other |
What does the underlined word “hysterical” in paragraph 4 probably mean?
| A．Funny | B．Difficult | C．Perfect | D．Normal |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Some similar habits between Americans and the British. |
| B．Different communicating ways between Americans and the British. |
| C．Different body languages between Americans and the British. |
| D．Some differences between American English and British English. |
| ● DISPLAY ● OUR JOURNEYS ● 12 April-29 May 2008 Young people explore how they have adapted to life in Oxford. “When I first came here,” says one young African woman, “I just wanted to cry all the time. And now I have learned to laugh again.” Working with photographer Rory Carnegie and writer Nikki van der Gaag, young men and women explore their journey from the time they first arrived in a strange place to where they find themselves today. Organized by The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival (10－17 April 2008). Supported by the Maggie Black Trust and Oxford City Council. |
| ● ACTIVlTlES FOR CHlLDREN AND FAMILIES ● MODERN ART TROLLEY FREE Art activities for children every weekend during the exhibition in the Entrance Space from 2 p. m. to 4 p. m. Just drop in. Children must be led by an adult. |
| ● WORKSHOP FOR 8 TO 12 YEAR OLDS Thursday 7 April, 10：30 a. m. to 1：30 p. m. Looking at themes from the exhibition and exploring pictures based ideas through group discussion and using digital cameras. Led by Judie Waldmann. |
| ● BOOK LAUNCH FREE The Drawing Book by Sarah Simblet is a practical approach to drawing the world around you. Sarah Simblet, who teaches at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, University of Oxford, will be present to give a short talk about the development of her book. Special price of￡18 on copies purchased in the evening. Booking recommended on 01865 813802 |
| ● TEACHERS’ EVENING FREE Thursday 21 April, 5 p.m. to 7：30 p. m. Lecture by Susan Bright, independent writer and lecturer, at 5：30 p. m. followed by an opportunity to view the exhibition. FREE Education Notes will be provided for teachers attending the evening. |
| ● WORKSHOP FOR PRIMARY TEACHERS Saturday 7 May, 10：30 a. m. to 1：30 p. m. Workshop for primary teachers who would like to develop their practical art skill as well as gain an understanding of modern art practice. Led by Judie Waldmann, artist and former primary school teacher. |
| ● TALKS AND WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOL GROUPS Exhibition talks and artist-led workshops to create work in response to the exhibition are available for pre-booked school groups. Suitable for primary and secondary schools, to check availability and discuss details call Sarah Mossop on 1865 813816. |
If you are a teacher and interested in art, you probably would like to go to ________.
| A．TEACHERS’ EVENING |
| B．MODERN ART TROLLEY |
| C．WORKSHOP FOR PRIMARY TEACHERS |
| D．TALKS AND WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOL GROUPS |
What can we learn from the passage？
| A．Susan Bright will give a short talk at the launch of the Drawing Book. |
| B．Rory Carnegie and Nikki will teach young people how to take photos. |
| C．The workshop led by Judie is intended for the secondary school students. |
| D．The children who go to the Modern Art Trolley must be led by an adult. |
Which of the following would be the best title of the text？
| A．FREE JOURNEYS | B．SPRING EVENTS |
| C．WEEKEND ACTIVITIES | D．ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS |
The passage makes you believe that __________.
| A．if you attend “BOOK LAUNCH”, you can get the book at a low price. |
| B．school groups can attend talks and workshops for them at any time. |
| C．almost all the young people have difficulty in adapting to life in Oxford. |
| D．TEACHERS’ EVENING is only accessible to teachers. |
Anyone for kimchi(韩国泡菜)? Around 2,000 women made the traditional dish last week in Seoul,the capital of the Republic of Korea(ROK). 
Kimchi traditionally has a rosy color. Korea.net says: “The color red wards off (避开) evil spirits. The color represents the spirit of the Korean people and kimchi is more than just a food. It’s a culture.”
A meal without kimchi is unthinkable. So what is kimchi?
Joan Raymond, food writer for US website health.com, writes: “It’s a reddish, fermented (发酵的) cabbage dish , made with a mix of garlic salt, vinegar, chili peppers and other spices.
It is served at every meal, either along with or mixed with rice and noodles. It is part of a high-fiber, low fat diet, which has kept obesity(肥胖) at bay.”
Kimchi is used in everything from soups to pancakes and as a topping (配料) on pizza and burgers.
Health.com named kimchi in its list of the world’s top five healthiest foods as it is rich in vitamins, aids digestion and may even reduce the risk of cancer.
A study conducted by Seoul National University claimed that chickens infected with the H5N1 virus (bird flu) recovered after eating food containing the same bacteria found in kimchi.
When Koreans pose for photos, they say “kimchi”, instead of “cheese”.According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Kimchi contains something that can kill the H5N1 virus. |
| B．Kimchi is rated as the healthiest food in the world. |
| C．Kimchi is a cultural treasure for Koreans. |
| D．Each person eats 40 pounds of kimchi per month. |
What does the underlined phrase “keep... at bay” mean?
| A．predict | B．prevent | C．overcome | D．develop |
What does the article mainly talk about?
| A．The nutritional value of kimchi. | B．Ways of making kimchi. |
| C．The origin of kimchi. | D．Kimchi and what it means to Koreans. |
This selection of books and guides offers insight to hidden charm in many favorite cities and destinations and gives you the knowledge to uncover unusual sights to see and places to visit. We hope you enjoy our choices and welcome your comments. Email your feedback to books@ gounusual. com.
The following are taken from these books. You will find much more information about these hotels in the books.
Kakslauttanen Hotel
It is the home of the famous Igloo（冰屋）Village with the unique glass and snow igloos and the world’s largest snow restaurant. In addition , their guests can enjoy the winter activities including watching the Northern Lights visible generally from late August to late April. Guests can sample the peace of sleeping in snow. Their glass igloos are fantastic for lying on your bed at night, watching the Northern Lights in the warm. You can enjoy cold or warm night sleep as required.
Art Hotel in Ronda
Beautifully situated in the oldest paved street of Ronda and surrounded by historic buildings, Art Hotel is decorated with original and historical artwork and atmospheric lighting. There is lots of fun and funky touches, e. g. lights and birds nesting in old basketballs, wall murals（壁画）of Michael Jackson , car tyres converted to occasional tables.
During your stay, all drinks, breakfast and the use of all facilities are included in the price of the room.
Otter Creek Tents
The tents are separated from the rest of the world by a quiet salt-water creek. A coconut plantation dating back to 1886, the secret location preserves the privacy and peace of guests, with the salt water of the creek keeping even the mosquitoes away.
Each tent sleeps 2 in a four-poster double bed and has a western style toilet and bathroom with running water and hot shower. The tents use the dining facilities of the charming “Elsewhere” beach houses and enjoy over a mile of the pristine（处于原始状态的）beach where one can still see the footprints of fishermen , and during the season , possibly the prints of sea turtles.
The Original Icehotel
“Imagine a hotel built from thousands of tons of snow and ice, and rebuilt every winter”--that is ICEHOTEL in northern Lapland, Sweden.
This is the original ICEHOTEL, first created in the early 1990s. It has become the global ambassador for this genre and now licenses ICEBARs around the world too. With 80 ＋ rooms, the property is a huge undertaking to be rebuilt every year, and their expertise inspired other similar properties in North America and elsewhere.People staying in Kakslauttanen Hotel can watch the Northern Lights EXCEPT in ________.
| A．August | B．April | C．December | D．June |
What is special about Otter Creek Tents?
| A．You can sleep in a house made of ice there. |
| B．It is surrounded by a forest. |
| C．You can enjoy the scenes of a beach. |
| D．You can enjoy turtles cooked in a special way there. |
If you want to experience sleeping with snow or ice around, you can choose ________.
| A．Kakslauttanen Hotel and Art Hotel in Ronda |
| B．Otter Creek Tents and Icehotel |
| C．Art Hotel in Ronda and Otter Creek Tents |
| D．Kakslauttanen Hotel and Icehotel |
What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To show us the advantages of staying in hotels. |
| B．To introduce and promote some books. |
| C．To encourage people to travel around the world. |
| D．To explain to us how people manage the hotels. |
People have been growing chrysanthemums（菊花）for more than 2,000 years. Mums make bright and colorful gardens. People in China and other Asian cultures make tea with the flowers.
One basic kind of mum is the garden mum. The other basic kind is the florist mum. The garden mum is better able to handle different growing conditions.
There are many varieties of mums. The decorative mum is often seen in gardens. Another popular type, the quill mum, has long, straight petals（花瓣）like a tube or needle.
Chrysanthemum blooms can be white, yellow, gold, red or other colors. The plants often grow one meter high.
The soil for chrysanthemums should be kept moist but well drained so it does not get too wet.
Newly-planted mums should be watered two or three times a week, depending on conditions. Plants established in the ground may do well just with normal rainfall.
Mums grow best in full sunshine. They produce colorful blooms when days get shorter and nights get longer. The life cycle of the plant depends on the amount of daylight. This is why experts advise against placing mums near night lights or street lights. The light may interfere with their normal growth cycle. The plants may develop buds too soon.
In climates where temperatures fall below freezing, plant mums at least six weeks before the first frost. That way, the plants will be well established for cold weather.
Some gardeners say the most beautiful presentation comes from planting mums close together. But be sure to leave enough space to let air flow between the plants. If not, there may be a greater chance of disease.
To get more blooms, gardeners pinch（掐）back the branches when new growth has reached fifteen centimeters. Squeeze about five to seven centimeters off each branch. Pinch it again when a branch grows another twelve to fifteen centimeters. Stop the pinching about one hundred days before you want the plants to bloom. What has a great effect on the life cycle of the mum?
| A．The conditions of the soil. | B．The amount of daylight. |
| C．The amount of rainfall. | D．Cold weather. |
Why do gardeners pinch back the branches when new growth reaches certain length?
| A．To make mums grow thick. | B．To get more blooms. |
| C．To prevent mums from falling ill. | D．To let air flow between the plants. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Growing mums has a very long history and all the people in the world like making tea with mums. |
| B．Mums can grow one meter high and the closer they are planted, the higher they grow. |
| C．Though planting mums close together can make them look more beautiful, enough space should be left. |
| D．The petals of mums are long and straight and the more water mums get, the more quickly they grow. |
Investors soon will be able to own shares of Facebook stock. The world’s biggest social media network presented documents to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday. The documents are required before the company can make its initial public offering（首次公开募股）or IPO. A date for the stock sale has yet to be announced.
Experts say Facebook could raise about five billion dollars. That would be one of the biggest IPO sales ever. And it would be much bigger than Google’s first public stock sale in 2004. At that time, the Internet search company raised almost two billion dollars.
Facebook has 800 million users around the world. It is the second most visited website after Google. Now, experts say the social media network is in a position to become one of the most valuable Internet companies.
Stock expert Anupam Palit at Greencrest Capital says that among social media sites, Facebook is in a class by itself.
“It is the biggest company in this space and we believe what makes it very unique from every other company that went public last year in this space is that it is very, very profitable.” said Anupam Palit.
Early estimates place the total value of the social network between 75 and 100 billion dollars. That includes earlier investments by other companies. David Kirkpatrick wrote the book The Facebook Effect. He says Facebook’s IPO will be historic.
The stock sale could also make Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg one of the world’s youngest billionaires. He is only 27.
Investment companies are likely to buy Facebook stock first. But investment manager Jim O’Shaugnessy says that is not so bad. He says the prices of some IPO stocks are too high and fall not long after they first go on sale.
Recently, share prices of some Internet businesses have fallen after their stocks were first offered. For example, stocks of Linkedln, Groupon and Zynga, dropped in price by as much as 25% after going public.
There were similar questions eight years ago when Google first sold stock to the public. Today, Google is one of the world’s most valuable technology companies.Which of the following is true about Google?
| A．Google’s first public stock sale began in 2005. |
| B．Google is the world’s most valuable company. |
| C．Google’s share price rose after its stock was first offered. |
| D．Google raised almost two billion dollars from its first public stock sale. |
According to the passage, we can know Facebook ________.
| A．has 800 million users in the USA | B．has announced the date for its first stock sale |
| C．is the most visited website today | D．is the world’s biggest social media network |
We can infer from the passage that ________.
| A．Facebook stock is being sold very well |
| B．Mark Zuckerberg will get much money from the stock sale |
| C．Mark Zuckerberg was only 27 when Facebook was founded |
| D．investment companies have bought many Facebook shares |
Which would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Facebook and Its IPO | B．The Difference Between Facebook and Google |
| C．The Founder of Facebook | D．A Book Called The Facebook Effect |